Christian Image Consultant: My Journey to Becoming One

A one-year anniversary reflection of a Christian Image Consultant on preparation, identity, and what God was doing long before I understood it.

This story didn’t start on April 3rd of last year.

It started on February 28, 2020.

But I didn’t know that until much later.

The conference that planted a seed

In February of 2020, I was invited to attend a women’s conference as a shapewear expert. My friend Jennifer McAlexander — a Ruby Ribbon client of mine — was the speaker, and she asked me to come as a guest.

What I didn’t fully understand at the time was the full scope of what Jennifer did as a Christian Image Consultant. She worked with women on color and personal style in a way that went far deeper than I realized. After that event, I booked a virtual appointment with her for my own color and style analysis. And something quietly shifted in me.

Over the next four years, I stayed on the fringes. I attended webinars through a company called Style by Color. I bought the outfit planners and the programs. I hired Jennifer to come speak as an expert in my ladies community multiple times. She referred clients to me. I referred clients to her.

But I wasn’t all in. Not yet.

Because my identity was Ruby Ribbon. I was the number three seller in the entire company. I had built something real. I had made a promise to women — that they would never have to wear an uncomfortable bra again — and I meant it with everything in me.

Over the next four years, I stayed on the fringes. I attended webinars through a company called Style by Color. I bought the outfit planners and the programs. I hired Jennifer to come speak as an expert in my ladies community multiple times. She referred clients to me. I referred clients to her.

But I wasn’t all in. Not yet.

Because my identity was Ruby Ribbon. I was the number three seller in the entire company. I had built something real. I had made a promise to women — that they would never have to wear an uncomfortable bra again — and I meant it with everything in me.

I was loyal. Deeply loyal. Even when, as I would only later discover, the Ruby Ribbon pants I wore every single day were not doing my body shape any favors.

I was so committed to the brand that I couldn’t see what was right in front of me — including in my own mirror.

The line in my journal that changed everything

Every morning, I sit down to write in my journal. It’s my anchor. And for a long season, one line stayed the same day after day:

“I promote a star stylist.”

It was a declaration tied to my Ruby Ribbon work — the promotion I was building toward, the goal I was focused on.

But on April 3rd of last year, I felt something shift as I sat down to write. A clear and quiet prompt. Not audible, but unmistakable. And instead of what I had written so many times before, I wrote:

“I am a CIC — a Christian Image Consultant.”

The old declaration was gone. A new one had taken its place.

I paused. Stared at the words. And wrote right there in the margin:

Did You really say that, God?

Because it didn’t make sense yet. I wasn’t looking to change direction. Life was moving along fine. But I’ve learned that when God plants something, He doesn’t always explain it right away. Sometimes He just asks you to hold it — and trust that the why is coming.

The conversation I had to have — and the connection I didn’t expect

By May 20th, that April prompt had grown into something I couldn’t set aside. I knew I needed to pursue certification through Style by Color. And I knew that meant asking my husband for the tuition.

Ten thousand dollars.

If you’ve ever had to look across the table at your spouse and say, “I feel called to do this, and it costs ten grand” — you know that takes something. We asked every question worth asking. We prayed. We processed. And then we said yes.

I submitted my application — and here is where God’s quiet orchestration became impossible to miss.

The founder of Style by Color? She had been a Ruby Ribbon client of mine. She already knew me — not as a student, but as the woman who had helped her with shapewear and body confidence. When she saw my application and we connected for the interview, there was already a warmth there, a shared history.

Not everyone who applies is accepted. This wasn’t a formality. But we already had a connection, and she could see that this wasn’t someone discovering image consulting for the first time — this was someone who had been circling it for five years.

I was accepted that same day. And then she said, almost in passing:

“Oh, by the way — can you start tomorrow?”

Why I could say yes to “tomorrow”

Here’s what you need to know for that to land: I help care for my grandson Carson. Starting an intensive two-week training the very next day would have been nearly impossible under normal circumstances.

But the Friday before Mother’s Day weekend, our son had unexpectedly lost his job.

Which meant he was home. Which meant Carson was covered. Which meant I had a two-week window of complete flexibility that I could not have planned, arranged, or manufactured on my own.

That was not a coincidence. That was God, working in advance — moving pieces into place long before I could see the picture they were forming.

I was already on the other side when the news came

I completed the training. I launched my business. I began serving clients.

And then on June 25th, Ruby Ribbon announced it was closing.

I won’t pretend it didn’t hurt. I ugly-cried in my ladies group that night. Ruby Ribbon had been my identity for years. It was how I showed up, how I served, how I introduced myself. I was the woman who promised other women they’d never have to wear an uncomfortable bra again. Losing that felt like losing a piece of myself.

But here’s what I also knew by June 25th: I wasn’t starting over. I was already walking in what God had been preparing me for since at least February of 2020 — maybe longer.

He didn’t prepare me after the announcement. He was preparing me for years before it ever came.

And then He whispered one more thing

In July, God quietly nudged me again — this time about jewelry. Accessories are a foundational part of image consulting. The metals a woman wears, the necklace styles that work with her neckline and body shape — it all connects. So in July, I added Park Lane Jewelry to my work as a Christian Image Consultant.

One door closed. And God didn’t just open one new door — He opened two. And they fit together perfectly.

Curious how to style with accessories? Read more here.

Nothing was wasted. Not one piece.

• Five years on the fringes with Jennifer — preparation.
• The shapewear expertise I built with Ruby Ribbon — directly in the Style by Color curriculum.
• The connection with the founder — already established.
• Our son’s job loss — a window I didn’t know I’d need.
• The loyal years I gave to Ruby Ribbon — not wasted, just redirected.

Every single piece had a purpose. Even the ones that hurt.

What this means for you

Maybe you’re in your own season of transition. Your body has changed. Your life looks different than it did five years ago. You open your closet and feel stuck — like nothing fits who you are right now, because honestly, you’re still figuring out who that is.

If you have a love/hate relationship with your closet, learn about a capsule wardrobe!

As your Christian Image Consultant, I understand that more than you know. I wore the same brand’s pants for years without realizing they weren’t made for my shape. I was the style-adjacent woman who helped everyone else feel confident while quietly wondering if I’d ever feel that way myself.

Getting certified as a Christian Image Consultant didn’t just give me a business. It gave me my own style — for the first time in my life.

That’s what this work does. It’s not about trends or chasing youth. It’s about finally understanding your colors, your shape, and how to dress the woman you are right now — so you can walk into any room feeling like yourself.

Curious what a color analysis looks like? Watch here.

Come find me

If this story resonated with you, I’d love for you to come find me. I share style tips, color education, and behind-the-scenes content regularly — and there are some special anniversary offers coming that you won’t want to miss.

Follow along and join the conversation in Styled Sisters, my private community on Facebook:

Join Styled Sisters on Facebook

Or message me with the word COLOR to connect with your Christian Image Consultant and let’s start there. Because color is always where we begin — and it changes everything.

One year ago, a single line in my journal changed. I had no idea how many years God had already been writing this story. I’m so glad I finally said yes to the whole thing.