How to Not look like a Mom...or a schizo for that matter of fact

I recollect a moment that occurred my sophmore year at Michigan State University. My girlfriends and I were hanging out at Xina's dorm (well that was her alias) one Friday night watching a CSI marathon when her almost always absent roommate came barging in. In the dark she scouraged for a sexy party outfit. I watched her grab her clothes with such confidence as she knew exactly what look she was going for. Now mind you, she just broke up with a very irresponsible yet long-term boyfriend, so I believed  her strategy was to create a look that would attract the perfect rebound.

She assembled her findings, first the jeans, then the glittery tank, then the cardigan and the chunky shoes, looked at herself in the mirror, cocked her newly styled bob and yelped:

"I LOOK LIKE A MOMMMM"

I would never diss that moms don't look fabulous. But looking like any kind of Mom is not going to make that once honey of yours jealous. In fact, he might ask you to do a load of his laundry.

This brings me to my point-the perfect closet, is where we can just dip a hand into our wardrobe and come out with a flawless outfit, ripe for the occasion. It would be sublime, it would be immaculate and best of all...

It would look effortless.

Believe it or not, this dream could be lurking inside your current attire.

Maybe if Xina's tragically dressed roommate kept her tank, but lost the sweater and the faded jeans, added a pencil skirt, a flirty heel and some drop earrings, it wouldn't necessarily guarantee a Saturday night date but I'm sure it would have made her feel a Hella lot sexier.

So How do we achieve this?
There is no exact science. In fact, I say go with your gut. Then, add a little curiorsity and a whole lot of courage.

But here are also some guidelines that can give you a jumpstart:

If you are tired of your look:
So you always look like you belong in a J.Crew catalog and would like to be a bit edgier, just take a piece you would normally wear, like a pair of loose-fit black trousers, and take them to a tailor and get them altered into a pair or trim, no-nonsense skinny pants. Even if everything else stays the same, it'll change your whole look. The point is it's all in the silhouette, the proportions. Just simply by mixing proportions (bulking sweaters with leggings, baggy pants with skinny tees and a structured handbag) within your own closet, you can achieve a whole new look.

If you feel like you are never trendy enough:
Forget trends, what you want is to look modern. Modern is that 'je ne sais quoi.'
It's not "oh sequined tops are in, so that girl is wearing one so that must make her trendy." No, no, no, no, no, modern is what turns heads and is new yet old. And that's how you achieve modern, mix decades, add vintage, wear new trends in unexpected ways. For example, take the uber trendy shiny leggings, pair it with a breezy peasant top that was everywhere 6 years back and a classic pair of black pumps and now you have a very modern and confident look. Top it with a timeless bomber jacket when it's chilly outside.

An easy outfit to copy and change to fit your unique style

You feel You Have NO Style:
Pshaw! There is not such think as someone with no style. Everyone has style. The monk on my plane this morning had style. He paired his gray robe with the same exact shade of gray North Face puffer jacket to finish his monochromatic getup. Whatever your reason is, you may either have to TOSS a lot of what you have or you may have to go shop, Shop, SHOP.
Luck you! BUT! Before you even think about it, don't you even dare! I've seen too many girls just go mad bonkers at the mall, running into any store, buying whatever was on the mannequins and desperatley hoping all those $$$$ would translate into some kind of style. Instead, they looked a little... schizo...Instead, start off simple with the pieces you do have, ask yourself is it age appropriate? lifestyle appropriate? Or maybe it's just too damn appropriate (sometimes I hate nothing more than looking too appropriate.) Next, you must make yourself a student of style. Be it's apprentice, the fact you are reading this blog is a good start and must mean you are serious! Ask a trusted friend whose style you greatly admire to go shopping with you. Buy only a few pieces at a time, take them home, look at yourself in them at different angles, smile, be picky of the clothing but be kind to yoursef and Repeat.

You may think you have no Style Now, but wait, be patient, be good to yourself and before you know it, all those cute guys at that Friday night party may think you have Fantastic style and would like an encore at tomorrow's dinner.