Susan Jeffers’ book ‘Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway’ has truly inspired me in more ways then one.  Everyone needs some sort of bucket list!  Start with WEARING STRIPES.  So many people are afraid of stripes and this is the season to embrace them.  Believe me they are EVERYWHERE!

Many fear stripes thinking they make you look ‘wider’.. Ladies paahhhhleaze..this is a misconception.  The fashion industry can often mislead us into believing bazaaro dressing “rules” when really there is no such thing (shaking my head)..  Not to go off on a tangent BUT, I personally love curves on women, so sexy.  I promise I will tie this into stripes somehow, bare with me.

Everyone in their own mind has a vision of what they think is sexy.  Raise your hand if you have curves, whoop whoop!  I want to focus on my curve-o-licious girls, being a stylist I see so many of you shy away from the horizontal stripe because of your figure.

Everyone has at least one hot spot on their body whether it’s your legs or waist,  focus on drawing attention to those areas while  keeping things structured in other spots.  Curvy dressing may not be easy, but it’s do-able for sure!  Please don’t buy clothes too big or frumpy it tends to be less flattering then something a bit more fitted.  Focus on your personality and dressing for your shape, the body will fall into place.  A confident personality will always put you in front of your figure.  Also, make sure you have a good tailor to pinch and release where needed this always makes a huge difference in your appearance.

Lets start replacing the ‘F’ word with Fierce and Feminine, not Fat..  Focus ladies, focus!  Dress from the inside out!    “Plus size”, or as I like to call it curvy, does NOT mean overweight, don’t get it twisted that’s not what I am encouraging.

Check this article out – “Curvy women like a drug to men’s brains“..  Guess what’s floating their boat? H.I.P.S

According to the Prada design house in Milan “skinny is out, curvy is in” kicking some of their ‘pin-thin’ models to the curb.  Also on board is Mark Fast who choose several plus-size models to strut down the runway representing his collections despite what the press had to say.   Time will tell if this curvy trend will stick to these models hips or not.

Now back to the stripes.  Curvy women tend to look more flattering in darker, thicker stripes, thinner women = thinner stripes.  It’s all about the fit of the top or the dress not the stripe or the pattern that will compliment your shape.  Size 25 or 32, your clothes should skim your body, not look like sausage casing!  Don’t feel guilty wearing Spanx either — they are the natural, quick fix plastic surgery.  If it’s going to encourage you to put on a fitted, horizontal striped dress, then rock those Spanx!  Use bold colors and patterns on the parts you love about yourself, and the eye will be drawn to your favorite spot.

How I embrace the stripe trend – I personally love a black and white horizontal stripe top with a fitted cropped blazer complimenting the waist line, accentuating the hips and thighs.  Show some skin, but not too much.  Something with a v neck or an off the shoulder stripe piece will have your date dizzy!  I’m not saying you have to dress ‘G’ rated, but save the ‘R’ rated things for the second date or the bedroom.  My all time favorite is a fitted striped tee tucked into a wide leg jean and belt – bingo!

Listen, some days your wardrobes just won’t do it for you regardless – that’s where red lipstick and smokin’ hot pumps come into play.  Red lips and a solid pump will always make you feel sexy when your closet is not.

Cheers to women, cheers to owning your body – now go throw on some stripes, “Feel the Fear And Do It Anyway”.