We’re continuing our “back-to-school” series. In my last post I asked, “What does back-to-school mean to you? Does it mean back-to-school clothes shopping?” We talked about the face that back to school can mean shopping with your kids to outfit them with new clothes for the school year. We also talked about updating our wardrobe at the same time. I gave you some guidelines of how to update your professional look for fall.

Another question I asked was, “Does it mean time for kid haircuts for school pictures or IDs?” Let’s talk about that for a minute. Sometimes busy moms tend to put the kids first and forget to take care of themselves. When was the last time we updated our look? The kids get groomed before they go back to school, so why not groom ourselves too?

Here are a few tips to update your look for fall:

> Color your hair: Try a new fall shade — coppers, reds, and warm brown tones are in. Get dramatic with your color, something that will make your clients take notice.

> Low Lights: Don’t want to be so dramatic, get a few low lights. Or tone your summer blonde with some fall highlights. Change is good. If you’re unsure start with a few subtle highlights.

> Cut your hair: Get a fringe in the front, angle your bob, texturize, frame your face, or cut off some length. Some of us feel like Sampson and think we will lose our strength if we cut our hair. This is not true. It’s OK to make a change. You’ll still be the strong empowered woman you always were. Take the plunge, it’s time!

> Makeover: Ask one of your coworkers to do a makeover on you. Stylists are always providing makeovers for their clients, why not do one for one of their fellow employees? Simply ask. As stylists they always have ideas of how they would like to see your hair.

> Polish your nails: Part of updating your look is also updating your nails. Try one of the new colors from OPI’s Germany collection or Dark Lava by Shellac. When our clients see the new color on us, they get a better idea of what might look good on them. This also helps us to sell retail. When we wear the new colors, our guests see it and the polish sells itself.

> Makeup: Don’t forget to update your makeup. Your hair color or skin tone may have changed. I’m guessing the summer pink lipstick won’t go with our new copper highlights. Our summer bronze may have faded as well. Time to check our foundation color.

> Referral Tip: Trade services with a stylist and refer to each other. Have your hair done by a stylist and polish their nails for them. Clients will ask, “Who colored and cut your hair?” Refer clients to the stylist that gave you your new look. Clients will also ask the stylist, “What color is on your nails?” The stylist can respond, “It’s Danke Shiny Red, Sandy gave me a manicure. She can put this color on you too. Do you want me to check when she is available for a manicure?” This is a great way to get referrals and get your work seen.

Remember when we change our look our guests see it and it encourages them to change their look too. Inspire them! Getting a back-to-school updated look for you — one more way to help you stand out above the rest and become the BEST!

— Jill