Fashion expert Jacqui Stafford has one question for women: Do you have the wow factor?
She's talking about your fashion and over-all look. Does it say wow or…ow, I'm stuck in a rut?
Or maybe you're stuck in some bad habits such as you shun jeans and just wear leggings and skirts because it's just too tough to find the exact right fit.
Friend of this column Jacqui is the author of the must have fashion tome "The Wow Factor," out in February although you can preorder on Amazon.com. It's an amazing book that will revamp your fashion outlook, but we still have to wait a few weeks to get it.
What to do when you want the wow factor now? Well, you call Jacqui.
I caught up with the lovely Jacqui last week to talk about her book (more closer to her publication date), but I couldn't resist a quick series this week where Jacqui answers your most press fashion questions.
How can your hide your tummy? What should you do with your arms? Should you just boycott swimsuit season? How do you get that wow factor in your 2013 wardrobe?
Today, I asked her for a little preview of what's in her book focusing on a subject matter that most of us midlifers ask ourselves almost daily: What can I wear that hides my tummy? Losing belly fat comes from the right diet and trips to the gym, but it can also be accomplished through picking the right clothing. Or you can make the wrong choices and add 10 pounds without even realizing it.
Granted, some of us have the type of washboard abs that say, "I welcome those jeans that just came out of the dryer and don't sweat (literally) putting them on." Then there are others of us who find jean shopping to be akin to a root canal.
"The tummy is one of the most common problems and one of the most difficult areas for many women to tone up when they're over 40," Jacqui says. "I think that beyond going to the gym and a healthy diet, you need to us your clothing to work miracles.
How can you look slim (tummy wise) in your clothes?
Jacqui says there are a few simple rules.
HIDE YOUR TUMMY WITH THE RIGHT CLOTHING
"First of all, you should avoid certain type of clothing," Jacqui says. "Avoid pleats, pockets and ruffles.
"Look for clothing that's subtle in its draping or cut on a diagonal," she advises.
She says that you don't have to live in skirts or dresses that don't hug your stomach.
"Even if you don't love your stomach, you can wear pants. You can wear jeans at every age, too," Jacqui says.
"I've done so many TV segments about finding the perfect jeans," she says.
She says that you have to put a little sweat equity into it.
"You have to treat jean shopping like you're shopping for a bathing suit. You don't find a bathing suit in five minutes. It's the same thing with jeans. You have to try on tons and tons of brands to find your perfect pair.
"When you find your perfect pair, perhaps you can buy more than one," she says.
TOMORROW: Jacqui answers your fashion questions: Hate your upper arms in clothing? Who doesn't at this age? Do you have the right to bare arms in your favorite shirts? Or should you sleep in a shrug? Many tips on how to live with your arms of today and love them in the perfect clothing that's slimming and hides what you want to hide.
