Category Archives: tips and tricks

My 5 Top Productivity Hacks For Busy Women

Posted in how to, organization tips, tips and tricks by

If you are like me and trying to find some kind of balance between a busy career and a busy family, there are two things that you probably can’t live without – your planner/calendar and a glass of wine and hot bath. With two teenagers, one freshman and one senior, a husband with a busy career of his own, and two brick and motar stores and one online store, life can get pretty hectic. Being task oriented and a natural organizer, always feeling like I wasn’t able to get everything done that needed to get done started to wear me out. But, after three years of owning this business on my own, I have come to the conclusion that is just how I am going to feel. Every day is a choice between what is urgent (deadline driven) and what is important – needs to get done but doens’t have to be today. But, I don’t want my life to be about checking off tasks on a to do list either. There has to be balance. This is where my productivity strategies come into play and why I wanted to spend some time sharing my top 5 with you.

  1. Start with your goals and roles and let that drive your tasks. As an entrepreuner, it my job to set the vision and chart the course of where we are going as a company. As a small business owner, I am CEO, COO, CFO, CMO….you get the picture. I can become so embroiled in “to do” lists that I don’t give myself time to learn, to dream, to envision, and to plan. I am a huge fan of Franklin Covey, and one of the reasons I still carry an old fashioned paper planner is because of the Weekly Compas cards that are the cornerstone of the system. I fill out this card every Sunday when I do my weekly planning, and I do it BEFORE I make any task lists. The top of the card is all about me: what are my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual goals for the week. Then, the rest of the card is divided into roles, and I always put them in this order: Home; Wife/Mother; COO; CEO; CFO; CMO; Writer. The reason I do this is because it keeps me focused on home and family first. My career can consume me if I let it, but I still have bills to pay, a house to keep clean, laundry to wash, etc., and, more importantly, I have family members that need me to be present. Once I have focused on home and family, I move on to the different roles I have at work. As the COO, I ask myself what is the most important thing I can do as the one responsible for directing the ship. As the CEO, I ask myself what is the most important management task I have this week. As the CFO, I write down my financial tasks for the week. As the CMO, I consider what marketing tasks are essential. This way, I am controlling the task rather than letting the tasks control me.
  2. Prioritize your tasks. Have you ever checked your email, and two hours later, you are just getting to your first task on your list. Why is email such a black hole? I truly have a love/hate relationship with email because of this. One of my mentors says, “Email is just someone else’s priorities.” I think that is true, and I have noticed that if I let myself just float from task to task without a plan, I fall into email and many other wasted time black holes. Therefore, before I walk in the door or say hello to my first customer, I write out my tasks for the day, and I make sure there are not more than seven. Then, I prioritize them according to the Franklin Covey system. A is for deadline driven/urgent tasks, B is for the important/non deadline driven tasks. Each A task gets a number like A1, A2, A3 as do the B tasks. By taking the time to consider the order in which I want to accomplish my tasks, I do better at avoiding black holes.
  3. Set your intention for the day. I love The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, and use it most days. I start with daily coaching that I get through an app on my phone called Fabulous. Then I get myself centered spiritually with a bible study. Next I listen to 10 minutes of a professional development book. Right now I am almost finished with Brendan Buchard’s High Performance Habbits. I then write down my thoughts and observations in my journal. Next I do a 10 minute meditatation, usually on mindset. Last, I visualize myself going through my day (and life) enjoying my staff and my customers and my day. I visualize myself tackling my to do list with peace in my heart and not with overwhelm. I also visualize myself accomplishing my life goals. This whole process takes about an hour, but I am more than happy to give myself this time to get centered in the morning before I start my day.
  4. Check off what you accomplish. I know this is a totally type A thing to do, but it really does help me when I know I did not get everything done that needed to be done that day. If I can look at all the things I DID accomplish, it makes me feel better about never really being able to feel totally finished. Sometimes I even write things down that I did that were not on my list too. If I was not able to complete a task, I use a forward arrow which lets me know I need to add it to tomorrow’s task list. This is also very helpful because it then becomes an A task for the next day. Sometimes, my day (or week) blows up with unexpected events, and I have a lot of arrows!!
  5. Put your phone away when you get home. I work hard all day. I am the first one to get there and the last to leave. Both myself and my family deserve for me to be fully present when I am home, and I am never fully present when my phone is around. I set it on the charger, and I don’t pick it up again until the next day. This may mean that I don’t always respond to emails, texts, and customer messages, but I need to give myself this time to avoid burnout.

A few other things that I do that really help is to always plan my week on Sundays, as I have mentioned previously. This allows us as a family to get our ducks in a row, so to speak, and avoid surprises during the week. Everyone knows what is going on and what to expect. If arrangements need to be made, I make them on Sunday so we are all set for the week.

These tips work for me, and I know there are so many productivity strategies available that I haven’t mentioned, so in this week’s Wednesday Wardrobing, I am going to share these as well as chat with my live viewers about what works for them as well. You can watch that video live at 6 p.m. MST today, 10/26/22. Watch live here: https://www.facebook.com/events/497432998949397

Fall and Winter Color Trends For 2022

Posted in color trends, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, how to, tips and tricks, trends, Uncategorized by
Pantone: https://www.pantone.com/articles/fashion-color-trend-report/new-york-fashion-week-autumn-winter-2022-2023

Whenever I am ready to write my color report for the season, I always turn to Pantone. As a buyer, despite my concerted effort to not buy according to my own preferences but according to my customer’s wants and needs, my own color bias and regional biases are hard to overcome. As a mountain west girl, we tend to gravitate towards earthy colors and shy away from bold colors. Maybe it is because we like to blend into our landscape rather than stand out against it.

Whenever I am ready to write my color report for the season, I always turn to Pantone. As a buyer, despite my concerted effort to not buy according to my own preferences but according to my customer’s wants and needs, my own color bias and regional biases are hard to overcome. As a mountain west girl, we tend to gravitate towards earthy colors and shy away from bold colors. Maybe it is because we like to blend into our landscape rather than stand out against it.

According to Pantone, this season’s colors “support our need for nurturing and tactility, as well as a calm and restorative space, fulfilling our yearning for comfort. Concurrently, the colors also illustrate our need to break free of restraint and embrace the joy of being alive through super bright hues expressing energy boosting vitality and the celebration of life.” In other words, on the heels of pandemic and our lives being turned upside down, we are simultaneously seeking nurture and freedom. We need to be re-assured that calm is on the horizon while at the same time want to let all that pent up angst out.

While my experience of the pandemic in Wyoming is very different from that of readers from other places in the country and world, I can completely relate to this juxtaposition of desires. So many things have changed since the worst of the Covid pandemic hit the United States and world; we are still dealing with the ramifications in shortages, shipping delays, increased prices, and the like. We are adjusting to a new normal, and this somewhat chaotic experience makes us want colors that sooth our nerves. I see that

reflected the most in the core classic colors for the season. From soft and soothing cream, blush and grey and always stable black to earthy green, these key colors exude calm and predictability. They are easy to pair and soothing to the psyche. Grey works with burgundy, pink, blues, black, white, yellow, lavender, and many greens. Ivory is a great staple to pair with browns, rusts, earthy greens, black, and ocean blues. Blush and green are nurturing colors that feel soft and soothing.

But, not to be outdone, this season’s palate offers some bold colors that are meant to grab attention. Orange, mustard, pink and teal all add a punch of color to any look. Here in Wyoming, we might choose to use these colors in our accessories or mixed with other hues in prints.

My store has a plethora of the earthy rusts, reds and greens so popular this season. Again, these colors offer a boldness that still fits in with our evergreen trees and fall aspen leaves. I also love the mountain lake blues that are predominant and are so pretty paired with grey. It is easy to add a pop of mustard into this color palate as well while still not going overboard with color.

If you’d like to see some examples of these colors and how we interpret them here in Wyoming, you can watch my Wednesday Wardrobing video at 7 p.m. MST or catch the replay anytime in our VIP Facebook Group. You can watch that video here: https://www.facebook.com/events/579048177328422

What We Will And Won’t Be Seeing On Wyoming Streets This Spring and Summer

Posted in fashion, fashion trends, how to, tips and tricks, trends by

I always have to laugh when I do my research for a trend review. I have my go to sources like In Style and Glamour magazine, but honestly, half of what they highlight, will never be mainstream here because, frankly, it is just too out there. Wyoming style is always practical; our weather makes it so. It has a hint to classic elegance if its dressy and mountain towns if it is casual. So what usually happens is we see elements of the trends without seeing the full trend.

As I looked through various trend reviews, I saw trends like low slung waists, super mini skirts, super sheer tops and pants, fringe, netted knits, ruffle explosions that looked like birthday cakes, ginormous (and I do mean HUGE) handbags, prairie inspired clothing, highlighter yellow, and crazy metallics all highlighted. No way.

Here is what we will see:

  1. Smocked and puffed sleeves on tops: this originates from the prairie trend, and I have seen Democracy doing this for two seasons now, but instead of putting this trend on prairie plaids, they have done it on animal printed tops.
  2. Straight leg crops with embellished legs: Practically every pant I have coming in from my brands this season is embellished in some way or colored. The focus is really on different and new
  3. Wide leg pants, with a move away from skinny legs: Some trend reports I read seem to suggest that skinny pants are totally out, but I have fringed hem skinny jeans in from Democracy this season. Be careful of the “what not to wear” bloggers. They may be representing a certain segment of fashion, but I’ll know skinny pants are out when I can’t find them anymore at market, and that is NOT the case.
  4. Denim Jackets: I’ve seen this trend for the last two seasons. While winter seemed to focus on denim colors, spring and summer are focused more on colored denim jackets.
  5. Camo Joggers: the jogger trend has been with us for several seasons, but adding a fun camo print or embellishments takes it to a new place.
  6. Metallic elements on tops: while I doubt I will see full on metallic on the streets of Casper, I am seeing the trend show up in simple ways like a metallic placard as a detail item.
  7. Super feminine prints, especially in dresses: this is the season to wear floral prints when you wear a dress. This is take off from the ultra feminine trends that are leading to the ruffle explosions on the runway. We tone it down here in good ol’ Wyo to just sweet prints.
  8. Bold colors: head to toe highlighter yellow will get you run out of town here, but a bright pop of color is always fun. You will be seeing neon colors similar to your favorite pack of highlighters, but they will be an accent or be relegated to a top.
  9. Button down blouses. Collared blouses have been strong for several seasons and they continue to be. This season, however, the fabrics are soft and draped.
  10. Colored leather handbags. If you are tired of your basic brown or black handbag, you will love all the amazing colors in leather this season. Our new HOBO shipment contains cactus green, merlot, mustard, citron green, ice blue, and sky blue, to name just a few of the fun new colors.

One blogger did say something I agree with….put your comfy, soft, I stayed home all day clothes away for staying at home! We can get out again. Dress like you mean it!

Spring 2022 Color Palate

Posted in clothing, color trends, dressing your best, fashion trends, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, women's clothing tips by

I always find it fascinating how the color palate for the season is a reflection of what is happening around us and how we are feeling about it emotionally. Keep in mind, that these spring colors were chosen by designers over a year ago when fabric teams and design teams began to imagine this season’s colors and styles.

Join me for a minute and think back to January of 2021. Do you remember what you were feeling? We had just finished 2020, and I remember hoping we were leaving Covid behind us, having just come out of a very difficult fall and winter with Covid infections and deaths. I felt shell shocked and yet hopeful, the way you leave a bad year behind and look forward to better times as the new year comes.

So it is out of this diverse state of needing comfort, familiarity and stability while at the same time needing to find hope and joy again that this season’s color palate and styles were born. This is how Leatrice Eisemen, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, defines the season, “Colors for Spring 2022 bring together our competing desires for comforting familiarity and joyful adventure through a range of soothing and timeless colors, along with joyous hues that celebrate playfulness. As we enter this new landscape, one where fashion rules no longer apply, hues for Spring 2022 allow us to mix and marry as we please, encouraging the exploration of new chromatic realities, opening the door for personalized style and spontaneous color statements.” (https://www.pantone.com/articles/fashion-color-trend-report/new-york-fashion-week-spring-summer-2022)

Spring/Summer 2022 Color Palate, Pantone

As you look at this palate of colors, what feels familiar? Are there colors that you have seen before in previous seasons? What feels comforting or reminds you of a peaceful place? What feels playful? What brings you joy?

We all might answer these questions differently, but as for me, I’ve seen soft blues like Spun Sugar and pinks like Gossamer Pink for several seasons now, even in winter. Bright sunshine yellows life Daffodill as well as deeper mustards have also been consistent over the past several seasons. Denim blue is always foundational, so the Skydiver color feels familiar to me and grounding. Harbor Blue and Glacier Lake remind me of the ocean and a summer sky, so they make me feel comforted. Coca Mocha reminds me of my favorite latte and brings up images of holding a steaming cup of goodness. Dahlia, Innuendo and Poinciana are bright and playful colors, suggesting adventure and joy.

My pairing suggestions are to keep the softer, more pastel colors together as well as the bright colors together. The navy blue is your neutral, and every color in the palate besides the Cocoa Mocha will match well with it. Pair Cocoa Mocha with Gossamer Pink.

Spring/Summer Core Classic Colors for 2022, Pantone

This next grouping of colors are what we consider neutrals and foundational colors for the season. You can see that they are all easy to wear shades in soft flesh tones and greys. And then there is Basil. Does it seem out of place to you? Consider what green connotes – Pantone mentiones health and wellness, but green also symbolizes growth, newness, life, vitality, and change. Is it any wonder, coming out of 2020, that this color was included as a core color for the season? Pair Basil with any of these other neutrals for a delightful pop of color. The Poppy Seed will be a great grounding color for the brighter colors in the previous palate and the Northern Droplet will look beautiful for the softer, more pastel colors.

As you begin to shop for new items to add to your spring and summer wardrobe, you will likely be seeing these colors and versions of these colors in your favorite clothing lines. Pay attention to the emotional feeling they evoke for you. As a repesentation of our greatest hopes and desires, they are also a means to find healing. Look for colors that bring you comfort as well as those that inspire you to seek new adventure and find joy.

Watch my live video teaching series called Wednesday Wardrobing each Wednesday at 6 p.m. MST. I will be beginning my Seasonal Trends series tomorrow night and showing you examples of these colors and also how to pair them. Find out more about this series here and join to get messaged reminders of the videos. These classes are only broadcast in our VIP Facebook Group. You can join and watch live here: Fashion Crossroads Fashionistas.

Closet Clean Out Challenge Step Four: Organize Those Accessories

Posted in closet clean out, dressing your best, fashion, fashion trends, how to, organization tips, tips and tricks, women's clothing tips by
Chilling in Downtown Casper

In this last step to creating an organized closet, I am tackling organizational strategies for your accessories. A true Fashionista’s style is never complete without the finishing touches, and dis-organized accessories can be as frustrating as disorganized clothing. Let’s jump in.

  1. For shoes I recommend trying to group shoes by their category: tall boots, shoe boots, heels, casual/sporty, and flats. I like to separate my summer shoes from my winter shoes, so I have a cubby organizer for my summer shoes and shelves for my winter boots. I have friends that also use shoe boxes with labels or clear plastic shoe boxes to organize their shoes. You can still find the over the door shoe holders as well if you are limited on space. Perhaps you can use a bin to store your summer shoes when it is winter and vice versa. While you are organizing, make sure you are also examining your shoes. How is the tread? Are the toes scuffed? Do they look worn and outdated? When was the last time you wore them? Get rid of shoes that are outdated, worn out or so uncomfortable you never wear them. Create a trash pile and a donate pile. As you eliminate a style, write it down on your shopping list if you need to replace it. When you are all done, take stock of what you have. Are you over stocked in a certain style like shoe boots but don’t have a single tall boot? Additionally, with your colored shoes, consider if they are in your best colors. If you are an autumn and have bright cherry red heels, you are probably not going to find much in your closet to go with those. Wine colored heels would be a much better choice.
  2. For necklaces, I think organizing them by length and color makes the most sense. I have a multi-pronged hanger in my closet that I have my necklaces hanging on. They are organized from shortest to longest. I have grouped similar colors together as well. When I go through my annual closet clean out, I consider which necklaces I haven’t worn and analyze why. I have my earrings in a jewelry box with several small, earring sized boxes. I also keep my dressy jewelry separate from my more casual pieces.
  3. For handbags, I have them sitting on shelves and organized by color. I tend to stick to neutral handbags so mine are black, brown, tan and grey. I keep my wallets and smaller bags lined up in small baskets and these can sit underneath your clothing if you don’t have shelves in your closet. I highly recommend that you apply the principles of your best colors to get rid of handbags that are not in your palate. When you build your wardrobe around your best colors and buy those colors in your accessories, handbags and coats, you end up with a very put together look that always matches. You avoid the hot pink purse with a red coat and olive pants debacle.
  4. For scarves, I recommend a drawer. I have mine in small circles lined up in a dresser drawer. A slim basket that you can slide under your bed also works if you are short on space. Having them piled so high that you have to dig through them isn’t very efficient, especially at 6 a.m. Organize them by color and type. Keep your outdoor scarves separate from your outfit scarves and your wraps separate from those. I put my wraps with my sweaters which are folded on the top shelf of my closet.

I have posted before and after pics of my accessories in my own closet in our discussion for my Closet Clean Out Challenge: Step Four Live Video which will air tonight. You can see those pictures of how I have organized things there or join us tonight at 6 p.m. MST to watch the video live and ask questions!

At the end of the day, an organized closet will save you time getting ready in the morning. And, while we are on that subject, a well thought out outfit rarely happens with sleep in your eyes. Choose what you will wear at the end of your day before you go to bed. Get everything ready, including what jewelry and shoes you will wear. Take the time to change your handbag, if needed. Consider what coat will look the best so you don’t pair your puffer jacket with a dress, as an example. When you feel put together, your confidence will go up exponentially. It is worth the extra few minutes to do this before bed.

Well, that is it!! You made it!! Congratulations on your newly organized closet. I know you will enjoy getting ready ever so much more now! Tune into next month’s blog and live video series where I will be talking Spring 2023 fashion trends, including color, style and fabric trends. I am also headed to market next month, so you will want to join our VIP Facebook group so you can follow along with my market journey and have a good laugh at the best and worst things I see each day. I will also be posting “Be The Buyer” posts so you can help me decide when I am unsure! You can get all of that on Fashion Crossroads Fashionistas.

Gifts for a Grinch: Easy Gift Ideas When You Don’t Know What To Buy

Posted in Buying the perfect gift, how to, Jewelry, product review by

Sometimes, the struggle of not knowing what to buy someone makes us a little Grinch like. It isn’t that we don’t want to spoil someone or we are cheap, it may just be that we have no idea what to buy and hate the idea of having our gifts just returned after the holidays are over. As a business owner of a women’s clothing store for the last twenty-two years, I have some experience with helping men at Christmas time! Here are my top 5 suggestions for making a great gift choice and getting you out of your Grinchish mindset.

  1. Dressy Jewelry: Most women that I know love beautiful things, like sparkly earrings or, even better, a whole necklace set. The downside with buying precious gem jewelry is that not only is it expensive, but it limits you. That’s why I love our convertible jewelry line called Myka from Canada. This jewelry line offers lovely detachable pendants, chains and matching earrings so your special gal can add to it over time and build her collection. All of the crystals, pearls and elements are genuine Swarovski, which is unsurpassed for quality and sparkle. All of the chains, pendants and earrings are plated in Rhodium that won’t ever tarnish or fade or needs polishing. Additionally, I love jewelry as a gift because every time she wears it, she will think of you!
These Myka pendant, earring and necklaces are available in store or online: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/accessories-1

2. Jewelry with a story: A gift is also special when it has a story, and buying it makes us feel like we are doing something good for the planet and to help those in need. For this reason, I also like our Tagua jewelry. It is much more earthy than the Myka pictured above because it is made from the Tagua fruit, which is found primarily in the Ecuadorian forest. The fruit falls from the tree and hardens into a Tagua nut that is very similar in look and feel to ivory. In fact, the Tagua nut is sometimes referred to as vegetable ivory. These nuts are carved, died, tumbled an assembled by Ecuadorian artisans. It is fair trade and sustainable. The other thing I love about this line is that each of the necklaces are adjustable so they can be worn at various lengths.

These Tagua necklaces are available in store or online: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/accessories-1

3. Exquisite Leather Goods: Women love their handbags, and they love them to not only be functional but also to make a statement. If she is a leather lover and appreciates quality, may I suggest a HOBO handbag. This third generation handbag maker uses premium leather produced in their own tanneries. This means that you will never see the leather on any other handbag besides a HOBO handbag. The quality of the leather is apparent immediately by the feel and smell of the bag. A HOBO handbag owner myself, I can tell you these bags are well designed and very user friendly. They are also always on trend with the latest handbag colors and style trends.

Check out our lovely Hobo Handbags in store or online here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/hobo-handbags

4. Limited Edition Leather Goods: We women love to have something unique that we know will some day be a collectors item so that when someone asks us where we got it, we can say, “Oh, this isn’t available any more.” So sad for you! This is why I love our Anuschka handbag line that is hand painted by artisans in India. Anuschka develops copyrighted art work each season for their handbags and then retires that artwork after a year of so of use. Since the art is never repeated, her handbag becomes a collectors item. It is truly a special gift. The high quality leather just gets softer and softer with use, and Anuschka puts a lot of thought into the design of their bags, always including handy pockets for the gal who likes to be organized. Each bag is hand signed by a member of the family.

Check out our lovely Anushka collection in store or online here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/anuschka-hand-painted-leather-handbags

5. Items That Connect To Lifestyle: Another sure fire way to make a great gift choice is to choose an item that supports or highlights a lifestyle. An example of this is our Vintage Addiction crossbody bags that are made from recycled military tent canvas. These handbags have repaired tears and stains that tell the story of the canvas that was used to shelter a member of the military. The art work on the front is all original, and the utilitarian and casual style makes them a great choice for every day use. These bags will be loved by anyone with a military connection.

See our great collection of Vintage Addiction crossbody handbags in store or online here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/vintage-addiction

Hat And Glove Trends For Fall 2021

Posted in fashion trends, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, women's clothing tips by
From a bandeau to a beanie to a wide brimmed hat, choosing the right head accessory can really take your style up a notch.

We often talk about clothing trends mainly as they correlate to color, fabric and style. Oftentimes, accessory trends are over looked. This is too bad really because making the wrong choice in your accessories, can effect your whole look. Choosing an out of date hat style, as an example, can your whole outfit feel out of date.

As a result, I wanted to take a little time today to talk about some hat and glove trends that are important for the season. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are the trends that I think most women can wear with confidence. Here is what I think you need to know:

HAT TRENDS:

  1. WIDE BRIMMED HATS (upper right picture): This style is great with jeans, plaids and vests. It also looks amazing with dresses and jump suits, as it lends itself to be paired up with shoe boots. The most common and easiest to pair hat colors are tans, browns and blacks.
  2. BEANIES (middle picture): Not only are beanies functional to keep your head warm, they can add a lot of style to your look. while you might be tempted to just grab any old beanie out of your drawer and throw it on, let me suggest you start pairing your beanie with your outfit. Match the colors and style. These trendy hats come in lots of different options, from slouchy to those with poms and those without. Choose what style fits your personality and look the best. Slouchy hats work well with urban styles and are a bit younger. Poms add a touch of whimsey.
  3. BANDEAUS (top left picture): These ingenious head accessories are essentially a tube that can be worn in a multitude of different ways. It is fun to wear them as a head band, like I’ve done here, and match the colors with your outfit. It just takes your style up a notch, while still protecting your ears on cooler days and nights. You can also pull them down and use them as a neck scarf or turn them into a beanie.

GLOVE TRENDS:

  1. PHONE FRIENDLY FINGERS: I’m sure you have had the experience of having to take your gloves off to use your cell phone. Glove companies have gotten smart and have added smart phone friendly fingers so you don’t have to freeze your hands to use your phone.
  2. FINGERLESS GLOVES: Another option for making cell phone use easier is to go with fingerless gloves. These hand coverings basically protect your thumb and wrist while allowing your fingers to be out. They can be utilitarian or fun and trendy with animal prints and fur
  3. PRINTED GLOVES; Just because you need to wear glasses, doesn’t mean you need to wear BORING glasses. In the same way, just because you need to wear gloves, doesn’t mean they need to be black. It is fun to match your hats and gloves together to create a coordinating style. You can then coordinate them with a vest, scarf or coat so you look all pulled together.

Want to see some examples of these trends? Watch my live Wednesday Night Wardrobing video tonight in our VIP Facebook Group at 6 p.m. MST.

Key Shoe Trends For Fall

Posted in fashion, fashion trends, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, women's clothing tips by

From fun tennis shoes to loafers and shoe boots, this season’s shoe trends are sure to make your feet smile!

Here are a few of my favorite new trends:

1. Printed tennis shoes: Our love of sneakers goes way back, but I don’t remember a time when they have been such a key part of dressed up casual style as they are today. Whether it is a platform Nike tennis shoe or fun ones like the leopard print shown here on the top row, make sure you up your tennis shoe game this season! Wear them with cuffed ankle jeans and joggers.

2. Loafers: One of the first nice pair of shoes I ever owned was a Cole Haan penny loafer. Boy, I sure wish I still had those shoes! Loafers are a great alternative to a ballerina flat and almost as versatile. I am loving these souped up loafers in plum with the big flower (top row). Wear them with slacks, straight leg pants and bootcut pants.

3. Sleek shoe boots: You can never go wrong with a classically styled shoe boot that is elegant and clean. It can be dressed up or down. I am so enamored with this new classy black boot that has just arrived (top row). Wear them with dresses and skirts, over leggings, and with cuffed ankle boots.

4. Embellished shoe boots: When you want a little extra pizazz on your feet, try a shoe boot that combines different colors and textures. Also look for lots of belt and buckle details this season. Wear them with colored denim, cuffed to hit at the top of the boot.

5. Heels: Sometimes, the only style that will really do a look justice is a heel. When the dress is simple and solid, a great printed heel like the one pictured here on the bottom row is just what you need to take your style to a whole new level! I also love the Mary Jane style. Wear them with solid dresses, solid slacks, and solid palazzo pants.

You can see all of these shoes in my live Wednesday Night Wardrobing video airing tonight at 6 p.m. MST. Join our VIP Facebook Group to watch.

5 Surprising Colors To Pair With Mustard

Posted in clothing, color trends, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, women's clothing tips by

Mustard is such a trendy color for the season, but it can be a bit intimidating to wear because many women don’t know what to pair with it. Let me assure you, mustard is a surprisingly easy color to pair up with a multitude of colors. The images above demonstrate how great it looks with black and olive, but this blog is about some pairing options that might surprise you.

Before we dive into color pairings, let’s talk a little about mustard as a color. First of all, there are a lot of variations of this color out there. Just imagine the condiments isle at the grocery store. The classic French’s mustard is what most of us think of when we picture this color. It is a traditional mustard. But…if you like dijon mustards, you know those come in a variety of yellows and extend into even some browns. Likewise, you will see many variations of mustard in clothing. Choose a mustard based upon your underlying skin tone. If you are warm toned, you can lean more toward the caramels. If you are cool toned, lean more toward the yellows. In my opinion, the easiest mustard to work with is the traditional color. For me, the pants featured in the pictures to the far right and left are a great example.

So let’s talk surprising color pairings:

  1. Rust: This super trendy color for this season looks amazing with mustard and is particularly good if you have warm toned skin. The combination feels earthy and very fall, harkening to the colors of falling leaves in October.
  2. Olive: Another great option for warm toned gals is olive. Like rust, it also feels earthy with mustard, but it adds a sense of the early fall, just as the grass is starting to change color in preparation for winter.
  3. Navy: Tending more toward the cool tones, navy is another great option with mustard and is a way for a woman with blue undertones in her skin to wear this traditionally warm color. Navy and mustard remind me of an autumn sun contrasted against an evening sky.
  4. Artic Blue: This brighter blue, some call it Ocean Blue, is also great for cool skin tones and works amazing with mustard. It is one of those colors that surprise people when I hold it up against mustard to show them how easily it pairs. It feels a bit like the ocean with a setting sun upon it.
  5. Emerald Green: A classic cool color, this lovely shade of green is perfect with mustard and offers yet another way for a cool skin tone to wear it. Emerald always reminds me of the mountains here in Wyoming and the pine trees. If you imagine a pine tree cast against a warm sun, you can imagine how these two colors work great together.

When you put two very different colors together, even when they pair up well, it always a good idea to find a third item, like a scarf, that helps tie everything together. In fact, I often use scarves to discover unique color pairings that I have not considered. This will make your whole look cohesive. You can do the same thing with a necklace or handbag too.

If you want some more ideas for ways to style mustard, check out my featured collection this week which focuses on this topic. You can find it here: Kyleen’s Picks Of The Week. Happy pairing! You can also watch my training video on this topic in our VIP Facebook Group called Fashion Crossroads Fashionistas. It airs Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. MST.

XOXO Kyleen

5 Ways To Make Casual Friday A Slam Dunk

Posted in dressing for work and dressing for an interview, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, handbags, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, travel clothing, women's clothing tips by

Casual Friday means employees get a green light to wear jeans at work, but most employers want a dressed up casual style that still feels professional but is less dressy than the normal Monday through Thursday dress code requires. As a society, we are becoming more and more casual, and sometimes we forget how to do a casual style that is more than yoga pants and a sweatshirt. This blog post will give you 5 tips for making your Casual Friday wardrobe a slam dunk that still makes you feel great in your clothes and offers elevated style that is appropriate for work.

Tip #1: “Joggers” or pants that are banded at the bottom but slimmer in fit than a typical sweat pant are a trendy style right now. Most of us wouldn’t even consider wearing a jogging pant or sweat pant to work, but when you put this style in the right fabric, it can totally work. Take this olive green jogger set that is in the first picture as an example. Because this look is using a heavy weight travel knit that is a dressy and luxurious fabric, suddenly this style is taken up to a level worthy of the office.

Tip #2: Layer, layer, layer. You can easily dress up a simple sweater and jeans with a vest and boot and make the whole look not only trendy but dressy enough for the office on a Friday. Feminine details like the puffed sleeve on this sweater also add an element of dressiness. Clean jeans that don’t have any distressing can still be trendy when you have a bitty bootcut, like this style in picture number 2.

Tip #3: Printed denim is so in, and you can easily dress it up with the right top. I love how this waffle knit in olive green in picture number 3 is elevated by the banded bottom and the feminine button detailing on the sleeve. Look for added details like these to really help you do dressed up casual. The other tip that makes this look work is the dressy shoe boot and matching handbag. Keep in mind, your accessories really matter. This look, for example, would take on a whole different feeling with loafers, as an example.

Tip #4: Wear a blouse as a “shacket.” Stylish women have been using this trick for ions. Something magical happens when you take a simple blouse and layer it over a tank. It dresses the whole look up and adds dimension. This is another example of how layering can be used to give your look more dimension and style. The dark denim, skinny jeans and high wedges also help this look to be dressier, as do the accessories and handbag.

Tip #5: Take a work blouse, like the look in picture number 5, and make it more casual by pairing it with colored denim, which is dressier than regular denim. Oftentimes, it is difficult to tell if a colored bottom is actually a jean, so many women can get away with wearing colored denim for their Monday through Thursday office looks. Complete the look with some dressy shoe boots and a fun handbag, and you have a dressed up casual style that will have you feeling comfy and classy.

These tips can also work for dressing for work related travel when you need to be comfortable but still look nice when you arrive. If you want to see some more ideas, watch my live video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. In the mean time…thank goodness it is almost Friday! I hope you will try out some of these tips!