Tag Archives: Classic

The name of the Img.ID of the Refined Beauty

Discover Personal Branding–Like Susan Boyle

Beauty, Confidence, Life, Personal Style, , , , , ,

More than 4,500 athletes, the Queen of England and 40,000 fans will all gather for tonight’s opening ceremony of the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow city’s Celtic Park where Britain’s Got Talent‘s Susan Boyle will be one of the performers.

NOTE: this blog originally posted July 23, 2014

Remember when Susan’s audition shocked the world in 2009? As of today 154,079,130 people have viewed the youtube video of her amazing performance. I’ve personally watched it a number of times. In fact, I often use the video to illustrate the powerful affect of first impressions and the importance of branding your personal image. Susan had a dream to become known like Elaine Paige; now her fame exceeds her greatest expectations. When she walked onto that first stage the audience rolled their eyes and laughed at her; no one expected her to sing well at all. Now we all anticipate her performance with high expectations.

After her angelic voice was discovered, many image consultants wanted to give Susan a makeover. Why? Continue reading Discover Personal Branding–Like Susan Boyle →

Classic – the Refined Beauty

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Some women are dignified, sophisticated and professional in all their ways. Those who are Classic in style are graceful and conservative and a pleasure to look. A balanced figure and proportionate features give evidence to her character. The Classic woman (or man or child…) tends to be very proper  and detailed in all areas of life.

Like a rose, the Refined Beauty has a guard about her, making it rather difficult to get to know her at first. In her younger years, she is tight and withdrawn and a bit protective of her heart. When upset, her words may be sharp, but in general, she doesn’t speak up unless spoken to. 

Peace makes or breaks the Classic’s beauty

Continue reading Classic – the Refined Beauty →

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3 Reasons Why Image is Such an Issue for Women

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According to David Garner’s survey on Body Image in America as reported in Phychlology Today:

  • 56% of all women say they are dissatisfied with their overall appearance.
  • 84% of women report dieting
  • 14 % of women have been diagnosed with eating disorders- the majority  being underweight.
  • 1.5% of women say they vomit for weight control, yet do not feel they have an eating disorder. 3%  use laxatives for weight loss and feel that is not a concern.
  • 67% of women report that being around thin women makes them feel insecure.  45% say that models make them feel angry or resentful.

There are many reasons why beauty has such a stronghold on our hearts:

1. Beauty is an important part of the feminine heart.

The desire for beauty is not shallow or selfish; it is our reflection of the One who created us. Just as man was designed to glorify God with his strength, so was woman designed to draw others to Him with her beauty.

Unfortunately, our desire to be lovely can get the best of us if we focus on it too much. I suppose anything we give too much attention to can mess up our lives, but let’s think this through.

The desire to be strong or  successful, is encouraged by society.

The desire for beauty, on the other hand, is not as socially acceptable.

Wether we pursue strength or beauty, we may be confronted with jealousy from time to time, but seldom will we be put to shame for such desires as to do well or be strong.

2. Beauty has different social standards.

Continue reading 3 Reasons Why Image is Such an Issue for Women →

Overview of the 6 Styles

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To learn which of the 6 styles you may be, take my Image Identity quiz, (just click here).

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Click here for more info about my Supreme MakeOver image assessments

 To learn more about clothing personalities and your Personal  Image Identity (Img.ID) guidelines, please find me on Facebook, Twitter,  Pinterest, Linked In, or Goodreads.  Or  consider having me speak at your next event. Visit https://catrinawelch.com for more information.

Confident for Our Children

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As Easter approaches, let’s consider how Mary’s mamma-heart must have felt during Jesus’ persecution and death.

As moms, we believe in our kids. Sure, we see their faults and we get frustrated when they don’t follow our wishes, but we see beyond the present day; we see their potential future. If anyone should point out their imperfections, we defend them because we know that, one day, each of them will be great!

I imagine that this must have been especially true for Mary. Granted, her son was perfect–but she was not. Surely she got anxious about the expectations she had for Him. After all, she was told (directly by an angel!) profound promises about His future yet she had to wait thirty years before He began His ministry. Continue reading Confident for Our Children →

To Manicure or not to Manicure

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The Beauty of Branding your Image is that when you know your style, you know your general guidelines for what to wear… even when it comes to nail polish. Colors trend and services change, but just as with your wardrobe or makeup, there are specifics you should always follow.

Here are the general guidelines for each of the 6 styles:

Continue reading To Manicure or not to Manicure →

What’s “In Style” for the New Year?

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My only resolution this year is to blog more about what to wear (#What2Wear). While my greatest passion is helping women to understand their heart and find their confidence, I also feel it is very important to represent your heart accurately with your image so that other people can put their confidence in you.

There’s something very suspicious about a person who looks one way and acts another.

Continue reading What’s “In Style” for the New Year? →

3 Reasons Your Style May Be a Combination Img.ID:

Confidence, Personal Style, , , , , , , , , , , ,

A little girl had  dream to become a gardener. She loved the many shapes, sizes and textures of flowers and wanted to grow them herself. It can’t be that difficult, she thought. “I will keep them in rich  soil, make sure they get lots of sun and water them every day.” 

It didn’t take long before she realized she couldn’t treat all flowers the same, so she began to educate herself on the many types of flowers and their various needs. Quickly she became overwhelmed, “There are too much to learn, this is complicated. I can’t remember all their names and what to do. I will just pick my favorites and focus on them.”  

Are you overwhelmed?

Feel awkward in clothes you chose?

This blog is dedicated to all the girls and women who want to learn about clothing personalities, but just can’t get their mind around it.

“Forget it! Who cares which style I am? I will dress however I want to dress!”

If you have said this, but were then unsure how you want to dress because when you put on clothes you chose, you feel uncomfortable, awkward and phony. My advice:

Figure out your style, make that your favorite and focus on that.

“Picking a favorite” is really not hard for most women, because most women are only one clothing personality, but for those of us who have a combination Img.ID, discovering which style you really like can be complicated. My advice to you?

First figure out if you are one style or two.

You know you are a combination Img.ID if:

  1. 1.You have the physical attributes of two clothing personalities. Do you have the facial features of a Natural, but are not tall? Or are you very tall, but have a turned up nose like a Gamine? You are more than likely a combination Img.ID 
  2. 2.Your natural coloring competes with your primary style. Are you one of the sensitive clothing personalities (Dramatic, Ingénue, Romantic) with strong coloring (Winter, Autumn)? Or one of the strong personalities (Classic, Natural, Gamine) with soft coloring (Summer, Spring)? You are more than likely a combination Img.ID.
  3. 3.You have the physical appearance of one style and a strong agreement with the preferences of different style. Do you have the physical attributes of one clothing personality, but your only desire is to look or act like another style? You may very well have been raised by a strong woman who you feel you must emulate. You have two options: be set free from your oppression and BE who you were designed to be, or find a way to blend the two styles so that your appearance reflects your authentic heart. 

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As an author and speaker, my passion is in helping women and girls overcome confidence conflicts, especially those involving rejection, betrayal and loss. After 30 years in the beauty industry as both a cosmetologist and an image consultant, I love to use my profession, along with my experiences and training as a Biblical life-coach to help others  who are struggling. I’d love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter,  Pinterest, Linked In, Goodreads  Click the butterfly image or visit https://catrinawelch.com to learn more about my Supreme MakeOver Image Assessment events.

Encouragement in an Identity Crisis

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This could be a story about you. Perhaps your losing your hair, have a major skin problem, are cross-eyed or confined to a wheelchair. This could be a story about a friend or family member, who’s Image Issue is not outwardly apparent to most, but is weighing on your heart because you know about her eating disorder, gender confusion, substance abuse, self-loathing.

Image Issues are uncomfortable.

Any identity crisis is personal and often very painful–especially while the crisis is active. Difficult times are easier to talk about when they are in the past. In truth, most battles become glamorous stories once time passes and pain subsides. Isn’t this why women tell labor stories when they are around a pregnant woman?

Painful pasts have powerful potential.

Stories of overcoming difficult times are usually helpful to those potentially facing the same problem, but we need to be sensitive about our timing for those actively in the emotional battle.

Broken beauty is still lovely

As an image consultant, I try to make it a point to recognize when a girl or woman may need to hear how beautiful they are. It’s what I do. A direct compliment can be awkward to receive and hearing “you are beautiful!” can throw any woman off-guard. I recently Continue reading Encouragement in an Identity Crisis →

Sea-Saw of Confidence

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Most women HATE, HIDE or get HUNG UP on their appearance. Who doesn’t hate certain parts and pieces of how they look? This is why so many of us hide under big, baggy sweatshirts, heavy makeup or hair coloring.

Some women love their appearance–or at least they have a way of persuading their audience that they love how they look. In reality, those who are hung up on looking good may very well hate themselves even more than those hiding.

Why is beauty such an emotion battle for so many of us? Wait, before you tell me that you have no emotional struggle over beauty, take a moment to search your soul.

  • How do you feel when you see a young girl hiding?
  • What are your thoughts toward girls who put too much emphasis on the way they look?

Think about it. Girls are condemned if they do cate about their image, and disgraced if they don’t. It’s not us the public eye, or the men in our lives, either. It’s us. We are the ones so hard on each other and on ourselves.

The way you treat your beauty (wether you hide it or strive to attain it) is a big indicator of your Img.ID:

C: Seldom STRIVE or HIDE; image is just a part of being professional.
N: Seldom STRIVE or HIDE; I prefer comfort over beauty.
D: More apt to STRIVE; I love to make things beautiful.
I: I prefer to HIDE from attention, but I often STRIVE to look stronger.
R: I love beauty, but tend to HIDE my own; when I STRIVE for it, I get hurt.
G: It’s not a big deal; I dress how I want when I want.

Click the letter to learn more about that Image Identity, including What2Wear.

We hide things we do not value.

If you are hiding your beauty there is a good chance you have not yet discovered your self-worth. Perhaps you have always felt ashamed, unwanted, uncared for. Your reason for feeling this way could be real or imagined, either way, emotions are often the driving force behind the way we represent ourselves. If you were teased for your height or weight, there’s a good chance you still feel foolish about that physical attribute. The truth is, beauty is not confined to you fitting into a popular height, weight, or any other attribute. Not everyone will appreciate your qualities, but your value is not negotiated by their opinion; don’t let it pull your confidence down.

We get hung up on things we overvalue.

If you are hung up on your appearance, there is  a good chance you are striving for someone else’s approval. I know. I’ve been there. It’s human nature to long to belong, but showing off something does not give it greater value. In fact, showing off turns people away. No doubt you have personally witnessed an adorable girl who knows how cute she is. It’s only cute for a little while before it becomes too much. People are easily turned off by a hangup, so don’t depend on great qualities to pull your confidence up.

We do not hate that which we we know is deeply loved.

If you hate the way you look, there’s a good chance you do not believe you have something beautiful to offer. You are wrong. Everyone has something worth sharing, but you will never be at peace about it until you decide to get off the sea-saw and find Beauty in Balance. I believe the secret to finding that peace is in understanding the depth of God’s love for you. When you believe that the Creator of the universe carefully choose each of your attributes with a purpose and a plan, you will feel differently about yourself. You’re not just any woman, you were made by the high-fashion Designer!

If you are struggling with the idea that you were lovingly formed by God, I encourage you to find a Bible and really search for answers. The thing is, once you believe that you have a “designer label,” you begin to notice how carefully designed all the other people around you are as well. Suddenly “average” seems silly and you see the beauty in the crazy-unordinary physical attributes.

What a creative God we have!

With this realization, you no longer feel the need to hide or to strive. Instead you have Beauty in Balance. That’s when you experience true confidence.That’s when you become a Confident Beauty.

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As an author and speaker, Catrina’s passion is in helping women and girls overcome confidence conflicts, especially those involving rejection, betrayal and loss. After 30 years in the beauty industry as both a cosmetologist and an image consultant, Catrina now uses her profession, her own powerful stories and her training as a Biblical life-coach to reach the heart in a way that is relatable, encouraging and inspiring. Her message is balanced with both fashion and faith and is making a difference  in the lives of women and girls all over!  To be part of this movement, connect with her on Facebook, Twitter,  Pinterest, Linked In, Goodreads  and consider having her speak at your next event. Visit https://catrinawelch.com for more information.

What Makes You Valuable?

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Since the beginning of time, every young child has had an innate longing to find the answer to one very important question. With each new experience, interaction and lesson of life, she collects data and applies it toward her answer. Somewhere around the teen years, she hits info-overwhelm. Like a cluttered desk, all that she has collected has piled up and she begins to wonder where the truth is. In her frustration and desperation for answers, she may frantically shuffle through the piles–moving papers–setting aside some ideas, destroying others. In her quest to find the answer, she may make a mess, but no matter how long it takes her or how painful it gets, she must know:   Continue reading What Makes You Valuable? →