Amy E. Goodman - Wear This, Toss That!: Hundreds of Fashion and Beauty Swaps That Save Your Looks, Save Your Budget, and Save You Time

This book includes the authors opinions based on her research and experience, which reflect her independent judgment, formed without payment or expectation of payment from such companies. The author believes that information in this book is accurate as of the date of its first printing.

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses and prices at the time of first printing, neither the publisher, The Stonesong Press, LLC, or the author, assumes any responsibility for errors or for changes that occur after publication.

The author, The Stonesong Press, LLC, and the publisher specifically disclaim any liability, loss, or risk, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com

Copyright 2011 by Little Professor Productions, LLC, and
The Stonesong Press, LLC

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof
in any form whatsoever. For information address Atria Subsidiary Rights Department,
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Atria Books edition February 2011
A Stonesong Press Book

ATRIA BOOKS and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Photography by Stephen Sullivan
CHANEL product photos courtesy of CHANEL
Other photo credits are on page 198.
Spanx Swimsuit sizing chart courtesy of Spanx

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For
more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau
at 1-866-218-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com .

Designed by Vertigo Design NYC and produced by The Stonesong Press

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Goodman, Amy E.

WEAR THIS, TOSS THAT : Hundreds of Fashion and Beauty Swaps That Save Your
Looks, Save Your Budget, and Save You Time / Amy E. Goodman.

pages cm

1. Clothing and dress. 2. Womens clothing. 3. Fashion. 4. Beauty, Personal. I. Title.

TT507.G588 2011

646.404--dc22

2010047584

ISBN 978-1-4391-8441-7
ISBN 978-1-4391-8443-1 (ebook)

For my darling Fiona and Rowan
and the privilege of being your mom
my family, who holds me up to touch my
dreams, and Michael, my love

It costs us not to look our best. There, I said it. Thats the premise of my fashion philosophy. Every daybelieve it or notclothes can be a saving grace. Heres a case in point: Four months after giving birth to my first child, I had a job interview with a major womens magazine. The night before, I stood in front of the mirror. My tummy still popped, my breasts swelled full, and my softened body felt suspended between my full-term pregnancy clothes on one side of my closet and the now seemingly miniature pre-baby clothes on the other. (I mean, how did I zip up pants that currently stopped at my thighs? Weep.)

I needed clothes to deliver on so many levels: accommodate my new chest, rein in my new curvesand overcome my lack of confidence. My immediate need was professional, but I still wanted an outfit that could multitaskone that I could wear from the boardroom to lunch with the girls (and preferably breastfeed in later!).

My final selection was a V-neck wrap dress, which highlighted my waist, gave me a lovely hourglass figure, and kept the chest in check. The deep blue hue slimmed and a diamond pattern detracted from my tummy and made me less self-conscious instantly. Though I felt unsettled and uncharacteristically nervous as I walked into the interview thinking about my newborn, one of three interviewers said, She just had a baby! Doesnt she look fabulous?

I got an offer. This wasnt the first time fashion had saved me.

The bottom line is that we all need to look good. All the time.

WHEN WE DONT DRESS, IT COSTS US

• job opportunities
• positive first impressions
• respect
• confidence and self-worth
• dates
• dollarslots of dollars

We work hard for our money and then toss it away when we fail to wear what we have or buy things we really shouldnt. A rock-bottom price doesnt make a pukey color prettier, a tight-fitting gown looser, or a neon shade less bright.

Packing your closet with clothes you dont wear is equivalent to stocking your refrigerator with foods you dont eat. Sounds absurd, doesnt it?

Thinking of fashion and beauty in terms of value (aside from the price tag) can be complex: easy enough to digest in theory, though a little tough to get kicking in reality.

Why is this? Because closets, clothes, fashionfor most people theyre something to tackle another day. Until several days later (and several years later) you realize theres a lot you dont like about what youre wearing and you wonder how that happened.

Regardless of what life stage you find yourself in while reading this book (job seeker, newlywed, new mother, divorced, or retired), you need to get dressedand you need to look phenomenal.

You need fashion answers faster than pronto.

My mission is to help you regain control of your closet by simplifying the choices. I do this rack by rack, piece by piece. Almost instantly, youll learn what works, what doesnt, and why. Being able to reach into your closet every morning and emerge with options you love is liberating. It means that you have conquered this corner of your world, saving you time and money and affording you opportunities. When so often we dont have power over other areas of our liveswork, relationships, obligations, expectationsreclaiming your wardrobe is a gift you give back to yourself.

When I was younger, I was the kind of girl who enjoyed dressing up. Ive always appreciated what fashion has to offer. I was then and am now the one who overdresses for an occasion. As a regular contributor for shows like Today and The View, and with an editorial career in womens magazines, Im encouraged to be creative with my personal style and its acceptable for me to show up with a jeweled Indian bindi in the middle of my forehead simply because I think it rocks. Naturally, my friends write me off as the one who always looks put together because of my line of work. Butdare I saynot all magazine editors have style in the same way that not all bank executives dress conservatively.

Its precisely because I like to experiment and switch up what I wear that I have a problem with how we Americans dress. We seem to be obsessed with comfort clothes. Weve adopted the jeans-T-shirt-sneakers look as if it were a national uniform. While dressing down can be entirely stylish, sadly, we define comfort clothes as ill-fitting pants, shapeless shirts, and pleasedont even get me started on the sweats.