MSP's Weekly Style Mission

What SYSters are Saying

Discover Your Signature Color

Remember the days of "Granimal" dressing where all your clothes mixed and matched? You simply put a giraffe shirt with the giraffe pant - and instantly you looked great! I've heard from many women jokingly wishing dressing was as easy as it was they where children, LOL! Unfortunately dressing well as a grown woman is often confusing and down right frustrating because now you not only need to "match" you are also trying to find the right size, fit and color.

However, what if I told you, you could dress almost as easy as matching a "giraffe" top with a "giraffe" pant?

Over the years of helping clients with their wardrobes I have come to see that most women's biggest dressing problem is either having the wardrobe of "Rainbow Brite" or the Wicked Witch of the West (all black)! That means their wardrobe all over the spectrum of color or boring as sin in all black. There is no cohesiveness to what colors they have chosen-the selection is random and chosen in haste. When they dress each day, they are frustrated and therefore don't effectively show their style!

When you buy a random (however, cute it may be) orange shirt (for example) and take it home to find something to go with it, you'll end up disappointed. Why? Because this orange blouse isn't part of a wardrobe plan- instead it ends up hanging in the closet unworn with tags on.

If you organize your wardrobe with a main color theme or "signature color" it makes dressing each morning easier and more streamlined.

A tank, sweater and necklace that color-coordinates makes dressing easier-and more stylish!

Relaxed Crochet Sweater Jacket

The secret to a terrific wardrobe is great fitting basics, but in colors that complement your skin, hair and eye coloring. I want you to discover your "signature" color and a couple of coordinating secondary colors so that everything in your closet mixes and matches nicely. This way you won't waste money on clothes in a myriad of colors; it'is much better to have a coordinating color plan instead! A coordinated wardrobe will save you time and money-and you'll be more stylish too!

Why look ordinary when you can look amazing with a coordinated wardrobe full of colors you love!

Coming Thursday in the Personal Profile sections-How to pick your colors and select a "signature color" (plus secondary colors) to coordinate for the most mix and match potential.  I'll give you complete lists of color coordinated wardrobe suggestions to help you plan your own wardrobe! So, if you are still not sure what your colors should be and need help planning a great wardrobe-this week's style help is for YOU!

Love, Leslie MSP                      

MSP's Weekly Style Mission

Dear SYSters,

I want you to feel style success in your wardrobe. And since I know many of you get a little "side-tracked" this week's Style Mission is for YOU! It is the best way to improve your style one babystep at a time.

This week's Style Mission is to concentrate on one (1) missing wardrobe item you still need.

For example, if it is a great fitting jean that still eludes you, this week you will go and search (and try on lots) of jeans-only jeans!. Ignore the cute blouses hanging nearby, stay away from the clearance table of sweaters, listen to MissusSmartyPants and stay focused!

By filling in the gaps of wardrobe basics, your wardrobe will become more stylish. Remember, it's the great fitting basics that are the glue of your wardrobe. Stay focused and your style will FLY!

Love, Leslie MSP

MSP's Style Poll

Dear SYSters, last week I forgot to report the results of the previous week's Style Poll. My fault, sorry about that. So, I'm back on track with the results from last week. Last week's Style poll question was "What is the best way to lengthen a short torso?" The correct answer is all of the above - -wear a low slug belt, wear a supportive bra, wear pants with a lower rise and avoid wide belts.

This week's Style Poll I'm asking you to tell me how I can help you best. Do you want more style help with your body type? Do you want to know what styles are "in" and which ones are "out of style"? You tell me.

What upcoming style topic would you like me to cover?

What styles are in, which ones are out

Retirement-chic style

Mom-chic style

How to dress a long/short waist

How to tell if clothes fit well

More makeup & hairstyle tips and help

If you have another style topic not listed here, simply email "style topic" to lookgreat@missussmartypants.com

What SYSters are Saying

MSP SYSter emails regarding "second-hand shopping"

Dear Leslie,

Thank you, THANK you for this week's personal profile article on
thrift store chic!  I shop thrift and consignment stores almost
exclusively, largely because that's all I can afford.  I enjoy
fashion, and like to read fashion magazines and watch shows like "What
Not to Wear" but the prices always give me the vapors.

A recent outfit in Style Watch, for instance, rang up a price
tag of $498 - excluding jewelry! And that was their "thrifty" version.
Not on my planet!

It is sooo refreshing to see how very attractive and well-turned out
someone can be who trolls the Goodwill racks too.  Thank you for
taking the time and energy required to show us your outfits.  I
drooled in envy over them all, but I really appreciated the tights
tip, and the light bulb went on with your outfit where you had layered
a tank and a jacket over your sheath dress.

Brilliant!  I've got a really nice sheath hanging in my closet, that'd
I'd bought for those ultra-rare LBD occasions in my life.  It was on
clearance and it fit beautifully - - but even so, I've felt annoyed
that I couldn't figure out how to wear it more often.  Now, I've got
at least three different ways to make it work for me, with items I
have right now in my closet.  It was inexpensive to begin with, but
now the cost per wear will drop to pennies!

I've found so many incredible finds at the Goodwill that it would take
a very long email to list them all, but a few of my bests are a 100%
wool full length dress coat for $4.  Ferragamo black buckle-flats for
$2, an incredibly thick and lush (it's brushed on the inside!) 100%
cashmere sweater for $1, and a pair of butterscotch high boots of
Italian make, never worn, for $8.  I Googled them when I got home and
discovered they retailed for well over $300!

My best "left it on the rack" find had to be this week.  A pair of
brand new (the soles were still clean) Coach suede boots for $8.99.  I
tried them on but they didn't fit me comfortably, so I left them to be
someone else's score.

One tip I have to pass on is that if I try on something and have to
spend more than 15 to 20 seconds trying to talk myself into it - I
don't buy it.  I've learned that if I don't get that "Ooh!" sensation
when I look in the mirror, to walk away, because I'm buying a mistake.

This doesn't include items that need a nip or tuck of tailoring or
hemming to work - this is about the overall impression.  If it doesn't
make you happy the instant it's on your body, it's probably never
going to make you happy.  Continue the search.

And on that note, thank you again for a fantastic article and a
wonderful service over all.

Happy hunting!
Tess M

Tess,

Thank you for your kind comments and helpful tips! I'm happy to share my outfit photos. I want to show you how you can have champagne style on a beer budget.

I decided if I showed pictures of my outfits, SYSters will see how I do it for myself for next to nothing. I'm all for doing whatever I can to help women save money and look fabulous at the same time!

Love, Leslie MSP

P. S. The photos from the recent style article "Fabulous, Affordable Wardrobe" (second-hand style) will remain posted for the next couple of weeks. So if you are new or haven't yet viewed them, there is still time to view and save this helpful article!

MSP,

I loved your article about the Thrift shopping.  Modeling your finds was an awesome way to present it and I loved seeing how you made certain articles work so many ways.  Love it, love it, love it!

Cindy

Dear Leslie,

I love the idea of doubling up on tights (pattern over solid)!

BTW - the berry colored sweater looks fabulous on you!

Love, D.

Dear MSP,

First, I just love you... I am so grateful that I can get up, dress to shoes, take my kids places and look and feel cute doing it!

Second, I know in general our bodies stay the same shape no matter our size. But, like our bras need to be fitted occasionally because "things" change, might our "things" change so much as to change our general body shape? I've been a B for over 2 years but while managing significant change in lots of areas of my life I have been eating emotionally (*still* Saving Dinner Lady, FlyLady and Ms. SmartyPants are the Millenium Superheroines in our home - I'll babystep back to healthy weight soon) and I've changes up several sizes. I can still follow the advice for hourglass B's camouflaging my waistline - but I wonder if the advice for some of the more bodacious shapes would help me dress for today. My worst situation is when sitting down I get a "muffin top" (ewww!) and my body skimming t-shirts can't hide it. Help!

I love the new article "A Fabulous, Affordable Wardrobe", it has never even occurred in my mind to layer tights. I have some fabulous new skirts that will look cute on my shape today, but I've been holding off to more appropriate weather, rather limiting my mix-n-match wardrobe! I live in California so it's easy to wear boots on rainy days, but sometimes I have an outfit in mind (or set out the night before) with flats or peep toe pumps, can we wear these shoes in rain? Can we wear tights in the rain? I feel dumb asking, hopefully I'm not the only person with the same question.

Sunshine Squishy SYSter,

Nicci 

Nicci,

Yes, you can wear tights in rainy weather; in fact they'd be fabulous. It's the peep toe shoes that won't work so well. Pair the layered tights with boots and you'll be styling in wet weather!

As far as the extra body clutter, you usually stay the same shape (not size) as you gain weight. In other words, if you gain in your tummy, that's where the extra weight goes. Or if you gain the hips and bum-that's the first place the extra weight goes. So, unless you are now in plus sizing, you are then a "fluffy" body type "B".

I'd love to see a picture of you wearing your new skirts, layered tights and boots!

Love, Leslie MSP

Leslie,

I went thrift shopping last week with a friend. First we hit Bargain Nook, a thrift shop that sells lots of Land's End stuff (I live in Wisconsin). I found a linen 3/4 length sleeve tan Land's End jacket that will be perfect for fall for around $6.00. Then we hit another "new" to me store in a little town down the road. Everything was 1/2 price that day. I found a pink wrap sweater from Croft and Barrel? (.50) a brown vest that zips up (it's cuter than it sounds) (.50) and a suit for my teenage daughter (1.00). She already wore the suit for a Forensics performance this week. And I received compliments on both the sweater and the vest. Yeah! What a fun shopping day.

Denise

Hi!

I love your passion for fashion, especially when you show photos of "real" people, yourself or other SYSters.  Makes me smile!  About thrift shopping... I think I'm addicted.  I have whole outfits from thrift stores. My favorite find is a leather purse.  I had seen it for $45 in Macy's while Christmas shopping for everyone else.  I decided which color I liked and thought "I'll come back."  Found it at Goodwill, the exact color I had chosen at Macy's, with the $45 tag still on, for $14.99.  Pricey for a thrift store, but it sure beats $45!

Thanks for all your encouragement,

Sandra

Hi Leslie,

I just wanted to say that your article on thrift shopping was well-timed!  Just this past Monday I went to my local Goodwill to update my wardrobe with my right colors.  I concentrated on sweaters and cute tops since those are the items I need to replace at the moment.  I lucked out and found a sweater from Coldwater Creek with the original tags still on,  a mock turtleneck from Ann Taylor that looked like new, and eleven (yes, eleven!) other tops in great condition and the right colors that make me feel like a new woman and will take me into spring.  I'm proud to say that throughout the shopping session, I paid attention to fit (I'm a petite B), style (to jazz up my wardrobe and transcend my comfort zone a bit), and price, resisting the temptation to purchase something just because it was ‘cheap'.  I spent all of $22.00 since they had a 50% off sale on women's long sleeved tops.  And when I got home, I put in that same Goodwill bag thirteen tops that I no longer use or will no longer wear because they drain my coloring so they can bless someone else. 

Thanks for all you do!

Veronica

If the bra supports, wear it!

Hi Leslie:  After reading last week's newsletter about getting the right fitting bra I finally went and got fitted for a bra.  I went from a 36B with slight padding with an extender on the back to a 42B with no padding.  It is so true that one should have the right fitting undergarment before buying clothes.  I wish I had done this years before but I gained 45 pounds after quitting smoking 6 years ago and the weight gain was so gradual.  My former bra was very very tight and the shoulder straps kept slipping off.  Now my bra feels so comfortable and it cost me $36.00.  Thank you.

Madge G

MSP,

I know you are always looking for new resources for fun basics. Well I found one.

A website called We Love Colors www.welovecolors.com they even have plus size small hole fishnets. Which is how I found them. I just wanted to share this neat website with any color I can imagine tights and leggings so you can share it with everyone else.

Stephanie

Thanks Steph! This site does have a fabulous selection of tights. I hope SYSters will try skin-toned micro fishnets with their spring dresses (instead of pantyhose). Oh, and don't forget this spring it's all about neutral toned shoes!

Love, Leslie MSP