Our style stripes are put to the test as we try to transform leopard-spotted Brenda from seventies poster child into sophisticated mom for her daughter's upcoming graduation ceremony.

   Our Style Mission

Leopard-loving Brenda has two teenage daughters with an upcoming graduation, and they’re embarrassed by their mom’s spotted wardrobe. Brenda came to us to help her put together a more toned-down look to turn her into a sophisticated mom.

Our guest expert is celebrity stylist Nikki Pennie, who had these tips for dressing Brenda:

• Brenda is stuck in a time warp. The challenge will be to get her out of the leopard print and into something that will still feel like it expresses her personality.

• A sophisticated mom look might include a nice pair of trousers, a beautiful top, and very chic accessories.

• The key to dressing Brenda’s shape is to find a dress with not too much detail so that it doesn’t accentuate her figure in the wrong places.

• Keep it simple and chic, and not pile on too many accessories.

   Our Look Book

We wanted to tame 54-year-old Brenda’s style with a tailored look. We focused on finding a nice cocktail dress with a funky or modern twist, and complementing it with some really great accessories. Brenda wanted us to keep a little bit of leopard print in her new look, so we agreed to, but only if it was kept under wraps.

Brenda’s Outfit details

• Rose-grey cowl neck dress with pleated skirt: $40 at H&M
• Grey pleather jacket: $60 at H&M
• Grey leopard bra and matching thong: $25 at H&M
• Reptile-print, black trim heels: $120 at Nine West
• Silver clutch: $95 at Banana Republic
• Metal twist chain necklace:$95 at Banana Republic
• Silver mesh wide belt: $13 (on sale from $60) at Banana Republic
  

  

Nikki Pennie’s opinion

• This necklace is amazing. I love the shoes and the bag. And I love the fact that you kept the leopard part of her personality with her underwear.

• I’m not crazy about the dress. With the belt and the line of the dress at the bottom, it’s not doing anything for her. There’s too much going on with the necklace, the neckline of the dress, the jacket, and the belt. Without the jacket, I can handle all the rest.

• With the jacket, I would have put her in a chic black dress that is more streamlined. I do like the belt, but it should go with simpler pieces and be the main focal point.

   Did our style picks make the “Do List” or “Don’t List”?

Brenda said she felt great, sexy, and classy, and absolutely loved her new outfit. She also was certain her daughters would love it too.

Celebrity stylist Nikki Pennie congratulated us on improving upon Brenda’s original look. While we didn’t knock this one out of the park, we definitely chose some great pieces that will work for Brenda, just not all together in the same outfit!

 

   Tip Central

• Add bling with accessories, but be careful not to go overboard.

• Be aware of too much frill or fussy dress styles. When in doubt, go for classic lines and long-lasting styles.

• If you like to walk on the wild side with your fashion, limit animal prints to one visible item, like shoes or a scarf. If you want more, think about underthings that can be your sexy little secret.

   Other Show Segments

• Product Test: Permanent Make-up
• Style Tips: How to Wear Belts
• Product Test: Bang Extensions

Please note: opinions expressed about fashion and beauty in this article are just that: our opinions. Feeling beautiful on the inside is what matters most, but we like to do what we can on the outside too.