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Is your image conveying the message you want it to convey? Are you an entrepreneur or professional who needs to step up her look so her image speaks the words aligned with her company’s brand? Then, join me on Thursday June 17th at 4:30 for a great networking event.

The NAPW (National Association of Professional Women) Annapolis Chapter, is pleased to invite you to attend a 90-minute interactive workshop with Natalie Jobity, image consultant, an expert in the areas of image, personal branding, and dressing for success.

Our image or personal brand speaks volumes for who we are.  It sends signals about our intelligence, competence, confidence, level of success, and a host of other unscientific output, which may or may not be true.  For optimal impact, we must be sure to make focused and conscious choices about the messages our image ‘business card’ is transmitting.

Here are a few of the highlights of this workshop:

*   Learn the key elements of an effective personal brand
*   Get smart on why dressing with intention and purpose can be a pathway to success
*   Understand the impact of first impressions and how to ensure yours are positive and lasting
*   Explore ways to use your signature style and image to reinforce your businesses brand image

Join other women like yourself for this engaging and valuable seminar at the Naval Reserve Club in Annapolis MD. To register and for further details please RSVP HERE.
Hope you can join us!

Elan Image Management, Image Consulting

Hi there ladies. Summer is officially here and to celebrate I am doing a swimsuit giveaway courtesy of Swankini. Swankini is a newly launched line of swimwear  designed by Lois McCourt. Her goal was to create swimsuits that were totally flattering and totally fabulous. After a lot of hard work,  she created a variety of beautiful swimsuits designed for all kinds of body types.

I am thrilled to be able to giveaway a beautiful Amethyst halter Swankini two-piece from the La Ruche line valued at over $100. This design is built with a bust enhancer and side ruching for extra tummy and waist slimming effect.

 Here is a photo of this hot "suddenly slimming" swimsuit–La Ruche Amethyst Swankini

To enter here’s what you need to do:

1.    Become of fan of Elan Image Management and Swankini on Facebook

2.    Tell us why you want to ‘get your swank on’ at the beach this summer by commenting to this blog or on our Facebook fan page discussion forum

3.    Get your comments in by June 12th!! One lucky lady will win her very own Swankini swimsuit!! Winner announced on June 15th!

Good luck!

The Image Diva, Elan Image Management, image consultants

There are so many styles of swimsuits to flatter various figure types, tastes, and personalities. This TV segment which aired on May 27th on DC’s  News Channel 8 ‘Let’s Talk Live, featuring Elan Image Management, highlights a few trends, suggestions for a flattering fit, and what your swimsuit style conveys about you. 

We showcase the Swankini! This is a swimwear line developed by Lois McCort out of Ohio that is all about figure flattery! The suits are two piece tankinis geared at the over 35 crowd who typically want more coverage around the middle and who also want the slimming effects of a suit. The suit fabrication is made with quality spandex, and there are features like ruching, tummy tuck panels, pintucking at the busts for augmentation and more all catering to help you to ‘get your swank on’! Check her line out at Swankini.com

We reveal the  Monokini– definitely for the confident woman who is not shy about flaunting her body’s assets. The hallmark of a monokini is that it is a one piece but it shows so much skin especially around the waist it is almost a bikini. Personally I think it can be sexier for many shapes than a bikini. If you want curves, curves, curves then this style is perfect for you. It is also a great style for more boyish shapes that want to create the illusion of more curves. Monokinis because they reveal so much skin and contour the body’s curves, convey a strong sense of allure. Perfect if you are in great shape and want to get lots of attention from the guys!

The clip also shows other swimwear options, including tankini options, bikinis and one pieces.

View the TV clip here

For more on swimsuit figure flattery advice and tips with great photos, read my posts last year on the topic: Swimsuits for all bods part 1 and part 2

A special thanks to the Let’s Talk Live team for letting me share with their viewers and Lois Mc Cort for her generous swimsuit donation of  a Swankini suit which I will be giving away to 1 lucky follower on my facebook fan page. Not a fan? Get all the latest updates, tips and trends on our Facebook business page. Stay tuned!

The Image Diva, Elan Image Management, image consulting

Times are really changing. Gone are the days when women view their biggest ‘looking their best’ day as their wedding day (for better or worse) but instead their first job interview. What? Yes!

A survey conducted in December 2009 by The Florida Department of Citrus released findings of the “Grapefruit Guide to Glamorous Moments Poll” recently, which reveals American women’s true confessions on their diet, weight loss, and beauty regimens.

Results show the extreme measures women will take to look their best at key events and the relative importance they place on weight, fitness, and conventional beauty. Topping the list?

• Apparently, the value women place on looking good appears to be skin deep. Nearly four in ten women would choose wrinkle-free skin over the gift of a new car.
• Two-thirds (66 percent) of women who try to lose weight for a glamorous occasion admit that they have followed a fad diet in an effort to generate quick results   rather than a long-term healthy eating plan.
• Nearly seven out of ten (67 percent) women have avoided being photographed at special events because they felt unhappy with their appearance.
• If given the choice, 81 percent of women would rather lose two dress sizes than meet a celebrity they admire, and a shocking 44 percent of women would rather lose $5,000 of their income than gain 20 pounds (what recession?).

A full list of results can be viewed on our multimedia site: Florida Grapefruit

Also on the site are healthy eating and lifestyle tips from our new partner, celebrity nutritionist Carrie Latt Wiatt, who currently works with Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas.

So what do these statistics tell us? That we need to start taking better care of ourselves from the inside out and stop looking for quick fixes. More importantly, if we really want that flawless complexion and that toned body for our ‘red carpet’ like moments we have to work consistently at it. Proper eating habits, exercise and healthy beauty regimens are the way to achieve our outward image goals and to feel great about our appearance regardless of the event.

The Image Diva, Elan Image Management, image consulting

Contrary to myth, everyone can wear virtually every color– it’s the correct hue, tone, tint or shade of that color that will make the difference between looking amazing or awful. Here are some suggestions to help you discover how to use color to your advantage, from your helpful image consultant.

•  Your image and presentation gives people cues on how they should interact with you. How do you want to be perceived? When the colors you wear work for you, you feel energized, look radiant and ‘pop’ in your clothing. Colors that work against you are those that wash you out, make YOU disappear or that overwhelm your natural coloring. Often in an image consultation session, when I do color analysis on a client there are a few color drapes that I remove very quickly because I see how the color ‘drags her down’. I literally cannot bear to see the color’s negative effect on her. Color is that powerful.  It illicits an immediate emotional, mental or physical reaction which can be positive or negative. You want people to respond favorably towards you based on the colors you chose to wear.
• The colors you wear from the waist up are the ones that matter. They are the ones that enhance or detract from your facial skintone, eyes and hair, which results in you looking more attractive or not. You want the colors you wear closest to your head/neckline to draw the eye of the onlooker up to your face. Colors that are too strong or too contrasting for your skin/hair/eyes are going to draw the eyes away from your face and to the stronger colors instead. You don’t want the colors you wear to ‘wear’ you. You must always command attention not the color you are wearing. Make sense?
• Color is more than just looking great; it’s about feeling great as well. Certain colors are invigorating and refreshing and lift our mood when we wear them. Others may pull our mood down and make us look dour. This is entirely dependent upon the wearer. For me, warm brights enliven me—such as pea green, coral red, banana yellow or red-orange. Earthtones make me feel, well,  more earthy and grounded. These are the warm browns, olive greens, rust, burnt sienna etc.  Whereas drab or overly ‘cool’ colors really put a damper on my spirits. I am never really receptive to blues unless it’s a turquoise or teal blue (‘warmer’ blues). And pastels not only wash me out but make me feel washed up! Not having it! Everyone will have their own preferences. Understand how you feel when you wear or are surrounded by certain colors,
• Colors have their own energies.  Yellow is innately a happy, vivacious color. Blue is more calming. Green is balancing and restorative. Red is commanding, confident and passionate.  Purple is seductive and regal. Orange is adventurous and magnetic. Understand each color’s energy and wear strategically to achieve the goals you want. I recently advised a client to wear a red jacket to her annual performance review because she had a challenge with conveying assertiveness and confidence. She took my advice (and then some!) and had an amazing review. She felt the difference is wearing her ‘power’ red in a jacket and thus acted accordingly.
• Many people think they can’t wear red and this is such a mistake! Red is such a powerful color, both authoritative and alluring at the same time. Red lipstick, red dresses, red shoes, red ties—there is a reason why red is chosen by those who want to project command. It is an irresistible color and you do yourself an injustice if you skip this color in your wardrobe. Plus it is a little known fact that red can work with ANY neutral in your closet! Just be careful to find the hue that is enhancing on you.

The Image Diva, Elan Image Management, image consulting