Nationally known image consultant to present program at BVU

While many of us may already know "what NOT to wear" , Jill Swanson is the fashionista to help you discover "what TO wear!"

Image Coach Jill Swanson is a nationally known image consultant, wardrobe coach and motivational speaker who teaches people how to combine simplicity, efficiency and beauty for a look that personifies exactly who they are. Her focus is to empower others to achieve a look that will bring personal confidence and take the guess work out of getting dressed in the morning.

She will be on the Buena Vista University campus Monday, Feb. 27 to share just why how you dress is important.

She was invited to work with students as they prepare for job interviews and will also give a presentation to the public at 7 p.m. in the forum.

It is true that women like to shop but she shares some common misunderstandings women have about clothing.

"The average woman wears 10% of the clothes in her closet, 90% of the time," she said. "The fact is that women usually love what they buy, but hate two-thirds of what's in their closets. Most of us have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear and a vast array of pieces do not make outfits! Before you put down the money to buy something - love it or leave it. Never buy a step lower in quality than what you are already accustomed to buying now. If you can't pair it, you won't wear it. Buy things that either make a complete outfit or complete an outfit you already own."

So, just how can you simplify your closet?

"One of my favorite tips is to choose a pair of shoes in your skintone to match your legs, this will cause the shoes to blend in and you can wear them with virtually any skirt or dress you own. Men have it little easier in this department -- but I give them the same rule I recommend when buying boots, try to find a pair of two-tone black and brown shoes (or boots) this way you will have one pair that will cover everything.

A wise investment for a winter/spring jacket or coat is to choose something that is about the same shade as your hair color. This will blend the coat into your coloring and you won't have to worry about whether or not it coordinates with what you are wearing with it."

She has suggestions of how to select clothing colors that will flatter your features.

One way is to have your colors professionally analyzed, a service she offers or another way to do this is wear clothing to match your eye color.

"This not only flatters your features but it also will engage someone who is listening to you because you will be able to maintain eye contact longer with that individual."

The author of, "Simply Beautiful - Inside and Out", she shares that colors communicate and that people can "read your clothes" when you walk into a room.

"Color can talk for you, it can project a facet of your personality and establish a mood for the room the minute you walk in. Some colors invite conversation while others will cause people to avoid you. There are shades that attract the opposite sex and others that may repel them," she said.

The color blue for instance has a calming effect.

"If you work in a high stress area, such as an emergency room or in the behind the customer service desk at a retail store, shades of blue will help pacify those you are dealing with."

Black and white combined, she said, will give you an authoritative edge and also help you get a loan at the bank. Green helps you come across as the nurturing type and one who is loyal, "but beware," Swanson said, "it can also say that you are still growing and learning."

And all women want to know tricks on how to lose weight! Swanson said that by dressing in the right colors, you can appear to have lost weight!

"Wear one fitted piece with one lose piece -- never do two loose pieces together, and beware of two-fitted pieces combined unless you have a body that sees the gym on a regular basis," she said.

Another trick is to wear a column of the same color then adding an interesting color or accessory near the face, such as a statement-maker necklace or a bright colored tie.

Swanson will be on the BVU campus on Tuesday, Feb. 28 offering appointments for one-on-one consultations and closet organizing for the general public.

People can contact her for more information about this at jill@jillswanson.com, 507-281-2981, or go to her website www.jillswanson.com.