Tag Archives: image assessment

The Best Solution to Discrimination

Confidence, Life, Personal Style, , , ,

Racial discrimination is a serious problem, but prejudice isn’t limited to color or culture. People always “judge a book by its cover,” this is a fact of life. If we are honest, we all make visual assessments and prideful assumptions based on personal experiences and preferences all the time.

  • We choose our communities, caretakers or political parties according to our beliefs, opinions and needs.
  • We use businesses, attend meetings and make friends only if we feel comfortable with those people. 
  • We decide which checkout line we will use according to our assumption of the cashier’s attitude and aptitude.

It is natural and normal to make decisions based on appearances. In fact, you and I decide if we like or trust a person, place or thing within six seconds. Is this wrong? Maybe, but this tendency to make quick judgments can save us time or keep us from danger. 

Sometimes our first impressions are completely off, and we miss out on an opportunity or relationship that we may have enjoyed. Other times our assessments are completely inappropriate and we make harsh judgments based on personal opinions or experiences that have nothing to do with the reality of what–or who–we are criticizing.  Continue reading The Best Solution to Discrimination →

3 Tips for Handling Stay at Home Stress

Confidence, Kids, Life, Personal Style, , , , , ,

When I’m stressed,  I shut down and shut up.

The term tongue-tied may mean one thing to you, but to me, it is a perfect metaphor for how I feel when I am hurting. Even when I want to talk, the words are held captive. It doesn’t matter how quiet I am, however, my body language still  speaks loudly. Usually what it’s saying is,

“Leave me alone!”

And then I feel hurt when people avoid me–especially my husband, of course. I want others to read my mind not my face. I want them to ask and then wait (a really long time if necessary). Then I want them to judge my heart and not my confusing words. And I want them to be on my side, even if they have a completely opposing opinion.

I want, I want, I want.

When we are stressed, we are selfish.

Continue reading 3 Tips for Handling Stay at Home Stress →

Ingénue, the Delicate Beauty

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Some women have a sweet, innocent nature that brings with it a quality of freshness that does not threaten others, but uplifts them and inspires them. These women have a gentle strength that is like a breath of fresh air in our otherwise stressed and striving world.

The Ingénue, like the Baby’s Breath, is the kind of woman (or man… or child!)  that completes those around her. The flower is often used to cover the stems and spaces in a bouquet. The Ingénue’s creative and complimentary nature makes her friends all look and feel more beautiful and strong when she is with them.

little girl, IngénueThis Image Identity, or Img.ID may appear to be dainty and delicate but in reality is strong and sturdy, like the flower that is able to survive environments most flowers cannot endure. In fact, as long as this flower has a mostly-sunny environment and well-drained soil that is not acidic, the Baby’s Breath can thrive and grow into great foliage that covers any area it is given. This young lady is like that: She will do whatever you need her to, she will do it with joy and she will become very influential in any space she is given the authority to. Continue reading Ingénue, the Delicate Beauty →

7 Steps to Branding your Image like Mark Zuckerberg

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Mark Zuckerberg has the twitter world in an uproar over his difficult decision of What2Wear. Tens of thousands of people are commenting on this internet entrepreneur’s approach to fashion. Some called him creepy, obnoxious, arrogant, weird…. some even question whether he might be a psychopath! All because he has branded his image with extreme simplicity.

Wearing the same attire daily is not an unusual thing, especially Continue reading 7 Steps to Branding your Image like Mark Zuckerberg →

Here’s Why Back to School Shopping can be so Challenging

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

IMG_1535 2

This may be the most wonderful time of the year for some moms, but shopping for it can be a nightmare! Creating the back to school wardrobe for a nervous or indecisive student can be especially difficult when the girl’s approach to style differs from her mom’s and they do not understand each other. Trust me, you are not the only mother/daughter bicker happening at TJMaxx this week.

I remember school shopping with my mom when I was going into sixth grade. I had just moved to Maine and I knew no one. I had no idea how the “girls in the sticks” would dress or what would be expected of me as the new girl in town. Looking back, I think my mom was nervous for me, too, because it wasn’t like her to be so free with the finances. I felt funny, guilty almost, that she was willing to spend so much money on my clothes when in the past most of my wardrobe was hand-me-downs. So I did as every good pre-teen would and tested the situation. I pulled out these crazy high fashion (for that time anyway) slacks off the shopping rack and proclaimed, “I want these.” I thought for sure my mom’s true conservative nature would show itself and protest, but instead she said “sure” and put them in her cart.

My high-fashion choice didn’t scare her at all; instead I scared myself! I tried to convince her I was just joking but she pointed out the fair price and insisted I get what I really wanted. I was too embarrassed to be honest with her that they were way out of my comfort zone.

Out of respect for the money Mom spent, I overcame my fear and wore those statement slacks to school. What I experienced that day is a huge part of why I am now an image consultant. It was as if I “found myself.”  Before that I always choose comfortable, casual, low-profile styles like my mom looked so good in, but wearing the more fashionable attire made me feel alive and confident.  The funny thing was, I don’t remember any other kids wearing statement pieces that year but instead of feeling like I was the odd one, I felt authentic. (I guess that makes me authentically odd, but that’s a blog for another day.)

Peer pressure may be about trying to fit in or follow fashion, but the bigger challenge is more about being authentic and not a mimic of others. 

No wonder clothes shopping can be so difficult. It is not only when we are preparing for school, but what we really want is unique uniformity–talk about oxymoron–is this even possible? Peer pressure makes shopping hard enough, but the struggle isn’t only about our friends’ opinions. In fact, depending on a girl’s style, the internal conflict could be stronger than any peer pressure.

  • The Classic’s main concern is that her outfit is coordinated and she has a hard time letting go of old outfits.
  • The Natural’s greatest need is to be comfortable and she has a hard time putting outfits together.
  • Dramatics feel most confident when they are fashionable but they battle with the rejection they get for being so overpowering.
  • The Ingénue’s come alive when they keep their look soft, sweet and youthful but her strong nature may rival her delicate appearance leaving her unsure of how to be true to herself.
  • Romantics glow when they are true to their femininity and focus on a glamorous look but their self-less nature may keep them from taking care of their own needs.
  • Gamines tend to know exactly what they want, but they also tend to dress according to their mood, and all too often their entire wardrobe is black, which conflicts with their colorful nature.

This internal battle of conflicting desires is why it is so important to Know Who You Are–or who you are shopping with. 

My mom is a Natural Beauty but she was raised by a Dramatic. Of course she didn’t know about the six various styles (Img.IDs) back in the ‘70s and neither did I, but I think she understood what was going on inside of my heart far better than I did as an eleven year old. When she put those slacks in that shopping cart that day she knew they were “me.” Sometimes we just need help figuring out our own desires–especially when the one we admire feels differently than we do. I guess that’s why I love image coaching so much. I struggle understanding myself but the more I do, the more liberated I am and I want to share the power of that freedom with others so that they, too, can BE and LET BE.

If you are stressing over the back to school shopping or feeling a bit anxious about returning to school, I encourage you to put the effort in to understanding yourself so that you can find the balance between following fashion and staying true to yourself. This is the key to becoming a girl of Confident Beauty, which doesn’t alter with peer pressure.

To learn more about your Img.ID, visit my website at www.CatrinaWelch.com or contact me to learn about my September Special on Supreme MakeOvers.

What’s your Party Style?

Beauty, Confidence, Personal Style, ,

How you Throw a Party Says a lot about Your Img.ID

bbq-36427_640 (2)Your Personal Image Identity (Img.ID) is predominately about your clothing personality. To present yourself well and look your best everything you wear should compliment your facial features and physical attributes, but another very important part of that is your personal preferences, which has a lot to do with your general personality style.

If you have ever learned about personalities, you know that some people get their energy and enthusiasm for life by being with people, others “recharge” by being alone. Some of us are people-oriented, others are task-oriented. No certain style is superior. We need all kinds of personalities to make this world work and therefore we should be careful not to aspire to be someone we are not.

One common push-back I get when assessing a woman’s clothing personality is, “don’t put me in a box.” I realize that being analyzed can rise up our defensiveness, but understanding yourself is actually a way of breaking OUT of the box that you may have put yourself in. You do not have to be like your parents, teachers, siblings. It’s time to BE and LET BE.

Take throwing a party, for instance.

Do you like to attend parties? How about hosting them?

It’s your daughter’s sweet 16, your son’s graduation, your husband’s big 5-0… the pressure’s on you to make their day special. Does that excite you or stress you out? How you respond to the challenge of throwing a party is a great indicator of which style of beauty you are.

  • An Ingénue won’t think about the pressure much, she will just do the work and she will do it with amazing creativity. Photos will definitely be involved; her guest of honor will truly be honored.
  • A Romantic will make the party all about her loved one as well, but if she can keep the guest list to intimate friends and family only she will feel far less stressed about it.
  • A Classic knows the proper etiquette and expectations of a good party, but she tends to find it very stressful to pull it all together. It is not easy for this woman to let the details go. The social side of life is not as comfortable for her as her professional side and her tendency is to stop everything until she can do it right. This woman does best to have her party catered.
  • The Dramatic, on the other hand, loves (and does) every detail of hosting a party and she does it will excellence–the decor, the invites, the favors, entertainment, food, you name it, she thought of it. Her greatest challenge is in making sure her work is done before the party starts or she will work the whole time guest are there and never get to visit, which may make her feel cheated.
  • The Natural doesn’t really like hosting a party, although she may have a hard time admitting that, especially if she comes from a family of entertainers. This woman does well to just BE herself. As a casual beauty, she has a way of making any guest in her home feel comfortable (unless she is uncomfortable with her home) because there is no pretense about her. She doesn’t make a big deal about anything, so help yourself to her buffet and if she forgot something check the fridge, she won’t mind, just don’t expect her to get all fancy and you will have a great time.
  • Gamines love to celebrate with people they love, especially if someone else is throwing the party! When it’s their turn to host, however, they don’t mind. Some of them go all out like a Dramatic, but most of them are quite casual about what they serve and how they host. In fact, they, too, may prefer to have a buffet or BBQ style party–that is if they don’t choose to have it catered or out at a restaurant–but you can be sure that the paper plates they use won’t be plain and white (like a Natural might choose). Gamines don’t get stressed about style, but they do like their colors to coordinate.

Did you know that the Bible challenges Christians to party? We are even told to have fun with it and not to get stressed out.

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter4:9

Being hospitable does not come naturally to all of us, but understanding your personal style and hosting your party within your own comfort zone is one way to not only relieve a lot of the stress, but it also another way to BE and LET BE. If you are attending a party this weekend, I encourage you to enjoy yourself, no matter which style the party is (just be sure to dress accordingly, one way to make a Natural real uncomfortable at her own backyard BBQ is to arrive in your finest attire). If you are hosting a party this weekend, I encourage you to prepare for it in a way that is true to your authentic self without apologies, just be sure to communicate your style, so that your guests can come prepared to throw horseshoes and not feel all awkward in their stilettos.

If you would like to know more about your Img.ID, please check out my website at www.CatrinaWelch.com

What is a Clothing Personality?

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

Today’s blog is an excerpt from Chapter Seventeen of Confident Beauty in honor of Labor Day Weekend.

 

Most women hate, hide or get hung-up on how they look. C.O.N.F.I.D.E.N.T BEAUTY is a balance of both fashion and faith and doesn’t wear off like makeup does!
Most women hate, hide or get hung-up on how they look. C.O.N.F.I.D.E.N.T BEAUTY is a balance of both fashion and faith and doesn’t wear off like makeup does!

While most women want to understand their image and enjoy analyzing their body frame and facial features, I find that many of us put up a guard when it comes to assessing our personality. No one wants to be critiqued, and limiting our individuality to one (or two) of six options can feel a bit like criticism, I know, but hear me out on this.

Let’s liken our assessment to what a florist needs to do when she is caring for her various plants. With a quick glance she summarizes which type of flower she has and immediately she knows whether to water it daily, weekly or monthly. Some flowers she may give an ice cube to now and then because they need to receive water very slowly as the ice melts. There are some, like the Calla lily, that prefer shade, so she may put that flower in an area where she can protect it from the sun, while there are others she may put in full light to keep warm so that they may reach their full beauty.

Women are like that. Some of us need, or just want, extra care. Some prefer less fuss. Many are not sure what they want or need. What is right for one woman may be wrong for another, and too often we are confused as to which is which. Understanding our needs and our differences is what brings us Confident Beauty.

Some image consultants like Stacy London and Clinton Kelly from What Not To Wear may tell you what is right or wrong based on what’s in vogue or according to your height or lifestyle, but I like to make it more personal in order to identify the true you. I often introduce myself as “an image consultant without the shopping obsession; my message is not so much ‘what not to wear’ as it is ‘Know Who You Are’ which is the title of my book of guidelines for your Personal Image Identity.”

As much as I believe that God does not want us to judge each other by our outward appearance, I also believe that the outward character often indicates what is on the inside, and that is what really matters.

The challenge I run into when assessing women is when their preferences do not line up with their physical stature. This is very common for girls who were raised by a woman with a different Img.ID. We naturally form our opinions on what feminine beauty should be through personal experience. Influential women in our lives either help us decide if we want to be like them, or not. Perhaps your mom was a Classic who taught you to keep a proper and professional wardrobe but you just wanted to be carefree and casual with your look. Your choice is to comply with her style and feel confined and constricted, or to choose your own manner of expressing your individuality. A lot of times your unique style (your Img.ID) includes many aspects of the feminine influences in your life mixed in with what you like. Other times you may need to decide to change things that worked for her, but do not work well for you.

Typically, each clothing personality has a particular type of fashion that is most important to them and something that they need to be careful not to get out of balance in order to achieve their personal “look.”

 

If you would like to learn more about the six various styles of beauty of discover your personal Image Identity (Img.ID), be sure to take advantage of my Labor Day Weekend Exclusive Offer: The ebook edition of Confident Beauty will be available this Friday through Monday to download on your favorite e-reader device for only $1.99. Consider it my back to school gift to you. 

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Catrina Welch is an inspirational author and speaker whose personal experience with overcoming rejection, betrayal and loss–as well as her expertise as a cosmetologist, image consultant and Biblical life-coach–is empowering women to BE and LET BE.

Her latest book, CONFIDENT BEAUTY: Reflecting the One Who Made You, with the Images in your Mirror and in your Soul, is now available in your favorite bookstores. Autographed copies of all her books are available on her website at www.CatrinaWelch.com

This exclusive ebook offer is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Chapters, iBooks, or your favorite e-reader store.

Know Who You Are

Life, Personal Style, , , , , , , , , ,

How did you do with the Img.ID quiz? I realize the personal preferences are sometimes hard to define– especially if you struggle to believe that your opinions have value. Many women are so focused on what is important to the ones they love that they do not give much thought to what they would prefer. You can take care of others and still be who God made you to be. You do not need to be the woman that men, media and your mom have persuaded you to be, if that is simply not your style. But first you must understand your style.

Looking at each of your charts, which clothing personality did you mark the most?

Was there any column marked more than the others? If not, you may have a secondary clothing personality; be sure to read chapter 13  of Know Who You Are to learn how to blend your two sets of guidelines together in order to best represent the true you.

If your answers were all over the place, and you are not sure which personality is strongest, do not worry. You may be an Ingénue, or a Classic; be sure to read those chapters to see if it suits you or not. Also, no matter what your chart looks like, be sure to read the chapter on each clothing personality if you want to understand the other women in your life better!

Here is a general overview of each Clothing Personality (or Img.ID):

RoseClassic—Refined Beauty (like a rose) Average height and features. Professional. Calm, poised, warm, gracious, refined, polished, elegant. Cultured, meticulous; usually well-educated.

Natural—Casual Beauty (like a daisy) Average to tall. Broad features. Casual, unpretentious. Conservative, practical, reliable, dependable, responsible loyal; usually well-loved.

Transparent-Bgrnd-2FlowersDramatic—Exotic Beauty (sophisticated like a protea or artsy and eccentric like a bird of paradise) Average to tall. Exotic features. Unique, imaginative, independent, sophisticated, demanding, stylish; usually well-known.

Transparent-Bgrnd baby's breath_2Ingénue—Delicate Beauty (like baby’s breath) Average to short. Youthful features. Sweet, gentle, soft, graceful, youthful, modest, shy, considerate, supportive; usually well-appreciated.

Transparent-Bgrnd_OrchidRomantic—Glamorous Beauty (like an orchid) Average to short. Soft features. Feminine, charming, sensitive, sympathetic, accommodating. Sensual, alluring, glamorous, flirtatious. Usually wanted as a friend.

Transparent--Bgrnd_Calla-LilyGamine—Bold Beauty (like a calla lilly) Average to short. Animated features. Fun, energetic, enthusiastic. Bold, bouncy, snappy, spunky charmer; usually well-respected.

I am often criticized for “putting people in a box” but please know my heart, I only want you to understand yourself more, like a florist understands each breed of flower, so that you can care for yourself better. If  a florist only knew how to raise wild flowers, she may find herself frustrated when her orchids won’t bloom. If she only knew how to raise Calla Lilies, she may find herself horrified when her tropical flowers go dormant with difficult conditions. That’s how many women feel when they believe their beauty should bloom differently than it does. Perhaps you were raised by a sensitive, self-sacrificing mom but have the strong-will of a Gamine, or visa versa?

My hope is that you will know personally “what not to wear” because you know who you are, inside and out. That’s why I call it a Supreme MakeOver, because this is when you break free from the cocoon that guards your heart, spread your beautiful wings, and be who you were designed to be.

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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their image issues. It is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available soon.

If you are interested in getting these books or having Catrina come speak at your event, you can contact her at www.CatrinaWelch.com or on facebook.

Image Assessment: Physical Attributes

Personal Style, , , , , , ,

DownloadedFileAs a professional with a passion to help women understand their style of beauty, I can’t help but want to provide the valuable service of an image consultation for every one of my readers. Of course this is unrealistic, but through the years of doing group consultations I have worked hard on creating a system that walks you through the process of a self-analysis. (You can take my simple pictorial Img.ID quiz here or you can find it and a whole lot of practical advice to help you figure out which kind of outfits, hairstyle and makeup is best for you in my book Know Who You Are: Guidelines for your Personal Image Identity. But I am also going to guide you through a little more detailed assessment in this blog.

I highly recommend recording your answers to the questions. Make a chart like you see below and mark in each Img.ID column for every character trait or preference that you have that relates to that Img.ID (if indicated.) At the end you will have one or two columns with more marks than the others; that will be your Img.ID.

This is an example of an Ingénue. This girl has many traits that could be another Img.ID, but her most dominant one indicates her true Img.ID.

Classic Natural Dramatic Ingénue Romantic Gamine

Frame

X

X

X

X

X

Height

X

X

X

Bone structure

X

X

X

Face

X

X

X

X

X

X

Eyes

X

X

X

Lips

X

X

X

Cheeks/chin

X

X

X

Nose

X

X

Let’s start  your personal assessment with your body frame. Here is a chart for you to mark your answers to the questions below:

Classic Natural Dramatic Ingénue Romantic Gamine

Frame

Height

Bone structure

 

What is your figure frame?

à      Hourglass (balanced, softly curved) any of the Img.IDs (mark them all)

à      V-frame (broader shoulders than hips) Classic, Natural, Romantic, Gamine

à      H-frame (balanced, straight figure) Classic, Natural, Dramatic, Ingénue, Gamine

à      8-frame (balanced, bust 10 inches greater than waist) Romantic

à      O-frame (balanced, rounded tummy) Classic, Natural, Dramatic, Ingénue, Gamine

à      A-frame (broader in hips than shoulders) Classic, Ingénue, Gamine

If the above question is difficult for you, answer the question below to help you determine your figure frame. This question is not on your chart above, it’s purpose is to help you figure out your frame, not necessarily your Img.ID. Every Img.ID could be any weight.

Where do you tend to gain weight first?

à      Hips, lower body (A- frame)

à      Bust, upper body (V-frame)

à      Hips and Bust, always have waist-line even when overweight (8-frame, hourglass)

à      Waist, midriff (O-frame)

à      Weight gain has never been much of an issue (H-frame, hourglass)

 

What is your height? This is the main determining feature of your Img.ID 

à      Tall: 5’8” or more (Natural, or Dramatic)

à      Average: 5’5”—5’7” (Classic, Natural, Dramatic, Ingénue, Romantic or Gamine)

à      Short: 5’4” or less (Ingénue, Romantic or Gamine)

What is your bone structure? Measure your wrist, if it is 6 inches your bone structure is average; if it is less than 5 ½ inches: you are petite-boned; if it is more than 6 ½ inches: you are broad-boned.

à      Broad: more than 6½” (Natural, Dramatic)

à      Average: 5 ½”- 6 ½” (Classic, Natural, Dramatic, Romantic, Ingénue, or Gamine)

à      Petite: less than 5 ½ ” (Romantic, Ingénue, Gamine)

 

Tomorrow we will assess your facial shape and features.

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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their image issues. It is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available soon.

If you are interested in getting these books or having Catrina come speak at your event, you can contact her at www.CatrinaWelch.com or on facebook.

What’s Your Img.ID?

Personal Style, , ,

Florists know how much to water each type of plant; that’s why their flowers exude their greatest beauty.

Image consultants know which outfit suits their clients best; that’s why movie stars and supermodels always look good.

So, how should you care for yourself? Which style of beauty are you– delicate, glamorous, exotic…?

No one fits in a box. Just as flowers have general needs that should be adapted to the environment they are in, so do each of us. Understanding which type of beauty you are is like knowing the culture your family comes from. If you are Italian, well that explains why conversations around your house are so animated. If you are Greek, well that might explain why Momma wants your wedding to be so big. Generalizations can be limiting, but analyzing your general style can be extremely helpful. It will help you to understanding yourself and others, making your relationships, shopping and daily preparation much easier!

3 determining factors in knowing your style:

  1. Stature: indicate which culture or family you belong to. Your body frame is the foundation of all your image decisions. Basically, there are four body types: straight, curvy, full and sleek. Each body type is one of the five figure frames: A, H, 8, 0, and V (defined below); and each figure has its own strengths and challenges. You probably know your figure flaws already, but knowing your figure frame helps you to balance out any disproportions. There are lots of tips available (you can find some in my book of guidelines on amazon here) to help you with this. You cannot give yourself a fair makeover without knowing your physical stature. Your height is the greatest indicator. If you are tall, you are either a Dramatic or a Natural. If you are short, you are an Ingénue, a Romantic or a Gamine. If you are of average height, you could be any of the personalities, including the Classic.
  2. Coloring: To further determine which personality you are, it is best to assess your coloring. Depending on your seasonal palette of coloring, you may have to tone down or play up your Img.ID with a secondary clothing personality. For example, Gamines and Dramatics with a Summer or Autumn palette are often a combination of another clothing personality since the soft, muted colors make it difficult to be bold or create drama. Also, the softer-natured Img.IDs—Romantic, Natural and Ingénue—with bold coloring may have a secondary personality to balance them out. (for more on combination clothing personalities, click here).
  3. Facial features: The third most important factor in determining your Img.ID is your facial features. This part, like the coloring, is hard to do without a professional face-to-face assessment, but I encourage you to do your best in choosing which style your eyes, nose, lips are by taking my FREE Img.ID Quiz –the pictures certainly help. Whatever you do, though, please do not stress over this. Have fun with it! Tomorrow I will walk you through a more detailed assessment.

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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their image issues. It is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available soon.

If you are interested in getting these books or having Catrina come speak at your event, you can contact her at www.CatrinaWelch.com or on facebook.

Color, Confidence and Seasonal Palettes

Beauty, Confidence, Personal Style, , ,

1058330-Royalty-Free-Vector-Clip-Art-Illustration-Of-A-Digital-Collage-Of-Seasonal-Icons-5Basically, there are four seasonal palettes of color—Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. Your eye color, clarity and pattern of your eye structure, as well as the skin undertone (not its color), and the contrasts of these aspects with your hair (again, not necessarily the color) are all factors in deciding which season you are.

In order to discover your seasonal palette, you need to remove or hide all other influence of color, such as any makeup, hair, or clothing color you are already wearing as well as the lighting in the room. You want to know how each individual color influences your image.

This is very hard to do to yourself, and due to the emotional response your friends (and you) will have to color, it is not wise to simply trust others’ opinion. Without doubt, there’s enormous value in having a professional image consultant sort all this out for you by draping various fabrics over your neck and shoulder area to discover which colors make your skin tone, hair color and eyes become brighter and more alive.

Please be aware that not all makeup artists are certified color analysts. Do not be afraid to ask your analyst where she got her training. There are far too many sales people that are simply educated in color, but never tested or certified.

Your eye pattern and color and the chemical make up that causes your skin undertones and hair coloring does not change after age five. It does not mater how tan, wrinkled or gray you get; the season you are is the season you will remain for the rest of your days. You do not need to have this service repeated if it is done accurately. The money you spend on a consultation will be an investment for life.

Once you make this investment into your image, you will save yourself a lot of time choosing wardrobe purchases as well as saving yourself the expense of items you buy but don’t end up wearing because you feel washed away in it. Be sure to listen and take note of the things you are told by your analyst, because when you follow your guidelines the things you purchase should compliment anything in your closet that also is within your seasonal palette.

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To request a color analysis appointment (or a Private Supreme MakeOver, which includes an analysis) click on the Image Coaching tab. 

Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their image issues. It is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available soon.

If you are interested in getting these books or having Catrina come speak at your event, you can contact her at www.CatrinaWelch.com or on facebook.

Color, Confidence and your Canvas

Beauty, Confidence, Life, Personal Style, , ,

 imagesYour body, face, and hair are like a painter’s canvas. Any color you add to this canvas (whether hair color, make up or clothing) should compliment the whole picture. You don’t cover your canvas completely, so you want all the colors to compliment the undertones the Great Artist started you with.

If you have a soft, yellow-white canvas and you paint bright, bold cool colors on it, the colors will stand out from the canvas. The paint is what others will see. The uncovered canvas will be overpowered and unnoticed.

However, if you paint on other soft, yellow-toned colors, they will easily blend and compliment the canvas. Any untouched spot in the paint, where the canvas shows, will simply appear as part of the whole picture.

When others look at your image—your painting—you want the canvas (especially your eyes) to be what they see. It is not the outfit, your make up, or your hair coloring that you want noticed. It is you—your reflection of the glory of God—that you want to reveal to them.

When you are wearing your proper colors, you will receive compliments about you, how great you look. When you do a good job picking out outfits, but your choices are not your color, you may still hear compliments about the outfit, what a great dress you are wearing, but you may be lost in the picture.

You may feel good when someone says “that outfit is beautiful” or “that shirt looks great on you,” but that doesn’t mean that you are making the right color choices, it simply means that person likes that outfit or color, not that that outfit or color likes you. Often we choose our attire because of compliments we have received, but the compliments that we do best to listen to are the ones that speak about how we look, how others are seeing us—not our attire, our make up, or our shoes.

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To request a color analysis appointment (or a Private Supreme MakeOver, which includes an analysis) click on the Image Coaching tab.

 

Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their image issues. It is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available soon.

If you are interested in getting these books or having Catrina come speak at your event, you can contact her at www.CatrinaWelch.com or facebook.