Spring has Spring---Fashion Week 2009

Spring has Sprung--at least at fashion week. The runways were filled with variations of linen white, sleek lines that also had an elegant, but casual look for Spring 2009. Since a picture is worth a thousands words, check out the Spring Collections of Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Zac Posen, Tracy Reese and many more at WWD Fashion Week Coverage.

President Obama's back to school speech--good for his image or bad for our country's image?

With all of the controversy over allowing the president to address the students of the country, one has to wonder how his image is doing. I have to admit that this may be an indication that his image is not doing well and that he is not so well received as one would hope. Or is is much more than that?

In President Obama's back to school speach President Obama states, "Every single one of you has something you're good at. Everyone single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. that's the opportunity education can provide." He further goes on to provide some stories of how children can overcome situations in their lives to succeed and provides them with more hope than I am sure many of their parents have provided them with.

The real question is: is it his image or the image of our country that needs a bit of work? What does it say about us, as a country, if we are in opposition to the leader of our country encouraging the future of our country, our children, to stay in school and become successful, productive, representatives of our country???

Fall Boots

So..it is August and time for the new styles to come out for Fall. I love to visit the stores this time of year. Fall, for me, is the best season and the time when all of the new boots come out!!!

THIGH HIGH BOOTS

Time to pull my thigh high black boots out of the closet. Yes, I am old enough to have bought them in style and still have them when they return to being "in style". Check out this article on thigh high boots.

ANKLE BOOTS

I can't possibly believe that ankle boots are back in style. I am not sure that I even liked them the first time. Not only do I still have these in my closet from the last time they were in style, but mine also have the bondage type straps that are so popular this year.

OK, clearly this is a sign that either I have amazing taste that transcends time and fads OR that sooner or later everything comes back in style.

The Uniform Project

After years of working in a salon and wearing black, I became an expert at accessorizing what probably appeared to others as the same black shirts, jackets, pants and skirts. Although all items had slightly different cuts, they were all black and basically conservative. So in came the scarves, jewelery, belts, shoes and any other item I could think of.

So when I saw the Uniform Project, boy could I related. I just had to share this exercise in sustainable fashion with you. This is an amazing grassroots fundraising website--and all for a great cause!

Why don't you try this experiment: for just one week wear the same dress or shirt and bottom and find 5 different ways to make it look unique. It will unleash your inner creativity and force you to wear those accessories you have hidden in the back of the closet!

Dress 10 Pounds Thinner

I want to share this link with you, as seeing how to dress will provide you with images that you may imitate. Please take a look at the article Dress 10 Pounds Thinner .

I welcome your comments and suggestions on the trick you use to take off a few pounds.

Michael Jackson: King of Pop

Michael Jackson: King of Pop

I can’t imagine not addressing the subject of the image(s) of Michael Jackson. It is a great example of how we use one image to cover up another image that we may not like as much. It is also an example of how in death, the image of a person can change, be glorified or catapulted to a new level.

Michael has said in interviews that he felt most comfortable on stage. His stage image may be the image he most identified with or felt comfortable with. On stage, he was confident, powerful, exuberant, completely in charge, and the King of Pop. I remember a Michael Jackson concert that I attended in the mid-eighties and was amazed at the high caliber of his show. I had never before or never would again attend anything like it.

I believe that his personal image as an individual was one that he was not comfortable with. He appeared to be shy, quiet, insecure, and almost uncomfortable in his own skin. The reports of child abuse and an auto-immune disease such as Lupus which may have caused Vitiligo and Fibromyalgia may have contributed to his insecurities.

Lastly, the image of Michael as a father was never as clear as when his daughter, Paris, address the crowd at his memorial service. He had been criticized for his parenting skills in the news and we never really go to see the loving, doting father that he appears to have been with his children.

How can all of these images exist within the same person? I have always said that there is an internal and external image within all of us. The external image is what we project for work, or to succeed in our endeavors. The internal image is who we really are--like it or not. Sometimes we don’t always like this image and wish to change it. It is indeed possible to use the external image to help change the internal image to gain confidence and success.

Michael Jackson had many images to many people and many people had their own views of him. However, I think that there are three images that can summarize him:

Image: King of Pop

Image: Loving, Doting, Father

Image: Insecure, Shy, Out of Place

Perhaps we should think of how many images we want to project and how many we really have. How can we use, change, or enhance our external image to help boost our internal image?

A New Image for Wal-Mart

In changing times, such as the current economic crises, one must often reinvent themselves. Individuals often update their look in hopes to be recognized by their boss for a promotion. Those who are job searching, will update their image to increase the chances of being hired. Still yet, those who are single will update their image in hopes to meet a significant other. Even companies must constantly update their image with changing times if they wish to stay competitive in the current economic crises.

An article on MSNBC states that “Wal-Mart is upgrading its electronics, beef, clothing, and home accessories while sprucing up its stores as it maneuvers to retain customers who have embraced a new found thriftiness…It’s placing a big bet on the redesign of most of its 3,600 stores, started last fall. This fiscal year, it plans to redo up to 600 at a cost from $1.6 billion to $1.7 billion… The prototype for the remodeling includes lower shelves to make it easier to see across the store, better lighting and wider aisles. Expanded electronics areas will include interactive displays to test video games and portable gadgets."

Wal-Mart is one example of how companies need to update or change their image to meet the current situation. How can you update your image to meet your current goals in the current economy?