Dressing with confidence and feeling comfortable in your authentic you

Anne Bybjerg Moller from Image & Style March 31^st 2016

I entered Image & Style consultant Anne Bybjerg’s with the weight of the world on my shoulders and left 3 hours later a changed woman. Radiant and thrilled, with a spring to my step.

I have my dramatic wardrobe malfunctions like the rest of us, leaving a mountain of discarded clothes crossly flung around the room but on average I am a confident dresser and was mainly curious as to what “doing your colours” was all about.

First of all, stressed as I was, it just felt wonderful to relax in her beautiful style studio.

It became however a fascinating journey she took me on in the following 3 hours as we uncovered my colour story. And it was not what I expected.

As Anne said “I don’t work ON my clients, I work WITH them” and for me personally it was a perfect mix between facts and my questions and her observations on how my skin tone and eye colour reacted to the different colours she placed around me in terms of depth and brightness, in the search for the colours that “reveal your own beauty”.

Once you find the array which works the best then of course your personal choices and personality help you choose from the whole array.

Colours are only one aspect of what Anne looks at. She also takes body line proportions into account when advising on patterns and cuts. It is not about following fashion and trends but on what is good for you, to develop a personal style which suits you, gives confidence and the right impression based on who you are and how you want to present yourself.

For example though I usually love bright powerful colours and adore large jewellery, having already a rather large personality, if I come charging into a meeting also dressed in a very powerful way, I can seem rather TOO overbearing and my clothes then distract from the seriousness of what I am saying.

Colours are grouped by season with light and dark variations and there is a lot to choose from!

We started by removing my make- up and decking me out in a white bib to cover up my clothes (an all black ensemble which indeed I now see, drains my face).

 Anne and I had both expected, based on my personality for me to be a spring and some colours worked but after a while I could see what she saw, which colours brought out blemishes, or hardened the lines on my face, or made my lips blueish …etc and I emerged a Summer with some colours I would not have seen myself in (pale pinks and yellows) dusty pink, really making my face look beautiful in a natural way. It was a real eye-opener.

It was wonderfully relaxing and fun finding the real Julie. I got a swatch wallet with all summer colours and a sticker next to those which really worked for me and I made them my own.

By the end I was literally glowing and the cherry on the cake was when I asked Anne if she also had recommendations for my make- up and she proceeded  in 5 minutes , dabbing on a few  colours left and right to leave me looking and feeling a million dollars!

As President of the WBII I was also particularly chuffed to see the foundation samples she was using were the mineral powders from Alima pure sold by a fellow member: another great example of business co-operation!

Would I recommend this? Now, yes I most whole heartedly would, Ann guided me with patience, kindness and tremendous know-how and I believe shopping will be less an overwhelming chore to me now I know what to look for!

Dressing with confidence, feeling comfortable to be authentic you: have you done yours??