Image Consultant Suggestions: High class work-wear for busy business women

If you are constantly worried about your work-wear choices and they give you unnecessary headache then this post is for you. The ultimate busy businesswoman wardrobe requires a combination of comfort, style and personal flair and it is all about finding what works for you. I put together a shortlist of few investment buys that will make you look polished and professional at the office.

A dress / a suit
The office is not the place for a fashion parade and if you are a busy business woman then you need to get a work-wear that is comfortable, flexible, doesn’t need to be dry-cleaned and doesn’t crease easily. In order to do so I would advise you to invest in a few high-quality suit or dress that is specifically designed for the busy businesswomen. I personally love wearing dresses and this Ralph Lauren is just perfect as it doesn’t crease, looks stylish and it can be worn with lots of different accessories.

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I recently took it on my business trip to Washington D.C. and it looked flawless and wasn’t creased after over 20 hours in my suitcase.

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I would suggest that you choose dresses (such as little black dresses) which can be easily transformed from smart to smart-casual so you can also use them for after work-drinks or visiting friends.
http://www.ralphlauren.co.uk/

Handbag
Finding the right handbag to carry all of your workday essentials that looks professional and stylish might be challenging. Knomo has the perfect solution if you are looking for simple and exclusive design. Knomo’s aim is to create bags and accessories tailored to suit the modern fashion-forward woman. I recently received a black leather Knomo Audley handbag which is just the right size to store all my office must-haves, laptop, cosmetic bag etc. besides looking really sleek and professional. I travel a lot and 99% of the time have problems with finding a high quality laptop bag. Knomo Audley bag combines both stylish handbag and a laptop bag in one simple and timeless design. The bag is made from the highest quality, soft leather.

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It bridges the gap between classic and chic making it ideal for the office, with build-up features like:
• Easy access front pockets with RFID blocking -perfect for storing your bank cards, phone etc. to protect you from the identity theft;
• Padded laptop section- it easily fits my Microsoft Surface laptop (14-inch) and a separate pocket makes it easy to grab on the go and kept separate from everything else that you carry in.
• Detachable strap- I personally prefer to use my bag without a strap however for these moments for when you want to be hands free, you can attach the strap and turn this handbag into a cross body bag.
The interior design of Knomo Audrey’s bag is all that you need. It has 2 exterior pockets (one with RFID blocking). The main section of Knomo Audrey’s bag has a padded segment laptop or 14-inch tablet as well as a zipped pocket for small items.

https://www.knomobags.com/

Comfortable shoes
I like wearing stylish heels but can you really manage wearing them all day long without ending up with tired feet? The answer is: I don’t think so. My solution to this is to wear stylish court shoes or designer heels for meetings with clients and having a pair of flats for when I busy around the office or on the move. Valentino’s ‘The Rockstud’ flats are a faultless solution and I absolutely loved their feminine, modern feel. For the last few months, it seems like I’ve been wearing them constantly as they are extremely comfortable. They come in a range of colours but I decided to get a pair from the beige and black palette. Valentino’s ‘The Rockstud’ flats are trimmed with gold pyramid studs which are galvanized to never lose their shine.

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They are a perfect alternative to hills or court shoes and look timelessly elegant to any of your the office.
They are quite costly (£585) but definitely worth the investment.
https://www.valentino.com/gb/shop/women/shoes

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I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Image Consultant suggestions: kay me dresses

Are you tired of work-wear that is uncomfortable, inflexible, needs to be dry-cleaned and creases easily? If your answer is yes than you should check the Japanese fashion brand that is specifically designed for the busy businesswomen.

I was recently provided with an excellent opportunity to view and try on kay me’s new autumn / winter collection and meet designer and founder-Junko Kemi in London. Let me tell you a bit about the brand and their dresses.

Brand

kay me is an anglicized version of the founder’s name ‘Kemi’ and also represents ‘me’ being the customer always at the heart of the service.

Founder and Lead Designer – Junko Kemi

After graduating from Waseda University in Tokyo, Junko worked in several international companies before founding kay me in 2011. She struggled to find a workwear that follow her simple rules:

1) was machine washable so she didn’t need trips to the dry cleaners or complicated cleaning regimes.

2) was made from flexible, stretchy fabrics as the inflexible suit materials gave her stiff shoulders after sitting at a desk for a long time

3) was suitable to wear for social events after work too.

kay me was born in one afternoon when Junko couldn’t stop feeling frustrated through the lack of clothing that ticked all of the boxes so she decided to create her own.

These days, there are thousands of designers whose clothes are unwearable… That’s not the case with Junko’s collections. Every item sold by kay me is personally worn and tested by Junko herself. Resembling to Victoria Beckham’s motto, if she doesn’t feel that it’s something she would personally wear, the item never makes its way to the shop floor or online.

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Manufacturing:

All of kay me products are manufactured by artisans in Japan. kay me is able to combine traditional hand sewing techniques with cutting-edge textile technology. In 2015, the kay me team perfected a new, machine washable, 100% silk material. kay me believes that the intricate beauty and design of kimono fabrics empower women to be happier in both their professional and personal lives.

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My showroom experience:

When I entered the showroom, I fell in love with Junko’s collection. I was immediately impressed by the quality of the dresses and how stretchy and fashionable they were so I decided to try them.

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All kay me dresses meet five key criteria:

  1. Stretchy
  2. Machine Washable
  3. Business ready
  4. Made in Japan
  5. Kimono inspired

First of all, I tried 3 dresses from its vibrant and stylish Contemporary KIMONO by kay me collection. This collection combines functionality with classic Japanese beauty. The range is absolutely flawless for the modern but busy businesswoman. I was personally looking for a range of business wear like that for a long time as I wanted to have a collection of dresses that are easy to care for and look fashionable.

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Secondly, I decided try a simple black dress from key me work-wear range. It was a love at the first sight! Dress was exactly what I would like to wear to work and I gave me an ultra-flattering fit.

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Would you like to see or buy any products from key me range?

You can view the collection and order it online:

www.kayme.co.uk (free global shipping and 14-day returns )

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Image Consultant Suggestions: Work wardrobe shirts from Hawes & Curtis

“Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

An impression can be formed in as little as 5 seconds. It’s all about your personal brand and style and how this impacts your professional image.

As some of you know, I am a certified image consultant and my objective is to guide, coach and empower my clients using the science of Image Management which in turn helps them progress towards their goals and eventually, succeed. I help to evaluate the style and offer advice and recommendations, tailoring a plan to enhance the confidence and personal power. Starting from this week, I will be sharing with you some styling suggestions.

Are you looking to revamp your work wardrobe? This week, I would like to tell you about the Hawes & Curtis offering.

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Hawes & Curtis is a British heritage brand founded by two tailors Ralph Hawes and George Frederic Curtis in 1913. It currently has 29 stores in the UK and you can also browse and order from their website.

Hawes & Curtis offer great quality shirts that and their ranges are suitable for various shapes and sizes. I am a fan of timeless fashion so I loved the look of their White Fitted Shirt with Frill Detail and decided to get it. This beautiful fitted shirt is designed with frill details on the front panel. It is really chic and elegant. It features single cuffs and is made from a high quality cotton.

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I really enjoy wearing it to work with a skirt or black trousers and heels as it is very stylish and it doesn’t look boring as most of the workwear shirts do. In addition, you can always wear any workwear shirt with more casual attire such as a pair of trousers. It looks wonderful with jeans so if your office, like mine, has a casual Friday’s culture then you could try to pair it with some jeans and either some flats for comfort or heels for some added glamour.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline