MOTHER'S DAY COLOR, CLOSET & SHOPPING SPECIAL

I wasn't planning to do this, but after several requests and last year's popularity, I’ve decided to offer a Mother's Day Special available to Greater Clevelanders only.

This offer is not only good as a gift for your wife or mother, but are available to anyone who has wanted to work with me but has not yet had the opportunity. They are also great as employee appreciation, incentives or door prizes.

Everyone who purchases at least two hours of shopping or closet services receives a complimentary copy of the My Style workbook (a $35 value).

Because I have been hard at work on my book, I haven’t done anything like this in a year – I have no idea when it’s going to happen again.

This special is valid through Sunday May10, 2009 and all purchased services must be rendered before June 30, 2009.

We can accept cash, checks, all major credit cards & PayPal. You can have a gift certificate in your hands today.

(If you are unfamiliar with who I am or what I do, click here for my bio.)

COLOR ANALYSIS - $129 (Regular $175)

ONE HOUR POWER STYLE $99

CLOSET CLEANOUT & ORGANIZATION **OR** SHOPPING
2 HOURS $169 (Regular $300)
3 HOURS $349 (Regular $450)

Gift certificates are also available in any denomination.

Please see below for details and explanations.

COLOR ANALYSIS
Knowing your best colors will make your eyes sparkle. Your skin will look more luminous. You will look healthier and more vibrant - and you can even look pounds thinner and years younger!

The process starts with a short presentation which demonstrates real people wearing the correct colors for their coloring as well as the incorrect ones. Then you will be asked to sit in front of a mirror and will be draped with a series of colors to determine whether your undertones are cool (blue-based) or warm (yellow-based). Next, we will determine the depth of your coloring and determine which of the twelve "seasons" best suits you and we will discuss how that will impact your wardrobe, accessory, and even makeup choices.

A few days later, you will receive a custom color palette which is filled with a variety of color suggestions - from the best basic wardrobe pieces to accent colors that will make your wardrobe more exciting. We also take your preferences into account, so you have colors that you will love wearing.

Knowing your colors is your secret weapon that will save you time and money when you shop and can help you create a more harmonious and cohesive wardrobe.

CLOSET CLEANOUT & ORGANIZATION / POWER STYLE

We have met many different kinds of closets along our journey - large and small, some filled with designer duds and others with discount store buys; closets that are fully-functional...or somewhat less.

The one common thread we've found is that every closet has a story to tell. And just like the diverse closets we encounter, there are a myriad of closet owners, each with a different style philosophy, unique set of personal experiences, shopping tendencies and organizational skills that have shaped their closets. Since no closet (and no owner) has a one-size-fits-all solution, we happily serve many different functions, depending on what our clients need.

From a style therapist who gets to the heart of what ails their closet, to a fashion exorcist who removes years of poor advice and clothing choices that haunt their wardrobe, to a drill sergeant (which one client said she needed!) to finally rid herself of years of overbuying and hoarding clothes she would never wear.

Our favorite role, though, is that of trusted friend and ally - we're your confidence booster and cheerleader. We are there to tell you what you're doing right and give you the knowledge and skills to build a wardrobe that truly serves your occupation, lifestyle, personality and goals - right now and for years to come.

Many women are not aware that they have two wardrobes - the clothing choices they see every day and the possibilities viewed by a fresh and experienced pair of eyes. Why buy more clothes when you have a whole new set of options to explore?

PERSONAL SHOPPING

When it comes to shopping, we usually meet women who are one of three types. There are those who hate to shop and find it difficult and even confusing at times. Others love to shop so much that they buy too much and it may affect both their closet space and bank account. Then there are those who enjoy to shop, but feel like they can use the help of a professional shopper to make better purchases and shop with greater efficiency of both time and money.

We understand that with so many stores to choose from and thousands of items in each, it can get pretty overwhelming when you are trying to figure out what clothing and accessories will work best for you - from your personal style, personality, goals and lifestyle - to your budget.

We are your trusted friend and guide when it comes to hitting the stores. Let us help you weed through everything that's out there and select only the colors, patterns, designers and price points that work for you.

Along with your new clothing and accessories, we want you to leave your shopping excursion with the skills to shop more confidently for yourself. We can teach you the "secrets of the pros" to help you look younger, slimmer, and more exciting each and every day. These tips and tricks are timeless and will bring you a higher success rate every time you shop!

© Kristen Kaleal Inc. All Rights Reserved.

(Would someone please get on my case about finishing my new site - sometimes blogging stuff is NOT easier!)

Looking Thinner

We did a fitness challenge called "Rock the Scales" at Mentor Fitworks based on how much the contestants worked out over a three month period. Cindy was one of the winners. She won two outfits - one that fit her lifestyle and the other to wear to the gym. She got her makeup done - as well as a hot new hairstyle along with some sexy blonde highlights for summer.

I didn't think she looked bad at all before. But when I was looking at the "Before" and "After" pictures, which were taken only four days apart, I realized just how much slimmer she looked when we applied some super simple clothing tricks that anyone can use!

Here are 10 simple tricks you can use - today!

1. Create an unbroken column of color
We did that here with the same color base garments (brown). This will make you look taller and leaner instantly!

2. Avoid clothing that cuts you off visually at your widest point
Notice that her top in the "Before" picture ends right at her hips, which makes everything above and below it look larger. In the "After" picture, her jacket ends just above the hip bone.

3. Use bright or light color strategically
Bright colors advance visually, so they can make you look bigger if you wear them all over - or in the wrong places! They aren't the best colors to wear if you have a few pounds to hide. Here, the coral denim jacket is creating a frame for the brown top to give her a slimmer shape.

4. Watch your sleeve length
In the summertime, this is a tough one! Don't let your sleeve end at a heavy part of your arm. In the "Before" picture, the sleeve ends at an unflattering spot, which makes her look bustier than she is. In the summer, you may not choose to wear a jacket, but be aware that your sleeve length matters. If you have slim arms or aren't busty, by all means go for a tank top or any sleeve length. The rest of us, however, should look for a sleeve that ends just above the bustline, on or a 3/4 length sleeve that ends on the forearm.

5. Be careful about your shoes
In the "Before' pic, Cindy is wearing a strappy sandal that cuts her legs off visually right below the ankle, thus shortening her legs. In order to make your legs looks longer and thinner, avoid wearing a strap on the leg or close to the ankle. Instead, wear a sandal like she is wearing in the "After" picture. Instead of the straps being straight, they criss-cross and are situated lower on the foot. (P.S. Avoid those popular "gladiator" sandals like the plague.)

6. Where do your pants end?
Just like your sleeves, the length of your pants matters. Capris, crops and all their short-pant friends can throw your body proportions off-kilter, which can make you look heavier than you are. And we don't want that! Here are your two rules to remember!

1) A wider-leg pant makes your bottom half look bigger.

2) Don't let your pants end at a wide part of your leg. To rock out a cropped or capri pant, the length is key. They should end:

- Just below the knee
- On a slimmer part of the calf (below the fullest part)
- Just above the ankle

7. Create or define your waist
Since Cindy has a body shape that naturally doesn't have much waist definition, we needed to create a waist for her. We did this with the coral jacket, which had a nice shape to it. With no effort from us, voilà! she has an hourglass figure!

8. Round adds pounds
A crisp v-neck or higher neck line would have been more flattering than the deep scoop neck she was wearing before. Round necklines can make the neck and face look heavier and the shoulders look wider.

9. Vertical Details
The best trick is to keep the eye moving vertically. The buttons on the jacket are creating a subtle but effective vertical line which leads the eye up and down. A long necklace would have had the same effect.

10. Rethink your hairstyle
Did you know that a great hairstyle can slim your face? I mentioned the importance of vertical lines before. Do you see the lines that are framing her face? Even the blonde streaks reinforce the strong verticals of the 'do!


Clothes: Macy's/Great Lakes Mall (Brown outfit: Jones NY/Workout outfit: Style & Co.)
Hair & Makeup: Julia Niedzialek/Jenniffer & Co.
Styled by: Me :)

Season: Deep Autumn
Contrast: Medium to Low-Medium
Body Type: Rectangle
Fashion Personality: Natural Classic

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?

Plain Dealer College-to-Career Makeover

I approached PD style editor Kim Crow in the fall about doing a college to career transition makeover to coincide with college graduation in the spring. Last year they featured a makeover that was more traditional “dress for success” done by my friend Danielle Turcola. The idea I had was to use two students with nonstandard majors. Two people who had to show certain characteristics in their interview attire. A guy who wouldn’t necessarily get points for the traditional dark suit, white shirt, and red tie look, and a young lady who shouldn’t be dressed like a trial attorney going to court.

We ended up with two up-and-coming professionals – Jake Bailey and Deborah Rosenblum, both 22. Jake graduated in from Hiram College with a degree in sports marketing, and Deborah graduated from Baldwin-Wallace with a double major in psychology and French.

Jake’s plan is to get a job with the Cavaliers or Indians in marketing or P/R. Deb wants to be a social worker.

Roxanne Washington was tapped to write the article. Roxanne wrote an article about me back in December in the PD
http://www.jcu.edu/pubaff/mediacenter/Dec-05/kaleal.pdf

Kim Crow had worked out a deal with the P/R company that represents Aurora Farms http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=8).

Originally I was only aware that they were donating $100 worth of clothing and accessories to the makeover candidates. I was so excited to speak with Lisa Kusner, the assistant manager of Aurora Farms who told me they would be picking up the entire tab! I knew what was possible because we had carte blanche to use whatever we wanted from the outlets.

I’m very glad that I decided to pre-shop before Roxanne and I met with Jake at Off 5th. I had originally planned to put him in a charcoal suit, and would see what stance looked better on him - two or three button. He has a very athletic body (he plays baseball), which means he needs quite a lot of alterations on a suit.

I wasn’t sure if he would be a 44 short or a 44 regular. It turns out he was a short, which limited our selection a bit. We did select a 3-button black-on-black stripe. It is a super 140s and cashmere blend. A beautiful suit. I would have had a problem putting him in black if he didn’t have deep coloring. But it worked out very well.

We chose a white spread collar shirt with a lavender and navy/black stripe. A burgundy, black, and lavender tie was then selected because we thought it looked like baseballs, without being too tacky.

He got a pair of split toe black shoes and a belt at Off 5th, and a watch from the jewelry store at Aurora Farms.

The next week, we went shopping for Deborah. Since she is planning to be a social worker, the goal for her was to look appropriate and professional, yet approachable. It would likely create a barrier for her if she were to interview in a traditional navy skirted suit and sensible pumps. Instead, I opted to put her in a pants outfit. If you want to read my manifesto on pant suits vs. skirt suits for an interview, check out my ClevelandWomen.com column (http://www.clevelandwomen.com/fashion/kristen5.htm). For Deborah, it just made more sense to put her in slacks.

It was a nasty, rainy day, and only Deb, Rox, me, and the Aurora Farms ducks were crazy enough to be walking around there that day. We didn’t find anything that worked for her at Off 5th, but we did find a find some great stuff at Jones New York.

We really lucked out with her outfit. I didn’t do a color analysis on Deborah, but if I were to guess, she is probably a summer – most likely a light summer like me. She is very fair, so I wanted to put her in something that harminized with her coloring yet made an impact.

The slacks we chose are a brownish green silk (much prettier than they sound!)and the bouclé jacket is cream, tan, lavender, and lime green. It’s very soft, but the vertical piping ties it to the pants and gives it structure. It also creates height and helps her drop 15-20 visual pounds. The shell we added is lavender and I encouraged her to go back and buy the matching cardigan when she’s ready so she’ll have a business casual outfit for her day-to-day work life.

We then went back to Off 5th for the shoes and accessories. We had a lucky find with the shoes. We happened to find a pair of green suede and brown leather trim spectator slingbacks with a kitten heel. I always forget that many people aren’t used to walking in the highest of heels like I am, so I was putting all kinds of heels on her and the poor thing looked like a newborn colt struggling to walk. The shoe we ended up with was exactly the right finishing point for the outfit.

(I told Deb that I know where she lives so she better watch out for those shoes – I want ‘em!)

Both days, we left Aurora Farms and drove right to the tailor shop that had agreed to do the tailoring for the shoot. Jake’s suit required more work than I had anticipated. Tanya from Fast Needle-Milton’s in Mayfield (www.fastneedle.com) shortened sleeves, took in the sides, and shortened the jacket slightly. She also tapered the shirt and shortened it as well.

Deborah’s outfit was a challenge for Tanya because of taking in the sides with the piping. I knew she was up to the challenge. This is a very good tailor. In fact, I took some of my clothing there for her to work on. She has a fan for life here.

The pants needed to be shortened, the cuff on the sleeves was tacked, and the sides were taken in to create a tapered fit and gave her a defined waist.

I picked up Deborah to get her hair done at 8:30am on Tuesday, May 23rd. We went to Europa International Salon & Spa at Eton Collection in Woodmere. I had never been into that salon. It’s very impressive. We were greeted by stylist Scott Metzger’s personal assistant Ginny. We were so spoiled by everyone at the salon. Deb got a precision $200 haircut from Scott and Melanie the colorist punched up her color a bit. It was slightly ashy and a little faded. It turned out to be just a better version of what she already had – a subtle, but noticeable difference.

Then my good friend Wendy Fitos arrived to do her makeup. I had mentioned to Roxanne that Wendy would be doing the makeup, but she didn’t connect the name with the face. So she was like, “Oh! It’s YOU!” Wendy has done makeup on several shoots for the PD. In fact we met for the first time a couple of years ago at an event to meet the previous style editor of the Plain Dealer. We both had the same objective in mind – meet our fellow fashionistas in town. We’ve been great buds ever since.

Lisa from Aurora Farms was supposed to bring the Coach bags I had selected for them to use as props for the shoot. She wasn’t sure if they would actually be able to give them the bags. Imagine our excitement when we found out that the Coach bags were theirs to keep! Jake got a black attaché and Deb got a small shoulder bag and a tan portfolio. I always stress that it’s important to go to an interview prepared. Have somewhere that they can carry an extra resume or two, because you never know how prepared the person interviewing you will be. I’ve been interviewed before where the person doing the interviewing was completely in the dark as to who I was and why I was there. Good thing I was ready.

Jake also got a haircut and he and Deb also got manicures – they were so spoiled that day! I was jealous :P

Then we did the shoot. We were able to use the conference room at the Cleveland Financial Group, which is also at Eton – in the office part of the building. It was a perfect businesslike setting.

Jake and Deb both looked spectacular! They grew up that day right before our eyes! I’m so excited to see the finished product in the paper!! I took pics for my own use, but I can’t wait to see it all together.

I’m hopeful that their makeovers will lead to the ultimate outcome for them – to get jobs that they will enjoy and find fulfilling.

"It's Gotta Be the Shoes"

I admit I caved in to a fad. Not a shoe fad though. I always give in to those. This time I bought a pair of big sunglasses. I’ve been seeing stars wearing them looking like they have giant bug eyes. They look especially weird on someone like Nicole Richie, who is particularly gaunt looking.

I got a pair today that aren’t so gargantuan, but still very Jackie O-inspired. I didn’t pay a lot for them because next week they’ll probably be on the “totally not cool” list.

See? I listen to my own advice: ”Spend money sparingly on fads.”

I had a meeting today with Amy Pappas, an event planner. Her company is AZA Events (www.AZAevents.net) We met in Beachwood at Starbucks at Village Square. We chatted a bit about the proposed ClevelandWomen.com Expo that Mr. ClevelandWomen Dan Hanson (I love calling him that – it’s hilarious to me) and I are planning. Amy mentioned she has connections at Cleveland State and may be able to get us the Wolstein Center. That would be excellent.

And now onto the shoes.....

After Amy and I got together, I had to go into Mayfield to pick up the tailoring for the Plain Dealer photo shoot tomorrow. I made a stop at the Marshalls at Golden Gate. Let me tell you, I am digging their new “Mega” shoe department. So many great shoes. Lots of sizes. It’s just so much better than before.

I couldn’t help myself. I picked up a pair of Liz Claiborne gold peeptoe/d’Orsay style shoes (left) to wear with my light blue & gold brocade jacket and tan capris and I’m sure many other things as well. They’re awesome. I had seen this same pair at TJ Maxx but they didn’t have my size in two stores. Marshalls clearance price was $10 off the TJ Maxx price. Yay! I knew I would eventually have those shoes.

Then….

I unexpectedly found the cutest shoes ever. Lime & leopard print spectator-style mules. And then I found a pair of lime capris to match them. Okay, lime capris would normally be a little loud for me, but I can tone them down with a more subdued top.

I’m delighted with my new shoes. I think I may have found my sought-after beige shoes at Shooz at Golden Gate. They’re a plain, pointy-toe pump with a 3-inch heel, my preferred height. I need heels as high as I can get. I love when platforms are in vogue. I like feeling tall. People always wonder if I have trouble walking in them. Even if I stumbled around, I would still wear them. I just love the concept of heels. They’re so girly. I still adore pointy toes. I have feeling that they’ve been released from fad status and are quickly making their way to becoming a classic. At least I hope that’s true. They’ll have to pry my pointy stilettos off my cold dead feet. Round toes just don’t have the same effect, and square toes are a nightmare. I admit I still have a few pairs of square toes around, either because they’re unusual colors (one is an odd shade of mauve I’ll never be able to find again) and I’m still attached to a couple other pairs – leopard loafers with a 3–inch heel and powder blue and black faux snake sandals.

Tomorrow is the Plain Dealer college-to-career makeover shoot. I’m excited to do the shoot but even more to see my dear friend Wendy Fitos. She’ll be doing the makeup. She lives on the Westside so we don’t get to see each other often enough. Anytime I get to see the Makeup Junkie, I’m thrilled!

Kristen Kaleal
President, Fusion Image Group
uniting image and innovation for a powerful presence
Image & Media Consulting
Cleveland, OH

p. (440) 742-0385
f. (440) 579-0100
e. kkaleal@aol.com
www.fusionimagegroup.com
www.clevelandwomen.com/fashion/kristenmain.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristen_Kaleal

Busy Diva

I’m so busy lately. I was at the Plain Dealer Thursday working on the “college to career” makeover I’ll be doing for them. Then as I got on the freeway to head home, I got a call from Mr. ClevelandWomen.com, Dan Hanson. We’ve been trying to get together for months. Literally, months. He knew I would be downtown and asked if I was still available. I said yes! So I jumped on the exit ramp and swung back toward downtown. We had a super power meeting and strategy session. He has a wonderful concept going with the site and needs a strong branding and marketing person and I offered my services. We also discussed a corporate seminar series Health, Style & Wealth. I would do the Style part (of course!) and for Health I thought of my friend Gloria Treister from Wellness Evolution (http://www.wellnessevolution.org/), and I’m not sure who will do the Financial Planning aspect.

Found out yesterday that Aurora Farms is giving the makeover kids all the stuff they need. I was originally under the impression that they would get a $100 credit. Now they’ll be able to get suits, shirts, shoes, and accessories…FREE. I’m so thrilled about that. I love Aurora Farms now! They’re going to get MY business from now on.

Talked to Allyson yesterday of ProfessionalDiva.com. Wow – what a great idea she has there! I’m going to be writing for the site. It’s mainly because I love the name, but it looks like she has great things happening out in Southern Cal. Allyson is also part of Ladies Who Launch, which is why I hit her site in the first place. There are so many wonderful possibilities there. I’m thrilled to be associated with it.

Oh, I forgot to mention I now have a Wiki. My friend Alex was bugging me about getting on Wikipedia. I was afraid they would pull it since they really watch their content and threaten to pull biographical info within 24 hours if it isn't relevant. Apparently, Wiki thinks I'm relevant, which I joked, justifies my existence in the world. (hee hee) Check out the link below!