The great thing about infinity scarves is that they are fairly classic and can still be worn even after they’re no longer considered “trendy” because it’s a great scarf alternative.  Here’s a short video about a few different ways to wear one.  Enjoy and don’t be afraid to try something different.

Ever since then I have enjoyed building this blog and turning it into what you see today.  I have big plans as it continues to grow and I look forward to reading more of your comments and posting more blogs to help make you more fashionable and fabulous!

http://kingdomofstyle.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/2007/week45/index.html

I’ve noticed some common things that I see women do and I feel like it needs to be addressed head on.  When it comes to looking well coiffed and put together, there are certain things that we all should be mindful of in terms of fashion and beauty basics.

I decided to introduce this new feature as a way to address those issues and some suggestions on how they can be handled.  I do realize that not everyone has regular access to a stylist, manicurist, hair stylist, etc.  I don’t myself so lots of my advice with address both perspectives, those who do go to professionals and those who don’t.

Stay tuned and if you see things you’d like to see addressed, let me know and I will put it into the rotation.

If you’re like me and a bit wary of embellished outwear of any kind but interested in diving into this trend, there are some ways to do it without looking like you’re wearing a costume.

1.  Don’t over do it. Embellishment can be great if done sparingly. If you wear an embellished shirt, don’t wear an embellished belt or jacket.

2.  Keep your jewelry simple. One great thing about embellished clothing is that it can act as a part of our outfit as well as a piece of jewelry. If you want to wear, big, bold jewelry, don’t wear that embellished piece of clothing. It will most likely clash and make you stand out in a not so positive way.

3. Be confident. Embellished clothing will definitely make you stand out. Make sure you’re wearing the piece and not letting it wear you. Give it what I call the “eff it” boost. Before you leave the house, take one last look at yourself in the mirror and say, “Eff it.” Then walk out the door. I’ve done that in the past and it definitely makes me less self conscious when I’m wearing something that makes me stand out.

Feel free to put your own spin on the “Eff it” boost and add in your own words. I try to keep this blog PG rated (wink, wink).  Below is a picture of a great, embellished shirt by Bebe.  Notice how you don’t have to wear any jewelry with it.

http://pinkdiamondpr.blogspot.com/2008/11/monday-style-obsession-bebe-outerwear.html

• Have your professional stylist perform that much needed deep conditioning treatment or what I prefer to use, a Protein Treatment. This will aid in replenishing moisture and nutrients lost during the harsh winter months.

• Now is the prime time to get that hair trim that is essential to the growth and strong structure of the hair. Trims should be done every 6 to 8 weeks to maintain steady growth.

• Adding a semi-permanent color to your hair care service will aid in style as well as shine. Also consider a clear color application as well.

• You may want to consider going with a more silky hair style for at the first 6 weeks of the Spring season. This will help to stimulate the scalp as you wrap the hair at night. Also it relaxes the hair shaft and closes down the cuticle that may have been opened while hair was being curled throughout the winter month.

Mandrill Hardge is a fabulous hair stylist who specializes in bringing out the beauty in hair.  If you’d like to learn more about him or if you’re in the Atlanta area and want to schedule an appointment, visit his website at http://mandrillhardge.com

People tend to over do it.

I wrote a post about the proper way to wear animal print called Animal Print…Rawr! Check it out because it gives great tips (if I should say so myself) on how to effectively incorporate animal print into your wardrobe.  Well, I want to address animal print shoes.  They’ve become trendy as of late and they are a great trend. If you wear a great pair of animal print shoes, it can make your entire outfit pop.  However, there are some ways to do it and not look like you’re wearing a costume.

1.  Don’t mix animal prints.  I cover this tip in the previous post I wrote, but I thought it needed repeating.

2.  Build your outfit around the shoes. The best way to not clash with your animal print shoes is to make them the base of your outfit.

3.  Stick with neutral colors when you wear your animal prints. If you use the animal print as a pop of color, it will definitely cut down on clashing outfits.  Wear animal prints with neutral colors like black, brown, tan, etc. This way the animal print will be the stand out in your outfit and shoes are good stand out pieces.

These are just some suggestions to get you started wearing animal print shoes. Once you’ve gotten comfortable with them, you can be more daring. But I suggest easing into it and working your way up to daring. You may overwhelm yourself if you start out daring.  Below are some pictures of great animal print shoes. You don’t have to get these exact ones, but maybe they will inspire you to get some that are similar.

http://getglamorous.blogspot.com/2007/10/fall-2007-animal-print-shoes.html

These are some great giraffe print guess pumps. You can wear these with a brown or tan outfit. If you’re feeling more comfortable, you could do them with black or red, too.

http://www.thisnext.com/item/2E9CEAFF/Animal-Print-Gladiator-Shoes

These are some super cute, leopard print gladiator pumps. These would be great with black or reds. They are definitely very eye-catching, but would be great with a simple outfit.

http://liveheartfelt.com/?p=85

Now I am a fan of zebra print because it’s basic black and white. It’s clean and crisp and can go well with black, white or even red. Now you could wear it with other colors, but this is for entry level animal print wear. These are some hot Giuseppe Zanotti pumps that definitely fall in the higher range in terms of cost, but you can use these as a model and get some shoes with a similar feel at a lower cost.

I’m a big fan of shoes and I love wearing a basic outfit with some show stopping heels.  One of my favorite places to shop for cute shoes without breaking my budget is Cutesy Girl.com.  Check out their site because I know they have some animal print shoes on the site.  That’s not an affiliate link, either. I just really like their shoes.

Happy shoe shopping!

This trend of wearing suede colored shoes is a cool one because designers have begun to create a wide variety of suede shoes.  There used to be a time when suede shoes were mainly boots or shoes that covered your whole foot. There were occasionally colored suede shoes but they were mostly black, brown or gray. Now, you can find suede sandals that come in black, brown, pink, yellow, blue and even rainbow colors.  As a self-professed shoe fanatic, I find it wonderful.

Plus, suede colored shoes are great transition pieces.  I do realize it’s winter time and many of you are only wearing close-toed shoes or boots but if you want to be a little fancy, you can put on some open-toed suede shoes in a bright color with stockings (ones without the reinforced toe).  Below are some pictures of different types of suede shoes in great colors.

http://www.geekshoes.com/chloe/be-fashionably-cool-with-blue-shoe-boots

These are a great pair of Chloe blue suede shoes that are closed-toe, but still stylish and cute.  You can wear these types of shoes in the winter as well as in the spring.

http://www.hiddengarments.cn/?p=9637

Now these are some wonderful, pink, suede sandals by my favorite shoe designer, Christian Louboutin.  While these are definitely not budget friendly, but they are wonderful to behold. Besides these are just examples of shoes you could wear that are suede sandals.  These are an example of the type of suede sandals that can be worn with stockings in the winter.  These shoes can transition from summer to fall to spring and into winter, if you are comfortable wearing them with stockings or if you live in a city where the winters are mild.

Ultimately, I want to encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone when it comes to fashion.  Be open to expanding your wardrobe.  As I always say, shoes are a great way to go a little wild and crazy with colors and fabric.

I’ve always had sensitive skin. I remember running into issues whenever I used a skin care product that had perfume or dye in it. I’ve even had to switch to laundry detergent that is 100% free of dyes, perfumes and any other extras outside of the general cleaning agents.

My skin sensitivity has made me very diligent in researching skin care products but I often find it challenging to do research without actually trying things out. As you fellow sensitive ladies know, testing skin care products can be a dicey game when you have sensitive skin.

I was introduced to www.myskin.com by a fellow FABB Blogger and I was very pleased when I visited the site. I immediately signed up and did a search for something I could wash my face with because I’ve been having issues lately and I needed to make a change. The site led me to something that I’m using now and so far so good.

I’ve noticed that many people are clueless about how to properly care for their skin and oftentimes can’t afford a regular facial or regular visits to the dermatologist. I think this website is a great resource and it’s free to join.

Don’t worry, this isn’t a paid endorsement.  This is just a really cool site that has helped me with my skin care and I think more of us could use this type of help.  The site features a search engine where you can look for products based on your skin care needs. It also has member reviews so you get a realistic view of the product. Initially I was worried that it might be a website that was created to promote a certain brand of products, but it’s not.

I saw products that ranged in price from $3 to $50 and I’m sure there are more that didn’t match my particular search results.  I encourage you all to check out www.myskin.com. The site isn’t currently open to the public so I have a special invite code for Clueless Fashionista readers.

Click any of the links in this post or the logo at the top and when you create your account, use this code: cluelessfashionista.

My mom is much more of a girly girl than me and she had a big weakness for shoes.  I used to look in her closet and see boxes and boxes of shoes that she may have only worn once or twice. She would have different colors and styles and I wondered why she needed so many shoes.  Until one day, things clicked for me. I took stock of my closet and realized that I had a lot of shoes, mostly black and brown ones, but different styles and types.

So with that in mind, I pay close attention to shoe trends. I am a firm believer that the right shoe can make or break an outfit so I was pleased to see that embellished shoes was a trend that has slowly began to take hold in fashion.

If you are shy about wearing shoe embellishments, you can start slowly. There are shoes with a defined buckle or a well placed bow like the ones below.

http://ladies-shoes-pumps.blogspot.com/2009/12/women-merona-mariela-buckle-pump-brown.html

Then you have shoes that are covered in embellishments like sparkly crystals, similar to the shoes Pink wore in her Grammy performance by Rene Caovilla or like the wonderfully sparkly ones below by Christian Louboutin.

http://www.thefind.com/qq-Christian-Louboutin-Glittered-Platform-Pump+

Now I don’t suggest you go out and spend thousands of dollars on some embellished shoes. There is a great website, www.cutesygirl.com that I suggest you go check out. They have a great variety of shoes, boots, sandals, accessories and clothes. I am a big fan of their reasonably priced, but fabulous shoes so stop by and check them out for this trend and others!

* If you are wearing your hair in its natural state (curly), this is the perfect time to make that appointment with your skilled stylist to get a silk press.  Men love hair that is silky and touchable!
* Try having your stylist give your hair some playful curls.  This almost always brings out the youthful appearance to a lady of a certain age!
* Have your stylist be creative with color pieces.  A hint of color in the crown or even in the bang can be sexy as well as romantic.
* For that special evening out on the town, have your stylist to softly pin your hair up. This can be achieved either with cascading curls or a soft spike.  Either way will expose your neckline, therefore ensuring instant romance!

Mandrill Hardge is a fabulous hair stylist who specializes in bringing out the beauty in hair.  If you’d like to learn more about him or if you’re in the Atlanta area and want to schedule an appointment, visit his website at http://mandrillhardge.com

If you enjoy this post, stay tuned for more wonderful hair tips from Mandrill Hardge!