SAHM "What Not to Wear" Party

I had a party this weekend with 12 of my friends. I called it a "What Not to Wear on a SAHM Budget". Had 12 friends over and we ate and talked fashion all night. My teacher side certainly came out as I administered a "quiz", entitled "Are you a fashion disaster?" and folders prepared with information on my favorite stores, websites, wardrobe must-haves etc. So much fun. I had some outfits hung around the room along with accessories and things for people to discuss or even try on.

Having never done this before I had no idea what to expect. Although it went well and everyone seemed to have a good time and I received great feed-back, I felt that 12 people was too many to really focus on certain concerns and questions. Everyone has their own individual hang-ups about their body and everyone is a WOMAN...so what happens when 12 women are in a room?....a lot of talking all at once! So I think when I do this again I will cut the size in 1/2.

Some of my friends even brought some of their own clothing and/or shoes to show me. (I was surprised, and mostly not in a good way, at some of the things that people think are cute or fashionable.) What really shocked me is that a lot of women are wearing clothes that are the wrong size...too big in many cases! (Now, if I were hosting this party where I grew up in Florida I think I would have said the opposite.) You must dress to flatter the body that you have right now. The one with the "baby belly"..."heavy thighs"...."flapping under arms". There are ways to camouflage the parts of the body that you don't like while flattering your good parts. You can look good, fashionable, cute, sexy and FEEL that way too if you know how to dress your body. Some ladies need a little (or a lot) help in that area.

At some point I felt like shouting, "What is the deal with all the neutral and solid BORING clothes? Let's get some pattern, texture and print going on! Not necessarily in a shirt or a pant but maybe in a shoe or a bag!???! Let's JAZZ it UP ladies!!!" I think I brought it up a little more tactfully at the party, but you get the point. I am somewhat passionate about my accessories.

Some women hate to shop (I can't even IMAGINE this feeling). But seriously, just because you have a baby, twins, 2 or 3 kids under the age of 3....etc, does not mean that you should give up on yourself! Common ladies, let's stop wearing those "comfortable" sweatpants and geriatric-looking shoes to the grocery store/mall/pre-school meeting. With a little effort and know-how you can look good and you don't have to spend a fortune doing it!