Breakup Style                              Back to columns list

Make him see what he’s missing with these killer ensembles

Nicole Beckett

February 4, 2005

With rumors flying about the sordid details of the oh-so-Hollywood breakup of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, it’s easy to forget the real issue at hand.  No, it’s not the fact that a marriage in Tinsel-Town cannot last over five years; it’s what women take away from this unraveling.  Instead of jumping into action, girls everywhere stare teary-eyed into tabloids, searching for the reason the fair couple split. Relating first and foremost to Jen, we wonder:  Was she not pretty enough?  Too fat, too thin, too driven, too clingy?  Who cares!  Instead of trying to find the answers to your own breakup by analyzing the tabloid fodder of Jen and Brad, the real issue at hand is how Jen (or you) is going to make Brad (or your lame ex) see his mistakes. This is assuming, of course, that he is at fault. Ahem, Angelina Jolie enter stage right.

Following a breakup, it is essential for any fashionista to keep these heartbreaker styles in mind:

Less is More

Never is there a better time to institute the less-is-more approach to fashion than when your guy has done you wrong.  Think lower necklines and higher skirts and vindication is sure to come.  To keep the look classy, wear a three-quartersleeve top with a plunging V-neckline, a micro mini and leather heeled boots, preferably Italian. This will allow him see what he’s missing and cause his friends to wonder why he didn’t make it work. After all, there is no scorn like that of a fellow frat brother.

Always Go Girly

There is a reason Brittany Spears was such a phenomenon when her Hit Me Baby One More Time video launched on MTV.  As the Britster proved, no one can resist the allure of a naughty schoolgirl in uniform.  To school your man, try pairing a fitted white button down shirt with a plaid skirt.  Pleats and knee socks a plus.  If you don’t do plaid, go girly by donning a flirty a-line dress with spaghetti straps.  With a chill still in the air, cover up—a little—with a cardigan, buttoning only the top button for a peek-a-boo effect.

Get Out of His League

Ever date a guy that when it’s over, you wonder why you went out with him in the first place?  Show him how out of his league you are with a sporty hybrid style of Missy Elliot (the new, thin version) and Frenchie à la Grease: cuffed jeans, retro Adidas jacket, pink Pumas, and a ponytail. Let the games begin!

To top off any of these looks, by make an appointment at the salon for highlights and a trim. (Don’t drastically change your hairstyle or he’ll think you’re taking the breakup badly.) Then slap on some self-tanner for instant toning and voila!

It’s the new you minus that annoying accessory (you’re ex-b-f) that you have been lugging around.  Trust me, you are better off with a new Louie Vitton bag and kicky highlights that will attract your next boy toy…. I hear Brad Pitt is available.