Take 10 Years Off Your Image

I received this article from the website "The Ladders". The article is written by Stephen Viscusi. He is bringing up many points that will make a difference on the way we project ourselves. I would love to have your comments about this article and/or your thoughts. "How old an impression do you make when you're interviewing? Of course, we all know that an interviewer can just count backwards from the year of graduation printed on your resume. However, here is the truth: Perception is the new reality, like 60 is the new 50. So you need to learn the fine art of being perceived as younger as well as looking younger. It’s more than just the way you look.Is this fair? Is it even legal? And most importantly, should you give in to such nonsense? I'll put it this way: If you are over 40, you need to read on. The recession we've all been feeling for months is now official. So now bosses can use that magic "R" word as a blank check to fire almost anyone for any reason. And pay attention, over-40s: The wounded economy is an especially perfect opportunity for higher-ups to fire those senior workers whose high wages and big egos have outlasted their welcome.For those who are unemployed, you must do whatever it takes to convey to hiring managers that you are employable. What does this mean? No one wants to hire someone who's stuck in the old-fashioned way of thinking that being qualified, working hard and being loyal to a company is enough. Your Princeton degree and enviable references won't get you far if you're that naive. So back to the age thing. While many workers have learned that good looks and a polished appearance go a long way toward success in the workplace, too many of them fail to realize that cultivating the perception of youth and a hip attitude is an equally important part of the equation. It's no secret that we live in an age-obsessed society. Like it or not, "interviewing younger" is the new catchphrase. "Interviewing younger" and being perceived as more youthful at the office is a vocabulary, a body language and a look. And here's a secret: These rules apply even more when your boss is your age or even older. It's not like you are following these rules to impress a young person. Whatever the age of your boss or interviewer, you need to create a youthful perception about yourself. Otherwise, there's someone else waiting in the wings with quicker computer skills and contemporary pop-culture knowledge who will be all too happy to fill your shoes. So how do you do it? Here are some of the secrets in my new book, “Bulletproof Your Job” (HarperCollins), use them to remind yourself how to hold onto your job while those around you are losing theirs):

• Rule #1: Crest Whitestrips. Yup, this is a shallow, cosmetic-based tip. But I get so many letters from people who just don't understand that having coffee-stained teeth doesn't do you any favors in the interview department. Stop rolling your eyes; go buy the strips (use the store brand for all I care – I'm not picky); and whiten those teeth. Then smile. Smiling makes you look and feel younger – not bitter, old and unemployed. I don't care if you really are bitter, old and unemployed. It's about perception, remember?
• Rule #2: If you are over 40, I want you on Facebook today. No friends? You already have one: just Facebook me. If you don't know how to join, let your kids show you, or even better, have a young person at work "reverse mentor" you on how it works. Let that same person help you choose your profile picture. Seriously. Read our coverage on how social networking plays a role in the job search.
• Rule #3: Know about and frequently use Google and Wikipedia. Bookmark them on your computer, and set one as your homepage.
• Rule #4: Watch an episode of "Family Guy." Discuss. Repeat.
• Rule #5: Peruse your local Apple store. At least learn the difference between an iPod Classic, iPod Touch and iPod Nano and you're on your way. And buy a set of those identifiable white headphones to keep around, even if you don't have the iPod to go with them. It's all about perception.
• Rule #6: Do not disclose your SAT scores.If for some ungodly reason you still remember your SAT scores, keep them to yourself. Not only does no one care, but the scoring isn't even the same anymore, and you'll just wind up aging yourself.
• Rule #7: Don't talk about how you're so addicted to Starbucks.Or Coffee Bean, or whatever your coffee place of choice is. It seems like this would make you appear younger, but it won't. Starbucks screams "unemployed loser." Besides, you should never walk into an interview with a coffee cup, especially since you just whitened those teeth.
• Rule #8: Pick up a copy of “Entertainment Weekly” before an interview. But for God's sake, don't take it in with you and don't let anyone see you reading it. That said, nothing gets you more up to date on the youthful world of pop culture like an issue of EW.
• Rule #9: Learn how to text.
• Rule #10: Lose the paper. Young people get their news online - they don't read newspapers. So don't carry one into an interview with you or be seen reading it at the office like someone's mom or dad.
• Rule #11: Brush up on sports. This is easy; you can still get away with talking about Michael Phelps and get credit for this one. Bonus points for knowing who's in the NCAA tournament.
• Rule #12: Make eye contact. Eye contact is so critical to being perceived as young; don't be afraid to use it.
• Rule #13: Rarely refer to your children.Never refer to your grandchildren and never ever your great-grandchildren.
• Rule #14: Go to the gym.Or at least say that you do.
• Rule #15: Never talk about the ’80s or ’90s.Never use words from "your day." Nothing at work is groovy, dy-no-mite, or tubular.
• Ever.Rule #16: Get a TiVo or DVR.Know how they work.
• Rule #17: Practice "sounding young" on the phone. Take a small survey of how old you sound on the phone, and then practice with a friend sounding younger. (A tip: Talk higher and peppier.) This is critical. In the same vein, make sure your outgoing voicemail message isn't too long or boring. Short and sweet with a positive attitude is all you need.
• Rule #18: Dress is very important: always dress age-appropriate. No 40+ man should be wearing an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. For more tips on updating your look without looking too young, review TheLadders’ recent coverage on losing the frump factor.Take 10 Years Off Your Image
• Rule #19: Give your hairstyle a long, hard look. No wonder there are so many makeover shows! My advice is to ask an outsider his or her opinion. Someone who loves you won't want to hurt your feelings or may love your look for sentimental or romantic reasons – but sadly, that won't help you find a job. A bad coloring job spells disaster for both men and women, and let's face it, hair weaves for men rarely work. Men, don't go overboard on finding a new hairstyle – just clip your nose and ear hair and you're on the right track. Ladies, pluck or bleach facial hair.
• Rule #20: Skip the cologne and excessive perfume. And while we're on the subject, wear deodorant. You may laugh, but many people just don't do it. Okay... Feel any younger, or just berated?

Trust me, I just took 15 years off the way you come across. Yeah, some things I talk about here are cosmetic, but most are not. It's all about perception ... and perception is the new reality.

Stephen Viscusi is the author of “Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out On Top at Work” (HarperCollins) and the founder of bulletproofyourresume.com, a resume writing service. You can e-mail him at Stephen@viscusi.com or call him at 212-979-5700. "

Have a healthy holiday with the Chilled Holiday Nog recipe from Rose Cole

I need to tell you about my experience. I have been on a non-gluten diet for two weeks now. Rose is the one that has inspired me. I have been following her website and her facebook page or a while. Because of her own health issues, Rose started to create recipes. I was already convinced about dairy-free, soy-free and sugar-free recipes. What made the difference for me was.......... the gluten-free. I almost lost 5 pounds in two weeks. Plus, my hair are not greasy on the morning anymore and my skin has changed. Her texture is softer and the tone is clearer. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.... Don't fool yourself thou, sugar-free doesn't mean it is not sweet. Is this not the sweetest news of the day? Here is the recipe. If you like it. I give you the link at the end of this message so you can go get her e-book, eat delicious recipes, loose weight during this holidays and fit into your little black dress for the new year. (No, the dress does not have to be black, of course). Chilled Holiday Nog - (Raw) This creamy, sweet festive drink is pure holiday comfort. Your family won’t believe it’s dairy-free and actually good for you! Ingredients • 2 cups Almond Cream*, unsweetened • ½ cup date paste (dates blended with a little water) • 2 Tbsp grade B maple syrup • 2 frozen bananas • 2 tsp flax seed oil (*optional) • 2 tsp vanilla extract • ½ tsp nutmeg plus additional for sprinkling • ¼ tsp cinnamon Directions Blend all ingredients except bananas. Add bananas and blend. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional sprinkle of nutmeg. *To make Almond Cream, soak 1½ cups of almonds in water for 8 hours, drain, and rinse. Then, blend the almonds with 3 cups of water and strain (a small wire strainer works well). Serves 4. I promised you, a healthy, deliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiicious recipe. Here is her website to order her book: http://www.rosecole.com/products/holidaycookbook Have a great time trying this recipe and enjoy........

Give your bras and shapewears a longer life cycle

I realized that most of my customers, do not know how to take care of their underwear. You can give a longer life to your bras when you do several things.

1. Do not wear the same bra everyday (the fabric need to breath and the elastane need to rest).
2. Wash your bras and shapewears in a little laundry bag made for this purpose (it will prevent it from rubbing against the tumble and will keep the fabric fresher longer).
3. Wash your bras in cold water with a soft detergent.
4. Never dry your bras and shapewears in the dryer, - hang them neatly on a hanger and let them dry.
5. In your drawer, have your bras laying flat. This will help to keep them fresh for a longer period of time

And remember: "When you wear the right bra, you look fitter and younger".

I am looking forward to read your comments. Thank you for following me.

How to wear earrings?

Have you ever wondered what king of earrings were best for your face shape and for your complexion? The other day, I watched a video that was made for a small business in the valley. The person had earrings. Earrings are important for a woman, they are the way to enlarge a woman's smile. The problem is that her earrings did not make her powerful. She is the director of this small business. She needs to lead. The way you dress, your jewelry are two important tools to the image your reflect. Today we will only approach your jewelry, in the weeks to come, I will give you more tips. Enjoy your week-end.

As we all know, earrings are jewelry attached to the ear through a piercing in the earlobe or some other external part of the ear. Earrings are women's favorite. Proper earrings can not only make a female look more beautiful, but also have the function of accommodating defects. So it is necessary to know about how to wear earrings properly. Therefore, before you wear earrings, you must take many factors into consideration, such as environment, your temperament, face shape, hairstyle, and your costume to reach the best effect.

How to wear earrings according to your face shape People with different face shapes should wear different earrings. If you have a round face, then you should wear long drop earrings instead of hoop earrings. This will make your face look less plump. If you are long-faced, then you'd better choose hoop earrings or big earrings to make your face look more fetching. If you have a square-shape face, then dapper stud earrings, long drop earrings or exaggerated earrings can make you look livelier.How to wear earrings according to your complexionEarrings' color should tie in complexion well. Generally speaking, people with pale complexion should not choose bright and colorful earrings. Silvery white, such as pearl earrings can make them more beautiful. While if your have fair skin, red earrings or dark earrings are good setoffs of your skin.How to wear earrings according to your hairstyleLong hair with long drop earrings will make you look gentlewomanly; short hair with finished stud earrings can set off a woman's crackajack; asymmetrical hairstyle with asymmetrical earrings can make a women look pleasing to both the eye and the mind.

Anyway, wearing earrings is an art. As long as you choose the proper earrings according to your own condition, everyone can be a princess.

Information shared rom the blog: www.emitations.blogspot.com

Whatch your balance!

Proportion is essentially the way various parts of your body relate spatially to the other parts:

• how long your legs are in relation to your torso,
• how wide your rib cage is in relation to your hips,
• how low or high your breasts are on your chest, etc.

All this makes a big difference in how you look in various styles of clothing. Even a simple deviation in shoulder width can affect the way a garment hangs. This is the reason something that looks terrific on your best friend, who wears the same size as you do, can look terrible on your- and vice versa. It's also why some women look better, or worse, in skirts, tube tops, or Capri pants. Next week, we are going to approach the how to fine-tune your balance and we will build from there on. Again, do not hesitate to share your concern and to share this message with your friends.

Body Shapes or Figure Types

Summer is ending and vacations are over. Schools have began and almost everyone is back to work. - My last published blog said "Size doesn't matter, shape does". What did I mean? Everybody is unique, with few ideal figures existing. Virtually every figure has some figure variations - variations from that so-called ideal figure used as a standard for comparison and for clothing manufacturer. A few specific figure variations occur in typical combinations - those having to do with horizontal width or the size of shoulders, bust, waist, hips, and thighs - combinations so typical that we tend to recognize the stereotypical shapes and give them names. Typical body shape are often called figure types. They define how body parts relate proportionally to one another and to the total figure.

• Ideal figure types, rare though they may be, are average in weight, appear similar in width in the shoulders and hips, with medium bust size and a small waist. They have a slightly curved abdomen, moderately curved buttocks, and slim thighs.
• Tubular figure types are slim to thin and below the average weight range for their height, with generally straight body lines, and body angles. They have few to no obvious curves, with line movement in the vertical direction.
• Triangular figure types are narrower in the shoulders and wider in the hips/thighs, with a low hip curve. They are often smaller in the bust and waist, narrower in the back, and rounder in the buttocks - generally straight lines above the waist and curved lines below. Emphasis is on the lower torso.
• Inverted Triangular figure types are wider in the shoulder and narrower in the hips/thighs, with a high hip curve. They are generally large in the bust, wider in the back, and flatter in the buttocks - generally curved lines above the waist and straight lines below. Emphasis is on the upper torso.
• Diamond figure types are wider in the midriff and waist area, narrower in the shoulders and hips/thighs, with a high hip curve and slim legs. The bust is often smaller and the buttocks flatter. Emphasis is on the waist area.
• Hourglass figure types have full-rounded body lines, with proportionally small waist. Emphasis on the bust and hips/buttocks, but may shift quickly to the contrast in size at the waist.
• Rounded figure types are generally above the average weight range for the height. Being larger through the figure, body lines are full-rounded curves, with line movement in horizontal direction and emphasis on width.

To determine Y O U R general figure type, dress in form-fitting clothing, in possibly a t-shirt and tights, swimsuit, or underwear. Wear no shoes. In a mirror, observe your body.

• Do you have balanced hip and shoulder with defined waist?
• Are your shoulders narrower than your hips?
• Are you shoulders wider than hips?
• Do you have balanced hip and should, no defined wait?
• Are your body lines straight, angular, bony, not to few obvious curves?
• Do you have a larger figure with rounded body lines?
• What else do you observe?
• What are the lines you love?
• What are those aspects you least prefer?

Record your observations on a paper. Your basis bone structure is a genetic gift. It won't change with diet or exercise. The good news is that each silhouette type can look evenly proportioned with flattering wardrobe choices. Our mission is to nudge everything into perfect balance. Next week we are going to approach other body proportions. Till then, do not hesitate to share your comments and questions.

Size doesn't matter, shape does

While fashion mazagines may be full of wait-like models with fragile, stick-thin limbs and bodies as flat as boards, women are actually designed to have curves. It's natural, it's feminine, it's sexy - and most men say they prefer curvy women. When it comes to looking good, it's not your size or shape that matters.......... it's the fit of your clothes. Wearing the right clothes is not about following the latest fashion or fad, it's about choosing what actually suits you - not your best friend - and what makes your feel comfortable and confident. By knowing your basic body shape and understanding the guidelines for choosing the types of clothes that will accentuate your good features and minimize your less-than-perfect areas, you will be able to dress in the way that suits you best. You will also be able to see how to make subtle changes to the way you put your wardrobe together. Today, the choice of clothes is so varied that you should always be able to find something that will complement your body shape, scale, proportions and colouring. Stay tune, next time, we will discuss how do you know your body shape.