Image Styling | Working With Grace

Audrey Quek

Image Consultant

1) Why did you choose to become an image/fashion consultant and what do you love most about the work you do?

It was after winning Miss Singapore World in 1999 that I had several opportunities opened for me such as grooming aspiring beauty contestants in image and deportment. Immediately, that led me to think of a career switch from Real Estate which I graduated in to becoming an image consultant after my training from First Impressions U.K.

The best part of my work is being able to empower and equip those who wish to enhance their personal or professional image, creating a positive transformation on their image and seeing that change bring about better job prospects, more dates, increased confidence and an overall well-being.

2) How do you think Singaporeans should work on their image to become the obvious choice for employers?

For fresh graduates, they need to learn to transit from a tertiary student to a working adult especially after being so ‘casual’ in school. They are advised to learn the professional do’s and don’ts in interview dressing (tips can be found in my book) and learn to always ‘dress for the position you want and not the job’. In addition, image is not only about how you dress to look the part, but also how you carry yourself with confidence and speak with eloquence. In order to be differentiated, one has to be consistent in their ABC (Appearance, Behaviour & Communication) and this creates a positive personal branding for one to become memorable.

3) You’ve won a number of beauty pageants. Please share what the experience was like and what were your secrets to success?

Every experience is always so challenging and keeps the adrenaline flowing! Most people think that joining such contests is easy when they watch it on TV, however lots of hard work is required the moment one is in the contest – from having to keep their appearance in pristine condition (from keeping fit to having flawless skin even with little sleep sometimes with long hours of rehearsals) and at the same time picking up skills from deportment, confidence building, stage presence, presentation skills and learning to handle the media. All these require lots of stamina, courage and a positive mindset! Be willing to learn from others and have a winning attitude!

4) How can jobseekers dress well or look good without breaking the bank/overspending?

They need to learn the ‘Art of Capsule Wardrobe’ and the formula of ‘Cost per Wear’ and hence a one-time investment in an image consultant may bring about a lifetime of returns and rewards for the jobseekers.

5) A lot of women tend to neglect their looks after having children. What would your advice be to busy mothers?

As a busy mother myself, I always quote this phrase in Mandarin to all women ‘没有丑的人(there is no ugly women，只有懒惰的人 (only lazy women)。

Mothers must learn to balance between work, family, friends and children. This can be really exhausting hence they need to keep a positive mindset and attitude and continue to still give themselves quality time to go for facials, mani&pedi, massages or even take time to go for their favourite sports or pastime to keep relaxed [and also keep sane]

As I am also a fashion designer and personal shopper, understanding the new fashion trends is highly important to me, and styling is part of my job thus I will often mix old with new to give a new updated look. It’s also important to always dress to flatter one’s body type and learn to update through reading magazines, websites and blogs.

As to looking good, besides one’s attitude to life, it’s also important to stay healthy through exercising (I swim at least 3 times a week); eating well (I avoid fried and oily food) and having a mother from Hong Kong helps since I always get home cooked herbal soups that keeps the skin and body well; drinking well from water, chicken essence to birds nest; for the last 2 years, I have been a local ambassador of SKII thus I have a good and diligent skincare regime. I stay motivated and driven all because I do not feel that I have a job but rather a passion that keeps me alive…I enjoy my work (which is
also my interest) and hence it becomes part of me. I believe in quality rather than quantity hence when it’s time for family, we should be dedicated and focused, similar to our work, this way, we will also achieve greater satisfaction and success!

Grace says: I got to know about Audrey after purchasing a copy of her book ‘ABC To Your Dream Job’ from a bookstore. It was the very last copy. And after reading it, I found out why. It was seriously worth every dollar, packed with useful tips, and full-color pictures. Friends, if you can’t find the book, feel free to borrow mine.

I’m gonna put what Audrey has shared in this interview into practice. The fried food bit is gonna be tough. The smell of fried chicken is usually irresistible.

Come back again soon for a special surprise

Genny Chia

Image Stylist, Life Coach (Style Infinity)

1) Why did you choose to become an image stylist/life coach and what do you love most about the work you do?

It’s a long story & the question ‘why’ brings us back to my childhood. When I was young, the Barbie doll was a huge fad. Coming from a less privileged family, I had begged my parents for the longest time before they granted me one. It was a huge bonus and that kept me happy for a while but not for long. All my peers had extravagant beautiful clothing and accessories for their dolls except for mine and she was dressed in that one and only outfit which comes with her when I first bought it. I then decided to make clothes for my Barbie doll using clothing that my sister and I had outgrown and could no longer wear. This gave me the idea of becoming a Fashion Designer when I was young. However, along the way I had developed interests in other subjects such as human behavior which explains my degree majoring in Psychology. Even though my childhood ambition did not come true, what I am doing now brings me very close to it as I help individuals dress and style themselves, and make them feel good about themselves.

Everyone can live life to their fullest and maximize their potential if they choose to. All women can be beautiful if they want to. As a coach, I love working with individuals and helping them achieve their goals. Stretching boundaries and challenging limits are part of the process. In every situation, there are always ‘take-aways’ and things we can pick up as long as we choose to be open.

2) What is your mission in Life?

Mission statement of Style Infinity… Giving people the empowerment that brings out the best in them.

3) What is one memorable experience you’ve had with helping a client with image styling?

Oh yes… One of my clients came to see me with the objective of wanting to learn how to manage her image and wardrobe. She had left the work force for more than 5 years after becoming a mother and has never updated her wardrobe ever since. She no longer dresses up as she finds it unnecessary. On one occasion she had entered a shop wanting to try an outfit, instead of serving her the sales girl had claimed that there is nothing in the shop that she could wear. My client was devastated that the sales girl had refused to serve her as she assumed that my client was not a sincere buyer based on her out-dated appearance. At that point my client had a job offer that requires her to play a management role in an F&B company & she was worrying about not being able to earn respect & manage subordinates.

While working on her image, we discovered her limitations and worked based on her beliefs & value system. At one point she even broke down & teared. All we had was 2 full days of consultation & coaching, not only did she experience a break-through in terms of how she looks & feels, she also identified her direction & now has a clearer understanding on her purpose.

At the the end of the session, my client told me the best thing I had imparted to her was to ‘love life… and life will love you back.’ She said she had forgotten what it’s like to look good. And indeed it made her feel so good about herself. I am delighted that our session had left her with a heightened sense of self-esteem, confidence & empowerment.

4) What can Singaporeans (esp. the ladies) do better in order to look their best everyday?

Good hairdo.
Have regular haircuts and make sure your hair is constantly in good shape. This instantly gives you a trendy & polished image. It will take you minimum effort to style yourself in the morning everyday if your haircut is a good one.

Invest in good wardrobe staples.
Wardrobe staples are everyday essentials and it differs based on individual’s lifestyle requirement. In order to establish a functional wardrobe, you need to build your foundation right by investing in the right wardrobe staples and basics that support your career & lifestyle needs. Getting to know how to mix & match these pieces will enable you to create different looks & be versatile without breaking your bank account. Our wardrobe staples are usually pieces that are timeless classics in which we would wear again and again . For this reason, it’s never too expensive to invest in good wardrobe staples that will enable us to look classically chic at all times.

Have a good understand of their body type, style and colour.
Looking stylish does not mean going for all the expensive luxurious goods nor do we have to empty our bank accounts. By knowing our essence colours, styles that suit our personality and types of clothes which best complement our body figure, we can avoid trial and error purchases that may end up as expensive fashion faux pas.

Practise good hygiene & grooming routines.
This is a given & I do not think there is any need for me to go into details.

5) How would you define ‘Beauty’?

Being beautiful is more than what you wear on the outside. It is your state of mind & your beliefs system at work. It is all about your self expression. This simply means that beauty is a combination of your outer appearance together with your inner beauty. Hence in my opinion, ‘beauty’ is about being kind & gracious, feeling confident in your own skin combined with knowing how to be fabulous at every age.

Grace says: I’ve always wanted to say this – being a woman is not easy! Heck! It can be lots of fun, for sure. But it sure takes a lot of work to look good. From ensuring your hair is healthy and shiny, your eyebrows are nicely plucked, your skin is moisturized, various parts waxed, nails perfectly manicured, weight kept in check, body toned, clothes fashionable, and the list goes on…

It is easy to tell why women need image stylists and life coaches.

I’d love to know how we can update our image without breaking the bank, as Genny mentioned. Let you know when I find out!

Look Out For: The Interview with Kenny Yap, boss of Qian Hu. Same time next week.