Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9th. Do you know what gift you're giving your mother? Here are a few tips on how to buy your mom a gift she'll love... or at least be able to exchange.

If you want to buy your mom a garment, here are some good rules to follow:

1. I recommend purchasing a top or a skirt, as opposed to pants. Your chances of buying a top or a skirt that fits your mama well are much greater than finding well-fitting pants.

2. Check her closet to determine the size. If that's not a possibility and you're unsure of the size, always err on the side of the smaller size. It's better to be wrong than insulting!

3. If you're unsure what color looks good on your mom bring of picture of her with you to the store. This way you can put the picture next to the item and get a visual idea of her wearing it. Otherwise you can show the picture to a salesperson to ask for their recommendation.

4. If your mother lives in a different city than you be sure to purchase her gift at a national chain that is located in her city. This way she can easily exchange the gift if she needs to.

5. Always include the gift receipt. This not only takes out the hassle of exchanging, but also lets your mom know that it's okay if she wants to exchange for something else.

If you feel that your mother's wardrobe is not doing her beauty justice, you might want to consider a gift certificate with a personal wardrobe stylist. Another option would be to hire a stylist or personal shopper to purchase a gift on your behalf. She'll never have to know!

If your mom lives in southeast Michigan, I hope you'll consider Style Success!

Have a wonderful week!!

Jodi

Maybe you've heard of "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy" (am I showing my age?) Well this is "Random Thoughts by Jodi Skorupski. Less catchy... I know.

First, for the ladies...

Need scientific proof that showing cleavage in the workplace undermines your credibility? Well, according to Louann Brizendine, M.D., author of The Male Brain, in a recent appearance on the Rachael Ray Show, when a man sees a woman's cleavage it stimulates a part of the brain called the "Area for Sexual Pursuit". Translation... when you bring the "girls" out at a meeting, your male counterparts don't care how accomplished you are, how much money you've brought into the company or how many degrees you have on your wall. At that moment you... and your boobs... are sexual objects. Think about that the next time you get dressed to go to work or a professional function.

I am a firm believer, and it's been proven, that our appearance tells other people something about us. It's important to control that message by being conscious of what your appearance is saying. There are few situations where this fact is as critical as in the workplace or business functions. If you have a top that is a little too low-cut but you want to be able to wear it, a quick fix is wearing a camisole style tank top underneath that comes up higher than your cleavage. Like this one from Ann Taylor:

Second, for the gents...

"Trimmin' the bush to make the tree look taller"........

...........

I just wanted to let that line sink in for a second.

Gillette, owned by Procter & Gamble, wants to make it easier for you to be a well groomed man... and buy more of their razors while you're at it. They want to make it so easy for you that they have animated "how to" videos on YouTube.com. And just in case you're interested, or have unsuccessfully attempted, they also have a video on how to shave your groin area to... and I quote... "trim the bush to make the tree look taller". You can't make this stuff up!!

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TiJNewpCnY

As always, I'm happy to answer any style question or conundrum you might have. Either leave a comment on this post or email me at: jodi@stylesuccess.net, I hope to hear from you!

Have a great week!

Tuesday Tips & Tricks: Mother's Day

Tuesday Tips & Tricks: Random Thoughts