Make yourself over
You don’t need a stylist to turn your wardrobe around. Take your cues from your favorite style icons and dream destinations and create a mood board for potential looks. Cover the bases — good underwear is the foundation of a good wardrobe — before you start with something experimental.
Instant makeovers are rare (unless you’re a reader of YStyle; then it happens practically every season). For readers who are hoping to make little changes in their appearance, there are budget-friendly ways to ease into a whole new look.
Body shapers are a girl’s best friend. The famously svelte Jamie Lee Curtis, who gained stardom when she was dubbed a sex symbol after her chest-baring role in ‘80s horror flick Prom Night, drew gasps when she announced on a talk show almost a decade ago that she wore Spanx. After her sexy turn in True Lies, playing a dowdy homemaker-turned-foxy spy to onscreen hubby Arnold Schwarzenneger, the actress revealed that her body wasn’t quite as — how did Sean Penn put it? — bodacious as audiences would like to believe. Her secret? Full-body Spanx. She would slip on the body shaper, which covered her from foot to chest, underneath a pair of form-fitting jeans or a slinky, floor-length sheath. I’d cut the feet out, she once announced to stunned viewers, and the whole thing would just suck in all the bad parts.
Even Emily Blunt needs some foundation undergarments when she’s hitting the red carpet. When the actress was being celebrated for her role on The Devil Wears Prada, she poured herself into a skintight Zac Posen frock. “I’m wearing Spanx underneath,” she quipped to the cameras.
Unfortunately for us, Spanx isn’t available locally. At least, not that I’m aware of. (If you know of a retailer selling it in
Use classy underwear. The era of the overexposed thong was over before it began. Christina Aguilera and her ilk don’t count. If you’re wearing something that clings to the body, keep the granny panties in the closet and purchase something like Commando’s thongs, which help you avoid that less-than-sexy muffin top effect. Available at Rustan’s, these sleek and stretchy undies don’t leave a line and don’t ride up. So you can safely pair them with your pleather pants (if you feel the need to rock out to hair bands from the ‘80s) without worrying about exposing your privates. Commando’s microfiber material is cut with a laser so it won’t fray and leaves nary a bump or line underneath the sheerest of materials. And the nude and deep nude hues work with almost every skin tone — it disappears under light fabric. “Well, we haven’t been able to get rid of war, hunger or poverty,” claims an O magazine writer, “but this very comfortable underwear has all but eradicated visible panty lines in our lifetime.”
Wear the right bra size. Statistics claim that almost 80 percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size. Signs that you are wearing the wrong size: you have back fat, your boobs are spilling out or look too low. Ask the underwear attendant to assist you in choosing the appropriate cup and band size. The straps shouldn’t be so tight that it leaves a mark. You should be able to fit two fingers comfortably under the strap. If you lose or gain a considerable amount of weight, you should also get yourself re-measured because your bra size changes along with your waistline.
Try some color. Whether on your wardrobe or on your hair, adding a new hue is sure to jazz up your look. Try some purple highlights if you’re feeling adventurous. (It’s more subtle than you think but always makes people look twice.) If you tend towards the more monochromatic ensemble, add a pop of coral or orange. Streamline your color palette if you tend to be all over the place, color-wise, with some easy-chic pieces like a gray cardigan or classic black, razor-sharp pencil skirt.
Turn crafty. Sometimes the cheapest way to get something is to make it yourself. For the rainy season, try knitting yourself something warm and cute. Take inspiration from the granny cardis decorating Nina Ricci’s resort collection, paired with whimsical florals, and meld something warm and fuzzy with something totally contemporary. Try embellishing old sandals with color (a good nail lacquer works!) and giving it new life.
Go green. You don’t need to start from scratch to get an extreme makeover. Recycle old clothes and take them to a tailor to keep them up-to-date. Hem a little too 2006? Snip a couple of inches off so it comes closer to Miu Miu’s skimpy, doll-like silhouette. Turn a shirt into a scarf by cutting off the sleeves and sewing them together. There are an infinite number of possibilities if you approach your closet with fresh eyes.
A cut above. You’ll be surprised how much difference a haircut makes. After living with a pony tail and hair in a constant state of confused layers, I turned to Jing Monis of Propaganda for a new ‘do. He cut it short, with layers that worked with my natural waves instead of against it. Over a year after that life-changing cut, people are still complimenting me on my hair. After I went short, I never looked back.
Try something new. Perhaps the key to making yourself over is opening yourself to new things. Whether it’s a new hairstyle or a new pant cut (watch out for a story on that next week), all it comes down to is opening yourself up to what the universe has to offer.
Unless, of course, said offer comes in the form of a hairstylist recommending a “new wave” mullet. In that case, stick to the tried and true.
