Avid Diva - teachings for your new life

The theme of the week is SURPRISES, and my question for you today is: how many different colors do you see in your wardrobe?  When I say colors, I don’t mean dark brown and chocolate brown.  I mean blue, green, purple….

One of the easiest ways to revive your wardrobe, and your outlook, is by getting something in a different color.  Get out of the white, black and brown uniform and buy a peach shirt.  Or try a purple cardigan.  Look at the fall previews on magazines, everyone is wearing purple. 

If you are afraid of a bold move, consider a scarf, a hat or a pair of shoes to get your feet wet, pun intended.  Get out there and do something different, and then, tell me all about it.  SURPRISE yourself, and everyone else, with that color.

How many times have you said “LOVE that look but I can’t afford it”.  First of all, take the negative thought out of your head.  If you LOVE a certain look, there are many ways to adapt it.  All you need is a little creativity.

So many times we see a picture on a magazine and we LOVE the “look”.  It is not necessarily one thing or accessory, it is the “look”.  Well then, the look is about putting things together in a way that feels good and makes you look even better.

Take that picture (or rip the page off the magazine) and figure out what you about it.  Is it the length, the color combination, the style?  Once you figure out what you like so much, go to your closet.  Is there anything in there that can help you achieve that look?  We sometimes forget that we have elements we might own and run to the stores, only to come home and figure out we already have several pieces.

If you can do it all from your closet, great.  If you need one or two pieces and you have the rest at home, you will have more money for those pieces.  Even if you own nothing that will help with that look, you do not have to shop for a particular brand or from a particular store.  If your budget allowed, this whole conversation would be pointless.  Since budget is a consideration, have you searched the internet?  Maybe even garage sales or tag sales?  You would be amazed at the things you can find.  Be sure to stick to your plan and to inspect the items you buy carefully.  Don’t go crazy and buy more items than you really need because they only cost you $3 each.

Another option is to go to that great department store and check their discount section.  Some times, pieces get ripped (and can be repaired easily or the zipper is broken, another easy fix) and they automatically set it up in the discount section.  In the end, you don’t have to buy the exact piece, you want to adapt the look to you and to your budget.

Whatever you decide to do, do not limit yourself by saying “I can’t afford it”.  If you want to look good, there is always a way.  And don’t forget, when you look good on the outside you are displaying how good you feel on the inside and that says it all.  LOVE your look, LOVE how you feel.

The subject of HONESTY has kept me wondering how to match fashion with HONESTY and then I remembered the discussion a few months ago, if women of a certain age should wear certain clothes.  The debate started when actress Helen Mirren was photographed in a red bikini.  She is 60 and I have to be HONEST:  if I look that good at 60 I am wearing a bikini.

So now the question becomes:  what is the magic formula to determine fashion for us DIVAS?  To me, it is not about age but about how you look in it.  If you are in good shape and your skirt is not all the way down to your knee, go ahead, if you are comfortable with the look.  If you are in great shape and you like bikinis, do it.  At the end of the day, whatever you feel comfortable wearing is ok by me.

I have seen women of a certain size rocking short skirts and they look great.  We are not talking micro minis here, I am talking about couple of inches above the knee.  I am also talking about women who have great self confidence and high self esteem and walk it like they own it.

My advice for today is simple:  make an HONEST assessment of what you look like, how you feel about yourself and what you want to wear.  If you feel good, you will show it and everyone will feel it when you walk by.  And keep in mind, if someone is talking behind your back about your fashion choice, it is their problem and not yours.  Be a DIVA, and wear fashion to your advantage.

The theme this week is DREAMS.  The picture included is of my DREAM dress.  It was designed a long time ago by my brother.  He is the best designer I ever met and he passed away before he fulfilled his DREAM of becoming a famous designer. 

I love many of those dresses.  I want to make them myself and wear them.  I will.  That is one of my DREAMS, and in a way, wearing my DREAM dress will make me feel like my brother is getting his big too.