Meet Claire
Holistic therapist, Devon
Objectives and Challenges
To improve her professional image at work and networking.
To up her game visually, to match her intelligence and skills.
Understanding her brand and how to link that visually.
before
before
Claire came to us as a successful business owner seeking help with her work uniform, office environment, and what to wear at events. This, in turn, would improve how she came across to her clients and increase her success. She booked a one-to-one branding consultation.
In picture one, Claire is wearing cool colours that do not match her skin tone. The colours are formal, which means that Claire is coming across as very serious, which does not align with her brand as a trustworthy, experienced, calming therapist.
In picture two, the outfit lacks the wow factor. It is not age-appropriate, and the cardigan is too cool for the colouring. It does not complement her straight, structured body shape, is too short for her proportions, and looks too relaxed, which gives a poor impression to new and existing clients.
There could be far more positive communication highlighting how wonderful she is as a person, what she stands for, and what she does in her career, which is a shame.
stage one - discover
The first thing we had to do was visit Claire's business. She showed us around and explained what she does, her aims and objectives, and what attracts people to her.
We subsequently arranged a branding consultation and dedicated significant time to defining her values and discussing what is important to her. We also took time to understand her body and colour preferences to establish a foundation before we could create a new brand for Claire and her business.
stage two - create and deliver
After gathering all this information, we developed a new brand representing Claire, her story, and an image reflecting how she wishes to be perceived. We now see a simple, understated Claire who looks natural, approachable and someone who knows what she is doing.
Claire's fun and creative side is expressed through colour. She enjoys wearing bright salmon lipstick, colours that clash with her clothing and has a bright lime green work environment.
We needed to convey this fun, creative personality differently to align with the relaxing treatments she offers her clients while still honouring Claire’s essence. We hope you can see from the pictures above that Claire looks much better in the softer colours of her palette, which reflects what she does and how she presents herself to clients.
Claire is communicating to us that she is interesting by wearing jewellery. Being creative with her gold trainers, wearing makeup, and having coloured, styled hair communicates that she cares and is bothered about herself. This is precisely how Claire works; she cares about her clients. She also keeps herself up to date with going on various courses; being current with your clothing indicates that you are forward-thinking. All these little things help you stand out from your competitors.
After we completed the initial one-to-one consultation, Claire sought further assistance in developing her new brand. We thoroughly cleared her wardrobe and discovered some excellent off-white trousers, gold trainers, and jewellery that complemented her new brand. We enjoyed a shopping trip in Exeter and shopped online for additional pieces, always considering her values while respecting her colouring, body shape, and height.
Our aim for Claire was to look more classic and wear better-quality clothing. However, as we were on a budget, we did exceptionally well with what we found.
Picture one: Claire already had the trousers, trainers, and bracelets. The ring was Stella and Dot, priced at £26, and the jumper was a bargain at £10!
Picture two and below: the blouse was French Connection at £15, the necklace £12, and the shoes from Next at £40. The watch was £100 from Earnest Jones, and the statement ring was £26 from Stella and Dot. The trench coat was on sale at £65 from Finery, and the skirt was £70 from Ted Baker. The brooch was Claire's, which came from a charity shop, and it matched beautifully with the beautiful colour of the skirt.
“I'm a single woman in my fifties, a business owner with two grown-up children. I spent a lot of time focusing on my business but was completely unaware of the importance of my image.
After booking a branding session with Maggi, I saw that my look had not changed for years. I wore the same make-up, colours, and clothes as in the 80s!! I have a passion for colour, which shows off my bubbly personality, but I needed to be shown how to control this correctly. I was also dressed far too young; I had no idea!
I am very fortunate with my tall, slim body, but again, I needed to have rules to make the best of myself. Maggi has a real gift for determining your objectives and personality/brand. It all became clearer, which was so exciting!
This has changed how I work and how my clients see me. I feel so much more in control and confident. I love my classic style, and I feel more sophisticated. The best thing is that I am ME! Thank you, Maggi, for your attention to detail and for helping me move on and leave my lifetime lippy behind! I highly recommend you”.
Claire Harding, Holistic therapist, Devon