I Hate My...

Sunday, January 19, 2014

I believe that women are all beautiful. We come in different sizes and shapes which makes us unique. Unfortunately, our society tells us otherwise. The media bombards us with photos of the "perfect" woman. We must be thin....have long legs...a tiny waist...and a great derrière. But that's not real. Perfection is what people decide it should be, thus the reason why every culture has a different definition.

I've worked with women who have the most incredible bodies, with not an ounce of cellulite or an inch of fat anywhere! But still, they zone in on their "so called" imperfections and are unhappy with the way they look. It sounds crazy, but it's true. It's rare to find a woman who is genuinely happy with her body. Does she exist? I guess the saving grace is that we're all in this together.

So you're reading this blog, shaking your head and saying "yep, I get it", yet tomorrow you'll get dressed and scold yourself for gaining five pounds over the holidays. You'll hone in to the parts of your body that you don't like and beat yourself up. I know this to be true, because not only to do I see it with my clients, but I do it to myself.

How do we make changes? How do we learn to accept our bodies and work with what we have instead of fighting it? I don't have all the answers, but what I do know is that clothes can make a big difference in boosting self-esteem. When you can learn to highlight the parts of your body that you like (and I challenge you to find at least FIVE of them!!) and camouflage what you're not loving, you will start to feel better about yourself. I believe that clothes are a powerful yet under-utilized self-confidence tool.

Wear your best colors. Color makes such a huge difference in how you look and feel, and the right colors can instantly give you a fabulous glow. Don't settle on tones that are just "ok" for you. Take a peek inside your closet and make sure you're wearing colors that pop your eyes, work with your skin tone and make you feel happy.

Fit, fit, fit. I see so many women who want to cover their tummy so they opt for a loose baggy top. Remember that your body takes on the shape of your clothes! Go with styles that are fitted and made from structured materials that will hug your body and show off your curves without being tight or clingy. I also love a fabulous jacket for instant slimming power.

Bronzer is a girl's best friend. I love body bronzers--they can make arms look more toned, hide leg veins and show off a great décolletage. I like to mix cream bronzers with a moisturizing cream for the most natural and subtle look. This one happens to be one of my favorites Divine Legs

Jean therapy. The right pair of jeans is a key wardrobe essential. Choose a style, wash and line that works for your body type. If you struggle with the mid-section, check out the Not Your Daughter's line which has a high rise with lots of stretch and tummy control. Wearing amazing jeans will make you feel sexy and gorgeous.

Arm wrestle. Do you have a constant fight with your arms? This seems to be a common complaint with my middle aged clients. If you won't even consider wearing sleeveless tops try: 1. Sleeves...sounds obvious but look for stylish tops and dresses that have sleeves. 2. As mentioned above, bronzer can work wonders for evening out skin tone and creating a little glow. Some of my most "anti-sleeveless" clients will now show their arms if they wear a little bronzer 3. I love the chic look of a beautiful wrap of pashmina that not only covers the arms but looks chic and elegant at the same time. 4. Go for a sheer sleeve that will show skin but provide coverage at the same time.

Be strategic. This is not the bible, but as a general rule bright colors will draw attention and darker more muted tones will do the opposite. Pop color on the zones that you want to highlight and tone down the areas that you want to distract from. Prints can also be camouflaging, especially around the midsection.