This is part 3 of my 5 part “Holiday Dressing” series. If you missed my previous posts you can find them here: Water Essence, Wood Essence.

Fire, the Pleasure Seeker

You are dramatic and love to be seen! Go for body-conscious garments in bright hues, bold patterns and animal prints for all eyes upon you. Your accessories can be bold, even whimsical. Here are some things you might love:

*Note* Roll your cursor over each item for more detail and shopping links.

“Spotlight on Style” radio show on Diva Toolbox Radio
Tuesday, December 21st — 10:00 am Eastern

Join me and my special guest Kay White for “How To Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing Your Own Trumpet

Recognizing how many people struggle being visible, being noticed and being heard in the workplace – there are distinct and easy ways to start to be noticed (and credited) for the value, input and potential you have without being labelled “a show off”.  Kay will be sharing just a few of the many tools and tips she herself has learned throughout her own career and she now teaches her clients (who are mainly senior corporate executives) who want to raise their own game in the workplace and for example:

• How to engage people in fruitful, comfortable conversation at networking / corporate events
• Key language to use to “own” things and be seen to be involved without being “a show off”
• A couple of small words that make a BIG difference in how people remember you.

Having recently carried out a survey across various clients and website groups entitled “What drives you nuts about people who communicate with you in the office?” Kay has some great insights into the “dos and don’ts” to share with you.

ABOUT KAY

Kay White discovered her talents as an effective and influential communicator whilst working both in Paris and in the City of London for more than 20 years.

Working to Director level as part of a successful, mainly male, fast-paced team of global insurance brokers Kay learned (often by her own mistakes along the way) how to – and crucially how not to – be noticed and recognised for achievements and abilities and still work comfortably with and alongside people.

In just 5 years, Kay has developed Way Forward Solutions Ltd (www.wayforwardsolutions.com) into a global mentoring and training company showing professionals around the world how to be better understood and be recognised and rewarded for the value they add, as well as the potential they have.

As well as working one-to-one with her VIP clients, Kay also offers live and virtual group trainings and mentorships.

By being understood and getting their messages across with more impact and influence, Kay’s clients become noticed and remembered for “the right” reasons and their relationships, careers and incomes grow as they do.

Listen live or download the recording at www.blogtalkradio.com/laurie-mandato

This is part 2 of my 5 part “Holiday Dressing” series. If you missed my previous post for Water Essence you can find it here.

Wood, the Pioneer

You love sporty, casual styling. Ease of movement is critical — you must feel comfortable in everything you wear.  Look for vertical style lines and nature-based patterns and fabrics to make your heart sing.  Here are some things you might love:

*Note* Roll your cursor over each item for more detail and shopping links.

They’re here — the holidays and all those fabulous parties and events! It can be a bit overwhelming trying to choose just the right clothes, shoes and accessories that are authentically you. To help, I’ve created a 5-part series I’ll be posting here on my blog — one each day this week — giving you some great ideas for each of the 5 Fashion Feng Shui® Essences. Not sure which Essence you might be? You can take the FFS Quiz for a sneak peek.

Each year the designers dictate what we will see in the stores and this season we’ll be seeing loads of lace, velvet, sequins and embellishments on everything from sweatshirts to silk blouses. Blush tones and lots of sparkle are showing up everywhere!  When you shop for any occasion, look through the lense of your Essence and ask yourself:

• Is this a fabric that feels good for me?
• Will I feel authentic and excited to wear this garment?
• Does it fit me well?
• Is it appropriate for the occasion?
• Will I be able to wear it multiple times?

You get the idea.  Never buy because the sales clerk in the store thinks it’s fabulous on you — especially if you’re feeling that something is just not right! Listen to your intuition.

Okay … let’s get started with the Essence of Water.

Water, the Philosopher

You love creative styling. Flowing fabrics and unexpected mixes of colors and patterns allow your unique presence to shine. Accessories are a must for you and the more artistic or unique the better. Here are some things you might love:

*Note* Roll your cursor over each item for more detail and shopping links.

“Spotlight on Style” radio show on Diva Toolbox Radio
Tuesday, December 14th — 12:00 pm Eastern

Join me and my special guest Laurie Schloff for “Speaking for Success: Organize Your Thoughts, Hold Their Interest & Sound Like A Pro”

If you are currently speaking, or want to  be speaking, you will not want to miss this show! We’ll be sharing valuable tips and secrets of the best presenters on organizing your thoughts, how to hold your audience’s interest, and how to sound like a pro.

ABOUT LAURIE

As Director of Executive Training with THE SPEECH IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, INC., Ms. Laurie Schloff has a nationwide reputation as a trainer and coach in areas of presentation skills, leadership training, fear of speaking, conference coaching and facilitation skills. She is a member of the IPO/VC coaching team and also heads the group workshop Effective Presentation Certificate Program.

Laurie is the author of two popular books – Smart Speaking and He and She Talk. Her books have been published in German, French and Chinese. Smart Speaking has been described by Communication Briefings as “one of the best books ever written about speaking.”

Laurie is a frequent guest expert on radio and television. She has been a guest on the Oprah and Today Show and a contributor to magazines including Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Ladies Home Journal and Women’s Health. She is known as a popular and humorous speaker at conventions and organizations ranging from the American Bar Association to The National Association of Women’s Business Owners.

Schloff’s range of clients include: MassMutual, Babson Capital, GE Aircraft Engines, Sun Microsystems, Bank Of America, Fidelity Investments, The Bose Corporation, The Society of Actuaries, The TJX Companies, The Anti Defamation League and the American Bar Association. Laurie is also the developer of Pearls of Presentation and Participation for MassMutual, a training CD.

Ms. Schloff received her undergraduate degree in Speech Pathology from Rutgers University in New Jersey and her graduate degree from Columbia University in New York. She holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence from The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a member of the Speech Communication Association. She founded the Fear of Speaking Association in 1989 and is co-founder of electionspeakers.com in 2008.

Ms. Schloff’s experience, friendly relaxed style, humor and insight make her a valued member of THE SPEECH IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, INC.

Listen live or download the recording at www.blogtalkradio.com/laurie-mandato

Guest Author: Laurie Schloff

Hello from the other Laurie, Laurie Schloff, Senior Coaching Partner at The Speech Improvement Company based in Boston.  I am delighted to partner with the lovely Laurie Mandato to offer tips for communication to you.  Here’s one on what to do with your hands — when all eyes are upon you.  Enjoy and send any questions to laurie@speechimprovement.com

Many clients mistakenly believe that hands should be hidden from view.  Consequently, they dream up all kinds of ingenious hand tricks: hands secreted under the podium, hands clasped Indian-style behind their back, and hands military-style at their sides.  Short of chopping them off, folks go to amazing lengths not to “talk with their hands.”

Forget it.  The best thing hands can do is to convey naturally, without much orchestration, the conviction and enthusiasm of your message.  To discover exactly what your hands should be doing in front of an audience, take a look at how you use them when you think no one is watching in one-to-one conversation, at dinner, or on the telephone.  Then keep these tips in mind to make your gestures influential and relaxed as you “reach out” to a group.

Thumbs down for:

• Moving arms wildly about.
• Making a hand gesture with no purpose.
• Repeating the same gesture over and over.
• Fiddling with or wringing hands.
• Keeping hands in any one tense position (like in your pockets) for too long.
• Folding hands over your crotch (known to speech coaches as the “figleaf position”) or in other embarrassing positions.  And for gosh sakes, keep hands away from your nose and mouth!
• Keeping hands very close to your body – looks wimpy.
• Letting fingers hang loose – looks really wimpy.

Thumbs up for:

• Observing and using gestures that come naturally.
• Keeping gestures above the waist and directing them outward for visibility and influence.
• Punctuating key thoughts and words with gestures.
• Using a variety of influential arm and hand positions, including one or two hands outstretched, palms facing upward, or parallel to each other.
• Using finger enumeration to designate points one, two, three.
• Resting one hand lightly on the desk or lectern while you use the other hand to gesture.

Don’t just stand there – GESTICULATE!

If you’ve been following me for very long, you’ve heard me rave about my favorite style system – Fashion Feng Shui®. What I recently realized is that while you’ve heard me talk about it in various contexts, you may not understand what it really is … and more importantly how it can change your life. So I thought I’d share my own Fashion Feng Shui® story with you.

In 2006, at one of my first Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) New England chapter meetings, I met Evana Maggiore, founder and creator of Fashion Feng Shui® International.  I had heard so many wonderful things about Evana, so I was very excited to meet her and learn more about Fashion Feng Shui®.  After talking with Evana, I knew that FFS was the style system I wanted to use in helping my clients better understand their personal style. I loved the holistic, mind/body/spirit approach to dressing from the inside out.

Fashion Feng Shui® was developed based on the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui and is a holistic personal design system that relies on individual preferences and empowering choices.  It is my style system of choice because it teaches us to dress the whole person — mind, body and spirit.  In other words, getting to know yourself really well in order to bring that inner self into alignment with your external image.

As I learned about the five life-forming elements of Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal, I discovered that each of the elements has a distinct energetic quality that is transmitted by specific colors, shapes and substances. Fashion Feng Shui® personifies nature’s five life-forming elements as five Elemental Archetypes and classifies each by Essence, Intention and Appearance.  Once you discover your Essence, Intention and Appearance, we synchronize your style by choosing design elements that integrate all three of your personal energies. With that knowledge, you’ll be able to choose garments that function in your life, and you will feel energized and excited.  When you begin dressing yourself authentically, your self-esteem and confidence change immediately.

I signed up right away and completed my Fashion Feng Shui® Professional Facilitator Certification Training with Evana in a group of wonderful women from all over the country.  It was so exciting!  Part of our training was to go through the FFS evaluation process ourselves. And that was the beginning of my own transformational journey.

Through Fashion Feng Shui®, I learned that I was tolerating so many things in my life and wardrobe. I was overwhelmed by the clutter in my home and my life.  I had gone through a major upheaval and was trying to make sense of everything that had happened, while taking care of my two young children and getting back into the workplace to support us.  My life had changed completely, and I was now the breadwinner in my family — a role I had never played before. And I had certainly never considered the idea of being a business owner! What I did know for sure was that I could not continue to work for a paycheck doing something that I didn’t enjoy, making no money and getting no benefits.  I remember thinking “It’s time to take a stand!” just like I’d read in the wonderful books I’d been reading by Cheryl Richardson — Stand Up for Your Life and The Unmistakable Touch of Grace (both books had a huge impact on my life at the time, and I highly recommend them).

As I went through my own evaluation process, I discovered my Essence is Metal, my intention (at that time) was Wood and my appearance is Water.  So I do everything through my lens of Metal.  I love high quality garments, luxurious fabrics, elegant styling.  I have known that all my life, since I was a child.  Given the choice (which I often was not), without knowing the price of something, I always chose the most expensive item!  I grew up hearing that I had “champagne taste on a beer budget.”  My parents both lived through the depression and often came from a place of lack and scarcity.  They worked hard. My dad owned his own business, but any extra money always went back into the business.  They never took vacations or bought anything extravagant.  They would go out to dinner after work on Friday evenings.  That was their little bit of extravagance. While love was never lacking in my family, the message I received was that I should never expect the finer things in life and to suppress those feelings and settle for something less than what I loved.

Through FFS I learned to really honor who I really AM — only buying things that fit, flatter and fulfill me and who I am meant to be. It was then that my whole world began to change! Now all the clothes in my closet are items that I love and wear all the time (in season).  I don’t need to worry that I won’t have the right outfit to wear, and I always feel great in my clothes because I know that they are reflecting the REAL me.  No more do I settle for “just okay.” I only go for great looking garments that I love.  But that doesn’t mean I buy millions of dollars worth of clothes. I’ve learned to buy garments that go with each other and create more with less!  It is such a wonderful feeling knowing that I always have what I need. And that feeling flows into more than just my wardrobe. I am more confident in who I am today and where I’m going. Fashion Feng Shui® was the catalyst for changing my whole life. Now my outer image is in alignment with my inner self, and the sky’s the limit!

I will always be grateful to Evana Maggiore and Fashion Feng Shui®. Without them, I would not own this fabulous business doing exactly what I love — helping other women learn about their personal style so they too can live the life of their dreams.

Here’s what Fashion Feng Shui® has taught me:

• Get rid of the clutter in your home, closets and office.  It affects you in so many ways.
• Know your likes and dislikes, and pay attention to them — listen to your intuition!
• Don’t tolerate anything in your life that doesn’t make you happy.
• Only fill your closet with clothing that you LOVE – things that fit, flatter and fulfill you.
• Own your Essence, and honor yourself by stepping into it fully. Don’t settle for less!
• Don’t wait to make changes in your life and wardrobe until things are perfect. Take one baby step at a time and watch what happens!
• Keep your closet clean, clutter free and well lit so that you can see all your beautiful clothing and accessories easily to create your outfits.
• Live your life through the “lens” of your Essence. How you do anything is how you do everything.

©2010 Laurie Mandato

“Spotlight on Style” radio show on Diva Toolbox Radio
Tuesday, November 30th — 12:00 pm Eastern

Join me and my special guest Michele DeKinder-Smith for “Discover Your Jane Type & Be The Best You”

• What are the Jane types?
• How can you discover your type?
• How does knowing your type help you become your best?
• Did you know you can be different types at different times in your life?

ABOUT MICHELE

Michele DeKinder-Smith, is the founder and CEO of Linkage Research, Inc, a marketing research firm with Fortune 500 clients such as Starbucks, Frito Lay, Tropicana, Texas Instruments, Hoover Vacuums and Verizon Wireless. She parlayed this entrepreneurial knowledge and experience into founding Jane Out of the Box, a company that provides female entrepreneurs like YOU with powerful resources, such as educational blogs, teleclasses, newsletters, and books. Michele was recently named to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) national board of directors for a two-year term.

Listen live or download the recording at www.blogtalkradio.com/laurie-mandato

Your outward appearance matters! Whether you’re stepping out into the speaking spotlight, showing up on Facebook and YouTube, or hosting live workshops and events for your clients — your personal image is key to whether or not you connect with your audience in an authentic way. Your image impacts you life and business every day … and I can show you how to leverage your Essence to manifest a life you love!

When you understand who you are at your very core — your Essence — and begin to dress yourself with that knowledge, your life begins to change. Those things you most desire — ideal clients, amazing joint ventures, invitations to speak, media opportunities as well as personal relationships and prosperity — are naturally drawn to you. You start achieving your personal and professional goals with ease, your confidence soars, and you are motivated to create the life and business of your dreams.

No more will you worry about what to wear for that keynote event, a black-tie gala or photo shoot for new publicity shots. Using Fashion Feng Shui® I’ll help you discover the colors, shapes and fabrics that will make you irresistible to your audience. Your image will be congruent with your message. In other words, your inner being will be congruent with your outer presence. When you come from that place of authenticity, it allows you to relax into your self and speak from your heart — so your audience won’t be distracted and can focus on your message instead of your appearance. Imagine the confidence that comes with that!

Announcing my new Dress with Intention Virtual Package!

I designed this package just for YOU — the powerful, intelligent, passionate woman you are TODAY! I’ll show you how to transform your look so the authentic you comes shining through each time you meet with a client, step on a stage, get interviewed by the media or have your photo show up on the social media sites. Together we’ll create your signature style from the inside out.

I’ll teach you how to feel confident that your image matches your message — that you’re communicating easily and effectively through your appearance. Never again will you feel anxious when you’re being photographed at an event (knowing those pics will show up on Facebook and Twitter), asked to speak for a group, meeting fans and media at your book signing, or hosting your own workshop.

From professional headshots to casual pics that show up on Facebook, to videos you post on your blog, to live appearances … you need to know you look your very best. And guess what? When you have that inner knowing that you are your best, you’re more confident, people react to you differently and you open yourself up to receive all the abundance you deserve.

Stop hiding! Reclaim your power so you can step up, stand out and shine. Isn’t it time you invest in yourself? Discover your powerful Unique Presence™. Sign up now for your very own customized Dress with Intention Virtual Package and start your transformation today!

Get all the details right here.

“Spotlight on Style” radio show on Diva Toolbox Radio
Tuesday, November 16th — 10:00 am Eastern

Join me and my special guest, Amethyst Wyldfyre for “Clear Your Energy & Electrify Your Business”

• Understand your energy and how it influences your personal and professional success
• Discover how to shed what doesn’t serve you in so you can serve yourself and your clients
• Learn how to know when to act and when to be still so you can conserve energy and utilize it
  more effectively
• Explore ways to set boundaries and say “No” fearlessly so you can free yourself to pursue your
  highest good
• Learn how to tap into your own personal energy by paying attention to your own natural
  rhythms and cycles

ABOUT AMETHYST

Amethyst Wyldfyre – The Energy Mastery Coach – is a Multidimensional Visionary Healer, Speaker, Performer, Author, Teacher and Artist. She specializes in serving highly influential transformational coach/trainers, speakers, performers, artists and alternative healers to LEAP fearlessly into their highest level of service to the planet. She is the originator of the CORE PATH Intensive a powerful Energy Journey program for Evolving Entrepreneurs which creates a crucible of transformation for her clients within which they achieve greater clarity, cultivate greater openness to Source, reveal hidden gifts and talents, and energize to implement their own mission and purpose in the world. Ms. Wyldfyre is an Initiated Shamaness in the Inka Tradition, a Crystalline Ascension Crystal Healer (another of her programs), a naturally ordained Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Therapist, and a published author of
several books. In 2008 Ms. Wyldfyre was selected by NH Magazine as one of their Renaissance Women and in 2009 her CD – Divine Union – A Crystal Singing Bowl Healing Journey was a COVR AWARD Winning Finalist in the Inner Space/Meditational/Healing Category at the International New Age Trade
Show in Denver.

Listen live or download the recording at www.blogtalkradio.com/laurie-mandato