Why you feel uninspired with your current wardrobe, and it doesn’t feel like you have anything to wear.

There are times when you go to your closet, and everything seems “old” and it’s missing the pizazz you think you want at the moment.

I get it – it happens to all of us. Some days it just feels hard to get dressed.

Recently, I had a gal reach out and ask about what she should wear to an upcoming business event.  

She wanted it to be put together, with a great first impression, and most importantly stylish.

And she didn’t want to dress like the 30-year-olds she was seeing in the fashion images.

She wanted to look on-point with her style but didn’t want to wear the off-the-shoulder look, or show her tummy, or the super dramatic flair leg pants.

If you are a woman in your 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s and all you see is the young models in their 20’s wearing the styles that are on-point, it’s confusing.

1. You’re wondering, can you pull that off?

2. Should you be wearing the latest on-trend styles?

3. Does it look appropriate for your age?

I get it.

Sometimes you’re looking for rules or right or wrong.

When you’re struggling to dress yourself, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of looking to others to see “how” you should dress.

My specialty is helping you look at personal style from a lens of AUTHENTICITY. 

Honoring who you are, the real you.

If you are a woman who loves classic and timeless styling, you’re probably someone who isn’t drawn to the off-the-shoulder or tummy showing tops.

Honor that. Don’t get drawn into styles that don’t represent the AUTHENTIC you.

It’s so easy to look at all the shiny new styles for the season and wonder what to purchase, and then decide if it’s AUTHENTICALLY you.

You may be a classy lady who loves a little sexy in your wardrobe. The off-the-shoulder style is perfect for you.

You may a creative woman who loves the dramatic flair leg pant. Embrace it. Wear it.

Instead of looking at age appropriate or what everyone else is wearing, begin looking from the lens of what is AUTHENTIC to you.

1. Add one on-trend piece. Style it with your existing pieces in your closet.

2. Understanding your personal style is part of being a confident woman.

3. Give yourself permission to dress and feel AUTHENTICALLY you - whether that is creatively, sporty, wild and sassy, traditional, or a simple polished style.

Own Your Style. Love Your Wardrobe. Be Your Best Self.

With Your Definitive Style in Mind,

❤️Annette

P.S. If you’d like to dive deeper into what AUTHENTIC style looks like, sign up for my FREE 4-day Style Experience coming August 26th. You will LOVE it.

Sign up: https://www.womenofdefinitivestyle.com/style-experience

Amplify Your Unique Style with Fashion Feng Shui

Do you find yourself being wishy washy when trying to decide if something looks good on you?

Have you noticed you need validation from the salesperson, your husband, your girlfriend if you outfit looks great?

What If…you could have a more planned and authentic approach to your wardrobe and image, helping you identify your unique style?

• A wardrobe you LOVED.

• And know you are rocking your look with 100% authenticity.

Years ago I was trained through a style system called Fashion Feng Shui.

Dressing the whole YOU from the inside out.

I’ve always believed that Style begins with the woman, not the clothes.

When you begin understanding the power of YOU, your strengths, your values, you will begin owning your unique style.

Through Fashion Feng Shui, you will begin to understand the whys…why you love drama, why you love simple, why you, love unique, why you love traditional.

It is a blueprint to teach you how to align with the authentic YOU - from the inside out.

What does dressing from the inside-out mean?

• It means honoring your inner beauty

• Honoring your strengths

• Your values

• Your essence

When I learned about this, I fell in love with Fashion Feng Shui.

Wouldn’t you love to combine your personality strengths with your Style?

• I learned WHY I’m so picky with how my clothing fits

• I learned WHY I love pink so much

• I learned WHY I love feeling put-together

If you are a woman who is smart and successful but style hasn’t always been on the front burner.

I get you, I work with lots of women just like you to combine your magnificents with your personal style.

It’s fascinating and sooo much FUN!

Join me for my upcoming workshop on Thursday, April 6th in Kirkland WA: Amplify Your Unique Style

If you’re not local and would to be kept in the loop for my upcoming virtual Fashion Feng Shui workshop leave a comment below. OR sign up to receive my Get Style Confidence Guide

In the meantime, we’ll be style chatting more about Fashion Feng Shui in my private Facebook group Confidently Style Woman on Wednesdays at 12noon PST.

With Your Definitive Style in Mind, ANNETTE

The Power of a Jacket

Are you someone who has some great jackets in your wardrobe?

Do you wear them ONE way, with ONE specific blouse?

I have a current client doing that. 

Or maybe you’re someone who has a black jacket and don’t tend to wear it much?

That is another client of mine.

Let’s talk about the Power of a JACKET and how it can elevate your wardrobe and personal style.

WHY Jackets?

1. Jackets have a subliminal message 

I’m sure you know what I mean when you see a woman with a great jacket. 

You notice her. 

She looks professional. 

She’s pulled together and polished. 

She has personal style.

Maybe your mind goes to expert, she’s really good at what she does. 

1. Jackets keep you warm

It could be that simple, you are looking for warmth. I get it, as I can be a cold body myself. 

Owning a neutral color jacket such as black or camel is a great investment piece that can serve as professional and warmth as well as show off your personal style.

1. Style of Jacket 

This is where you need to begin thinking about your personal style, professional brand and lifestyle. 

How do you want your jacket to serve you? Meetings? Online? In-person?

Do you want it to be more traditional or dressy casual style?

A jacket that carries more authority or one that is more approachable?

Do you want creativity or edginess to be part of your personal style?

In Fashion Feng Shui, I talk about the Harmony of your Inner and Outer Presence. 

• Finding a jacket that is Uniquely YOU

• A jacket that is aligned with your personal professional brand

• Making sure your jacket aligns with your personal style as well as your lifestyle

Join me as we style chat about the Power of a Jacket. 

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE:

1. Capture my BEST personal style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and personal style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you.

   Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself.

   We’ll talk about what that looks like for you so that you are showing up as the powerful woman that you are while you dress with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is the place where I share my expertise each week, you can get to know me, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel.

What does it take to feel good?

Something you may not know about me; my #1 value is my wellbeing. 

When I don’t feel good, life is mediocre, and just O.K.  

That is NOT how I want to feel. 

Are you an in-charge kind of woman in your professional and personal life?

“You are caring for your family, juggling a demanding career, caring for elderly relatives, and running households…and the price you pay is astronomical”, says Heather Dumas. 

And then you are trying to stay healthy?

It’s hard, I get it. 

Most of the time you’re feeling guilty when you squeeze in self-care or feel like you must sacrifice other parts of your life.

All you want… is to feel good.

You want that feeling of vitality. 

Energy to go do what you do best. 

You want to feel good in your clothes. 

You want to be excited when you go into your closet every morning. 

When you feel good, you look good, you feel better.  

You may be asking, “Annette how do I do that?”

Join me as I chat with my colleague Heather Dumas, Healthy Lifestyle Strategist. 

What I love about Heather is her approach to health. 

It’s holistic, the same approach I take to cultivating your personal style.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

What If…Your Personal Style Expressed Uniquely YOU ?

If you knew you would not be judged, what would you wear?

What colors would you dare to wear?

Do you daydream about style you see in catalogs or IG and wonder if you could wear that?

You stop yourself.

And your mind goes into What If…

What if that style is too much?

What if style too bright?

What if you look like you’re trying too hard?

Isn’t it interesting how you get caught up in the What If.

“The What If”…is they. 

What are they going to think about my personal style if you wear that?

What if they don’t like the color you’re wearing?

What if you style the outfit as boring or dowdy?

What if you look fat?

How would it feel if you were true to YOU, a personal style that expressed uniquely you?

It’s not until you respect the authentic, unique you, that you will try something new. 

What would authentically you, look like?

New style. 

New color. 

New silhouette. 

New shoes. 

Life is too short to continue to question and doubt your sense of personal style.  

What If…you created a signature wardrobe that makes it feel so good to be YOU?

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE:

1. Capture my BEST personal style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and personal style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you.

   Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself.

   We’ll talk about what that looks like for you so that you are showing up as the authentic confident woman that you are, dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place where I share my personal styling expertise each week, you get to know me through my training videos, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel.

How-To Add ONE New Style Piece for Fall

Fall is here. It’s time to get ready for the weather change as well as upcoming events. 

Have you given any forethought to what you might want to add to your fall wardrobe to support what’s next? 

Will you have in-person meetings over the next few months?

Are you traveling?

Do you have speaking engagements booked? 

Do you desire a dressy casual feel? 

More traditional business?

A lot of questions, I know. 

But when you can answer these questions, you can begin building an Intentional Wardrobe that serves you. 

Be deliberate with your purchases so that you will have the perfect outfit in a moment’s notice.   

One of the major Fall Trends is Oversized Jackets 

It’s a trend, so if an oversized jacket feels too much, opt for a style that fits your body type. 

The White Shirt

To accompany your beautiful new jacket, consider the wardrobe staple, The White Blouse or Shirt.  

• Consider the fabric and how it fits underneath your jackets

• How does it fall on your body

• Do you want something more elegant, unique, or sportier?

• Think of at least 3-ways you can incorporate your White Shirt or Blouse with other pieces in your wardrobe

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE

1. Capture my BEST personal style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and personal style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you.

   Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself.

   We’ll talk about what that looks like for you so that you are showing up as the authentic confident woman that you are, dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place where I share my personal styling expertise each week, you get to know me through my training videos, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel.

Dressing with Intention

Are you tired of feeling stressed every time you get dressed?

Do you find yourself digging through your stuffed closet every time you get ready for an important event?

Whether it’s a speaking engagement, leading an important meeting, or a fun barbecue with friends, do you end up with a pile of clothes on the floor?

Contemplating what to wear, again?

If only you had “that perfect outfit” at a moment’s notice.

Why does it matter, because you are amazing at what you, and you need to look the part. 

You want others to connect with you and see the “real you.”

Feeling confident when you walk out the door is important to you. 

You hate fussing with your clothes.

One of the processes I teach is called Dressing with Intention. 

Dressing with Intention

1. It’s first having the awareness of how you want to be perceived

2. A simple step, begin with ONE word 

3. Powerful, edgy, graceful, confident…

4. Look in your closet and identify one piece or style that aligns with how you want to be perceived 

5. Try that piece on 

6. Take a picture of yourself

7. Does your outfit reflect that ONE word?

8. NO? YES?

Now it’s time to begin accessing the clothing in your closet…what’s working, what is not. 

With your current lifestyle, what is always a struggle when getting dressed?

Are you upleveling how you show up and how you want to be perceived? 

You are evolving. That’s a good thing. 

I believe that when you dress with intention, you can walk out the door, forget about what you are wearing and go do what you do best with CONFIDENCE. 

Let’s talk.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

Wearing colors that bring out your eyes

Choosing “flattering colors” can be overwhelming and confusing.

Also, making sure the colors you choose feel authentic to you, right?

Color has a personality. I believe in being intentional when choosing your colors.

How would it feel to have “signature colors” that you know are 100% flattering, they are aligned with your personality type, and you can count on them to always feel amazing?

Quick style tip!

Begin by identifying the true color of your eyes.

To be the most objective possible, I recommend you to take a close-up picture of your eyes.

Are they just one color? Do they have several shades, like specs of yellow or amber? Maybe some green and blue?

While working with 100’s of women over the years, I find most women have multi-faceted colored eyes.

Once you identify your eye color, begin experimenting with one of those colors in a clothing piece.

Have fun!

If you’d like more information about learning what your most flattering colors are and identifying your signature colors, let’s talk.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

What is Authentic Style?

The dictionary describes authentic as real, genuine, credible, trustworthy. 

Describing your authentic style can be difficult. 

I’m sure you’ve had those times when you’re in the dressing room, you look in the mirror, and love what you see, the outfit feels like you. 

The best feeling ever.  

You feel authentic. 

It’s time to identify what authenticity looks like for you. 

If you knew you would not be judged, what would you love to wear?

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

Your Personal Image + Likeability = The Whole Story

We know you are looking and feeling amazing on the outside but we also know there is more to a person than simply their clothing.  I am fascinated by the Likeability Factor.  I believe the L-Factor can give you that extra edge when making a great first impression and building authentic relationships.

Being a big fan of the TV show, The Voice, I have observed over and over how individuals are voted on by the American public. They may have the best voice ever but if the viewers do not find them likeable…it shows in the voting. On the other hand, we’ve all met those people that we really like, and you may have never given it a second thought to why you like them so much, that is the Likeability Factor at work.

This is an area that I suggest you become more aware of when you are presenting yourself whether for business or pleasure.  I believe it make a big difference in how you are perceived.

4 Elements that Create Your Likeability Factor:

1. Friendliness

Expressing a general positive feeling. If someone perceives that you like them, they will most likely like you back. Without reciprocation, likeability is not likely to happen.

Friendliness is about developing a friendly mind-set. Get rid of unfriendly.

How to show friendly signs:

• Let them see you SMILE before you say a word
• When you greet others, lead with your smile
• Make eye contact
• Use your eye brows
• Use your eyes to show emotion
• Hold your head up when you talk
• Maintain good posture
• Use friendly words such as wonderful, excellent, awesome, beautiful, perfect, appreciate, inspiring, etc.
• Use friendly phrases such as nice to see you, glad you are here, welcome, how can I help, absolutely, and sure.

BE YOURSELF ALWAYS. THIS IS ABOUT BEING A BETTER YOU.

2. Relevance

Relevance is the extent to which the other person connects to your life’s interests, wants and needs. The variable is the strength of the connection. When people connect with one of your high-level interests or needs their relevance to you soars.

3 LEVELS OF RELEVANCE: BASIC CONTACT, MUTUAL INTERESTS, VALUE

How to show relevance:

• Basic contact: Part of the same group. Live by each other
• When others are in frequent contact with you, they have a bias to like you
• Improve the quality of your contacts by staying connected
• Mutual interests: discover what your contacts interests are. You’re developing commonality. Connect with others wants and needs. The variable is the strength of the connection.
• Value: if you possess a skill that will help someone complete a task, you are more relevant to that person.
• Likeability and interests are related, because when two people have a passion in common, they are connected at the sweet spot, which is at the heart of being relevant.

3. Empathy

Can you see things from their point of view? Can you feel what they feel? Can you walk in that persons shoes?

Empathy delivers the psychological benefits, personal worth, how you feel, validated, appreciated, and special.

How to show empathy:

• If you’re not aware of others’ feelings, you can be perceived as insensitive
• Don’t interrupt
• Wear your listening cap. Commit to being a better listener to understand how others feel
• Ask, don’t tell. Ask for details
• Remember conversations

4. Realness

We ask the question is this person real? Genuine, trustworthy, authentic. When we search for realness in another person, we recognize it by its absence.

How to show realness:

• Be true to yourself. You must know the real you.
• Let your values be your compass as you navigate life.
• Practice humility. Watch out for exaggeration.
• Share your realness. Learn to say, “I don’t know.”
• Be present. Whenever you are with others, be with them 100%.
   

How to Find Your Likeable Self:

1. Try to recall the last time someone paid you a compliment

2. What compliments did you most enjoy receiving?

3. Think about your biggest fan, this person talks about you in glowing terms.

4. What converted her from an acquaintance to a supporter?

5. What would be 2 likeable features she would say?

6. Role model – someone you admire & want to emulate – top 2 features

7. Identify the features that contribute to a high L-factor in yourself and others.

What Others Say About YOU… Be More of That!

To Learn more about Image Services

*Information obtained from the book,  The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders.