By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS
Beauty is power; and the best way to harness that power is through a carefully choreographed wardrobe, coupled with a positive attitude and a king-size helping of self-esteem.
That is the take-away from “Imágen, Actitud y Poder” (“Image, Attitude and Power”), a new book by Mexican fashion icon Lucy Lara.
“Beauty is not just defined by physical attractiveness,” explained Lara during a book launching at Bistro Chapultepec sponsored by Dior and publishers Penguin Random House and Aguilar on Tuesday, Nov. 28.
“The main objective of this book is to help women – especially professional women – learn how to optimize their natural beauty through the way they dress and the attitude they take in life.”
By doing that, she said, women can gain power over their own lives and achieve greater success, both in the workplace and in life.
Lara should know.
She has been in the beauty and fashion industry for nearly a quarter of a century, having served as editor of a string of top-notch style magazines, including Glamour, Marie Claire, Elle and Infashion.
“Imágen, Actitud y Poder” is her third book, following “El Poder de la Ropa” (“The Power of Clothing”) and “El Poder de tu Belleza” (“The Power of Your Beauty”).
“My first two books talked about how to dress for success in whatever field you choose and how to accentuate your beauty to put your best face forward,” Lara said.
“But this book is a lot deeper, and it talks about how to overcome insecurities and be more self-assured, about attitude and how it affects a woman’s power. It also talks about how women have to work together to overcome social and cultural obstacles that have historically held them back.”
Lara said that in the business world, advancement is often like a game of Chutes and Ladders, where social stigmas and biases often lead to professional backsliding.
“I think we have to work together as women, not against one another, if we are all going to overcome these obstacles,” she said.
“And maximizing our beauty and style through wardrobe and makeup is one way to help us succeed in a world that is very visually focused.”
“We are cosponsoring this book launching because Lucy Lara presents values that are about positive female images and attitudes, and that is what Dior stands for,” added Ana Rubalcava, Dior fragrance product manager.
“Dior believes in women and their distinct power and beauty, and that is what the book is all about.”
“Imágen, Actitud y Poder” is on sale in most major bookstores nationwide.