By Corey Urbina, Certified DRES Stylist

Are you searching for a distinctive and genuine style but you just don’t know how and where to find it? Do you consider yourself style challenged? Don’t despair. Style is innate. It incubates in our self conscious and emerges under the right conditions. Anyone can gain style clarity by following these basic steps:

• Look within –We naturally gravitate toward clothing and accessories that reflect who we are. Nevertheless, if we seek to express ourselves fully through style, then it pays to spend time in self reflection. Put pen to paper; write down all of the adjectives that best describe you. Remember to include not only your personal qualities but also your beliefs and aspirations. If you are stumped by this exercise, then it might be helpful to recall all of the qualities that helped you accomplish goals, face challenges and manage your life responsibilities successfully.
• Use your imagination – Let’s say you describe yourself as serious, reserved and practical. You work in the banking industry and hope to advance quickly within your organization. Then you probably feel more comfortable in basic, simple and tailored clothing that has a long style life. You wear minimal jewelry and accessories. You gravitate toward solid color neutrals which reflect your profession’s dress code as well as your quiet nature. On the other hand, picture what your closet would look like if you saw yourself as a daring extrovert who enjoyed being the center of attention? Each item would no doubt stand out for its jaw dropping design or dramatic detailing. Or maybe you read romance novels and are a self described “girly girl”. Ruffles, soft flowing fabrics and delicate prints are probably right up your alley. Get the picture? You wear who you are.
• Explore fashion – Take your newfound style identity to the next level by delving into current fashion. See what’s out there that speaks to you. Browse through catalogues, read style magazines, and check out online shopping sites. Write down what you like and dislike, and start a style file containing photos of your favorite looks.
• Take the plunge –Armed with your newfound fashion knowledge and increased style awareness, go confidently to the mall and try on a variety of clothes. Image consultant Janice Johnson advises that individuals think less about shopping to buy and more about honing in on clothes that fit one’s desired style profile. Each time you put on an item of clothing, ask yourself these fundamental questions: Does the garment fit well and flatter my figure? Do I feel terrific in it? Does it possess that WOW factor? If you answered no any of these questions, then keep on shopping. With persistence and patience, you will eventually find your style “soul mates”.
• Affirm your style –If you view fashion trends through your personal style lens, you will feel at home in your clothes and be happy with your clothing purchases. To keep you grounded and confident in your style, post the following “fashion affirmation” on your bathroom mirror and recite it daily: “I know my style and I wear clothes that represent who I am on the inside.” Read more of my fashion affirmations at www.Holobi.com.

Do you think you would benefit from the guidance of a professional stylist? The certified stylist consultants at Holobi make it their life’s work to help individuals discover a powerful and authentic style that is all their own.

By Anna Leef, Marketing Director, Holobi

I get asked this all the time. How do I make my waist look smaller or slimmer. Here are some suggestions:

1. For tops, cardigans, and blouses, go with a V-neck style. It diverts attention from your middle, drawing the eye to the upper parts of your body. This style is typically available in every season and gives you lots of options.

2. For tops and dresses, go with the under-breast cut. This style camouflages the lack of a waist and can be combined with the V-neck style I described above for an even better hourglass look. This style is very feminine and is usually available year round.

3. For jackets and coats, tapering at the waist and extending downwards is the best approach. Also adding a belt is a great way to add shape to a shorter coat or jacket. It is all about the optical illusion and where your eye goes first.

By Corey Urbina, Certified DRES Stylist

The New Year presents an ideal opportunity for individuals to focus on their appearance. Are you happy with the way you look? Does your image represent you in the strongest possible way? If you answered “no” to either of these questions, then maybe 2012 is the year for you to resolve to look your best. Whether you desire a total makeover or a wardrobe update, all it takes to reach your goals is a touch of C.H.A.R.M.  I coined this term to make it easy to recall these five indispensible styling tools:  color, harmony, accessories, right fit and “my style”.  

Color: Color’s preeminent listing in the C.H.A.R.M. formula indicates its primary significance in wardrobe styling. Wearing the right colors for one’s skin tone, hair and eye colors instantaneously makes individuals look more youthful, radiant and healthy. The reverse is true when one wears uncomplimentary colors. They drain an individual’s vitality and add years to their age.  

Harmony: A host of factors combine to create a unified image. Personal grooming, clothing and accessories are the keystones of style. However, they work in synergy with other critical elements like, body language, posture, poise and confidence. It is the balance of all of these features that produces a powerful and harmonious image.

Accessories: How does one begin to describe the wonders of accessories?  They magically add cohesion and visual interest to any look.  Like icing on a cake, accessories complete an outfit and take one’s appearance from “so-so” to stellar. Too much icing, however, completely drowns out a cake’s flavor. Since accessories act as sartorial frosting, they need be used sparingly, and should always be proportionate to one's size and figure type.

Right Fit: Since manufactured clothes come in standard sizes, this presents an obvious dilemma for most of us who don’t have standard size bodies. Wearing ill fitting clothes, even if they boast high priced designer labels, definitely damages one’s appearance. Part of the solution involves finding and sticking with a brand that consistently provides an excellent fit. Everyone also needs an expert tailor who will ensure a proper fit for every item of clothing one owns.

My Style: Each person expresses their individuality through their clothing. All too often people follow the dictates of fashion without having first identified and embraced their personal style. This results in confusion about how to look as well as disappointment with many clothing purchases. Discovering one’s authentic style promotes fashion clarity and provides a springboard from which one can build a functional wardrobe.

The independent Holibi wardrobe stylists are ready to help you lead a “charmed” life this year by instructing you on your personal style, figure type and optimal colors. They will also help you organize your closet and select clothing and accessories that match your personalized profile. Why not promise yourself the gift of style in 2012?

By Corey Urbina, Certified DRES Stylist

The New Year presents an ideal opportunity for individuals to focus on their appearance. Are you happy with the way you look? Does your image represent you in the strongest way possible? If you answered “no” to either of these questions, then maybe 2012 is the year for you to commit to looking your best. Whether you desire a total makeover or a wardrobe update, all it takes to reach your goals is some C.H.A.R.M. I coined this term with these indispensible styling tools in mind: color, harmony, accessories, right fit and “my style”.

Color: Color’s preeminent listing in the C.H.A.R.M. formula indicates its significance in wardrobe styling. Wearing the right colors for one’s skin tone, hair color and eye color instantaneously makes individuals look more youthful, radiant and healthy. The reverse effect is true when one wears uncomplimentary colors. They drain an individual’s vitality and add years to their age.

Harmony: A host of important factors combine to create one’s image. Personal grooming, clothing and accessories are the keystones of image. However, they work in synergy with other critical elements like, body language, posture, poise and confidence to create a powerful and harmonious image.

Accessories: How does one begin to describe the wonders of accessories? They magically add cohesion and visual interest to any look. Like icing on a cake, accessories complete an outfit and transform one’s appearance from “so-so” to stellar. Because they act as sartorial frosting, they should be used sparingly and need to be proportionate to one’s size and figure type.

Right Fit: Since manufactured clothes come in standard sizes, this presents an obvious dilemma for most of us who don’t have standard size bodies. Wearing ill fitting clothes, even if they have high priced designer labels, definitely damages one's appearance. Part of the solution involves finding and sticking with a brand that consistently provides an excellent fit. Additionally, everyone needs an expert tailor who will be able to ensure a proper fit for every item of clothing one owns.

My Style: Each person expresses their individuality through their clothing. All too often individuals follow the dictates of fashion without having first identified and embraced their personal style. This results in confusion about how to look as well as disappointment with many clothing purchases. Discovering one’s authentic style promotes fashion clarity and provides a launching point from which one can build a functional wardrobe.

The independent Holobi consultants are eager to instruct you on your personal style, figure type and optimal colors. They will also help you organize your closet and select clothing and accessories that match your profile. Are you ready to lead a “charmed” style life in 2012?

By Erika Nolan, Certified DRES Stylist

Don’t get me wrong, I love to shop and I love a bargain. I grew up in retail and for most of my adult life I received an employee discount, so I don’t like to pay full price. Nowadays, it is not necessary to be extravagant. In fact, I think being socially responsible during these tough economic times is important. We want to reuse and recycle as much as possible. We need to teach our children the value of money and be less wasteful. However, these lessons can also be applied to fashion. 

Buy vintage, shop resale stores, use Ebay. These are just a few examples of how to adjust your spending habits. But even better yet, go shopping in your own closet, you may be surprised what you find. I am on a serious budget these days but I still love to dress up for a special occasion. I recently went through my old clothes in preparation for a holiday party. I hadn’t tried on these particular pants in years but because they were a high quality vendor they were still in great shape. 

I probably would not have bought these for myself but at the time, back in 2000, when my husband went to the Venice Film Festival without me because I had to work, it was a guilt gift. He departed with me saying “Have fun, be safe baby & bring me home something special!” He still remembers like it was yesterday walking into the Gucci store in San Marco to buy me a present. The sales associates were all dressed to perfection, extremely helpful, gracious and made his shopping experience effortless. It wasn’t an easy feat because I was absent and the European size conversion is confusing so when he came home with the most fabulous pair of Gucci leather trousers that fit me like they were made for me, it was unbelievable! A gift to be treasured, forever; more than the little “something special” I had asked for as he was boarding. 

So last weekend, I pulled them out of their garment bag and slipped them on as effortlessly as they were purchased over 11 years ago. These pants are so soft, so comfortable and still so stylish yet considered vintage, right? They are a classic fit with a modified boot leg so they don’t appear too trendy. I am not one to spend excessively but after all these years the moral of the story is to buy quality not quantity. Wondering when I can wear them again, Christmas, New Years? There will definitely be a fitting occasion! So next time you think you have nothing to wear, be creative, alter something old and make it new again, go consignment shopping but make each purchase count! 

Until next time, find your style.