My New Scarf and Another Fashion Blog to Follow

My sister has become quite the fashion leader these days. She introduced me to this girl's fashion blog which is sooo fun! We are both her followers and for Christmas we gave each other (unknowingly) scarves that she had blogged about. I love my new scarf! I really wish it would get colder here so that I can wear some of my new clothes!

Ivy's scarf that I gave her. Click on this link and this link to see The Daybook's blog posts about this scarf.

 Our scarves together. My scarf is an eternity scarf (a circle). It is awesome because you don't have to worry about how to "tie" it. Here is the blog post about my scarf (Ivy got me a different color than orange, she knew better!)

New Year, New Favorites: Part 2

I received so many clothes for Christmas, but these have become my favorites! TOMS!!! I love TOMS. My very stylish younger sister started wearing them at the beginning of their craze, but they were a little to hippie/sporty for my style. It wasn't until they started making fancier versions that I decided to try them out. My first pair was the silver glitters. I wore them out, so for Christmas I asked for a few more pairs. I got 3 new pairs! They are sooo cute and comfortable. I swear it is like you are wearing house shoes. Plus they are perfect for the weather here in LA. From left to right Silver Morocco, Classic Navy, Gilded Herringbone. 

New Year, New Favorites!

I know it has been MONTHS since my last post and I am very sorry about that! It is tough to keep up with two blogs. Since I have to eat everyday, my cooking blog constantly has new pictures, but I have been lazy about taking photos with for this blog. I am going to commit to at least 1 new post a week, I promise!

I have some new favorites to share with you! Today I will start with my new favorite hair gel, Goldwell Profiler Mousse Wax.  My friend Megan (who also has wavy hair) introduced me to this product a few months ago. When you squirt it out, it looks like mousse, then as you rub it into your hands it turns into a gel/wax consistency. It is really awesome for anyone who has wavy hair and wants the beachy wave look! Believe me, I have tried TONS of hair products for my wavy hair, and nothing is like this product.

#1 Tip for Falling in Love with Your Current Clothes!

Last month I worked with a cute petite woman. She had an amazing body, but wasn't showing it off properly due to ill fitting clothes. Within a few short minutes we had a large pile of clothes that needed alterations. My first month working as an image consultant I learned the secret to loving my clothes....a TAILOR! I had never thought to use a tailor for anything but taking up the hem of my pants, and soon my tailor began opening up a new way of dressing for me.

Here is a little clothing history for you. Up until WW2 women made their own clothes. They bought dress patterns and knew how to alter the clothing to fit their bodies. During the war many woman had to go to work to support their families and no longer had time to make their own clothes, so Ready-to-Wear clothing was born. But even then, women still had sowing skills and knew to how to make the clothing purchased from a store fit their bodies. Over the years sowing became less of a necessary skill and more of a hobby. Women have forgotten that the clothing in stores was created for a model body (usually beginning with a 5'7, size 6 form and then translated into different sizes).  

So you know what this means? It was never meant to fit you perfectly! You no longer need to spend hours searching for that perfect pair of black pants (or jeans!) Find a pair that fit the biggest part of your body and then alter down. Here are some other tips I have learned to help you when visiting the tailor.

-Petite women, listen up!! If you always need to alter the hem of your pants, you should also always alter the hem of your skirts and dresses. You are most likely wearing these at the least flattering part of your leg (between mid calf and the ankle) Pull them up and your legs will instantly look longer and thinner!

-There is nothing more unprofessional than a jacket with sleeves that are too long. Jacket length is a common hem that most women overlook. Men have always seen a tailor to make sure their jacket sleeves are at the perfect length, women follow the lead of your man on this one. 

-Curvy women: Buy your pants to fit your butt/hips then have a tailor take in the waist.

-Do not buy a jacket or blouse that is too big in the shoulders, this is an alteration that is too costly to fix and usually doesn't retain the correct shape afterward. 

-This is a fun one: Jeans are getting thinner in the legs these days. Save your favorite pair of jeans from the donation bin buy having your tailor take in the width of the legs. (I made my husband do this when he hated a pair of bootleg jeans he got from Christmas and now he wears them all the time)

-Ask around for recommendations before trying out a new tailor. Look for someone that will offer their advice rather than relying on you to tell them what to do, they are the expert! 

When you begin to transfer your closet to your Fall wardrobe, try on your clothes and make a pile of  clothes to take to the tailor. They will be like new again! If you need help learning right fit from wrong fit, schedule your wardrobe appointment with me today!

Online Shopping Anyone?

I found this very cool online store with lots of cute, affordable clothing called Mod Cloth! Their clothing is vintage inspired, but it looks very anthropologie to me. As you know, I am very feminine, so most items in anthropologie are exactly my style. I was so excited to find this site, because I usually have to reserve my anthropologie purchases for special occasions since their price range is a little high. Hope you enjoy!!

www.modcloth.com

Moms! Your Looks Are Important Too!!

Calling all mothers....or wives with busy lives! I know you are busy, there is little time in the day. Cleaning the house, dressing the kids, running errands, work, husbands, dinner....There is not time to think about your own looks. This article will teach you otherwise. Stop and take some time for yourself, it will be helpful for you and your family.

My beautiful mother, sister and I, dressing for my wedding!

I believe mother's are the first example for children to learn the importance of personal appearance. I have always told my clients that my mother gave me a passion for beauty and personal appearance. She woke up every morning and dressed, put on her makeup and fixed her hair. As a child, I remember sitting in bed with her in the morning while she applied her makeup up...(she still puts her makeup on in bed.) In the second grade she taught me to fix my hair, in 4th grade she taught me to shave my legs, then in 5th grade she taught me to apply makeup (and also hired a Mary Kay makeup artist for my birthday to teach my friends and I what colors of makeup to wear.)

I also believe that children and husbands like to have a pretty mom. Lately, I have been lazy and on the days I don't have work or have plans, I have stayed in my grubbies and not applied my makeup. Jeffrey doesn't come out and say it directly, but he makes comments about how I don't look as nice. I realized that he likes for me to get dressed for him. Children are the same. If their mother shows up to school with bad hair, makeup and clothes, you embarrass them. In school, I had friends tell me that they wished their moms would dress nice like my mom. My husband also admits that he liked that his mom always looked nice, and it taught him to look for a wife that would cared about appearance.

This article is not to say that you should become vein and obsessed with your outer appearance, but to let you know that your looks might not be important to you, but they are important for your family. It is never too late to learn to apply your makeup. I've had many clients who were 40 and older come to learn the proper application and colors. Also, if you do not feel comfortable teaching your daughters to apply their makeup, give them the gift of a makeup lesson. I usually suggest this before entering Jr. High. The girls in junior high are VERY scary when it comes to the makeup they will experiment with and you want your daughter to be aware of the proper application and sanitation before they make many mistakes they will regret later.

I love to be crafty! Shelbi's Fashionable Flip Flops!

A few weeks ago I was grazing through the J Crew catalog and I came across several cute flip flops. I decided to try my hand at copying their fashionable flops at a lower cost. They turned out pretty cute! I became obsessed with making new flops with different colors and materials. Then I decided to see if they would sell on Etsy. Check them out by clicking on the box to the right. Even if they don't sell, it is a fun way to get my creative juices flowing!

Here are some of my inspirations with my design under them. Of course I love color, therefore my flops are brighter! If you like any of them, let me know and I will make you a custom pair for only $18!

Flowery Flop

Jeweled Flop

More Flowered Flops

If you like to be crafty, keep your eyes out for fashion that you can create at home! With all this creative energy I have there will be more DIY projects to come.