 (Cue the Spice Girls) Now that the mayhem of Black Friday and Cyber Monday has passed, it’s your chance to contemplate the real spirit of Christmas and the gifting that is a lovely part of it all. When I think back on the best gifts, those that I have both given and received, a few things stand out. There was a personal touch, the gift wasn’t absent-mindedly purchased because it was a Black Friday special. The gift truly enhanced life and was often an experience, something that loved one and I could do together. With that in mind, I give you three special ways to give the gift that they will not only cherish, but put to good use.
One of my all time favorite Christmas gifts! Every month Dani gives me new ideas for what to wear, inspiring me to wear more of what I already own in new ways. Plus she helps me understand what to buy and why it works for my figure and coloring. I save time in the morning because my outfits are already planned out. Awesome for a busy mom like me! - Lauren Hoyt
WHY SHOULD YOU GET THEM A PERSONAL STYLIST THIS HOLIDAY? Because eventually they'll need another hair cut, manicure or pedicure. The Christmas sweater will one day become old news. But the education they gain about themselves and their wardrobe will continue giving year in and year out. Their reaction to this gift is guaranteed to be "YES!" CALL/TEXT 385.229.6297 OR E-MAIL DANI@STYLEBYDANI.COM
Boot weather is here. I'm sure you’ve already pulled out your favorite pair. Yes, the ones that are oh so comfortable all day long. Are you looking for new, slimming ways to wear them? Or a new pair to add to your Christmas list? Behold the possibilities that follow! And don’t forget to check out my top boot picks at the end. Short BootsWear with pants that reach the top of the boot to create a longer visual line and elongate the leg.
Avoid gaps between the hem of the pants and top of boots that create a horizontal focal point and visually shorten the leg.  Wear shorter skirts and dresses, knee length and above. If there is more space between the boot and hem, legs appear longer.  Avoid mid-length skirts that end at the widest part of the calve. Unless, of course, your calves are modelesc and could use a little filling out.  Wear longer skirts and dresses that reach the top of the boot and give the appearance of longer legs.
Mid-length BootsWear with fitted jeans to minimize hip curve. The weight of the boots create a focal point on the boots and away from the hips.  Wear with mid-length skirts, dresses and culottes. The clothing silhouette becomes dominant and camouflages the widest part of the calve. Shorter skirts will have a similar effect if the boots are the same color as the stockings.
Avoid short skirts with bare legs or mis-matched stockings. The socks, or the pasty white knees, become the focus, shortening the length of the leg.
Knee & Over the Knee BootsWear with fitted pants. Choose those that are the same degree of lightness or darkness in color as the boots and have no contrasting pattern. You may also want to add a longer jacket to camouflage any hip curve.
Wear with a shorter skirt and/or long jacket that reaches the top of the boot. The long vertical line of the boot transitions seamlessly to the garment above creating a long-looking leg.
Wear with longer skirts, below the knee, and high-low skirts…my personal favorite.
Looking to pick up your next favorite pair of boots you’ll want to wear all day long? Check out my boot guide below.  Still not sure how to make your boots work for you? Stop wondering…  Qui Nguyen's winning & menacing raccoon poker hat Don't know who Qui Nguyen (pronounced Win) is? He's a professional poker player, set to win the World Series of Poker with an 8 million dollar pay out. Not bad for a couple days of work. Why is he doing so well? Maybe he's lucky. Maybe he's a cunning, unpredictable poker player. Maybe he's a good guy and the universe is rewarding him for donating part of his winnings to help Vietnamese immigrants. Maybe...but I think you can attribute at least part of his success to the wacky raccoon hat. Think about it. When you put another face on your body, people aren't sure which face to look at, and they usually choose the face that's not yours to settle on. Adding a second face to your appearance is a bit confusing really, and perfect for a professional poker player who wants people looking anywhere but his face. The more the other players can tell when you're excited, happy, tense, etc., the better they can predict the cards you have in your hand. With this hat on, not only are the other players not looking at Nguyen's body language, but they are getting stared down by this menacing face. Leather on the raccoon's eyes and nose reflect the light every time he turns his head, which makes it even more life-like, and even more effective in thwarting the other player's attention away from him. You can control where and how others look at you based on how you use the elements of design to your advantage or disadvantage. Where do you want those you hope to influence to focus? On the hat on your head? On the kitty face?  Megan Trainor's suggestive kitty faces Or on your actual face? Focused on what you have to say, your insights, your brilliant ideas. Consider how it feels when another person accepts your ideas and takes action.  Before you go to eBay looking for a new raccoon hat, consider these three alternatives to put the focus where you want it for business. On your face.
Use your strategically placed art elements to get their attention where you want it. Who knows, maybe you'll be a winner like Mr. Nguyen.
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Dani SlaughImage consultant and personal stylist. Dani is happily married, the mother of 3 charming children, and an Aussie named Josie Wales. Archives
February 2023
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