Transforming Jo

10:44am Tuesday 8th April 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Maxine Gordon meets the York women helping you look good - with your clothes on.

TV stylist Gok Wan returns to our screens tonight on his mission to help the women of Britain feel better about their bodies.

In the first programme of a new series of How To Look Good Naked (Channel 4, 8pm), Gok takes works his magic on a set of identical twins, until the point where they are happy to strip off in an Oxford Street window.

Luckily for Jo Squires, of York, her complete body overhaul was a lot more discreet.

Jo, 58, a former social worker, has spent the past six months being transformed under the guidance of weight-loss expert Kerry Ellis and style consultant Linda Saxton.

She has lost three stones, shrinking from a size 22 to size 14, and with a new haircut, make-up and set of clothes, feels like a new woman.

"I feel like a different person. I like myself," said Jo, who has two grown-up children.

What's more, her transformation has helped get her marriage back on track after she and husband John separated last summer.

"He told me that I look stunning," said Jo, with a twinkle in her eye.

But it is not sentiment that is making her eyes glisten. Jo's skin is positively glowing and her eyes are clear and bright.

She puts it down to two things: the make-up lessons she has had from Linda, a former make-up artist and hairdresser, and a healthy-eating diet personalised for her by Kerry Ellis, at SureSlim in York.

SureSlim claims it offers a scientific approach to weight loss and good health. The company was set up 12 years ago and established in eight countries around the world. Clients start by having their blood tested and then follow a personalised diet plan.

"We help people understand their bodies and what they need to eat for weight control and health," says Kerry, SureSlim's rep in York. Kerry has tried the programme herself and lost one-and-a-half-stones, while her husband, Phil, has lost three stones.

She said a benefit of SureSlim was that clients ate real food. "People think it is going to involve pills, potions and drinks, but we only use everyday food," said Kerry.

Jo found the SureSlim diet easy to follow. From analysis of her blood, she was told to stop eating bread and reduce her alcohol intake. And she has started eating three meals a day, which has been key to her success, she said.

"I feel energised. I like getting up in the morning," said Jo, who suffers from chronic back and neck pain and cannot do much exercise. "People say to me that I am walking lighter. Before, I was walking like an old lady."

Like many people who lose weight, Jo had to face another problem: her baggy clothes.

"I started altering my size 22 clothes, but I really needed to buy some new ones," said Jo, who used to live in pull-on trousers, T-shirts and oversized shirts. "I'd go shopping and look for size 22 then just run my hand down the rack to find a smaller size."

Jo felt in desperate need of style advice, so Kerry put her in touch with Linda, whose makeover consultancy is called Dressence.

Linda offers a range of services, from wardrobe management and personal shopping to giving advice on the right colours to wear and the right styles to suit your body shape.

With Jo, she began by identifying her "wardrobe personality". There are five categories, ranging from a romantic' (someone who likes frilly, feminine clothes) to a natural' (someone outdoorsy, who likes no-fuss clothes) and a dramatic' (a woman who likes to make a statement).

Linda can direct clients to shops to suit their wardrobe personality. "For example, Coast would be ideal for a romantic', while Gap would be perfect for a natural'," she said. Jo was assessed as gamine', meaning she preferred plain, quality clothes to anything frilly or fancy.

Next comes a colour analysis, where Linda uses a series of shaded swatches to help identify the best tones for a client.

Jo proudly shows me a little booklet full of colour swatches. "It goes everywhere with me. It's my bible," she says.

After a workshop with Linda to help Jo identify her body shape and what style of clothes would suit her best, a shopping spree beckoned.

"I've never worn anything fitted before," said Jo. "It feels very exciting and liberating. I felt very trapped before."

Linda said she set up her business to help boost women's confidence. From next month, she will be running workshops from the SureSlim base at York Wellness Clinic, just off the A19 at Fulford, but will also meet clients at home.

Linda said: "With minimum effort and time you can make yourself feel good. All I do is help highlight and enhance what you have already got by helping you choose the right colours and shapes."

So ladies, you don't have to take your clothes off to have a good time, or to feel great about yourself. Gok Wan, take note.

* Find out more about SureSlim at SureSlim Wellness Clinic, 1 Forest Farm Business Park, Fulford, York, YO19 4RE. Tel: 01904 637118. Email: york@sureslimuk.co.uk/www.sureslimuk.com

The SureSlim programme, which lasts up to a year and involves regular one-to-one consultations, costs between £450 and £495.

* Contact Linda Saxton at Dressence, T: 0845 6520 856/ 07715 724 182. Email: linda@dressence.co.uk/www.dressence.co.uk

Colour and style consultations cost between £70 and £80 and hourly charges apply to personal shopping and wardrobe management.