What are the secrets to living great through looking great?
In my book, Stephany’s Style Secrets: 7 Steps to Live and Dress Your Best, I use my 20 years of expertise as a Fashion Designer for Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, The NBA and The NFL, to mentor, educate, and teach anyone how to look their best, and more importantly…how to live their best. In chapters such as, Flatter Your Figure, Forget Your Flaws and Life Without A Mirror I dig deep and “keep it real”! Instead of guarding my time-tested style secrets, I reveal my secrets to help you style yourself like a celebrity, live your best life, and love the real you, from the inside out.
Great style is far more than skin deep. To me, fashion is trendy, but style is forever. I take an organic approach to style. In my opinion you can’t really look great until you feel great. Instead of demeaning you with criticism, I would rather empower you with compassionate advice that enhances your inner and outer beauty, and shows you how to love the ‘flaws’ you used to hate. Mirrors may tell us something every time we use them, but they don’t have to be our judge. If mirrors didn’t exist, what would life be like?
Well, then we should also ask ourselves, what can be taught –vs- what comes naturally?
Does great style come naturally, or can it be taught or learned? I believe every human being on earth has the capability to see themselves in their best light, and they’re equipped with the power to make it a reality. Have you ever noticed that babies smile naturally? Are babies born with low self-esteem? Nope. Low self-esteem is learned behavior. We hear negative criticism and for some reason, by the time we’re in elementary school, we start making the mistake of believing it.
Fabrics speak to me.
They tell me what they should be. I close my eyes to see what my vision wants to see, and I also predict trends about 1-2 years before they happen. But it wasn’t always that way. My first job in the fashion industry was as an Assistant Designer to two Designers at Calvin Klein. I used to marvel at how they knew which trends would be hits season after sold out season. Eventually I learned their secret. Watch everything! What kind of cell phone do you have? You probably love the lines. Why do you like your favorite perfume? What do you like about your sofa? Where do you see your favorite colors? Look everywhere.
If you love pink (the way I do), the next time you’re sick, notice the sweet shade of pink in a trusty bottle of Pepto Bismol. When you take your kids to the circus, see the beautiful pastel shade of pink in the cotton candy, or a pack of bubble gum. Now, twist it around and do the same with your wardrobe. For example, do you have a grey sweater that has tiny thread of pink hidden in it? Pair it up with a grey pair of pants, a pink neck scarf, and a subtle touch of pink eye shadow, and watch yourself pop in pink!
I just saw the newly released documentary film, Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel.
It’s a gloriously entertaining movie, based on the life of the infamous Harpers Bazaar and Vogue Magazine Editor in Chief, Diana Vreeland. Diana and I agree, to notice style, to live with style, to be stylish, and to live a great life, one’s eyes must never sleep. See it in theaters now. http://www.dianavreeland-film.com/ Compare your view of the film to my review in my next blog.
My 7 Steps will show you how to live life without a mirror! In my next blog, I’ll explore Chapter One: Love Yourself No Matter What. Check out a sample of my book, or purchase it here. http://stephanysstylesecrets.com/
Read more posts by Stephany Greene here. Stephany is a contributing blogger for JenningsWire.