Improvability Blog

Part 1 – In the Ladies’ Style (LSL) forum recently I posed this question to style consultants:

If you get a moment, watch the introductory video on the Ladies’ Style in a Box website. It’s straight from the actual training course when 10 real consultants who actually care about their clients (plus me, of course) get down to discussing:

What is the point of a style consultation?

Watch it, muse on our ideas, and then please let me know what YOU think the point of a style consultation is. You’ll also get to hear what happened when I first had my own style analysed, way back when, about three thousand years ago. Horrid, horrid, horrid!

And that’s one of the main reasons I started offering training courses because I never want this kind of thing to happen to anyone else, ever! If you think the same way, then watch this short video, and let us all know how you feel! Kim

Petalburga’s reply sums up beautifully what I was blethering on about:

“Hi Kim. I have my opinion of what style consultation should be like and know definitely it will not be like the one I had a couple of years ago.

My visit started with being measured from top to toe, height, weight, bust, hips, inner leg, neck, shoulders (you get my point).

The consultant then went to her computer punched in all this information and started printing out my handbook, telling me I have a lovely hourglass figure but am a pear because my ‘boobs’ aren’t big enough to be hourglass shape.

She then went through her 84-page collection of clothing styles, double ticking, ticking and crossing which styles would definitely suit my balanced pear shape, which would be okay and which would not.

Information handed and off I was sent. End of consult. Did I learn anything? “No”. Well, yes – that this was not how I would do it.

So I am looking forward to your training method as I so loved your approach in the colour training.” Petalburga, Australia

What’s the point of a style consultation for THIS consultant?

• to follow her notes or manual religiously, without consideration of whether they were relevant or appropriate for the unique human being in front of her
• to measure poor Petalburga to within an inch of her life, purely to provide the data to make her computer program work – I fail to see how this information is going to help Petalburga one little bit!
• to tick madly at an overwhelming list of information that Petalburga hadn’t a cat in hell’s chance of absorbing right there and then

And the outcome of this attitude for the client?

Petalburga learned very little that was useful to help her dress to enhance her style personality, her body shape and her lifestyle.

In fact, as she said herself, the only thing Petalburga learned was never to do that to one of her own clients!

So, for the client, this consultation was about as much use as a chocolate teapot!

Read Part 2 -
What is Petalburga looking for from her style consultation?

“Hello Kim, I am an experienced fashion consultant who does a thorough color, style, fabric, texture, etc analysis. What I need is fabric swatches – the type that I used to use (the company went out of business) were fabrics cut with a backing so I could create my own fabric fans and detailed color books for my clients. Do you have or know of a company that supplies the fabrics in full range that I can either cut myself to the size of a business card giving me four cuts out of that to make my books or fans. Most companies seem to sell them already made and I need to make them myself – it is very detailed. I would so appreciate your direction. I am very frustrated in my search.” Margwina, USA

Dear Margwina,

No problem!

We’ve got exactly what you’re looking for if you want to make your own customised, personalised colour fabric swatch wallets and fabric fans.

Personalised Self-selection System (PSS)

If you are looking to make up personalised wallets or palettes for your clients, then we can offer you a choice of four holders/wallets:

1. a wallet with a book-type insert
2. a wallet with a concertina-opening insert
3. a wallet with no inserts at all
4. a fan component set consisting of:
   • 10x plastic insert pockets
   • 2x navy or beige velour covers
     just specify colour required at the checkout
   • screws
   • 1x Polly bag
   • extra plastic pockets are available
   • extra screw sets are available

Colour swatches for your wallets / fans / palettes

Fill any of these with either your own or our paper-backed (PB) swatches to create a fully personalised swatch wallet or fan for your clients.

Our paper-backed (PB) swatches:

• are sold in packets of 5 pieces of the same colour
• match all our drapes so you just need to order by the drape number
• can be stored in our professional PSS Swatch Holder

Full colour photos, details and prices are in the wholesale catalogue.