PEOPLE are forming impressions of us everyday and most are based just on the way we look.

This was at the forefront of my mind when I first met Margaret Fleming.

Margaret runs the Image Practice from her home in Ipswich Road, Colchester, and helps a whole range of people, from new mums returning to work to business people, perfect their personal image.

Within minutes though, I had forgotten any self-consciousness about my appearance, which is admittedly a bit scruffy round the edges, as it is clear that the Image Practice is about giving people “the tools to make the differences themselves”.

I was expecting to be given a list of the latest must-haves this season, but reassuringly Margaret explained: “It’s not about do’s and dont’s, it’s about branding yourself to suit your personality and your desired image.

“Once you know your body and you know your personality, you don’t have to think about what you wear.

“Not noticing what you are wearing is proof of a good, consistent image.

“As soon as you are self-aware or regret putting on an item of clothing, your self-confidence is shaken.

“If you are comfortable in what you are wearing for a variety of situations throughout the day then you are dressing for the job.”

Dressing for the job is an important part of the business world, as Margaret herself has experienced.

She said: “The first time I had my image done, when I was starting out in business, it changed my self-confidence so drastically that within nine months I had been promoted and I was a manager within 18 months.”

But dressing for success in the office is not a purely female concern.

Margaret explained: “The industry has moved well beyond the idea that image is only a worry for women.

“Being self-confident is important for everyone. However, my male clients are often surprised at the huge array of alterations they’d never thought of that can be made in order to tweak their image.”

Being image conscious will always be fuelled by paparazzi images of celebrities and media attention to the way we look.

There’s no wonder mums returning to work might feel daunted when faced by daily images of supermodels being picked apart for ignoring the latest fashions or forgetting to wear make-up.

On the other hand, young girls are constantly bombarded with images of the “perfect” female figure to aspire to.

It is precisely these concerns that Margaret aims to rework.

The 56-year-old brings a new angle to the idea of body image.

“Gok Wan shows you how to look good naked. Margaret Fleming shows you how to look good all the time,” she said with a knowing smile.

She explained that being happy in yourself does not need to involve drastic cosmetic measures, as on television programmes like Ten Years Younger.

The results of more subtle changes can be just as effective.

Margaret said: “I often find it’s simply a matter of tweaking an appearance.

“It’s more gratifying when friends say ‘there’s something different about you,’ rather than being dumbstruck by a total transformation.

“Details, such as tailoring or the right amount of make-up, are the small changes that make a big difference.”

You might imagine that the woman who is able to advise people on how to feel great about themselves has never been short of confidence herself, but Margaret has had her fair share of battles with tragedy and confidence which puts her in a good position to help others in the same boat.

Last November, Margaret and her family were left devastated after her daughter Danielle, 27, died suddenly in a helicopter crash.

Danielle had her own brand management consultancy company and had met a client for an impromptu trip in the helicopter.

Mother and daughter were very close and had worked together on a marketing and branding workshop for small companies in Birmingham. They were planning another workshop before the accident.

Since then, Margaret has thrown herself into the Image Practice, both as a means of finding some normality in life again and because she realised that what she does can really improve the lives of others.

Although Margaret calls the changes she is making “tweaks” and “adjustments” it is clear that altering the way we look can have a huge impact on the way we feel.

Finding a way of tailoring our appearance to the way we would like to be perceived is one way of boosting our own view of ourselves and our capabilities.

Dressing to impress does not need to involve hours of grooming – just having the confidence to dress with conviction is the best way to get the perfect image.