Defining Style

As women, our obsession with our looks and bodies can start from an early age and last a lifetime - sometimes we need to learn to accept ourselves as we are.

Women need to love ourselves, not be self-defeating, and revel in our individuality. By working with what we have, we can enhance and make ourselves shine.

The good news is we can all look great if we learn to understand our body shape.  

Read more on my article in Women in Focus   

Posted by Image Consultant, Robin Powis from Defining Style 

 

 

It can be a dilemma for girls today, do you need to dress like the boys to be considered like them.  Surely as women we can dress feminine and still appropriately in the work place.

I think it’s fantastic when you see a stylish and polished woman who dresses according to her own personal style.  She is not confined to a black wardrobe and wears various neutrals with the added splash of colour for pizazz.

Read more on my blog at Ruby Connection.

Posted by Image Consultant, Robin Powis at Defining Style

International fashion houses have introduced more relaxed cuts for men for Autumn Winter 2011.  Calvin Klein, Dior Homme, Thom Browne and Yves Saint-Laurent are showing full pleated pants, roomy jodhpurs, oversized jackets and flowing shirts and coats.

But guys be warned, these are only for the fashion forward and those men with a tall and slim silhouette.  The more streamlined look in clothing is much more flattering to a man's physique.  Flat front pants, tailored jackets and a well cut and fitted shirt reign supreme.

To dress for your body shape call me on 0419 468 272 or learn more at Body Shape Analysis

Posted by Image Consultant, Robin Powis from Defining Style

62% of Australian men say women spend far too much time worrying about their appearance.

Well girls, take action.  Instead of constantly worrying about how  you look, change  your image.  Learn to understand your personal colouring, your body shape and your style personality so you can dress for the occasion.

Knowing what to wear everyday makes life so much easier and there's no need to worry.

For your natural, confident style book a style makeover with me on 0419 468 272. 

Posted by Sydney Image Consultant, Robin Powis from Defining Style

For anyone who wears glasses this is groundbreaking.

Now when you order a pair of glasses you will know exactly how they look on you.  No hidden surprises!  Optical retailer Luxottica has opened a new concept store in Melbourne where you can use 41 touch screen interactive mirrors to record and play back your new image from a range of angles.  How cool is that.  The new Eye Hub store is 10 times larger than their other OPSM stores.

For me the most agonising part of choosing glasses is waiting to see how I really look when they are made. As I'm quite short sighted I never can get a real look.   

Luxottica's new store is all about the experience where they have a wind tunnel, exercise bike and a treadmill so customers can test the glasses and lenses before they buy.

Luxottica will open three new stores over the next year.  I can't wait, and most importantly you will pay no more at their new stores than you do at any OPSM store.

Posted by Sydney Image Consultant Robin Powis from Defining Style

Great news that ultra skinny is out with Federal Government defining a new 'Body Image Code of Conduct'.  A new body-image tick of approval will be awarded to magazines, modelling agencies and fashion labels that meet the criteria:

• Stock clothing in a wide variety of sizes
• Use a broad range of body shapes and sizes in editorial and advertising
• Disclose when images have been retouched and refrain from changing images to change a person's body shape
• Only use models aged 16 or older to model adult clothes
• Not promoting rapid weight loss, cosmetic surgery or excessive exercising

This is a wonderful step toward tackling body image and the unrealistic ideal that women strive for.  As a Personal Stylist I will be delighted to find a wider range of sizes available in the shops to reflect that women come in all shapes and sizes. 

Posted by Personal Image Consultant Robin Powis from Defining Style

Are you contemplating the ‘Weight of the Nation’ and how federal politics will unfold?  Or are you obsessing about the ‘Increasing Weight of the Nation’ ie. gaining winter weight over the next few months. 

 

Winter can be trying as It’s so easy to over indulge in warm comforting food and justify it's too cold to venture outdoors.  Or it can be a time of taking advantage of the sun when it shines, and exploring our city and what it has to offer.   

It’s also a great time to indulge in winter sales, with a gorgeous scarf, leather gloves or faux fur, anything to look fab.  If you want to look chic while feeling cosy call me on 0419468272 for your own personal shopper stylist. 

A word of caution though, when dressing in winter woolies don't wear too bulky layers as you will look larger than you are.  It's so easy to look slimmer when you learn line and design principles, read more on a personal makeover or contact me at robin@definingstyle.com.au

Posted by Robin Powis, Sydney Image Consultant from Defining Style

As my readers know, Barbie is not my favourite icon as she represents an unrealistic body shape for young girls to aspire to.  This is in reference to the 'Barbie Little Black Dress' party during Australian Fashion Week and Australian designers being sought to create new styles for Barbie to wear this summer.  Barbie has been dressed by overseas designers Dior, Prada, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan and it seems we are following the trend.

I'd love to see our designers create styles for the average woman, not a waver thin model with a body that is unsustainable.  However I guess my rants are falling on death ears as the fashion industry designs fantasy creations not styles that the public want to wear.

Posted by Image Consultant, Robin Powis from Defining Style

Body Image is all about being comfortable in your own skin but how much do what others think affect us.  Is it women's vanity or the messages the media and fashion designers say is beautiful that creates a perpetuating and unachievable goal.

Plus size model Crystal Rem has become the voice of reason among body image issues.  With her abundant hair, flawless skin and fleshy curves, Crystal brings to mind a classical statue or a Rubens painting that looks high fashion.  She was sent home from a photo shoot for being too large at size 8 and was eating only vegetables and exercising up to eight hours a day.  Reason took over and she opted for plus-size, a size 16,  to earn a living at a weight she could maintain.  She is more successful now than she ever was.

Now I'm not advocating we should all be size 16 or size 8, but surely we should have a variety of women,  portrayed in the media.  Fashion designers need to create designs that everyone can wear and look good in.  Most fashions today are created requiring a 'waver thin' model to wear it to look half decent.  We need a society where everyone is beautiful and portrays a variety of shapes and sizes to show a holistic picture.  Everyone is unique and should shine as 'themselves' and feel comfortable in their own skin. 

Posted by Image Consultant Robin Powis from Defining Style

So many people hide away on Valentine's Day as they don't feel great about themselves or the way they look .

Often you don't know where to start, you could be going through a life crisis, have moved into a new area, changed jobs or just have no idea what how to dress.

The key is to learn to feel great about yourself and your image.  It's all about making a change to the way you think and the way you present yourself.

There is no time like the present to make changes in your life.  You need to really and truthfully assess your attributes and your limitations.  What bits are great and can be enhanced, a sparkling smile with a beautiful lip shade, eyes highlighted with perfect makeup or highlighting your hair with the right colour shade.

Simple rules to follow:
Classic styles and simple designs that don't date
Colours that enhance your colouring
Tailored pants, skirts and tops
V necks flatter most people.

Go on, take up the challenge and make a difference.  Contact Robin for expert advice robin@definingsyle.com.au

Posted by Robin Powis, Sydney Image Consultant
Defining Style