Cardigan Empire

Baby Baldness: SprinklesOnTop Giveaway

2010-03-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

Baby Flaw #1: Baldness

Babies are expert paraders of attractive features. Assets such as velvety smooth skin and milky fresh scent are used to acquire food on demand and persisting attention. However, even sublimely sweet bundles can benefit from personal styling.

The top of the list of Baby Lady's Body Dressings do's is actually the top of her fuzzy head. Even if dear baby's head isn't mishapen from long hours of lazing prone, dear baby does not yet have luscious locks to frame her delicate features and distinguish her from her male counterparts.

Hence a giveaway, from SprinklesOnTop, offering fetching felt adornments for cherub's crown. The soft, stretchy base cradles nearly all sizes from newborn noggins to toddler top stories. Meaning it will grow with your child allowing you to get a decent cost per wear out of something in the early evolving closet. Unlike the headband I attempted to craft with my own simple hands, these headbands remain sound without any finding fall out or un-raveling strings. Each piece is a work of art, and Julie will even craft something special just for your bundle if you ask.

Win, for free, your own SprinklesOnTop headband, just follow protocol below:

Either: Go to SprinklesOnTop, inspect their petite pretties, and leave a comment on what you would select for your baby's fringed coiffure.

And/Or: Follow Cardigan Empire on Blogger and leave a confirming comment on this post.

The winner of the SprinklesOnTop Giveaway will be selected on Friday, March 12th. The winner gets to select a SprinklesOnTop Headband of her choice.

In the meantime, if you want to receive a pretty little package posted from SprinklesOnTop, mention Cardigan Empire in the order notes, and get a free Samantha Bow with purchase.

Come back for detailed instructions on baby flaw #2 tomorrow.

Dressing the Baby Body Type

2010-03-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

16-17-15
These are the dimensions of perfection, also identified as my cherub's bust, waist, and hip measurements.

This week we will be addressing the dress of a delectably squishy, middle figured baby body type.

We will also be giving away an accessory from Sprinkles on Top

Dear Empress: How Can I Style Curly Hair?

2010-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Empress,

How do you style your hair? Do you curl it? Or is it natural? I live in Alabama, and please believe me when I say, the South Really needs some style!

Sarina Southern Belle

-----------------------------------

Deep twilight infomercials, a dark and guilty pleasure that doesn't usually involve my credit card. But this televised endorsement is my tress coiling secret.

Dear Empress: How can a Mommy Tummy go Spanx Free?

2010-03-01T09:17:00.000-08:00

Dear Empress,

"The Mommy Tummy" issue, aka muffin top, aka middle figure, aka apple. Do I really have to wear spanx every day? . . .

ps I do exercise but the skin well it just does not behave!

Mommy Julie
(Adventures with Gigi)

-----------------------------------

Mummy Julie,

Following are a quartet of ensembles cut to flatter a middle figure, no spandex shapers required:

ensemble one. empire waist & mid rise. Tie your waist a handful of inches above the mark and achieve the same narrowing effect. Then match the rise on your denim to your widest breadth. The waistband will act as a corset ensuring your soft delicious center isn't squished above into a muffin top or below into a mommy pouch.

Items in this set:
Springing Splendour Embroidered Top, $30
Old Navy Womens Rinse B The Dreamer Boot-Cut Jeans, $19
Darling Sue Chain Jersey Tie Necklace, $23
Pink Studio Women's Gypsy Flat, $79

ensemble two. ruffles & layers. Tiered ruffles shadow fleshy folds as do a-line sweaters and structured jackets.

Items in this set:
Tutu Tank, $68
Fae Blossom Gray Sweater Cardigan, $50
Joe's Jeans 'The Muse', $70
Pearly Confection Teardrop Earrings, $13
Pink Studio Hobbs Peep Toe Wedge, $96

ensemble three. gathered hems & boyfriend. If your body narrows as it descends, a gathered hem blousing across the hips will showcase it. Pairing the look with a straight cut boyfriend will ensure your ensemble doesn't fall out of balance.

Items in this set:
Barcelona Peasant Top, $23
CJ by Cookie Johnson 'Love' Boyfriend Jeans, $130
Floral Creme Vintage Button Ring, $13
Pink Studio Women's Trinity Criss Corss Low Wedge, $58

ensemble four. tunic style hems & wide waistbands. Never, never tuck additional items into your mommy pouch. Instead of expanding the bulge, find a tunic style top with a finished hem that can lay flat against your corseting wide waistband

Items in this set:
Amethyst Geode Silk Top, $39
Paige Premium Denim 'Hidden Hills' Bootcut, $190
Hasina Orange Beaded Bracelet, $17
Pink Studio Norma Leather Sandal, $44

In summary my delicious mummy tummies, find a mid rise pant and pair it with a top that falls flat over the waistband.

Thinking pretty,
Your Empress

Dear Empress: What Can I Put with This

2010-02-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

My Cardigan Empire Darlings,

There are forsaken singles in your closet. Solid fits and pretty details have not yet attracted their eternal ensemble: skirts without tops, sweaters without shells, trousers without blouses.

This Thursday could mean a soul mate for your loneliest garment.

Mix & Mingle
Kierland Commons Anthropologie
15210 N Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Thursday, Feb 25th, 6-9 pm

old + new
During the soiree, we'll help you pair your favorite closet mainstay with something fresh. Or bring a vintage item that hasn't gotten enough wear to the front of your closet with the assistance of some new accessories.

confections + camarades
Gather your friends and the garments you need matched up. Myself and the other trained professionals at Kierland will be ready with complimentary treats and fashion assistance.

Space is limited
RSVP by Wednesday, Feb 24th
by email or phone (480) 951-4230

Hope to see you, your friends, and your lonely garments there.

Dear Empress Giveaway Winner: Downeast Basics

2010-02-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

Christa's will have a cheerfully clothed bottom half thanks to her lucky number Forty Seven, contact me so we can get you your Get Gorgeous Skirt from Downeast Basics.

Happy Monday!

Dear Empress Giveaway: Can Lower Figures wear Colorful Skirts?

2010-02-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Empress,

"...Can I still wear colorful skirts even though my bust/waist/hip measurements designate me as a lower figure?..."

Perfectly Pear (aka Edith of See the Songers)
-----------------------------------

Response Sponsored by: 

Lady Edith,

Even the juiciest of pears can tastefully wear a colorful skirt. Color is but the final consideration in the garment evaluation quartet. Thus, lower figures are certainly not destined to a life of black below the belt. Color can help to compensate for violations of higher rules, but it's not cardinal cannon unto itself.

Following is the
Garment Evaluation Triad

(While our example centers on lower figure and skirts, this same theory may be applied to all body types and garments)

one. Cut
The shape of the garment trumps every other determinant. Does it taper against your flare, ruffle along your round? The shape should highlight your narrowest features and balance your fullest. Imagine the garment as a minimalist ink outline, then evaluate whether the shape complements your own figure.

two. Cloth
For your area of concern, look for flat, structured fabrics that drape rather than cling. While you don't want bulky wool sweater kilts adding inches to your hipline, you also want to avoid the dimple prone vulnerabilities of a cotton jersey pull-on skirt. Look for fabrics that will hold a clean line without excessive volume or transparencies. And opt for matte over shine, our strongest curves need only to be outlined not amplified.

three. Composition
Properly applied patterns, textures, and prints are camouflage to body insecurities. In fact a bright pattern is often more effective than a neutral solid since it has a little something to offer distraction.

four. Color
Lastly we consider color. Certainly some colors are less flamboyant than others. But if the garment excels in cut, cloth, and composition you don't have to follow color minimizing rules fanatically.

Take for example the Still Life Skirt from Downeast Baics.

Cut - A-line
Ne'er hugging a single curve of the thigh
Cloth - Cotton broadcloth
Flat smooth, and able to hold its own starch
Composition - Playful
The wood block inspired floral will keep all eyes moving
Color - Light & Bright
While the color isn't a textbook ideal, it certainly follows enough more important rules to get a complimentary ruling.

Pair it with this equally bright and playful Frosted Flowers Cardigan and you'll achieve a stunning balance.

Care for your own DownEast Basics Skirt?

Either: Go to DownEast Basics, inspect their skirt offerings, and leave a comment on this post identifying your preferred skirt of choice.

And/Or: Become a Cardigan Empire Follower so you can be privy to future offers and giveaways. Leave a confirming comment on this Cardigan Empire post.

The winner of the Colorful Skirt Giveaway will be selected on Monday, February 22nd.

Dear Empress: What Looks Emphasize the Waist?

2010-02-17T08:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Empress,

I'm a young hourglass, and I need a way to flatter my little waist with my limited budget and closet full of jeans and t's. I have fallen in love with waist high skirts but I need a quicker solution that doesn't mean buying all new bottoms!

Shan o' Seventeen
(So She Said)

-----------------------------------

My Hourglass Lass,

Following are five different ways to emphasize the same little feature:

one. A tie or banding at the waist. You can buy inexpensive options with this feature already applied, or you can add it on to some of your existing closet inhabitants.

two. High waisted bottoms: As you mentioned a skirt or trouser that hugs high on the torso will dramatically highlight your center. Tuck your t-shirt or blouse in for ultimate impact. Don't be afraid to take the waist of a hip skirt in so that it falls at the waist. Just be sure to test the resulting length before you initiate alterations.

three. Half sleeves. Hemming the arm band at the waist will draw the eye back to your favorite feature. Try adding an elbow-skimming sleeve under or over some of your favorite cap sleeves and tanks.

four. Cropped. Layer a cropped sweater, vest, or jacket to a basic tee and you'll see immediate waist-centric results.

Five. A belt silly. An hourglass without a belt is like a sugar cookie without frosting (yours look divine by the way). Layer this accessory over dresses, extended sweaters, or whatever else needs cinching.

In summary my mythically delineated dear, do whatever you can to visually mark and outline the circumference of your mini midriff.

My ladies who care not to highlight their abdomens (there's a dear empress in draft for you my soft delicious centers) do the exact opposite, at least for the time being.

Truly,
Empress

Dear Empress: How Do I Find Boots for Wide Calves?

2010-02-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

Dear Empress,

"My calves are 17" around. Regular boots don't fit and plus sized boots are way too big. Help!"

-Made for Boots
(aka Samurai Mom)

-----------------------------------

Dear Made for Boots,

The standard boot has a 14 inch leg opening and plus size boots can extend up to 20 inches. Your stalwart stems deserve better than droopy enclosures or asphyxiation by vinyl. Below is a solution to your in-the-middle mire:

one. Measure your calves. While you've obtained this vital integer, many buxom gams are uncounted. The squishy definitions of wide calf or plus size are highly ambiguous, so you'll need to arm yourself with specifics.

Find the widest rim of your calf and discover how many inches surround it. Measure both legs and use the larger of the two. This will act as a generally helpful guide. However, if you're investigating an explicit boot, find the boot's shaft length and measure at this height on your own leg. This is particularly important if you're investigating an over the knee or a shortie boot, or if you're petite since the boot will most definitely enclose a completely different section of your lower limb.

two. Shop virtual. There are vastly more flexible soles online than in retail stores. Armed with the information gathered above you will be able to remotely assess fits prior to ordering. For best results search specifically for wide calf boots and explore the diversity available at both online shoe emporiums and the shoe area of plus-size merchandisers.

three. Opt for stretch. If your dream boot is just shy of your ideal, all is not lost. Following repeated wear, real leather will stretch. Other swelling options include gusset panels and lace ups which can be re-laced with longer laces.

four. Alter as needed. If they're only an inch or two shy of perfection, take your booties to your local cobbler. A moderate adjustment can be made on the boot stretcher, more extensive enlargements may require the addition of gore gussets or panels of new leather at the seams.

Suggestions

Endless.com offers an a filter specifically for wide calf boots:

Here were a few of my favorites for you:

Best to you in your boot hunt,
Empress

Domestic Bliss: Biggest Sale Ever Today

2010-02-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

The prettiest little boutique around is selling at serious markdowns.

Go there today, or you will berate yourself later.

Dear Empress

2010-02-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

"My thighs touch in the center, can I wear skinny jeans?"
Lower Figured in Las Vegas "Where can I find boots for wide calves?"
Sturdy Stems "Can I combine a scarlet blouse with wine hued flats?"
Chromatic Experimenter

Cardigan Empire was founded to serve fashion's sovereign subjects. So send me your fashion quandry (via comment), and the empress shall respond post haste next week.

In the meantime, I shall be conducting fashion research on this subject:

Neutrals Giveaway Winner: Shade Clothing

2010-02-08T07:38:00.000-08:00

Guess the winner: Lovely long blond tresses, mother to a pair of girls and a pair of boys, eternally devoted to one Wade. Can commonly be found sewing, running on her treadmill, or snapping photos of her pretty progeny.

Yes it's Kelly L of The Larson Family.

Lady Kelly L could be looking excessively chic in the Shade Clothing Straight Skirt now that she's won a $25 gift card from Shade Clothing.

Joyous Monday!

Downeast Basics Valentines Dress Giveaway Winner

2010-02-05T08:32:00.001-08:00

(Victorian Valentines Card)

Kristin (aka #143) of Dustin & Kirstin shall bewitch and beguile this February 14th in her Keep It Real Dress from Downeast Basics.

(please contact me at reachel@cardiganempire.com lucky Kristin)

Don't forget to enter the Neutrals Giveaway

Fitting Room Friday: Neutrals Giveaway

2010-02-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

How to Dress for Valentine's Day Giveaway

2010-02-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

Sponsored by: 

I'm ready to frost myself in cherry colored ruffles and lace for the sweetest holiday of the year. For my base, I've selected the delectable DownEast Lost in Love Dress.

Crisscross panels frame a sweetheart neckline in a wrinkle free, wash and wear jersey knit.

You can win your own DownEast Dress in time for a date with your Valentine, here's how:

Either: Go to DownEast Basics, inspect their dress offerings, and leave a comment on this post identifying your preferred Valentine's uniform.

And/Or: Become a DownEast Basics fan on facebook and leave a confirming comment on this Cardigan Empire post.

The winner of the Valentine's Dress Giveaway will be selected on Friday, February 5th.

In the meantime, feel free to pick up your own Downeast Basics Dress for under $25.

Money Saving Tips: Online Shopping Free Shipping

2010-01-29T08:57:00.000-08:00

Few pleasures trump finding a carefully packaged card, large envelope, or box in my post case. One of the formats in which I indulge this pleasure is online shopping. But while I find purchasing specialty stamps quaint, I don't particularly adore shipping fees.

Provident panacea: RetailMeNot, a comprehensive search-able library of coupons and discount codes, tested, dated, and verified. Here lies the secret to free shipping or at least a reasonable discount to justify the postage fees.

And don't forget to sign up for e-mails from your favorite mercantiles, they'll send pretty treats to your inbox.

Happy Savings!

Money Saving Tips: Host A Clothing Swap Party

2010-01-27T12:03:00.000-08:00

I am one of a quartet of sisters, whose circumferences and shoe sizes are within rounding errors of each other. All the Winters' sisters closets are nestled against the Rocky mountains within a block of each other, all of them except myself, sister three, whose dressing chamber lies dozens of zip codes away. While my closet used to extend yards and yards of interchangeable cloth, it now spans only finite inches. But my stingy wallet and hungry appetite for novelty will not be stopped, and I have adopted local sisters with which to swap clothing. You too can enjoy clothing swaps, following is a scheme for your fashion soiree.

one. invite
Scout out those which which you share a common style penchant and send a gracious invite in their direction, at least two weeks in advance. You could invite guests with a common proclivity for vintage, a passion for accessories, or those who have children in the age vicinity of your own. Allow your guests to suggest additional attendees who corroborate with the evening's theme: for more ladies means more selection. Set a minimum number of garments as a cover charge to the event, but allow guests to bring as many additional items as they prefer.

two. inventory
You and your guests should then cleanse your closets, accumulating clothes which no longer flatter the owner's body, lifestyle, or personality. Items suffering from stains, tears, or extreme wear should be sent in a separate direction, even if it was ridiculously cute at some point in its shelf life.

three. launder
Each attendee should carefully wash, press and hang their inventory, items should be showcased for a premiere.

four. ambiance
In preparation for your event, prepare your party's ambiance. Please as many of your attendee's senses as possible, music for their delicate ears, pleasant scents for their pretty noses, treaties for their palettes. Also ensure you have adequate seating, tables, garment racks, a designated changing area, and dress forms for display. You may want to include a few full length mirrors in the common area.

five. retail
When your friends arrive, give each guest an equivalent number of blank stickers, which they will initial, in exchange for each item they bring. Then merchandise the items as prettily as you can in your own home store. Grouping items together by color will make for a lovelier display, but grouping them by sizes may be more useful to your guests.

six. auction
Allow the guests to mingle and take note of available pretties, individuals can indicate interest in an item by placing an initialed sticker upon it. Following the open floor period, items with only one sticker can be automatically claimed. But items with multiple stickers will be tried on by each sticker owner, allowing your collaborative audience to vote on a winner. Following the auction, guests can mingle through the remainder of the inventory. Donate any unwanted items to charity or thrift shops.

New ensembles without a dime parted. Enjoy and tell me about your own party results.

Money Saving Tips: Make Your Jeans Last Longer

2010-01-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

Denim is a prolific closet panacea. It can associate with garment princes and paupers without requiring even the application of a warm iron for perfect presence. But how to get your most popular clothing choice to last a few seasons longer?

one. Recycle
Your jeans should not be laundered following every wear. Unless they are stained, wear them at least two or three times between laundry soaks. Denim & rivets were combined to serve miners who occasionally bathed their trousers in the creek. It can stand up to your afternoon at the park as well.

two. Hem
Unlike Princess of Monaco's train this idea will only look shabby. Make sure your denim is hemmed to the break of our shoe, so you don't trample your hem.

three. Zip & Button
Close all the openings before washing your jeans. Exposed fasteners, rivets, and zippers can rub and weaken your indigo threads.

four. Inside Out
Turn jeans inside out before bathing them in the washer. This strategy allows the fading dyes to settle back into the fabric. And if possible wash a family of denim together. Your 6-year-old grandpa's can be rejuvenated by the dyes escaping from your 2-week-old newborns.

five. Wash Cold
If you can't see visible dirt or stains, dial to cold. You'll see a reduction in your denim fade and your utility bill. Reserve hot water washing for jeans for heavily soiled or oily occasions.

six. Wash Delicate
Apply the most tender wash cycle available to your jeans. While sturdy, delicate care will extend your time together. Very lightly soiled jeans may even be washed on a delicate cycle, but will need an extra spin cycle on regular to remove the excess water.

seven. Air Dry
Save your denim from the spinning jaws of your dryer. Air drying your jeans with only a short fluffing in the dryer.

eight. Reinforce
Surgery may be required to save failing denim knees. Patch them before they wear through by applying fabric glue or fusible web to the inside of the knee. You can also cut up an old, unwearable pair of jeans for patches to reinforce stress points like pocket corners.

nine. Storage
Folded not hung, store your jeans with zippers and buttons inside the fold, stacking the pairs in alternating directions to make a level pile. Hangers will crease, and clips will distress the cuffs or waistband.

ten. Dye
If you wish, you can dye your denim new. Rit Fabric Dye can flash your jeans back to a fabulous inky black. But Dylon Machine Dye for Blue Denim will resurrect them back to a perfect shade of deep, rich blue.

Please add your denim saving tips in the comments.

Money Saving Tips: How To Fix Your Shoes

2010-01-21T07:29:00.000-08:00

My shoes are my hardest working apparel category. They've been known to lap eight to ten miles a day over wood, concrete and brick. My shoes and I have survived snapped heels, severed peep toes, and serious gashes. While there are jobs best left to a professional, (my favorite shoe hospital being Lambs Shoe Repair and not just because they have the cutest vintage lamb screened on the window) there are also basic first aid procedures which every stiletto slinging lady should familiarize herself with.

one. Stain Removal
Patent Leather-Nail Polish Remover
Your manicure supplies can also rescue your patent leather pointies. Douse a cotton pad in nail polish remover and gently buff the shoe bruise. Air dry and store where in the cool and dry.
Suede-Emery Board
Next unsheathe your emery board (plain and not too abrasive) and lightly rub the suede injury in a back and forth motion. This procedure can remove the effects of everything from jilted beverages to unexpected rain spots.
Leather-Vinegar
Salty shoe-d winters are difficult to avoid, but also easy enough to repair. Dip a soft cloth in a small dish of distilled white vinegar and wipe clean. Spot test an inconspicuous area first and use only use on leather not fabric or suede.

two. Broken Heel
On the Go
Between your lip balm and nail clippers, keep a strong tube of glue in your handbag for on the run calamities. If the heel was nailed to the sole, coat the protruding nails with glue, slide the nails back into the original hole and hold the heel in place until the glue dries. When a glued-on heel detaches from a sole, scrape off the dried glue, coat with fresh glue and hold in place until a bond is formed. If a high heel snaps in two, coat one piece with glue at the site of the break and try to reattach the other section. Stay off your feet as much as possible until you can change to another pair of shoes.
At Home
For an at-home glue job, try a shoe adhesive such as Shoe Goo. Be sure the area to be repaired is clean, dry and free of oils, old glue and polishes. Gently sand the sole and heel to roughen up the surfaces. Apply a layer of Shoe Goo to both the heel and the sole and allow the solvents to evaporate for five to 10 minutes before pressing together. Apply pressure by using rubber bands, string or a heavy object for at least 24 hours. The longer the glue cures, the stronger the bond.

Money Saving Tips: How To Avoid the Dry Cleaner

2010-01-18T23:11:00.000-08:00

A stone's bounce from my house stands an antiquated brick building with a street-visible sign, on which is scripted: Claire's Cleaners.

I want to go to Claire's Cleaners.

I want to walk in where the staff greets me by name and fills my arms with tailored trousers pressed and tissued. I want to smell organic starch on the collars of my husband's shirts and commend their ability to finally remove the stain from the lapel of my dearest jacket without bathing it in toxic chemicals. My hopes for Claire's Cleaners rise lofty. Unfortunately, Claire's Cleaners is vacant, as it has been since I moved here five years prior.

I must submit to the $2.99 Dry Cleaning Store a mile from my house. What prideless creature names their establishment "$2.99 Dry Cleaning Store." (It used to be the "$1.99 Dry Cleaning Store", but you can see how their creative prowess has developed the brand.) Until I am able to procure and launch Claire's Cleaners myself, I stubbornly avoid the dry cleaner with their wire hangers and plastic drapings and keep my $2.99 whenever possible.

Maybe you'd like a few more $2.99's in your pocketbook as well. Well Frugal Friend of my Bosom, here's how:

one. FRESHENING: Home Dry Cleaning Kits
Obvious yet useful for touch ups. This method is perfect for the dress you donned to church and enjoyed company with for a few hours. Over time the bag version is thriftier than the alternative, since you can purchase refills rather than a whole new kit. While the kits are accompanied by a stain removing solution it isn't terribly effective unless the stain is light, fresh, or otherwise uncommitted to staying.

two. WRINKLE REMOVER: Steamy Showers
When your delicate garment is merely rumpled, send it to a steamy bathroom. Hang your ensemble nearby while you remove your own soils. Keep the door closed following your toilet and allow the steam to remove creases and diffuse the frail offenses of smoke or perfume. This method is much more delicate on fabrics than heated irons, just be sure you place the garment close enough to benefit from the condensation but not so close that it is soaked by the source.

three. SMELLY: Disinfectant Spray
After wearing a garment, spray it with a disinfectant spray before hanging it up to eliminate bacteria which causes odors to form on the fabric. Focus on any parts of the garment that were in direct contact with your skin.

four. SPOTTING: Baby Wipes
Baby wipes are tremendously good at removing spots from your garment before soils have time to draw up a permanent contract. Address spots as soon as they occur and examine your garments post-wear to remove any sneaky spots which moved in without notice.

five. SWEATIES: Vinegar
If a garment isn't terribly sweaty, you can sponge off the bio-grime and dry it in front of a fan. This will work with a variety of fabrics that you'd never put through the spin cycle, such as silk or rayon.

six. PREVENTION: Underarm Shields
A little vinegar won't save a silk donned in an Arizona August. But prevention will, save yourself from perspiration stains by placing underarm shields in dresses and suits. Mr & Mrs fine garments won't end up with tough-to-remove perspiration stains and they'll last years longer.

Please share more of your favorite Dry Cleaner Avoidance tips in the comments.

Spring 2010: Wardrobe Strategies at Mesa Community College

2010-01-18T07:59:00.001-08:00

Top 5 Reasons to Register for Wardrobe Strategies at MCC taught by yours truly:

Upon completion, you can wage battle against Rachel Zoe and her nefarious battalion of size 0 Zoebots (all armored with darkly tanned skins and large sunglasses)
TEC 245 counts toward an Image Consulting certificate. Said certificate would look very smart framed in a gilded gold frame in your personal styling office.
A Friday morning dedicated to dressing up makes a lovely elective, perfectly accenting classes like biochemistry.
You'll get to see me fancifying new words on the fly.
You'll be prepared to make the world a prettier place

Spread the word to your collegiate fashion smarties. Registration closes, and classes start, Friday, February 5th.

Wardrobe Strategies, TEC 245
F 9 AM - 11:30 AM, 3 CR

Syllabus includes: body type dressing, color analysis, personal styles identification, closet cleaning, wardrobe maximization, shopping strategies, and much more.

Fashion Toolkit: Billion Dollar Babes

2010-01-14T23:43:00.001-08:00

Cardigan Empire noted, because Billion Dollar Babes habitually offers discounted pretties in Coco sizes.

Founded in Hollywood in 2001, BDB pioneered the multi-designer sample sale with  “real world” shopping events in major cities worldwide. What started as an “insiders” event at LA's House of Blues has, over the years, grown into a fashion phenomenon. These sophisticated, “A-list affairs” (thanks, NY Times) have been regularly held in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Chicago, London and Dublin.

Of course, sometimes even the most fabu fashionistas like to shop in their skivvies (at 3am…in Dubai), so in 2009 BDB went Web. billiondollarbabes.com holds three high-end designer sales per week, each lasting 48 hours and featuring discounts of up to 85%.

Take for example last week's Fit & Flitter where Coco got quilted hanger quality at bargain bin prices, without ever strapping into her car seat.

Fashion Toolkit: Gilt Groupe

2010-01-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

For those of you who would like to remodel your closets, while simultaneously weighing down their piggy banks.

Susan Lyne, Alexis Maybank, & Alex Wilson have taken the New York Invitation Only Sample Sale on the road via the Information Superhighway.

The result is Gilt Group, your online mecca for deeply discounted fashion & luxury brands. I'd blog more but I'm busy purchasing a BCBG silk top, originally $158 for $38.

Here's your invitation.

Shy Legs Addendum

2010-01-11T09:43:00.001-08:00

The temporarily overlooked conclusion, is now available. Short skirts need not make your shy knees quiver. Below are three clever solutions to solve your lower limb induced calamity.

While you're waiting for your Vintage Hem slip to be delivered, layer a fitted skirt underneath a fuller one. It creates instant additional length. However it also creates instant additional length which is perfect should you favor petticoat-ed panache.

With slim denim beneath, one is free to angle over in infinite directions without apprehension of exposure.

Glamour leggings, I told you I'd mate heels with them.

Resolution #3: Dress Better When I Have a Special Occasion

2010-01-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

Vogue 1957, Christian Dior

rotted rigmarole

Elegance does not require dry cleaning. A three digit price tag is not requisite to elegance. Elegance is not defined by sequins, ruffles, or charmeuse. Elegance could be an unsullied top in a complimentary hue. A sharp trouser line hemmed to the appropriate length. Polish, sophistication, taste, dignity results in elegance.

To Dress Everyday in Elegance, a revisionary argument in three part:

part 1. Every day is a special occasion. The morning you went to the dentist and exited without a single cavity. The afternoon you changed your password to a very clever acronym. The evening you made macaroni and cheese from scratch for supper. Every day is worthy of celebration, of a memory. Do you want to remember yourself in a sloppy t-shirt and velour elastic-waist pants?

part 2. Saved from apologies. Are you embarrassed by your apparel when visitors arrive unannounced? Do you skip aisles to avoid being recognized at the grocery store? Do you assume stories about recent calisthenics when in truth you've haven't exerted a stretch to merit your stretchy pants all day? Most importantly are you consistently arriving at a location, only to shamefully cast your gaze down in an inadvertent apology to yourself?

part 3. Finished with a smile. Regardless of the turn of your silhouette, turn the corners of your mouth up. Spend as much time as you deem appropriate in front of the mirror but as soon as you walk out the door, turn your attention outward. Find the beauty in others and you will multiply the elegance in yourself.