Fashion Trends 101

Mixed Feelings

2008-12-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not this is the final blog entry for my English class! Although I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, I also feel sad (well at least a little) that I probably will not write so much about my opinion ever again.

Doing about 30 entries for the last few months had its own ups and downs. I had absolutely hated the fact that I had to do 1000 words every single week on a specific topic in fashion. But by doing this I also learned so much about what’s out there in the fashion world while voicing out my opinions to you guys. I had looked at more store catalogs and bargains than I have in my entire life. Because of this I could see why the mannequins in the stores had a particular dress on.

Enough about my opinion on these blog entries…it’s now time for some fashion tips (like always)! As this is the last blog entry, I don’t want to go into a specific topic; instead we are going to go over some random tips that can make a difference in getting hired at a top notch company or being dumped by a hot girl/boy!

Fashion for Nerds has some valuable tips that are ideally directed for men, but these tips are useful for the women too (in case you don’t already know them!)

1. Ask advice from the right source: most women are experts when concerned about fashion; therefore you ought to go to them first. These women can be your girlfriends, best buddies or even sisters (not evil ones who will give you bad advice deliberately!), but definitely not your mom as she will agree with whatever you like.

2. Get rid of worn out clothes: these include your lovely pair of blue jean that has a small hole near the butt (from personal experience I know it can be hard but hey you can always get a new one!). Also clothes that have discolored after many washes/uses need to be thrown into the trash. If you really want to preserve some good dress then you should try out the new Tide.

3. Don’t reveal sweat: doing this after a heavy workout is totally fine but not at other times. Although you can get away with it by telling your friends that you just came from a long swim (not my advice but Zach’s (aka – Shirley!) from The Suite Life of Zach and Cody – Season 2 episode 45). This is probably not going to work always so the best bet is that you layer up with t-shits or undershirt so that your sweat is absorbed. Using a nice scent/cologne is always a good idea.

4. Electronic gadgets have better places: do you think that your new i-phone is really cool? Well you can show off that but not by wearing it on the belt. No matter how cool something is, don’t ever wear it on an outfit; it can only dress you down. Instead go for nice handbags/totes/office bags that can be used for different things.

5. Posture: all the above tips are good but a bad posture makes people not notice how well you are dressed. Standing/sitting up straight conveys the message that you smart, attentive and ready to get down to business. Well I don’t know about you but I you prefer being thought of as a smart person instead of a dull person.

Hopefully these tips help shape your lives for the better.

Have a merry Christmas and a wonderful year ahead!

Salon Style

2008-12-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

I hate it when I get my hair styled at the salon and then try to do it myself back at home but it never turns out the same. Why can’t I do it just like they did it? This just isn’t fair. There’s got to be a special way they do it that no one else is allowed to figure out. Ha, no there isn’t. I found the secrets… They can’t hide them for forever. Nice try beauticians. But I’ve got it all figured out now. Ladies, hope these tips I found actually work for you!

How is it that the beautician can straighten my hair and give it volume at the same time? And why in the world can’t I do this myself? Well I found out just how to give my hair volume and be straight all at the same time. It all starts with the drying of your hair. Volume comes from the roots of your hair. So to receive this volume at your roots; start by blow drying your hair in the opposite direction in which it typically sits. After your roots are dry, use a brush to continue drying your hair. Finish straightening your hair with a flatiron. Keep in mind that you want straight hair not flat hair so don’t go overboard with the flatiron.

Want to have curly hair just like the salon stylists do it? It’s easy. The first step is to apply a curl defining smooth cream to your wet or damp hair. Next, use a diffuser to dry your hair. Start by drying your roots first. After your roots are dry, flip your head over and dry from underneath. This will allow natural curls to form. After your hair is completely dry, use a curling iron to add spiral curls randomly throughout your hair. Try to use a curling iron closest to the size of your natural curls. Once you are all finished adding curls, finish with hairspray so your curls do not drop throughout the day.

Everyone wants volume in their hair right? Can’t figure out how the stylist does it? Try this. The first step is movement. Separate your hair into 2-inch sections and blow dry them using a round brush. Make sure this brush is large for volume. Once your hair is completely dry, add just a little bit of hairspray all over. Next, fluff your hair with your fingers and then add those old fashion Velcro rollers to the crown of your head. Remove the rollers after a while and backcomb the rest of your hair. This will bring maximum volume to your hair! Try and stay away from extra firm hold hairspray.

I always hate it when I try and style my hair like the salon stylist does. Finding these tips will definitely help me when styling my hair. Though it may take me a couple tries, I think I will eventually be able to figure it out. We’ll see though. I’ll keep everyone updated on my hair styling trials. And any extras tips and/or hints I figure out I’ll be sure to let everyone know. Same goes for the rest of you. Good luck styling your hair! Have fun ladies!

It's not all about the red and green!

2008-12-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

With thanksgiving out of the way it’s now time to think about Christmas festivities! Most of us focus on decorating the house, running errands and buying gifts. By doing all these we forget that this is the best time of the year to dress up pretty for the thousands of parties. The word “dress up” doesn’t mean that you have to wear only reds and greens in order to blend in with the crowd. It is true that reds and greens are colors associated with Christmas, but people forget to realize that anything looking rich or expensive will go well for the season.

The site Christmas Carnival gives detail descriptions on what can be worn for specific types of parties and events. Today we are going to discuss ways to dress for four of the many themed party or occasion.

- Dance Christmas Dress...these do not look like the ones that you wore to your high school prom. Christmas dance dresses should look like ones wore for arctic type weather is give the feeling of winter wonderland. These dresses work best if they are made up of velvet or pure silk fabric. Adding golden or silver embroidery will make the dress fabulous even if it is pink in color! The expensive looking fabric and workmanship make you look gorgeous even if you are not wearing any jewelry. Check out the lovely La Belle dress. By adding both the velvet and satin fabrics, this dress is perfect for a wedding or for a winter wonderland dance!

- Formal Christmas Dress...yes there are too many out there for this category but certain things just don't fit with regard to Christmas. I'm not asking you to go all red and green. Instead choose your dress carefully. Baby pink or lime green will not suit any holiday occasion like jewel tones (like purple, dark blue) which make you look bright against all the holiday decorations. For this type you can either go for lovely beading on the dress or you can just accessorize a plain blue dress with a long and sparkly earning. JC Penny has some pretty dresses that can be worn to just about any occasion!

- Christmas Eve Dress...going to church with family and friends? Then go for elegant looking not so revealing dresses or suits. These are things that are found at great prices at JC Penny. These dresses can work even if you are having a Christmas Eve party at a home. Or if you are one of those people who wear open presents soon after midnight, then go for lovely pajamas like the ones from Pajamagram. And keep in mind that this does not have to be only red and green...other colors like white, blue and even lime green can work.

- Fancy Christmas Dress...if you like dressing up crazy for Halloween then it would work during this of the year too! While men have different characters to choose from, women need to do creative things to make your dress unique. The regular options for fancy Christmas dresses are Mrs. Claus, and Mr. Claus helpers. But you can also dress up like Lou-Lou Who, Cindy-Lou Who, or as Martha May Whovier from How the Grinch Stole the Christmas. If you already have a character in mind but you are not able to locate the costume the check out Frank Bee Costume or Disguises to make your dream come true!

To read more about these tips click here.

Hopefully these tips will help to worry less about one more thing!

Have a fantastic and a memorable Christmas!

Coming soon...last entry from me (and probably from this blog!)…you wouldn't want to miss it!

Slim any extras

2008-12-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving over and Christmas on the way, many of you may want to shed a few extra pounds before the Holidays roll around. Especially with that Christmas party invitation hanging on your refrigerator and that cute dress hanging in your closet. Does it still fit? Well I hope so, but if not I am going to let you in on 10 ways to lose weight fast just for this reason.

1. Make your own meals:
Counting calories is one way to lighten up but preparing your own meal will help you control portion sizes. Avoid salt and those bloating carbs. The meal is on you, everything is your choice. Try steaming instead of frying or sautéing.

2. Slim the portions:
An average restaurant plate may contain several servings of an item. This can easily add up to a day’s amount of calories. That’s a lot. Instead, limit yourself to one serving of those carb-heavy foods such as bread or pasta. A typical serving of pasta is about the size of a tennis ball and a serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

3. Eat Healthy Salads:
Avoid adding a lot of dressing to your salad. Instead add a small amount of a low-fat salad dressing. Try to avoid croutons, bacon bits, and salads served in a taco shell.

4. Add an extra workout:
Extend your workout by ten minutes or add an extra workout or two each week. This will help boost your metabolism. This can also help you shed water and obtain more energy.

5. Shake the salt:
Get rid of a bloated stomach by decreasing your salt intake. Keep in mind that many processed foods contain a lot of salt.

6. Lighten up your liquids:
Many drinks such as coffee drinks, soda, and sports drinks are just calorie-wasters. Avoid drinking those empty calories. Drink plenty of water… NO CALORIES!

7. Can the Carbs:
Beat the bulk by easing up of those foods loaded with carbs. Carbs indeed give you energy but in return they make you retain water. Instead, eat plenty of low-carb foods.

8. Skip the Spirits:
Avoid drinking calories. Hold off on the alcohol until you are in your party dress.

9. Try a Diuretic Drink:
Try a cranberry-based diet drink to help you shed some of that unwanted water weight.

10. Dine out lighter:
Making just a few substitutions to your order can easily cut calories. Hold the mayo and cheese on your sandwich or order thin crust pizza.

Try these diet tips and see if your party dress fits just in time for that party. I can’t say if any of these work or not. They wouldn’t be posted on the internet if some doctor didn’t have a clue what they were talking about. Hope they work for you though.

Beauty Trends

2008-11-19T07:07:00.000-08:00

Need some different beauty suggestions? I do. I swear I do my make-up the exact same every single day. How boring? And how embarrassing? You all know me; I did some research once again. I found a couple ideas that, I myself, Miss boring, might just have to try.

Let’s start with the eyes. This season girls aren’t going completely out of control with their eye shadows. Just more towards the metallic side maybe. Gold eye shadow is a perfect color of this fall and winter. This color will give any girl instant glamour. Try a soft golden color on your whole eyelid and into the corner of your eye. Then work that metallic up to your eyebrow, getting softer as you go up. Gorgeous!! Now for your next date, work that metallic gold with a bronze metal eye shadow. Top it off with black eye liner and dark black mascara. Need to lighten up your eyes a little? Put a gold shimmer on the inside corner of your eye lid. It adds a beautiful touch and lightens up those glamorous eyes. Who has blue eyes? Lucky you, wearing gold eye shadow will make your eyes glisten in the light.

Now set aside your everyday black or brown eyeliner and whip out that fascinating blue. Don’t think you have to wear it dramatically. Maybe just wear the blue eyeliner on the bottom lid of your eye. This will be a perfect touch to a great outfit. Compliment that royal blue dress you have with royal blue eyeliner. Adding blue eyeliner to your smoky eyes will give your eyes mysterious depth. Give it a try. Don’t worry you brown-eyed beauties out there, you can wear blue eyeliner too!

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I know this spring's hot beauty trend. Red Lips!! Don’t be scared of the bright red lipstick girls are going to start wearing. I personally like it. I hate when you see a girl from a distance and her lips have faded into her face. Put some lipstick or lip gloss on, but make it red! You can easily pair your smoky eyes with red lips. That trend is always in style.

Another trend in style this season is rosy cheeks. Get out the blush ladies and apply. But of course you don’t want to make yourself look like a clown. So keep things like when it comes to blush. Adding just a little blush to your daily make-up routine will give your face some extra color. Making you not look so completely pale during these winter months.

Mod make-up is also in style surprisingly. Well, one thing I’d like to say, don’t overdo it. Cat eyes look good one some ladies. Add just a slight wing on the end of your eye. Try it, maybe it looks good on you. Charcoal eyes will look good on a lot of girls. This is one of my favorite looks. Another thing I really like is thick, dark eyelashes. Mascara is my favorite. Just make sure it’s not clumpy. That is not attractive at all.

I never thought fingernails could have their own beauty trend, well they do. This season’s nail art is wild and crazy. Step out of your comfort zone and get crazy girl! Apply that hot pink or deep purple. Add a little sparkle. Glue on those rhinestones. Give yourself a French manicure, but not with the traditional colors. How about hot pink and orange? Beautiful!

Now to be completely honest with you all, I will most likely not try all of these new beauty trends. I have gold eye shadow and blue eyeliner and even a red lip gloss. But I will personally stay away from the nail art. Not my thing. I want to hear your opinion on some of these new beauty trends!

Travel in Style (Part 2)

2008-11-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

Choosing outfits for your vacation can be lot more easier than choosing accessories. This is because outfits tend to adapt to almost any situation if combined with the right accessories! Finding accessories that go hand in hand with your shoes and outfits mentioned in Part 1 is crucial. For this reason this entry is going to be about different accessories that can dress up or down an outfit. And to finish up "Travel in Style" just in time for holidays, we will discuss on how you can pack all these efficiently without having to discard anything!

5) Accessories...these can range from belts to handbags. Dress Me Now gives ideas on how you can make use of them without putting in too much effort.

- Scarves...two should do the trick. A neat looking thin casual scarf can add a personal touch to any outfit without overdoing it. These can be worn even while shopping in the mall. However a dressy scarf should to be chosen wisely as this will be your lifesaver when you have to go to an unplanned dance party. This scarf is short and broader but has expensive looking patterns and patterns like animal prints or metallic.

- Hats...can help in many ways. If you have to hurriedly leave the hotel room to catch the tour bus on time then this is how you hide your unwashed hair! Or you can use these to get stares from people on the beach. Another option is to go back to the Victorian era where women wore hats to show that they were of high status. As a hat can be used in so many different ways, it’s always easy to carry hats that fit every outfit. But common sense would prevent you as hats take up a lot of space on a suitcase. Therefore going for straw hats is the best option and these can be dressed up too. If you are in Hawaii you can add a nice flower to the side or if you are going to a tea party you can use a nice scarf to personalize them.

- Belts...you would probably heard more about these in the blog than anything else. They truly dress up an outfit or dress down as necessary too. If you have a lot of belts and don't know what to choose from, then let the shoes be your guide. By matching the shoes and belts you show people that you put more thought into your outfit. Also, adding a metallic belt to your suitcase can be handy at times!

- Jewelry...take as much as you want! I know it sounds crazy but since it is so small you can take almost all the jewelry you like and stuff them in between clothes. Depending on your mood for the day you can choose your jewelry.

- Handbags...come handy in any situation. Take something that is big enough (and stylish) to fit all your essentials. This includes your emergency contacts and supplies. A nice neutral colored bag can be carried almost anywhere. But having an extra tote is a good idea as they look casual and are easy to wash after being buried in the sand!

6) Time to Pack - One might wonder where you are going to fit all these items...but this will be really easy if you follow some rules.
* Pack at least one set of clothing for each day
* Make sure that all clothes can be co-ordinate if you want to change your clothes thrice a day
* Fold them neatly into suitcases... (gains more room in the bag and also reduces wrinkles)

7) And finally have fun!!!

More on everyday tips coming soon...

Before you Say "I DO"...

2008-11-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

Seems like it’s out there somewhere in the future but it will come before you know it! And I bet most of you if you are like me would have spent at least 1 minute dreaming about your wedding and most importantly your wedding dress. Although people dream differently about their wedding set up, all of them (or at least the majority) dream walking down the aisle with a ballroom gown felling like a princess. But most people fail to realize that they are many options when going for a bridal dress that flatters your body shape while still looking like a princess (but not necessarily one out of the Disney world!).

According to Wedding Solutions.com, there are five distinct types of styles (or silhouette - bridal boutique lingo!) one can opt for:

A-Line - This is especially ideal for people with heavy bottoms and who are short. By having a defined waist and a natural cut, this style is appropriate to divert attention from flawed areas. Also, it can be worn to a backyard ceremony or at a church with doing appropriate modifications. Adding beads can give a formal look while lace can look heavy on A-line.

Empir e Waist - Brides who do not want to draw attention to their waist or tummy fat should go for this style. This is also perfect for pregnant brides as the loose flow is comfortable to wear for the ceremony and reception. Wide sleeveless and v-necks are the best option while other variations also can adapt well.

Column - Not something that is to be worn by brides who want to hide their flaws. This dress comes down in a straight line that basically clings to your body. If you are proud of your curves then this is the best option. However there are some things that just don't work with this kind of dress: long, short or semi sleeves spoils the look and also this is something that shouldn't (or wouldn't be appreciated) if you are having a traditional church ceremony.

Ballroom - Wanna have a fairy tale wedding? Well then this is the dress you would want to walk down the aisle! These are ideal for any traditional/formal ceremony. It is also easier to play with different necklines, sleeves and waist styles without worrying about changing the magical look. Although most people can wear this dress, this is not typically for a short and slim bride as you will look disproportionate to the dress.

Mermaid - Just like a column style but with a little interesting pattern at the bottom! This is ideal for slender brides who can show their curves without regretting it 30 years latter! Nowadays people opt for a Mermaid dress because it looks more stunning and bold but it is important to think through it because you might not feel comfortable wearing such type of clothing if you are surrounded by conservative parents/relatives!

Hope this gives you an idea on what style to choose when "that day" suddenly seems really close!

To read more about this article click here.

More on fashion tips coming soon...

You're the Hostess!

2008-11-17T14:00:00.000-08:00

Do you get to be the hostess for your Thanksgiving dinner? Lucky you. A Thanksgiving dinner requires a great deal of time a preparation. And I’m sure you want to be the best hostess around. Only thing I can assure is that your wardrobe is not exactly your type priority. What should you wear? If this dinner is at your house, you want to be comfortable. You are going to be running around like crazy trying to make things go just the way you want them. You’ll most likely be running from the kitchen checking the rolls in the oven to the bathroom making sure there is a roll of toilet paper ready. There is no way this could be done in anything but something comfortable. A dress is not an option, or heels for that matter. Try a pair of velour pull on pants with a light sweater in, of course, festive fall colors. This outfit will be comfortable to you and it will give your guests a good impression of your hosting skills. Or try a tunic sweater with s pair of comfortable dress pants. Don’t think you have to start the day off in this outfit by all means. If your one of those messy cooks, purchase an apron to wear while you’re cooking. Well, it’s your house don’t forget, you can always change into a more festive or dressier outfit after all your preparation is complete. But one thing to keep in mind, avoid any type of outfit that may get in the way of serving or last minute preparation. Droopy sleeves or long belt ties could easily get in the way and cause unwanted stress for you.
Don’t have any of these clothing items? I’ve come to the rescue and shopped around online and found just what you may be looking for. Yes, I kept in mind….your Budget. I tried to find the cheapest, yet in style clothing options just for you. Since Thanksgiving in only 10 days away!

OLD NAVY: Shop for velour pants here! You are in luck, only $15. These pants come in a variety of colors; grey, black, chocolate brown, pink, or navy blue.

Target: Find velour pants here too! $4…WOW! In navy or scarlet. Find a tunic sweater here too! Price range from $12 to $24. Variety of styles and colors available too!

I hope you find the perfect outfit for hosting your Thanksgiving dinner! I know you’ll look great! Hope everything goes as planned. Happy Thanksgiving, 10 days early!

Nike: New Releases

2008-11-13T08:45:00.000-08:00

So what’s new at Nike this holiday season? Well of course athletic shoes. All you guys out there check out these new shoes from Nike. Nike is showing a new collection of basketball shoes, running shoes, and track shoes. Which ones are your favorites? Let’s check some out:
Basketball shoes:
· Zoom LeBron VI: $140.00
This Men’s basketball shoe is described as where “Quickness meets power for an unstoppable play in the Zoom LeBron VI Men's Basketball Shoe, the lightest LeBron shoe to date at 14.5 oz.”
Features of this shoe:
o "Unstoppable" stitched inside of shoe tongue
o Synthetic leather and mesh upper with Phyposite Technology for an integrated upper/midsole that delivers seamless comfort and support
o Breathable tongue inner-sleeve with a traditional lacing system

· Nike Air Zoom Flight Five iD Basketball shoe: $135.00
This shoe can be customized to your perfection. It is super lightweight and has a full-grain leather upper for a comfortable fit. This shoe also has a “full-length Nike Zoom unit for low-profile cushioning and lightweight performance.”

Running Shoes:
· Nike Air Max 360 III iD Running Shoe: $165.00
This shoe’s purpose is performance. This shoe has a full-length Max Air sole for maximum protection throughout the whole foot. The mesh allows for the foot to breathe and remain comfortable. This shoe can also be customized just the way you want it.
· Nike Shock Cog iD: $115.00
This shoe can be designed by you, for you. Choose any color you want. It’s all your choice. This shoe is a multi-purpose running shoe.
Track Shoes:
· Nike Zoom Miler iD Track and Field Shoe: $110.00
This shoe uses low-profile cushioning for lightweight performance. You have your choice of the waffle outsole, track spike, or cross country plate for performance and perfect comfort.
· Nike Zoom Forever iD Track and Field Shoe: $110.00
This track shoe is also lightweight for perfect performance and is made with mesh for breathing during those long races. For this shoe you also have your choice of color combinations or camouflage.
These are just some of the new releases that Nike is offering on their website. I am sure there are other amazing tennis shoes out there. Just check out Nike.com and find what you like. And lucky you, you have that super cool option of customizing your tennis shoes. Choose any color combination you want. How awesome is that? Check it out and see what you can come up with.

Meeting HIS Parents?

2008-11-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

The Holiday season is soon approaching and many of you have yet to meet your boyfriend’s family, including me. My boyfriend has met my entire family and is very comfortable with them as they are comfortable with him. As for me on the other hand, I have not met my boyfriend’s family at all. And I am a bit on the nervous side for this holiday season. I want to make to right impression on his family but I am very unsure how to do this. I know my choice in clothing is going to say a lot about me, so I need to find the right thing to wear.

This is what I came up with. When meeting your boyfriend’s family for the first time you need to wear something cautious, nothing that would offend anyone. Wear your clothing conservative, don’t show too much skin. “No matter how rockin' your bod is, clevage and short hemlines are definite no-nos for this occasion!” But of course, make your outfit feminine. You can also express your personality through the accessories you add. But in any case, be careful. Overall, your look should say, "classy, future daughter-in-law" and not "I am a phase your son is going through."

Now that was just a simple overview of what to wear when meeting his family. Here are some more suggestions:

Wear a Dress:
You can wear a dress to almost any occasion. Unless, of course, you plan on playing any sports at this occasion. But choose a dress that is appropriate for the occasion and the location. Make sure your dress is a suitable length. You never want a dress that is too short, you know his mother would never approve. Pick a dress that fits your figure yet isn’t tight to your body. You want to look classy not trashy remember.

Do NOT wear too much make-up:
Many girls often feel like they need to load up the make-up when meeting someone for the first time. In all honesty, keep it simple; keep it natural, especially when meeting your boyfriend’s mother. You know how mothers get ladies; they like to see your natural beauty. Wear neutral colors on your eyes and don’t wear that eyeliner too dark. Apply foundation to even out your skin tone. Make yourself look presentable, don’t look like a clown.

Coordinate with him:
I don’t mean the two of you should wear matching sweaters, which would just be ridiculous. But compliment his style. If your boyfriend is wearing a suit, wear a more formal dress. If your boyfriend is wearing jeans and a polo, you can wear jeans and a nice top or sweater. So basically make sure the two of you communicate before you meet his family.

Accessories:
Add some unique vintage jewelry to your outfit. Wear a necklace or bracelet from your grandmother. Not only will this bring up a conversation with his mother but it will also show you can about your family too. And girl, show that fun, exciting personality with the handbag you carry. Don’t be afraid to carry a bright bold handbag. Add a little fun to that outfit.

I hope this will calm down your nerves a little. I know I have a better idea about what to wear when I meet my boyfriend’s family this Holiday season. Of course, as you all know, there is no way to avoid this nerve racking situation. Hope they like me! If you have any more tips, feel free to share. I would love more ideas! And Good Luck to all those others who get to meet their boyfriend’s family for the first time too!!!

Girls: It's your turn now!!!

2008-11-09T12:20:00.002-08:00

Last week most of you would have enjoyed reading about the top five fashion mistakes men make. Well it's their turn now to sit back and laugh about things that we as girls screw up often! StyleTips.com has 13 disastrous mistakes women make on a day to day basis. We will discuss only five of the thirteen things listed at that site (guys get an equal share of laughs)!

- Short skirt and short top…wow nice choice. The statement opposites attract and same sides react is completely true in this case! It is common sense that wearing a short shirt and skirt will bring attention to your waist and thigh area. No matter how slim you are, the short shirt and skirt combination is going to make you look out of proportion. If you love short skits then go for tanks and shirts that fall near your hip bone on the contrary if you love short tops then go for full skits (olden day style) or plain old long jeans.

- Bulky shoes with nice dresses…I’ve noticed it too often. Usually these shoes are pretty but they are meant for denim clothing as the bulky shoe will go hand in hand with the thick denim jean. Any dress, whether it has floral patterns or not, has to go with an elegant shoe. Typically bulky and guy looking shoes are not for girls so adding that kind of shoes to an elegant looking feminine dress can be peculiar. If you absolutely love one (bulky shoe), then wear it to the near Harley Davidson convention at Milwaukee!

- More than one pattern…one thing I learnt from my interior decoration class was that I had to have only one focus piece in a room and then tie other things to it. Keeping too many focal points in a room is distracting to guest and even you. The same things apply to outfits. Patterns are lovely but choosing one is important. Never wear a plaid top with a jean with sequins and embroidery. By doing one pattern you capture a person’s attention to the intricate details in that pattern instead of letting their eyes wander around the other pattern.

- Orange tan...hard to admit. Usually girls with orange tans try to tell boldly that their tan is the best but deep inside they know that it is the worst possible tan to have. This tan is the result of cheap self tanners. Damaging your skin is the worst possible thing to do out of self denial. Either you don't tan or just close your eyes and buy an expensive self tanning lotion. That will help you in the long run.

- Panty lines...everyone has had this experience. Although some people are sensible enough to notice it before going out in the public, it can still happen. So if question if your panty line is shown then don't wear that outfit because you'll only be wasting other peoples time (I mean the crowd that’s following you around) while also running to hide your embarrassment!

Girls: hopefully these points will open your eyes to the realities of life...

To read about other fashion mistakes click here...

Travel in Style (Part 1)

2008-11-09T12:20:00.001-08:00

Gravy, turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pies...all of us are craving for the long awaited thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. It is a time to travel to places we love to meet our loved ones. Whether it is an hour or 15 hours from home, it's important to pack just the right amount of clothing...and to do this efficiently it is important to ensure that certain rules are considered. Dress Me Now has 17 tips (some of which we will cover this week and next) that are crucial to travel in style…

1) Color scheme...although it seems simple, this is one of the things many people ignore. If you pack a pair of green pants and a nice blue shirt then guess what, people are going to tell you directly that you don't have a good taste for colors or they would pretend they are color blind. The color scheme is crucial to anything...think that this might be the last time you can choose a color for your clothing like selecting a color scheme for your house/room. This helps you because you will realize that painting the wrong colors in the room is almost unthinkable as you have to scrape the bad colors off, select a new color scheme, put more labor and finally waste a lot of money to get the desired look!

2) Separ at e s...this is what is going to help you in any occasion. Tights and tank tops are life savers! If for some reason the temperature increases to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, a tank top and a nice shorts or jeans will keep you comfortable. If you are slim and the tank top is long enough, the tights can substitute the need of bottoms. Also, tights come in handy when you have to layer during a cold day or when you need something longer for your dress. The key to selecting the colors is to have couple of neutrals and a rare color that goes well with your semi-formal dress. But remember don't go for all neutrals 'cause that's boring!

3) Fabrics…the key here is to go travel friendly. The worst fabric to take during a trip is cotton. No matter how stunning you look in cotton tanks its best if you leave them at home. You can easily substitute pure cotton fabrics with cotton mixed fabrics that do not crumple easy and still keep you comfy at the beach. Denim is always the best fabric to choose during travel and this comes handy for almost all your bottoms. Silk, crepes, and stretch nylon also do you well. They are not easy to crumple and also look expensive!

4) Shoes…can’t get enough of them. It’s always tempting to evacuate the entire closet for just one vacation, but face reality…your parents/significant others/family members would go crazy if you told them that. So to keep things under control, three shoes will do the trick. One flat/running shoes for walking, one platform heels or low-heeled shoe for a dinner at a nice restaurant and a high heeled shoe for unexpected high-end events. These shoes are not to be of a specific color the important factor here is to blend in with almost all the clothing that you are taking with you. Neutrals and hues of pink, purple, and brown work best.

More on Travel in Style coming next week…

Guys: Pay close attention!!!

2008-11-06T23:20:00.000-08:00

Jeepman said: “I think that most guys just dress for comfort rather than looking sharp.” FireBird85 said: “I dress purely on the intent of comfort rather than looks.” Although these statements seem really weird and abnormal from a girls view point, I agree with them because we can hardly find places where guys do research to fix your fashion problems. It does make sense to wear comfortable clothing and accessories but at times comfort can also make you look like a ridiculous fool! About.com has an article on 8 Men's Fashion Mistakes to Avoid and today we are going to look at five of the most important mistakes...

- Socks and sandals...shouldn't be a surprise to many of you. Either you have done this mistake or at least you would have seen someone do it. Socks do feel good on a cold day and sandals help us save time by not having to worry about tying the knot in our shoes. But the outcome of that combination is going to be bad. If you badly want to wear sandals please don't stay anywhere near Indiana. But if you do like it here then get used to the habit of wearing sneakers while going to class. The extra time you put into tying your shoe lace will make you look more put together for the occasion.

- Ho, Ho, Ho Ties, Shirts, Shorts...truly they bring out the spirit of Christmas but avoid them unless you’re inside your house opening presents on Christmas morning. With new technologies evolving everyday it is hard to say no to a tie that lights up and sings Rudolph the red nose Reindeer when you press the reindeer’s nose. It is okay to enjoy the fun as long as you are not seen by anyone. These novelty accessories and clothing only make you look childish and ridiculous.

- Gym bag to office/interview???...Wow, if you do this then you should seriously find the definition for business casual/formal outfit. Unless you are a TA at a university don't even think about carrying a backpack. There are tons of options and styles for professional looking bags with many features that are found in a backpack. So instead of wasting your time looking for the most versatile backpack, go to stores that sell official bags and purchase one. They will help you blend in well with others in the company instead of being titled the "Gym boy"! If the situation is truly unavoidable, then carry bags that do not make a statement or advertise a sports company.

- Fluorescent, glittery shirts/suits...I really pity your date or even the person sitting next to you. With all the grasps and stares you might think that you are the man of the party but you are actually the fool in the party. These shirts, however glamorous they look on celebrities; they do not suit any guy. If you really want to look hot at a party, then go for a solid black dress shirt with a relatively new jean and that should take care of the job!

- Baggy clothes...One might wonder if you have a rap group. If they ask you don't hesitate to say yes to having a rap group because if you don't you are going to make the local headlines! Loose fitting clothes are comfortable but baggy clothes just make you sloppy. It won't hurt to buy a bigger waisted pant as long as you have a good tailor who will alter the sides.

To read more about this article or just about men’s fashion tips, click here.

Hopefully next time around you will not embarrass your girlfriend!!!

More on fashion trends...

Horoscopes

2008-11-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Are any of you really into reading your horoscope every single day? Some people truly are. I’ve heard of some people who pretty much live their lives based off of the horoscopes they read. I’m not sure if I actually believe in all this horoscope stuff. I mean what really is a horoscope in the first place? A dictionary definition of horoscope is, “astrological forecast: an astrologer's description of the personality and future of a person based on the position of the planets in relation to the sign of the zodiac under which the person was born.” Or “diagram of planetary relationship: the positions of the stars or planets relative to each another at a specific moment, especially the time of somebody's birth, or a diagram of these positions.” I mean really? Is this stuff really true? I’m not sure if they’ve got me convinced. Its just unbelievable that you can check your horoscope daily, you can check it for the week, or even the entire month. And make sure you know your sign or your horoscope might be wrong. Watch out people! Your task for the day… Check your horoscope by clicking here! Hope it’s not bad.

Feedback Please!

2008-11-06T10:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, so all of you men out there please give me your input on what I should right about. Apparently you are not interested in different styles of jeans or any new fashion trends, which by all means I don’t exactly blame you. But as you can tell I am a woman here and I do not have the slightest clue what you guys want to read about. According to my English class, you guys don’t really care about fashion trends but we, here at fashion trends 101, continue to receive comments about how our blogs don’t appeal to the male reader. What on earth do we do in this awful situation? I know you don’t want to hear about hair styles and designer bags, but honestly what would you like to read? I can do research on fashion trends for guys if that’s what you would like to read about because I don’t know anything about guys fashion really. Give me some ideas people!! I need some serious feedback! Comment on my blog please!

And for you girls who read this blog… If you don’t want to read about things that are pretty or the new fashion trends, what would you like us to write about? Do you want us to write about certain fashion styles? Like preppy, punk, classy, sporty, anything like that? I want to know what you want to read about. Would anyone be interested in reading any health blogs? Or what about celebrities and their fashion? Or maybe a “What not to wear” blog? A fitness and weight loss blog could be an option. I need your input though. Our goal at Fashion Trends 101 is to write about things you want to read. We don’t want this blog site going unread each week because no one cares about what we are writing about.

So this is where you come into play. Leave me a comment. Give me your opinion. Tell me what to write about. Help me out! I would really appreciate any suggestions you, guys and girls, have!! Thanks!

You Can Never Have Too Many!!

2008-11-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

As every girl knows, we just can’t go without more than one pair of jeans. If you are like me you probably own about 5 to 6 pairs of jeans or if you are crazy, like my best friend, you may own 10 to 12 pairs of jeans. I know ridiculous, right? But maybe you own several pairs and you get sick of wearing the same style. Well I have researched several different types and styles of denim jeans just for this purpose, since I wear jeans just about every single day in the fall and winter. These styles range “from basic blue to wide leg trousers to colored skinnys.” And like most girls… you want one of each. AOL’s Stylist helped me with this research and here are some examples of denim jeans for this fall.

First we have our skinny jeans. These jeans come in a variety of colors and washes. “Dark washed skinny jeans look the best and are the most popular.” Try to look for dark skinny jeans in indigo, navy, black, and dark greys instead of lighter washes. Another tip about skinny jeans is making sure you buy a pair that is comfortable for you to move around in. And please be able to zip them up!

What about those high-waisted jeans? Thank goodness this style is in. With the high waist of these jeans, no need to worry about having a plumber crack or a muffin top. Unfortunately these high waisted jeans make mid-sections look bigger and hips look wider. “High-waisted pants are great on ladies with flat tummies, long torsos and hourglass shapes.”

Straight leg jeans are another option. These jeans are cute to wear and are easy to run around in. You can never go wrong with this style of denim jeans.

Wide leg jeans or should I say mile-wide flare? This style of jean has made a huge comeback and seems to be extremely popular this fall. But keep this tip in mind when buying your new favorite pair of wide leg jeans: “The biggest key to making wide legs look flattering is choosing the right pair for your frame. If you are tall you can afford to go extra-wide with your flares, but if you're petite, a more modest leg will look the best. For pear-shaped gals, a flare that begins below the knee will balance out curvy hips.”

Boot cut jeans are best for those of us out there who are short! These jeans help balance curvy hips. They also work very well for women with a triangle or hourglass body shape. Also, choose a pair with a slight boot cut rather than a fuller bell bottom flare. The less the width, the taller you may look.

Don’t know where to purchase these styles of denim jeans? Here are just a few places you can begin to look for your new fabulous wardrobe.

Skinny Jeans: Lee $44

High-Waisted Jeans: Charlotte Russe $34.99

Straight Leg Jeans: Wet Seal $29.50

Wide Leg Jeans: Nordstrom $187

Boot Cut Jeans: Gap $49.50

Going Green...

2008-11-05T06:47:00.000-08:00

The leaves are turning into pretty shades of yellow and orange. Television is going digital. Our 44th President is a African-American. Change is in the air...so what other time would be more appropriate to have an eco-friendly closet? Yep, thats right...any style of apparel or accessories can come in an eco-friendly form.

The idea of a green closet has not been around for a long time but people in the fashion industries are figuring out ways to make this possible. Bags, wallets, slippers are some common things that are already in the market. Along with them apparel for babys, teens and adults are coming out every day but they are hard to find and sometimes impossible especially for plus sizes. About.com talks about why Eco-friendly is so hot and the reasons why people should consider them...
- One of the important aspects of eco-friendly clothing is that it is good for our environment
- Can be expensive than regular fabric but lasts longer
- People who are working on these apparel have healthier working conditions
- Consumers health is also profited as harmful chemicals and bleaches are not used
- Natures beauty is reflected in the fabric making it look good even without other details
- Recycled materials and natural elements make you look more stunning than artificial fabric

All the points above are summed up very well by fashion designer Linda Loudermilk - "We aim to give eco glamour legs, a fabulous look and a slammin’ attitude that stops traffic and shouts the message: eco can be edgy, loud, fun, playful, feminine (or not) and hyper-cool.” With that being said its time to look at some green fashion items before heading out to the mall...

Butterflymama.com is one among the various shops that offer eco-friendly clothing and accessories. What is better than wearing a Country Meadow Dress on a warm day at the beach? This dress comes in either earth tones or in jewel tones for an affordable price. If you don't prefer wearing a dress to a beach then go for something close to the Morning Dew Top. Add a comfy shorts to it and you are ready for a comfortable, relaxed and lazy day near the lovely oceans or just in your backyard with nature on you! Add to that a nice Recycled Corduroy Diamond Patchwork Wanderin' Backpack which is also available in two tones. Right now this bag would be ideal to take your swim suits and sunscreens but in a few years this will be your lifesaver when you have kids that can get into the worst situations. The Fair Trade Peaceful Land Stone Necklace will accent any outfit and brings out the beauty of nature. To complete the look, add a Teerasoles Rainer and showoff your trendy look and boast about the fact that you are saving the environment at the same time!

Hope you start thinking about Mother Nature next time you buy a dress...

Too Much Candy?

2008-10-31T12:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween fellow bloggers! Now I’m sure most of you are headed out to some sort of Halloween party tonight in your adorable costumes. But as we all know, Halloween involves a special treat every year… CANDY! I would call you crazy if you didn’t enjoy this part of Halloween. Unfortunately, there really isn’t a plus side to eating Snickers, Reese’s, or M & M’s. Only a down fall….gaining those little extra pounds that no one really wants. I know that’s how I’ve been feeling this Halloween season. I personally cannot resist the tempting Reese’s cups or the peanut butter M & M’s. But deep in the back of my head, my conscience is telling me “DO NOT PUT THAT FATENING PIECE OF CANDY IN YOUR MOUTH!” What are some simple ways to get rid of those extra pounds you might ask? Well I have done some research and found some helpful tips that may help you lose those extra pounds this season.

According to AOL Health and Wendy Chant’s book “Crack the Fat Loss Code,” there are several different steps you can take towards losing some extra weight and boosting your metabolism. Some of these may come as a surprise to you.
Wendy Chant’s steps to “Crack the Fat Loss Code”:

1. Pig Out Every 18 days
What? She can’t be serious. I thought losing weight meant eating less, not more. Chant says that “Your body gets used to the way you eat, which means if you're eating the same amount of calories at every mini-meal every day, you'll hit a diet plateau.” This is why she says that pigging out every 18 days will change your metabolic rate. Wendy Chant also uses a very good analogy to explain this further, “If you think of your body as a fireplace, the more logs you add, or food in this case, the hotter and faster the fire will burn.”

2. Vary your environment
Chant says that people who live in warmer climates tend to have slower metabolisms. She suggests that you change your climate temperature throughout the day. If you live in a warmer climate, step out of the air conditioning and into the heat for a little while. And vice versa for those of you living in a cooler climate.

3. Eat every two to three hours
WOW! That’s a lot of eating throughout the day, don’t you think? Chant says that when you eat, your body temperature rises, which in turn makes you burn calories. “Chant says, citing a study from the University of Western Australia. So rather than eating three big meals a day, eat mini meals every two to three hours, keeping portions in check.”

4. Break Free from Stress
Yes, I can speak for many college students in this world. I’m STRESSED!! When you are stressed your body releases a hormone called cortisol. This hormone that you release slows down your metabolism. So common sense ladies, get rid of the stress!

5. Get the Wiggles Every Hour
Stop being so lazy, get up and move. Instead of taking the bus to class…WALK! “Just moving more throughout the day can prevent metabolism slow-downs and keep blood sugar stable, preventing weight gain,” says Chant.

6. Up your Fat Intake

Hold on a minute. I thought I was trying to lose fat. Please explain. Wendy Chant really means, up your healthy fat intake. What kinds of fats are healthy? “Like omega 3 fatty acids in tuna, salmon and flaxseeds and monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil, nuts and nut butters, all of which boost metabolism,” recalls Chant.

7. Spice Up your Meals
Want to increase your metabolism by 78%? As little as half a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and cayenne can do just that. Goodness, that’s unbelievable.

8. Pump Up the Protein
“When you eat protein, your body burns five times as many calories as when you eat carbohydrates and fat. In the end, protein increases your metabolic rate by 36 percent. Choose protein you can chew like lean red meat, chicken, turkey and eggs, eating one gram of protein for every pound of lean mass you weigh,” claims Wendy. I would have never known.

9. Can Artificial Sweeteners
So basically, this means no more pop!! Drink lots of water girls! “According to research from Purdue University, 'When you eat them, you actually lower your metabolism which sabotages your weight loss goals,' Chant says.”

10. Pop a Daily Multivitamin
Add those extra nutrients like vitamin B12 and magnesium to help keep that metabolism regulating!

Well, now the question is… Are you really going to try these? My answer is YES!! These tips are so easy. There really is no dieting involved. How convenient is that? I suggest everyone tries Wendy Chant’s awesome steps to “Crack the Fat Loss Code!” Enjoy your Halloween candy!

What NOT to Wear This Fall!!

2008-10-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

I’m sure you’ve read all our blog posts on “What to wear this fall,” but trust me darling there are a few things that you should NOT wear this fall. Sorry to have to break it to you like this, but some of you may need to clean out your closets and head straight to the mall. I’m just looking out for you ladies out there because I know none of you want to me fashion victims.

I was looking at a blog of what not to wear this fall and I found some sinple tips for this site. The blog had these four pictures posted and gave reasons why you shouldn't wear any of these outfits. I found these tips very helpful. They first metioned pictures one and two and commented on the sleeves. The sleeves in each of these pictures are long and very large. This specific type of sleeve is called the Dolman sleeve. And quoted from this blog is "not flattering on any body type." It is also said that this Dolman sleeve may add unwanted pounds to your body image. So ladies... Please do not purchase this sleeve on any type of dress, shirt, or sweater. Picture number three is a cute dress in my opinion. But unlike most of you I am only 5 feet tall so it wouldn't be so short on me. The problem with this dress is the length. Way, way too short. Especially for the fall. Girls, it's getting cold outside, cover up! And picture number four, I'm just not sure about this one. I mean the color itself is awful in my opinion, and those sleeves are just hideous. I can't tell if its lace or what those sleeves are made of.

I know there are all kinds of outfits out there that you ladies are wearing that you probably shouldn't. Just stand in front of your full length mirror before you leave the house and just ask yourself, "Is this really flattering to my body?"

Please clean out those “Fashion Don’t” items from your jam-packed closets and but some new fashionable clothes!!!

Do you know what fits you right? (Part 2)

2008-10-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Last week we talked about figuring what shape your body is and then figure ways to look flattering even with those heavy thighs and round hips. Now it’s time to focus on top heavy people (About.com)…but before we go into specifics it is important to consider the three basic tips needed to look good from Part 1. With that being said lets jump into the details…
Top H ea vy – Negatives: Huge breasts, broad shoulders (in some cases). Positives: Slimmer waist & hip, narrow legs, great cleavage.
§ Tops: Avoid shirts that are too tight as it will make your bust look bigger. Baggy tops also don’t work as it will put more emphasis to your top heaviness. Knits and woven’s will look good as it will not cling to your body like silk but it will still fit just right. Going for Stretch is better for an elongated look. V-neck, boat neck and shirt neck will suit you well. Add a pretty cami to play up your cleavage.
§ Bottoms: Anything tight like skinny jeans, silk skirts and the like are going to accent your heavy top so avoid them. Also, going for lower waist pant is a waste of time therefore go for the natural waist fit as it will draw attention to your narrow and soft waist! Adding details to your bottoms is the best solution to create a balance between the big top figure and the slimmer legs and thighs. This can be done by going for pocketed jeans. Beading and patterns can also do the trick.
§ Dresses: Play up your nice legs by wearing dresses that fall just above your knees except on your wedding day (even that you can go for dresses that have side and front bottom opening to accentuate your pretty and slim legs). Empire waists and anything that defines your top separately is disastrous so go for things that put more definition to your waist. Strapless dress works if you don’t have broad shoulders but if you do go for a spaghetti-strap or a sleeveless dress with a nice V-neck.
Now that you know what to choose its time to look at some things that you can buy that will flatten your body!
Bottom Heavy: Purple, empire waist, smocking…all these are found at an affordable price at Victoria’s Secret. Empire waist works best for people with huge bottoms to disguise the heaviness with free flowing dresses. The sleeve can be worn on top of the shoulders or at the sides depending on your mood. On occasions when you can’t wear dresses opt for a nice top like the patterned square neck top from Macy’s. The patterns in the top draw attention to the face and the top portion of your body instead of your faulty areas. Also the top is slightly longer than your waist so this can disguise a round hip very well. To go with the top, go for a wide boot cut pant which sits at your waist like the Apt 9 pant dress pant from Kohl’s. The dark color makes your thighs & legs look longer and slimmer.
Top Heavy: Knits, boat neck, and belted waist…everything you need to look stunning in a dress is available at Victoria’s Secret. The belted waist defines your thin waist while also making you look taller as your slim thighs along with bare thin legs will distract a person from the top heaviness. As simple to no patterns look best on your figure it’s important to go for something like the V-neck solid black shirt from Macy’s. This top not only shows your cleavage but also draws attention to your slim hips. This shirt will go well with a patterned skirt from Kohl’s. This plaid patterned skirt will draw attention to your legs and it is also very comfortable to wear for many occasions. Bonus: Now that it is winter it’s important to find just the right jacket and this decision should be made after a wise consideration. Bottom Heavy people should never go for a long jacket as this will make their entire body look bigger. So it’s important to go for ones that have a belted waist. Burlington coat factory has the perfect cut for a reasonable price! Top heavy people can go for almost any jacket but should be careful that it is not too tight or has patters near the chest…this adds to the bulkiness. Long coats especially look nice on you as you have slimmer lower body so go for something like the Long Woolen Coat with Extra Wide Collar from Burlington coat factory.
Wow that was a long and informative entry. Have fun shopping for your outfits that flatter your body shape!
More on fashion tips…

We need your INPUT...

2008-10-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

Girls: Shoes, handbags, jewelry, dress, makeup…there’s just too much fashion tips available for women. We find it really hard to pick one thing to write about which will be worth your time. So we would appreciate if you give us some topics that you want more information on. At that time we will update the existing poll and based on the results from the poll you’re ideas will be featured over the next few months.
Guys: As most of you have noticed by now, we hardly have four entries discussing fashion tips for guys. This is not on purpose but because we don’t know what to write about! Therefore we would like you to give us ideas that would help you be more up-to-date on fashion. Whether it is about the new sports shoe, a new hair-do, or a new tie for the holidays…we will do the research and help you make a decision.
With that being said…it’s time for some comments! If you need ideas check out About.com/Instyle/Men’s Flair.
Hopefully next time around my fellow bloggers and I will not have to worry about one topic but choosing from many…

How to Makeover Your Man

2008-10-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

LADIES! This blog may be helpful to those of you representing the “in a relationship” status right now.
Imagine you want to go out on a date with your boyfriend to a very fancy restaurant but you are embarrassed by what your man is wearing. I’m sure you’ve tried to say something to him or even offered to take him shopping and buy him new clothes and yet every time says replies back saying, “what, you do like the way I dress?” And deep inside your head you screaming “NO, NO I DON”T LIKE IT!” Well lucky for us women out there, About.com was thinking about us when they came up with this “How To,” How to Makeover Your Man

Here's How:
1. Ask yourself honestly what your motivation is for changing the way your man dresses -- the purer the motivation (i.e. to help him develop confidence), the better the results.
2. If you haven't discussed his style issues before, now is the time to let him know you'd like to take over in the fashion department.
3. If he balks, stop here and try again in six months.
4. If he's relieved to have some help, start by assessing his current wardrobe.
5. Pitch everything that doesn't fit, needs serious mending or is totally out of style.
6. Assess your guy's current style with him -- is he dressing for power, comfort or stylishness?
7. Work with him to decide what image he wants to portray.
8. Start slowly redoing his wardrobe, working from the inside out -- buy new underwear, undershirts, socks and hankies.
9. Take advantage of the expertise of the salespeople and tailors at the best stores. They'll help him find the right professional looks that fit.
10. Buy just one new suit that looks terrific, two new shirts and two new ties.
11. Pay attention to details like shoes, belts and socks -- they should be good quality and complement the total look..
12. For weekend wear, neatness goes a long way, so just buy replacement shirts, pants, shorts and athletic shoes.
13. Well-worn jeans and Tshirts may have to be pried from his fingers -- replace with new jeans and a few new logo Ts.
14. Let him keep his logo caps for weekend wear -- it's a small compromise.
15. Give casual wear a spin in the washer a few times to break in jeans and shirts -- it'll go far in the comfort department.

Now I hope he cooperates with you! Here are a few tips to help you out in this awful situation too:

Tips:
1. Study men's magazines like GQ to get a feel for overall men's fashion trends.
2. Don't try to force your style on him -- he's not a doll to be dressed.
3. If all your efforts don't work, don't despair. Some of the biggest geek dressers are also the richest (Bill Gates comes to mind)

I hope these suggestions and tips work for you because I know I am going to try to makeover my man this weekend!

Do you know what fits you right? (Part 1)

2008-10-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Tired of trying to hide your belly, wide waist, huge thighs…well there is a solution to your problems. About.com has some easy fix-ups to show the world that even your worst feature can be hidden and bring out a flattering figure. Most people say that they hate their body and by doing so they fail to realize that everyone has some extraordinary features that need to be highlighted to distract other bad features. There are two categories of body type: Bottom Heavy and Top Heavy (yep, it’s that simple) that most people fall into. Before we get into what needs to be changed for a certain type, it’s important to know that the following tips are crucial in whatever decision you make:

- Know what color suits you best! About.com suggest that you go to the mall with friends (who tell the truth no matter how much it hurts you) and compare some shades to your face. Allow them to give their input then decide on the colors for your wardrobe. But keep in mind that not all shades of green are going to suit your face, so try different hues and shades to come up with the best option.

- Don’t even think that high waist pants with pleats look cute on you! The narrow openings at the bottom are not meant for a cute top instead they go well with longer tops enough to cover the pleats and make you look weird. So avoid them as much as you can.

- Trendy doesn’t have to be in every form! It doesn’t matter if you choose to wear last year’s fall fashion dress as long as you make it up by adding a metallic stiletto and/or chain-linked handbag (fall 08 trends).

Now that you understand the basic tips to flatter your body, it’s time to talk specifics…

Botto m He avy –

* Negatives: wide hips, round thighs.

* Positives: shapely waists, nice upper body and attractive shoulders & arms.

* Tops: Just about right fitting tops as they will not highlight that your hips are bigger than shoulders or make your whole body wide like a loose fitting top would. V-necks & turtle next call attention to your face which is exactly what you must do.

* Bottoms: Avoid anything tight as it call attention to your big bottom. Instead of going a mini skirt go for a simple A-line skirt to distract the viewer from the round thighs and hips. Dark colored pants and vertical lined pants with flare or boot cut works best as they give a narrower and long look to your legs. Shorts that are loose fitting and thin material flatter your thighs while working out.

* Dresses: It is important to play up your shoulders and arms. Therefore try to highlight them to the max with either a strapless or sleeveless dress. Mini dresses don’t work here so go for dresses that fall just above your knees. A flare just below your waist will divert attention to your hips. This can be done with an empire waist with or without belts. But it’s important to keep in mind that overdoing it can make you look like you’re pregnant! For your body a ball gown works best as it hides the wide hips and round thighs.

For all the Top heavy people- stay tuned for Part 2 and also, get some ideas on where and what to shop for your body type.

To be continued…

More on Fashion tips…

Casual Jackets in fashion for Fall'08

2008-10-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Most people around this time of year start realizing that their jackets from last year is either out of fashion or doesn’t fit them well. Consequently they start looking for a jacket that can be worn for most occasions and soon find that choosing from a variety of stores and styles is a pain. About.com and Google have some suggestions that are practical and trendy.
Guys:
§ Tommy Hilfiger Lakeside Jacket – this can be worn almost anywhere and for any occasion unless it’s a black-tie wedding! The clean lines and cut give it a classy look.
§ Black Rivet Hooded Military Blazer – want to look expensive yet casual, then go for this jacket. With pockets and rugged look, it goes best with a nice jean and sneaker/boot.
§ INC International Concepts Nylon Morgan Bomber – motorcycle jackets are a big trend for fall 2008. So even if you don’t own a motorcycle, show off your nylon jacket and get some attention.
§ Gap Reversible Wool-Nylon Jacket – planning to do some grocery shopping before going to a party, then go for this jacket. The wool look is more than enough for Wal-Mart while you might need the motorcycle look at the party.
§ GUESS? Army Hood Jacket – tons of pockets for almost all your electronic equipment and also a hoodie to protect your ears from icy winds all the while you look like a soldier.
§ Calvin Klein Jeans Waxed Double Weave Jacket – late again for a date, then this is jacket is a solution. You even hide your bedtime shirt by throwing this jacket while keeping yourself warm.
Girls:
§ Cabela's Women's Hooded Canyon Jacket – did you know that you could even get denim jackets with hoodies? This jacket can be worn even in business casual situation with just about anything!
§ Lol Cheerful Casual Jacket - Women's – Want to look more put-together? This jacket is just the thing for your next date. The wide belt gives more definition to your waist and keeps with the fall 2008 trend.
§ Ex Officio ExSential Zippy Full-Zip Casual Jacket - Women's – Leather jacket are always a favorite as they can be worn to any place whether it is McDonald’s or to your first day at a big company!
§ Columbia Revolutionary Jacket – who wouldn’t love these good old front-zip up hoodies on a cold day with a nice fleece pant?
Now that you have seen some fall 2008 jackets get the one you desire most or all of them if you can’t decide and show them off to your friends and strangers…
More on Fashion trends…

The new accessory!

2008-10-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

The new accessory for this fall is yes the simple scarf. I’ve seen so many girls taking a simple outfit like jeans and a plain t-shirt and adding a patterned scarf to spice it up a little. What a great idea! If you ever find yourself needing to change the look of a simple outfit, just add a scarf. There are so many different types of scarves and so many different ways to wear them. Greatlooks.com educates us on all these possibilities.
“Throughout history, scarves have been made from a variety of fabrics- from heavy wool knits to fine silk weaves, patterned or plain - each style appropriate to its setting or the fashion of the period. Today, fashion scarves are commonly made from silk, rayon or acetate, which offer a light weight, fluid movement, strength, and a shimmering finish. Other common fabrics for scarves are cotton and wool, which make for a slightly heavier scarf, with structure and often textured finishes.”

“Scarves come in many sizes and shapes, and many are designed for specific uses. There are bandanas and kerchiefs which are smaller in size (usually 14-16 inches [35-40 cm] on a side), to large shawl-like scarves (which can be up to 48 inches [120 cm] on a side). There are square scarves, rectangular (or oblong) scarves, and triangular scarves. Some scarves have hemmed edges, fringed edges, and fused edges. They can be batik dyed, tie-dyed, silk-screened, have woven patterns, or solid colors. In short, the possibilities are endless.”

“Scarves can be worn in a variety of ways: as head coverings, shawls, accent pieces, belts, and even as garments. They are truly versatile and can add flair to a style, or be used as a subtle accent. They can be tied, pinned with a piece of jewelry, or secured with specially designed accents. Below are some examples of ways to wear scarves to accentuate your look, the shape of scarf you will need and how to secure them.”

Long Tie Scarf

You can create a soft-looking effect with your scarf reminiscent of a man's necktie. It makes for a beautiful accent to a simple suit, dress or blouse / slacks combination. The technique is simple, but highly effective.

Scarf Style Needed: Rectangular (Oblong) Scarf (at least 80 cm long)

Tying the Scarf:Take an oblong scarf and fold it twice lengthwise to create an "S" fold. Drape the folded scarf around your neck and allow the ends to hang down your front. Pull one end of the scarf down so that it is slightly longer than the other. Wrap the longer end around the shorter one and tie a loose knot. Pull the unknotted end of the scarf to adjust the length as desired. The finished look is soft, yet professional. It is suited for wear in virtually any setting.

Neck Wrap

This is a smart, professional style of scarf-tying that makes for a simple accent to a business-suit, or elegant pant/skirt ensemble. This style looks best with a blouse bearing a high collar.

Scarf Style Needed: Rectangular (Oblong) Scarf (at least 80 cm long)

Tying the Scarf:Take the oblong scarf and fold it twice to create an "S" fold. Drape the scarf around your neck so that the ends hang down the back. Cross the ends in the back and bring them back to the front. Loop the one end around the other in front and pull the ends back around to the back once more. Knot the ends at the back of the neck and tuck any remaining length down the back of the blouse beneath the collar. The finished look is sleek and sophisticated.

Check out this website for more scarf tying tips! Hope you find yourself an adorable scarf to spice up an outfit!

Date Night

2008-10-15T18:47:00.001-07:00

Going on a date with a new acquaintance or worse yet a blind date…???
Well it’s enough that you have had some sleepless nights or scary day dreams on all that can go wrong. Both girls and guys (yes, even if they don’t agree readily they go through the same emotions) are anxious to know if the new relationship will work better than their previous one. With all these lovely emotions that already exist in you, it’s a pain to give thought to your outfit! You might want to just give up but it important to know that your “Actions [outfit & manners] speak louder than words.” Keeping this in mind it’s important to follow certain guidelines before going for a date.

10 Tips on Dressing for a Date and What to wear on a Date? give quick tips on making it a successful night!
Do’s
Women:
· Wear something that flatters your figure
· Go for an outfit that you are comfortable in
· Have good manicured nails
· Spray a perfume you normally use
Men:
· Take a shower (important!!!)
· Wear clean and ironed clothing
· Wear clean footwear
· Spray a subtle cologne
Don’ts
Women:
· Don’t experiment with new makeup
· Don’t overdress & don’t imitate celebrities/models
· Avoid ruffling your outfit frequently
Men:
· Don’t go without a clean shave
· Don’t go out without a hair gel
· Avoid fidgeting your fingers

It's not only important that you follow these rules, it's also important to wear something suitable for the setting. Wearing a suit to the park is going to scare your date while wearing a tight glittery blouse is going to look odd a fast food restaurant. To give you an idea on what to wear check out these links:
Picnic at a park: Women try the lovely print dress from Victoria's Secret. With small patterns, brings out your true beauty and the loose fitting hands give all the more reason for wearing it in parks. Men wear a neutral striped cotton shirt to impress your gal from Gap. This shirt ties in with the carefree feeling at a park while you and date take a stroll through the flower beds!
Elegant uptown diner date: Time to choose some formals...women go for more volume while choosing skirts instead of the regular pencil skirts to keep things cool and comfy. Kohl’s has some wonderful collections like the black skirt which can be tied with a silk blouse or a plaid sweater. Men go with a good dress pant (like the one from Old Navy) and a nice dress shirt without overdoing (that is avoid adding a tie/jacket...)!
Hope your next blind/first date experience is not as mind boggling...
More on fashion tips...

Be Scary. Be Sexy. Be Silly.

2008-10-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Thought about what you are going to be for Halloween this year? I know you have a Halloween Party to go to this October, but let me guess, you don’t know what to dress up as. I don’t know what to dress up as either. I mean, I could make myself a costume or I could spend an entire day trying on different costumes at numerous Halloween stores, which is not my preference. Or I could find a dependable Halloween website and order a costume from there. That should save me some time and gas. So I started getting some ideas for a costume this Halloween and didn’t realize there were so many options. I was at this website called HalloweenExpress.com and I found so many that I liked. This website literally has a costume for everyone, adults, teens, kids, plus sizes, families, and couples too. And don’t you worry, they have accessories like you wouldn’t believe. They have scary costumes, sexy, silly, cool, and funny costumes too. Imagine that…they even have Halloween costumes for your pets! Isn’t that crazy? Want to transform yourself into something or someone else? HalloweenExpress.com has all kinds or masks just for that reason. And make-up too, of course. Turn yourself into a scary vampire or make your skin green and look like Frankenstein. Don’t have the right hair for your costume this Halloween? Find a wig. HalloweenExpress.com has wigs for every costume you might need.
Going for the scary look this year? Here are some ideas you might want to look in to:
· Zombie
· Witch
· Vampire
· Michael Myers
· Grim Reaper
· Frankenstein
· Freddy Krueger
How about you ladies going for the sexy look? Try these ideas:
· Naughty Nurse
· Hippie
· Stewardess
· Playboy Bunny
· School Girl
· Go-Go Girl
· Candy Cane
What about just a silly or funny costume this year?
· Trailer Park King
· Sugar Daddy
· Deviled Egg
· Twister
· Cat in the Hat
· Pez Dispenser
· Sumo Wrestler
· Whoopie Cushion
Or maybe you’re going as a couple… Check out these couple costumes:
· Raggedy Ann and Andy
· Plug and Socket Set
· The Flintstones: Betty and Barney Rubble
· Adam and Eve
· Sailors
· Ketchup and Mustard
Family time… Maybe you and your family are attending a Halloween party together. Try some of these family costumes:
· Batman Themed
· Pirates of the Caribbean Themed
· Vampire Themed
· Scooby-Doo Themed
· Star Wars Themed
· 60’s Themed
· The Movie Grease Themed
If I were you, I’d check out this website. It was very helpful to me. Just remember, time is running out to find a costume. You only have 16 more days…

Dress up your outfit...

2008-10-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

Shopping...blue jeans, pink sweatshirt, sneakers. Work...black plant, crème top, black shoe. Date...red cocktail dress, platform heels. Wedding reception...purple dress, stiletto heels. Seems familiar? Well this is pretty much how each person dresses while going to certain occasions. An elegant purple dress with stiletto heels looks wonderful for a wedding reception but having fewer distractions is going to be blah! Although this sounds ridiculous it is true…it is important to keep in mind that adding to the outfit will dress you up. Not only does it do that, it also makes your look like the glamorous Hollywood celebrities if you chose the right things! Well now you might wonder what I’m talking about…jewelry. You might think I’m out of my mind but simple or bold jewelry can make you unique. It also brings out your personality. But not all jewelry suits a person or an outfit so it is important to bring out the real reason for wearing jewelry! eHow editor tells that “A woman should wear her jewelry; it shouldn't wear her. What this means is that while the right jewelry can pull an outfit together, the wrong jewelry can make a woman look at best careless and at worst ridiculous”. By now all must agree that this statement is true because at some point we have had incidents where a piece of jewelry destroys an outfit. So to help you decide better next time eHow has some tips:

1. Big and small don’t go together and guess why…they are opposites. It’s important to remember that wearing big bold jewelry with a small jewelry either prevents a person from viewing a pretty pendant or distracts the viewer. Also, bold jewelry go better with solid colors while smaller ones go with prints as they offer less distraction. 2. Rings…too many can be distracting. Wearing thin rings blend in well with most outfits. But huge cocktail rings look weird with other rings (small/big) unless it’s your wedding ring! 3. Homogenous (mixture of metals)…yes chemistry plays an important role here. Just like it’s hazardous to mix metals that are of different proportions, jewelry can look disastrous if the same styles or proportions of different metals are not used.
4. Pins…they might be little but they came handy when you don’t have any other jewelry to wear. You can attach them either to a lovely scarf or your handbag even if it’s not your outfit like people normally do. Rule #1 applies while choosing pins. 5. Simple yet elegant is the key to wearing jewelry. At work it will be preferred that you offer little distraction to customer/employee so stick with smaller/less impact jewelry. For parties go with a jewelry that best highlights your outfit. Now that you know the basic guidelines for choosing jewelry, it’s time to check out some stores for jewelry that is cheap yet looks out of the world to make you look trendy at any place…even while shopping at Wal-Mart!
Claire's has got a lovely black earring for only $10.00. This can be either be worn with a bright patterned dress or a simple blouse for a date night. Need to have some distraction from your purple plunging neckline dress...then go for the Victor Alfaro Beaded Necklace from Bergner's. The lovely beads not only look expensive, they also look trendy (more so with the color trend for fall...purple) for an affordable price! Need something cheap to add some value to your turtle-neck sweater...then do an impulse purchase at Kohl’s...you will not regret it later! Finally something for your bare hands...JC Penny has an elegant Sapphire bracelet that looks stunning with a bridesmaid dress or just for another cocktail party.
Have fun with jewelry...
More on Fashion tips...

COCO CHANEL

2008-10-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about where designer brands came from? Well if your not weird, like me then you probably haven't, but for those of you who have a strange mind like mine I did a little research on the fabulous Coco Chanel. This is just a little history I got from a Fashion History website I found.

“The great fashion designer Gabrielle Chanel 1883-1971 self styled herself to be known as Coco Chanel. By 1920 the silhouette of her clothing designs have come to be the epitome of 20's style. The work of other famous designers beside hers seemed old fashioned and outmoded belonging as they did to the pre World War One era. She promoted the styles we associate with flappers. She worked in neutral tones of beige, sand, cream, navy and black in soft fluid jersey fabrics cut with simple shapes that did not require corsetry or waist definition. They were clothes made for comfort and ease in wear making them revolutionary and quite modern. She was the Jean Muir or Donna Karan of her day and the originator of the LBD - that little black dress.”

Little Miss Chanel has become a high fashion icon in todays fashion world. About.com gave me another insite on Coco Chanel as well with a little background history.

"Soon she was expanding to couture, working in jersey, a first in the French fashion world. By the 1920s, her fashion house had expanded considerably, and her chemise set a fashion trend with its "little boy" look. Her relaxed fashions, short skirts, and casual look were in sharp contrast to the corset fashions popular in the previous decades. Chanel herself dressed in mannish clothes, and adapted these more comfortable fashions which other women also found liberating.
In 1922 Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No. 5, which became and remained popular, and remains a profitable product of Chanel's company. Pierre Wertheimer became her partner in the perfume business in 1924, and perhaps also her lover. Wertheimer owned 70% of the company; Coco Chanel received 10% and her friend Bader 20%. The Wertheimers continue to control the perfume company today.
Coco Chanel introduced her signature cardigan jacket in 1925 and signature "little black dress" in 1926. Most of her fashions had a staying power, and didn't change much from year to year -- or even generation to generation.
She briefly served as a nurse in World War I. Nazi occupation meant the fashion business in Paris was cut off for some years; Chanel's affair during World War II with a Nazi officer also resulted in some years of diminished popularity and an exile of sorts to Switzerland. In 1954 her comeback restored her to the first ranks of haute couture. Her natural, casual clothing including the Chanel suit once again caught the eye -- and purses -- of women. She introduced pea jackets and bell bottom pants for women. She was still working in 1971 when she died. Karl Lagerfeld has been chief designer of Chanel's fashion house since 1983.
In addition to her work with high fashion, she also designed stage costumes for such plays as Cocteau's Antigone (1923) and Oedipus Rex (1937) and film costumes for several movies, including Renoir's La Regle de Jeu. Katharine Hepburn starred in the 1969 Broadway musical Coco based on the life of Coco Chanel."
Just a little history lesson for ya! I thought it was interesting so I thought maybe you would enjoy it too!

Victoria's Secret

2008-10-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

You can buy more than bras and panties at this common store in just about every mall across the country. Victoria’s Secret is an upcoming clothing store for young women everywhere. Of course, you’ll find hundreds of styles of underwear with millions of designs and in all kinds of colors, but you can find the perfect bra for you that fits you correctly and is comfortable too. Victoria’s Secret has a clothing and underwear line called “Pink.” This clothing is designed for the college girl style. This line has sweatpants, sweatshirts, tank tops, t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, and tote bags. All very cute in my opinion. Victoria’s Secret also offers a variety of lotions, perfumes, lip glosses, and body and shower gel. These all have unique names like Very Sexy perfume, or Love Spell body spray. The fragrances at Victoria’s Secret are no doubt girly beyond belief. Victoria’s Secret also sells a wide variety of swimwear. They offer all different styles and colors and patterns. Victoria’s Secret now sells shoes too! That’s crazy. You can but flip-flops, heels, pumps, and all kinds of boots from Victoria’s Secret. Victoria’s Secret has gone from a lingerie store to a high-end clothing store for all varieties and personalities of women. Hope you enjoy shopping at Victoria’s Secret as much as I do!

Look Slim this Fall

2008-10-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

Want to look chic and slim this fall? No worries, it’s easy. Key word… layer. Lucky for you, layering has more than one advantage. Since the weather is getting cooler you might want to start layering your clothes to keep warm and at the same time give yourself a slimmer look. “Fall has arrived which means we get to add a few layers to outfits to keep out the chill and cover up any figure flaws. While layering is relatively simple to do, a few expert tips will help you make the most of this cozy look no matter your shape,” says Emily Neill. My guess is your wondering how to do this. So am I. Stylelist.com has given girls like us a few tips about layering for a slim look this fall.
Tip #1:
Layering allows us to break up looks and create new shapes visually by mixing hems and color. But while layering sweaters is a great idea to stretch your wardrobe, a dark top over a light tank shortens your torso and makes your hips appear wide. A better color combination is two similarly dark colors (brown and wine) which looks more sophisticated and slimming. You look leaner (in the same pants) since there is no break of color to cut your shape in half. For a more colorful look that still flatters, play up your blue eyes and blond hair by layering a blue bolero over a sculpting black V-neck sweater. The contrasting colors now work together to highlight your narrow waist.
Tip #2:
If you tall and slim, with a straight "ruler" shape, our goal for you is to add curves and make the most of your height. Trade your shapeless beige pants and sweater for crisp black trousers and a fitted oxford and vest duo. The deep scoop of the vest helps to shorten your tall torso while the oxford collar frames your face. The long necklace softens your look and adds a polished accent to a classic outfit. For a skirted look that makes the most of your slim figure, pair a curve-maximizing pencil skirt with a form-hugging top and snug bolero sweater. The bolero reshapes your torso by emphasizing your waist, while the other pieces heighten your curves.
Tip #3:
Last but not least, if your short (5'2") and have a baby tummy and thick arms, rather than masking your bulges under layers, your thick sweater and low rise pants highlight the tummy you'd like to forget! To ban the bulge, trade that bulky sweater for a sleek black tee and slim dress coat. The coat cinches you at the narrowest part of your torso while long black sleeves cover potential arm issues that the capped sleeve coat could have brought out. For a skirted look, pair a fluid A-line black jersey skirt with a shirred-waist cowl-neck fitted top, and a soft "jacket" in order to get coverage for your belly and upper arms but still show off your petite shape.
Wow, I didn’t think layer could make you look slimmer. These are definitely a few tips to keep in mind while picking out different outfits this fall! Hope these tips helped you out as much as they helped me!

Go Big or Go Home!!

2008-10-07T11:49:00.000-07:00

Ladies, need a new bag to carry? Well this fall’s fashion says… GO BIG! Big bags this season is what’s in! Get rid of that little tiny purse you carried around this summer and head straight for the mall. Those of you out there you like to jam pack your bag, well no need to be crowded anymore. Find a big bag, which will definitely do the trick. Don’t know what bag to buy? Anyone your heart desires. Fancy or simple. You can wear it with all kinds of different outfits. About.com says “Work with the law of opposites when it comes to pairing bold bags with outfits: the simpler the clothing, the more adventuresome the bag can get and vice versa.” So if you have a simple autumn colored sweater dress with black leggings and your Ugg boots on today, then pick a fun black bag with rhinestones for today’s outfit. Or if you have one a bright floral top with black dress pants and black heels, then pick a simpler bag for the day’s outfit. Now don’t forget ladies, you don’t want to overdo it here. A bag too big can look ridiculous. Especially if you are someone like me who is 5 foot 110 pounds. I’m not going to carry around a bag that’s half the size of me, that’s crazy. Find one thats just right for your style and size. That shouldn't be too hard given the fact that there are tons and tons of bags and purses to choose from. Shop for some of these big bags at Macy’s. I personally like the Kathy Van Zeeland purses. Somewhat expensive, but very cute. Also check out the Coach bags and Jessica Simpson’s line of purses. No one ever said you had to limit yourself to one bag either. Have fun shopping and remember “Go Big or Go Home!”

Fall 08 Haircut Trends

2008-10-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

Now that most of you know the kinds of haircuts that are suitable for your face (if not check out “All about haircuts…”), it’s time to try cuts that are in fashion to get a trendy look. Elle has great tips and secrets not only to keep your hair tame but also to make your look expensive for reasonable prices. The following top 10 trends for fall are taken from Elle -
Fabulous Fringe – Have medium or thick straight hair. Then go for this look. While doing this you should keep in mind that the more hair you use for the fringe the better it is. You can do almost any styling in the back to complete the look. As the fringe is meant to reach till your brows, you can always gather it at the top occasionally. The key thing to remember with this look is to trim the fringes quite frequently to avoid looking like an un-groomed puppy! Add some serum to the fringe for a shiny look.
Layered Look – Want to add some spice to your long, straight hair…then go for layers. This hair is suitable for even thin hair as layers create volume. You can also substitute this with a step cut at the back and layers in the front. Be sure to have your first layer to start just above your chin as they take care of fringes. Simply blow drying your hair on busy days can be substituted for using a flat iron. Add gloss for a clean look or a texturizer for a shaggy look.
Natural Woman (spikes) and Pixie (boy cut) – Are you busy running errands all day? Do you forget to comb your hair in the mornings? Then go for a spiked look (yes, they are not only for guys). If you have an unmanageable hair or less volume then go for this cut. You only need to trim it once in six weeks. Add some jewelry while going for a party and you’ll be elegant. On days when you have some time, add a serum for a shinny look.
Mushroom Bob and Layered Bob – Worried about thin or medium volume hair. Then do the mushroom bob as this will enable your hair to look thick and also fall in place. This look is also easy to maintain as you only need to blow dry and do a quick comb. Do the cut to look more feminine all the while you are comfortable. Fringes to the brow add to the look. Keep in mind that adding some crème to avoid frizz will make your hair tame.
Asymmetrical Shag (Victoria Beckham look) – Yes it’s the Victoria Beckham look only with some minor changes. Instead of doing a center partition, a side to do the thing. Make sure that your hair reaches up to your lips and not anywhere else. Adding more layers to this look will destroy it. Don’t get too crazy with it. Add a finishing crème to give the shag look some texture.
Wild Curls – Already love your wild curls? Then now is the season to make it even wilder! Add layers instead of a straight cut to add depth to your hair. This also creates distraction instead of the boredom. Be sure that the ends are done well to make it look like each layers fall into another without any distractions. Use some crème to make your hair tame and frizz-free even with a wild look.
Blunt Bob and One Length – The old American celebrity cuts are back in site. The blunt bob with the thick fringes covering most of the fore-head is ideal for people who don’t like curling or adding waves. The regular one length is for people who totally dislike fringes. These haircuts are perfect for people who have straight hair. If you do have a curly hair, then you need to put a lot of effort into making it tame. To make the one length interesting apply serum/gloss for an extra shiny and smooth look.
Have fun with your hair this fall with the bold cuts…

All about haircuts...

2008-10-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Do you still don’t like the way you look even after following all the fall trends for shoes and clothes? Well then it’s time for some changes on your face! Not by doing some expensive plastic surgery but just by going to a beauty parlor and getting a haircut. Although it seems really simple to go for a haircut rather than a crazy surgery, wrong cuts will force you to stay behind doors for a while. Why, because you’re hair is not going to grow back magically in a day or two. Therefore it’s important to follow some guidelines before sitting on “that chair”.
About.com will help you make the process easier for you and your stylist! According to them, one of the first things you need to do is to determine your face shape and then look at cuts that will be flattering on you.
Do you have an oval face…then you should be proud to know that almost any cut will make you look good. Because there are many options for your face, try to make a cut that highlights your best feature. If you have great chin go for bob that almost falls to your chin like that old Victoria Beckham look. Waves look awesome on your face so get crazy with curls and waves. Add some bangs and you should fit right just about anywhere! But beware of short layers and blunt cuts they make your face look longer.
Have a looong face…then you should have already realized that having long hair without any distractions is hazardous. The key here is to go for width that balances your face and hair properly. If you have a straight long hair then go for layers or V-cut that create volume in the sides near the chin and collar. Bobs just near the chin or collar is good for short hair. Bangs in the front to the brow also look great. But keep in mind that it’s important to add waves, curls to add width instead of boring straight hair.
Round faced…your are to follow things that are exactly the opposite of long faces! Try to minimize the round puffy look around your cheeks by reducing the volume. Bangs that fall near your chin looks best as it distracts attention to your face. Go for either a below the chin cut or layers that go down gradually. If you have long hair, try curling the ends as it also, distracts attention to the round feature. One thing that you definitely need to avoid is a blunt or too short curly look…it adds to the round feature!
Heart-shaped or Square face…draw attention to your chins. Go for chin-length bobs with short bangs. Also, short – spiked cuts look good on you. Gradual layers from the chin with interesting ends highlight your chins. Never go for one length cuts or harsh layers. Also, don’t have one length bangs as they will highlight more of your face shape.
For more information on haircut tips check out the About.com website. This leads to the haircut article which gives links to haircut images and actress that share your face. Some of the essentials needed to tame your hair are included beneath each face type.
Haircuts for fall 2008 coming up next…

Sweaters for all occasions

2008-10-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

The season for flip-flops with shorts and shirt are gone...now it’s time for some shoes, jeans and sweaters. After enjoying almost four months of warm weather, it’s hard to get back into the time consuming schedule of selecting an outfit that keeps you warm and stylish.
But with today’s clothing selections one can find almost any type of sweaters/knits for all occasions.
Running errands...check out the lovely hoodies from Kohl’s. They not only cost under $20 but also they come in many colors with a wonderful cut. With the elastic waist, these hoodies can be worn all day for comfort. The hood is an added bonus for unexpected protection against snow and harsh winds.
Going for an interview...JC Penny's has a wonderful Rhinestone-button Cardigan for less than $50! This cardigan has detailed work with makes it look elegant. Add a dark colored pant and maybe a co-coordinating scarf...you're set for the business world. This comes several colors including purple. So be sure to show off your new sweater with the touches of fall trends!
Wanna party...Victoria’s secret has some awesome collections for winter. These dresses have tons of necks to choose from like turtle necks to scoop necks. Throw some fashion jewelry and tights (optional) to complete the look... For less than $70, you are sure to be the center of attention at the party!
And something that goes everywhere...Forever 21’s makes it easier for us to find things that can be worn just about anywhere! This Elaine Knitted Cardigan comes in two neutral colors - black and brown. The wide collar and big buttons in the front make it possible for you to wear either to a formal event with a khaki/light colored pant or to the mall with the good old jeans!
Now before you get excited about sweater options, remember one important tip: It’s important to buy tight fitting sweater as they keep you warm and also make you look normal!
More on fashion...

Help!!

2008-10-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

Now that it’s beginning to get cold outside, I think I need to invest in a pair of Ugg boots. But with the budget I have where can I find a cheap pair of boots that are good quality boots? I bought a cheap pair of knock-off boots last winter and they only made it through about half the winter. Mind you they were only like $30 so I wasn’t expecting them to last that long. But being in college now I literally walk EVERYWHERE. So I need a good pair of boots to keep my feet warm while walking to class every day. I’ve been looking online at the Ugg website but their boots are just so expensive. I can’t afford $160 boots right now. I was hoping you fellow bloggers out there could give me some suggestions on where I can purchase a pair of good quality boots that won’t put a hole in my pocket. If you have any suggestions please e-mail me or just post a comment on this blog. I really appreciate all of your help! I hope you too can keep your feet warm this winter. So bundle up!

The Great White

2008-10-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

Another 2008 fall fashion trend is the, you can never have too many, white shirt. Ever thought of a plain white shirt becoming a fashion trend? I never thought of it. But yes, a solid white shirt is becoming very popular on women today. Now white shirts come in a variety of styles. Long sleeved or short sleeved. Button-up or crew neck. "The designers have put a modern, feminine twists on the classic, crisp white shirt - which has for so long been an indispensable staple in your boyfriend's closet - by infusing it with the charm of swingy, geometric trapeze silhouettes and fresh detailing with the use of bows, ruffles, asymmetry and pleats. This fundamental of fashion has also had the pleasure of being morphed into comfortably chic dresses complete with pockets, buttons, collars and ties." You can find basically any style of shirt in solid white. Now of course, InStyle.com has some wonderful tips on how to choose a great white shirt.

First: The Fabric
A collared white shirt works best in poplin or twill, which give structure and aren't too sheer.

Second: The Darts
Vertical darts below the bust help give a shirt a tailored look. Horizontal darts to the side of the bust accentuate curves.

Next: The Collar
Choose carefully—one that's too tall (and stiff) will rub against your neck.

Then: The Cuffs
French cuffs add flair, but make sure they fall no farther than just past your wristbone.

And: The Front
Watch for any pulling across the chest, gaps between the buttons, or lift at the front hem.

Don’t Forget: The Length
For most, a hem that hits about an inch below the waistline will look best.

Finally: The Cut
You want tailored perfection—a shape that isn't too loose, boxy or billowy.

The varities are endless -- cotton with stretch, fitted silhouettes, cuff and sleeve details, collar variations -- but they all work under everything from cardigans to jackets or on their own with wide-leg trousers.
I highly suggest you go out and purchased at least one white shirt for this fall’s fashion. Or maybe two or three or four. Just remember, you can easily dress up, or down, this white shirt with a jacket, belt, your choice of jewelry, and even layering with variety of colors. Shop at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, or Gap for a great white shirt!

Menswear inspiring women's fashion

2008-10-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

Remember when vests were only worn by men? Well now these menswear-inspired elements rule women's fashion all over! Vests can be worn as business attire or very casual.

For Women:

Business attire: Vest can be worn over a white blouse with some nice black dress pants.

The casual look: Tank tops or T-shirts could be worn under a vest with jeans.

Vests could also be worn over dresses to add a Bohemian vibe.

Don't worry men I didn't forget about you!

For Men:

Maximize the elegance of a simple black vest by pairing it with matching trousers and a perfectly cut white shirt.

Dress down a vest by wearing it over a striped polo with dark jeans.

The laid-back look: Collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up and some washed out pair of jeans.

As you look for some vests at Kohl's, Macy's, Forever 21, ExpressMen, etc., remember it's not what type of vest you buy it's what you wear with it. Have these tips handy when you are thinking about what to wear next. These will really help and also make you stand out with the new fashion trend!

More fashion trends next time....

Wanna look your best...

2008-09-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

Well now is the time! Over the past few weeks you have been informed on the latest trends to make you look best. But with so many selections to choose from, it’s hard to stick with one and still bring out your personality! To help with that I found an article from Ok magazine in the latest issues. One of the well known stylist's - Tim Gunn has given five tips on how you can make your wardrobe look fabulous by finding what suits you. It is important to look like you as anything you do or wear makes a statement to others on what you like best.

One of the first tips is to dress according to the occasion. Although this sounds really dumb it’s something that every person makes a mistake on at some point in time! College students run into this problem every time. As there is so much to do during a given day, it’s crucial to dress accordingly. Students love to wear sweatpants and shirts to class but that is not an acceptable dress for a job fair/interview. To make sure that you go to class not dressed up, wearing a nice dark colored or khaki pant is the way to go. You can co-ordinate that with a plain colored blouse or a nice solid/slightly patterned sweater. This outfit known as “business formal” is pleasing to the employee’s eyes and it doesn’t really set you apart in you Chemistry lecture! If you to go for a party soon after a class, try to wear a simple yet elegant dress that allows you to be comfortable in class. You can dress you outfit with accessories on the way to the party!

Don't be a sales junkie! 15% - 50% off on everything…early bird sale ends at noon today…although they statements capture our eyes, it’s not sensible to buy something that doesn’t work well with your body for a lesser price. I’ve run into the problem so many times. There are times when I do get lovely clothing and accessories for an affordable price but there are other times when I do an “impulse purchase” and then regret that I wasted $30.00 on a dress that doesn’t fit me. Try to make sure you’re purchase is something that you would wear. If it’s not then invest on something that you’ll wear often…that you be worth the price you pay!

Invest in the little bright dress (LBD)…this is something that I need to heed to. I love black dresses. For any event I try to go with black because it is so elegant. But guess what “black = boring”. You may not like this very much and neither did I when I first came across this! But it does make a point…it’s important to have dresses in different colors and not be like you are gothic! Go to a shop and pick out colors that you like…then choose brighter tones of the same color. By doing this you not only have something that fits well in your wardrobe but also something that makes you different and unique from others.

Transform yourself. Change is something that no one likes. Although it may sound interesting and exciting at first, it wears off when you start facing reality! You may be a person who prefers darker clothing but try something new by getting a pink outfit instead of a red. If you think that you are going to mess up while picking something that you usually don’t wear, call your friends/family and ask their input on what looks best on you. This will build up your confidence!

Rework your wardrobe…finally. With all that’s said above, its important to make some changes to your boring wardrobe. Check out these collections and decide if you want to have some - Forever 21 has a comfy top that can be worn to chemistry labs or to a job interview. How about the bright aqua dress from Bergners which is on sale (and not a junk) that you can wear to the near party? Victoria's secret has some wonderful dress collections that you can wear anywhere!
With all this is mind...now is the time for you to show the world who you are...!!!

Who's your favorite designer?

2008-09-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

Have a favorite designer? Whether it is a shoe, purse, or clothing designer, which designer do you like best? I definitely have a favorite that’s for sure. I’m really into designer purses and accessories. I am in love with Coach! I absolutely love anything and everything from this wonderful designer. Coach, a New York family owned company, was founded in 1941 and was inspired by the ever so popular, baseball glove. The content of the leather glove is what inspired this well known designer. Coach bags were made out of real glove tanned cowhide. Who would have thought?
Coach has such a wide variety of different styles for everything in their collections. Coach has numerous accessories including handbags, business cases, weekend and travel accessories, footwear, watches, outerwear, gloves, sunwear, scarves, jewelry, fragrances, and other accessories as well. Within each of their collections of different accessories there are several different types, styles, and colors for each item. Take handbags for example. Coach has 14 different handbag collections with different colors and styles or each handbag per collection. That’s a lot of handbags if you ask me. Coach also has different types of footwear too. I have an adorable pair brown tennis shoes and my best friend has a pair of flats. I’ve seen different styles of heels and flip flops and of course… rain boots! Walking on campus I’ve seen several girls carrying Coach Umbrellas on a rainy day. Coach also has accessories for men as well. You men out there can buy a Coach Wallet, belt, card case, or travel accessory.
Yes, as you all know, with every designer… there’s price tag. And unfortunately some of these things coach has to offer can get really expensive. Coach handbags usually range from $128-$6,000. There are other accessories like wristlets or wallets that are much cheaper that a handbag. Wristlets usually range from $48-$258. The Coach Footwear prices are easily compared to a good nice pair of Nike tennis shoes. The price for footwear ranges from $88-$598. But I personally wait till any of these items go on sale before I purchase them. I have also shopped at a Coach Outlet store and found that those prices are much, much cheaper than from an original Coach store.
Coach has become one of my very favorite designers. I have purchased several items from Coach like a purse, a pair of tennis shoes, rain boots, and a key chain. I hope those of you who don’t know designer brands yet will find the same love for Coach as I do. “Coach has become a shopping destination for fashion-minded shoppers around the globe.”

Polka dot, Argyle, Plaid...OH MY!

2008-09-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

Patterns are everywhere and on everything! From sweaters and vests, to scarves and bags. What more can we say about patterns, they are fun and they definitely add style to a "blah" outfit. Around campus I see a lot of plaid and argyle on sweaters and book bags. I myself have an argyle sweater that I bought about 3 years ago that I can finally pull out of my closet and wear this fall! You mostly find argyle on knit sweaters or scarves, and they come in all colors. You name any color and they will have it in argyle! Another pattern that we use to see all the time on mini skirts was plaid!

Plaid is back and not only on school uniforms! Plaid has moved from being on skirts to patterns on bags and fall jackets. Plaid is a pattern you have to be careful with though, it is not always the most flattering thing to wear. But don't worry I have done some research and have found some clothing stores you can find some very cute plaid jackets. One store that just received new arrivals was Forever 21. If you don't have a Forever 21 near you, you can always go to Macy's Junior Section they have all types of plaid for only $30. If you are into designer names Burberry is the way to go! They have their signature plaid and you can't go wrong with that.

The last pattern you are seeing everywhere is polka dots. Polka dots on dresses, especially in black and white, will be seen mostly on dresses. And to draw more attention to your outfit, there are different artful variations that could work. For example, buying dresses with ruffles, bows with a bright color, or finish it off with a belt. Forever 21 has polka dresses for $22 what a bargain!

Now girls go out and don't be afraid to get yourselves a little patterned outfits. New fashion trends next time...

Who would have thought...

2008-09-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Remember when your mom dresses you in all kinds of ruffles. A pink ruffled skirt with a white ruffled top and who could forget those lovely ruffled socks. Well who would have thought… ruffles are back! This year’s fall fashion includes the ever so elegant ruffles. Designers all over the world are incorporating ruffles to all their new looks. Ruffles are being worn as simple as on a light blouse under a unique blazer or even as decorative as big ruffles on long even gowns. I think ruffles can be perfect for some outfits but others I think ruffles can be a little too much. That’s just my opinion of course. I personally don’t own any outfits that have ruffles but I have a feeling that they’ll begin to grow on me. Especially since they are a new fall fashion this year. I think only certain people can wear ruffles. I just don’t think all girls would look good wearing ruffles. I feel like the girls I have seen wearing ruffles already are very tall and thin. The ruffles seem to make a girl’s chest look bustier. So a girl with a big bust to begin with, I don’t think ruffles are the right idea for you. I have also noticed several different types of ruffles. There are some ruffles that are small and close together, not my favorite. And then there are other ruffles that are big and loose. I really like this style. The small, tight ruffles are most likely to be found on skirts and some tops while the big, loose ruffles seem to be found on other tops as well as dresses, both long, evening gowns and short cocktail dresses. Check out some other types and styles of ruffles and see which trend and/or trends you want to start wearing that includes the ever so popular, ruffles.

Floral and spring goes hand in hand right...???

2008-09-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

Many people (including me) associate floral patterns with spring. Although it’s not wrong, it’s not something that has to be worn only when flowers are blooming everywhere. In fact, one of the fall trends for this year are floral patterns...on shoes, dresses, skits, etc,.
Floral patterns can be found in different forms and shapes. Many people find it tempting to buy patterns that are appealing to their eyes but doing so has its own consequences!
Here are some tips I found from eHow: there are four things to consider before going for floral patterns – proportion, color, fabric and cut. If one of those four things goes wrong, then…don’t even bother to step outside your house!
Proportion is just as important to a petite person like it is to a giant-like figure. Wearing huge flowers can make a small person even look smaller. The key is to wear smaller soft patterns to make you look taller. Bigger-bodied people are to do the same only this time its to make them look thinner their original figure. Heavy floral patterns should not be worn to hide the extra body fat as it highlights it more.
Color is another important factor. The rule of thumb to use when going for floral is choosing shades that already exist in your closet. This eliminates feeling overwhelmed when looking at the dress. Also, try and to have a good contrast between the floral pattern and the accompanying accessories.
Choosing a fabric can be a big hassle! But it’s important to pay careful attention to the fabric while choosing floral because certain fabrics can make you seem fatter than you are in real life. It’s important to go for lighter materials as they will flatter your figure. Keep in mind that you should avoid thick sweaters no matter how pretty the pattern is!
Choosing the right cut should be followed for all clothing and like others is it especially important for a floral. This is what you should according to eHow to choose the right cut – “As with any article of clothing, make sure that the cut is flattering. Fabric should neither skim too closely to the body nor fall too far from it. Find a becoming intermediate so that the garment doesn’t wrinkle, pucker, or bag in an unappealing manner.”
With these in mind you should be able to find good outfit. Floral’s are worth the time. For more tips check out BeyondJane.com.
Also, you can check out some floral prints from Victoria Secret, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Bergner’s.
Have a flowerful day…

Are you all set…if not let me help you

2008-09-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was summer today it is autumn…so are you ready now for some changes that come with fall (not just with the leaves falling and temperature but I mean you and your looks)?

Today, while I was doing my routine of checking out the magazine racks at my dorm after English class, I stumbled upon the latest issue of Ok. As I love reading the latest on celebrities I grabbed the issue quickly and I headed for my room. Soon after I reached my room I started to freak about my math exam that I totally forgot about the magazine…until now when I came across “Top 10 Trends for the Fall”. I was so excited when I looked at pictures and promptly decided that this was to be my topic for this week!

Most of you might have known about some fall trends by viewing my fellow bloggers and my entries. But not all of them were covered so I’ll give a quick overview on what you absolutely need over the next three months.

For all the boot’s lovers…the cutout booties are a big thing for this season. With 7-inch high to platform heels, they are a temptation to everybody! You can find cheap ones at Go Jane or high-end booties at L.A.M.B.

Necklace that are hardly ½ inch are totally out of fashion. “The bigger the better” motto has to be used when purchasing them. You can find any kind from almost all stores for a wide range of prices and styles.

Were you lead to believe that only birds had feathers…well that’s wrong! Because feathers are a big part of what you wear in today’s world. Whether you have some on your shoes, jewelry, headbands or even you’re dress…it adds a fluffy look to a boring/plain outfit. Check out the Feather dress from Mango…and decide if that’s your look for this fall!

One of the things that I already informed you was the fall color…purple. For more insight on Purple trends check out Does Purple go with fall?

Floral, Plaid or Lace…no matter where you place them it creates a stunning look. If you already like the slight touches/patterns to your fabric be sure to look at other outfits/accessories from Nine West, Fred Flare and Macy's. To most of our audience who are college students…go for simple yet elegant looks for the fall that can be worn to lectures or even to an interview. The striped blazer from Tommy Hilfiger not only incorporates the plaid pattern but also gives the “can be worn at anytime & anywhere” look.

Another trend for the fall is something that all of you might have looked at sometime. It’s a handbag…well not just a handbag (cause that would be dumb) but a chain handbag. If you like to go with an a-frame or a tote like bag with sparkling jewels or just plain solid colors…be sure to add the chain links. Cause that upgrades your bag to a new level!

Last but not the least…something we all know and love and are sure to have at least one in the closet…stilettos! Yep, they are in fashion now (like they have never been…duh). Be sure to show off your old stilettos or new ones that look like the ones at Yves Saint Laurent.

With all these options for fall…you must be craving to buy something new. So I’m not going to put you off any longer…ENJOY your “Christmas in fall” shopping (just kidding…save some $$$ for Christmas as we’ll give you more shopping info)!

More on Fashion trends…

Wedding this weekend... What do I wear?

2008-09-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

I have a wedding to attend this Saturday evening and I have no idea what to wear. I’m sure I’m not the only college girl who has this problem too. With a limited budget and very little time to go shopping, what in the world do I wear to a wedding at the end of September? Do I wear a dress? What color should it be? Or can I wear dress pants? But then what top do I wear? Oh what a problem I have. Being in this rut, I looked up some tips on about.com about “Wedding Guest Attire.” Here are a few tips on what to wear for females. I didn’t know there were certain things to wear depending on the time of the wedding.

Wedding Guest Style for Her
· Informal Daytime: Short dress or suit (business attire OK for morning weddings)
· Informal Evening: Cocktail dress
· Semi-Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit
· Semi-formal Evening: Cocktail dress
· Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit. Hats and gloves optional.
· Formal Evening or Black-Tie: Long or dressy short cocktail (beading, glam accessories, wrap)
· Ultra-formal or White Tie: Long gown, extra glitz (furs, diamonds, etc.)

And yes, those men out there asking the same questions, here are several tips for you as well.

Wedding Style for Him
· Informal Daytime: Dress shirt and pants, preferably a sports jacket.
· Informal Evening: Suit
· Semi-Formal Daytime: Suit
· Semi-Formal Evening: Dark suit
· Formal Daytime: Dark suit and tie
· Formal Evening: Tuxedo (if invitation states "black tie") or dark suits if women wear short dresses.
· Ultra-formal Evening or White Tie: White tie, cummerbund or vest and shirt.

Now that I have it narrowed down to what type of outfit to wear depending on the time of the wedding, I just have to find the right one. But I still have more questions as I’m sure many of you do too. What colors do I wear? And I don’t want to stand out in the crowd, is my dress appropriate? Luckily, About.com had some dos and don’ts for wedding attire as well.

Do's and Don'ts for Her
· Don't wear white because it competes with the bride. There are plenty of other colors available.
· Don't wear black or sequins during the daytime.
· Don't worry about wearing the same colors as the bridesmaids or mothers. You can't possibly coordinate with everyone in the wedding party.
· Do wear something feminine and appropriate, out of respect for your hosts. Clubwear, overtly sexy clothing (strapless, see-through, etc) doesn't belong at a wedding. If you have to ask if it's appropriate, it probably isn't.
· Don't wear opera-length gloves (to top of arm) with anything but sleeveless or strapless gowns.
· Do take off gloves to eat or drink.
· Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn't specify the formality of the event. A pastel suit or soft floral dress for daytime or a little black dress for evening (after 6 p.m.) will take you almost anywhere.

Calling all men!! Here are some dos and don’ts for you too!

Do's and Don'ts for Him
· Don't try to get cute with a tuxedo. A black tux with white shirt and black bow tie is the best way to go. If "Creative Black Tie" or "Texas Formal" or some sort of other vague formal description is used, then going with a tux and black shirt, no tie, might be acceptable. Also, trendier cities like Los Angeles and New York might be more accepting of breaking with tradition.
· Do wear a dark suit, with a tie if the wedding is after 6 PM, and doesn't say "Black Tie."
· Don't wear a tuxedo during the day time, regardless of the formality of the event.
· Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn't specify the formality of the event. A dark suit and conservative tie will take you just about anywhere.

So now I can honestly say that I have a better idea on what to wear to a wedding. Hope I pick the right outfit for this weekend. If you have any more tips, please feel free to let me know. Thanks!

Ahhh...Yay for sweatpants

2008-09-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

“Sweatpants are an informal variety of trousers intended for comfort or athletic purposes,” according to wikipedia.com. I cannot name a single person I know who doesn’t like to wear sweatpants. This is something you can honestly say “but everyone is doing it.” From young girls and boys to college students to older men and women, they all own at least one pair of sweatpants. Though some of you may not know this but there are different types of sweatpants. I personally thought sweatpants were just sweatpants and that’s it, but no. There are fashion pants, wind-pants, tear-away pants, and muscle pants. I mean who would have thought. Fashion pants are unlike your typical sweatpants, thus lacking the elastic around the ankle. Many girl’s or women’s brands carry this type of sweatpants. This in all seriousness is my favorite type. Another type of sweatpants is called wind pants or wind breakers. These pants are designed to shield the person from cold wind rather than insulate them from the cold weather. Many of you may recognize wind pants by the awful and annoying “swooshing” sound they make when you walk. Tear-away pants are similar to wind pants in the fact that they are not made to keep you warm. Tear-away pants are most known for their snaps that run along the entire side of the leg. Basketball players are most known for wearing tear-away pants. Muscle pants are the most regular type of sweatpants, made of thin cotton. “Muscle pants are often characterized by wild patterns and sometimes flamboyant designs,” says Wikipedia.com. One major plus about sweatpants is that you can find a good pair just about anywhere. You can get a cheap pair at Walmart or a name brand pair at Hollister. Sweatpants are easy to find and everybody wears them. If you need a comfy day… sweatpants are the way to go.

Wanna get a job???

2008-09-17T17:59:00.001-07:00

Then your dress has a part in it too!

It’s time for some serious interviews for internships, co-ops and full time jobs with the Industrial Roundtable (Job Fair) just being over. Most of you who did attend the job fair would have already made the first impression on the recruiter because you made it thus far. Others, who did not attend the fair (or any other job fair for that matter), will eventually end up for an interview either at McDonalds or at Exon Mobile if you choose not to live in your parent’s basement in the near future! To get a job at either of those locations (or elsewhere) you will be asked to dress in a business-like manner.

As most of you are aware by now there are two ways you can dress to be business-like: business casual or business formal. Usually the company specifies which way they prefer…but if you go a job fair without knowing what company you want to work for, you would not know what to wear. At the industrial roundtable last week I saw some people (mostly the innocent freshmen) dressed like they just finished their 30min hike while others looked like they were getting ready to be in a wedding party! Very rarely did I see people dressed like they ought to. Business casuals don’t mean that you can wear your workout clothes, sweatpants, sweatshirts or the like. It means that guys ought to wear long-sleeved shirts with khakis/dark pants and girls are to wear dark pants/skirts with a simple solid colored/mild patterned blouse. Business formal clothing are not about being flashy or fancy, instead it’s wearing a dark colored suit with a light colored shirt/blouse and a nice pant/skirt. If you are attending a job fair where you don’t know which company would want, stick to light colored shirts and a dark colored pant/skirt that would not set up apart.

College Grad.com tells that when in doubt about proper attire, call the human resource division and ask them “I have an interview with _____ in the _____ department for a position as an _____. Could you please tell me what would be appropriate dress for this interview?” And also, they mention that “Campus fashions and work fashions are two different worlds”. With that in mind, be sure to read some more tips from How to Dress before your next interview!

Although most of us would love to have designer attire, we just can’t afford it with a tight college budget. That doesn’t mean that we cannot have a trendy wardrobe. Check out shops such as Kohls, Victoria Secret, Old Navy, and Gap that have excellent business wear collections for affordable prices.

Don’t give your dream job employee an excuse to turn you down…

More on fashion tips…

Autumn Hues

2008-09-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Don’t know what colors to wear this fall? Well neither did I, until I read the Fall Trends from InStyle.com. This fall Mother Nature plays a big role in our fall fashion. “Designers have delivered fall wardrobes in the universally flattering tones that surround us at this time of year,” says InStyle.com. New York Fashion Designers also reveal that this fall’s fashion colors include cooler blues, greens, and purples in their top five pick for fall colors. They also state that in addition to these that warm reds, oranges and yellows have been used in their new fall designs. "Fall is traditionally a time for subdued, quiet colors, but this season we are seeing a shift toward cool hues with bright, exciting undertones," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Conventional tones such as warm autumn hues, chocolate browns and steel grays are also among the fall color choices. Blue and purple tones have become staples, as illustrated by Blue Iris, one of the top 10 colors chosen by designers this season, and Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2008." I’ve seen a lot of clothing that I would say is a soft gold color. This color goes very well with navy blue. I see this soft gold color to become very popular on college campuses. Another color that I’ve been noticing is several different shades of magenta. I personally love this color. So people may think that magenta is too bright for the fall but I disagree. Though most fall colors are duller, I find magenta to be perfect for this fall. Magenta can be worn very well with black to give a sophisticated, yet young and fun look to your wardrobe. Peach is another color that is beginning to make its way this fall. Try a peach skirt for an elegant fall outfit. Chances are it’ll make you look a lot older. Here are a few tips from InStyle.com on how to wear these autumn hues, “Though nature lays one color atop another, these clothes have maximum impact when worn monochromatically. No need to pile on the accessories with these quietly luxe pieces. Need convincing? Look closely at the impeccable details.” Take advantage of these colors being around you every day. Nature and fashion have a lot in common this season. You can find clothing in these colors at all of your clothing stores. Check out Old Navy, Gap, and Kohls. You never know what beautiful autumn hues you’ll see girls wearing.

"I LOVE SHOES" trend is back...

2008-09-15T19:07:00.001-07:00

And guess why...b'coz its getting cold outside (duh)!!! With the autumn temperatures nearing freezing everyday and snow just around the corner, most people would have started to wonder if they still want to that cute high-heeled shoes they bought for prom or the comfy flip-flops. Neither of them would not work when its cold with ice/snow puddles because they expose your feet to the harsh winds that would eventually numb your feet.

To protect yourself from them, you would probably have some walking/running shoes to replace your beloved flip-flops and boots to replace your prom shoes. With new fashions coming every second...you'll definetely want to update your shoes closet with something thats close to this years trend.

One of the biggest comebacks are fringes on boots for fall 08! The native-american looking boots not only look cool but also comfy. Piperlime has a varierty of them from about $40.00 to $310.00. Also, the variety of styles, colors and heel lengths can statisfy almost anyone!

For those of you who love to just slip on shoes rather than take the time to zip-up a boot, try the Rocket Dog's - Suede Clog from Victoria's Secret for $59.00. This shoes has a shearling lining that keeps your foot warm. Also, the rubber sole & platform heels gives a good against any surface.

Dying to wear heels? Check out the Euro Soft shoes from Shoe Carnival. The ebony-like finish not only gives a trendy look but also an expensive look sure too get ahhs & ohhs...for only $49.99 you can wear it with any outfit from jeans to an evening gown!

Others, who have to attend a formal event can buy the Mudd Slam Ankle Boots from Kohls for $44.00. The boot can be used in any weather condition as it has faux-leather upper with a sturdy sole. This can be your best friend for years to come.

College students who are especially looking for something comfortable and practical should consider College Fashion.net's advice on flats..."If you don’t own a pair of flats yet, you don’t know what you’re missing! Flats are perfect for college girls because they are comfortable, affordable, and versatile. They’re completely ideal for walking to class in a hurry, or wearing to a party instead of heels. They’re also cheap enough that you can usually afford to own a bunch of different pairs, if you have a case of fashion indecision. My favorite thing about flats is that they’re so stylish. Unlike a pair of athletic sneakers or UGG boots, ballet flats are great looking, and add an instant chicness to any outfit. Because of this, they’re appropriate for both dressy and casual situations, which is so nice to have in a shoe." Also, check out there website for some awesome looking - college budget flats.

Have a blast shopping for shoes this fall...I know I will!!!

They're Back...

2008-09-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, that’s right. Those leggings girls wore in the 80’s are back and making a huge fashion statement. Is it beginning to get cold outside? Throw some leggings on with that denim skirt you put on this morning. Still want to wear your favorite summer dress this fall? Again, a pair of leggings underneath will sure do the trick. Not only will leggings keep you warm on a brisk autumn morning but you also don’t have to worry about being uncomfortable in those tights or panty hose or let alone getting a run in them. And who likes to be boring? Don’t just add black leggings to a denim skirt, go for the gold and put on striped ones instead. Or wear a pair under a plaid or pleated skirt. And who said you only wear leggings with skirts? Have a comfy day and wear a pair with a big sweatshirt. Don’t hesitate to buy some of those crazy, colorful leggings you see at the mall. Pick up a pair of hot pink leopard leggings and find a cute top to go with them. I mean who doesn’t have a crazy side to them you know? Even the designer brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, and Chloe are having their runway models add a stylish pair of leggings to their runway walk. Unfortunately back in the 80’s name brand leggings were much cheaper than they are now. Those same pair of leggings you could have bought in the 80’s for $15 will now cost you around $50-$100. But if you’re just look for a simple pair you can find them for about $12.50. Check out some fun and crazy leggings like those leopard pair or neon colored ones at Wet Seal. But if you don’t have a Wet Seal nearby, stop at Target and get your original black or brown for only $9.99. And of course, get your designer Dolce & Gabbana pair for $165. So get back into the 80’s and get yourself some leggings!!

Fall Fashion: High-Waisted Jeans...

2008-09-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

You are probably thinking to yourselves; high-waisted jeans are back? Weren't they trends in the 80s? Well they are back and just in time for the fall! I have seen a lot of teenage girls walking around campus in these jeans. They could be worn very casual with just a T-shirt, or they could be worn out with one of your new purple tops you are buying to keep up with all the fall trends. I have a couple of friends even starting to wear these jeans, they are a trend people aren't sure if it will be staying in style. Don't worry, this trend is definitely staying for the fall! I was shopping at Macy's and saw so many high-waisted jeans for only $35! I can't wait to go back home so I can buy myself a pair of these jeans! I was looking at Forever 21's website again and if you like shopping there you can find yourself jeans there for only $29, good deal. These jeans come in many different styles like; with or without pockets, decorative buttons or just zipper. And then they come in a really dark shade of blue, looking almost black, to light blue. I hope my fashion trends are helping. Don't worry I will keep my eye open for any more new fall trends...

Make a statement in the fall...

2008-09-12T11:03:00.001-07:00

This fall is coming so fast, it's time to start shopping for some fashionable, more trendy items. Every teenage girl needs a cute coat to wear out when it gets cold. Why not make a statement while wearing one? I was looking at some clothing websites and I spotted some cheap but fashionable coats at Forever 21. Some of them have bold with wide arms and big collars. And others have belted waists. The good thing about these coats is that they keep you warm in the fall, but also keep you looking fabulous at the same time. There was a coat I got for only $28 at Forever 21. It is a neutral color, so it could be worn with anything. I love it! I can't wait for it to get cooler so I can start wearing it again. The best thing about these coats is that they can be worn out to dinner or just out shopping with your girl friends. If you don't shop at Forever 21 you can always go to Charlotte Russe and find coats there for the same price, only $30. Now girls go out and buy yourselves some trendy new coats and so you can make a statement when you go out in the fall. More fashion trends next time...

Don't have a belt...

2008-09-12T10:28:00.001-07:00

Well its time to buy one. As you might have noticed around the campus and elsewhere, belts seem to be dominating. Any outfit that you chose to wear gets upgraded by a simple solid belt or something fashionable.
Just a few months back, I bought a black shirt to go along with a tan/black patterned skirt. The shirt did not go very well with the skirt as it was very plain. To make it look a little bit better, I added a black, medium sized belt. The result I got was stunning. The look didn’t cost me much but people would have assumed it did!
Here are some tips: If you have a long shirt that begs for attention try to add a belt. If you love wearing jewelry, try to match the buckle with the jewelry. If you just don’t think you are creative, try buying outfits which have belts.
At JC Penny, you can find the Bisou Bisou® Belted Shirred Top ($21.99) with a black medium sized belt. The belt makes a bold statement by bring attention to the waist. This can go with a formal pant or with jeans while giving you a comfy feeling. . For all those who want to continue wearing dresses during the cold weather, you can check out the Beige Elastic Belt Dresses - $175.00 from eDressme NewYork. This dress can be worn with tights when it is cold or just by itself. The belts again make a bold statement and try to co-ordinate the belt & shoe color. It makes you look a lot more elegant! As winter is just around the corner, you might be planning to buy new jackets. There are a lot of designer jackets with beautiful belts in the market but would not be ideal for people with a tight budget. To overcome this problem and still have a belted jacket, look at the Safari Jacket from Forever 21’s. It costs only $24.00 but still has a stylish look. The belt not only livens up the look but also keeps you snug amidst those harsh winds. And for all of you that are looking for some business casual looks, check out the Alfani Belted Scoop-Neck Sheath Dress - $109.00 from Macy’s (you are sure to get a job offer in that).
Well with all these options, you must be busy deciding on what type of belted clothing you want to buy. But keep in mind that you might have to follow these rules from Noubikko before making you're decision:
- Wear belts, both wide and narrow, only if your figure allows.
- Decorative buckles are good (glitz or detail to belts) only if you have a small waist
- If you're short-waisted, large belts will make you look ever shorter.
- Match your belt color to your top it you're short-waisted.
- Match your belt color to your bottom if you're long-waisted.
- Note: Shirt over belt can hide a thick or short waist. It creates a good silhouette of your body and can make an outfit flow in your waist.
And remeber what the experts from Noubikko have to say about the belts, "Belts can transform your outfit into a flattering ensemble. The accent of a belt sometimes acts as a focal point of an outfit. Belt can carry you through the four seasons."
Have fun with belts...until next time...

Does purple go with fall???

2008-09-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently yes! I have always associated fall favorites to be yellow, orange, red and gold but never purple. The latest comeback in fashion is jewel tones among which purple is the biggie.
Over the past few days I’ve been trying to find lovely purple clothing and accessories. Little did I know that I would run into a problem…it was not finding few good purple collections but having to select from a million! I should have realized this problem long before I started to search the web because I’ve seen so many people on campus, including guys, wearing purple clothing and accessories with different patterns.
About three years back, my dad had got a lovely rectangular frame purple handbag for my mom from one of the stores at Michigan Avenue, Chicago. As it was an expensive bag, my mom used it only during important occasions but I took it along with me once in a while as I loved the simple yet elegant look. To go along with the bag I have found some other collections (that you might be interested in to take a look at). I found a purple Relativity Women's Lantern Sleeve Tunic at Bergner’s for $34.00. The dress looks comfy and also sophisticated with simple ruffles and frills. This tunic will go well with Kohl’s $89.00 - Sterling Silver Amethyst Boxed Set. With one amethyst stone on a silver chain, the necklace will offer little distraction to the Madison Marcus Heaven Belted Dress from Basic boutique. Although this dress is expensive ($328.00), you can wear it along with Forever 21’s $24.80 - Metallic Twist Peep Toe Stiletto to complete the look. Or you can replace the dress for a Democracy Stretch Satin Dress with Contrast Straps and Waist from Macy’s which is $118.99 and has a similar black belt like the Madison Marcus dress.
With all these options I’m ready for some serious shopping this weekend. Anyways, before you flee to the mall, look at what Samantha Critchell of Seattlepi has to say, “Purple is easier to wear than you think. Fashionistas say dark purple is practically a neutral -- and just about any purple, even a flashy violet, goes with the standby colors of black and gray. Purple also is a color that can be worn boldly on a sweater or coat, or more subtly on a scarf or a shoe -- and still have a noticeable impact.”
Have a wonderful time shopping for Purple collections and don't forget to show them-off to the world. Winter color trends coming up soon....

Fashion for a Rainy Day

2008-09-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain. It sure is a rainy day here on campus and the forecast doesn’t look so good for the rest of the day either. What fashion trends do I wear on a rainy day you may ask… What better a time to get out those RAIN BOOTS! Rain boots are definitely a fashion trend that is coming out for young adult women. I’ve seen so many girls walking around campus in their rain boots already this semester and it’s only rained a couple times. One thing that amazes me is that with all these girls on campus in rain boots, I’ve yet to see two pair the exact same. I’ve seen some plain hot pink ones and I’ve also seen some black with white polka dots too. I was searching rain boots online one day and there are so many different patterns out there. I looked at one website and there were over 100 different pairs of rain boots. Just search the web for rain boots and you’ll find a variety of styles from solid boots to boots with ladybugs on them. I’ve looked at rain boots from Walmart for only $10.00 and I’ve also seen them at various other stores and websites ranging from $10 to $70. So you can pretty much find any type or style of rain boots for any price. I saw Coach rain boots at Macy’s and I just had to have them. They were $80 regular price and I just couldn’t get myself to spend that much money on rain boots. Luckily they went on sale for about $50 and my parents bought them for me for my birthday! They’re so adorable. I was so excited when I woke up this morning and it was raining because I knew I finally got to wear my boots. Ever wonder about the history of rain boots? My mind thinks of random things like that. But according to funkyrainboots.com, the history of rain boots goes something like this…

“Did you realize that Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington started it all? He instructed his shoemaker, Hoby of St. James Street, London, to modify the 18th century boot because fashion was changing and the old boot didn't go with the new fashion. We're talking guys fashion here, by the way.”

If you’re curious, like me, click here to read more about the history of rain boots. Hope you enjoy this rainy Friday!

Fall Fashion: Dresses

2008-09-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

Dresses, dresses, dresses. They continue to be a hot fashion trend moving into fall this year. From little black dresses to knit dresses and from dramatic finge to beautiful floral. Even shirt and sweater dresses are becoming a must-have for this years fall fashion. You can find a wide variety of stlyes and colors of the simple knit dress EVERYWHERE. I looked at several new clothing websites and I keep seeing various types of knit dresses for this fall. dELiAs has some of the cutest dresses I've seen. They have numerous casual dresses and a variety of more dressy ones as well. One thing I am starting to see more and more of are sweatshirt dresses. I personally haven't seen girls wearing them quite yet but I know once the colder weather starts rolling in, so will the sweatshirt dresses. And of course, you can never overlook the classy little black dress. Black dresses can never go out of style. You can wear your casual little black dress to class or spice it up and wear it for a girl's night out! Have a dress and it's a little cold outside? Find a pair of leggings to add to your outfit. Leggings are becoming very popular with all kinds of dresses. Especially sweater dresses. Don't forget you can dress up or dress down your out with with the shoes you choose. Going for a dressier look? Add some heels. Or maybe just a more casual look? Flats are the answer for you! I am just in love with all the different styles of dresses to choose from. My favorite... the knit dresses. So casual yet so dressy. I just recently bought an olive green knit dress at Forever 21 a couple weeks ago for just $23. It's absolutely adorable. With dark brown leggings underneath and a pair of dark brown heels or maybe flats. I can't wait to wear it! And for those of you a little more on the high-end of fashion check out BCBG for some very cute day dresses and cocktail dresses as well. More Fall Fashion Trends to come...

Fall Fashion: Turtleneck Sweaters

2008-09-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

This fall's fashion is becoming more evident as we become closer and closer to the changing leaves and the blue skies of typical fall weather. I've noticed many different styles and trends as I've looked in several teen stores in the mall. One fashion trend that has really caught my eye is the turtleneck sweater. I've seen these in several stores I've been too like Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, and Wet Seal. I think turtleneck sweaters are very classy. Very business-like. Not only will these sweaters make you look fabulous but they will also keep you nice and warm on that cool September morning. These sweaters don't have to be expensive either. Yes, of course you can get your designer brand sweater for $268 from Juicy Couture or a cheaper sweater for $39 at Victoria's Secret.I personally like the new image of turtleneck sweaters. I really like the classy look more girls are starting to wear. I think I'm going to go but myself a classy turtleneck sweater next time I'm at the mall.

Here are some reasons why turtlenecks have become so classic according to http://www.fashion.about.com/:

"The turtleneck brings your face into focus.

A mock turtleneck is a good option if you don't like the bulk of a true turtleneck (it's the same height, only the fabric doesn't fold back over).

Stick with cozy, touchable materials for your turtleneck sweater because anything itchy or scratchy is unbearable on your sensitive neck area.

The black turtleneck is the ultimate classic because it creates a blank palette to show off wonderful necklaces, cuff bracelets or just a pretty face."

These tips and reasons were very helpful to me so I wanted to share them with you. Hope they persuade you to buy a turtleneck sweater for this fall. I plan to see many girls this fall wearing turtleneck sweaters. Including myself. Find out more Fall Fashion next time...