“Well…” Mimi turned her back to the camera and pulled out a patterned, cobalt-blue shirt dress with a voluminous skirt and a wide belt cinching the waist. “I’ve kind of been drawn to this. It’s sort of old-fashioned, though, isn’t it? That’s probably why I like it. Is it too mumsy for me?”
“Hard to say without seeing it on you. It’s definitely got a vintage vibe, which I know you like.” Harper liked it, too, and she knew that Mimi generally looked pretty good in that style of clothing. The more modest styling helped counterbalance Mimi’s pinup girl body and looks.
It also had begun to set her apart from a lot of other starlets who seemed determined to wear as little as possible.
“Be right back,” Mimi said. When she returned, she had the dress on. She twirled, sending the skirt out like a carnival ride. “What do you think?”
Harper smiled. “It’s really pretty on you. Feminine, but it still shows off your incredible shape. And that color with your hair?” She kissed her fingers. “Chef’s kiss. Perfect.”
Mimi laughed. “I do love this dress. But is it a wow?”
“Not in the way a strapless black evening gown is, but this is daytime TV. You don’t want to overdress. Then you look like you didn’t understand the assignment.”
“True.” Mimi nodded, glancing back at the rack. “There is another look I’ve been strongly considering.”
“The green pantsuit?”
Mimi cut her eyes at the camera. “How did you know?”
“Because I know what you’re drawn to. That’s a very different look. But it could be good. Try it on.”
“Okay.” Nodding, Mimi grabbed the suit and disappeared off screen. She returned a few minutes later, wearing the suit, the jacket buttoned and seemingly nothing underneath.
“You’d wear a blouse or something, right?” Harper asked.
“I wasn’t going to. It’s kind of the look right now.”
“Maybe on the red carpet and maybe on women who are desperate for attention, but that’s not you, Mimi. You don’t need to try that hard. The suit looks fantastic. That color is amazing. It’s gorgeous. Again, a perfect complement to your hair and skin tone. But that much exposed skin on an afternoon talk show?” Harper shook her head. “From a practicality standpoint, you’re not going to be comfortable. You won’t want to move much, even with the jacket taped down.”
That was pretty standard practice when a woman wore something particularly revealing. Fashion tape disappeared against the skin and provided a little protection against a wardrobe malfunction. Even so, it was human nature not to move too much when wearing something so low-cut.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Mimi sighed. “But a blouse is so boring. And corporate. I don’t want to look like I just came from an office.”
“Remember when you did that photo shoot on the beach? How we turned that scarf into a halter top?”
Mimi nodded. “You think that would work?”
“I do. Show me your scarves.”
Mimi disappeared for a moment, then came back with a shopping bag. “I just got these from Gucci.” She opened the boxes, one by one.
“That one.”
Mimi’s expression turned skeptical. “But it’s mostly light blue. Or pale turquoise. Not sure what that color is officially. Does that go with this green?”
“It definitely does. Look at that pattern. It’s got some of that emerald green in it. That blue with that green is fresh and unexpected and very tropical. Doesn’t hurt that it’s Gucci, either. Think party in Palm Beach.”
Mimi smiled. “I like that. Hang on.”
Mimi turned and slipped the jacket off, tossing it over the rack of clothes. She took the square scarf and tied two ends together at the back of her neck, then the other two at the small of her back. She put the jacket back on and faced Harper again. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s perfection. Some big gold jewelry, a pair of strappy gold sandals, and you’re done.”
Mimi was all smiles now. “What color should I paint my toes?”
“That light blue. Embrace it. If you wear that suit, that is. If you wear the dress, I’d do a red lip and red nails.”
Mimi put her hands on her hips. “How am I going to decide?”
