Lost + Found Part 2: Rhonda's Makeover Process

Welcome to Part 2 of Rhonda's style transformation!

In case you missed Part 1, here is Rhonda in an outfit that she would have chosen for a dressier summer occasion, before our experts had their way with her.

Although this dress has a pretty pattern and is very comfortable, it does not provide any shape to Rhonda's figure, and we are here to tell you she can do better! This dress would be perfect for a beach cover up or lounging at the lake, but not for an event.

When women are in a slump, unfortunately one of the first things to go is their appearance, which is very sad because it can make them feel even worse. On the upside, turning that around and taking back control of your “outside” can be the easiest first step to turning things around on the inside. "If you build it, SHE will come". If you don't carve out that time for yourself, we guarantee NO ONE else will. Even if that means getting up a half hour earlier to have uninterrupted time, it is worth it! Rushing around in the morning is NOT the way to start your day. Small changes can and will lead to MAJOR results. It's the Law of Attraction, the Domino Effect, you get the idea!

Now onto the Experts and processes they used to help transform Rhonda’s style.

First up, Megan Schindel, The Sandbox in the City

Megan provided Rhonda with a one and a half hour private consultation. Even though outfitting someone is more of an art than a science, Megan has somewhat of a formula that she uses.

Footwear - She asked Rhonda what types of footwear she could physically wear. Luckily Rhonda had no footwear restrictions and was open to anything. If for example, a client had to wear orthotics in her shoes, Megan would be sure to take that into consideration when choosing the outfit to work with a sensible shoe.

Health Issues - It is important that a stylist knows if you have any health problems (ie.mastectomy, hot flashes, allergies to fabrics, etc.) that may affect how their clothing looks, feels, and functions.Rhonda informed Megan that she has IBS, which can cause discomfort and bloating at any given time without warning.Immediately Megan knew that is was essential that her bottoms have stretch around the waist and that her tops left a bit of room for (lack of a better word) “expansion".

Style Preferences - Everyone has a personal style deep down, and it is up to a Stylist (Megan) to bring that out of a person (Rhonda). Are you conservative or flamboyant? Do you prefer solids or prints or both? Are you Classic or Trendy? Or do you have any idea at all? It's important to ask a lot of questions to find out where to begin. Sometimes it's a matter of, "well let's just try a few things on to see how you feel". Rhonda wasn't 100% sure how she felt about certain prints until she tried a few on and LOVED them.

Height, body weight, size and shape - Certain clothing "rules" are true almost 100% of the time (remember that rules are guidelines and can be broken in certain instances). Rhonda explained that she felt particularly wide in her midsection and wanted to camouflage that area. The most effective way to camouflage the tummy area is to wear a fitted pant or skirt and pair it with a slightly longer top that flares slightly at the hip, and just skims the tummy. The extra volume at the hip will offset the stomach and creates the illusion of having a waistline. Megan always chuckles to herself when she hears women saying" I am too chubby or too old to wear skinny jeans or leggings". She just says "Wanna bet, let’s just give it a try".

As you will see in Rhonda's before and after photo, this rule is a clear WIN. Instead of wearing a slimmer fitting bottom and a relaxed longer top, Rhonda bought jeans that were too big in her leg in order to accommodate her stomach and then paired it with a shapeless blouse(another attempt to hide her midsection). Baggy, ill-fitting jeans and a loose shapeless blouse will make you look even BIGGER than you really are! She told Megan that she can't find any jeans that fit her properly, and no matter what they are "always" uncomfortable. Megan's solution, "Don't wear jeans", or try some of ours that have amazing fit and stretch in all the right places.

Megan found Rhonda a pair of super stretch, pant-style leggings (which are made of a heavier gauge fabric and have a back pocket), that fit comfortably snug in her leg, yet have enough give in her stomach. In a second dressier outfit (which will be revealed next month), Megan used a stretchier simple black skirt. It's fitted around the hips and thighs, but provided the comfortable give she needed in the tummy.

Formulate - Megan then takes all of the information she has gathered from her customer and translates that into an outfit or wardrobe.

Next up: Joy Tesch, Visions Salon

Joy met with Rhonda and could immediately see that she had grown-out boxed colour in her hair, dark and patchy in some areas. Rhonda was very easy going and laid back, in fact so laid back that she just didn't care what her hair looked or felt like. It had grown out so long, that after years of taking care of her children, parents and everyone else in her life, she just put herself on the back burner and stayed there. She admitted that it had been over 5 years since she had set foot in a salon.

After speaking with Rhonda and hearing her story, Joy felt that a low-maintenance style would work best for Rhonda. The first step was to immediately cut 4 inches off of Rhonda's length, and within seconds she already had more life in her look. Joy started off the colour process by stripping the dark saturated colour from the ends of Rhonda's hair. Joy chose a colour scheme that would grow out gracefully, making it a little easier for Rhonda to maintain it in between salon visits. She gave her a colour that was softer on her complexion, and gave her skin tone some warmth. Adding highlights and a base colour created multi tones that added depth and movement to her hair. By lightening her hair, it actually would allow her greys to grow out without having a harsh demarcation line. Joy also educated Rhonda on some easy haircare and styling tips that wouldn't take too much time, yet give her great hair everyday.

Next up: Kelsey Friesen, Kelsey Rae Makeup Artistry

Kelsey gave Rhonda a personalized one-on-one makeup lesson. Rhonda has a no-maintenance beauty routine and rarely ever wears makeup. Kelsey gave her a few tips and tricks on how to get out the door fast but still look somewhat polished. She used a tinted moisturizer to help even out her complexion, while also giving her skin some added benefits. Kelsey added some mascara to make her eyes pop and also recommended that Rhonda get her lashes tinted (a service she offers). Lash tints are a great alternative to mascara, especially on those days that are extra hectic.

During the lesson Kelsey also taught Rhonda how to easily "jazz up" her beauty routine for special events or a night out. She gave Rhonda a step by step guide on how to recreate the looks and which products she would recommend for her and her skin type/skin tone. Kelsey also did Rhonda's makeup for her final reveal photo shoot. For this makeup look she really wanted to play up her eyes by adding her own line of mink eyelashes, Wynk Luxury Lashes. She kept the makeup subtle yet still drew just the right amount of attention to Rhonda's face.

Stay tuned for the the final reveal, Rhonda's thoughts on the process, and a final wrap up from our stylists!