Tag Archives: beauty

How To Wear Long Vests And Jackets

Posted in beauty, clothing, dressing your figure, Fashion, personal style, tips and tricks, trends by

One of the fun new trends this season is long vests and jackets.  When I say long, I mean at least mid calf if not almost to the floor.  It’s a great new look, but it can also be intimidating to know how to wear them.  If you feel a bit unsure, hopefully this blog will help you get up the courage to try!

IMG_2432One of the things I do at market is watch what the buyers are wearing.  Here in western America, we don’t get too edgy.  Trends are dialed down to a more conservative version. I have learned, however, that when I see a significant portion of women sporting a similar trend, it will be one that makes it to good old Wyo.

When I was at market in February, I watched carefully to see the different ways women were wearing this trend.  By in large, most women paired their long cardigans and vests with jeans and boots.  Several of them added a floppy hat to the look too, which was darn cute!  Some manufacturers picture this trend with shorts and boots, but I think that look is harder to pull off than jeans.  It is edgier and of course takes great legs.  Have no fear, however, if you can’t quite see yourself wearing a long vest and shorts.  At 44, I can’t see myself doing it either!  The jeans option is very viable and would be age appropriate from 30 to 50.

This style is very Bohemian so when you are putting your look together, keep this in mind.  As you can see in the picture, there is a crocheted version as well as a longer fringed style. I paired the one on the right with a denim shirt to bring out the denim blue tones in the cardigan but also because denim shirts are an important item for spring.  You could add a white jean to this fringed cardigan, denim shirt combo and have a stylish spring outfit.  Keep in mind the length of this jacket.  If you are short, you will need to add some heels to get you up off the floor!

The vest on the left is actually easier to pair up.  Wear it over a tee shirt or blouse in a natural tone and then add a washed out denim capris, boyfriend or ankle jean.  Add some Bohemian sandals like a wrapped ankle wedge, some BoHo jewelry and a fringed purse.  You’ll be one hot mama!

Not in Wyoming, but like what you see? We’re adding new items to our online store daily!  Check it out here. 

How do I Wear The Military Trend?

Posted in clothing, dressing your figure, Fashion, handbags, personal style, tips and tricks, trends by
Utilitarian/Military style offers clean lines. earthy colors and casual chic.

Utilitarian/Military style offers clean lines. earthy colors and casual chic.

One of the trends I really like this season is what I like to call Utilitarian.  It is “utility” in concept, embracing a practical and casual style that works well for every day.  This trend can also be referred  to as military, but I like Utilitarian better because it is less limiting and doesn’t necessitate military insignia or design.

Military jackets were everywhere at market, indicating the strength of this trend for winter.  I saw them in many colors including olive, chocolate brown, black and oxblood.  Usually, this style works best with jeans, but In this store window, we highlighted the Utilitarian trend with several items showing different ways to interpret the trend.

The first model shows a dressier look that includes a light weight boxy  blazer in cream paired with a soft, draw string waisted harem pant in olive green.  Less easy to see is a military style vest with a draw string waist paired with a dark denim jean, a zip top in olive green paired with a black jegging and finally, a military jacket paired with a vintage wash jean.

The style offers clean lines and loose fits that work for many body types and it pairs perfectly with lace up boots.  The harem pant on the first mannequin could easily be worn with a heel for a dressy work outfit.  But, as a casual jean look, this trend rocks.  I love it with a beanie and cross body purse.  It is a fashionable way to run errands or meet friends for coffee that is comfortable, easy going and chic.

Who Is Your Fashion Icon?

Posted in beauty, clothing, dressing your figure, Fashion, heroic women, personal style by

Who is your fashion icon?  We recently had some fun with Rally to create three iconic looks from clothing in our store.  The photos turned out great, and it got me thinking about how fashion defines us as it has been defining women over the years.

Looking very Audrey. Top and necklace from Fashion Crossroads

Looking very Audrey. Top and necklace from Fashion Crossroads. Photo by Raymond Craig.

Are you a classic Audrey Hepburn, like me?  Or, maybe you are an edgy Madonna. Perhaps you identify more with the flirty and voluptuous Marilyn.

024

Desperately seeking Madonna. Clothing and jewelry from Fashion Crossroads. Photo by Raymond Craig.

To determine your fashion icon, ask yourself about how you choose your clothing.  Do you look for timeless pieces and shapes that evoke maturity and class and fabrics that look and feel rich like wool, silk and cashmere?  Do you like tailored, figure flattering styles?  If yes, Audrey is your girl.

Perhaps, however, you gravitate to black and like a harder edged style.  Is there a bit of a bad girl in you?  Do you love studs, chains, and zippers?  Is leather a personal favorite? If a pencil skirt, a refined motorcycle jacket and shoe boots is your idea of the perfect work outfit, you might just be a Madonna.

Maybe you love color and clothing that shows your assets off.  Perfect style for you is part flirtatious and part dramatic.  You don’t shy away from prints, you embrace them.  A flowy skirt is your idea of a must have item.  You were the little girl that chose her dress by its twirl value.  You adore cotton and soft fabrics.  If this all sounds like you, then Marilyn just might be your icon.

Just a little Marilyn. Elan tiered tank from Fashion Crossroads. Photo by Raymond Craig.

Just a little Marilyn. Elan tiered tank from Fashion Crossroads. Photo by Raymond Craig.

The point is that each of these women knew who they were and they said it with their clothing.  Fashion is a reflection of your own unique style and you should have one!  What do your clothes say about you.  If a stranger saw you walking down the street, could they discern anything about your personality from what you were wearing?  If you’re not sure, then spend a little time thinking about what inspires you and who.  Then, when you go shopping for new clothing this fall, make sure the items that you pick make you feel great and reflect who you are and who you want to be.

Check out rally.com for some great quotes from these three ladies.  My favorite is from my style icon Audrey: “When you grow up as a girl the world tells you the things you are supposed to be: emotional, loving, beautiful, wanted.  And then when you are those things, the world tells you they are inferior, illogical, weak, wain, empty.”  So here’s to not letting the world define who you are!

Ankle: The New Hip Length

Posted in business, clothing, dressing for work and dressing for an interview, Fashion, personal style, travel, travel clothing, trends by

When I mention an ankle length pant to a tall woman, she usually responds with a pained look and a determined shake of the head indicated she’d rather die.  At only 5:2, I can only imagine what it would be like to fear short pants.  I’m on the other end

Ankle length pant from Lisette L. Pantalon.

Ankle length pant from Lisette L. Pantalon.

of the spectrum and at that wonderful height where petite is too short and average is too long.  That’s why I LOVE ankle pants. I can usually get an ankle pant to be just the right full length for me.  But, if I want to wear the hippest new length for the season, its off to the seamstress I go to get my pant hemmed to the perfect ankle pant length.  So you lucky tall ladies, this blog is here to encourage you to put aside your horrific memories of too short pants when you were a kid, and embrace a new trend this season.

So let’s talk about the right length.  The picture on the left shows the optimum length for an ankle pant.  You want that hemline to fall an inch above your ankle bone.  Any higher,and your pant becomes a cropped pant.  Any lower, and the look is all wrong. This style looks great with heels, as pictured or with shoe boots.  See my blog from last week for more information about these.  Notice that this style usually coincides with a slim legged 60’s inspired cigarette pant.  Wider legged ankle pants look better with tall boots, and are trickier to pull off.

Full length hemline

Full length hemline

Conversely, the picture on the right shows the optimal hemline for a full length pant.  Hopefully this will help you visualize the difference between the two hemlines. Notice that the full length pant falls about midway down the back of the shoe or at the bony part of your heel. This is the perfect length for a slim legged pant because the fabric won’t pool or “break” too much on the top of the foot, creating extra and unnecessary bulk.

I find that ankle pants work better on me if I wear some type of a heel, wedge or dressier shoe boot.  I think its important to keep your shoe sleek and not boxy. Too chunky of a shoe creates a “cankle” (when your calf goes right into your ankle) and ruins the style.  Taller ladies can get away with more shoe options like ballerina flats, for example.  They already have the leg length to make the look work perfectly for them.

Fall is the perfect time to wear this style as the temperature is dropping but there isn’t snow on the ground forcing us into boots and socks.  This style can be a great work look, as it is dressy and chic.

Don’t know where to buy an ankle pant?  Check out our Lisette L. ankle pant on our online store at Fashion Crossroads Inc. This is a great jet black, all stretch, pant that will fit slim through the legs just like the styles shown in this blog as well as tuck your tummy.  The fabric is dressy so it can take you from work to evening to travel.

The Making of an Excellent Travel Wardrobe

Posted in clothing, Fashion, personal style, travel, travel clothing by
This picture shows the Suympli Chakra Tunic layered over the Keyhole tunic and paired with the Diva Legging. The legging is available in the store or online at http://Fashion-Crossroads-Inc.shoptiques.com

This picture shows the Sympli Chakra Tunic layered over the Keyhole tunic and paired with the Diva Legging. The legging is available in the store or online at http://Fashion-Crossroads-Inc.shoptiques.com.  The Chakra Tunic is currently in stock and can be purchased at Fashion Crossroads.  

How do you design a great travel line?  You create pieces in a wrinkle free fabric that can be washed in the sink and hung to dry and that can layer together to create totally different looks.  That is Sympli in a nut shell.

Having carried the line now a little over a year, I am just now beginning to understand the myriad of ways you can wear it.  The versatility is actually quite astounding.  Take, for example, the picture on the left.  It shows the Keyhole tunic layered over the Chakra Tunic.  The Keyhole is a sleeveless tunic with an uneven hemline and “keyholes” that have been cut around the bottom.  The Chakra Tunic is a long sleeved tunic with a layer of mesh at the bottom.  Although it is hard to see in this picture, that layer of mesh shows through the keyholes and peeks out under the uneven hem of the Keyhole Tunic creating a multi-media look with depth.

Reversing the same two pieces creates a completely different look.  Now, the

The Chakra Tunic layered over the Keyhole Tunic and paired with the Diva Legging.

The Chakra Tunic layered over the Keyhole Tunic and paired with the Diva Legging.

Keyhole tunic peeks out from underneath the mesh of the Chakra Tunic.  You get the the same multi-media look with a completely different presentation. From these same three pieces, you can create four different outfits.  The Keyhole and Chakra Tunics also look great by themselves paired with the same legging. Add one more bottom like the Diva Capris or Skess (skirt/poncho) and you now have eight outfits with only four pieces.  This is the genius of travel clothing and of Sympli.

It takes some practice learning what pieces pair together, but I’ve found numerous ways I can combine the pieces in my own wardrobe to create different looks.  It’s actually a whole lot of fun seeing if I can come up with a new outfit that I’ve never worn before from the same pieces.   Every time I add a new item from Sympli to my collection, I think about how I can layer it different ways with what I already have.  As we buy the line, we keep this in mind for you too.  Just come in an ask us to show you the different ways you can layer what you already own to create different looks.  If you’ve never tried Sympli, there has never been a better time.  Our collection just keeps growing as this line is quickly becoming a customer favorite.  And remember, any piece you see here can be special ordered in nearly 30 different colors.  If you don’t live in Casper, you can check out Sympli on our online strore at http://Fashion-Crossroads-Inc.shoptiques.com

Four Key Trends For Spring

Posted in beauty, clothing, dressing your figure, Fashion, personal style, spring 2015 fashion trends by
Heavy zipper details are a trend to look for this season

Heavy zipper details are a trend to look for this season

As the spring merchandise keeps flowing in, I am getting more and more excited for warmer weather.  It is so refreshing to change your closet over from dark, heavy winter fabrics to light, airy, summer styles.  But even more exciting than the color and fabric change are the the new trends for the season.  I wanted to highlight a few trends you’ll be seeing quite a bit this season and encourage you to try at least one!

We’ve seen zip sweaters play a big role this winter season.  The heavy gage zipper as embellishment trend continues into summer with zip necked tops like this one on the left from Lior.  Pair this style with a printed legging in a coordinating color and some cute sandals, and you’ll have a trendy look for your summer barbecue!  We also have this top in royal blue, and I love it with printed black and white leggings.  The two together are edgy and oh so cute!  Of course this style also works well with skinny jeans or boyfriend jeans (rolled at the ankle).

The next trend worth highlighting is kimonos.  Wear these boxy styled jackets like you would a cardigan with a loose

Kimonos are going to be a fun new spring trend you will want to try

Kimonos are going to be a fun new spring trend you will want to try

fitting top underneath or a tank.  At market, the trendier girls wore their kimonos with shorts but you can dial down the style a bit by pairing them with skinny ankle pants as well.  I love this one from Ryu pictured on the right.  The soft blue is very denim friendly and the crochet and fringe embellishment make it hip.  We’ve layered this one with a lace tank in ivory and finished off the look with a tassel necklace.  So cute!  This is a great option for denim capris, skinny jeans or boyfriend jeans.  These also work well over skirts and dresses too.

Speaking of crochet, it is everywhere this season!  You’ll be seeing it as

Crochet is queen this season! And why not, it's hip and feminine.

Crochet is queen this season! And why not, it’s hip and feminine.

an embellishment, but the far more trendy way to wear it is as a crochet top.  Look at the example on the left. This is such a light, airy style that works great to hide a thick middle and looks amazing worn as head to toe neutral, paired either as a cream and white or cream and tan combo. (Cream crochet with white pants, for example).  While this style definitely hearkens back to the 70’s, it’s more feminine than hippie this season.

The last style worth highlighting is the modified high low.  This one from Tribal

Boyfriend style high low looks great with loose silk pants for a casual and chic look.

Boyfriend style high low looks great with loose silk pants for a casual and chic look.

is a marriage of the boyfriend tee (oversized) and high low tee (shorter front than back).  This loose fitting, airy style works well paired with slouchy silk or linen pants.  It also looks amazing with jeans.  Notice again the strong neutral trend with a white front and heather grey back.   Style tip:  this top is okay to wear with jeggings but not with leggings.  Why?  Leggings cling too much in the front so you want to make sure you cover them with a longer top.  Because jeggings use a thicker fabric, they don’t cling and can therefore handle a shorter top that doesn’t cover your crotch area.  Keep it classy ladies!

I hope this blog inspires you to try one of these new styles this spring.  Embrace a new trend this season.  It will give your whole wardrobe a lift!

Onward and Upward Toward New Adventures Online

Posted in business, expansion, spring 2015 fashion trends by
Corky's Elite Ocean sandal

Corky’s Elite Ocean sandal

Market week is finished, and we came home to begin our next big project – an online store.  Saturday and Sunday were both dedicated to hand selecting our 25 inventory items that will constitute our online presence when we open up sometime in the next two weeks.

The important thing about going online is trying to preserve the character that makes you successful as a brick and mortar.  For us, the combination of our inventory mix, our mission to serve the working woman, and our ability to draw from all the lines we have to make truly unique outfits has been our recipe for success.  Thus, we really tried to focus on our best lines for today’s busy women – the one’s that can take us from work to evening to weekend.

As we were creating our online inventory, some lines were obvious: Sympli, Tribal, Foxcroft, Clara Sun Woo, and Aventura.  But we are also known for carrying lines that aren’t typical like Corky’s (the shoe to the right and below). We love Corky’s shoes because they are unique and not something usually found outside of a boutique.  After all, isn’t that why we shop boutiques?  We want a selection of great brands to choose from but also things we cannot find at our local mall.  Just look at these beautiful shoes!

Corky's Elite Bay

Corky’s Elite Bay

Today I took our rather large box of clothes and shipped them to New York to be professionally photographed.  I sent style notes along with the ways we envisioned the outfits appearing on the models.  As I was writing the descriptions, I tried to add that brick and mortar touch of making suggestions how the customer can combine items from several brands to create unique looks and to extend their wardrobe.  I hope that our personality as a store comes through.  This is an adventure and a learning process.  I’m sure we will make some mis-steps, but you don’t stay in the women’s retail clothing industry for forty years without having figured out a thing or two.  I’m sure we will figure this out as well.

Posting From Market- Women’s Wear in Nevada (WINN) Show

Posted in clothing, Fashion, spring 2015 fashion trends, trends by

Today we shopped the WINN Show, short for Women’s Wear in Nevada, at the Rio Convention Center.  The WINN show is focused on speciality stores and has many of our best lines.  Today we saw Foxcroft, Tribal, Multiples, Alisha D, Belldini, Weavz, Keren Hart, and Lior.  It was a very full day, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 8:15 p.m.  We stopped for an hour lunch but otherwise were working lines the rest of the time.

Foxcroft had beautiful tencel blouses as well as their fabulous wrinkle free cotton blouses.  I wore my Foxcroft blouse yesterday.  It came out of my suit case wrinkle free and was still crisp and beautiful when I hung it back in the closet at the end of the day.  Ladies, if you want a great blouse, there is none better in the market!  The picture on the left shows an upcoming “blouse tunic” or “big shirt” from Foxcroft.  This is the next big tunic style.  It looks great with leggins, skinny or straight jeans.  You will also be seeing Blouse Tunics this summer so be sure to add at least one style to your summer wardrobe.

image

Early fall grouping from Foxcroft with blouses and sweaters.

Foxcroft Blouses

Sales Representative for Fox Croft modelling a blouse tunic that will be in Fashion Crossroads in September.

We also saw Tribal today.  We were so excited about the fall line.  It looks amazing.  Tribal hit a home run in balancing casual jean looks with dressy work looks for a very functional line with a ton of fashion and practical pieces.  The challenge will be deciding what not to buy!  You Tribal lovers will be so happy with what you see from the line both for spring and fall of 2015.  It is also worth pointing out that the company expanded their booth and were booked solid all day, with every seat filled with buyers.  That’s a good sign both for the line and for the market as a whole.

Tribal booth at the WINN Show in Las Vegas

Tribal booth at the WINN Show in Las Vegas

Based upon the number of buyers at both the Off Price Show and the Winn Show, I thnk it is fair to say that buyers are feeling good about the economy which means customers are shopping all across the country.  That’s good news for all of us!

Celebrate National Wear Red Day

Posted in beauty, health, healthy lifestyle by

Friday, February 6th is National Wear Red Day to bring awareness to the risk of heart disease in women.  Part of our mission at Fashion Crossroads is to empower and educate women to fulfill their inner and outer beauty.  So, naturally, this is an event we want to support.  We are encouraging all of our staff and customers to WEAR RED THIS FRIDAY, and educate yourself about heart disease.  We’d love to give you a Hershey’s Kiss and a great big hug on Friday for coming in to either Fashion Crossroads or FC Outlet wearing red!

9_wear_redThe most important risk factors for heart disease are:

You might not realize that women need to begin protecting their heart in their teens.  Fashion Crossroads encourages you to make your health a priority in 2015.  Smoking, Hypertension and high Cholesterol all increase your risk of heart disease.  If you think you might be at risk or just want more information, check out The American Heart Association’s website or just Google “national wear red day.”

If you find yourself heavier than you’d like to be this February, there are many great ways to incorporate loosing a few pounds and technology.  I wear a Body Media Fitness Band everywhere I go.  It tells me how many calories I have burned, how many steps I have taken, how many minutes of moderate or vigorous activity I have had each day, and how many hours of sleep I got the night before.  Fit Bit or Jawbone also offer great fitness trackers.  These gadgets can help make getting fit fun!  I also use My Fitness Pal to track my calories each day.  This free app makes calorie counting easy and fun.  You can simply scan a product’s bar code with your smartphone and record a food item in seconds.  Using these two things together, I have figured out how many calories I typically burn and how many I can consume if I want to maintain weight or loose weight.  This has really helped me stabilize my weight.  The other gadget that I love is my Withings Scale.  It tells me not only how much I weigh but also what my body mass index and resting heart rate are.  These are also important measures of fitness.

I encourage you to make a healthy lifestyle plan for 2015.  Join with a girlfriend and get walking or going to the gym!  If you do, let us know!  Post on our Facebook page or Twitter page that you are getting heart healthy!  We will celebrate with you and encourage you to meet your goals.