WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Most professional women complain of having a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. After spending $107 billion in 2010 on women's apparel (according to the NPD Group, Inc.), one would think working women would be turned out more fashionably than ever.

"Not even close," according to personal brand expert, speaker and chief stylist at Neels & Company Gretchen Neels. "Many, many executive women struggle to find clothing that fits their bodies, fits their budgets and is work-appropriate."

Whether one works in a corporate or business casual setting, Neels comes to the rescue with advice, tips and strategies in her illustrated e-book series, I Hate to Shop! But Still Want to Look Great. 

"If we agree that we each have a personal brand, then what we wear is our packaging and how we communicate with others is our marketing plan," says Neels. "Like it or not, we are all judged by the clothing we wear. As humans, we are programmed to assess others in an instant. It may once have been to determine friend or foe, but now it's whether someone is capable and qualified."

A former recruiter, Neels has been in the professional development arena since 1998. "I am passionate about helping professionals manage the image they present to the world. Many women undermine their careers by dressing like college girls or party girls. They relinquish their authority and power by not understanding the impact clothing has on first impressions and subsequent meetings. Unlike their male counterparts who don't question what's expected in terms of dress," explained Neels, "many women lose sight of the advantages dressing well provides." 

After delivering dozens of her Style Workshops to corporate and professional services clients, she realized that many attendees dressed poorly because they simply hated to shop. Neels, a former Nordstrom personal stylist, decided to share her tried-and-true strategies, such as:

Never shop aimlessly. Know what you're looking for. Never shop for more than three hours at a time. Never shop in more than three stores during a shopping trip. Always bring water and a snack or two. Cultivate relationships with the best sales associates. Fit is key, second only to quality. Dress for the body you have today. 

In addition to shopping strategies, Neels takes readers step-by-step to determine their body type (hourglass, rectangle, triangle or inverted triangle) and then provides the best styles for each silhouette.

Once the body type is established, selecting core neutrals based on hair color, eye color and skin tone is next. "The trick is determining if one's coloring is cool or warm. Cool neutrals include navy, gray and black. Warm neutrals include olive, brown and camel. Building a wardrobe around two core neutrals removes a lot of guesswork, making it infinitely easier to get dressed in the morning because all the pieces will work together."

The series is divided into the following four volumes:

I Hate to Shop Volume I: Corporate Environment Basics

This first volume covers the basics of dressing appropriately for women working in more conservative corporate environments, such as banking, lobbying firms, trade associations, consulting firms, law firms and legal departments at major companies.

I Hate to Shop Volume II: Corporate Environment Advanced

Going beyond the basics, this second volume focuses on how to add style and sophistication to your wardrobe. You'll discover the small details that make a big difference when it comes to dressing the part, conveying trust, authority and confidence.

I Hate to Shop Volume III: Business Casual Environment

If you or members of your team struggle with the very vague and imprecise term "business casual," this guide will be tremendously valuable.

I Hate to Shop Volume IV: Accessories

In this guide, we'll show you how easy it is to develop a signature style by adding the perfect embellishment to your outfits, making you stand out from the crowd.

The e-books are $12 each and are available at http://www.NeelsCompany.com/store.   

About Gretchen Neels:

As a sought-after speaker, author, workshop facilitator and coach, Gretchen helps professional women manage the image they project to the business world by way of verbal and non-verbal communication, wardrobe selection and etiquette training.
Web: http://www.NeelsCompany.com. 

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Personal Brand Expert Gretchen Neels Releases 'I Hate to Shop! But Still Want to Look Great' E-Book Series