Top Tips for Public Speaking and What to Wear

Moana Robinson

I was recently given an amazing public speaking opportunity to give a TED Talk. It was one of those moments when I decided to just say “yes”. I felt the fear and did it anyway. The book by Susan Jeffers is a good one! “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”.

Most people do feel a sense of fear when it comes to public speaking. This is absolutely normal and some people jokingly refer to public speaking as a “fate worse than death” . It can also be a real phobia which is called glossophobia. There are many ways to overcome a fear of public speaking such as …

• Joining a speaking club such as Powertalk , Toastmasters or Rostrum
• Coaching and Hypnotherapy can help with confidence
• There are also many people who specialise in training for public speaking onstage such as Speech Perfect
• Practice as much as you can in front of a friend or video so that you can feel comfortable
• Find a mentor or someone you can brainstorm ideas with
• Get plenty of sleep and hydrate well prior to your talk

Know your subject and make sure it is something you are passionate about

My talk was important to me. I wanted to focus on the positives in a world which was increasingly full of doom and gloom. Everyday news was full of global disasters and the COVID pandemic. I wanted to share positive areas of life we can focus on instead of the negatives in life.

Take the focus off yourself and onto your audience

The important verbal aspect of your talk is what you are saying and not what you may forget to say. It is also important how you say it and that you speak directly to your audience in an authentic way and from the heart. You have an important message to share with them. Knowing you look your best and feel your best enables you to be your best.

What You Wear is Important to your Audience and to You

Creating that powerful first impression counts even more when public speaking as you are speaking to more than just one person and this is the case whether you are online or on a stage.

I had a couple of outfits in mind to wear and at the last minute changed into a dress which  felt  just right to me. The dress had gold chain laced through the side seam and it felt symbolic to wear something with gold. I knew the cameras would not pick up on it. It just felt good to me to wear something which went with my talk which was about discovering gold.

Having watched quite a few TED talks  I could see that many people wore casual clothing and although there is no definite dress code smart casual was recommended in the information I received.

As a Personal Stylist clothing is important to me. It is also important for your talk. Are you looking to motivate or convey an important message which requires something which requires a conservative look. Looking right for the talk meant that I was taking into account the following:

Comfort

Being comfortable is very important when public speaking. I left the house wearing a sleeveless dress as do feel quite hot when nervous plus it was a very hot day. I grabbed a white jacket at the last minute before walking out the door. In hindsight I was pleased that I did this. The jacket looked tidier and more formal than wearing a sleeveless dress.

I knew that we would be standing around or on stage for a long time so wearing very high heels was out of the question, Wedge heels rather than stacked or stilettos are very comfortable for me.

Colour

The colours behind me on the stage consisted of the  Derry LondonDerry TEDx sign in bright red letters and the dark stage with the red circle to stand on. I didn’t want to wear black as that was not a powerful colour. Red is a powerful colour (of course it would need to be in a red that suits me) but it would blend into the letters and red shoes would blend into the circle on the floor. I chose the teal dress  because it is a universal colour, is one of my branding colours and would stand out from the red without clashing.The shoes are a neutral pewter colour. Having light coloured hair I look better in light coloured shoes as this creates a visual loop effect.  The white jacket added some brightness. Block and definite colours are best when speaking onstage.

Clarity

Patterns and stripes are not good on stage as they can be distracting for the audience. Also patterns and stripes can strobe on playback video. As much as I love prints and patterns they can be dated. As TED talks can be up online for a long time it is important not to wear something which would date too quickly. By keeping your outfit simple the focus will be on your talk and how you are conveying your talk.

Consistency

This may be a psychological trick that other speakers do or maybe not. I find that I like to have something which relates to my talk or to my branding. The shoes I wore were pewter wedges and although not gold were metallic. Being a “silver girl” rather than gold these shoes felt great. I even painted my nails gold but took it off straight away as it definitely did not suit me.  I would advise anyone who is doing a lot of public speaking to have something that is unique to them or their talk such as a branding colour, style of clothing, a lapel broach or pin which relates to them personally. This way if someone recommends you for a talk and they cant remember your name they will remember something about you which was visual.

Congruency

One of the most important aspects of my outfit is that it is very similar to what I would usually wear when giving a talk in any other public speaking situation. I wear mostly plain colours and usually wear black or navy when doing in person colour consultations so that I am a neutral background while draping a client. I wear a lot of patterns and prints when I am not working in a formal environment or doing a colour consultation. When public speaking you can use colour to convey a message so knowing something about the psychology of colour is a good idea.

My favourite quote is from Dr Suess “Its truer than true there is no-one alive who is you-er than you”. Dress as yourself and wear what you would usually wear in front of an audience. Wear something that shows your personality. If you usually wear trousers and feel comfortable in trousers then wear them. If you usually like to wear skirts or dresses wear this. Be YOU on stage. You can build rapport with your audience and still represent the real you at the same time.

Cull the Clinking

It was important not to have any jewellery distractions. Simple is best when it comes to jewellery when public speaking. I had the globe to hold which was really the only accessory. Wearing dangly earrings is a big no no when you have a microphone attached. I was once at a conference when the speaker had to remove her long jangly earring because it kept hitting the microphone making a loud clink every time. The same goes for long dangly necklaces and bangles or bracelets.

Consider the Benefits

My recommendation is that if you are offered the opportunity to do something like this take it. Doing the TED talk  is something I hadn’t thought of doing before. I am grateful for the opportunity which this independently organised TED Talk gave me It has definitely been the catalyst for me to consider doing more talks about messages which are meaningful for me. I feel that if you have a message you should be able to share it. The benefits are immense as it increases your confidence and you know that if you have done even a small amount of public speaking you can always grow from there.

As a last point I would like to say that public speaking is something which anyone can do and you can find ways to make everything so much easier. Learning about what to wear when public speaking is just one of the ways you can feel more confident straight away.

As Rachel Zoe who is stylist to the stars said

“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak”

Wearing clothes in colours that suit you and suit the occasion makes creating that first impression so much easier. As well as full colour and style consultations Introduction to Colour & Style Sessions. Discovery sessions for hypnotherapy or coaching are also available

Hair Colour Determines your Overall Value

One of the first steps in a colour consultation is determining whether someone has light or dark hair. This is called the “value”.  If you think of a black and white photograph each colour in real life shows up as a shade of grey – some light and some dark. Some of the colours are so dark they will be almost black and some colours will show as almost white.

The Difference Between Colour and Value

Hair colour names can be subjective as some people may refer to copper hair colour as orange or red. Dark blonde can also look like a light brown to some people. The best way to determine hair colour as a value is to look at something which is called a value scale.

Looking a the value scale when you are checking how light or dark something is means that you are not confusing the issue with actual colours but merely the lightness and darkness or depth of the shade.

Dark Hair

Dark hair  can include dark brunettes or browns, some red hair such as mahogany, very dark grey and black.

Light Hair

Light hair  can include blonde, some brunette or brown, some reds such as auburn and grey.

Hair Colour Charts at the Salon

You will find that hairdressers will look at many aspects of colour which include the base. The base colour is talking about how light or dark the colour is. This is similar to the value scale or grey scale. The hair salon also includes numbers on their chart to indicate coverage and tones. Most hair colour charts will have two or three numbers/letters on each colour.

Variations or Solid Hair Colour

You may have one overall colour to your hair or several colours such as streaks. This could be coloured artificially or natural streaks caused by the sun or chlorine if you swim a lot in pools. If you are going from a darker colour to grey then you may have what is commonly called “Salt & Pepper” hair.  This is a beautiful combination of black, grey and silver and it is an elegant look. Depending on how much black is in the hair it could still be classed as dark.

The Purpose of Looking at Hair Colour for Overall Value

Overall value is the first step and then we look at colour and contrast. By taking the actual colour out of the equation it is easier to determine how light or dark the hair is without getting into the technicalities of the warmth or coolness of a shade.

The reason a personal stylist will look at the hair first to determine overall value is because the goal is to draw attention to the face and also to give an overall balanced appearance.  If a woman has light hair and wears very heavy dark coloured clothing she will need to wear something dark on her head such as a hat or glasses to balance the whole look. This is where contrast comes into play.

You will see the dark outfit looks too heavy on this woman. The clothing on the right suits her overall value. The shoe colour is too dark. If she wore light coloured shoes this would create a more pleasing effect as the eyes loop from the hair to the toes and back up effortlessly.

The is a lot more to consider apart from overall value. This is the base to start from. Have you ever looked at newsreaders on television and noticed that you see either their outfit first or their face first? This could be to do with the colour they are wearing or their overall value does not work with the light or dark shade of the outfit.

Changes in Hair Colour as We Age

Some clients have had a colour analysis when they had dark hair. The recommendation is to have a colour analysis done every ten years. If there is a colour change during the ten year period and the colour changes to two or three shades darker or lighter there is an easy way to use your colour swatch. Just go to the lighter end of your colour swatch for your clothing and accessories if your hair is lighter. If you colour you hair slightly darker. use the colours at the darker end of your colour swatch.

For example the woman in Image (1)  may have once had quite dark hair. Now her overall value could be classed as Medium. The woman in Image (2) may once have had dark hair. Her hair is definitely light. She would have an overall light value. The woman in Image (3)  has more dark than light in her hair and she would be classed as deep overall value.

One of the best ways to determine your overall value and check the value of your hair is to take a black and white photograph of yourself. You will soon see whether you have an overall light value or overall dark value.

At B Styled for Life we can assist with finding your True Colours. There is a scientific process behind colour consulting and it is a fascinating journey.

Colour Can Play an Important Part in Motivation

The New Year means a fresh start and inspiration to start exercising. 

How do you keep and maintain that exercise “Mojo” down the track?  

Different Colour for Different Exercise Modalities

Yoga is a stretching modality and people tend to wear calm, soothing pastel colours such as blues, pinks and neutral or natural colours like browns, creams and black.  

If you are into cardio brighter, energetic colours can get you pumped up, motivated and the fire within really going. For example, neon oranges, hot pinks, fluorescent greens and yellows are great for energetic workouts such as  step, pump, running, boxing.  Reds, and blacks are popular with strength training. 

The Psychology of Colour

The psychological effect colour has is quite surprising. Just imagine if you walked into a gym and EVERYONE was wearing all black… close your eyes and imagine black clothes, black gym equipment … How motivated would you feel? Now imagine all colours of the rainbow – different people wearing their choice of colour – it makes your workout interesting and fun. If you are doing a relaxation class add some beautiful colour and you think of beautiful things. 

• Black is a good base colour for staples such as tights and shorts – Team with something coloured (Black can represent coolness, toughness, individuality and strength – it can also represent “sustaining”) 
• White – Another neutral (Lovely and fresh – it can represent a change in attitude, great for re-starting your exercise programme, good for taking you through that pain barrier) 
• Red – The colour of courage, tenacity, determination, strength, attracts attention so you are more likely to work hard 
• Yellow – The colour of creativity and enthusiasm, fun , friendly and happy. All help with motivation 
• Brown – A steady, calming colour associated with the earth/environment – good for yoga and relaxation 
• Blue – Calm and assertive. Good colour for resolve and commitment 
• Green – Pale green is best for relaxation or stretching exercise but brighter greens are great for consistent training as can represent loyalty 
• Orange – Is good for creating energy and a sense of fun., a fresh colour 
• Pink – The passion colour – can help to develop a passion for a chosen exercise or sport 
• Purple – is usually a creative or artistic colour and depending on the shade is good for yoga, pilates or brighter purple for strength and cardio training 

Introducing colour to your workout is not the magic answer to bring back your “Mojo” but do whatever personally works for you to “keep re-igniting that mojo” 

Besides Wearing the Right Colours Below are some “Regaining your Exercise Mojo” Ideas

• Joining a gym (Choose a gym that is easy and convenient for you); and/or 
• Consulting a motivation coach 
• Finding a gym buddy 
• Hiring a Personal Trainer
• Getting fitted for a comfortable sports bra to add a pop of colour under that boring black tank top 
• Downloading a great playlist of music to workout to 
• Joining a club – Taking up running? Parkrun is a great way to start 
• Pampering or rewarding yourself when you reach your goals. Are you short on ideas? Here are 100 ways to pamper yourself
• Attend a workshop or course to re-ignite that spark 
• Use a coach to help you work out what your passion and purpose is and what lights you up inside.
• Boost your motivation for exercise with colour – Get your Mojo back and keep it. 

At B Styled for Life we can assist with finding your True Colours as well as chat about how to get that motivation back again.

Perfume as Part of Your Signature Brand

Some of us who love perfume do have a signature scent. They like to wear to this reflect their personality and can it even become part of their own personal brand.   

“Perfume is like chocolate without the calories, an affair without the tears, a vacation from which you never have to come back” Marian Bendeth

Findings After Talking to Other Women About Perfume 

I have found that women either …

(a) Stick to one or two  “signature scents” with their perfume; or 

(b) Like to try a variety of different perfumes 

Sometimes the Perfume Choice can depend on The Day’s Activities

Just as deciding what to wear we can be influenced by what we are doing when we choose what perfume to use – for example”

Weekend daytime Scents

Sports, Market Shopping, Running around with the kids something light and fresh  such as Burberry Brit or Gucci Flora or Dolce & Gabban Light Blue 

Everyday workwear Perfume

 Something with vitality and energy …Chance by Chanel or Miracle by Lancome or Dior Addict.   

Romantic/Date Nights

Something sensual and sexy like Gucci by Gucci or Lola by Marc Jacobs or feminine and floral like Romance by Ralph Lauren or Innocent by Thierry Mugler  

Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette? 

Eau de Toilette is less concentrated and contains more water than eau de parfum which contains more alcohol.  If you want your fragrance to last from day through to night choose eau de parfum (which is more expensive because of its concentration).  You need to use a lot less of eau de parfum than eau de toilette 

Perfume Points to Remember 

• The general rule is 2-3 sprays of perfume. This is  just enough to notice but not too much so that you knock out your friends and co-workers.
•  Only spray perfume where your skin won’t be exposed to the sun otherwise it could cause hyperpigmentation  
• Wrists, behind your ears and behind your knees are pulse points and good areas to wear your perfume 
• If you wear the same perfume for a long time. day after day, your body gets used to that scent. This is because it mixes with your own body chemistry 
• Get to know the type of scents you like  such as  woody, floral, fruity, spicy, and citrus.  Then when you are looking for a new scent to try you have a starting point. 
• I always wait after trying a new perfume on my wrist and see how it smells after it has been on a while before I purchase it.  I prefer trying it on my wrist to the tester strip as each scent reacts differently on different people 
• When spraying hold the bottle eight to ten inches away from you. 
• Only ever try three fragrances in one go as your olfactory senses can easily become overloaded. 
• Store all scents away from heat, humidity and direct light. This is because the oils and alcohol in perfume can break down and change the fragrance or cause it to disappear completely. 
• If you prefer to use essential oils as perfume it is worthwhile learning about different blends from whichever company you obtain your oils from. I was given a beautiful gift from Le Reve and the consultant is always helpful and very passionate and knowledgable.

Perfume Making Course

When visiting Granada in Spain in July 2019 I went to Patio De Los Perfumes and attended a two hour course on perfume-making. It was a fascinating experience. Here is my interview with the gorgeous young lady who took the course

That Jar of Coffee Beans

Most perfume stores provide glasses of coffee beans to sniff to prevent this from happening. I did learn at my course in Spain that this does not work as well as smelling your own un-perfumed skin between smelling fragrances to reset the olfactory sense. There is an article here which also disputes the coffee beans theory.

Moana Robinson from B Styled for Life can be contacted for Personal Styling Advice.

How to Keep Cool and Still Look Stylish

Stay fresh and keep cool this summer with the following tips:

(1) Wear natural fibres,

(2) Wear loose fitting clothes

(3) Simple designs and light-weight accessories are best

(4) Steer clear of anything made from synthetic fibres such as polyester. These materials trap perspiration.  I know that I cannot stand anything that has too much synthetic in it when the weather really heats up.

(5) Natural fibres such as cotton and linen are cool to wear during the summer months.

(6) Keeping cool in tight clothes is really difficult – that means you might have to get rid of the jeans, pantyhose and stockings for a few months. 

(7) Capri pants are a cool and chic alternative to jeans and full length pants on the weekend.

(8) For work consider natural fibre pants and stylish cool tops.

• Natural fibres: The best choices are linen, cotton, and silk (see below)
• Silk is a durable fabric great for tops, blouses and dresses which is very breathable and non-allergenic.  It is surprisingly quite durable.
• Rayon is not strictly a natural fibre because it goes through quite a process which can involve acetate composites being added to the naturally derived cotton or wood pulp material. However rayon can be quite cool and light to wear.
• Avoid Clingy Fabrics: You are going to look your best if you look comfortable and if you are comfortable – and it’s hard to keep cool when clothes are clingy. Find out more about these fabrics here.
• Light-weight jewellery: Even statement pieces such as large necklaces can be cool to wear if you ensure that they aren’t made from heavy materials – try wooden filigree earrings.  A great way to brighten and accessorize neutrals.
• Add a scarf: Quite often a scarf, made from natural fibre, can add colour to a neutral coloured dress – the plain cotton T-shirt can be styled with a scarf and the neckerchief scarf is so on trend for summer 2015.
• Dresses: Definitely the coolest thing to wear – whether they are long or short.
• Sleeves – Long sleeves during the hot summer months need to be loose and sheer or open-weave and made from breathable fabric.  Lace sleeves are perfect and so in fashion this summer.
• White Clothing – reflects light – So in direct sunlight white clothing is going to be cooler than dark colours
• Black Clothing – absorbs heat and does seem to make us feel even warmer in the summer especially if you are in direct sunlight
• It is good to wear clothing that is comfortable and practical for our climate as well as aesthetically pleasing.The important aspect of  stylish summer dressing is wearing colour and style to suit you as an individual made from a cool fabric.
• Do you have clothes that are summery-looking and you would probably only wear them in summer?  Maybe you keep by-passing them and wonder why?  They could be uncomfortable, the wrong size, colour or style. Maybe it is time to find out with a colour and a style consultation or  a wardrobe audit.

Contact Moana to help you sort your summer wardrobe with a colour and style consultation or wardrobe audit

DID YOU KNOW: Your wardrobe choices can depend largely on whether or not your core needs are balanced?

What is a Core Need?

Wardrobe choices can depend largely on how your core needs are balanced. Anthony Robbins talks about the importance of meeting the Six Basic Human Needs on his website. He says these basic human needs affect our individual life choices, emotions and events.

The more a person gets to know and understand themselves the more they will feel that they have direction and fulfilment in life. Taking an interest in and learning what is important and what is not so important means that we as humans can make better choices.

But quite often we disregard these core needs the needs because we don’t understand the importance and how it can affect our life choices.

When this happens we can feel incongruent especially in the way we dress This can lead to a feeling of personal cognitive dissonance and it occurs when a person’s behaviours and beliefs don’t align. 

The Six Basic Human Needs are as follows:

• Growth and Contribution

The two core needs which are more spiritual are Growth and Contribution.  Wanting  to improve your style of dressing and constantly learning new makeup techniques can relate to the core need for personal “Growth”. 

The core need of “Contribution” may determine the type of clothes in our wardrobes. People with this type of core need may be attending charity events and will be ensuring there are suitable outfits for these events.

Global sustainability is something someone could stand for and hence, you may keep this in mind when purchasing new clothes. When sorting your wardrobe people with contribution as a core need would probably make a conscious effort to donate to charity or give to friends and family.

• Significance and Connection

The core needs of “Significance” and “Connection”  this can mean you like to  “dress to impress”. People with these needs may dress to build rapport and “connection” with others. How others perceive you  is also important.

• Certainty and Variety

The core needs of “Certainty” and  “Variety”  may determine whether people dress according to their mood at the time. It could determine whether you plan ahead or are more spontaneous with your outfit choices. 

Certainty

People who like “certainty” would feel panicked if they don’t have every item sorted prior to attending an important event.  They may love dressing in a uniform because of that feeling of certainty and they dont even need to think about what to wear.

Variety

However someone who favours “variety” may love the spontaneity of  creating an outfit at short notice.  People who like variety would see having a selection of different items to choose from as an enjoyable and creative challenge. They wont  see it as a challenge.  On the other hand someone who likes certainty prefers to know exactly what they will wear each day.

Wardrobe Wonders: Everyone is Different

We all have differing levels of these core needs: some  are inbuilt and some we consciously develop.

Do you like certainty or variety? 

Is significance and being noticed important to you, or do you like to slip under the radar? 

How often do you feel down if you haven’t seen anyone for a while?

Do you thrive on connection or do you prefer your time alone?

These core needs as  well as style personality and psychology type, play an important part in your style and how you dress.

Which core needs are most important to you?

Knowing your core needs and understanding how they play a part in your style and what you wear will make choosing the right outfit easy and quick. It will also make shopping for new clothes an enjoyable experience, rather than one you dread.

If you would like to know how to harness the power of your wardrobe and style personality I would love to help you.

At B Styled for Life we work with women who struggle with knowing their best colours and style and want to re-discover themselves again. We have helped hundreds of just like you feel empowered again.

If you are ready to discover your true and authentic style and feel comfortable and confident every time you leave the house contact Moana today for an obligation free chat to find out more,

How Do You Combine Your Passion and Purpose to Create a Life that You Love?

The Magic of  Passion and Purpose

Passion is  a positive emotional feeling when you are doing something that you love to do such as something that makes your “heart sing”. Purpose is the “why” behind doing what you do. It has a “contribution” factor. The magic in life can happen when you can combine both passion and purpose into your life.

Giving Energy and Meaning to Your Life

As a Passion and Purpose Coach and also an mBIT Coach Moana knows the importance of creating that flow of energy and meaning when you combine your passion and purpose along with what aligns with your head, your heart and your gut.  Creativity, caring and taking action all lead to a life which flourishes and feels aligned with your values expressing your truest self.

Moana has a passion for contributing and connecting with people and this was the purpose for creating her Take A Moment interviews and video blog. The Take A Moment video blog fulfils that  passion and purpose because many people have said that it is interesting and inspiring to see what other people are doing with their lives.

Moana believes that to be inspiring you are first inspired and she was inspired by watching a television show called “Front up” which is based on the theory that there is no such thing as an ordinary person.

A Woman with Passion and Purpose

One very inspiring person Moana met while  in Cyprus many years ago for life changing spinal surgery was  Monique Koetsier. Along with other patients who were there at the same time Moana and Monique became close because of a mutual bond from the illness and surgery they were recovering from. When visiting the home city of Monique in the Netherlands on the way to a  reunion of that group Moana was fascinated with Monique’s creativity and sense of design.

Moana’s First Interview

It was during this very special overseas trip that “Take A MOment” was born and Moana realised her dream of interviewing interesting people from all walks of life.

Monique was Moana’s very first interviewee for her personal video blog “Take A Moment”. Moana was fascinated with Monique’s beautiful design studio in her home. It was absolutely stunning with design elements from her talented and creative life. The gorgeous studio was filled with beautiful cards and artwork, ideas and designs.  Moana appreciates that very special first interview with Monique.  Check out Monique’s Instagram and Facebook pages for Mok Studio.

The Gift of Passion Passed on from Generations

Monique grew up with a grandmother who taught her everything to do with handcraft and knitting. She went to a fashion academy and graduated in concept and styling.  Her first job was working for a big retail company.  When the knitwear designer left Monique’s boss asked her if she wanted to take that on position. For the next twenty five years Monique was in fashion as a Commercial (head) Designer and she had no time for knitting.

After Crisis Comes Opportunity

After the economic crisis and recovering from her illness Monique found a job at a handcraft company which was growing steadily with online sales. She started from the bottom up working for the company.  She thought she would never be able to work in fashion again. By taking on this job after crisis and slowly integrating herself into the fashion business again she was able to start to develop her “passion for fashion”  all over again. Monique says “When you are willing to start all over and be humble about your options and salary you can be surprised how fast things can develop”.

Fight for Your Passion

Monique found opportunities in the company where she could contribute so much more with her knowledge, experience and talent within two months. She says the key is to “be humble and fight for your passion”. “When you go out of your comfort zone you can find opportunities.” Monique  had not thought she could return to commercial fashion because of her age, the illness and the economic crisis. However, Monique says that at the handcraft company her age was not a problem at all. “I can still do this work until I am 80 she said”. All of her experience came together in this job. She assists the owner in decision-making, new concepts, products which are knitted and crocheted by others. The best part is now she is also able to do some of her own knitting again and absolutely loves it.

Making Passion and Purpose a Way of Life

There is always something that inspires us. It’s a way of life.  Monique is combining her passion and her purpose and said in her interview that she believes “everyone has something to contribute”. She said that whatever level you are working at you see “everyone as a partner and everyone benefits from growth as you all grow together”.   Monique said although the  fashion industry can be quite tough she has the passion and purpose and desire to grow and enjoys her life doing what she loves to do.

Whether it is during your leisure time or whether you are using your talents in a business or profession it is important to love what you are doing.

Childhood Gives Clues

As you can see from the image  Monique enjoyed knitting at a very young age. Childhood gives clues to what your passion is and also to your purpose in life. There is so much that can be gleaned from taking time to reflect on what sort of activities you enjoyed as a child.When looking for a job or  investigating business opportunities take the time to do some soul searching or arrange a session to discover what your passion and purpose archetypes are. You will find out what drives you, what “makes your heart sing” and what your talents are to will fulfil your life’s purpose.

Create Your Best Life

Creativity is one of the most invigorating traits and when it is combined with a sense of compassion and contribution together with the courage to experience new activities your life can be enriched in may ways.

Being creative helps you to be better at problem solving in all areas of your life. It kind of “loosens” everything up. Many people are surprised to learn that creativity is the highest expression of the brain. In the book mBraining – Using Multiple Brains to do Cool Stuff by Grant Soosalu and Marvin Okra, knowing the highest expression of your head, heart and gut and engaging communication with the neural networks leads to wisdom and action expressing that wisdom and creatively to the world around you.

Moana’s Advice if you are looking for your Passion and Purpose in Life

1. Look back to your childhood and remember what you used to love doing – Activities which made you laugh and have fun
2. What were you good at in school?  What subjects did you excel in?
3. Some activities the time just flies by. Think of times when  five hours seems like five minutes.
4. Some people  love doing bookwork and working with figures. Others may love writing and creating with words. Everyone is different.
5. Meditation is one of the best tools for tuning into yourself to notice how you feel when you think of certain activities
6. Take notice of when time seems to drag and when you feel heavy.
7. There is a lightness and sense of excitement when you are doing something you love to do.
8. Keep a journal if you are still discovering what you would like to do. Make notes of what you enjoyed about your day.
9. Talk to others about what you enjoy. Verbalising and sharing how you feel helps to clarify everything.
10. Pay attention to your intuition. Also have a sense of curiosity about what is around.
11. What sort of activities have you heard of that you would like to try?
12. Break your ideas down into small steps and take small steps towards what you are thinking of doing.
13. Notice how you feel and how much passion and purpose you have while doing something.
14. Surround yourself with the right people.
15. Communicate with the right people.
16. There are people who will support you and people who may try to pull you down for their own reasons.
17. Find a coach and mentor. They will keep that belief going for you if  you have times that you doubt yourself.

Moana Robinson is a Personal Stylist, Image Consultant and Life Coach. She can be contacted for a Discovery Session to find out more about mBIT coaching sessions or Passion and Purpose coaching.

”The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you” – Coco Chanel

Did you know there is more to colour than what actual colours suit you? During a colour consultation you will learn why certain colours suit you and why some don’t. It could also be to do with value contrast, texture and sheen of fabrics and so much more.  There are many aspects to this. It way more than whether you suit pinks or blues, browns or blacks or cream or white.

Once you learn more about hues, tints, tones and shade and why certain colours suit your skin tone your hair colour and eye colour you will understand why variations of each colour make such a difference.

Secret 1: Start with Your Undertone

Do you have a warm or cool undertones? This will determined whether you suit cream or white. If you have cool undertones you will look better in white and if you have warm undertone you will look better in cream. There are of course variations to this. It could be that you have more of a neutral colour base to your skin.

Secret 2: Know Whether Your Overall Value is Light or Dark

Many women wear clothes that are too dark for them if they are light in colouring. Also if they have an overall dark colouring light colours will not be flattering as they will not look congruent with what they are wearing. The goal is to have a balanced harmonious look all over.

Secret 3: Know Whether You Have High Contrast or Low Contrast?

Is there a big difference between your hair colour and your skin colour? Do you have dark eyes or light eyes? Have a look at this and then replicate this with your clothing.  If your eye colour, hair colour and skin colour are similar then you will be low contrast and it is good to wear clothing which has low contrast.

Secret 4: What To Wear if You Have a Lot of Colour in your Hair, Skin and Eyes

Women with red hair, blue eyes and white skin with freckles are going to look great with lots of different colours in their clothing. Women with neutral colour for example brown colour for their hair and brown eyes and tanned skin will look better wearing neutral colour for most of their clothing

Secret 5: What To Do If You Suit Clear Colours or Soft, Muted Colours

You will see someone who has soft, muted colouring to their skin looks so much better in soft muted colour in their clothing. Someone who has clear vibrant colour for their hair, skin and eyes will look best in colour for their clothing which is clear without tint, tone or shade added to it.

Secret 6: How Texture Relates to Clothing

Have you thought about how some women suit shiny fabric in their clothing and some women suit matt and textured fabric? This is because they either have smooth or shiny hair and skin or curly, textured hair and matt skin.  It is very interesting how much of a difference this makes. Many women don’t understand this. Once their learn how much better it looks when they wear garments with shine, sheen or matt finishes with their particular skin type they look so much better. A lot of women naturally gravitate towards the colour that suits them and the texture of fabric which suits them. Sometimes they know what they like and don’t really understand why they look a particular colour or texture in fabric. It is great to have an understanding of this and then women can make informed decisions and feel good about what they are wearing as it looks and feels congruent to them as an individual.

Many clients find a whole new world opens up once they know their true colours.

Some of the benefits of knowing your actual personal colours are:

• You can emphasize the highlights in your hair
• People will be drawn to your face and your eyes
• It is easier to shop and plan your wardrobe
• Personal and business branding is so much easier

If you would like to find out what colours suit you as well as learn more about contrast and how to utilise clothing in your wardrobe contact Moana for a no obligation chat as quite often it is a simple check you can do yourself to find out whether you are wearing the right colours.

How Do You Choose Glasses To Suit Your Face Shape?

Have you spent ages at the optometrists trying on so many pairs of glasses that you just don’t know anymore which pair actually DOES suit your face shape? There are a lot of frames to choose from. As well as all the different designer brands and budget frames there are:

• Frame sizes
• Styles
• Frame colour
• Frame Materials
• Lens colour
• Frame colour and weight,
• Durability and flexibility.
• Shape
• Bridge position

Reading glasses are becoming part of everyday life of most adults.  Many of us are working from home or using a computer and reading or studying more than ever before. We have become even more reliant on some type of reading glasses.  Because reading glasses are seen straight away it is an important part of style to know if your glasses suit your face shape. A pair of reading glasses and also sunglasses can actually even be considered a way to highlight your features and show your sense of style and personality. It can be one of the trickiest choices to make for this very reason.

According to the Vision Council of America over half of all women wear glasses and 42% of men wear glasses. Apart from reading glasses about 85% of the American population wear sunglasses. Many famous people wear glasses and some of them wear glasses as a fashion accessory. Even Elton John didn’t need glasses at first. He wore them to copy his idol Buddy Holly. As he got older his eyesight worsened and by then it was part of his style.  In an article by Smooth Radio he claims to own 250,000 pairs.

The impact of this growing trend means that as an image consultant part of styling advice is to discuss face shapes and the style and type of reading glasses and sunglasses frames suit.  Sunglasses are also important to wear for eye health to prevent over exposure to UV rays. As well as reading glasses and sunglasses many people are starting to wear blue light glasses to prevent eye fatigue when using computer screens more than usual and sometimes later at night. These popular glasses are worth looking at.

Specsavers offer a wonderful service online so that you can try frames on virtually – Try it out for yourself here. This makes it so much easier to get an idea whether the frames will suit your face shape or not. When actually going to the optometrist take a friend or someone with you who can give you an honest opinion. Most optometrist staff are very happy to help and are trained in assisting with this. If you aren’t sure you can ask them to take a photograph to ask someone you trust for a second opinion your Personal Stylist.

Below is a helpful list of the types of glasses to suit some of the more common face shapes:

In summary

You can balance your face shape with your choice of glasses. For example:

• Longer faces require deeper frames.
• Ensure the glasses suit your face at the sides i.e. that they do not protude at the sides wider than your face.
• Pay attention to details such as angles on the face as they angular frames will look best.
• Curved facial features need curved frames.
• Cool colours such as blues and grey lens suit cool complexions and
• Warm colours such as browns suit warm complexions.
• A low bridge on reading or sunglasses  can visually shorten a long nose.

For more information on colour, styling, body shapes or face shapes  contact Moana Robinson for a Style Consultation. There is also more information on these topics in the the book  B Styled for Life  –  Living with Sass and Style Over 50

Special Credit to: Jennifer Darr from Jen and Jennifer for the Illustrations in this article and also in the book B Styled for Life – Living with Sass and Style Over 50

A Mother’s Tips Are Always Remembered Even Well Into Adulthood

Has your mother taught you life skills that remain with you even as an adult? From the age of 0 to 7 our parents and environment are the predominent influences in life. We all know some of the quotes, skills, tips and reminders that our mothers have passed on to us. Even my mother-in-law has said some things which I will always remember. As a sixteen year old watching movies with my mother-in-law she would remind me during the sad or scary scenes “Dont worry they all go home at 5 o’clock”.

My Mum has given me a lot of tips that she probably doesn’t even realise she has passed on. These are a few of them in no particular order. I am hoping that I can pass some tips and good life skills on to my daughters also. I am even learning from them and can see what wonderful Mums they are with their children.

Some of the tips from my wonderful and much loved Mum are:

Tip 1 – Never Use Soap on your Face

I mention this in my book. I remember Mum showing me how a cake of soap left on a wooden windowsill  had taken the paint off. I was probably about in my teens when she showed me this and I still remember it to this day. It is good tip as using soap causes dehydration and dryness. Most skin types have a pH balane. Of 5.5 and most soap pH ranges fro 8-10. I have found even facial cleansing bars and specifically formulated bars still have a drying effect on the skin.  Once you find a good facial cleanser you will know that it is not drying because your skin will not feel tight  and dry after cleansing.

Tip 2 – Care for your Cuticles

Push your cuticles back with a towel each  time you dry your hands after washing  and after showering. This is when the cuticles are nice and soft. Pushing the cuticles back is such a good habit to get into and will pay off time-wise when maintaining your nails.

Tip 3 – Never Skip Breakfast

Always eat breakfast. I used to be the only person  who ate breakfast when I was sharing accomodation. Some of my flatmates were nurses as one of the houses I rented was close to a hospital. They would skip breakfast and eat unhealthy food such as pastries at the hospital cafeteria. If you skip breakfast  the  metabolism slows down and the body grabs hold of those unhealthy sugary carbohydrates to store as fat resources. These girls would eat donuts and pastries which was not good protein especially when working in a busy job such as nursing. Even the word “breakfast” stands for “breaking” the fast of 6 or 7 hours sleeping and not eating.

Tip 4 – Always See the Good Side

See the good in people. My Mum could always see the good in people. She said once that she cant believe that people are all bad through and through.

Tip 5 – Yummy Curry

My Mum spent some time living in India when she was younger and has always been able to make a great curry. Another Indian dish I remember her making was a yummy desssert made with vernicelli, saffron, cream and I think sultanas.

Tip 6 – Proper English

Mum has always been a stickler for spelling and good grammar. This was also because she worked as a proofreader for a newspaper in New Zealand and still pulls me up on grammar which I appreciate.  To be honest I didnt know there was a different way to use the term elder and eldest until she pointed it out to me.

Tip 7 – Be kind to other people

Mum is always kind to others,. She is always thinking about other people and has a lot of empathy. It is a trait that I love about her.

Tip 8 – Be Brave

Mum emigrated from England on a.boat all by herself in her twenties to New Zealand and has had an interesting life working in radio and newspaper as well as raising a family.

Tip 9 – Staying Young At Heart

Mum said once  she feels younger inside than her actual age. She may disagree now – she did say it though! I know how she feels as the years creep up on you which is why it is so important to make the most of each year.

Tip 10 – Darn It

Mum didn’t teach me how to darn socks – she did darn my husband’s socks when she came to stay sometimes and he found a pair recently that she had darned. That is a skill I wasnt really keen to learn. I knew the word “darn” though and use it to describe “mending” when I wrote the “three D’s” section of my Wardrobe Organising Workbook.

Tip 11 – Support Those you Love

Mum is always good at keeping in touch and taking an interest in the lives of people she cares about and loves. I am lucky to have a wonderful family including stepbrothers and stepsisters who look after Mum in New Zealand by keeping in touch with her also. They call in to see her on Saturdays and it is comforting to know that they do this when I am living across the Tasman. Even at her age she sends cards and gifts to the great grandchildren. They know her as “GG” for “Great Granny”

Tip 12 – Knows How to Have a Laugh

Mum has a wonderful sense of humour and has a good laugh. This is something else I really love about her. If you can laugh you can get through a lot of the trials and tribulations in life.

Tip 13 – Appreciate Good Literature and Movies

Mum loves good movies and we quite often talk about television shows that we have seen.  She loves music shows and plays. It is so good to have this in common that we can talk about. She was my inspiration for writing and still is my inspiration. I was lucky enough to have her help with proofreading also.

Tip 14 – Switched On With Technology

Mum has always been great with “having a go” at things and being able to use technology is something which has been wonderful for communication with us and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My younger daughter said that this is something she has seen in me also.So this is thank you to my Mum because learning how to use a computer, an ipad and mobile phone is something a lot of older people may not be willing or able to learn. I appreciate this as it has made life so much easier living in different countries.

Tip 15 – Always Makes Time

Mum always makes time for us and my grandchildren have some lovely photographs with her both on visits to New Zealand and when she has visited Australia.

Remembering the tips and ideas that our Mums have shared is a wonderful way to understand ourselves as quite often it is this influence that we carry through the generations, sometimes with variations and our own personal additions.

I have dedicated my book to my Mum as well as to my sister, daughters and other women who are all special in their own unique way. Whether a woman is a Mum, daughter, sister or friend there is a skill we all have and that is to pass on possibilities by sharing a little piece of themselves with tips and knowledge from their background, upbringing and experiences.

Moana Robinson is a Personal Stylist and Life Coach and can be contacted on moana@www.bstyledforlife.com.au

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Looking and feeling the best you can for your age is the healthy way to be.   These ten tips can help with this…

1.  Mascara on the lower lashes can accentuate fine lines under the eyes and create shadows no matter how good the quality of mascara is so only apply to the top lashes.

2.   Hair too long can visually drag the face down.  This depends on the condition of your hair and face shape also.  Most of the time shoulder length or shorter hair is more flattering as you age especially if the face has thinned in shape.

3. If your hair is coloured ask your hairdresser about the best colour to use as you age.  Softness in colour is going to be more flattering rather than harsh blondes or black/dark brown.  This will all depend on skin colour and natural hair colouring.  Contrast will be more muted as we age.

4. Keeping healthy with adequate water intake which would be 6-8 glasses of water on average.  As we age we tend to not respond to thirst as quickly.  Healthy food with a well balanced diet including protein, fruit and vegetables.  Adequate daily exercise is important also on average at least two hours a week in total. 

5. The 3 S’s are the main factors which can age skin and our health a lot quicker – Smoking, Sun and Stress

6. Stained or yellowed teeth.  Our teeth do usually darken with age just as hair lightens!  A good quality whitening toothpaste can help with this.  Also speak with your dentist about options.  Tooth Mousse is also a way to protect your tooth enamel from acidic or staining food and drink.

7. Using good quality skincare.  Cleansing, toning and moisturising morning and night is really important especially as we age.   Use a specific night cream at night.  Use a day cream with SPF15+ and use a good body moisturiser every day.

8. Too much makeup and also makeup that is too dark can add age to our faces.  Lighter and brighter rather than dark, deep colours in lipsticks especially is best.  

9.  Ensure your foundation garments are the right fit and shape for your body.  Arrange to have a bra fitting if you are unsure about whether you have changed in shape as you age.  Bra straps need tightening? You may be surprised about this difference this can make.

10. Wearing the best clothing and accessory colours for your skin, hair and eye colour will ensure that you always look glowing and fresh no matter what age you are.  Recommendation is  to have a colour analysis at least every ten years.

Best tip of all is …

Keep happy and fulfilled doing some of what you love to do every day.  Do what you love and love what you do applies for any age …

Contact Moana Robinson at B Styled for Life to enquire about consultations for Style,  Colour and advice on all aspects of image consulting, skincare and makeup.

Online Personal Style Consultation | What are the Benefits?

An online style consultation is just as beneficial as a face to face appointment.  Personal Stylist and Life Coach Moana Robinson is conducting these comprehensive online personal style and colour consultations. Moana  is well aware of how some women may be feeling in this current situation. it is essential for morale and self-esteem to keep an interest in your health and well-being.

Flexibility and Convenience

Online consultations often have more flexibility with time and sometimes it is more convenient for the client than a face to face session. They can  be conducted in the comfort of the client’s own home or workplace without the need to travel distances. They can even be conducted interstate and even globally.

Look, Feel and Be Your Best Especially in these Challenging Times

The  Covid-19 is causing many changes. It is affecting not only people’s health but the socio-economic status as well. It is essential during this time especially that everyone feel the best they can. Personal image plays a big part in having good self esteem.

Everything is Possible 

Online personal styling and coaching  is now one of the best ways you can have a session with your consultant and coach. You may not be able to meet up physically. Everything is still possible with styling even from a distance.  Here are some interesting benefits of an online styling consultation you should know.

 It Maximizes your Wardrobe

Even from a distance, tips from your beauty advisor can teach you how to utilize 100% of your wardrobe. You may discover what you have been hiding under the confinements of your closet. You can spend less and still look good by finding out different items in your wardrobe which go with each other.

Get Confident

Your confidence level doubles. Knowing that you have been taught how to dress powerfully and look sophisticated, you feel on top of the game. If you are confident in your looks, you have a sense of ease knowing that you are showing your best :”you” no matter what the situation.

Extend Wearability

After powerful messages and tips from your personal stylist, you will be shown how to spend less per each wear of garment. You will be taught different ways you could wear your jacket or your pants without spending money to buy a new jacket or pair or pants for each occasion.

Proper Use of Makeup

Getting a makeover for your hair and face  will help you to enhance your look and make a statement. During your makeover the personal stylist advises on suitable hairstyles for your face shape and a make up that matches your complexion. Once your new look is set up, your personal stylist will still be available in case you need more guidance and to answer questions you may have.

Technology Makes it Possible

Business can be done from anywhere and all thanks to technology. This means even the  virus can’t stop you from having sessions with your personal stylist and coach. Self care is even more of a priority at the moment. This is an ideal opportunity to organise an online style consultation.

Contact Moana Robinson today to find out more. You will be surprised at the difference it can make to talk to someone who understands.