Bristol woman launches unique style service

Finding that ultimate outfit on a credit-crunch budget is getting more and more challenging these days.

But one Bristol woman is fighting back against the recession and redundancy by giving women the chance to find the best look for them, at a fraction of the high street price.

Shaon Knapp, 47, of Brandon Hill, central Bristol, was made redundant when clothing chain Principles went into administration in early March.

But it has given her the time and opportunity to launch her own business as an image consultant, based in the centre of Bristol.

And she has even issued a challenge to celebrity style guru Gok Wan to come to Bristol and take her on in a battle to give women in the city a new image on a budget.

Shaon, who is a single parent with a teenage son, says her vision for Image Consultancy On A Shoestring, is to share her expertise and years of experience in helping others look and feel fantastic without having to spend a fortune.

She said: "I have a passionate belief that looking good results in feeling good, which is just what we all need in times like this.

"Just because the economy has taken a downturn it doesn't mean our wardrobes have to, so I'm not going to let this recession deter me.

"I want to reach out to women in the city who have probably had children and spent a lot of the last ten or 20 years running around after their families and have perhaps not thought about themselves very much.

"But I don't believe there is any reason for women not to look and feel their best, whether they are in their 30s or their 60s, without breaking the bank.

"I have always loved a bargain and thrive on looking good which invariably results in feeling good.

"Personally I feel uncomfortable boasting about designer labels. It's so unnecessary when the best look for all of us is one that enhances your best features and suits your lifestyle and personality."

Shaon says she can offer a unique service to women in Bristol who are lacking self confidence and feeling uninspired by what is in their wardrobe.

She is currently offering free initial consultations where she can establish the needs of her client, and she can use her keen eye for a bargain to help find the outfit they are looking for, whether it is for a job interview, a special occasion or a whole new look for summer.

Bunje Adedeji, 47, of Greenbank, said Shaon's advice has boosted her confidence at home as a mum, and in her job as head of Year 7 at Fairfield School.

She said: "I buy a lot of clothes but I never seem to be able to coordinate things well.

"Shaon was able to work with what I already had and I need to be confident in my job.

"If I feel confident in the way I look that is something which empowers me and that is what Shaon has helped me to achieve."

Another client, Kim Hicks, 50, of Great George Street, is an actress with two grown up sons. She said Shaon has been able to give her some invaluable advice about her wardrobe.

Kim, best known for her one-woman Jane Austen show, said: "The great thing about Shaon is that she has made me think about myself again.

"When you are bringing up children you don't really think much about yourself and how you look because you don't really have the time.

"So it is fabulous to be shown how to look and feel great again and pay attention to yourself.

"Shaon was able to make me see that I can make much more of the clothes I already have, which means you don't have to spend a fortune to look good."

For more information, call Shaon on 07812 168 185.