There is something about the Pygmalion and Cinderella stories that appeals to many women – the idea that with an expert in charge, one’s sartorial dilemmas can be reversed and perfectly honed style can emerge from  the scullery or steps of the Royal Opera House.  We can all identify the women who get the whole clothes thing right, but just how to achieve it for ourselves can be trickier to establish.

So it was with a real desire to learn that I went to the Minerva “Image and Impact” talk at the Landsdowne Club in March and the evening more than lived up to expectations.

Image consultant Fiona Ingham opened with a fascinating analysis of what looks right and wrong and, more unnervingly, just how powerful first impressions are.  She asked everyone to judge her – her job, home, hobbies and drink of choice – based solely on her appearance at the beginning of the presentation.  Fiona then bit-by-bit downgraded the outfit, changing everything from her jacket to her shoes, removing jewellery and make-up, until we saw a completely different woman from the stylish, sophisticated one of a few minutes previously.  When asked to judge again, we found our responses had shifted completely.  I was now starkly aware that if I go out in dull, please-ignore-me clothes, that’s exactly what will happen.

We then looked at colour – how it can enhance or overwhelm, complement or undermine.  Once again, Fiona demonstrated rather than lecturing, enabling us to absorb and apply the principles ourselves.  We saw on three volunteers of different age and colouring how the right colours seemed to bolster the image, tilting the impact towards natural authority and competence.  Next we learned about the imagery of clothes, from the suit equalling armour through to the contents of handbag being one’s entrails.  As Fiona produced a loo paper hanky and a chewed biro from her bag, a ripple of embarrassed laughter went round the room.

At the end Fiona touched on the six clothing personality types, from Dramatic (think Cher and Amy Winehouse) through to Marilyn Monroe-esque Romantic, and how you need to tone down your type if it really doesn’t suit your needs, but that you can’t deny it completely without looking as though you have stepped out in someone else’s clothes.

The hour and a half talk seemed to pass in a flash, as Fiona held our full attention with a combination of humour and immensely practical advice.  Afterwards we had a most enjoyable chance to mingle and chat over wine and particularly delicious canapés, before setting off filled with confidence and enthusiasm.