Shine by Star Jones Reynolds Page B

floral halter dress in greens, pinks, and dark blues. The dress is my focal point, that’s my primary. If I choose green rhinestone and crystal shoes with gold heels, everyone will look at the shoes and miss the dress—and it’ll also be too trashy. So I’ll settle on plucking out one subdued color from the floral pattern—maybe plain green—and it’ll be pretty, but it won’t compete with my dress. You define what you want to be primary—your new strappy shoes, a new necklace, a brooch? Everything else should enhance and show it off—not do battle with it.
    Foundation Is All
    No matter who you are, what size body you have, or what you look like, always wear a good foundation under your fashion choices. Choose the good bra that lifts you up, a thong with a little tummy support or Spanx (or a similar support garment) to hold in your hips (they’re kind of like boy shorts or support pantyhose without the stockings). I don’t know anyone who doesn’t wear some sort of foundation.
    What Not to Wear
    Recently, a popular program called What Not to Wear hit our TV screens. It’s popular because it’s so negative and so true that it hits a nerve. Everyone should dress appropriately. For example, you wouldn’t wear a super-low-cut dress to a funeral or shining satin pants to a Little League game. You wouldn’t wear a backpack, headphones around your neck, a miniskirt that doesn’t clear your thighs, or heavy makeup to a job interview (facial piercing, especially tongue jewelry, or visible tattoos are definitely a no-no unless you’re interviewing for something very other than a Fortune 500 company). Don’t carry a leather purse to an animal rights meeting, and don’t wear clothes that don’t fit anywhere, even to your mom’s Thanksgiving dinner: spring for the extra few dollars to have your off-the-rack find tailored so it really is a find.
    Bottom line: if you’re not sure if something is appropriate, I’ll bet anything you’re sure of what’s not appropriate. Don’t wear it.
    Controversial Fashion
    Don’t be intimidated by those who disagree with your choices. For example, I get blasted by a certain group because I wear fur. That’s my choice. That’s the greatest part of being an American—you get to have choices. Don’t insist that I embrace the cause that’s true to you. I will die for your right to go out and protest and express your opinion, but you may not attack me physically or try to intimidate me into believing what you believe. You’ve every right to express your opinion, and I’ve every right to reject it.
    You know, I’ve seen members of a group attack me and others for wearing fur, while stepping over a homeless person without giving him a moment’s thought—let alone a buck.
    So, I will not insist you come down with me to deliver food to homebound AIDS patients with God’s Love We Deliver, and don’t you dare throw paint at me for wearing a fur coat or trust me; we’re going to have a problem. Don’t let this “chic chic foo foo” style thing fool you. I was raised in the Miller Homes housing projects and I don’t play.
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    Red Carpet Glamazons
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    T housands of years ago, in Asia Minor, women warriors called Amazons ruled the battlefield. They wielded spear and sword in defense of their children and motherland. The traditional image of the warrior Amazon woman was noble, courageous, intelligent, and above all, independent. The Amazons led their female armies into battle, they beat the guy warriors in archery and—a little known fact—they wore stunning tunics. The whole world bowed at theirfeet and tried to emulate their style. Did they walk on red carpets? Probably, at the victory balls.
    Today, we have very few Amazons. What we have are Glamazons. These women are the most powerful and beautiful in all of Hollywood. The whole world bows at their feet. We try to emulate their style.
    I’m an expert on Glamazons, and if you tuned in on Hollywood’s Oscar night,