The Silhouette Solution

Introduction

The Silhouette Solution was born out of necessity. When I landed the job as head costume designer and stylist for The Nanny in 1993, it became my responsibility to create the entire look of the show. This meant I had to come up with 40 to 50 outfits every week for the lead, Fran Drescher, as well as for all the supporting actors and guest stars. Delighted as I was to be a part of this fantastic series, there were many challenges. We had an extremely slim budget (to put it mildly), as the show was not yet a proven success. Our production schedule seemed to move at the speed of light, allowing only three and a half days each week to shop the whole of Los Angeles and New York in search of the right clothes for each character. Once I had the appropriate pieces, every item had to be refitted perfectly for each personality and body type, coordinated into complete outfits, and often redesigned and embellished for each cast member.

I had to figure out a way to create an endless variety of stylish, fun, and distinct outfits that took minimal time to put together and could be done on the cheap. To find the solution, I looked to my past. As a young girl growing up in England, I was captivated by the movies I watched with my mother on Sunday afternoons. It was the simple, sleek, and unique stylings of Academy Award–winning costume designer Edith Head that caught my attention in particular. The stars she dressed always looked timeless and elegant, whether they were wearing a nightgown or an evening gown.

Inspired by this chic simplicity, I set out to strategically gather a group of garments that I knew from experience were timeless and universally flattering: four terrific tops, four beautiful bottoms, four flat shoes, and four heels. These practical and complimentary pieces form the basic canvas for dozens of outfits that can be repurposed and accessorized to ultimately make each woman look completely original. Actors I worked with were thrilled to avoid the exhaustive hours of trying on endless racks of clothes to find the right look. Shape and fit were no longer an issue because of the adaptability of the pieces from one body type to another. Fittings became fun, quick, and creative, and actors always came away from the experience feeling beautiful, confident, and excited about what they were wearing, instead of stressed, uncomfortable, and self-conscious.

This is the way getting dressed every day should be.

Clothes have always been a source of inspiration, delight, and curiosity for me, as far back as I can remember, and I want every woman to feel this same joy when getting ready for her day. While many consider the daily task of getting dressed a rather superficial pursuit, I’ve come to realize that fashion and style involve your inner emotions as much as your outer appearance.

Your attire is your most public form of self-expression. What you wear shows others who you are, how you feel, and the person you aspire to be. Dressing can and should be so much more than just covering your body; it is a powerful form of self-care. The majority of my clients feel a greater sense of well-being when they know they are dressed in an attractive outfit that fits and flatters their bodies. But with the world of fashion continually bombarding women with pressure to keep up with the latest trends and buy new items every season, it can often feel overwhelming to navigate our closets, pull together a great outfit, and present our most authentic selves to the world.

In the following pages, I will guide you through the same journey I take my clients on every day. Our destination? A place where:

• You look better than you ever imagined possible in a fraction of the time.

• Dressing is easy, quick, and creative.

• You feel authentic and confident in your own skin. 

By the end of this book, you’ll have the tools to dress in a way that flatters your body, your lifestyle, and your personality, regardless of your size or shape. You will learn how to create a versatile wardrobe of fabulously functional clothes that you absolutely love. You will experience the joy and freedom that comes with letting go of all the items that no longer serve you. You will be able to easily compose fresh, stylish outfits in less time (and with less stress!) on any budget, leaving you free to focus on what’s most important to you, whatever that might be.

When you look in the mirror each morning, you will see an attractive, self-assured, and satisfied woman. When dressing becomes an opportunity for celebration instead of a source of confusion, you create the conditions necessary for your own success, fulfillment, and happiness every day.

When we feel great and comfortable in our own skin, it’s hard to stop us. Ready to get going?