Just say NO!                                               Give it a GO!

Style Solution reader Laura asks:

Q: I have a beautiful suit (jacket and pants) by Perry Ellis. I bought it about six years ago. However, the jacket has shoulder pads. This is bad right? I don’t think they are really noticeable though. Also the pant has a high waist and a somewhat tapered leg. I could send you a picture if you wish. I would like your feedback!

A: Thank you for your question.  Shoulder pads in and of themselves are not necessarily bad. They can really help give shape to certain body types.  However, if they are large and can’t be removed, or are out of proporation to your body, they will look out of date.  My main concern is the pants which sound severely out of date.  We can do high waist, or tapered, but not both.  It is hard to say without seeing you in the suit, but just based on what you’ve told me, it sounds like it may be time to donate this suit to your favorite charity (mine is Women Helpig Women in Costa Mesa) and finding a new one.

In case you haven’t noticed, thigh high and over the knee boots are everywhere this fall.   I don’t know about you, but as soon as I hear “thigh high boots,” I think stripper, hooker, and all together trashy leg wear.  However, this fall, thigh high boots take on a new, almost sophisticated look and feel.

From skin tight thigh highs by Gucci and Rodarte (above) that act like leggings when paired with a mini dress…

…to the monochromatic over the knee boots from Gucci and Chloe (above) paired with the same colored opaque tights or pants to create a long, lean, line…

…to simple black over the knee boots worn with bare legs and soft, lose, girly dresses to avoid looking too sexy like these by Verrier and Isabel Marant.  Over the knee and thigh high boots can actually be cute, fashionable, and alluring without being too blatantly sexy this fall.  The key is to know whether you have great legs or not.  Such attention grabbing leg wear are not for the calf and thigh challenged.  If you carry your weight in your legs, take a pass on this trend.  However, if you’ve got great gams, embrace the boot and show off those legs of yours.

Balmain may have started the revival of the 80’s bold shoulder with that now infamous asymmetric military inspired jacket, but the fall ‘09 collection of Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga softened the shoulder to a much more user friendly version.  Gone were the space age, sci-fi shoulders we’ve seen in the past, leaving room for silhouette skimming crew neck tops and satin puff sleeved blouses.  Both were paired with exquisitely folded, soft knee length skirts for a completely feminine feel. 

If the 80’s flashback shoulder isn’t your thing, pair these beautiful Grecian draped skirts with yoked waistbands with a classic white blouse, solid fitted tee, or lacey camisole for a more classic aesthetic.  Either way, skirts like these are not to be missed this fall.

Any loyal follower of The Style Solution knows that I love it when stores and brands help a girl out and break things down by body type.  If you’ve ever been a bridesmaid, you’ll know just how important this is.  There is nothing worse than being so excited that your BFF is getting married and asked you to be a bridesmaid, only to have the horror of seeing what she’s picked out for bridesmaid and flower girl dresses.  All the other skinny bones Jones bridesmaids may easily fit into those little strapless numbers, but your large bust is not going to work in that tiny dress.

David’s Bridal has introduced a fabulous, body type index of all their dresses.  I love it.  You click on the body type that best describes you: full bust, curvy, petite, pear shaped, or boxy, then a list of dresses and separates appears that you can mix and match in different colors and styles to create your perfect look.  As a bride, you can tell your bridesmaids which color you want and then they can find a combo that works for them.  You will still have a uniform bridal party, but one that makes all of your bridesmaids shine because they feel good about the way they look and how they feel in their bridesmaids dresses.   

Your flower girls will look the part as well.  Mini me dresses are available in their size to make sure they feel like they are a uniform part of the wedding party as well.  Happy shopping!   

If you are looking for style and image advice that won’t cost you a fortune, you’re in luck.  I am now offering my Special Reports for a fraction of their printed price.  They regularly sell for $24, but you can download them today for $9.99.  Simply click the links below to order yours today.  I know you will find the information very useful and that it will help you look and feel your best.  Enjoy!

55 Ways to Slim Your Silhouette with Ease
This 32 page book gives you 55 easy ways to slim your silhouette today.  It includes tips on foundation garments, tailoring, fabrics, diverting attention, body types, proportion and balance, color, swimwear and more.  It is a great place to start if you want to look slimmer without surgery or fad diets.  It’s amazing how implementing these easy tips can instantly help create a slimmer silhouette.

Polishing Your Professional Image

By implementing the proven tips and guidelines in this book, women will feel more self confident, up to date, and put together.  The straightforward style, practical tips, and advice in these pages are easy to grasp and can be used immediately.  Every woman, regardless of size, shape, or age will be able to look more polished and professional.   

I continually tell my clients ”This may not be the body you want, but it’s the body you have.  So let’s make it look the absolute best we can.” 

All too often I hear women complain about not being tall enough, thin enough, young enough, big enough here, small enough there, etc.  They make excuses for not spending the time and money necessary to help them look and feel their best because they are not “perfect.” 

The truth is, we are never going to be perfect, and that’s ok.  That’s what makes us unique.  Life is too short to neglect yourself everyday wishing you were different than you are.  We can all look better, just as we are, if we spend a little time, money, and energy understanding which colors, styles, fabrics, and designs look best on us. 

Stop putting off looking and feeling fabulous another day because you are not perfect.  Make the most of what you’ve got, highlight your best areas, and forget the rest.  I assure you that whatever areas you are insecure about, most people won’t even notice.

Enjoy the body you are in today!

http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6001814/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6001814

Like everyone else in this tough economy, I’ve been taking a little break from shopping lately.  But as I’m off to an Oscar party tonight, the thought crossed my mind this morning to browse around online to see if I could find an affordable, cute dress to wear, instead of one of the old standards in my closet. 

I decided to take a look at Nordstrom.com and was pleasantly surprised to see that you can now search for dresses by body type.  Seeing as diagnosing client’s body types and offering style advice is my profession, I was so excited to see that they have classified all their dresses by body type to help the average shopper find a more suitable dress.  

While I didn’t agree with all their classifications, and I feel that they have left out two major body types (inverted triangle, and petites), in general, I think the average shopper would find the information and suggestions very helpful.  I love it when companies take their online stores one step further and look forward to sharing more style solutions with you as I find them.  Happy online shopping!

Like the rest of our nation, and the world, I am mesmerized by the significance of the inauguration of our new president, Barak Obama.  While I’m not going to get political on you, I do want to talk about how beautifully appropriate Michelle Obama always looks.

Finally we have a first lady that is more than just a wife.  A woman that is intelligent, accomplished on her own, beautiful, stylish, and not afraid of color or taking fashion risks.  A strong woman and mother, a graceful woman that is feminine, yet still conservatively appropriate in her clothing choices.   What a perfect example of a smart, intelligent, graceful, classy, stylish, woman over 40.  She always looks perfectly put together without looking pretentious.  I think every woman, but especially those over 40, have a new fashion icon.  One that isn’t the latest Hollywood celebrity, but one that sets an example for all women. 

Jewelry is a balancing act.  It’s all about size, scale, and proportion.  If you’re wearing huge earrings, skip the necklace and go for a fabulous bracelet or ring instead.  If you’ve got an exquisite necklace on, go small with the earrings and maybe just do a cocktail ring.  If an arm full of bracelets is your thing, counter balance them with fabulous earrings.  You get the idea.  You’re better off having one focal point, and one or two important pieces of jewelry than a smattering of small, meaningless pieces.   

You also want to keep scale in mind when choosing accessories.  If you are a very petite, small boned, 5 foot tall woman, you don’t want to over power yourself in a super wide cuff bracelet, or a very large, chunky necklace.  Your delicate features are going to need more delicate pieces.  Same goes with a very tall or large woman.  You will need accessories that are more substantial to look in proportion to your body.  If you put a very thin, delicate bracelet on your wrist, it will look ridiculously small compared to your larger limbs.  This is one of the most basic tips, but I’m telling you, most people don’t know it.