Category Archives: tips and tricks

Gift Guides: Safe Gifts For The Acquaintance

Posted in Buying the perfect gift, clothing, clothing, quality, value, fashion, Gift Guide, how to, tips and tricks, value, women's clothing tips by

My fourth and final gift guide to finish off this month’s series is Safe Gifts For the Acquaintance. After covering Sentimental Gifts For The Tenderhearted, Bougie Gifts For the Diva, and Practical Gifts For the Pragmatic, I have saved this one for last because, honestly, it is the hardest.

Buying for someone you barely know is probably the most head scratching, self doubting, truly difficult gift to buy. There are just so many land mines to avoid. If you are considering buying clothing and/or accessories, here are my top six tips:

  1. GET THE RIGHT SIZE: Make sure that you quiz either the person you plan to buy a gift for or someone that knows them well, so you know their size. The answer will likely be a size range such as a small to medium or a size 10 to 12. Shop at a store where the person helping you knows how the items in the store fit. Do they run big or small, for example, so you have the best chance of choosing the correct item. For example, if the person you are buying for is a small/medium, I would likely choose something that runs big in a size small or small in a size medium.
  2. CHOOSE A FAN FAVE: There are a few clothing items that have widespread appeal, but one that does is sweater cardigans. I know very few women who don’t like them. They are ideal for an extra layer in winter but can still be removed if needed. They work very well to change up a wardrobe, allowing women to wear an older top and bottom. By adding a new cardigan over the top, it refreshes and updates an older look. Additionally they are forgiving in fit and are more likely to work for a variety of women and sizes.
  3. PRINTS ARE PERSONAL: I love prints and am in no way dissuading you from choosing a printed item, but be very aware that prints are quite personal. I usually recommending paying attention to whether the person wears prints, and if she does, what types of prints she wears. Typical prints are floral, paisley, southwestern, plaid, Camouflage, geometric, animal, and abstract. If you can categorize the prints she wears into a few of these categories, it will really help in choosing a print she will like.
  4. CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLOR: Research shows that most women choose an item by color first and then look at fabric, style and price. Getting the right color is essential. Again, this can be made easier by some careful observation. What colors does the woman you are buying for seem to gravitate to. Look at the last few years of pictures or check out her Facebook and see what she posts and what colors she wears. Generally, if you stay in the same color family, you will be fine.
  5. CHOOSE VERSATILITY: Especially for someone you don’t know very well, it is always better to go with something that is toned down and easy to pair with many things. Mixed metal accessories are a great example here. Because these necklaces and earrings combine gold, silver, copper, and bronze, you naturally cover all of your bases so you don’t find yourself having to choose gold OR silver.
  6. MAKE SURE IT IS RETURNABLE: Even the most conscientious gift giver gets it wrong sometimes. Get a gift receipt, and be sure the item is returnable after Christmas. With a gift receipt, the recipient of your gift will know the store you purchased it from and how to return or exchange it.

Giving clothing as a gift is thoughtful. It takes time and effort to choose the right item, and this effort communicates “you matter to me.” Yes, it is easier to give a gift card, but it is so much more personal to give an item that required you to really consider the person and what she might like.

You can get more information on this topic as well as see examples when you watch my live video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. You can catch that video here: https://www.facebook.com/FashionCrossroads.

Gift Guides: Practical Gifts For The Pragmatist

Posted in Buying the perfect gift, Gift Guide, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, What to wear, women's clothing tips by

So far this month, I have covered Sentimental Gifts For The Tenderhearted and Bougie Gifts For The Diva. This week is all about those practical people in your life. They are not fussy; they like gifts that make sense; and they need to see the value in the gift. Here are my top 6 suggestions for buying for the pragmatist.

  1. FOCUS ON THE BASICS: When thinking of buying clothing for a practical person, I think focusing on basics that can be mixed and matched with other things is one of the smartest ways to shop for them. Whether you are buying a dressed up casual style that she can wear to go have breakfast with her friends or a business casual look that she can wear to work, get basics like blouses, slacks and sweaters. Consider the three images above. Each look is made up of classics that can be paired with other things. Black slacks, colored denim, blouses, cardigans and a denim jacket are all work horse pieces that will go a long way in any wardrobe.
  2. STICK WITH NEUTRALS: A pragmatic woman will never ask for a lime green purse. Instead, her accessories will be focused on some basic neutrals like tan, brown, black and grey that can be mixed and matched with many things. She will be the one who chooses an accessory for its ability to work with just about any outfit (solid gold or silver) rather than the pop of color accessory that works with only a few looks. Thus, when buying for a practical woman, choose neutral colors and basic styles.
  3. CHOOSE SOLIDS OVER PRINTS: Prints are more limiting because you have fewer items you can match them back to (the colors that are included in the print, for example). A pragmatist wants the most bang for her buck, so she will likely choose solids over prints. This goes for blouses, sweater cardigans, handbags, and accessories. When buying for a pragmatist, buy something that has universal appeal.
  4. KEEP IT SIMPLE: Practical women are generally not fussy. They are not the Diva who is comfortable having attention drawn to herself. They usually prefer to blend in rather than stand out. For that reason, choose simple designs. The classic button down blouse, for example, is an excellent choice. It is versatile, functional, and simple. The classic work cardigan is another great choice. It does not have zippers, ruffles, trim, embroidery, etc. It is a basic sweater that can be used over many things.
  5. MAKE IT EASY TO CARE FOR: In as much as the practical women appreciates simplicity in her clothing style, she appreciates it in her life as well. When buying clothing for this type of person, be sure it can be easily laundered at home and has the quality to last over a long time. This is not the hand wash and lay flat to dry girl. The pragmatist might lay flat to dry, but she doesn’t want to have to hand wash it TOO! Push the EASY button for this person! She will appreciate it.
  6. BUNDLE YOUR GIFT WITH USEFUL ACCESSORIES: To round out a clothing gift for the pragmatist, you might add a journal, a planner and a pen, a book mark, etc. In the same way you should choose clothing that is useful, choose other gifts with the same three words in mind: versatile, functional, and simple.

For more ideas on buying for the pragmatist on your list, you can watch my LIVE Wednesday Wardrobing Video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. I will be showing examples of clothing, handbags and gift items that would be appreciated by the practical people in your life.

Maximizing Your Wardrobe By Being a Savvy Shopper

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We’ve spent this month talking about how to maximize your wardrobe. In week one, I explained the concept of Wardrobing where you build a wardrobe by buying capsules with items that mix and match and offer variety of looks from just a few pieces. In week two, I taught how to use closet staples to build a dream work wardrobe. In week three, I demonstrated how to use layers and accessories to expand those looks with the fewest number of pieces. This week, I wanted to end this series by talking about how to maximize your wardrobe on a budget by being a savvy shopper.

When I first wrote the title of this blog post, I chose the word “thrifty” to describe the kind of shopper I want to discuss today. Upon reflection, however, I decided “savvy” is a much better description. Being savvy means you are shrewd and practical and have the ability to make good judgements and be wise. You are astute, acute, sharp, intelligent and discerning. And, after all, this whole series has been about teaching you to be just that – savvy in the way you build your wardrobe and in the way you shop.

Follow your favorite stores on social media: Hopefully you have a favorite store or two that you have invested in following on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. As a small business owner with over 25 years of experience, the way we communicate with you has changed dramatically. Advertising when I first started in this business was mostly through traditional channels like newspaper and radio. As social media morphed into a place where many get their news and keep up with people and events, most small businesses have transitioned to reaching out on various social media channels. My business has a big presence on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest because that is where are customers are. Now, these channels are the primary way we let you know about in store events, sales, and promotions. They are also our platform for customer education like my weekly Wednesday Wardrobing Videos that accompany these blog posts each Wednesday night at 6 on my Fashion Crossroads Facebook Business Page. Being a savvy shopper means staying in the know on all of the ways to save money and get free stuff!! Smile. If you aren’t on social media, make sure your favorite store has your email address and check your emails!

Join your favorite store’s Loyalty Program: Many small businesses have transitioned from store wide promotions and sales to loyalty programs to incentivize and reward their best customers. Make sure you take advantage of these programs!! Beware of the fine print, however. Some loyalty programs are more gimmicks than real rewards ( i.e. more trouble than they are worth). But, when you find a good loyalty program, you really can save a lot of money by using it. In my store, as an example, our loyalty members earn $10 for every $200 they spend. This is essentially getting 5% off everything you buy. Our earned points don’t ever expire AND you can use them in all three of our locations: Fashion Crossroads, FC Outlet, and our online store http://www.fashioncrossroadsinc.com.

Use your favorites store’s Perks: As a small business, we are always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd and to make shopping with us more pleasurable than shopping with big box stores. We can’t always compete on price, as big box stores use their buying power to drive their costs down in a way that small businesses can never do. However, what we can offer is special perks for our customers. These can be things like store credit cards, layaway program, free gift wrap, free delivery, parking reimbursement, alternative pick up options, etc. Make sure you know what perks your favorite store offers and take advantage of them. In my store, as an example, we offer a layaway program with 90 days to pay and no fees. It is a great way to expand your buying power without having to pay credit card interest. Many of our customers use our layaway program for holiday buying. Friends and family can buy items off of layaway. That way, our customer gets what she wants in the sizes she needs, and her family pays what they can afford to buy her gifts. It is brilliant!! We also offer free gift wrap every day of the week, so when you have a gift to buy, getting the packaging and wrap isn’t just one more expense to add on top. Additionally, all of this can be done over the phone. Husbands can call us up, buy some items off of their wives layaways, have us wrap them, and then pick them up at our alley way drive up door. Special occasion buying for birthday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Christmas doesn’t get any easier than that!

Know when to take advantage of sales: Lastly, you can maximize your wardrobe and be a savvy shopper by knowing when to shop sales. The best time to shop sales are at or near the end of the season. As an example, we take our first winter markdown in November, our second in December, and our third in January. Shopping when these markdowns have just occurred gives you the best chance of grabbing the best sales. Our new spring merchandise starts arriving in February, so if you wait until then, most of the winter sales racks are very picked over. Simply ask your favorite store’s staff when they plan to do markdowns and then make a plan to shop as soon after that as possible.

I’ve included some social media posts that are getting ready to launch for upcoming November events that I plan to host in my stores. They are:

11/10-11/11: Dress Yourself Before You Dress The Turkey: for this event, we choose some amazing giveaway items from both Fashion Crossroads and FC Outlet and then our customers earn raffle tickets for the giveaways by coming in, checking in on Facebook, and for every item they buy. It’s a great way to get a jump on your holiday shopping and get a chance to win BIG.

11/17: Pink Friday: this event is all about shopping small businesses before you shop the big box stores on Black Friday. During this event, we do all things pink including pink drinks, snacks, and decorations. For this event, both Fashion Crossroads and FC Outlet will have a gift with purchase.

11/24: Black Friday: Earn Bonus Bucks for everything you buy in store and online. For every $100 you spend, earn a Bonus Bucks for $20. For every $75 you spend, earn a Bonus Buck for $15 and for every $50 you spend, earn a Bonus Buck for $10. Spend these in December.

11/25: Small Business Saturday: We are celebrating small business this Saturday with a Kendra Scott gift with purchase. Spend $100 on Kendra Scott and get a FREE Nash Pendant Necklace from Kendra Scott (a $60) value, while supplies last. FC Outlet is offering a free soap and lotion pack from Greenwich Bay for an order of $40 or more. We will have food and drinks too! Then get in the holiday spirit with the annual downtown Christmas Parade which starts at 6 p.m.

Maximizing Your Wardrobe With Layers and Accessories

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My October Wednesday Wardrobing Series has been all about Maximizing Your Wardrobe, or getting the most looks from the fewest pieces. First we looked at the basic concept of wardrobing. Next we looked at how to use closet staples to provide maximum benefit. Today, I want to talk about how to use layers and accessories to maximize your wardrobe.

First of all, let’s talk layers. Although most people think accessories are the most important tool to get different looks from the same pieces, I would argue that you can get more benefit from investing in layers than you will from accessories. That is not to say there is no value in having a great store of accessories available to you. Merely, I will make the assertion that layers will actually take you farther.

As you can see from the looks pictured at the top of this blog, when you plan your wardrobe around being able to mix and match layers, you can get multiple looks by simply changing up your layers. Let’s break down how you could layer the eight pieces pictured here:

  1. Four looks as pictured (4)
  2. Blue puffy vest with striped sweater, heart sweater, and light blue sweater (3)
  3. Blue denim jacket over both plaid shirts and heart sweater (3)
  4. Shacket over top plaid shirt (1)

This gives you 11 different look with eight pieces. If you were to add a solid, long sleeve, tan top into the mix, you could then pair it under all of layers, including the puffy vest, shacket and denim jacket, giving you 3 more looks with only one additional item, for a total of 14 different looks from 9 pieces. You could also layer three pieces together and combine the tan top under the plaid blouses and then layer over that one of the jackets or vest and add even more looks. And, in this example, we are assuming you are using the same bottom. If you have three different bottoms to rotate through, you could have a month’s worth of different looks.

Now, let’s talk adding accessories.

If we were to take two different handbags and add it to this wardrobe capsule, you would have a handbag that would match each and every outfit we have discussed. In this example, I have chosen a solid tan handbag from HOBO and a mixed blue crocodile handbag from Anushka. One is a bit more casual and the other a little dressier, but they would both work with every look. Add a couple of necklaces into the mix and a tan scarf, and you would be able to change up the looks even more.

This is the art of maximizing your wardrobe with layers and accessories. For even more ideas, watch my live Wednesday Wardrobing Video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. You can see all of these items in store or on our online store here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/fcr-10-21-23

Maximizing Your Wardrobe With Closet Staples

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My October Wednesday Wardrobing series is all about maximizing your closet. Last week, I covered Wardrobing 101 and how to buy smartly and provide yourself with multiple looks with wardrobe capsules. This week, I wanted to talk about maximizing your wardrobe through closet staples.

So what is a closet staple? These are the building blocks of your wardrobe. They are your Go To pieces, so to speak. Here is my definition of a closet staple:

  1. Closet staples are always neutrals in the color palate. If your skin tone is a cool, these basics are probably going to be white, black, grey and navy. If your skin tone is warm, they will likely be brown, tan and cream. They are considered “neutral” because they mix and match with many other colors.
  2. Closet staples are basics like leggings, tunics slacks, skirts, tanks, blouses and cardigans.
  3. Closet staples are solid in color and not printed.
  4. Closet staples can be mixed and matched together to create multiple outfits and are easily paired with accessories

So let’s consider the basics at the top of this blog post. I have chosen a black legging with a faux suede front, a black faux suede cardigan, and a black skirt. I have also chosen a grey pant, tunic , short sleeve top and cardigan.

With these seven pieces, you could create multiple looks, getting you through and entire week of outfits

  1. Grey tunic with grey pants
  2. Grey tunic with black leggings and vegan suede jacket
  3. Grey top with black skirt
  4. Grey top, grey cardigan and grey pants
  5. Grey top, vegan suede jacket and black skirt
  6. Grey tunic, black vegan suede jacket, grey pants
  7. Grey top, grey cardigan and black skirt

You might also add into the mix a basic black and white tank and a basic white blouse. If you then amp up your wardrobe with multiple scarves in the key colors represented by this basics capsule, you could add another entire week of looks. This is the basic principle behind maximizing your closet with staples

If you are just starting out in your professional career, this is how I recommend that you begin to build your wardrobe because it is, by far, the easiest and most economical way to outfit yourself for work. Once you have a great base of closet staples built, then you can start branching out to adding more colors and prints.

If you would like to see this concept demonstrated, I will be showing you how to mix and match these pieces in my live video tonight at 6 p.m. MST on our Facebook Business Page. If you missed my video last week, you can find it on my YouTube Channel.

Wardrobing Basics: How To Maximize Your Closet

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Are you familiar with the term wardrobing? In doing a google search for a definition, I learned, to my surprise, that the word can be applied to a type of fraud/theft where a person buys and item with the intention of returning if after it has been worn. Yikes! That is NOT the use of the word, I am referring to. You may be familiar with “wardrobe” referring to a collection of clothing, usually that which is in a closet. You may also be familiar with a “wardrober” who works on the set of a movie and puts together the outfits the actors wear. Perhaps I have made up the term, but I have taken the noun wardrobe and turned it into the verb wardrobing to refer to the act of putting a wardrobe together, smartly.

It is the “smartly,” that I want to focus on in this blog post. We all build our wardrobe each and every time we purchase something new to add to our closets. But, if that item can only be worn with one other thing in our closet, or worse yet, doesn’t really match anything in our closet, we have not made a smart wardrobe choice. When we intentionally choose items that mix and match together, offering us multiple outfits that cover a variety of needs such as work AND casual, that is wardrobing at its best.

Consider the wardrobe pictured above. Within this small collection, there are two bottoms. One is a vegan leather jean which is inherently more casual and a corduroy pant that is dressy enough to wear to work. The tops include three blouses, two that are dressy enough to pair with the cords and one that might be better worn as a casual top. There are also three layering pieces. The vegan leather jacket works to dress up a look and also as a light weight coat. The two sweaters are classic cardigans, one long and one short, that can be layered over any of the blouses and worn either casually or as a work cardigan.

Thus, within this one wardrobe, there are the following looks:

  1. Paisley green blouse (hunter) or (emerald), vegan leather jacket and vegan leather jeans
  2. Paisley green blouse (emerald), vegan leather jacket and cords
  3. Paisley green blouse (hunter), hunter cardigan and regular jeans
  4. Paisley green blouse (emerald), emerald cardigan and cords
  5. Plaid blouse and vegan leather jeans
  6. Plaid blouse, hunter cardigan, and regular jeans
  7. Paisley green blouse (emerald), emerald cardigan and vegan jeans

This is not an exhaustive list of all the possible combinations, but it shows that with these 5 pieces, you could create a week’s worth of looks. The belt bag would match them all so could be worn with each look.

Now, if you were to add in some neutral ivory pieces like the cardigan, blouse, and long sleeve tee pictured above, imagine how many looks could be created??

This is wardrobing! When we are intentional about how we build our closet, the result is a closet that works for us rather than against us. You can see this entire collection here and watch my Live Video tonight at 6 p.m. MST on my Fashion Crossroads Business Facebook Page to see these and other examples in person!

Top 7 Denim Trends For Fall/Winter 2023

Posted in fall fashion trends, Fashion, fashion, fashion trends, how to, tips and tricks, trends, What to wear, women's clothing tips by

In this month’s Wednesday Wardrobing Series, I have covered the key fashion trends for Fall/Winter 2023. First, I reviewed the key colors for this season. Next, I went over the important style trends. Last week, I covered the fabric and material trends. For the last video in this month’s series, I wanted to spend some time on the key denim trends.

First of all, denim IS a trend this season. As discussed in my video on Style Trends, denim on denim is one of the key looks this season. You can match or mismatch your denim, but going head to toe denim is trendy.

With that said, here are my top 7 denim trends for the fall/winter 2023 season:

These looks summarize many of the denim trends I am describing and are all available on fashioncrossroadsinc.com. I have put them in a special collection to make browsing easy. You can find that collection here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/kyleens-picks-for-the-week

  1. Wide leg denim: Whether it is a 70’s worthy flare, a cropped wide leg pant, or an Itty Bitty Bootcut, wide legs are in and especially in denim. These can be tricky for petite women, so this is where the cropped trend really comes in handy. For taller women, this look is designed to be an ankle pant, but it works equally well for shorter women to be able to get a wide leg jean that they can actually wear.
  2. Colored Denim: This has been an important trend for several seasons now and shows no signs of slowing down. You will find an array of colored denim from bright to earthy colors. What we love about colored denim is that for many women, it works for business casual dressing and so is office appropriate.
  3. Denim Skirts: Denim skirts are so back, and whether is it a knee length pencil skirt style or a longer flared style, these skirts are great for any season. Pair a short denim skirt with tights and boots to make it winter worthy.
  4. Denim Jackets: From vintage, to dark, to grey, to colored, the denim jacket is a must have accessory this season. It is the perfect way to pull off the denim on denim trend and also is an indispensable layer as our fall turns colder.
  5. Grey Denim: Stone washed grey is a key trend in denim this season, and the great thing about grey is that it serves as a basic you can pair with so many things. Mixing up light and dark greys is a fun new twist on denim as is pairing grey with one of the many great colors that it compliments. Treat it like your black jeans; the sky is the limit.
  6. Embellished Denim: We are still seeing elevated denim styles that are embellished with fringe hems, embroidery, and sequins. These little additions make your denim distinctive and up your style game.
  7. Dressed Up Denim: With the huge trendiness of blazers this season, dressing up your jeans with a blazer and heels is so in. This classic 80’s style is a great way to take your denim to a new level and perfect for casual Fridays at the office.

I will be doing a live video tonight on my Fashion Crossroads Business Facebook Page where I will be showing examples of all of these trends. You can tune in at 6 p.m. MST to watch live or catch the replay. You can also find the looks from this blog post on our online store at https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/kyleens-picks-for-the-week

Love Your Laundry Series: How To Identify Quality

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With the popularization of fast fashion and our society embracing throw away mentality, I sometimes feel we have lost an understanding of the benefits of quality and why it really is worth the extra money to get it. I don’t know how you are, but before my husband purchase just about anything, we research the product and read reviews. We are big fans of consumer reports because we believe that while you don’t have to buy the most expensive thing on the market, you do get what you pay for.

My experience with all kinds of appliances, electronics, and clothing is that there is usually a reason why an item is more expensive. Whether it is longer battery life, better quality circuitry, the reputation of the manufacturer, or the actual features of a product, a good sales person should be able to explain to you why two items are different prices.

I think we all have a choice to make. Do we want to buy it cheaply and know that it will have a shorter life or do we want to spend more up front and expect, with care and attention, it will last a much longer time? The fast fashion world like H&M and Sheen peddle cheaply made clothing with cheap fabrics. The price tag is very affordable, but don’t expect it to wash and wear well or for a long time.

As the owner of a boutique that is focused on quality as well as an Outlet that is focused on budget and price, I have a lot of experience at both ends of the spectrum. I have shopped the same manufacturers that supply H&M, and I have shopped high end clothing companies. I believe quality if always worth the extra money, but I also recognize that the general shopper doesn’t always understand what makes a clothing item high quality.

The purpose of this month’s Wednesday Wardrobing Series, then, will be to explore this topic. I have named it Love Your Laundry because of the delight that comes when you wash something for the first time and are elated at how it performs instead of frustrated at the mis-shapen mess that comes out of your dryer.

So how do you spot quality in clothing? Here are my top tips:

  • Fabric matters: I spend a lot of time in last month’s Wednesday Wardrobing series talking about how when you are trying to dress your body type, you always want to choose heavier fabrics to wear over your trouble areas. This is because heavier fabrics will have a better drape, whereas lighter fabrics tend to cling. Additionally heavier fabrics are less likely to show cellulite.
  • Every fabric comes on a scale from the cheapest to the most expensive version of itself. Cotton, for example, can be light weight and not much better than Rayon or it can be beefy and weighty. The truth is, you can feel quality. Take a garment in your hand and rub the fabric. Is it soft or scatchy? Is it heavy or light? Does it resist wrinkles or does it wrinkle easily? Does it have stretch or is it stiff? Is it already showing signs of pilling just from being handled in the store? Are the sleeves too long indicating the fabric may be stretching out as it is hanging? Is the fabric see through? Has the manufacturer provided a lining or are you going to have to layer it? These are all questions that will help you identify classic areas that reveal poor quality vs. better quality fabrics.
  • Construction matters: Beware of puckering hems and linings. Items that are sewn quickly and without care will often have puckers where the seams meet. Examine all the seams. Similarly, hastily sewn linings will reveal similar problems. If you see lots of stray strings or even massive amounts of thread, it is a very good indication the item is poor quality.
  • Similarly, buttons that are half on and not secure; button holes that are too small; and zippers that are sewn in crooked are further indications of poorly constructed items.
  • If the garment is printed, look at how the print comes together at the seams. Does it make sense or is the stripe on the front two inches lower on the back? Matching fabrics up at the seams is always a sign of good quality.
  • Look at the pockets. Do they lay flat or stick out?
  • When you try the item on, do all the style details lay in the right place. For example, does the shoulder cut out show your bra strap?
  • Details Matter: If you are comparing apples to apples in the sense that two tops are made with a similar level of construction and fabric quality, what separates one price level from another are the details. Better quality brands take the time to pay attention to the small features that help a product sell.
  • Many manufactures are including shapers in their clothing, whether it is a mesh panel or a wide waist band with extra smoothing qualities, these additions are going to help the garment flatter your body better.
  • Consider also things like tabbed sleeves, reversible neck lines, and reversible prints, or multifunction pieces as all of these features will give you multiple ways to wear the item or an option that looks better on you.
  • Also, look for embellishments like extra layers, fringed hems, bra friendly straps, seaming details, embroidery, etc. Things like buttons can also be a good indicator of quality.
  • Does the clothing item have unusual buttons like wooden or brushed metal? I happen to love buttons and have seen how they can really add style to an item when they are unusual or of a higher quality material.

Hopefully, this list will help you to begin to notice small differences in clothing items. Believe me, small differences add up. And when how you look really matters, quality matters! It is worth your money to get the best quality you can afford. You will be happier with the item and it will last longer than its less expensive option.

You can watch me cover this topic live in my Wednesday Wardrobing Series in our VIP Facebook group. These videos air each Wednesday at 6ish.

Choosing The Right Makeup For Your Season

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It is just as important to wearing the right colors on your face as it is on your body. You can do everything right with your outfit but then undermine all the benefits of wearing the right colors by choosing the wrong makeup. If you missed my last two live videos or blog posts, I broke up determining your color palate and color season into two sections. The first blog post focused on determining if you are warm or cool and the second on determining which season you. If you haven’t read those blog posts or watched those videos, do that before you start this step. I give credit to Color Me Beautiful by JoAnne Richmond for this information

Spring Makeup Colors: Light value and warm tone

Eye Pencil colors: medium to navy blue, palm green, or light to medium brown

Accent shadow (crease color): light browns, light greens, and copper. All over color: light peach

Blush Colors: peach, salmon and light coral

Lipsticks: peach, apricot, mango, and melon. All glosses should have a golden quality

Autumn Makeup Colors: Dark value and warm tone

Eye Pencil colors: medium brown to black brown

Accent shadow (crease color) medium brown, olive green, medium copper. All over color: warm candlelight

Blush Color: Salmon and terra cotta

Lipsticks: deep shades of cinnamon, peach, and terra cotta. Glosses should have a gold quality.

Summer Makeup Colors: Light Value and cool tone

Eye Pencil: medium blue, medium green and charcoal

Accent Shadow (crease color) green blue, blue greys and lavender. All over color: pale pink

Blush Color: soft pink, rose and soft plum

Lipsticks: pink, rose, and plum. Glosses: silver shimmer

Winter Makeup Colors: Deep value and cool tone

Eye Pencil: charcoal and navy. Black in the evening

Accent Shadow: medium to dark grey, medium to dark plum and medium to dark teal. All over color: pale pink

Blush Color: soft red, deep pink and wine

Lipsticks: hot pink, ruby, bright red, and plum

When choosing a foundation, you begin with your warm or cool tone. Warm toned seasons will look best in a foundation that has a yellow or golden tone. Other colors include amber, honey, or ginger colors. Cool toned season will look best in a foundation that has a pink to rose undertone as well as cognac, espresso or mink tones.

If you would like to see some examples of these colors, join me LIVE tonight at 6 p.m. in our VIP Fashionista Group. I upload the videos into YouTube as well, so you can also check the whole series out there.

Determining Your Color Palate Part Two

Posted in beauty, how to, know what color to wear, personal style, tips and tricks by

Last week, we talked about several tests you can take to help yourself determine if your skin tone is warm or cool. This week, we will take that knowledge and discover what season (Winter, Summer, Autumn, or Spring) bests suits you.

If you are a cool, you will either be a Winter or a Summer. Conversely, if you are a warm, you will either be an Autumn or a Spring. The main determiner to tell which category you fall into is whether you are a light or a deep. This is pretty easy in comparison to the warm or cool portion. Simply put, if your hair is light, you are a light and if you hair is deep, you are a deep. According to Color Me Beautiful, blonde, light brown, and light red hair fall into the light category while brunette, dark red, or black fall into the deep category.

Once you think you have your category figured out, take this test to confirm:

WINTER: Cool and Deep

Hair: black with no red highlights; brown black and blue black; medium or dark brown hair with ash highlights; silver or grey

Eyes: deep and dark like black, dark brown, cool hazel with blue or green, and grey blue eyes.

There are many websites that offer color palates, but some key colors for this season are: white, silver grey, charcoal, navy, icy pink, hot pink, cranberry, fuchsia, true red, raspberry, burgundy, lemon yellow, emerald green, turquoise, teal, pine, royal blue, periwinkle, purple, and silver.

SUMMER: Cool and Light

Hair: grey, brown or blonde with ash highlights

Eyes: blue, green, grey blue, aqua

Key colors for this season are: soft white, grey, light navy, rose, soft fuchsia, raspberry, blue red, watermelon, light lemon, mint, powder blue, aqua, soft teal, periwinkle, cadet blue, amethyst, spruce.

AUTUMN: Warm and Deep

Hair: copper, red, chestnut brown, dark warm brown.

Eyes: dark brown, golden brown, green, amber. Most Autumns have a brown, warm hazel or green eyes.

Key colors: ivory, cream, taupe, turquoise, camel. khaki, mahogany, coffee brown, dark brown, olive, peach, salmon, tomato red, rust, marigold, mustard, lime, moss, forest green, teal, purple, gold, coral, pumpkin, jade.

SPRING: Warm and Light

Hair: golden blonde, strawberry blonde, copper, champagne, beige blond

Eyes: blue, green or aqua, warm amber, warm hazel turquoise.

Key Colors: ivory, cream, camel, peach, coral, mango, salmon, yellow gold, light moss, blue green, teal, light navy, clear red, navy, violet, lime green, gold.

“Remember too that you can find your palate in nature”

Color Me Beautiful, 52

Color Me Beautiful offers this primer that I found helpful:

Winter = Snowflake (vivid, clear, primary, icy colors with BLUE undertones)

Summer=Sea & Sky (soft colors in the sky and sea with BLUE undertones)

Autumn= October Leaves (crisp and resembling the colors in fall leaves with GOLD undertones

Spring = Daffodill (clear delicate colors with GOLD undertones.

To see examples of the colors in each of these seasons, watch my Wednesday Wardrobing Video on Facebook or YouTube. Tune in next week to talk about makeup and choosing the right color for your skin.