Tell us what you did before image consultancy?
I wore several hats before starting my career in image consulting.
I was a trainer and inflight manager for Qantas which had me meeting and working with people from all walks of life and travelling the world.
In my spare time I studied interior styling and after graduating I worked on residential and commercial projects which gave me the creative outlet I needed.
What made you choose to become an image consultant? What drew you to it?
Like most people, colour and style didn’t come naturally to me, it was something I learnt mainly through three key life experiences.
The first was at my surprise 10th birthday party. It was the 70s and on the day of my party I was wearing brown and yellow ‘flower power’ pants and a yellow t-shirt. When I was led into the backyard and everyone said “Surprise!” you would have thought I’d have been elated. But instead I felt embarrassed and awkward. All my friends were in beautiful party dresses and here I was in my flower power pants. Reflecting on it later, that experience was a defining moment for me: I realised the way you present yourself greatly impacts how you feel and influences your self-esteem and happiness.
As a teenager, I still felt self-conscious about myself and how I dressed. My mother took me to a Colour Me Beautiful party (these colour analysis parties were all the rage in the 80s). I was told I was a ‘Spring’. Once I started wearing colours from the Spring palette, I began receiving compliments and this boosted my self-esteem and confidence levels. From that time on I appreciated the power of colour, and my love of colour and style was ignited.
Later I found myself helping friends and family with their wardrobes. I created outfits for them from clothes and accessories they already owned. This was something I found easy to do, my friends were very happy for the help (they didn’t have to buy new items and they got compliments on their outfits) and it made me extremely happy – I felt I was ‘in my element’. I realised this was something people needed and appreciated and that I could turn my passion into a career.
What made you decide that it was time to do your training and take up this new career?
Instinct told me it was time for a career change. I did some soul searching and realised that I was always happiest when I was helping others: and specifically when I was helping them with the colours and styles that worked for them. Deep down I knew that this was what I wanted to do.
My experiences with colour and style had significantly impacted my life in terms of confidence and wellbeing and I wanted to help others benefit from that too.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge to make a positive impact on a person’s life; removing the stress of deciding what to wear, building self-confidence, getting dressed more efficiently, saving them time, and empowering them to be able to do all this effectively for themselves so they really enjoy what they wear every day.
Who do you most enjoy working with? How do you love to help them?
One of things I really enjoy about being an image consultant is the wide variety of people I work with.
Everyone is unique. The infinite combinations of personality, lifestyle, natural colouring, body shape and proportions, and the visual story they wish to tell means my job is always interesting.
Many of my clients are business people. I love helping them create versatile, effective workwear wardrobes that support their personal and professional brand and aspirations. Often, I end up helping them with their leisure wardrobes as well.
I also run corporate image training courses which I really enjoy. These courses give me the opportunity to help individuals understand their personal style and how they can use it to reinforce their corporate image which is empowering for them and the business.
How does having a good image help people in their lives?
A good personal image helps people feel empowered and confident. When someone knows they are showing their best self, others see them in a more positive light.
How can you help people create a more impactful and relevant image for themselves?
Having a good understanding of a person’s work/life situation, their aspirations, style personality, their best colours, their shape and what occasions I am helping them to dress for all help me create an image that is unique for them, and that can support them now and in the future.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?
My other passions are photography and travel. With decades of experience packing my suitcase for work and leisure it’s become somewhat of an art. So, it’s no surprise that my travel packing service is one of my favourite offerings.