Agelessness is a term we refer to when someone or something appears never to age. The definition itself means “not appearing to age” (dictionary.com). Agelessness can also be applied to your sense of style. One of my style secrets is consistency. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a consistent appearance is a dull appearance.  Au contraire, once we have found the colors and shapes that fit us best, our wardrobe becomes stylish and there we just found our style!  Grace Kelly, Jackie Onassis Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn had one thing in common; they possessed their own signature style.  This led them to become fashion icons, who truly remain ageless. Nobody is too old or too young to find their signature style.

Timelessness means without beginning or end, in this instance a wardrobe that will stay in style for a very long time.  Your ageless wardrobe can also be timeless. The right pieces, in the right combination can last through the ebb and flow of fad fashions with simple, affordable accessory changes to keep current.  In tough economic times, owning a timeless wardrobe you can count on is more important than ever. This means, we have to invest in a few quality pieces instead of quantity.

As an ageless wardrobe means all can wear it, a timeless wardrobe means that it will never go out of style because it is built on basic classic pieces.  The purpose of a timeless wardrobe is to provide staple to your closet that you can wear year after year and not look démodé (out of style).  A few basic pieces that you will wear for years to come will become a great investment –  remember CPW (Here you may want to add a link to my Cost Per Wear passed article). Timeless style with essential pieces will keep you looking fabulous all year round. Although not immortal, a timeless wardrobe will go through the passage of time without a wrinkle.

Don’t bother to pull your hair out with complicated formulas to create great outfits. Your ageless/timeless wardrobe will gently become effortless as well. Create a rotation in your closet, after all there are only seven days in a week, and once you possess seven great high–quality outfits your fashion appetite will be satisfied. You should no longer need to shop at the spur of the moment for something to wear.  You will get ready in a flash each morning, I promise!

Most of us have great intentions to buy less, but better quality, unfortunately too many of us prefer to push away the extra expense and find themselves again with a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. No question that it is easy to succumb to the lure of multiple store windows. Merchandising is so effective they make us believe that we have strictly nothing to wear. I say “no way!” buying a few pieces, which combine novelty and utility will make you a happy stylish person.

A la prochaine!

Michele

Your Personal Image Coach,

Face-to-face or online.

Michele Benza

A native of Belgium, Michèle Benza was raised and educated in Brussels in both French and Dutch. In her late 20’s, she broke into the fashion world by opening a Parfumerie in Brussels that offered skin care and spa services as well as a small collection of carefully selected designer clothes and accessories.

After meeting and marrying an ‘American in Paris’, Michèle moved with her husband to New York in 1983. Based on her experience in European beauty products and services, she was recruited by a cosmetic company. Quickly thereafter, she was offered a great opportunity and forsook fashion and beauty to accept a managerial position with a real estate investment trust company.

After the birth of their second son, Michèle became Vice President of Marketing and Sales for an upscale Belgian chocolate company and could work from home. She excelled in this position for over a decade, and was able to move this west when the family relocated to San Francisco. She built out the company’s entire Western US high-end department store channel.

When midlife looked Michèle in the eye, she reassessed her professional life and decided to follow her passion and do what she knew best and loved the most: help people improve their appearance, self-esteem and confidence. A great idea was not all it took: before making the leap, she spent a long time researching the latest trends and developments in fashion and skin care.

Since Michèle was already a certified Pilates instructor she decided to combine her expertise in posture and alignment with image consulting. She elected to return to Europe to update her skills and renew her image consultant certification from one of the most prestigious organizations in Europe.

On her return to the USA, she created a unique business model by uniting her Image Consultant and Pilates certifications and launched Michèle Benza Image consulting and Posture in 2003. She has not looked back since and is happily coaching clients on how to dress appropriately for their age, life style and body type and attain their ideal posture. Michèle works face-to-face with local clients and remotely with her clients that live far away.

Michèle Benza is a member of AFIPP (Association Française pour l’Image Personelle and Professionnelle, Paris) AICI (Association Image Consultants International).

Michèle is a monthly columnist for www.50fabulous.com and for www.sfwj.com.

Michèle Benza - Completely Confidential Image Consulting Featuring European Style and Elegance.

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