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I
tried the jacket on just to humor my husband. Last fall, on vacation
in San Francisco, we stepped into one of the dozens of tacky tourist
shops in Chinatown. There, amid the faux-Ming vases and the fake
bamboo furniture, was a rack of silk brocade jackets in overly
bright shades of gold and red and royal blue....
"Try
one on," Steve urged.
"Are you kidding?" I giggled. With my red hair and green eyes,
I couldn't look less like the Asian schoolgirls for whom such
jackets were originally designed. I was sure I would look positively
ridiculous.
"Come on," he prodded, "For me."
Well, I figured, it would be quicker to slip the jacket on and
off than to argue about why I didn't want to. I selected my size,
smiling like the good sport I like to think I am.
Surprise! The jacket looked fabulous. Turns out, the metallic
fabric that looked garish on the hanger shimmered subtly once
its draped across my chest. The princess seams down the front
were slimming and made me look a bit taller -always a plus, as
far as I'm concerned. And the mandarin collar framed my face just
so.
So I did what any woman with the sense God gave her would do:
I whipped out my credit card. And in the six months since, I've
worn my Chinese jacket at least a dozen times. Each time I put
it on, I feel sleek, sexy and glamorous. At our annual Hannuka
party, all my guests gushed over the jacket. After they left,
my husband gushed over me, making it a happy holiday, indeed.
In restaurants, my Chinese jacket turns more heads than the dessert
cart. And when I wore my souvenir-shop top to a gallery opening
recently, everyone from the curator to the artist's precocious
eight-year-old daughter told me I looked absolutely ravishing.
Like me, most women have something in their closets that make
them feel like a million bucks. For some, it's a special-occasion
outfit, for others, it's a day-in-day-out frock.
 Even
the most self-assured public figures rely on favorite outfits
or accessories to give them an extra energy jolt or ego boost:
Actress Donna Hanover says she feels great every time she slips
on her clear "Cinderella" shoes by Stuart Weitzman. "You need
a good pedicure to wear them," she concedes. "But it's worth it,
because they look great with everything." Emmy Award winner Susan
Lucci counts on a favorite black cashmere turtleneck to make her
feel comfortable and confident in casual settings. When it's time
for high glitz, she reaches into her closet for a Badgley Mischka
gown - which are clearly lucky for her, as that's whose design
she was wearing when she won her long-awaited award for portraying
Erica Kane of ABC's "All My Children." And Today Show money correspondent
Jean Chatzky says nothing makes her feel more terrific than a
Teenflo suit she bought early in the season. Well, make that two
suits. The khaki suit made her look so great she went back to
the store and bought the exact same suit in black.
So, if it's possible to feel that great in an outfit, why settle
for clothing that makes you look or feel less than terrific? It
really is possible - if you're willing to spend a bit more time
shopping, and to wear a few great outfits frequently rather than
stuffing your closet with near-misses - to leave the house feeling
like a million bucks every single day.
Here's
how to find the clothes that will make you feel fabulous:
Remember - a bargain is only a bargain if it makes you feel
fabulous: "I have learned to purchase only clothes that make
me feel great," says Ellen Rosenthal, a computer programmer in
Baltimore. "I figured this out about twelve years ago, when I
found a suit I loved, in a very unusual fabric. It was late August,
the suit was for autumn, and it was the only one on the rack in
my size - clearly, it wouldn't be around if I waited for the end-of-season
sale. It occurred to me that I would rather have this suit at
full price than three other outfits purchased on sale. Since then,
I only wear clothes that I love. There are fewer clothes hanging
in my closet, but the clothes I have all make me feel great."
Forget fashion - and focus on feeling fabulous: Of course,
you want to look stylish. But if you feel uncomfortable in this
year's trend, it'll show - and you won't look as confident and
attractive as we all want to. And ultimately, it's the vibe, not
the Vogue-worthiness that makes any woman stand out - especially
to men.
"It's been my experience that men cannot tell if a particular
outfit is in or out of fashion," says Donna Bader, an attorney.
"It's all about how it looks on me and makes me feel. They respond
to that - and that's one of my primary goals in selecting clothing."
Make it a double: If you find a suit, skirt or pair of
slacks you love, buy it in several colors. No one will notice
that the cut is identical.... they'll be too busy wondering why
you always look so good.
Break the mold: As my Chinese jacket proves, sometimes
it's the clothes you'd never consider that'll make you look and
feel your best. Ask an adventurous friend or lover to come shopping
with you and look with "fresh eyes." Or ask a store's personal
shopper (their services are usually free) to pick out some new
looks for you.
Make peace with your body: Get rid of clothes too small
to wear or so big they hide who you are. Resolve to shop and dress
in a way that shows off your current figure to its best advantage.
Never, ever buy anything that's too tight, telling yourself that
you'll just lose a couple of pounds. More often than not, it'll
just hang in your closet chastising you - and taking up space
better used on garments that celebrate the beauty of who you are
right now!
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Susan
Kleinman writes about health and women's issues, contributing
to many major magazines and websites. Her work has appeared in
leading publications including Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Woman's
Day and House Beautiful.com.
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