I’m so excited to share with you a book review of a book that I have read before and I just finished reading it for the second time.
If you love fashion, you will love this book. If you don’t really enjoy reading or thinking about fashion, but you want to look your best at all times, you will love this book!
A little backstory…
When I was a teen, I loved fashion and read everything I could get my hands on. I made many of my own clothes, so I spent a lot of time looking at patterns and studying different styles. At one time I had wanted to attend a school called Bauder Fashion College. I dreamed of being a fashion designer. But, that dream was short lived, as there was no way I could have ever been able to afford to go to a special school such as that. Which all in all, it really wasn’t the Lord’s plan for my life anyway. It didn’t stop me from always staying on top of fashion. Granted, as a pastor’s wife of small churches, I was fortunate to have a couple of outfits to work with. Over the years, I did the best I could on our budget to dress my family and myself.
I had recently reserved a spot on a cruise for my mom and I to travel to the Caribbean. This was a cruise with a group called, Cruise Chics. It is a group of Christian women who travel together. While on the cruise there would be workshops on the subject of fashion with my favorite Image Stylist, Shari Braendel.
I came down with a horrible cold/flu and didn’t think I should chance getting on the ship with a terrible cough. While I was resting and blowing my nose, I decided to read Shari’s book again. The information is so good; I just had to share it with you.
Several years ago, I had bought a book called, “Good Girls Don’t Have to Dress Bad” by Shari Braendel. I loved everything I read and called her up and asked her to come speak to the ladies of the church that I attended. She came and taught at a conference with our ladies. I loved it! She stayed in our home and what a treat she was. She was so much fun and such a godly woman. You can learn so much from women such as Shari.
Since that time, Shari’s book has been updated and the title has changed to, “Help Me, Jesus! I have nothing to wear!” I would encourage you to purchase this book and if you aren’t able to, hopefully, I can share enough to help you take a look at your fashion issues. I will just highlight her teachings and then if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to visit her site or maybe, just maybe, I can help out somehow. I will provide links to the various sites that will give you more information at the end of this post.
Are you ready? Here we go….
The first step is determining your body type. Shari has four categories that we will fit in. When you are in one of her workshops, Shari will ask you to think about where it is that you gain weight the most. For me, it’s my hips and thighs. Bummer…anyway, that makes me a D Body Type. If you gain in your tummy, you are a B body type. For those that gain up top, you are an O. For those that are evenly balanced and you gain evenly all over, you are an X. How easy is that! So, whatever you body type is, there are certain ways that you can dress that will balance you out so it doesn’t draw attention to those areas that you don’t want to “fluff” out. By the way, you don’t say “fat,” you use the word “fluff.” There are so many tips in this chapter; I’m thinking you need the book. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions and I will do my best to answer.
Once you have your body type figured out and what styles look best on you, you will learn that you have certain colors that work best on you. In learning how to determine this, you go by your hair, skin and eye color. There are six color groups; Light, Deep, Soft, Clear, Warm and Cool. I am a Soft. Here is a sample of the color swatches that are “my colors.”
Isn’t this fun? If you want to know what you color code is, Shari has a quiz that you can take that will help you determine what that is. You can also order your own swatches. These are great to take shopping with you to help in picking the correct colors.
Accessories!!! My Favorite! You will find a chart that helps you in learning how to have just the right amount of accessories.
The next chapter deals with undergarments! After you read this, you will understand why the correct fitting of undergarments are so important. It will change your world.
Shari will share with you how important the correct hairstyle, skin care and makeup are.
You will love the chapter devoted to the topic of finding the correct jeans. If you love jeans like I do, you will appreciate this chapter!
Towards the end of the book, Shari will give you your marching orders to hit the mall. There is an art to shopping. You don’t want to be an impulse shopper! You want to be organized and shop on purpose. You will then have a closet full of clothes that you love and can wear.
The last chapter in the book deals with my very favorite; Modesty! Whew, is anyone else so tired of seeing private parts popping out everywhere? Shari shares from her heart in a gentle but straightforward way of why and how to be discreet in our dress, but yet fashionable. It is possible. You can be Miss Fashion and still be modest. I’ll share an excerpt from Shari:
“Dressing modestly doesn’t mean being old fashioned and dressing puritan-like. What it does mean is having an attitude in dressing that reflects a respect for God, our self, and even the opposite sex. Yep, that’s it!”
One more:
“Modesty is learning how to take each style and make it respectful. Doing this will bring out the fashionista in all of you (and your daughters) by allowing you to be creative with your clothes.”
I hope that sparks a desire to dress in just your style of fashion and reflect who your Savior is at the same time. We didn’t even talk about the styles. You have a style personality and Shari has a name for each one. Can you guess which one you are? There is the Pure Natural, Classic Modern, Style Fashionista and the Creative Original. You will have fun finding which one you are!
Here are the links to the resources I mentioned:
Help Me, Jesus! I have nothing to wear! By Shari Braendel
Fashion Meets Faith (Shari’s site)
Analysis to determine your color code by Shari Braendel
Cruise Chics with Michele Harkins, Travel Agent
Linking my post up with A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
