Find fashion tips and tricks, empowering articles, and the latest image consulting & styling here on TRUE Image Group’s blog. Each month Elle shares her own personal lessons in style, self-care, and personal growth so you can get to know TRUE before we walk alongside you in your style journey.
What are the proper clothes you should wear for jury duty to make sure you get selected? The court system has one of the most traditional dress codes there is. You can save the suits for the attorneys, but business casual is your best bet when wanting to be selected. The goal is to look…
Boy was 2022 a year! Or maybe that was just me. From inflation and sky-high gas prices, to Queen Elizabeth passing away, and now mass layoffs happening in light of an upcoming recession. Luckily we’re just 20 days away from 2023. If anything these past 3 years have taught us, is that every year will…
Gone are the days where you have to either be in Los Angeles or New York to “be somebody.” We are living in a time where you are a walking brand and representation of yourself. The other day, as I was chatting with my colleagues about how they do not like The Kardashians reality television…
First off, what is self-love? I can tell you what it’s not. Self-love is not bubble baths, nails and hair appointments, and shopping sprees. While those things are conducive to self-care, it doesn’t really define how we should be loving ourselves. Self-love, by definition, is a state of appreciation for oneself that supports our physical,…
Society encourages getting external validation from others. Think about it. From the time we are young, we are told by our parents who we are and who we are not. Then we grow up into teenagers, finding our own voice, but then being told that we should or shouldn’t act, dress, or look a certain…
In the nature of what TRUE Image Group is all about, we would be remiss if we didn’t stress the importance of mental health. No matter what clothes, accessories, or makeup we put on you, no amount of strategic styling will make you feel happy about yourself. It’s important to understand that in order to…
` Can we say, “CUTE” to this classic, black tunic? You can pair this black tunic with a pair of ankle strappy sandals or throw on some basic, comfortable, white tennis shoes. This is a perfect look for a day party or a date. How about this tropical, bright summer skirt set? Let’s be real.…
3 Tips for Enjoying Your Postpartum Body
Just had a baby and don’t recognize yourself? Guess what, mama? That’s completely normal. You’ve gone through months of developing a human and your body has quite literally formed organs. In most “what to expect,” books they tell you everything about pregnancy but forget to tell you what to expect in the 4th trimester (first…
ConFITdence for Summer
Here we go again. The time has come. When you look up and ask yourself where did the time go. The daunting stress of March has come, when the cold months are finally coming to an end and you’re wondering, how much weight can I lose within the next 2 months. You’re Googling crash diets…
Work from Home: Keep it Cute & Cozy
Covid-19 changed our entire way of living. We went from having to be everywhere and do everything to being forced to be in quarantine hoping that things would quickly rectify themselves. The “two-week cure” turned into a new way of life two years later than we anticipated. We are now faced with a new norm…
Pantone Color of the Year 2022
Pantone’s Take “The Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that color can hope to answer.” added Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “Creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of…
Founder Elle’s wikiHow Articles
Check out all of Elle’s Co-Authored articles on personal styling and image consulting for wikiHow here How to Wear a Winter Scarf How to Look Handsome (Boys) How to Flatter Your Body Shape with Lingerie How to Look Beautiful for Your Boyfriend How to Look Sexy with the Clothes in Your Closet How to Look…
Influencers vs. Brands- Who can we trust?
There’s a new hullabaloo in the plus size fashion world between an influencer and a major brand and accusations are flying everywhere. Who as a consumer can we trust to give us the best objective view? Short answer is nobody- but I’ll get back to that. Here’s the tea on the latest disagreement as I…
Founder Elle’s wikiHow Articles
Check out all of Elle’s Co-Authored articles for wikiHow here How to Look Beautiful if You Have a Fuller Figure How to Look Sexy if You Are Big How to Become a Person Everyone Wants to Know How to Create a Signature Look How to Look Handsome (Boys) How to Make a Sexy Outfit With…
Picture Perfect Pop-Up
We couldn’t be the new image consultants in town and not throw a truly instagramable party! Come meet Elle & Veronica for bubbly and small bites as you grab the perfect shot in each professionally staged area. VIP tickets include a swag bag full of our favorite beauty and self care essentials and $200 off…
Interview with Voyage Dallas Magazine | Inspiring Conversations with Elle Monus of TRUE Image Group
Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Monus. Hi Elle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?I grew up a small-town kid, in a small-town family, truly nothing extraordinary. Dad from Los Angeles, a mom from the projects in Dallas giving us better than they…
Journaling as a form of self care
Journaling is today’s hot topic. It’s been a while since we’ve done a full blown image focused self-care post and boy is it time! You’ve been through COVID, you’ve been through an election year, you’ve been through a recession/depression and economic or job uncertainty, the new normal has come and gone and another new normal…
Outlet Shopping Guide
You may have seen on our IG/Facebook last week (are you following us there, because you should be! @trueimagegroup) We had a wonderful day outlet shopping. We really try for weekdays and mid-day for shopping these stores because shopping with no crowds? All there for it!! So we put together a quick little list of…
Leggings
Leggings. My favorite form of pants. People get so worked up over them though. Are they pants, are they not pants? Can you wear them alone? Can fat girls wear them at all? My answer to all these things is yes, but just like anything else, you have to do it right for maximum effectiveness.…
How image consulting helps you brand your business
Image consulting isn’t just for your personal life. Image consulting can help brand your business. Half of our business is branding and image consulting for entrepreneurs or solopreneurs. I, Elle, have also spent quite a few years consulting and working in startups and building their brand across every aspect. What does that mean exactly? I…
How to shop vintage, second-hand, or online thrifting.
So, now we know online thrifting is an option, but I was a thrifting before thrifting was cool. I grew up poor. We didn’t have money to buy the latest or greatest. So, I had to get creative to be able to copy the looks I was seeing in the magazines. My mother knew how…
Dressing Casually: An Image Consultant’s Inner Monologue
…What does it really mean to be dressing casually? …Does it mean not caring? …Does it mean that you wear your oldest non-descript clothes hoping no one you know will see you that day? …Does it mean that you are lazy if you prefer casual clothes? …Can you really feel super sexy and cute in…
Faux Leather: The best kind to buy & how to style it
One of the Fall/Winter trends that a lot of people struggle with is faux leather. It can give you a sexy or edgy look to an outfit while also keeping you on-trend and put together. Edgy can go from classy to trashy real fast. Here’s the trick- if you want to go for an edgy…
Navigating Trends: What to take on and what to pass up
As an Image Consultant and Personal Stylist, one of the biggest struggles is deciding what trends are worth investing in, and which ones are fleeting but ultimately a flop (I’m looking at you tiny odd shaped sunglasses of 2020). In the days of social media being Queen, it seems like fads are moving faster than…
A Lesson: The Three Types of Fashion
Continuing our Lesson series, we are going to chat about the three types of fashion today. Couture may be the most infamous, but Mass Market Fashion is certainly the most common. So, what exactly does this have to do with personal styling and image consulting? Well, its technical- I get that- and it is also…
Pantone Color of The Year 2021: Ultimate Grey & Illuminating
HOW ULTIMATE CAN GRAY BE? Has 2020 won over your 2021 fashion? Will it be bleak as the previous year in comparison with the one of the chosen color of the year implies? It has been weeks since Pantone released the official Pantone Color of the Year for 2021. Have you checked your wardrobe yet…
Capsule wardrobe- What is it and is it for you?
Capsule wardrobes are “a collection of a few essential items of clothing that do not go out of fashion, such as skirts, trousers, and coats, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces.[1] according to Wikipedia. In short, it’s having a closet of only a few classic basics that you rotate. Veronica and I have different relationships with…
A Lesson: Learning the Five Types of Fabric
Most everyone knows what fabrics they typically feel most comfortable in, but do you know what the specific types of fabric are and what kinds to look for when shopping online to ensure your most comfortable fit? Well, I’m happy to share what I know! The two major types are woven and knit, but you…
Getting Back On Track With Self Care By Setting Small Goals
Getting back on track after a hard hit isn’t easy. Getting back on track after you slowly slide off over an extended period of time may be even harder. At least when you get hit once, you know you got knocked off track. I like to be as transparent as possible in the reality of…
Get up, Show Up & Be Present: A Guide To Being In The Moment During a Pandemic
If you didn’t know we had a YouTube page, now you know! Veronica and I took a couple minutes to chat through what we are doing during the COVID 19 pandemic to make sure we weren’t melting into a pile of oversized sweatshirts and pajama pants. Spoiler alert- we just decided on a good pair…
Wearing Stripes To Create Balance In Your Shape
To stripe or not to stripe that is the question. Or is it? If you look at the body as a whole then when it comes to wearing stripes the question is not if you should wear them but rather where you should wear them on your body. The goal is create a balanced silhouette. …
Exploring Winter Coats
By: Veronica Bessey It’s that season again and Winter coats are here to stay for a bit. As a fluffy girl I already have a little extra padding to keep me warm, so coats can be either a hinderance or act as light covering to add the last bit of pizazz to an outfit. Depending…
Personal Styling vs Image Consulting: What’s the difference?
I often get asked what it is that we do exactly and explaining personal styling and image consulting on their own is fairly easy, but discerning the differences between them can be a little tough. At TRUE, we do both + the added benefit of personal coaching. personal styling Both image consulting and personal styling…
How To: Mixing Prints & Patterns
In a year where it seems anything is possible- mixing prints seems a little easier of a task for people who have been intimidated by it previously. After all, if the snake print shoe fits- wear it to fight off whatever 2020 throws at you. I’ll start you off easy and then we can work…
How To Be A 9 to 5-er Fashionista
Let me guess your day: You wake up at 7 o’clock or maybe earlier. You brush your teeth. You go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for your family. You take a bath and afterward, you open your wardrobe. You can see black, white, grey, and navy pieces which are your usual corporate attire. You…
Styling A Skirt Four Ways
CASUAL My favorite thing in life is the unexpected. I personally work to learn things and be things that are naturally contradictory- soft and strong, warm and cool, intense and comforting- you get the idea. I’m naturally curious and love exploring the entire spectrum of most of life’s issues, so it’s no surprise that the…
Amy Cattaneo Interviews Co-Founder Elle Monus on her podcast
They’re just clothes right? Wrong! Your clothes can be a beautiful expression of who you truly are…if you let them be… And sometimes we need help with that…enter in my podcast guest, Elle Monus. In this episode, we will learn about how and why Elle started True Image Group and how her amazing company is helping…
Self Care & How It Affects Your Image
There’s a meme out that says, “self care isn’t chocolate and bubble baths, it’s creating a life you don’t have to feel like you need to escape from.” (Who knew we’d be blogging about memes in 2020- but here we are.) I posted it to my personal Facebook after feeling particularly empowered to take my…
Pantone Color Of The Year & How To Wear It
If you don’t know about Pantone, now you know. They put out a Color of the Year every year and eyes all over the world look to what they can do with it. Obviously for us, it should be how we can wear it. Although, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t scroll endlessly…
What Is Image Consulting & Why Is TRUE So Into It?
One of the most common questions around image consulting that we get is, “So… what do you do?”. I’ve always been pretty bad at answering it- I know, how did I even get here let alone run a business around it? I’d fumble through a list of synonyms always starting with, “Essentially we are a…
Vicky Wu Marketing Interviews Co-Founder Elle
Vicky and Elle sat down to chat about marketing and what that looks like for a small business, especially during COVID 19. To hear more of Vicky Wu Marketing’s podcasts, click here.
Realtor Kim Viscione Interviews Our Co-Founder Elle Monus
Kim: What made you decide to open this business? Elle Monus: I answer this question a little differently than I used to. I originally got into fashion because I grew up as a plus size girl with very few options in clothing. I joined an early stage startup that sold clothing subscription boxes to plus…
Traveling in comfort and style
Airports are a lawless land. Sandals with socks? Sure. Alcohol at 7 am? It’s five o’clock somewhere. Napping in public surrounded by thousands of people? Why not? These tips are focused mostly on air travel but will work well for travel by plane, train or car. We’ve traveled extensively and can give you all the…
Know Your Body Shape
Knowing your body shape is the foundation of finding your style. I’ll be writing up some posts on my philosophy around wearing what you want vs dressing in what is most “flattering” but if you want to follow the “rules”, I’ve got the formula. There are five basic body shapes: hourglass, straight, pear, apple and…
Shapewear: When & How To Wear It
It has been around for centuries but the same adage is true- you either love it… or you despise it. Shapewear- why? Everyone’s reason may be a bit different. I know my own personal reasons have changed a bit over the years, so let’s explore the why before we really dig into the how. At…