Guest Post by Jill Swanson @SandraALovelace #WallflowerWomen #TimetobeYOU!
Day two was the scariest for both of us, the hair. With a carefully chosen stylist and pictures in hand, we knew what we hoped for. Sandra sat for what seemed like hours in the chair while I busied myself pre-shopping for her. Returning to the salon, I could tell something was off. Her face told the story.
Sometimes it’s difficult to convince a client a new hairstyle looks good. In this case it wasn’t. We left the salon and going over the photos, we agreed this was NOT the hair we envisioned. It was too … too … how should I say, coiffed. The next challenge was to return to the stylist after lunch to re-explain what was needed. Sandra sat another hour in the chair for a re-cut in a more edgy style. Results: FABULOUS. Sandra stood up and her face was gleaming. We both loved it and the stylist for her dedication and skills.
We rounded out the day with a Shop-Til-You-Dropattitude. We canvased the consignment stores where we found skirts, pants, jackets, and jewelry. A pair of tall dress boots got Sandra excited and I was overjoyed when she embraced the idea of belts and bright colors. She was beginning to blossom. Next we went to big box discount stores where we found almost all of her makeup. We only had to pick up a few things at some smaller stores since we’d met 95% of her needs at second-hand shops. We were thrilled with where the wardrobe stood.
Then it was on to the photographer for a quick makeup application lesson and some AFTER pictures with her new look and wardrobe. We walked in and started prepping her in a small dressing room as we chatted with the same BEFORE photographers.
They were shocked to discover Sandra was the same woman they’d photographed just the day before!
Looking back, I have to say working with Sandra was one of the most gratifying BEFORE and AFTER sessions I’ve ever had the pleasure of doing. Not from the impact of the change, but the fact she continues to maintain and develop her style and look is remarkable. It’s one of the reasons I chose her for the illustration for Chapter 1 of my latest book, Simply Stylish—Look Great! Spend Less. And I gained a friend for life in the process. What a blessing!
Thank you, Jill. I enjoyed learning about your side of our first meeting probably more than my readers.
May the Lord bless you for your great kindness to me amidst all my fear-filled baby steps. You’re the BEST.
Jill Swanson, Image Coach, teaches women to accept, enhance, and embrace the beauty they’ve been blessed with. Jill is an inspirational speaker and the author of three books including the recent release Simply Stylish–Look Great Spend Less.
Jill’s office is located in Rochester MN, but she works and travels throughout the US. For more information, please contact Jill at 507-250-2030 or visit her at her website www.jillswanson.com.