West Hartford Woman Makes 'You Enhanced' Her Business

Most women have had the day-to-day experience of staring at their vast wardrobes and, yet, thinking to themselves that they haven’t a thing to wear. Imagine the additional anxiety if you have a very special event, such as a job interview or a first date, and you still haven’t a clue how to put yourself together.

West Hartford resident Leslie Polgar, owner of You Enhanced, an image consulting business, wants to help you make a great first impression. No matter what the occasion, Polgar can help with clothes, make-up and hair so that you will look and feel your confident best.

“The reality is that most people are judged by their appearance in the first 15 seconds of meeting someone new. First impressions are everything. Everybody has great qualities, certainly mostly on the inside. I just get them through that first little barrier of impression and when it comes to dating and interviews it really makes a difference. My service is designed to work with women with their own wardrobe, their own style, their own features – just enhancing them,” states Polgar.

Polgar has been helping people improve their style for years. She has worked as a makeup artist since 2002, first with Lancôme and then freelancing at makeup shows and weddings. Over the years, her mother, sisters and nieces have enlisted her to assess their wardrobes with every season change.

She helps them cull their closets, putting together some go-to ensembles and having them take photos of each outfit so they won’t forget what goes with what. In 2005 Polgar became a realtor, in addition to her freelance makeup work. Yet it was apparent to her that her true passion was not so much selling property, but helping people sell themselves.

In January of this year, Polgar started her image consulting business, You Enhanced.

“My typical customer is someone who is going out on a date or an interview and needs to make a good impression. If they are not the type of person who normally puts a lot of effort into their looks – but they want to pursue something that is very important to them – I will come over and help them,“ remarks Polgar.

In the several months since she has been up and running, Polgar has been keeping herself busy. She attends college seminars, counseling soon-to-be graduates on how to dress appropriately for job interviews. She has been booked by businesses to help their employees adhere better to the company dress code.

She is also cultivating a devoted following of individuals who hire her to come to their homes or offices to help them prepare for their special events. While she will work with men by referral only, it is women who are predominately her customers and the vast majority of them are looking for Polgar’s help to get them ready for a first date.

Polgar compares these “first date sessions” to having a sister come over to your house to help you get ready. She begins each session by having the customer fill out a questionnaire about herself so that Polgar can intuit something about the individual’s style and personality. “I ask them what their favorite feature is about themselves – for instance a small waist, their legs or their hair. That way we can focus on that, make it pop, enhance it a little bit more and that will make them more confident.”

And what is the biggest mistake women make when dressing for a date? Polgar stresses that women should not dress for a date in the same clothes they would wear to work. “You should feel good in it and you should look good but there has to be a little sexy in there because you are not going to a meeting.”

She doesn’t, however, want people to think that her sole purpose is to make them look risqué. “I want them to know that I do take the classy approach. I won’t hike up their skirt and try to make them something they are not.” Instead, she says, “I’m about classy, pretty and playful.”

She emphasizes that these sessions, typically two hours, are not about high cost or high fashion. While she comes for her home visits with makeup and hair products, she works from the customer’s own wardrobe. She says that the two hours is more than enough time to create several looks.

If the customer isn’t pleased or comfortable, she allows extra time to come up with an acceptable solution. “In case they say ‘I’m really not feeling this,’ I’ll stay until they are happy.”

Polgar repeats often her belief that if you look good on the outside, your demeanor changes and you feel more confident about yourself. She has come up with an acronym that summarizes her new business venture: NICE – noticeable, industry-specific, classy, with effort. “You’ve got to play your part and create an image for what you are seeking.”