As, a role model for aspiring female leaders, a representative of the Labour Party, the Prime Minister of Australia and an ambassador for all its people, Julia Gillard undoubtedly has a huge responsibility on her shoulders. Central to her performing each of these roles, is the cultivation of a strong personal brand and image that projects a confident, capable and statesman-like figure.

One of the most visible personal branding strategies employed by Gillard is the accentuation of her most identifiable characteristic, her hair colour. By intensifying her hair to a deeper and richer hue of red, the colour’s strengthened connotations of energy and confidence are transferred to Gillard’s persona, lifting her appearance and giving her a more striking and energetic presence.

According to former finance minister, Lindsay Tanner, ‘Gillard has dyed her hair red for years to help build her personal brand. It makes her more noticeable.’ The move also represents Gillard’s embracement of her unique colouring and the development of her assets into a personal trademark that makes her more memorable.

So if you want to advance your career, consider the use of personal branding strategies and how they can help you enhance your visibility, communicate all your skills and capabilities and really project you, at your finest.

Women have made leaps and bounds in their pursuit of equal rights and treatment in the economic, political and social realms. With greater legislative rights, less social biases, the freedom to work in almost any industry and position, the world is seeing an increasing presence of women in high powered leadership positions and more women being recognised for their outstanding abilities and achievements.

This year’s celebration of women’s achievements marks the centenary of International Women’s Day. Organisations across the world have been getting involved to commemorate this special occasion. In Australia, premier fashion magazine Vogue, has teamed up with channel SBS to bring everyone a thrilling season of special screenings, celebrating exceptional women.

EGAMI STYLE also joined in on International Women’s Day celebrations with a presentation to the National Australia Bank in Perth that empowered their female team to create a confident and powerful image that reflected their unique style within the boundaries of their industry and enhanced their visibility. EGAMI STYLE was proud to partner with the Ready to Work team, which assists disadvantaged women in the community to secure a job through their employment preparation services.

At a parliamentary level, the world’s leading ladies, Julia Gillard, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton gathered at a gala function in Washington to award women of outstanding courage from around the world who had fought to empower women. Julia Gillard has also expressed her desire to push the boundaries for a greater presence and visibility of women on company boards and is prepared to address this through legislation.

EGAMI STYLE thinks that this encouragement for Australian corporate companies to increase the admittance of women to their boards is great progress, however it is important to recognise that career advancement and visibility extends beyond exceptional skills and education. In order for women to achieve rapid career advancement, they should consider enhancing their relationship skills and be more active in networking and self-promotion. One woman in particular, from the mining industry, that EGAMI STYLE has had the wonderful opportunity of working with and alongside, who has experienced outstanding success and who has been inducted to the WA Women’s Hall of Fame, is Kate Sommerville. Congratulations Kate on your commendable achievement!

What are they? They are tattoos!

Sported by celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Megan Fox and David Beckham and seen strutting down the runway of famous fashion houses, tattoos have heavily hit the mainstream. With tattoos at such a high popularity, even companies have taken advantage of the craze by using people as walking billboards to strengthen and promote their brand.

But, while the fashion houses have opted for temporary tattoos, many people are lining up at the local tattoo parlor to permanently engrave a personal statement onto their skin.

So what does this all mean for the conservative corporate environment. What do you do when your highest quality job candidate has tattoos running all the way up his or her arm? With Gen Y entering the job market and the soon to follow, Gen Z, the chances of coming across a tattoo bearing candidate is abundant. Can employers really afford to ban tattoos and turn away young talent? The answer is no. Interestingly though, tattooing was prohibited in New York City as recently as 1997.

Indeed many workplaces have recognised this tattoo trend and have started to incorporate clear sections within their dress code policies to address this and to protect their corporate image.

As an employer, it is important to recognise and celebrate the diversity of your people and employees, but to also maintain a credible, professional corporate image for the company to clients and to the general public. For the organisation to communicate a consistent message across, employers need to ensure that their employees understand the image and perception that the company wants to project and that this image is reflected in the way that their team presents themselves.

The modern interpretation of tattoos is that they are a means of creative expression and individuality. Some individuals even have tattoos of lost loved ones or of family and hence broaching the topic of a tattoo ban can be a highly sensitive matter. In some cultures, tattoos bear religious significance and are believed to ward off bad luck and evil spirits, hence serving as an amulet of protection. With the myriad of different reasons an individual may have for getting their tattoos, employers should establish clear policies and dress codes to avoid misunderstanding and legal repercussions, as well as to be more open minded and sensitive when dealing with employees on the topic of tattoos.

On the other hand, tattoos have been associated with negative connotations for decades. While tattoos may seem cool, it’s understandable that your boss may not take too well to you flashing the skull and cross-bones on your arm to all the company clients in the next business meeting. So if you would like to get a tattoo, think carefully about what you are getting done and consider the size and placement of your tattoo and the implications it could have on your current and future career. It goes without saying that if you intend to work in a highly conservative corporate environment, you are more than likely going to be required to cover the tattoo if it’s in a visible area of your body. For those who are unaware of the boundaries, don’t have any work done above the collar line and nothing past the wrist.

And perhaps consider that having a tattoo is not like buying a necklace or a shirt. Sure you can always buy a new tattoo but you can’t just take it off and change it like you can a necklace or shirt. It is permanent. And whatever you wear from that point onwards may have to be chosen to align with your tattoo, depending on how large the tattoo is and what it conveys. So to those considering getting a tattoo simply because you think it looks ‘cool’, think long and hard and then think again. If do you get a tattoo, consider something that has meaning and significance to you and consider whether it aligns with your future goals and career.

In fact, I could even drive you out of your own house with nothing but a single colour. Do you think that’s too bold a claim? Well think about this. Picture the interior of your house. Now imagine, I went and painted it all in bright red.

What’s that? You say red is your favourite colour? Well, now take it even a step further and imagine if all the furniture, as well as all the other items in your house were also the same shade of red. How long do you think you’ll really be able to stay in the house? Let alone live in it… I know I wouldn’t last more than five minutes. That much red is far too loud and overwhelming.

Evidently, colour can be a truly powerful tool, so understanding colour and learning how to wear it, can really work to your advantage.

So what exactly is colour?

It all began during the 1700’s, when Sir Isaac Newton’s experiment of entrapping light in a prism, retracted seven main colours through the visible spectrum of white light. This discovery in the nature of light and colour initiated the first relationship between light and colour.  As you can see, there is a whole science behind light and colour.

In fact, the underlying meaning of colour is based around science and psychology. Which is why, as image and personal brand consultants, we delve deeper into the realm of colour to discover the myriad of meanings associated with colour and how this affects our state of mind.

Think about the colours you wear and how much your mood that day influences this choice.  Are you feeling bright and energetic and want to make a bold statement with a lively yellow? Or do you want to exude elegance and sophistication, and feel more powerful in a classic black?

See how these everyday choices reflect you as a person; from your emotions to influencing how others perceive you. It really is incredible how something so universal and simple allows us to be so creative and expressive.

In fact, you could even say that colours are our ‘optical emotions’.

Human-beings are amazing creatures.  We sense and interpret colours through our eyes, body and mind. Colours sensed through the eyes stimulate different regions that are sensitive to specific colours. For example the area sensitive to green light is located directly in the centre of the retina, which allows light to fall into the centre of the eye. This makes the colour green, the most relaxing colour for the eyes and, in turn, the mind.

So next time you are deciding on your outfit, visualise how people interpret colour through their senses and what your colour choice says about you.

Be aware however, that the previously discussed interpretations of colour only apply to Western culture. Next time, we will investigate how the symbolism and meaning of colour varies across different cultures.

Oprah is coming to Australia! No doubt we are all excited about this famous icon paying our continent a special visit.

As a figure, she is as iconic as the Sydney Opera House or a red soled Louboutin heel. Forbes 3^rd most powerful woman is about to touch down in the country, and it’s causing a stir. I mean who doesn’t love Oprah? She has the most vivacious personality, is so down to earth and is well-known for her incredible generosity.

But it hasn’t all been easy for Oprah. Throughout the years, Oprah has endured a constant battle with her image. We’ve watched her transition through the decades with many a makeover and make under.  She was often overly conscious of her body type, and selected styles to conceal her body. Oprah’s clothing  choice was reflective of where she was physically.

But now, in the last five years, Oprah’s self perception towards her image has changed. She has progressed as an individual and has established her own unique style; a clean silhouette with classic colours, ranging from neutrals to deep, rich hues that convey elegance and sophistication. Oprah has become more confident in herself as a person, both mentally and physically and this clearly reflects in her new approach to image and styling.  We at EGAMI STYLE can see that she has embraced and embodied a spirit and style that is all her own.

Take a look below at a timeline of Oprah through the ages, from present to past.

It was after the unexpected death of his father, that Walsh’s leadership skills came to surface. Despite being only a young teenager, Walsh took it upon himself to start managing all of his family’s affairs. Undoubtedly, this is a feat that only a natural born leader with great strength of will and character would be able to achieve.

With his strong leadership qualities, it is no surprise that Walsh is now in a high-powered management position in one of the world’s leading resource companies. Despite his incredible degree of authority and power, Walsh remains a very open and relatable character.  He has been known to prefer a more open-door and informal style to leadership which encourages team involvement and empowerment.

Walsh’s individual style to leadership and high level of professionalism is well reinforced by his external image. His choice of blues and purples in shirts and ties, communicate a sense of formality and professionalism, but also reflect his approachability and openness. From a colour perspective, these colours are well suited for his image as blue is a colour which represents integrity, communication and trust and purple denotes vision and regality.

Walsh is also often seen wearing a handkerchief in his suit pocket, which communicates his gentlemanly characteristics as well as adding an interesting twist, which sets his style apart from the more simplistic and conventional style of other high level executives. The addition of cufflinks and a pin finishes his elegant look, completing the image of a refined, statesmanlike figure.

Overall, Walsh is truly an inspirational leader whom has successfully distinguished himself by cultivating an image which strongly aligns with his professional status, as well as his own personal characteristics and leadership style.

Well take a step into the shoes of a young woman who has low self-confidence and is struggling to step out of her shell.  There is no denying she’s a smart woman, after all she’s excelling academically at university and has the potential to accomplish great things in life.  But having potential can only get you so far if you’re shy and unsure of yourself.  So it’s not surprising that the thought of attending an interview, which even a self-assured person can find nerve-racking, is petrifying.  Not only that, but this lack of confidence can prevent someone from achieving their future goals.

Unfortunately, she’s not alone.  This somewhat daunting and over-whelming feeling is a reality for many young people who are just starting their careers.  Imagine the surprise of entering the big world of corporate and professional organisations after just having graduated university.  Or having the potential and skill, but not being able to portray yourself visually in the way you want to be perceived.

We all have career goals and aspirations at some point in our lives but making them happen is another completely different story.  And that’s why projecting a confident image is such an important and powerful tool.  We also all have positive qualities, but what many people don’t realise is that confidence defines who you are and helps you in pursuing your career.

EGAMI STYLE recognises the importance of nurturing talent and working with young people to build their confidence, establish an influential image, help cultivate their leadership ability and develop life skills.  For this reason, we are thrilled to be involved in helping young people achieve their career goals through our image programs and workshops as well as supporting the WA Miss Universe event.

From a holistic perspective, our approach enables young people to develop their own unique brand and create a memorable presence that goes beyond first impressions.  For the WA Miss Universe participants, what’s really important is that this is a life skill they will be able to take with them beyond the competition and greatly assist them in their future endeavours.

That idea was Dine for Life – which is all about creating an opportunity for the people of Perth to share great food and great company for a great cause.  At EGAMI STYLE, we are so proud to be a key part of this exciting and unique initiative in charity fundraising.  We are committed and passionate about making a difference in the community to those who really need it.

From my perspective, as the Director and one of the founder’s of Dine for Life, it’s all about promoting midweek dining and supporting local business while fundraising for an important cause.  Perth has such a wonderful food and wine culture, so why not go to a high end restaurant mid week and enjoy fine dining food for a good cause?

Dine for Life also reminds us to think holistically in business.  Simply focusing on profits and revenue takes too much from life, so having a sense of community is imperative in keeping a business grounded. It is important to take time to reflect on your achievements and how you can empower others – for that is real success.

At EGAMI STYLE, we are constantly observing how your image can reflect certain trends.  Optimism, as reflected in the 50’s, has inspired us to convey this influential time into our social mood.  For this season we are seeing that feminine styles, such as shapely full skirts and small waistlines, are making a return on the runways.  Hats are in vogue for men again, which during that era were worn not sometime – but all the time!

Black is one of my favourite colours.  Black can be intriguing, sophisticated and elegant.  When it comes to selecting black items for my wardrobe, I search for unique pieces and works of art.  Such as my beautifully crafted wool blend textured jacket.

A timeless black silk shirt and stunning black lace structured dress add interest and an element of distinction to my professional wardrobe.  Adorned with a pair of shiny black heels, they make great staples that can carry you from the office through to functions or events in the evening.

Le Moulin de la Galette (1876), Renoir

I use colour to communicate my individuality and when I wear the right colours it gives me the image of style and confidence. It plays an important part in my life not only because I am in the field of providing image advice but also because it is how I express my creativity and love of fashion.

Use colour to communicate your individuality by adding it to your life!

Combining style with the principles of influence, EGAMI STYLE, invites you to express a more powerful and persuasive professional image this new year.  Keep your eyes peeled on our upcoming style and confidence series of events or see our tailored image packages designed to put you ahead of the game so you feel empowered to Step Out With Confidence In 2010!

Everybody has a different way of unwinding; perusing the latest fashion at the stores or on-line with a glass of champagne (highly recommended!), working out at the gym, perhaps a little pampering or reading a great book. Wouldn’t you agree that it’s essential to make the time to do these things on a regular basis? Maintaining a ‘work-life balance’ can become a bit difficult if  like us, you really do enjoy what you do for a living.  It is us, however, who generally burn out the quickest as we never switch off, mentally or in the technological sense.

If there simply are not enough hours in the day to take time out for yourself, then how about scheduling that meeting over a game of golf or a walk around the river rather than in the boardroom? In most cases, your client or colleague is probably just as time-deprived as you are and would enjoy the break!

A healthy state of mind is the foundation for projecting a confident image.  Are you aligned?

Fashion is a key indicator of social mood and one term that you may have heard recently is ‘recessionary fashion’. You only need to watch the latest runways of Paris and you’ll see examples from Ralph Lauren and Hermès with ‘collections inspired from Dust Bowl Okies to tennis courts, aka the ‘Great Gatsby’ revival’.  An interesting article by Robert R Prechter gives insight into how the current spring fashion trends are indicative of ‘recessionary’ times, thus being  tied to financial markets. Click here to read the full article.

We’re not sure if  tattered overalls or Grandpa’s shoes will be making an appearance in the EGAMI STYLE offices anytime soon, however we will make a concerted effort to not wear black every day!  What colour are you wearing right now?

However, recession or no recession, style is forever.

The focus of this evening was to inspire ladies to stay in for one night, enjoy a pampering session of facials, massage and other personalised treatments and donate what they otherwise would have spent on a night out to the Cancer Council.  All funds raised by ‘Girls Night In’ went immediately towards research, education, prevention and support programs for women.

“Big thanks once again for participating at the Girls Night In party, your consultations added a special touch and it was well received by all the girls”… Sascha Arnold, Cancer Council WA.

Girls can register, or obtain additional information on the website www.girlsnightin.com.au.