Brenda Cooper - The Silhouette Solution: Using What You Have to Get the Look You Want

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The next time you purchase a new piece of clothing, take a moment to reflect upon the extraordinary number of people who contributed to the creation of your new garment. From the farmers, fabric weavers, pattern cutters, and sewers, to the dyers, buyers, and even the salesperson who may have sold you your garmentso many people played a part.

Its the same for a book. My dream of becoming an author would never have been possible without the support, extraordinary expertise, and collaboration of a group of brilliant minds. The result is the book you are holding right now. I am so grateful, appreciative, proud, and indebted to this teamand I am utterly delighted to acknowledge them.

To my dear friend and soul sister Marina Barone, for your unwavering friendship and emotional support. I am so grateful to you for your huge contribution and always being there by my side from inception to completion on this transformative journey. You are the best thinking partner a girl could ever ask for. I love you.

Thank you to my literary agent, Cassie Hanjian, for your awesome guidance, attention to detail, and coaching through the proposal and manuscript process. Thanks also to Caryn Karmatz Rudy, for so brilliantly taking over where Cassie left off. Thank you for your attentiveness and guidancealways listening to my thoughts and ideas with such patience, grace, and kindness.

To Suzanne Gosselin. What a delightful partnership. How you culled and edited 75,000 words with such freedom and ease I will never knowalways with a smile on your face and while being a mom to four beautiful, energetic young children.

To my friend Kathy Ver Eecke, for inviting me to join your writing workshop that led to the introduction to my agent Cassie, which in turn led to my dream, a book deal. I love how the pieces of the puzzle of life and a dream come together.

Thank you to my friend Professor Lorrie Ivas, for letting me sit in your fashion research library and flip through scores of vintage issues of Vogue and Harpers Bazaar for design inspiration. And to Chris Brempel and Randy Bruck, for your graphic design expertise on the icons. And Professor Jemi Armstrong, for being a wealth of knowledge and resource for everything fashion.

To Amanda Englander, for seeing my vision and bringing me to Clarkson Potter, and to Angelin Borsics, my editor, for leading the charge in shaping all the elements into a book that I am so, so proud of. To Jan Derevjanik, who deftly translated my vision into a gorgeous design. To my brilliant production editor, Terry Deal, and expert copy editor, Amelia Ayrelan Iuvino, for polishing my language and prose. And lastly, to Kim Tyner, whose perfect color proofing and production work resulted in the most gorgeous book that Im proud to share. You guys rock!

Finally, a very special thank-you to a bold, beautiful, brilliant woman and friend: Fran Drescher. You have been a contribution to others for decades and exemplify what it means to live out loud with passion, purpose, and humor. May you continue to be an example to us all! Thank you for recognizing my talent and choosing me to be your designer on The Nanny (the most fun job Ive ever had!). Your generous acknowledgment and support of my purpose, passion, and talent means the world to me.

RESOURCES

THE INNER CLOSET CHECKLIST TO FEELING YOUR BEST

THINGS TO CULTIVATE

Self-acceptance

Self-acknowledgment

Self-forgiveness

Self-gratitude

Self-love

Compassion

Inner joy

Being authentic

THINGS TO UPROOT

Comparisons to others

Self-judgment

Body shame

Limiting beliefs

Disempowering Should haves

The chase of perfection

Negative self-talk

A GUIDE TO SHAPEWEAR SUCCESS

The right shapewear can help you feel more confident. It can be a wonderful tool when wearing a special occasion dress or even for an everyday confidence booster. The purpose of shapewear is to minimize some curves and enhance others: to rearrange the real estate. If you want to give shapewear a try but dont know where to start, any of the following three shapers are attractive and get the job done.

FULL-BODY SLIMMER This full-body slip or body suit with a built-in bra provides full coverage so that your overall appearance is smoother.

HIGH-WAIST THIGH SHAPER These bicycle-style shorts smooth the thighs, create an hourglass look, support the rear, and pull in the tummy.

HIGH-WAIST HALF-SLIP SHAPER This piece does not contain a built-in bra but covers the stomach, hips, and thighs. It creates a smooth surface for your skirt or dress to slip over. It smooths the thighs, pulls in the tummy, and eliminates a muffin top.

SHAPEWEAR CHECKLIST

Make sure your shapewear fits correctly so youre not in for a day of discomfort and irritation. Heres my checklist to ensure the most comfortable fit.

COMPLETE SMOOTHING The shapewears purpose is to smooth your body completely. If your shapewear is not laying effortlessly, try a different size.

NO ROLLING Move around in your shapewear to make sure it does not roll up at the waist, leg, or hem.

NO PEEKING Make sure the shapewear is not visible under your garment, especially when you sit down.

NO-BUDGE WAIST The waist of the shaper should stay in place when you move around. Be sure to walk around and try sitting and standing to make sure the shaper doesnt slip down.

NON-BINDING LEGS When wearing a shaper with shorts, be sure it does not cut into your leg, which can be bad for your circulation and create a bulge that can be visible under pants and skirts.

COMFY CROTCH Make sure the crotch of your shapewear does not hang too low or ride too high, which will make you uncomfortable. Pull it on just like you would a pair of jeans and make sure the crotch is properly positioned as an undergarment would be.

NO DOWNSIZING Warning, going down a size in shapewear will not make you look smaller! Instead, you will look bigger. Shapewear comes in different control levels: light, moderate, firm, and extra firm. Choose your regular size in the shapewear and increase the control level for a slimmer look.

THE SILHOUETTE SOLUTION FIRST-AID KIT

When it comes to clothing, stuff happens! Fabric tears, buttons pop off. I expect such mishaps and always carry a fashion emergency tool kit to solve these problems on the spot. Put together your own kit to keep in your bag or take along on trips.

SAFETY PINS Helpful for many fashion emergencies, safety pins can fix a dropped hem, adjust an errant neckline, or even stand in for a missing button. I carry the small black variety for dark clothes and small silver or white ones for lighter colored clothing.

BLACK SHARPIE This little gem is great for covering scuff marks on black shoes or bleach spots on dark garments.

TRAVEL LINT ROLLER A mini lint brush is great to have on the go for removing hair, fluff, or debris that may have gathered on your garment.

QUICK-FIX SEWING KIT A tiny sewing kit that contains pre-threaded needles can be found at hotels and in drug stores. Use them to repair split seams, loose buttons, or dropped hems.

FASHION TAPE This clear double-sided tape in individual strips is an old Hollywood trick. Its a fast solution for when a pant, skirt, or jacket hem drops. It also comes in handy when a belt is too long and flopping or a blouse falls too far away from the body, exposing your bra. This tape attaches the fabric to the skin with no irritation.

DISPOSABLE UNDERARM PADS These peel-and-stick sweat pads are made to keep perspiration from leaving a mark on the interior of a blazer or blouse.