personal brand

Why My Style Changed

March 6, 2017 by Bethany Siggins

When I knew we were moving to Seattle a little over two years ago, I began to stock up on a variety of outerwear. Mind you, I already owned a closet full of jackets and coats! But the types of jackets Seattle requires, I definitely did not own. Besides, I am always looking for an excuse to shop!

I have two friends in Seattle who used to live in the South like me. Recently we discussed the shifts to our personal styles since moving to the Pacific Northwest. In short, our styles are decidedly more casual to say the least.

There are at least three factors at play in why our styles have shifted: (1) the weather (it is damp, okay, wet here in Seattle!), (2) the topography (it is quite hilly; high heels and steep hills do not mix well), and (3) the vibe (Seattle is relaxed, natural and unfussy – and gritty).

Seattle style is difficult to define since it is changing. As one of the fastest growing cities in America (#4 in 2016), Seattle is taking on new residents from all over the United States and the world. But here is the marvelous thing about style in Seattle: no one is judging yours. You are free to express yourself without worrying whether you have the latest handbag or the “it” shoe. That is refreshing and freeing, to be honest.

In Seattle, no one will blink if you dress to the nines, nor will they care if you show up in tattered jeans and a North Face puffer jacket. Whatever works for you, goes.

Yet, I have a challenge for you, Seattle residents: Whatever “dress up” means to you, do it once in a while (and I don’t mean rarely!). The way you dress not only influences how you feel, it influences those around you. Have you ever noticed how others smile when you wear a t-shirt with a funny slogan or have you ever received a compliment on a color you were wearing? You are having a positive impact on them!

So, find a reason to dress up soon. You probably have beautiful clothing that never sees the light of day. If I may say so, that just ain’t right!

Thank you to Heather Lundy of HerCommonThread for the photo, taken inside Easy Street Records in West Seattle!

Street Style – Two Style Lessons

August 5, 2016 by Bethany Siggins

Here are a few more snaps from our evening at Casco Antiguo earlier this week. Style Lesson #1: If your top is long (longer than where your leg breaks when you lift it), you must wear a heel to create a longer leg. Otherwise, your body is cut in half (50% torso; 50% leg), which makes you look short regardless of your true height. Our lovely, leggy model Amanda here asked me about cuffing her jeans. If she had been wearing a top with a hem around her hip bone, I would have told her to go for it as she has plenty of leg to sacrifice. However, because her top is longer than the leg break, I advised her to keep her jeans un-cuffed. If you can visualize her in flats with a cuffed hem, she would have appeared overlong on her top half and, thus, out of proportion.

Style Lesson #2: The more leg you show, the more of your top half should be covered. I do wish I had a tan for this lesson – ha! Wearing shorts that hit at mid-thigh or shorter calls for a top that is either a half sleeve, 3/4-length or a long sleeve as I am wearing. Short shorts and a tank top is provocative and not very classy. Leave a little to the imagination, and keep it classy, ladies. It is what men prefer, actually.

Lastly, if you have silver and/or turquoise jewelry, now is the time to wear it. The cool tones of the silver has an overall cooling effect on your look, which is just right during our warmest season. Ditto for turquoise. The light, soft green/blue goes with all your spring/summer clothing without having to think about it. Don’t worry if you have none of this color in your outfit. Adding a new color to your look via accessories is totally okay and encouraged, actually. Happy Weekend!—Bethany

2016 – What’s New with You?

January 28, 2016 by Bethany Siggins

I honestly have been avoiding the “New Year” topic for several weeks to give you an opportunity to recover from the barrage of “New Year New You” e-mails and product endorsements. I find it very tiresome. It is the same story each year. What will I do differently this year? What improvements will I make? And more importantly, though cynically, how long can I keep these promises before abandoning them altogether? We have the best of intentions.

I do not make New Year’s resolutions. Rather, I like to take a personal inventory. I like to look at how I improved (or did not improve) over the past year. And then I like to look forward, both personally and professionally. What are some things I would like to learn this year and what are the steps I can take to do that? How can I positively impact the lives of others? What do I love to do and how can I make time for those things?

Rather than making resolutions, just take a little time to plan for good things for yourself in the New Year. What did you find yourself missing last year? Maybe you wished for more time to yourself. If so, sit down and plan a few outings for yourself or for yourself and a few friends. If you do not plan it, it will not happen. Maybe you would like to feel better. If so, visit your doctor, a dietitian and a personal trainer who can give you a plan of action. You get the idea. Planning is the key. With no plan, there is no change.

Do not sit there and wait for whatever life will throw at you. And believe me, it will. Make a few plans and steer the ship for yourself. Of course your plans may sometimes be thwarted. That’s life. But if you do not have a plan to thwart, isn’t that worse?

Make a few new things happen this year. Happy 2016, everyone!

Siggins in Seattle

June 16, 2015 by Bethany Siggins

Hi, everyone. My apologies for not keeping up with my blog, newsletters, etc. Our move from Dallas to Seattle on January 23, 2015 was harder on my body, my mind and my soul than I had anticipated. But here I am, still standing (better than I ever did – to copy a phrase from Elton John).

Why We Moved

My husband John took a job in executive recruiting for Amazon Web Services, which necessitated a move to Seattle. It was a very difficult decision for us as we weighed many pros and cons for moving to Seattle versus staying in Dallas. Ultimately, we looked at the bigger picture and took a longer-range view. This job would provide John with a great career challenge and an opportunity to work for one of the world’s fastest growing companies.

Where We Settled

We had not been told before the move how difficult it is to buy a home in Seattle (low supply, high demand). Despite the odds, I trekked out almost daily to see homes all over the city and on the east side as they call it here. Many people were praying for us, and it showed. God was in control. In 30 days’ time (miraculous by Seattle standards), we had a contract on a home in West Seattle. We took the above family photo on the back deck of our home in April. At least John and I appear happy about it!

We moved into our lovely blue craftsman home over Easter weekend. We love West Seattle, which has a gritty, urban feel mixed with a friendly, small-town vibe. In addition, we live 1-1/2 miles from Alki Beach, which is where many Seattlites congregate in the warmer sunny days of summer. So, along with being new residents of the Pacific northwest, it looks like we will be “beach” people, too! Who would have thought?

What’s Next for the Blog

In the coming days, weeks and months, I will introduce you to some of the places I’m visiting in Seattle and in West Seattle and keep you in the loop on what I am doing here. Thank you for reading! I miss you, Dallas! xo

Amp Up Your Career Style

July 25, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

I was recently asked by Polished Dallas, an organization that connects young professional women to discuss career and faith, to write a blog post. Since my subscribers may not have seen it, I wanted to share the post with you here on my blog. Enjoy!

It has probably happened to you on countless mornings. You drag yourself to your closet, and you stare blankly into the abyss of clothes, uninspired and uncertain what to wear. Chances are when you started your career, you purchased the basic work wardrobe required for your job. The trouble is, that basic wardrobe does nothing to excite you, and it most certainly does not communicate your personal style.

My Best Tips

There is hope! Here are my top 5 tips for adding pizzazz to your hum-drum work look.

(1) Start with color. Admit it, your wardrobe is a sea of black, brown, navy and gray, isn’t it? Make a concerted effort to look for colorful tops to wear under jackets. A raspberry heel, a cobalt blue handbag or a turquoise necklace would also do the trick. Wearing something colorful to work brings a smile to your face and it makes those around you happy, as well.

(2 Look for pattern. This one goes hand-in-hand with color. An outfit that lacks pattern is a real snooze. Stop playing it safe by purchasing only solid colored pieces for your closet. Patterned tops and shells look outstanding under basic work jackets and cardigans.

(3) Add eye-catching “third” pieces. A third piece is my word for blazers, jackets and cardigans. No work look is complete without one. You may not wear it all day, but at least you have it on hand for meetings, luncheons and events where you wish to look smart and credible. When buying a blazer, steer clear of the banker look. Look for shapely cuts, an intriguing texture or creative details.

(4) Seek out interesting shapes and details. In other words, look for classic pieces that go beyond the classic formula: pick a leopard pump over a basic black pump, try a printed sheath dress if all of your work dresses are solid colors, or experiment with a-line skirts if you principally own pencil shapes.

(5) Let your accessories do the talking. Accessories are the “soul” of your outfit, and they tell your story. This is where your creativity and personal style is best expressed at work. Even if your closet is full of wardrobe basics, your image takes on new life with fabulous shoes, handbags and jewelry. So even if you would rather play it safe with your clothing selections, you can still look like a woman with a strong sense of her own style with the right accessories.

I can help!

So, get out there and start sprucing up your wardrobe with these tips in mind. If you need help, call me. I would love to assist you!

Alternative “Neutral” Colors

March 14, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

I suppose one definition for a neutral color would be a color that pairs well with most other colors. When we think of neutrals, our minds generally go to cream, black, white, gray, taupe and so on. But what about mustard, periwinkle and royal blue as neutrals? Hmmm… Once you start to think about it, there are a wide variety of colors one could pair with the colors I just mentioned.

The problem is, most of our wardrobes lack color which makes it difficult to test-drive our theory of using colors as neutrals. Frankly, well-designed pieces in dark and light neutrals are easier to find. However, as we enter spring when well-designed colorful pieces are a bit easier to find, let’s make an effort to bring much-needed color to our mostly neutral wardrobes.

As I show you here, colorful pieces are not as difficult to work with as you may initially imagine. I am using both forest green in the first set (created on Polyvore) and dark red in the second set to show you how they act as “neutral” and pair well with a variety of other colors.

So, look at your wardrobe a bit differently in the coming weeks. Mix colors together, in ways you have not previously. When you start to do this, you have a much greater variety of combinations in your closet, saving you lots of time and money. If you need help seeing the possibilities, call me. I’d be delighted to spend and hour or two in your closet showing you new combinations. Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!