For someone 5'11" she's awesome! Of course, I could use 5 more
inches on my legs, LOL!!!

id agree dancer about the comfidense being all important and it be nice if we could all have profesional help in some way about being dressed.

How is that done?

Celtic,
We all see ourselves in the mirror not quite how we really look. For example:
My first times in a dance studio as an advanced dancer, I went home and cried because my body did not match those dancers that were ahead of me in technique. Before that, I thought I had a great body! I soon learned that there were much better looking dance bodies than mine and that if I wanted to be a "real," dancer I had better work pretty hard on the exercises I had put off.
When we dress, we think we can look "only so good." In fact, a professional can show us how to dress to play up our good points and play down those we'd rather not advertise. They can also correct our misconceptions. Example: I used to wear big clothing thinking I was bigger than I was. I was taught that I was, in fact, wearing larger sizes than I needed and that a fitting dress does not have to be tight. I was taught to play up my features and things like jewelry do not look good on me, the detract.

If we see photos of ourselves we are often shocked at how we look. This comes from not seeing ourselves honestly. We may have fine, fine legs and feel we have ugly ones because someone lied to us in our youth.

We may be able to wear a certain style very well that we have not tried yet because we never thought we could or look good in it! A pro will have you try it anyway and you can discover what, indeed, makes YOU look the best and what colors truly reflect who you are.

We must dress for who we are, and then we must dress in a way that causes us to respect ourselves so we can stand tall anywhere we are. A stylist helps us buy clothing we may not have thought of to refect our personality and shows us how to fit those clothes so that we feel comfortable in them and have no question as to their fit. No wiggling or pulling at them, no problems with them.

There is so much a professional can do in clothing us and they are in every good department store. We can ask them what they think and try what they say and if we can't afford it we can find the same style at a lessor price! We can use their knowledge to become more ourselves.

I have dressed many people and modeled for ten years. I have been put into clothing I NEVER would have picked for myself and found myself to look excellent in it. I have been taught to fit myself to a T so that my clothing does not grab too tight but does not hang on me either. No matter what I wear, I make sure it fits and can stand on it's own in any situation...

I am not a "jeans," person, for example, I am missing a set of ribs so pants can fit badly. I am more of a dress person. I did not know why pants did not fit me until I learned my waist was too long because of missing ribs. I did not know that for my height, my inseam was long, that made my legs longer than normal for my size. Knowing this helped me pick my own clothing better.

Little things about our bodies are seen by fitters and help in so many ways to level our comfort.

Dancer9

D9 -- what interesting advice. How do you actually find a stylist? Do you think the dept store stylists are snooty, or try to get you to spend more money? I've quit shopping in dept stores mostly, but I'm not sure the women in the boutique I like actually know how good the clothes look on me.

what happened to your ribs?

DJ, lol, I was BORN without the ribs... I guess the bible didn't hold true with my ribs, I've the number of a man's body!

You can go to a department store and ask to work with someone who has been there for a time, someone who is good with fitting and good with knowing the stock. You can say "I'm looking for Pants, or Dresses or anything," and they will find those items. Tell them your price range and give it a try where there are those items in that price range. They will have a senior staff member help you to keep your business even if you buy nothing or one thing. If you feel embarrassed about not buying anything, ask them to hold an item you liked on you and go out and find the cut for a lesser price! Let them throw clothing at you by the dozen, just try everything on and tell them if it fits or where it's tight, better yet, let them SEE. Don't be ashamed, they have seen bodies that are way HUGE, on rich women who are regular customers!

If you can afford to buy your favorite thing they brought you, ask them to call you every month, or whenever you like when they get something like it in. They all have diaries where they keep customers wants and numbers so they can make their commissions.

IF YOU FIND A RUDE PERSON:

Know it's a selling technique. One old way of selling was to insult the customer into PROVING they could buy something and to ack better than them to intimidate them. DON'T fall for this. If you stand up to them and snap back at them, they will drop the act in a SECOND. They are trained to do that if it does not work.
OR
Ask for another sales person and tell them this one was RUDE, and the next one will be warned to be kind.

Let them slave for you! They make the commission off your purchase no matter how small and sometimes they don't work on commission and are happy to try to out sell their peers! It's loads of fun for them to fit someone right, they love it!

They like the "Cinderella Story," and if you leave looking like you found the PERFECT item, they are truly happy if they are worth their salary.

Stand on up to them. They are paid to dress the way they do and most cannot afford the clothes they sell! If they do wear the clothing they sell, it's bought with a discount. Often they will say "I have this dress," and it's a lie!

Make their day, let them fit you and get creative, it's their true love if they have been doing it for a bit.

All of this is true if boutiques too, I am a boutique shopper for many items. REMEMBER: A department store has invested in dressing MANY people and have MANY lines and although you think everyone will have it, you will be wrong. Now, department stores only buy one or two in each size...

If your sales girl is someone who does not know her stuff, you'll have to befriend her and go to someone else, put her on your Christmas card list though! LOL.

Try it, it's fun!

I recommend:(in order,)
Nordstroms
A big Saks
Dillards,
and the hardest place to get help is
Neimans.
Barneys is sky high in only SOME things and they
are the best at fitting people.

If you like another store, I've been there, so just ask me.

Anthropology is made for shorter women who are about size 0 to 10 and are under 30. It may appear that they have a lot but some of it falls apart and most is ill fitting.

Dancer9


One well fitting outfit is worth 10 ill fitting, ill matched ones...

We have a Nordstrom's that I'll try one of these days. When I was job hunting I went there and tried on Armani dresses and suits, just to see how I'd look in a fabulous outfit. Wow. There was a thousand dollar suit that was gorgeous (it better be at that price) and I did what you suggest, found some cheaper but similar pants and a jacket. I never wear suits though.

My grandmother was a Gibson Girl model in the early 1900s. I'm not exactly sure if she did this, but back then, Gibson Girls had their ribs removed so they'd have those tiny waists. Can you imagine the conditions of surgery back then? Makes me wince to think about.

DJ,
There are many rumors of women removing their ribs for their bodies to look smaller but rarely was it ever done and rarely will a doctor agree to this surgery. It is a rumor that has been going a long, long time.

What a wonderful experience for your grandmother! Gibson Girls were considered wholesome and accepted by the public with grace! My own grandmother was a model as well. She did hats, furs and dresses. I have photos of her then and they are still fairly fresh! It's wild how clothes come and go! My older modeling photos still work now. I have some I did not too long ago and some that I did in my 20's and 30's and they all work. I keep some on my site and change them out at times.

Clothes come in and out and a classic is beautiful forever, like the Armani suit you tried. If you like Armani, you might try Theory. There are versions of each designer that are very good knock offs that are made well also.

I'm glad you tried the Armani suit! Everyone should try couture at least once to help them shop anywhere! Try Chanel next???

Dancer9

There is so much a professional can do in clothing us and they are in every good department store. We can ask them what they think and try what they say and if we can't afford it we can find the same style at a lessor price! We can use their knowledge to become more ourselves.


ID never of though of this in a millon years and i always refuse the help with the just looking attitude lol. Why! for goodness sake lol.

Dj asked the question i ment dancer as in how do we get profesional help.

thanks for the tips.

very welcome, Celtic,, let me know if you try it!

Dancer