Yay! A Makeover!!

While I was going through one of the worst times I have been sick in my life (or basically, all of 2007 so far), I got a fabulous opportunity to do a makeover for Inside Business magazine. They needed it for the February edition, so I had about two days to round everything up. I called on my trusty Style Team, makeup artist Wendy Fitos and assistant stylist Kelly Smith, as well as my standby, Aurora Farms Premium Outlets for clothes. I sent out an email to my readers and received about 30 responses. I chose someone I knew who would be easy to fit. When one has limited time, my belief is to take the path of least resistance! Especially when one is so under the weather.

Emily Honsa is a first year law student and works for the Cleveland Bar Association. I knew her from a networking group we were involved in and we had stayed in touch for the last year. I knew she would be easy to fit and easy to work with. She was even game to wear the “before” outfit I selected – a beige boxy jacket and blue floral skirt. I chose it because it was an outfit you would see walking around Downtown Cleveland on almost any day. Most women would wear it because it matches, has a jacket, and keeps them covered – so it conforms to their office dress code.

My goal was to update this look. I’m not for allowing any woman to look frumpy. You can honor your employer’s dress code and honor yourself at the same time by understanding your body and dressing it to show off its best points.

For Emily, proportion was key. We chose a mandarin-collar brown suede jacket that nipped in at the waist to build the outfit around. She is very fair – hair, skin, and eyes are all light. So we used the one strong brown piece and the rest of the outfit was more in keeping with her fair coloring. We selected a brown and lime green shell and ivory skirt. Accessories were all brown – tall boots, a two strand pendant, and faux snake tote. Intentionally controlled and conservative, but still feminine and fun.

Wendy did her makeup, and when she put on the brown jacket for the “after” outfit, it was amazing how her eyes stood out!

It’s always a mini-circus atmosphere when we get together to do these kinds of projects. It’s fun and exciting, and most importantly, we get to make someone look beautiful! What could be better than that?