Catherine Montalbo Personal Image Consultant

My style has consisted of jeans and t-​shirts and the occasional dress shirt for my life. I once bought a nice suit for my best friends wedding. As I get older (and luckily make a little more money) and wish to update my style, I needed some help for an objective source. Catherine is super trust worthy, listens to what you are looking for, and gives you a number of options at different price points for all kinds of budgets. On top of all of that, she has excellent taste and is really personable.

Loved working with Catherine.
So far, we’ve worked on the things in my closet already. She helped me put together outfits that I love now, from clothes that I just wasn’t wearing. These got me through the interview process and relieved the stress of not knowing what to pull out.
Looking forward to the next step — having her help me buy for the ‘holes’ in my wardrobe!

One of my least favorite things to do is to go clothes shopping, because, until working with Catherine Montalbo, I really didn’t know what styles looked good on me and I needed a little help to break out of my clothing color and style rut. I tended to wear the same few items in my closet over and over until Catherine helped me to see beyond those items. She assessed my skin tone and hair color and did a thorough color match to determine which colors look best on me. She also determined which clothing styles look best on my body type. In addition, I had her do a «closet review» at my house, because I needed someone to really tell me the truth about which clothing items worked or didn’t work for me in my wardrobe. She helped me find great outfit combinations of clothing items that I already owned, but I couldn’t see them for myself. I think the biggest benefit I received as a result of these services is that it helped me branch out of my comfort zone with certain colors that I really love, but didn’t know if they looked nice on me or not. Now, I have the understanding and the tools to successfully shop for clothes. During the whole process, Catherine was very patient and kind, and gently helped me to understand which colors are not the most complimentary with my skin and hair color, and instead directed me to the more flattering colors. I’m really glad that I made this investment in myself. It has already saved me so much time and frustration, and money that I would have spent on more bad clothing choices.

Catherine Helped me love shopping again! She offers super practical tools like Style and Color Analyses so that when I do shop I can look at styles and colors that make the best sense for me. She has accompanied me on a number of shopping trips and help me feel oriented in world that became foreign after having children and gaining then loosing 25 pounds. I feel equipped to enter the big bad shopping mall to find the clothes that make me feel my best self. I highly recommend her!

I received Catherine’s services from my husband for Christmas. What a gift! She did a color analysis, closet assessment and took me shopping. Every step was incredibly helpful. Catherine listened and worked with what I was comfortable with getting rid of or buying. She gave me great advice that I could use. Getting dressed is so much easier now!

I went to Catherine for a body and style analysis. Over the years I’ve ended up with a closet full of clothes, some of which fit my body and style like they were meant for me and others that just leave me wondering what the heck I was thinking when I bought it. Catherine’s system analyzes your face, hair, coloring, shape and then creates a report and color swatch set which you can use to go shopping. I knew some colors looked good on me and some didn’t, that certain style clothing worked on me and others didn’t but with her report I had a consistent guideline. And the color swatch she gives you is the best little thing in the world. It’s a color fan you take with you when you go shopping. I love it. In a world of too many choices, little tools like this make all the difference in saving you time and eliminating unnecessary purchases that you either end of returning (if you have time) or leave hanging in your closet for years to come until you get over the guilt of how much you spent on it and give it away. We’ve all been there.

Why do I loathe pastels? Catherine helped me find out why in a custom color analysis. Often we avoid or are even repulsed by colors that are most unfavorable for us. What our best colors are can be a little harder to understand. Did you know that even if a color is neutral it may not the most favorable choice for you? Catherine never says that you can’t wear any specific colors. She just wants you to understand what looks best with your natural coloring. You get a very groovy little palette of colors to take around with you as you shop.
So, I got home with my little palette and went through my clothes to see how close it was to what I have. I was surprised to find that I did pretty well. It was nice to see. But it also helped me let go of some things that I loved the cut or fit or fabric but never ended up wearing. I realized that one of the reasons I may have not worn these items is because they weren’t great colors for me, but also because they were probably out of harmony with all the other things I have that I might have been trying to pair with it. When all of your clothes are harmonious its easier to throw them together into different outfits.
By the way, If there is a color that you love and doesn’t love you, Catherine can help you work it into some outfits and accessories so that works. Mustard isn’t in my palette, but it doesn’t look to bad with plum and olive right? Those colors I will keep closer to my face.

As a work-​at-​home-​mom of a 4-​year-​old, I had long fallen into a rut of yoga pants and black tops. Most of my pre-​baby clothes either just didn’t fit anymore, or didn’t fit the person I am becoming as my child and my business have both grown.
I was also sick of making bad choices when I shopped. I am a creative, artistic person, I grew up in a fashion-​focused family, and yet I could tell something was off with my «picker.» I kept bringing home pieces that I would later realize really just weren’t right.
I also have to confess I was once a huge fan of the show «What Not To Wear.»
So I decided it was time for me to have my own WNTW transformation.
I hired Catherine for the full-​menu of her services: color fan, body style assessment, closet assessment, and personal shopping.
The result? I love my colors. I love that I now know without a doubt what shapes and styles go best with my body and my face. Catherine taught me some simple and effective principles for matching items and making innovative choices. She put together outfits from my closet that I’d never considered, and granted an exciting new life to previously ignored or forgotten accessories. And she made me a clear list of what I needed to get next.
And the shopping! She pre-​shopped at my favorite store before our appointment; I ended up buying nearly everything she’d put on hold.
When I had my first meeting with a potential client, mere days after our shopping trip, I not only looked, but also FELT the part. And then I GOT the client!
Catherine always says, «Image doesn’t cost, it pays!» In my case, that has been completely true.
My friends and family are a little shocked, because they are not used to seeing me look good on a daily basis. But we’re all starting to get used to it. I’m even wearing dresses when I don’t have to impress anyone. Not that she turned me into someone I’m not. Rather, she helped me accentuate and enhance my creative, brilliant, kooky, Julie-​ness.

I’m a business consultant, and last November I had a meeting with a Silicon Valley mergers broker –serious money. So I met with Catherine Montalbo to bring my closet to the next level.
I had been wearing t-​shirts and 20 year old dress-​shoes under my suit to meetings. Catherine introduced me to collared shirts, proper footwear, and even ties I like. She showed me how to do it right and I rocked the meeting.
Since then Catherine has helped me get fantastic deals on tailored shirts, she led me to a great pair of wingtips, and she has made numerous style recommendations that I use whenever I’m getting my «professional» on for the day.
I think what makes Catherine so good is her passion for classy attire.
Now, when I walk into a room full of business, people say, «Nice suit!» …and it’s the same old suit I’ve had for 5 years. It’s the rest of the package that sets the suit apart.

I recently had Catherine Montalbo do a color analysis for me. Not only was Catherine extremely personable and professional, she was incredibly generous with her time. She answered my questions at length and not only analyzed my color, but spent a lot of time teaching me how to apply the results of the analysis. Together we went through my wardrobe identifying which pieces would flatter me most in terms of color, and how to work with pieces that weren’t as good for me. The color fan that she created for me is really beautiful. I carry it with me in my purse now so that I have it as a reference when I am out shopping. It has helped me make some great choices. AND, I’ve had more complements about my eyes… and how good I look since meeting with Catherine and following her color advice! I wish I had done this years ago! Thank you, Catherine!

Catherine told what to wear.
I wore it.
I get compliments everyday now on how I look.
Not just smart and funny anymore.

I met Catherine Montalbo through a mutual friend and became aware of her image consulting business through her website and blog. Considerations of style have always been at the bottom of my I-​care list. I’ve never been interested in trends or other people’s impressions of how I dress. But, though I do not yet know her well, I really like Catherine — I like her vivaciousness, intelligence, and sincerity. I began to read her blog — sporadically at first and then regularly — simply because I found it so entertaining. Oddly enough, I was also being slowly opened to another way of holding the idea of personal style.
So, guarded and with firm boundaries, I asked Catherine to help me prepare for a very important presentation. We set up a consultation appointment at my home. I half-​way expected her to try to put me in heels (yeah, right — ha), recommend clothing similar to her own wardrobe (which she looks fabulous in — but which would be a laughable mismatch for me), review my closet and insult my taste (diplomatically, of course), try to get me to spend money on wardrobe enhancements (not interested), or up-​sell me into using more of her services (I stopped holding my breath — no hard or soft sell came then or later). Instead, I got practical, very good advice on which items in my closet would give me the best professional appearance given my particular body type, desire for comfort, coloring, and personal taste. She listened closely to my priorities and deal-​breakers, gave me suggestions I had not thought of and which were perfectly aligned with my own tastes, and never tried to change my mind. I am a very confident woman. Even so, I was amazed at how much more secure I felt in my presentation outfit after she helped me put it together. Catherine is professional, creative, respectful, and very gifted. She’s also funny and engaging. I highly recommend her.

I retained Catherine to find outfits for a company weekend trip. I had to work and did not have time to shop for myself. I gave her a breif outline of my needs. She took measurements. We set an appointment to meet in San Francisco one week later. Catherine shopped ahead and when I arrived, she had 10 outfits for me to try on. I picked my four favorites, more than I needed…. They made me look terrific. She also helped me find shoes that would work with the outfits and when we rang it all up, the sales prices on some of the clothes offset her reasonable fee. I was done in 90 minutes. Catherine has an eye for style, understands body type differences and she listened to me. I had a great time on my weekend trip and received many compliments.

We all admire and turn heads when a person walks into a room and looks put together while still being real. I just wish I could be that person.. . All the time.
I was looking for feedback and advice my friends either didn’t know or wouldn’t tell me.. . And I got what I have been looking for. Catherine is a great advocate for her clients, because she wants them to become their best and present their best self. I know that Catherine hears me, when I say, «I’m really not into xyz». But I know she listens when her feedback is genuine and constructive.
Catherine asked me what my goals are and gave me useful tools that I can use forever. I feel like I have a resource that is not a one time makeover, but an education on how to build my wordrobe, use what I already have and use to guide my future shopping.
I’m better at walking into a room and presenting my best me, with the confidence that I look good and feel good.
I recommend Catherine as a consultant to my family and friends.

I had been afraid that an image consultant would simply tell me to dress according to what is «fashionable,» as though there were some list of trends everybody is supposed to keep up with. But Catherine had an strong intuitive sense of who I am inside, and all of her advice was perfect for who I am.
In our first session, she sampled the colors in my eyes, hair, and skin, and she choose about 50 or 60 color swatches for my clothing that match and complement my natural colors. She also gave me a description of my basic body shape that helped me understand how to choose clothing that accentuates the most positive aspects of my appearance and even helps me look younger. A few days later I got a small color key with all the swatches. I can take it shopping, which makes me feel sure that everything I buy will work for me.
In our second session, Catherine used my color key and fit analysis to go through my closet, helping me identify clothing that was either a poor color for me or didn’t fit me well. I was a little worried that she would advise me to throw out things I was attached to, but it was just the opposite. I kept thinking, «Yeah, I never loved that piece of clothing anyway but never really knew why.» Now, I feel completely confident that every article of clothing I own helps me look my best.
Finally, Catherine has helped me shop to fill in the gaps we identified during my closet analysis. I did some initial research as a starting point, and then she helped me make final decisions and definitely helped me avoid some mistakes.
This is an amazing service, the benefits of which I will reap the rest of my life.

I am still thinking about the time I spent with Catherine and pondering the various color choices in my color palette. I had a great time and it was great information. She worked with me first by analyzing my natural body colors in my hair, eyes and skin, and everything else followed from that. I am now confident that if I stay with those colors, I will always look great!

BRAD SENESAC: custom color analysis
Catherine is a very professional, ethical and talented woman. She is the only consultant I have chosen and trusted to spend time with and evaluate my clothing selections due to her high ethics and morals and standards of style. I had never done an image consultation before, but Catherine taught me combinations and colors that I had never thought of before for my coloration. She focuses on the main top line complimentary colors and that is definitely what I needed. It was great to learn and see the color selections, but even better to learn them with a person who did not make me feel uncomfortable or inferior. She was always pleasant and an absolute joy to work with. It goes without saying that I would not hesitate to recommend Catherine Montalbo to any individual needing a personal image consultant.