Looking Great By Design, Not Chance

Image coaching focuses on providing effective, long-term solutions that will truly make a difference to how you make the most of your appearance.

Coaching is a three-step process that involves asking you questions to help you set your goals for the areas of your wardrobe and appearance you would like to improve, what timeframe you wish to make these changes within, how you would like to receive the information (whether you prefer practical or written information or a combination of the two), and your budget. From there, we establish which service or services will help you reach your goals. Finally I check back with you to ensure your goals were met, and to help you if there is anything further you need.

Benefits of the coaching approach are that the focus is firmly on you and what you want to achieve - you will never be judged or pushed into making any changes you are not ready to make. You will also be inspired to take control of your own image, and make long-term changes that are relevant to you, and not an unknown fashionable ideal with great clothes in the wardrobe but still nothing to wear.

Want to know if this is right for you? The process begins with a free, no-obligation, 30-minute consultation. You've got nothing at all to lose, with so much to potentially gain. Contact Fiona today to book your free consultation.

Losing weight to improve your health and energy is great, and it is great to look forward to something at the end of the process to reward yourself. But you do not need to wait till you've reached the end of the weight-loss journey.

While you lose weight, you will need to know how to make the most of the garments you have in your wardrobe that no longer fit, how to buy new items that will help you feel great about yourself as your size changes, and how to plan your new wardrobe most effectively for the future.

This is a fantastic time to make the most of your motivation and take control of your wardrobe, and this in turn can increase your motivation and enthusiasm. How great will it be to feel fantastic working out in a t-shirt in your best colour? To know what fabrics to look for that will flatter you now, and in two sizes time? To know what few items you need to make many different outfits that will take you through all situations over the next months, or year or two?

Why not learn how to make the most of your colouring, shape and personal style now, so that you can increase your confidence and continue to use your new tools once you've reached your goals.

There is an old aboriginal saying "the more you know, the less you need". You do not have to spend a fortune on a new designer wardrobe to look great. In fact, you often do not need to spend anything - simple changes in how you wear your clothing and accessories can make the world of difference.

It is surprising how much money we waste buying clothes and accessories we never wear, and we don't even understand why we don't like wearing them. By understanding your body shape, personal style, and colour harmonies, you can avoid making costly mistakes, and ensure that you choose the best option when you do go shopping. It costs nothing extra to buy one t-shirt that flatters compared to one that drains you and makes you feel miserable.

Investing in the help of an image coach will involve some cost, but this is nothing compared to the cost of wasting money, time, and effort through continuing to buy the wrong items.

Consider your budget and work out what is possible. There are a range of very affordable options to learn how to make the most of your image. Contact Fiona today to learn more about the options available and how they can help you.

Trinny, Susanna, Gok, and Tim have all done a lot for increasing awareness of the benefits of making positive changes to your appearance. All their clients receive advice, support, and a brand new wardrobe over the course of hours, days, or a few weeks, and it makes a great TV show. However, these pre-packaged wardrobes often supply only short term solutions. Months down the track, we see their clients having reverted to many of their old habits and being quite confused as to what exactly happened to them.

My approach is not about handing you pre-packaged solutions, but giving you tools and helping you to discover solutions for yourself. Working with your lifestyle, budget, and timeframe, we can establish long term benefits, as well as immediate results.

You don't have to be a newsreader or a fashion editor to benefit from taking care of your appearance. There is a lot I could say about the importance of how you look for the sake of creating the right impression in your social and professional life. But that is not why you should care about looking good.

Even if you never see anyone else during your day, your appearance plays a role in how you feel about yourself, and how you feel about what you are doing. If your appearance is right for the situation and makes you feel comfortable and confident, you will be amazed at how much more motivated you are, and how much more you enjoy what you are doing; whether it's cleaning the bathroom or chairing the board meeting.

There are many sales assistants who can offer great customer service, and help you find what you're looking for, and even give you some direction if you don't. However, they have little time to get to know you and find out what will be best for you, and their advice is often limited to current fashion trends and what they currently have in stock. Their focus is to match you with their product and make the sale.

Image consultants, on the other hand, are solely focused on you. They will take the time to understand exactly what you need, and have the professional training and a wealth of practical experience to give you sound advice on what will work best for you.

Professional consultants will charge a fee based on the services you need, but you will save that fee (and much more) by eliminating purchasing mistakes, and getting better value for money out of a more efficient wardrobe with fewer clothes. Even more important are the hard-to-value benefits, such as the boost to your self-confidence, and freedom from worrying about what to wear.

There are no set qualifications or standards to become an Image Consultant in New Zealand, and therefore it can be hard to know just from a job title what qualifications, professional standards, and experience someone calling themselves an Image Consultant has.

In 2006, the New Zealand Federation of Image Professionals was formed, which encourages professional training and provides a code of ethics and professional practice. For a list of members, see the NZFIP website. You should also check the consultant's credentials, to see what background experience and training they have.

As well as the professional aspects of the relationship you will have with your consultant, there is the personal side. You must trust them to listen to you, understand and respect the sometimes deeply personal issues relating to your appearance, and you should be able to relax and have fun.

All consultants have different personalities, different methods, and will provide you with different resources. I recommend taking the time to chat with a consultant you are considering working with, to find out exactly what they offer and whether you feel comfortable with them.

Go to the profile page, or contact Fiona to find out more.

Colour analysis is based on finding the best colours that harmonise with your skin-tone, eye colour and hair colour. Wearing those colours will make you look healthier, happier, and more confident.

Traditionally, that was where it ended. Everyone went along to 'get their colours done' and came out neatly fitted in one of four boxes (or sometimes even fewer). Today we have much more flexibility in the colour 'seasons', with the ability to fine tune the tonal variations within each season. We also understand a lot more about the effects colours have psychologically as well as visually, and we can help you choose colours that harmonise with your personality and mood, as well as your appearance.

We also take into account that most people have a natural instinct for some of the colours that suit them best. Your seasonal palette should include your old favourite colours, or at least close variations, and introduce you to a few new ones.

If you had your colours done a while ago, come along for a fresh consultation, reassured that things have improved. Bring your old palette and talk to your consultant about what you like and what you don't. Then you will be set in the right direction for the future, and look great in your favourite colours.

For more on colours, see my article on A Beginner's Guide to Colour Psychology.