Fashion
This fall the big trend in fashion is 70's inspiration - suede, fringe, velvet, high-waisted and flare-legged jeans... the list goes on. I'm thrilled with this, as I've always liked 60's and 70's bohemian-style clothing. I've already picked up a black fringed handbag that I love.
The 90's are also an influence right now, both in beauty products (hello brown lipstick, welcome back!) and fashion. I was thrilled to see that Mary Jane shoes with chunky heels are back. I loved them in the 90's and wish that I hadn't given mine away! Combat-style boots are still popular, as well as small floral prints. I'll try to find a few photos illustrating the trends that I can post on here. In the meantime, if you liked the styles from either of these decades, you're in luck this season!
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My favorite shoes, Summer 2015 version:
There are always shoes that we want, even when we have plenty. It seems like when the seasons change it creates a lust for new footwear.
If there's one cool shoe that can make your existing wardrobe look bohemian-chic, it's the knee-high gladiator "sandal". Here are a few of my favorites from Free People (of course)
And finally these Bellflower ones from Free People are GORGEOUS
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As for regular sandals, I could go for some color this summer. These from Aldo are perfect.
Then there are comfortable shoes made more stylish. One of my favs is this floral pair from Birkenstock:
I hope this gives you a few ideas to find some new kicks of your own this summer.
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Free People for plus-size women
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| Ignore the frizzy hair |
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| Free People Hacci Sunday T, Hue leggings, Minnetonka boots |
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I've heard the suggestion not to wear horizontal stripes on "wider than ideal" parts of your body. I normally follow this rule. But occasionally I see something with horizontal stripes that I love. So I try it on, and sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. Sometimes horizontal stripes DON'T make you look wider. Sometimes they look just fine. You may need to wear something else to help it out a little, but if you're okay with that, then by all means DO IT! For example, in the (blurry) pictures below I have on a maxi dress with red and navy blue/blackish horizontal stripes. It looks pretty good by itself, but it looks even better with a jacket or sweater. I especially like the way this asymmetrical sweater looks over it. The vertical points on the front of the sweater juxtaposed against the horizontal stripes and the high-low hem look interesting to me, and not at all unflattering. (I did have the assistance of some shape wear on the bottom, too.)
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| Red and navy blue striped maxi dress, Kensie (TJ Maxx) Black sweater with sequins, Forever Fashion (Marshalls) |
Another example is this knit skirt with horizontal stripes of varying widths. I saw it at TJ Maxx and tried it on. For some reason, it looked good. I tried it on with a shirt that I'd picked up at the Goodwill. The shirt was cute but when I tried it on I had a problem that often affects women with larger breasts - the shirt hung straight down from my breasts, making me look even larger than I am. I don't need that! Pairing it with the knit skirt with a slim silhouette made me look thinner than if I'd worn the shirt with an equally voluminous skirt.
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| shirt - Style & Co (Goodwill) skirt - BCBG (TJ Maxx) |
So the next time you see something that you like with horizontal stripes, try it on! You never know when it will look great on you. Have a great day, everyone!
Donna
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New York Fashion Week
collection by Zac Posen
All outfits by Zac Posen
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Christmas style - Dec. 25th, 2012
For Christmas this year I went to visit my sister at her house. She and her husband have built the house themselves, and every time I go to visit they've got a little more accomplished. I enjoy seeing my sister's choices in decor and really love the way it's turned out. I also enjoy seeing my four-footed niece's - my sister's two dogs. My sister trains dogs to do agility work, and her dogs are quite accomplished, having several titles. They're also sweet as can be.
After I took lots of photos of my sister's house, her and her dogs, and her and her cat, I got her to take a few photos of me and my outfit. My favorite part of the outfit was this brown sweater with a detachable faux-fur collar. I bought it at Goodwill in the summer and packed it away with some winter jackets. I had totally forgotten about it until I opened the box it was in last week. What a great discovery! I knew instantly that I had to wear it soon. I probably paid $5 for it, and I had bought the Elie Tahari shirt on clearance for $15, and the Earl jeans on sale for $16. So my whole outfit except for shoes and belt was only $36.00. I love dressing nice for a bargain price!
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| Sweater with a detachable faux-fur collar - Croft + Barrow (Goodwill) |
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| My Christmas outfit - Pink patent Doc Marten's (Zappo's) Earl jeans (T.J. Maxx) Elie Tahari Teal t-shirt - (Marshall's) Croft+Barrow sweater with detachable fur collar - (Goodwill) |
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| Me laying on the floor with my sister's dogs, Inci (the Doberman) and Fever (a Belgian Malinois) Guess belt |
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| The sweater ties in the front with a satin ribbon |
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A little more fall fashion - October 18, 2012
Just a few more gorgeous things from Gucci's F/W 2012 Ready to Wear show
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| I saved the best for last. All photos from Style.com |
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October 5, 2012 - Fashion Week favorites
I haven't had a chance to look online at many of the runway shows yet, but I did look through a few of my favorite designer's RTW collections on Style.com. I was surprised not to see much that I liked in Chanel's collection, as it is usually one of my favorites. There were a lot of skirt dresses, which make it very hard to wear a bra, and at this stage of life I need a bra. So that was part of it. They did have two related looks that I really loved, though - one with pants and the other a skirt (see below) This outfit said pure fun to me. I loved it.
I also liked quite a few things from Alexander McQueen collection. I absolutely loved the white looks with the bell sleeves. Sara Burton is doing a fabulous job keeping the McQueen line true to it's reputation. Here are a few photos from their collection (I have more on my Fashion board on Pinterest, look me up under 405 creations):
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| My favorite - I absolutely LOVE this one! |
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| I wouldn't wear this (although it would hide a multitude of flaws, so maybe I should). |
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| All I can say for this one is Wow. |
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| I don't think I'd wear this but I'd have to see it with the jacket off. Regardless, I admire the creatively. |
All of these photos are from Style.com. I will post more when I have time to look through them. It's much easier to put them on Pinterest, so I encourage you to click here to look there.
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October 2, 2012 - Sweater Style
It's finally sweater season! Most every woman I know loves Fall/Autumn, especially the fashion that comes with it. One of the staples of the season are sweaters. V-neck, crew neck, plain, embellished, oversized, cable-knit, cashmere, cardigans, pull-overs... the types are endless. The colors are endless, too, but I'm dying to get something in Oxblood, one of the hot colors this fall (it's very close to Burgundy).
One of my favorite ways to wear a sweater is with jeans. Just a short, long-sleeved one like the Burberry one in the photo below
Another one of my newer favorite types of sweater are the more lightweight ones that are open in front (no closures) that you wear over something else like a jacket. I love these because you can do so many things with them - belt them, wear over a contrasting color, a similar color, a dress, another sweater.... Below is one of my favorites of this type. I love the way the white trim on the ruffle contrasts with a dark color underneath it.
Then there are sweater vests, over-sized sweaters and long cardigans. I love to wear these with leggings and boots, as long as they're long enough to cover my behind. When I saw the vest below I had to have it because of the unique looping down the front edges.
What are your favorite types of sweaters and what do you like to wear with them?
Sept 21, 12 - Stylish in Black and Gold
I happen to live in a city that is fanatic about it's sports teams. I have t-shirts commemorating the major wins (Stanley cup finals, Super Bowl wins), but I'm not a person who gets decked out in head to toe team sports clothes. They're generally not that flattering. But there are other ways to wear your team's colors and look stylish at the same time. Check out my outfit below in Pittsburgh's favorite colors - Black and Gold.
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| I had a little fun playing with colors on this one. Believe it or not, this is a night photo. |
Shirt/Dress - Sushi flower (thrifted)
Leggings - Wal-Mart
Socks - Betsy Johnson
Shoes - Two Lips
Necklace and earrings - 405 creations
Watch - gift
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August 29, 2012 - Dressing room tips
Shopping for some new things for your fall wardrobe? Here are a few things to keep in mind to make certain that you still like what you buy once you get home.
- If there isn't a 3-way mirror in your "stall", take the time to walk out and find one. Something can look great from the front, side and back, and horrible from a side angle. The world doesn't see you from one angle, so check all of them before you buy something.
- See how it looks when you walk. Again, go out of your "stall" and walk towards a mirror at the end of the dressing room. Watch how the garment moves, and how it looks overall. I was in love with an orange maxi skirt until I saw it from a distance. It was this huge block of orange, and I didn't want the bottom half of my body to stand out as much as it did with that skirt on.
- If possible, wear shoes the same height as the ones you plan to wear with the outfit. Some things look totally different with flats on vs. heels.
- Try things on when the rest of you looks good - wear make-up (if you normally do) and make sure your hair looks good. If the rest of you looks bad it's sometimes hard to imagine an outfit looking good.
- Sit down while wearing the outfit and make sure it looks and feels good that way. Most of us will be sitting, sometimes for hours, so you want to be comfortable.
I'm sure that there are more that I'm not remembering. Anyone have good tips that you want to share? The comment is at the end of this page, unfortunately, so you have to either scroll down or use the Control + End (or Option + End for a Mac) keys.
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August 25, 2012 - Mixing old with new
I've been slowly going through my closet trying on clothes to see what exactly still fits. Anything that doesn't is either going into storage, if I love it, or going to the thrift store. It's the first time in my life that I've had so many shirts that were too small. I never thought I'd be complaining about my breasts being too large, but lately I have. I can't wear some of my favorite shirts and that bothers me. :-( But I'm sure that once I start losing weight the breasts will be one of the first things to shrink. They always are.
Meanwhile, I am finding some old skirts that still fit (no pants AT ALL). So I'm pairing the old skirts with the new tops and new shoes and creating new looks. It is fun once I get over my frustration at the weight gain. Here's one of my favorite new combinations. The skirt is an old one that I bought because I liked the sexy slit up the left side. The shirt has an asymmetrical draped neckline and a ruffle going down one side, and the grey knit vest is great because it's very long, which covers my butt, and it has pockets, on top of being very lightweight for summer.
Black top - Pleione
Grey vest - M USA
Gray skirt - Rampage (old)
Black sandals - Aerosoles
Black and silver necklace - 405 Creations
cuff - can't remember store from The Lab in Costa Mesa, CA
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August 19, 2012 - For drama or elegance go with black and white
I'm a huge fan of black and white photography, and also of black and white clothing. It can be so many things, but mostly I think it looks elegant. Of course if you're wearing all black it can convey a multitude of looks, especially the goth and punk looks that I'm still a fan of. I got the dress in these photos for 1.00, can you believe it? There's not much to it - it's a very simple cut and the fabric is thin. But in the summer it's perfect alone, and for fall I can layer it and make myself look thinner! Even better. I decided to split up the photos and make some of them black and white and some in color. Here's the first batch, in beautiful black and white.
Dress - George
Necklace - old
Belt - Bebe
Shoes - Kenneth Cole Reaction
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August 9, 2012 - How to choose a top and skirt to wear together
For years I thought putting a top and bottom together was the same, whether I was wearing pants or a skirt. Just match the colors in some way, or at least make sure they don't clash, and you were done. Of course, I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. With pants it generally is, unless you are wearing very skinny-legged or very wide-legged pants. (In that case apply the same guidelines as for skirts.) With skirts, there is a little more to it. Aside from colors and patterns looking good together, you should also consider proportion. If you're wearing a full skirt, you should usually choose a form-fitting or narrow top. An easier way to remember it is big on one end, small on the other. If you wear a loose top, you should wear it with a slim skirt. It doesn't have to be a tight pencil skirt, but should not be big, loose, or "flowy". If you do, you may very well make yourself look larger than you want to look. For an example, look at the outfit I have on below. I bought the shirt because I loved the pattern and the cute cut-outs in back. I knew it would look great with jeans, but I didn't think about whether I had something cool to wear with it over the hot summer. When I wore it this day, I did what most people do - I chose a skirt based on a) what I had in my closet, and b) something that had similar colors. The top has yellow and green in it and so did the skirt, so that was what I put on.
I had my sister take these lovely photos for me. Once I looked at them, I wished that I had worn either a tighter top or a slimmer skirt. The top isn't extremely loose, but it's just loose enough that worn untucked with this very long, floaty skirt, it wasn't the most flattering choice. I don't think I look terrible, but it could be better. It's something to keep in mind when you're choosing an outfit to wear.
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| lipstick - MAC Viva Glam Nicki |
Top - Forever 21
Skirt - Zoe (old)
sweater - The Limited (old)
shoes - Marshalls (old)
earrings - gift
Photos by Cindy Noland
Photos by Cindy Noland
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August 2, 2012 - Birthday party dress
It's been almost 2 weeks since I went to my Dad's birthday party, and I'm finally getting all of my photos (or should I say "my sister's photos") uploaded to various sites. I was looking for a nice, cool maxi dress to wear to the party. Cool because the party was in Atlanta (see previous post), and nice for obvious reasons. I had several things in mind and then I saw this dress at Target. I loved the bright colors and interesting stripes, so I bought it without trying it on. Once I tried it on I was even more excited. Despite my body being a lot curvier than I want it to be, it still looked really, really good. I was comfortable and that made it easier to enjoy myself. Here are a few pictures that I have of it:
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| Me and my older brother, the coolest guy I know |
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| me at the party in my Target dress |
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| me with our cool little rental car |
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| my make-up survived the day pretty well |
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July 27, 2012 - Traveling in style
Last weekend I went to Atlanta for a birthday party for my Dad. Deciding what to wear to the party was fairly easy, deciding what to wear on the day I flew down was a little more challenging. I wanted to be comfortable on the plane (if that's possible these days), get through airport security smoothly, and be cool when I got there. I found these pants at TJ Maxx that fit the bill perfectly, and I loved the way they looked, too. By the time I got to the hotel Friday night I was tired, but still very comfortable.
Snakeskin patterned pants - Solitaire
Sandals - ? (old)
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July 15, 2012 - When it's 90 and humid, what do you wear?
I can't stand to have heavy or tight clothes on when it's that hot. I go for lightweight, loose-fitting dresses and flat shoes, or shorts with a thin top. The dress in these photos is made of gauze, and is probably supposed to be a beach cover-up. I wore a bright colored bra underneath and took a sarong with me in case I needed to throw something over my shoulders (did you notice grocery stores and movie theaters always seem to be super-air-conditioned?) Last I tied a scarf over my pony-tail holder to make my casual look a little more dressy.
What are your go to outfits on the most hot and/or humid days?
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| Conquering the heat - sarong - Kosi Bali Collection (old) dress - In Gear fringe thongs - Mudd |
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July 3, 2012 - My interpretation of dressing in red, white and blue
One of the blogger's communities that I belong to comes up with projects for us each week. They're voluntary, but I try to do each one because they inspire me, give me different perspectives on things, and force me to think about my style more than I might otherwise.
This week's project was to show our patriotic style. I tossed around ideas for outfits that were red, white, and blue. I realized that I have very little navy blue in my wardrobe. Lots of white, and some red, though. I have these gorgeous red Mary Janes that I've been wanting to feature in a post for awhile, so they were a given. And then as I was falling asleep I remembered my navy blue maxi dress from Target. That became my main piece, and I accessorized with red and white. In fact, once I got my main idea, I thought of several different looks. Here are a few ideas of how different accessories can change your outfit. Remember, accessories include your make-up, nails, hats or scarves and your hair!
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| Maxi dress - Target pumps - Me Too from DSW Blue mirror agate necklace - 405 Creations |
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| White scarf - gift |
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| straw hat - Forever 21 |
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| White crocheted top - i.e. relaxed from Macy's (old) |
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| White sandals - Anne Klein from DSW |
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June 29, 2012 - Dressing to flatter whatever figure you have
Here's an example of a dress that I wore to a wedding last week. The print helped hide some things, and the strips of leather draws the eye across the middle of the waist, making it look slimmer. (Note that I said "slimmer", not "slim". The right clothes can help but I don't expect them to shrink me 2 sizes. I am what I am so I don't have unrealistic expectations.) It also accentuates what I consider good - I finally have decent-sized breasts, which is new for me. And I still have long legs, so outfits that show them are helpful. These are the kinds of things that you can look for when you're choosing an outfit to make your body look more like one you're wanting. And if you do eventually get your body to look the way that you want it, these clothes will just look better!
Dress - Connected apparel (Marshall's)
Black and gold shoes - Anne Klein from DSW
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June 25, 2012 - Pruning my closet
Unfortunately I've gained quite a bit of weight in the past few years. It's amazing that medications can cause weight gain but when you stop taking them, you don't lose the weight. That's one of those things that just isn't right. But since it seems the weight loss is going to be a long term thing, I decided I wanted to know that the clothes in my closet actually fit me. So I'm trying on old things, and while I'm at it, taking some pictures.
I've been wanting to set my camera up on my tripod & take some self-timed photos for awhile. I finally did it on a morning that felt like it was 90 degrees by 8 am. Since it was way too hot in the sun, I set it up in the shade of the garage. Unfortunately I think it was a little too dark, because the photos don't have much detail when I zoom in. But style shots don't need to be too close-up, thank goodness. Eventually I'll get some great photos, and I'll have a more organized closet, too!
I've been wanting to set my camera up on my tripod & take some self-timed photos for awhile. I finally did it on a morning that felt like it was 90 degrees by 8 am. Since it was way too hot in the sun, I set it up in the shade of the garage. Unfortunately I think it was a little too dark, because the photos don't have much detail when I zoom in. But style shots don't need to be too close-up, thank goodness. Eventually I'll get some great photos, and I'll have a more organized closet, too!
Striped gray and white vest - Rue 21 (thrifted)
Blue carmisole - old
Black and white skirt - Edward from Loehmann's
Black and gold shoes - Anne Klein from DSW
Black and silver necklace - 405 Creations
Chain belt - Bebe
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June 13, 2012 - Fun sunnies, great price
If you're in need of some new sunglasses and don't want to spend a lot of money for them, check out Forever 21's selection. In addition to the usual colors, they have floral ones that are adorable!! And they're under $6. For that price you can buy several pairs. Check out mine below.
June 10, 2012 - The newest Jeffrey Campbell boot that I crave
I know, boot season is over, but I think this one would work for some summer days, too. I'd certainly love to try it! They're so unique. (Imagine that, Jeffrey Campbell and "unique".)
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Can someone make me one of these?
And also give me the money to fill it with shoes. Thank you, that would be just lovely.
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5-26-12 Goth and "Goth lite"
For all of you who like dark clothes, dark make-up, skulls and other things often associated with the gothic style of dress, here are a few things that you might like. The "Goth Lite" item is a collaboration between Doc Marten boots and Liberty of London. If you collect Doc Marten's, you'll now be able to get them in Liberty of London's floral print. I would love to have a pair of these, but can't afford them right now. But for the rest of you, check them out at www.drmartens.com.
If floral prints are too cutesy for you, you can find more traditional goth clothes that are absolutely beautiful at www.kteis.com or her shop on Etsy (www.etsy.com/shop/kteis). She specializes in spider webs on her prints, which are mostly dark with some gorgeous pops of colors, like deep reds, blues, and purples. She's also a great photographer. Check out some of her creations.
5-15-12 My take on this spring's floral trends
I've always been particular about what kind of floral prints I wear. I like small flowers on any floral print that I wear. I rarely by anything with medium or large flowers. But I've been experimenting, and I'm starting to see how some larger sized florals can look really good. Not Hawaiian shirt prints, mind you, just a little larger than my tiny florals.
This spring there are a lot of prints out there to try out, too. Floral prints on pants are big, as well as on maxi dresses and skirts. My advice is to try things on, even if you think you normally wouldn't wear it. If you weigh a little more than you want, florals are a great slimming illusion. Solid colors on dresses or maxi skirts can sometimes draw attention to large areas. They're a large unbroken block of color, which often makes YOU look larger. (You can see a little bit of what I'm talking about with the skirt that I'm wearing.) Floral prints break up an area, like your stomach or butt, and make it look a little smaller. That's always a good thing in my book. Here's one of my newest floral shirts that I really love.
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| Top: AMI (thrifted) |
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| skirt - Old Navy (several years ago) |
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5-2-12 What makes you feel special?
As far as things that you wear - do you have a shirt, a pair of shoes, a necklace, or something that makes you feel great whenever you wear it? This was the questioned posed to IFB members on Friday as our project for the week. At first I couldn't think of any one thing, mostly because I've gained weight in the past year and a lot of my "special" clothes don't fit right now. But I thought of it and finally thought of a jewelry piece that I made and I just love it. I love to wear it because it's unique, beautiful, AND I made it myself. So I settled on it and took a few photos, and of course then I kept thinking of more and more things. So I'm only showing the one item, but there are lots of others - certain shoes, red lipstick, fuschia lipstick, boho skirts from a few years ago, a leather shirt that laces up the back and has fringe on the sleeves (that I would not be able to get into right now, but there's no way I'm getting rid of it!). There's a long list. Here's my faux-pearl necklace - what's on your list?
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| Photo by the artist |
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| Photo by Cindy Noland |
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| Photo by the artist |
4-25-12 Sunny days are here!
Hopefully they're here to stay for awhile. With the sunshine comes two important beauty habits - wearing your sunscreen and wearing your sunglasses (or sunnies, as they're sometimes called). Both things are important to keep wrinkles away from your eyes. And the additional bonus of sunglasses is that they a) look cool, b) add a different dimension to what you're wearing and c) can be so much fun! I usually have several different pairs of sunglasses for several reasons. The biggest one is that I love them and feel that I should have more than 1 so that I have more than one "look". Secondly I tend to lose them easily, which is why I never spend very much money for them. I recently bought a pair of Betsy Johnson semi-cat eye sunnies, and after only wearing them twice they have disappeared. So frustrating. So, here's some of what I still have to wear.
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4-19-12 Outfit of the day - went to the theatre
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| lime green cami - Bozzolo Polka dot top - Forever 21 (old) |
to see "The Hunger Games" - finally! My sister and I had been trying to get our schedules together for 3 weeks. I have not read any of the books, but I really enjoyed the movie. Here's what I wore (sorry the pictures are a little dark, we were still in the theatre).
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| boots by Steve Madden |
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| Black leggings - Hue brown sweater - Derek Heart from TJ Maxx |
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4/17/12 - More shoe love
I found a photo of my favorite shoes in the collaboration between Jeffrey Campbell and Black Milk. They're officially called "Lita Fab" and the pattern is "Sick of Men". I may at times get sick of men, but I'd never get sick of these shoes.
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All available at Solestruck
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4/14/12 - Shoe loveFor a Saturday night out...
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| Black velvet stilletos by Nine West |
3/27/12 - Look of the day
This was actually my look a few weeks ago, but I'm just now getting to upload it. It's one of my favorite bling looks - my MAC Viva Glam shirt from a few years ago, and a pair of BCBG pants with beautiful embroidery on one leg. And then, of course, my pink Doc Maartens to match my pink lipstick. I've gotten so many compliments on the boots, a lot of them from older women who I wouldn't expect to like them. I once had a young boy ask where I got them so he could buy them for his Mom (how sweet!). I got the boots at Zappos, and the MAC shirt I ordered from MAC online. I've never seen them offer the shirts again, so I'm glad that I got it when I did. Oh and I can't forget the hat. It was drizzling rain, and I thought this looked better than an umbrella with frizzy hair.
2/27/12- DKNY's detachable neck collars
These collars or whatever they're called caught my eye when I was looking through photos from Fashion Week. I couldn't decide if I liked them or if they'd make me feel like something was choking me. They could be a replacement for scarves, but why would I want to do that? I love scarves! I have A LOT of scarves. I inevitably lose one a year so I have to replace it. And I like the way your scarf can change your look. So.... anyone else have thoughts about these collars? Would you wear these instead of scarves or in addition to them?
all photos from the Tumblr blog of fromme-to you http://fromme-toyou.tumblr.com
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2/22/12 - More fun photos from New York's Fashion Week
Even though Fashion Week has "moved" to London already, I still have photos from New York that I love and want to post. Rather than posting from the current Fashion Weeks as they're in progress, I'm waiting until they end and then choosing some of my favorite looks. These photos were taken at the Rodarte show, and I got them from the Tumblr blog http://fromme-toyou.tumblr.com. Click here to see more photos She is a great photographer, as you can see from these pictures. Fall 2012 is looking pretty good so far!
2/17/12 - Some of my favorite photos from Fashion Week in New York
If you're not extremely into fashion, you might not know that twice a year in New York they have fashion shows and events for an entire week. This past week they had runway shows for all of the designer's fashions for next fall. They have to do it 6 months in advance so that the fashion buyers have time to pick out the looks that they might want to buy, take notes on them, get approval from their bosses, then order them to be made and get them shipped to the stores in time for you to buy them in the stores.
Although I wasn't able to attend any of the shows this week, I've collected a lot of photos from other photographers that I loved. Most of these were taken by photographers for Milk studios in New York. Here are just a few of my favs:
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| Red oxblood leather coat from DKNY |
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| Jeremy Scott rainbow sequined dress |
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| Make-up for Jeremy Scott show |
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| Michael Kors |
I'll have more to post in the next couple of days!
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2/15/2012 - A miracle dress?
I read an article on Stylelist yesterday that said the biggest thing in fashion this year would be "the miracle dress". Apparently Stella McCartney designed the first version last year. It was worn by Kate Winslet on 2 different occasions, and now other designers are making dresses with similar features. The biggest thing is the black panel going down the sides of the dress, which fools the eye into seeing the body as thinner and curvier. The original version also has a change in color underneath the bodice, making the breasts look larger.
It's certainly a dress that will show off curves any woman has and it will give a slight illusion of the body being slimmer. However, no dress can make you look slim if you're not. I doubt it would make me look the way that I want to look at this point. And even if it did, I can't afford most of these. But if I could, I'd probably try DKNY's sheath dress since it's looser fitting (the last photo). I also really like Victoria Beckham's long-sleeved grey one with boots. I thought I'd post a few pictures of the various versions and let you decide for yourself if it could be your miracle.
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| Kate Winslet in black and white racer-back version |
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| Forever 21's version |
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| Kate Winslet - same dress in different colors |
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| Whitney Cummings in blue black racer-back version |
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| Alexander Wang's version |
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| Victoria Beckham's long-sleeved version - my favorite |
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| DKNY's version, a looser fitting sheath dress |
One day this week I decided to go with my sister while she ran an errand. I didn't have much time to get dressed, so I grabbed leggings, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and a sweater to wear over it. I also tied a wide belt around my waist to pull everything together neatly. It was an unusually warm day for January, which made it so nice to get out. I asked my sister to take some photos for my blog. She is a professional photographer, so getting her to take them (albeit on my little Nikon point-and-shoot camera) was a treat for me. The dark colored wide belt made my waist look smaller, a great visual trick that anyone can use. And since I had leggings on, I made certain that my sweater was long enough to cover my rear. I absolutely will not wear anything short with leggings. This way the silhouette is loose on top, and thin on your legs. My high black boots continued the line, which makes your legs look longer. Having a form-fitting shirt under the sweater made it look like I wasn't hiding anything (although I was). It all added up to photos where I love the way my body looks. That makes me happy any day!
Here are a few of the photos we took.
Leggings - hue
Long sleeved t - Hanes
crocheted sweater - Joseph A.
Belt - Wal-Mart
Boots - Via Spiga
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1/29/12 - An envelope delivered by a courier said "Potential red carpet looks"
CHAPTER ONE...
Allie opened it and looked at the sheets that her stylist had sent her. They were potential outfits for the upcoming Golden Globe awards, collages of dresses, shoes, jewelry, and some clutches. Allie spread them out on her table and looked at each one. They all had something beautiful on them, if only she could arrange them to be all on the same page. So that's what she did - she cut out the dress from one page, a necklace from another, shoes from another, etc. She grabbed a piece of paper from her printer and glued her cut-outs onto one unified page. How old fashioned, she mused, using paper and glue instead of her iPhone or Macbook. Once she finished, she made a copy of it for herself, and sent the original back to her stylist with a note. She hoped that Cheryl, her stylist, wouldn't be offended. Allie still needed her help, after all, getting all of the things in time for the show and making sure that they fit Allie and looked great on an actual person. That was the trickiest thing of all.
Click on the picture below to see the full size image
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1/17/12 - Tweed me
I love a tweed jacket when I find one that's just right for me. That was the case with this tweed jacket from Cynthia Rowley. Nothing boring about this jacket - it has an extremely wide collar that lays flat on the front of the jacket, nips in at the waist, and flairs out very slightly below the waist. It looks great on it's own, but would also look good with some long necklaces in varying styles, and perhaps some wide white cuffs peeking out from each sleeve.
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12/19/11 - Stretching your holiday party wardrobe - Part 4 of a series
If you live somewhere too warm for a jacket or a heavy wrap, you can change the styling of your outfit with either a scarf or a shrug. There are so many scarves to choose from that you can create any look that you can imagine. Sticking with my black velvet dress example, I chose a black looped scarf to go with the glamourous evening style.
As I mentioned, you can also wear a shrug. I have a beautiful pink crushed velvet shrug that just ties in the front. These things won't disguise a dress, but they will give a different look to a basic dress.
12/18/11 - Stretching your holiday party wardrobe - Part 3 of a series
The other way to wear the same dress but disguise it is to wear a lightweight evening jacket over it. I have 2 of these - both black velvet. One has fake fur for the collar, and the other is plain with some black beading around the bottom of the jacket. Since they're black they'll go with most any color of dress, and they keep me warm. Here are some pictures of the one with the fur collar. I have it buttoned, so no one can even see the bodice of the dress. I wish that I could have gotten a photo of the whole outfit from head to toe, but I didn't have a photographer this day other than myself.
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12/17/11 - Stretching your holiday party wardrobe - Part 2 of a series
If you live in a cold climate, you most likely won't walk around a party in a sleeveless dress all night. (Unless you're in an especially warm room.) I always have some sort of cover-up that I end up wearing over my dress most of the night. I'm not talking about a winter coat, but a jacket or a wrap that you wear after you take the winter coat off. If you do this, you're changing the whole look of your dress, so be certain it all looks good together. The first example I'm showing isn't a jacket, it's a faux fur wrap. It's wonderfully warm and makes me feel like a glamourous Hollywood actress. The down side is that sometimes they're hard to keep on, so you should decide ahead of time how much you'll need to use your hands. If you're going to be holding a drink and smoking, a wrap probably isn't the best cover up to wear. If you do wear one, make sure it's one that you love, and that it makes you feel beautiful. I got the one in the photos below for $11.00 at a consignment shop. I absolutely love it.
Note in these photos another way to change the look of an outfit - how you wear your hair. Updos generally connote a more formal event, while leaving your hair down can be casual or formal.
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12/16/11 - Stretching your holiday party wardrobe - Part 1 of a series
So you've got several holiday parties to go to in the next few weeks? And you only fit into 2 of your evening dresses? No worries! There are plenty of ways to wear the same thing differently so people will think you've got a giant closet full of clothes.
The first step is to choose a pretty basic dress. Black or another neutral color, and no patterns. Some beads or sequins are okay as long as they're not extremely memorable. Actually, most all of the evening dresses I've bought are pretty plain, with maybe 1 luxurious thing, like velvet fabric, or a plunging back.
For my example I'm using one of my LBGs (little black gowns) that I just barely still fit into. I'm going to show you a few different ways to wear it (or style it, as we say now). The first is just the dress with some super glam jewelry. Both the necklace and the earrings are made from clear Swarovski Crystallized Elements. They sparkle like crazy so most people's attention will go to them. (And hopefully they'll ask where I got them and I can tell them that they're my design!)
Here's that look:
You can see the dress has a simple silhouette, with some dark beads sewn on the bodice to give it just a little sparkle. If I wear a jacket or wrap on top, and wear different shoes, I can wear the dress to several parties without anyone noticing that it's the same dress.
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12/15/11 -For the girl who likes to be a little different
Try Doc Marten boots in pink! I've had mine for several years now, and they're still in great condition except for some scuff marks and the spot where my Mom's cat clawed at them. (The cat has a thing for clawing at my boots, my yoga mat, my stability ball....) I got mine at Zappo's, and I'll bet they still have them because they're quite popular - I get lots of compliments on them.
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12/14/11 - Stockholm Style
I rarely reblog, but I LOVE this girl's street style. I hope this link works and you all can see it too.
Stockholm Street Style
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12/1/11 - Do you keep old boots and shoes?
If you have an pair of boots or shoes that are more than 5 years old, but they're still in perfect condition, look great on you, and you love them, do you still wear them? Take for instance the boots below. I bought them shortly before I hurt my back, so I haven't worn them many times, but I love them. With leggings, skinny jeans or a short dress, they're hot. I wonder sometimes, though, if other people will look at them and think "wow, doesn't she know how out of style those are?"
Do you have similar shoes or boots, and what do you think about wearing them still?
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11/28/11 - Try a vest
When I lived in Southern California, I rarely needed to wear a winter coat. Warm jackets with a scarf worked well, and so did vests. I could wear a sweater with a vest over it, look great and be warm enough. Now that I'm back in the northeast, I can't give up my vests. So I save them for in between weather.
One of my absolute favorites is this Ellen Tracy vest that I found at Marshall's recently. The looped knit collar called to me from a few racks away. It looked unusual, which is what always catches my eye. Once I tried it on, I was in love. It rocks. I haven't yet done a photoshoot with it and leggings, which I think will be the best look. I was so excited by it that I had to share with you, though. So here are a few premier pictures that I took while wearing my pajamas! Better photos to come soon. Oh, and it also comes in red and black. Too cool.
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| Ellen Tracy's knit vest |
11/10/11 - More boots!
As I was putting away the last of my sandals and getting out all of my boots, I came across a pair of boots that I hadn't worn for awhile. I just had to try them on, and of course I have to share the photos I took on here. These are from Mudd, and I got them at the Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse in SoCal. They're styled to look sexy, but at the same time the lining makes them nice and warm.
11/8/11 - Some of the most beautiful dresses I've seen are these from Elie Saab's collection, especially the one on the left. I just thought I'd share the beauty...
11/4/11 - My newest jewelry creation.
Red and black seem to be very popular on Etsy, so I decided that I needed a few more of these items in my inventory. So, here's my first creation, made all of Swarovski Crystal Elements, except for the pendant.
11/2/11 - Boots AND hats
Many people in the northeast got an unwelcome surprise last weekend when they woke up to see snow on the ground. There were two good things about it in my mind. One, it melted quickly, and second, it was chilly enough to require boots and a hat that night. I went with my standard boots for dressing up when the ground is soggy - this pair of Impos that I got a few years ago at TJ Maxx. They look nice but can handle mud easily - they wipe clean.
And even though my hair looked fine, for warmth I still wanted a hat. I got this one at Macy's long ago, and it remains one of my favorites. These little touches are what make you look stylish, in your own individual way.
Hat: Charter Club from Macy's
Jacket: Guess
Shirt: Wal-Mart (for 1.00!)
10/20/11 - One of my favorite pair of shoes is this pair that I got from DSW a few years ago. They're suede, so I have to take good care of them, but it's worth it. The jacket I'm wearing is from TJ Maxx (by Cynthia Rowley), the pants are from Target, shirt from SteinMart, and the necklace is from 405 Creations.
10/2011 - Some of the things that I saw and really liked in fall fashion magazines and web sites were the long, wide trousers and jeans. Also faux fur, feathers and fringe seem to still be on trend.
I copied a few pictures of photos of clothes that I liked. This first outfit I want so badly! I love both the fabric of the pants and the wide bottom. The faux fur stole adds extra class. Unfortunately I can't remember who the designer was, and it doesn't say on the photo.
He also had this gorgeous dress in black and red, which is a color combination that I'm seeing a lot of.
Now if I can just translate some of these beautiful looks into every day wear I'll be looking great this fall!
great pics
ReplyDeletelook awesome
ReplyDeletegreat shoes
ReplyDelete