I've got a BFF -- a best friend forever. Do you?
My friend Ellen and I have been partners in fun and fashion since the fourth grade, which means we have survived bell bottoms, miniskirts and waist-length hair.
Now that Ellen and I have both retired, and we're living the fabulous Florida resort lifestyle, we have another BFF -- our Best Fashion Fixes. These are women's fashions guidelines we use to keep us looking fabulous.
We don't care about looking like teenagers anymore. We definitely do not want to skip dessert and starve ourselves. We want to look chic and comfortable at our age!
In fact, we're more confident with ourselves and our beauty than we ever have been.
We want to look our best, though -- and we feel best when we follow our BFF rules for looking thinner:
Black on the bottom: It's an age-old fashion rule because it's true. Wearing a dark color on the bottom makes you look thinner. Florida's most flattering pants are the slim, black Kristin Crenshaws from Anthony's, the leaders in women's resort wear since 1895.
Show shoulders: Shoulders are sexy. Forever. Whenever I want to look like I've lost a few pounds, I wear a V-neck top and show off my shoulders. Showing a little bit of skin above the waist draws attention to these pretty parts of your body and is one of my favorite fashion fixes. Anthony's has tons of tops to do this fashion fix. Trythe cold-shoulder shark bite top by Jess and Jane. This top combines lots of our favorite look-skinny features: The "cold shoulder" cut-out bares the top of your shoulder, the V-neck highlights your neckline and the asymmetrical hem and A-line shape skims over the lower half of your body. Try one! You will never wear a basic T-shirt again.
Show your ankles: Ankles are sexy. Forever. Even if you don't like your ankles, show them! Wear an ankle pant like the Kristin Crenshaws or Coconut Row, show an inch of ankle and wear a sparkly sandal, and you'll look 5 pounds thinner than if your pants bagged around the tops of your shoes.
Looking for a girls' getaway for your BFF?
Val's Florida travel tip of the week: Head up to Mount Dora! This is one of Florida's most charming small towns, just an hour outside of Orlando.Bed and breakfasts, antique shops, and gorgeous historic homes are some of its greatest attractions. The Cinnamon Inn serves fresh cinnamon rolls each morning. Yum!
