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Pam Friedlander wants to help you feel good and has devoted her second career to doing just that. The Danbury resident is an image consultant, and her Fairfield County-based business, Positive Reflections, mirrors her own story.
I was always a yo-yo with my weight, Friedlander says. But I have always enjoyed shopping and fashion. A few years ago, I lost 60 pounds and was finally able to keep it off. Not long afterward, I was helping a friend shop for an outfit for an event. She runs an entrepreneurial group for women and after we put her ensemble together she said, Youre really good at this. You should do this for a living.
At her friends request, Friedlander showed up at a meeting for the entrepreneurial group. I didnt even have business cards, she says. But after that meeting, my business was born.
Friedlander brings more than simple fashion sense to what she does. Sometimes you hear consultants or designers talk about womens bodies and how we should dress. But they dont necessarily know what it feels like to have heavy thighs or to be really busty. I know what it feels like. My job is to help make women feel really good about the way they look.
Friedlanders approach to making over her clients is personal. I look at the whole woman, she says. I look at her personality, her lifestyle, her budget. I meet her at her home, and we start by going through her closet. My motto is that every woman should be able to have fun in her closet. No woman should think to herself when getting dressed, I hate all my clothes. I have nothing to wear. So we start by pulling the pieces we know are wrong, and identifying the pieces that are right.
After completing a closet edit, Friedlander goes on a solo shopping trip for her clients, choosing stores and pieces she thinks will work for them, highlighting their best assets. After making her selections, she will shop with her clients. "For many women, shopping can be overwhelming," she says. Her approach aims to take that away and allow women to enjoy the experience.
Every woman is beautiful. And part of my job is helping women see what I see, says Friedlander. Sometimes, you dont realize what a beautiful waist you have, or how great a certain color looks on you. It isnt just about trends. Its about finding what works for you. Thats where Friedlanders services come in.
One client told me after we finished that she got more compliments than she did on her wedding day, she says. Thats why I do what I do. When I walk into a room now, I feel good. I feel confident. And I think every woman should be able to feel that way.
Could you use a little positive reflection? Share your style tips for dressing for your shape here.
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