Month: September 2023

See Ya, Summer ☀️, Hello Fall 🍂🍁

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Can you believe October starts Sunday? What do you love about fall? The cooler weather? (yes!) All things pumpkin spice? (eh, not really…) Cozy scarves and boots? (Yep!)

Depending on where you live, chances are the weather is starting to cool off so this is a great time to do a wardrobe change-up. Here are some ideas to take your summer items and turn them into some of your autumn favorites.

To get mileage out of your mid-weight dresses in the fall, pair them with cozy tights and booties. You can wear a sweater over your dresses or add a layering piece in a fall shade.

Jackets and cardis seamlessly move your tanks and tees into fall. I love a darker wash denim jacket and leather moto jackets are timeless. Open-weave relaxed cardis are this year’s fall trend and these can be styled differently for multiple looks. Trench coats are a big outerwear trend this season and it’s a personal fave! Pick one in one of your best neutrals or go with a pop color like I did. Book a Personal Style Appointment to learn your best colors and more.

Layering adds so much visual interest to your outfits and is perfect for the early fall days when the morning is chilly but the afternoon still warms up.

Swap out your purse. Move away from straw and raffia bags and go to a leather or fabric in a great fall shade. Remember to choose a purse in proper proportion to your frame size. Change your shoes! Now is the time to move to mules, booties and boots. By necessity I’m a flats girl. Loafers, ballet flats, Mary Janes and sneakers are the big flats for this season. Keep those toes covered and warm.

Don’t forget to mix up your nail color. Move now to richer polish shades for a seasonal mani and pedi look. Below are some of the trendy shades of the season. Classic French, Candy Red, Blues and Emerald Green are some of my faves.

Same goes for updating your makeup too. As the season progresses you may need to go back to a lighter foundation than what you used during the summer and darker eyes and lips are totally acceptable for fall. To find a flattering lip color, match the intensity of your eye color – lighter eyes need a lighter lip color, bright eyes need a brighter lip color and darker eyes need a deeper lip color.

Try these easy and inexpensive ways to move your look from summer to fall.

Thinking about family photos? These pictures are such a treasure and looking your best in these photos all starts with wearing the right colors. Now is the time to set up a Photo Color Consult with Style 311.

The process is simple: just email or text me a close-up picture of each individual that shows their skin tone, hair color and eye color. I will then guide you on the best clothing color choices for your group. The Photo Color Consult starts at $40. Contact me to schedule today for family photos you’ll love.

Try These Trend Color Combos for Fall 2023!

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I’ve said it before, but you guys – I LOVE color! As a kid, my sister and I shared a bedroom with bright purple shag carpet and my first car was a lime green VW Beetle. Even now, I have 13 colors of Fiesta place settings.

See what I mean – color is my thing! Each season Pantone comes out with the trend colors and I like most of them, but just because I like a color doesn’t mean it would look good on me. After becoming a certified Christian image consultant I learned not all colors work for everyone. Take a look at these trend colors for fall 2023 from New York Fashion week.

These are some pretty shades, but none of us could wear each of them and look good. Here’s why: the first key to dressing your best every day is to wear colors that mimic your natural coloring.

When analyzing color, I use the Color Code system that’s based on your hair color, skin tone and eye color. There are six Color Codes shown below with their very best color combo for this season’s trend colors. Let’s breakdown the best trend color combos for each of us. Each pair below is shown with their Color Code titles.

Warm & Cool

On the left is a beautiful redhead, and on the right, a striking beauty with silvery white hair. These women have opposite coloring so their color combos are opposite too.

Those of you with red hair need to wear toasty, warm colors to look your best. Fall really is a great season for you as there are so many autumnal shades. Go with gold jewelry to finish your outfits.

If you have silver, gray or white hair, you want to go with cool shades in striking combinations. Silver jewelry really polishes off your look.

Soft and Clear

On the left is a beautiful example of medium coloring and the left shows high-contrast coloring. Again, their coloring is opposite so their trend color combos are also opposites.

If you have medium blonde to medium brown hair you have low contrast coloring and need soft, medium colors. To accessorize gold, silver and rose gold all suit you well.

With dark hair and fair skin, you have very high contrast coloring. Bright, vivid colors are best for you and silver jewelry pulls everything together nicely.

Deep & Light

On the left is a woman with dark hair, skin and eyes. To the right is a lady with light skin, light hair and light eyes. Again, these women are opposites in their coloring so their best color combinations reflect that.

If you have dark hair with medium to dark skin you want deep, rich, low contrast combinations. Gold jewelry will top your outfit off nicely.

For very blonde hair and fair skin you look best in fresh, fair colors that mimic you natural coloring. Go with silver accessories to pull your look together.

You can see how the right colors really bring out your God-given beauty. Try these color pairings for updated looks that have you feeling current and beautiful through fall. No matter what your coloring, it always looks good to match your shoes to your hair color.

If you missed it, take a look at the Fall 2023 Style 311 Trend Report to see all the trend colors that will work for you. It builds confidence when you are wearing colors that make you shine and color is just the first key in dressing your best every day. Dive into your best colors, dressing your body shape and accessorizing the right way with a personal style appointment.

Virtual appointments are done via email and phone and are $110 – plus they include a set of digital color swatches. Call or email me today for your own personal style appointment.

Family Photos Coming Up?

Photos of loved ones are such a treasure and looking your best in these photos all starts with wearing the right colors. This can be challenging when working with a large group, so what you need is the Photo Color Consult with Style 311.

The process is simple: just email or text me a close-up picture of each individual that shows their skin tone, hair color and eye color. I will then guide you on the best clothing color choices, accessory and makeup suggestions for your everyone who will be in your pictures.

For more on the Photo Color Consult, check out this Style 311 blog. The Photo Color Consult starts at $40 and now is the time to book for fall photography sessions. Contact me to schedule today for family photos you’ll love.

Are You Ready? The Fall Trend Report is Here!🎉🍂🍁

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It’s time! The Style 311 Fall 2023 Trend Report is here! I love sharing with you the top trend colors and some of the most wearable trends of the season. As a certified Christian image consultant, I look at the trends and narrow down to those that work in real life.

If you live in small town middle America like me you might think some of the things you see on social media would never work for your life – and you are probably right! The Style 311 Fall 2023 Trend Report shares some of the most wearable trends for you and me, beauties in the real world.

Adding trendy touches is an easy, inexpensive way to keep your look current. As you read through the report, take note of what catches your eye and think of ways you can work it into your wardrobe and lifestyle. Maybe it’s a few of the trend colors – I’m loving Rose Violet, Eclipse and Viva Magenta – the 2023 Color the Year. Shop your closet too and you might be surprised what you already have (I just found a blazer in Rose Violet that I love! As you go through the report this is what you’ll find:

▪ The seasonal color overview

▪ Color Class shows which colors look best for each Color Code

▪ A peek at the trend colors from London Fashion Week

▪ A show & tell of how a Personal Style Appointment works

▪ The top fashion trends for Fall 2023

▪ The top accessory trends for Fall 2023

▪ The top jewelry trends for Fall 2023

▪ Notable mentions for Fall 2023

So without further ado, here is the Style 311 Fall Trend Report! Take a look at the 15 color trends from New York Fashion Week, styles for the season, accessory notes and trend tips. I can can’t wait to hear which trends you are going to try this season. Forward this email to your friends who want to know what the trends are for fall 2023. If you want to get the most of these trends and are ready to take the frustration out of choosing outfits you love every day, book a Personal Style Appointment with me. We will cover wearing your best colors, dressing for your body shape, accessorizing the right way, the trends and more. Virtual Personal Style Appointments are done by email and phone for $110 and include a set of digital color swatches that include your trend colors. Call or email me to book yours today!

What if Shopping Was Easy? For Real 👗🛍️

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Does it sound like the impossible dream to say that shopping could be easy? You may think so because for many of us shopping is stressful. We aren’t sure what to buy, we don’t know what’s in style, we don’t know where to shop and it feels like the clothes we have don’t go together to create outfits we want to wear.

I get it – these things have all been true for me at one time or another. Wouldn’t it be great if someone created a system to basically do it all for us? Well, someone has! Shari Braendel is the wonderful lady who trained me as an image consultant and she has created the Closet Outfit Planner. It follows the guidelines I talk about – wearing your best colors, dressing for your shape and accessorizing the right way – and it’s as if she’s done all the work of shopping for you!

The Fall Closet Outfit Planner is Here!

So, what exactly is the Closet Outfit Planner?

It’s the guide you need for outfits made simple! This 20+ page pdf shows you how to create over 150 outfits with just 27 pieces! The COP works with four of your best trend colors to give you unlimited looks that make you feel stylish, current and confident all season long.

This Closet Outfit Planner is the best yet, and includes so many great features:

▪ The closet inventory checklist so you won’t buy what you don’t need

▪ Online shopping links to easily find the perfect pieces this season

▪ The Body Shape Key to find the pieces that flatter your shape

▪ The Extras Section with bag, shoe and jewelry trends

▪ Looks grouped by activity and event to save time when selecting your outfits

When you are feeling rushed, it is harder to put together an outfit that makes you feel good. This Closet Outfit Planner does this work for you! Each outfit is shown with the clothes (obviously!) but also the shoes and accessories to polish off the outfit.

When you have a plan like the COP, a lot of good things happen:

▪ You remove stress because you have a plan

▪ You reduce decision fatigue because everything is laid out for you

▪ You have a small number of pieces (only 27!) so the overwhelm in your closet disappears

▪ You save money because you know exactly what to buy

▪ You save time because the plan is right there in the pdf

▪ You feel current and stylish

The Closet Outfit Planner is everything you need for your most stylish fall ever. Get it before September 30th, 2023 for only $79.

Check out the Closet Outfit Planner page for more details, testimonials and FAQ’s. You’ll be so glad you did!

Remember the Show What Not to Wear? 📺👗

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Did you watch Stacy London and Clinton Kelly on What Not to Wear? I’m not a big fan of reality TV, but I watched this one and I loved it! In fact, I’ve seen so many episodes I’ve been thinking about some correlations between this fashion fix-it show and our spiritual lives.

For some background, What Not to Wear is a makeover show where women go from bad style and low self-esteem to completely transformed in appearance and attitude. Often, it’s a rough ride, but so worth the hard-fought results in the end.

Our journey to a personal relationship with Christ can be like that too. We are dealing with sin and have no way to get beyond it in our own power, but when we come to know that Christ has paid for our sins and accept that for ourselves our lives are made completely new!

Let’s look at how What Not to Wear has parallels to coming to know Jesus as your savior. We’ll walk through the show and call our girl in need of style help Nikki.

Someone is concerned

In What Not to Wear, Nikki’s friends are concerned about her style so they nominate her to be on the show.

We may have a Christian friend who knows how much God loves her and that Christ died for us all so she shares the Good News about Christ with you.

Denial

Nikki is ambushed by Stacy & Clinton and shocked that her friends don’t think she has good style. See denies it and might even be offended.

If you hear the Gospel about Jesus, you might wonder why you even need saving. “I’m a good person, isn’t that good enough to get to Heaven?”

See the Need

Stacy and Clinton show Nikki video footage of her style over the last two weeks. She sees for herself that in fact she does need style help.

Reading God’s Word, the Bible, we see that all have sinned and fall short (Romans 3:23). Sin is a problem for all of us and Jesus is the only one who can solve it. Jesus himself says in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Accept Help

Now Nikki accepts the offer of $5,000 to buy a whole new wardrobe. There is excitement, but also some stipulations: she has to turn over her entire wardrobe to Stacy and Clinton and they can get rid of anything they want and she must follow their style rules.

When we accept Jesus’ free gift of salvation for ourselves, we turn our lives over to Him and agree to live following the Bible. Now we are set free and the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:22-23)

Throw Out the Old

Nikki gets to NYC and lays out her entire wardrobe. She picks out three outfits and standing in front of a 360 degree mirror she explains why she loves them. Stacy and Clinton explain to her why they don’t work and literally trash her clothes.

In the Christian life we have to get rid of the old and replace it with behavior and attitudes that honor God. It is hard to give up our old habits but the Holy Spirit is our help. We trade death for life and peace (Romans 8:6).

Replace with the New

Now Nikki needs to replace all these items. She’s got $5,00 and Stacy and Clinton take her shopping for a wardrobe that works. Next Nikki goes for hair and makeup for a complete transformation.

As a Christian we replace sinful ways with the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Talk about a good trade!

Share and Celebrate the Transformation

After a week of major change Nikki heads back home to show off her new style and celebrate with loved ones. Her friends and family are thrilled and might even ask to borrow her new clothes.

Now that our lives have turned 180 degrees because of Christ’s love for us we want to share the Good News of the Gospel. We celebrate and thank God for his goodness to us.

See, TV shows don’t matter much but the decision we make about eternity is the most important thing we will ever decide. Life here on earth is over the blink of an eye and the only way to Heaven is through God’s one and only Son Jesus. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in Him has eternal life.”

I’d love to talk with you about Jesus, just fill out the contact form below.