If the phrase, “You are what you wear” seems shallow to you, think again. The clothes you wear can actually go quite deep in helping you play the role of a lifetime—the beautiful, unique character called ”YOU.” Remember stunning Lynda Carter as t.v.’s “Wonder Woman” in the 1970s? When Lynda needed to summon her onscreen superpowers, all she had to do was gracefully spin herself around a few times, arms outstretched. The magic of 70s television enrobed Lynda in that tight little star-spangled costume and its accessories of a heavy satin cape, knee high go-go boots, golden arm cuffs , lasso and jeweled tiara. It was this “spin” that transformed Lynda into an unapologetically feminine and confident super heroine ready to do battle with the villains she encountered on a weekly basis. And to think Wonder Woman was doing all this at 2,526 years old! What would it take for you to become your own kind of wonderful? DUMP THE FRUMP Face it. You can’t find your optimal look until you first shed your wardrobe of frumpy, matronly clothes. In fact, if you’re hanging on to outdated or ill-fitting wardrobe items, you can be assured that you’re aging yourself outwardly and telling the world you’re ready to be perceived and treated as old. By ignoring fit and fashion, you are showing the world that “you’re just not that into you.” So how can you expect the world to be either? To start the magic, just back away from such sexy-sapping looks as: • Going braless or sporting visible underwear lines • Knitted holiday or novelty sweaters • Plastic sauna shoes with socks or plastic “garden” style clogs • Men’s-style tee shirts “because they’re comfortable” • Pants with a full elasticized waistband • “Mommy” jeans with tight, high waistbands and ankle-length tapered legs • Overkill on the sparkle and sequins • Fussy prints • Helmet hair • Too much makeup • Frilly evening attire • Boxy, shapeless garments • Bulky, baggy sweats worn 24/7 • Rubber flip flops worn anywhere but a beach or gymnasium shower SOPHISTICATED SPIN ON SEXY Congratulations! You’ve done the hard part—ridding yourself of a wardrobe that physically obscures the best version of you. Now get ready to make way for that sexiness! • Try a face-flattering hairdo that’s easy to keep up and that MOVES when you do. • Enjoy fitted clothing that SKIMS the body, not SQUEEZES it into sausagey lumps. • Buy a supportive tee-shirt bra that’s been professionally fitted. • Treat yourself to a few pairs of luscious, lacey panties. You’ll feel sexy from the inside out. • Slip on a beautiful pair of stretch bootcut jeans with a contoured waistband, a muffin-proof mid-rise and a sophisticated dark wash. • Slide your feet into comfortable heels in a rich color. Even a one-inch kitten heel will elevate you to graceful proportions. • Feature your figure assets and put the flaws into hypersleep. For example, if you like to show cleavage but the skin on your chest is a bit spotty, try a lace camisole under a fitted jacket for quiet sexiness that stuns. • Seek out clothes in luxe fabrics such as silk, leather, cashmere, velvet, and in sophisticated, rich colors such as wine, chocolate, plum, aubergine. Anything that feels nice to touch will be sensual to look at too. • Wear a bold signature accessory. Wonder Woman used her trademark wrist cuffs to deflect bullets. You can have the same powerful effect with a bold watch or bracelet. • Buy current glasses; styles change every two years or so. • Carry a great quality handbag. Nothing makes you look as out of touch as wearing a fanny pack. • Smile and love life. Nothing’s sexier than that. By the way, have you seen Lynda Carter lately? At 58, she still outfits herself in great fitting, classic pieces that keep her looking absolutely fabulous as a cabaret singer and recording artist. Thankfully, Lynda doesn’t own the patent on wonderful. “The spin” is available for our daily use too. • Karen Karlsen is a wardrobe and image consultant with Wear It Well in Rolling Hills Estates. She is passionate about helping women feel and look great as they mature. For more fashion tips and inspiration, you can catch Karen’s blog, “Of A Certain Age” at karen-ofacertainage.blogspot.com.