All women can relate to a hectic schedule of balancing work, school, relationships, kids, deadlines, you name it. Life can get overwhelming and we tend to feel that putting emphasis on appearance is a frivolous matter. However, this isn’t the case according to fashion stylist and image consultant Erin Micklow, who is dedicated to make her clients the best dressed.
“The way a person dresses and puts themselves together can alter the way other people see and judge a person,” Micklow said. “Before someone can really get to know another person, they make a snap judgement on their appearance.” Erin Micklow began styling and advising men and women on how to dress in 2008. Honing her skills, Micklow branched out on her own and launched her own image consulting and styling services. From styling red carpet events, television, and commercial shoots, to raiding closets and taking clients on a shopping trip, Erin Micklow covers it all.
“The first thing I usually ask my client is what their fashion goals are,” Micklow said. “Then we go shopping to fill in the gaps of their closet, or to purchase an entire new wardrobe for my clients looking to reinvent themselves entirely.”
“For a job interview, women should always dress conservatively,” Micklow said. “You want to be judged on your skills, aptitude, and achievements and not how attractive you are.”
The importance of women being treated with respect and on the same level as men is an issue Micklow stresses when advising women on office appropriate attire. “A woman should still take pride in her appearance because it definitely says a lot about her, but she should remain on the conservative side because you never know the tastes of who you are interviewing with,” Micklow said. “Appropriate office outfits would be things like dresses with a blazer, women’s suits with a colorful or printed collared button up shirt, kitten or medium heels, and some statement accessories like bold necklaces, brooches, a scarf, a nice watch, a chic purse, or a briefcase to brighten your work wear. Choose pieces that you can mix and match to make more outfits out of a limited amount of pieces.”
Micklow highlights the importance of accessories with outfits to transform and play up any ensemble. “Accessories are a great way to look appropriate at the office, but still hip and
trendy if you’re going out to dinner or drinks after work,” Micklow said. “For your office look, wear a nice pencil dress with a blazer, a bold necklace, and some medium height heels. After
work, remove the blazer and you’re ready for an evening out! Another option could be a pants
suit paired with a sleeveless collared button up shirt, and a bold brooch on your
jacket lapel. After work, remove the jacket and move the brooch to your shirt and voila!
Another office to evening look!”
Dressing appropriately for your body type can prove difficult for some women, but Micklow maintains the importance of identifying what your insecurities are and what you love about your body to balance out your outfit. “Show off your best assets,” she suggests. “If you have great breasts, wear a form fitting top on your day to day, and show some cleavage on a night out. Great arms? Stock up on sleeveless tops. If you’ve got a great booty, rock those form fitting skirts, pants, and leggings.”
Micklow goes on to describe how she helps her clients choose flattering ensembles. “If there’s an area on a woman’s body that she is a little self conscious about, typically I would cover that with a looser fitting garment as opposed to a tighter one. Then to compensate
for the loose fitting clothing, I’d pair it with a more form fitting piece on an area that she’s
not insecure about. For instance, if a woman has a voluptuous body below the waist and she wants to minimize that, I put her in a fuller swing skirt and a fitted top. If she has really great legs, but is working on her midsection, I’d put her in a loose fitting top with a pair of leggings or skinny jeans. The key is to have a good balance, it’s about showcasing your best features and wearing clothes that fit properly to accentuate them.”
Micklow warns against choosing ill fitting pieces. “One thing to be wary of when showcasing your best features is if the clothes are too tight. Even if you have the nicest legs in the world, it never looks good if clothes are rippling because they’re a size too small. It will make a person come off in a negative light as opposed to a positive one.”
As an image consultant, Micklow emphasizes the importance of looking good and how it builds confidence. “It’s about taking pride in your appearance and investing in yourself, which in turn, is a huge self confidence booster!” And we couldn’t agree more.
Erin Micklow Interview: Photo courtesy of Tom Sutton.