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Fashionista and style maven Jacqui Stafford, who has appeared on countless shows, including "The Today Show", "Access Hollywood" and "Extra", has published a new book that will help take the mystery out of looking fabulous no matter what your size, budget or age. She sat down to talk with us about her book, style secrets and today’s hottest trends.
Examiner: What makes your book, "The Wow Factor: Insider Style Secrets for Every Body and Every Budget" different and better than what’s already out there?
Jacqui Stafford: I wanted to write a non-fashionista’s fashion book. There are enough gorgeously illustrated, lavish coffee table tomes about high-end fashion and style; I wanted to write something that every woman could relate to regardless of whether she’s a size two or 20, or if she has a large budget or not. One of the style tips I help women understand is that one of the fastest ways to look sensational is to ONLY wear what flatters your body shape – and nothing that doesn’t. To make it easy to get dressed, I came up with five specific silhouettes in the book: Lipstick, Cocktail Ring, Sunglasses, Fragrance Bottle and Heart Pendant – they’re body shapes that every woman can identify with. Get your body shape figured out, and you’ll be able to get dressed – and look amazing – within minutes.
Examiner: Tell us about your background and how you became an expert?
JS: I’ve worked as a style expert all over the world: London, Paris, Hong Kong and New York and I’ve gained all my experience from working with “real” women globally. Surprisingly, women are the same the world-over: many suffer from an acute lack of self-confidence and confusion about picking what works best for their body type. Plus, having written for, or worked for glossies like Vogue, Lucky, Marie Claire, and Shape, and styled countless “real women” make-overs on TV shows like "Today", I’ve learned all the insider secrets.
Examiner: What makes someone stylish, and does it have to be expensive to look chic?
JS: One of my secrets to style lies in simply adding accessories to the simplest of looks – and they honestly don’t have to be expensive accessories. Small touches – like adding an animal-print belt, a vibrant scarf or a bold cuff – make you instantly stand out from everyone else who doesn’t bother adding those finishing touches that can make all the difference.
Examiner: Tell us about some of your biggest style challenges?
JS: Clients who refuse to wear their right size. It breaks my heart when women insist on squeezing themselves into something two sizes too small. IGNORE THE SIZE IN THE LABEL. (I cut out labels on everything I hand to celebrities). Focus on finding your best FIT … because you will look slimmer if it fits properly, and isn’t stretched across the expanse of your butt!
Examiner: Any general advice for women, and does trendy work?
JS: Ignore impractical fashion trends and only wear what works for you. Period. If I could tell every woman on earth that, I’d be happy. You might feel you can get away with a butt-grazing mini, but if you don’t have the legs for it, don’t do it. Instead embrace high-fashion trends in size-resistant pieces, like bags, shoes or jewelry. Invest in classic, season-less pieces like a fabulous pair of jeans, a great fitting shirt, or gorgeously cut blazer and just add the trend pieces as accents.
Examiner: Tell us about some fashion trends we can wear now.
JS: Trends I’m loving right now: sheer layers (which look good on everyone), watercolor prints (fresh and vibrant for spring), sea-foam color which works for all skin tones, black/white combos are forever classic, and drawstring-style pajama pants, which sound hideous, but actually are insanely flattering.
Examiner: When and where can we get a hold of your new book, "The Wow Factor: Insider Style Secrets for Every Body and Every Budget?"
JS: My book debuted on Feb. 5, 2013 and can be found on amazon.com or everywhere books are sold, or www.jacquistafford.com. And, finally ladies to make a style statement everywhere, I have created a Limited Edition Kindle Cover to coincide with the launch of the book and it will be sold exclusively on amazon.com
Examiner: Best of luck to you Jacqui, and as an added bonus one of our lucky Examiner “readers/commenter/liker” of this article could WIN an autographed copy of The Wow Factor, which we will be tracking, so keep those “comment/likes” strutting along!
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