Caroline: So, how do you know if you look “ready to go” when you are ready to walk out the door? I always keep adjusting my jewelry.
Cynthia: You mean adding and subtracting pieces?
Caroline: Yes or even substituting the ones I’m wearing for something else.
Cynthia: There’s a great test image consultants like to use, called the “blink test.”
Caroline: Blink as in blinking your eye?
Cynthia: Yes. If you stand a few feet away from a full-length mirror and close your eyes for a few seconds, and then open them and look at yourself– sort of blink at yourself — where do your eyes first go? What you see first is what others are likely to notice first as well.
Caroline: So if I notice a stain on my dress instead of my brooch then others will too? LOL
Cynthia: Definitely! Time to change! But your jewelry may well be what draws the eye.
Caroline: Is there a place your eye SHOULD go first?
Cynthia: Your eye should go where you want it to go… it’s really your choice, you see!That’s where accessories, and especially jewelry, are powerful. If you have a versatile signature piece, like your starfish brooch (worn here as a pendant), you can place it where you’d like people to look. 
Caroline: Will the brooch always draw attention first?
Cynthia: Not necessarily. If you’re wearing bright red shoes with a black dress and the brooch, for instance, the eye might focus on the shoes first, despite the best efforts of your starfish.
Caroline: Ah, so then I’ve failed the Blink Test if my mission was to have people focus on the brooch?
Cynthia: The purpose is never to have the focus on the jewelry…. rather, the jewelry should bring the eye so that people are focusing on YOU.
Caroline: So, the concept is to pick an area and then find a way to highlight it?
Cynthia: That’s right. Here’s a test photo for of Hilary Swank at the 2007 Golden Globes. 
Caroline: I see attention brought to her face by the use of the brooch in her hair. How’d I do?
Cynthia: Right! That’s how to use the Blink Test to its best advantage.
Caroline: That is a great tip to pass along!
Cynthia: You can do that with your clothing choices and the use of color. And jewelry is a great way to accomplish that. If you wear several sparkly pieces, the biggest, most sparkly piece is the one that will draw the eye.A necklace will trump a bracelet, for example.
Caroline: Why?
Cynthia: More glitter equals more attention … it’s that simple! For most people, most of the time, the attention of any ensemble should be on the face. Earrings, a necklace or a brooch near the face can be used to draw attention there.

Today’s Jewel
Ask your customers what they want to highlight when they are dressing for an occasion and then ensure they have the right jewelry combination to make it happen. Have your customer try on the jewelry, with the exact clothing if possible, and both of you try the blink test in front of a full length mirror! It works!

JCK