Your "Plan B" Wardrobe

Are you ready to tackle that dark, scary abyss in your room otherwise known as your closet? Want to re-discover the lost treasures hiding in its depths? Have you been putting it off because you don't know where to start or what to do with all your stuff?

Then grab a copy of the "Ultimate Cure for the Dysfunctional Closet" DVD by fellow Delaware image consultant JoJami Tyler. This fun yet informative video walks you step-by-step through the process of sorting, cleaning, and organizing your closet with tips that I haven't seen anywhere else. If you've been putting off cleaning your closet, let JoJami show you how therapeutic - and fun! - it can be. Here's the link:

She's made 100 copies of the DVD available to me, and if you missed getting this last time a few years ago, I suggest you go order it RIGHT NOW to reserve your copy. This DVD has been VERY popular the last few times we offered it, with readers begging me for copies after they were long gone because they'd put off "getting while the getting was good." Don't do that. Just go order it and save yourself the stress of missing out.

In the unlikely event that there are any left by then, this offer is valid until 6 pm (EST) Wednesday, October 22nd.

In other news, remember when the hurricanes were slamming into the Gulf Coast one after the other back in September? One of my readers who had to evacuate emailed this advice to me:

Great tip! One set of regular clothes, one set of dirty clean up clothes. I encourage you to tuck that into memory if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, like running from hurricanes, mud slides, floods, wildfires, or the like. Hey, you never know.

Speaking of disasters, I know a lot of you who were gainfully employed last month are suddenly facing the loss or potential loss of your job this month because of the volatile financial markets. Today's article talks about how to dress for a financial "Plan B."

Looking for a fast, easy, inexpensive way to brighten up your wardrobe and extend your budget? Then get creative with your accessories! Upgrade an outfit, take a day dress into night, breath new life into an old favorite - the possibilities are endless! All you need is a little imagination and a guiding hand to help you determine what works and what doesn't.

From shoes to handbags, scarves to hats, see just how versatile your accessories can be in the pages of ACCESSORY MAGIC,

http://www.accessorymagic.com

Earlier this month, a textile mill in Tennessee closed abruptly one day when the owner couldn't make payroll. Hundreds of people were thrown out of work. In Colorado, a friend is waiting to see whether her husband will lose his job of 20 years because his company hit rough times and became vulnerable to a hostile takeover. Here in Delaware, several friends who work at Bank of America have already lost their jobs.

No doubt about it: the current financial climate is claiming unsuspecting victims at every turn. No one knows who could be next.

So how are YOU responding to this threat? Are you crossing your fingers and hoping for the best? Or are you putting together a "Plan B" just in case?

My recommendation is to make a "Plan B." Because when you take time to consider all your options, it gives you more control. Why willing trap yourself in a corner when, with a little forethought, you could have an escape route in place?

Now I realize that thinking about alternate plans is a challenge for some people. It smacks of change, and change is hard. Even THINKING about change can be stressful. So don't think of "Plan B" as change. Think of it as "exploring your options" as you play a REALLY tough game of WHAT IF? with yourself:

Does is make you nervous just thinking about it? It's probably because you don't have an alternate plan! Or, if you're really happy where you're at or if you've been there a long time, just the idea of having to look for something else is nerve-wracking. It's like being part of a couple for years and years and then suddenly finding yourself single again. Just how in the heck do you "get back in the game"?

You should update your resume as often as you go to the dentist for a check up: twice a year. If you keep up with it, it's a five minute job twice a year that accurately reflects your most current skills. If you neglect it, it can take days or months to pull the info together, and you may forget half of what you do or know. If you haven't looked at your resume in a while, now's the time to do it.

2. Get Interview Attire

A well-fitting, single-breasted jacket in a dark color means business in countries all over the world. You may not wear a jacket to work ordinarily, but it's almost always appropriate for interviews -- and speaking engagements, and funerals. If you don't own one, get one. It will serve you well for years to come for business and other important occasions.

JessicaLondon.com

If you haven't reviewed your grooming habits in a long, l-o-n-g time, now's the time to do it. Get current with your hair and makeup styles. No weird pearl eye shadows, no early 90's poodle perms. I've found that there's a direct correlation between hair styles and business skills: those with outdated hair styles also tend to have outdated skills. If you want to be competitive, you need to update both.

Doctors and bankers wear different types of clothes to work. So do lawyers and fashion magazine editors. If you've been in one industry for a long time and are looking at another, learn what's appropriate for the new industry. Otherwise, your clothes may brand you as an "outsider" and you may have trouble getting a job. Just ask all those former real estate brokers and mortgage lenders who are now looking for work in other industries.

If you've put on some extra weight over the years, now's a good time to take it off. While weight isn't supposed to be a factor in the hiring process, the reality is that heavier people tend to have more health issues than those of average size, which drives up employer health care costs. In a competitive marketplace with everything else being equal, the healthier person becomes the more cost-effective hiring choice.

So - has this got you thinking about some alternatives? I hope so. Even if you're 100% sure that your livelihood won't be affected by the current global economics, having an updated resume, current skills, and available interview clothes allows you to be ready at a moment's notice if a fabulous opportunity knocks. You never know what tomorrow may bring.

Need some help updating or pulling together a business wardrobe that will put you far ahead of the competition? Download a copy of BUSINESS WEAR MAGIC to see just how easy dressing appropriately for business can be,

http://www.businesswearmagic.com