What Is A Color Consultant?

I am very excited to continue "the Evolution of Amy" with my newest phase:

the Color Consultant.

What is a Color Consultant, you ask?

Excellent question (as usual). Allow me to introduce you to Lauren Battistini, owner of Color My Closet.

Lauren says this about herself and her work:

Color My Closet carved out its niche in the image industry with a fresh, updated take on color. Its mission is twofold: to educate women on color as the first and most important component of image, and to help them build a 100% wearable yet unique wardrobe.


Lauren & Amy

What's so important about color? Lauren says: According to the Institute for Color Research, between 62 and 90% of the first impression we make on others is based on color alone!

And after preparing for her visit by watching Tim Gunn's Guide to Style and doing my homework (which involved several fashion magazines, manila folders, a scalpel and numerous glue sticks) I have had several epiphanies. Let's see how many of these babies you can relate to:

1. When it comes to clothes, I've been settling. There are only 2 or 3 things in my closet I absolutely adore. The rest is "almost" right -- a little too this, a little too that, or something less than the absolute perfect color. I don't settle in other areas of my life, so it's time I brought my wardrobe on board with everything else. No more purchases just because it's on sale! I deserve better than that (don't we all?)

2. Shopping is not an in-and-out, grab-and-dash kind of sporting event. While I won't affirm that it takes time, effort, or hard work (because you know, I don't believe anything HAS to take those), I will affirm that it takes a specific intention and a willingness to persevere in order to find the most optimal pieces.

3. I don't have to look schleppy just because I'm heading to the gym or running errands. I really can look beautiful, put-together and confident by crafting my appearance any time, anywhere. And now I'm ready to do just that.

4. I have wasted HUGE amounts of money on clothes that were not optimal buys. But no more! I'm ready to get focused, get trained (by my color consultant...who incidentally, is also an expert on Style and Fit) and get what I require to pull together the ultimate Amy wardrobe.

5. What I wear affects how I feel, how I think, and therefore how I speak and act in public. It's different when I'm creating a new audio product or talking to a client on the phone. When the visual piece is added, I AM affected, and there's no denying it (and no use fighting it).

6. I don't have to change who I am in order to be stylish and look beautiful. I don't have to look like someone out of a magazine (which I'm not) or look like a soccer mom (also NOT). I can look like ME: cool, fun, funky, off-beat, spontaneous, tell-it-like-it-is and maybe just a smidge crazy.

Lauren asked me what I wanted to get out of the consultations I would have with her during her visit here to Colorado and my request was pretty simple:

I want my outsides to match my insides.

And here's what she said:

We can definitely do that.

So here we go....getting an early start in the morning with my color analysis and a review of my closet.