Spring into these cool fashion trends for 2012

Sure it snowed this morning, but just like any North Carolina day, the sun was out 30 minutes later and it was gone.  So in the spirit of Spring, and all of our flowers are blooming anyway, here’s 5 things trendy for Spring/Summer 2012!

1. High waisted flare pants – no we’re not talking about Mom Jeans, but  think Katherine Hephurn with the high waisted flares.  Pair this in a light linen type fabric with a neutral color and you’ll never wear another pair of pants all summer!  The pants this year will have thin loops for a belt so you can even dress it up with a blingy belt.  Example:  http://www.6pm.com/splendid-linen-flare-leg-pant-clay
2. Preppy is back – espadrill shoes, plaids, stripes are back in style.  These trends are not only clean looking but comfortable, nothing like blue linen pants with a blue and white striped tunic and some bright red espadril shoes!
3. Do you crochet?  Great!  It’s back again.  Small crocheted tops over flowing neutral colored tunics take comfort and style to a new level.  Better bet, go look through vintage or consignment shops and find your own one of a kind treasures!
4. 4.  70′s glam is back for the night life – think of a sequined dress but luckily a smaller shoulder pad to keep the line, and dare I say it – the jumpsuit is back!
5. 5.   You cannot go wrong with a base of neutral colors in flowing clothes.  Pair these items with your few new pieces with added color and create a look that’s unique to you.  What’s the favorite color for Spring?  ORANGE, yes, that’s right Orange!

6.  Don’t forget those Kitty Heels, the nice short think COMFORTABLE heel that makes anything you wear look good!

Plan your wardrobe by taking inventory of what you currently have and what you plan on taking to consignment shops.  Then make a list of what you’d like to add and as you drop off for consignment, shop the racks for a few go to pieces.  Or shop at your favorite boutique for the comfortable tunics and flare pants and go out in style.  What trends do you see for Spring?

A Winter Must-Have

With the weather staying right above the freezing mark for the next couple of days, it is time to bundle up and stay warm. BUT, you still have tons of errands to run and walking around in a snowsuit is much too cumbersome, so what is a girl to do? Add a scarf to your coat and stay warm and stylish. There are several ways to wear them and a few tips to know before you head out the door.
• Wear a flattering color next to your face.
• Don’t overwhelm your look with a huge scarf.
• If going to a dressy event, a scarf and add that extra little sparkle.
• Don’t add too many extra accessories; a hat may be too much with the scarf.
• Go for a monochromatic look to keep things simple and sleek.
• Use simple ties for the scarf. Twist the scarf and then throw end over each shoulder.
• Take a long scarf and wrap it around your neck and let then ends drape down your coat.
• For chilly days, double the scarf and wrap one end through it to keep your neck warm.
Good Luck, have fun, stay warm and most of all look fashionable as you are running around in this cold weather!

My Quest to Find the Perfect Jeans!

As we say good bye to the pool, and the beach and the hot, hot days of summer, it is time to say HELLO to jeans weather. We are not there yet, but we are edging closer and closer. Jeans have gotten a lot better over time and a lot worse. Some jeans are so low, nobody needs to be wearing them, and some jeans are so expensive, you need to sell a kidney just to purchase them!
I have found a couple of pairs that I like, but as time wears on, so do my jeans! The stretchy material is losing its elasticity, like some other parts of my body! I think I am going to have to go out and find some new favorite jeans. Oh, Boy!
So I decided to do some research before I ventured out. I checked several websites and found a great one that gives you different options. I had to scroll through the first 2. If you are tall…nope, if you have skinny legs…don’t think so. But this one also had, if you are pear shaped, hourglass, have short legs, which I felt gave a more realistic view of most women’s life.
Here is the site:

http://www.glamour.com/fashion/2010/07/how-to-find-your-bodys-best-jeans

Let me know what you think. It at least gives me a place to start. I will update you on my jean excursion. If you have had any success with jean hunting, let me know!!! PLEASE!

Color Me Happy!

So I always seem to be behind when it comes to the latest fashions, but this year, I have decided to follow that Home Improvement commercial and put this year’s colors on the wall, this year. And by wall, I mean me! I decided to look into what colors are “IT” for fall and then give you the info, so we can all be on the cusp of fashion this fall!
These are what I have found to be the new color trends by the Pantone fashion Color Report.
1. Purple Orchid
2. Chocolate truffle
3. Woodbine, earthy green
4. Oyster Gray
5. Lagoon, turquoise
6. Rose Dust, a beige with pink undertones
7. Lipstick Red
8. Golden Glow, muted yellow with a little glint of metal
9. Living Coral
10. Endive, a yellow green
To find these exact colors you can go to the Pantone Color Report for Fall and click on full report.

http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/Pantone.aspx?pg=20710&ca=4

So know that we know what colors to be wearing, this fall, I hope to see all of you out there flashing your fashion sense!

Act Your Age Not Your Shoe Size….

I honestly don’t know how old I am, I’m not talking about how many candles I’ve blown out on the birthday cake, and that’s enough to tickle the smoke alarm.  I’m talking about how I feel, I really don’t feel as old as I am and sometimes this gets me in BIG trouble.

I was getting ready to go out with some friends and wanted something new to wear so I started perusing all the boutiques out there.  I found a few dresses I liked and luckily the owner, who is a good friend understands my age deficiency.  When it looked like I was settling on the hot pink leopard print, she politely brought over a few more, ahem, old suggestions.  You see inside I feel like I’m say, middle to late 30’s but I have to realize that outside I’m slightly OLDER than that.  With her help I steered away from the dresses with the cut out waist (mine hasn’t seen the sun since I was 16) and into a beautiful sun dress that still accentuated my assets.

Not realizing my true age hurts me in my exercise pursuits, I readily agree to follow my friend on a bike ride through the country.  I thought, “Sure I can handle this, I ride my bike all the time.”  Friends, we didn’t ride the bike we RODE the bike like we were running from the law.  When we finally finished the 35 miles, I fell over in my driveway and lay there for a few minutes willing my legs to keep moving.  Later I sit with my husband two big heating pads on each thigh, “I don’t understand, I was dying out there.  How do they do it and still look like the fresh flower petal?”  My husband, the only time he looks at a bike is to ride to get the newspaper at the beach one block away on vacation says, “They’re 15 years younger than you, they have less on the odometer.”

I like feeling young inside, even if it does get me in trouble.  Feeling my shoe size inside helps me learn and explore like a child, but with my age comes the wisdom to know the difference.

Ever had an experience where you acted your shoe size and not your age?