Weight Loss v. Fashion

It's true that you should dress the body you're in, unless you actively involved in a weight changing regimen.
So what do you do?
First, save up at least 80% of your shopping money to invest in a new wardrobe once you've hit your goal. This way you can reward yourself, and your fans, by stepping out in a new body adorned with new clothes.
Second, do an inventory of your current most comfortable pieces. The pieces that you wear to work, out with friends, and to casual activities. What are those pieces? Instead of looking at an item as your favorite designer dress, look at it as a light weight cotton blend dress. Make note of all the details that make it your favorite piece. Then shop for those specific items discounted as your weight changes. The important part of this is you remain nicely dressed and comfortable as your body changes, but you aren't breaking the bank on clothing you won't be in for too long. I spend extra time in Old Navy and Target during this time. You can find beautiful pieces for super cheap!
Third, go accessories insane! The only thing that won't change sizes are accessories.
I have invested in belts of every type and color, because they are adjustable and can create a waist even on an item a little too large. Belt a top outside of your pants, blouse your top just a smidge, and look how tiny you waist instantly is.
Invest in scarves, because they can be paired with anything during the spring and fall and pull attention up towards your face. You can tie some scouts knot or just wear them hanging long and open. It's a great way to jazz up a cheap tee or tank too.
I BELIEVE in jewelry for the same reason. Jewelry demands attention. You can dress in denim and a white t-shirt, but with jewels you will immediately look more pulled together and expensive. Jewels will draw the eye where ever they are. It's a well known fact! Ask anyone.
Fourth, and my fav, get creative.
I have a friend who added 1000, elaborating, colorful safety pins to the neck line of a v-neck tee from Target. Wowza! It is adorable and cost her less than $5. Plus when her size changes again, and she has lots of time on her hands, she can just switch the pins to another tee. I don't recommend you go crafty on your entire wardrobe if it's not in your blood though. Just look for different ways to cut cost and sizes with your changing body.
Buy every color of slinky t-shirt at your favorite store. As long as it doesn't have a pocket you can pull it off even in the office. Just go back to step 3.
Purchase dresses. Dresses can last longer than pants with body changes. They don't show change as quickly and obviously as pants tend to.
In general, be creative.
Play up your favorite features, and play down your imperfections.

Evolution

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These are a few of my favorite things!

I really like these Christian Louboutin Hidden-Platform Pumps. I really want a nude pump, but I think that before I try to fake a tan shoe on my brown skin I need to think long and hard. These shoes are just above beige. I love that I get to do "nude" without looking like I'm really expecting my nude and that nude to be the same nude. Because I know that nude, when not describing nakedness is simply a light grayish-yellow brown to brownish-pink color. Thank you dictionary.com.

And, I remember my mom wearing "taupe" pumps back in the 80's when I was a child. I loved those taupe pumps and how super fly she looked in them. They were patent leather too. I love when fashion just keeps repeating itself. I may add these to my wish list to wear on the many days I carry her vintage LV attache case. XOXO

Accentuate the positive. Camouflage the negative.

Accentuate the positive and camouflage the negative are words to live by.

I have more curves that some, but I'm no circle. I am a real woman with some imperfect parts. I'm okay with that. I know my body. I know the improvements it needs, and I remain realistic. This makes all the difference.

As with most of my blogs, I'm prompted to write from what I see. So, there's a woman across from me in the dentist's office. And she is wearing an outfit I just recently purchased. It's just wide leg jeans with metal accents and an orange top that's gathered at the neck and waist. It's literally just two pretty basic pieces, and they were displayed side by side in a local boutique. She recently purchased hers too, as I notice the faint fold lines in her top. Instead of the wedge sandals and bronze jewels I'm planning, she opted for functional sneakers and as little styling as possible. She even has pigtails. No one over the age of 8 should ever have pigtails. This is really sad, because she's probably an attractive girl under all the unattractive parts.

If she accentuated the positive, she would run a comb through her thick auburn hair instead of a messy part and two ponytail holders. This gathered top just frames her full midsection like her belly is the Mona Lisa. Instead she should of sought out a larger size, because the elastic top should look like elastic. It should not be pulled so taunt it just looks like odd stitching. Other safe choices would have been ruching or an empire waist. These looks all work to camouflage the extra belly some of us are left with after the joys of pregnancy.
Now as far as that footwear goes, please never step out of your home in a functional sneaker unless there's going to be running or general exercise involved. She could have even caught less hell from me in a foam flip flop, and if you aren't using a public shower I don't think you should ever wear a foam flip flop. To make matters worse her jeans drug the floor, and I'm sure they picked up every germ and bit of bacteria they could find. Yuck! We're within an inch of the same height, I'm sure. If she'd put on a mid-heel wedge she would have been fine...and not infested with bacteria. I know, because I tried the jeans on with a mid-heel jean, and I was fine.

On top of all that her legs seem to be longer than the stumps God has me walking on. I get so frustrated with people who don't take advantage of the physical gifts they have. And now that she's caught me staring, and we've forced smiles in acknowledgement of each other, I can see this is a beautiful woman who needs some serious sprucing.

She complemented my earrings, I gave her a card to http://blaisedenvy.com/. I hope she turns it over and follows the blog link on the back.

If so, hey lady no hard feelings, but please follow my advice. What I know, I know, I know!

How much is your beauty worth?

I was reading an article on MSN money this morning. Is $3600, annually, on beauty products and regimines excessive spending? Wow?! Absolutely! Well, it matters what's included in that.

I spend between $80 - $100 monly on my pedicures and waxing. I do a $60 peel and facial 4-6 times a year, and there's a copay the 6 times a year I visit my dermatologist's office, for vanity's sake.That doesn't include Latisse, other prescriptions, the MAC cosmetics, or ELTA and Aveeno skin care products. What about the money wasted on "trying" new products and services? All the cosmetics and nail polishes I thought I had to have amount to something. There's also a drawer full of tea tree, sea salt, and eucalyptus blends of spa, relax, and rejuvenation stuff.

I have no room to judge. Do you?

Professionally speaking...

Do you leave things to the professionals? Do you know when to DIY and when to call in the experts? This is true in fashion, style, and glam, because if done incorrectly it can be costly or impossible to fix.


I hate to confess this, but a few years ago I went to the beauty school to get a quick trim. I had some bad ends along the back and needed it just chopped off blunt. I was expecting no more than 1/2 an inch. I had been before for a few washes when I was too lazy to lather, rinse, and repeat myself. I had called the salon, but my stylist was unavailable. I can't remember why, but I had to have it done RIGHT THEN! So I ran by the beauty school. I was thinking that these are students, and no one here will be overly ambitious. I can get a quick trim, spend less than a $10, and be on my way. Nope. This heffa took it upon herself to take about 3 1/2 inches off my hair. She couldn't hear 1/2 inch, but she understood blunt cut. Idiot! You get what you pay for. I hope she didn't graduate but instead ended up doing crochet braids off her grandma's front porch. That's what I get for asking a student to do expert work.

The same goes for all aspects of the beauty industry. It's been said that the only thing a stylist needs to do to become a stylist is to say they are a stylist. You can't trust that everyone knows anything at all about style. You have to see to believe. I never trust a hair stylist with nappy hair that looks like it's home to a flock of birds. I would never trust a fashion stylist that looks a hot mess.

I encourage the masses to get expert advice on the important things in your life. This includes your home, your health, your sanity, your family, and YOU! Go for a professional bra fitting, have a tailor, not a box of safety pins, hem your trousers, have licensed professionals do your hair, your face, your skin, and your nails. Take care of yourself with as much knowledge and know how as you can, but when all else fails...seek out a professional opinion!

Organization

I'm always looking for ways to make it easier to work where I live and live where I work. Because my inner fashionista is growing by leaps and bounds my clothing and accessories wardrobes are growing and expanding. I'm quickly out growing my space. b.E.'s inventory and my personal jewels are starting to mix. Some of my prized possessions are being buried under other fabulous possessions. It's sad.

So I used some of my Internet surfing time to look for new storage ideas. Eureka! I came across this nifty video of ways to use typical household stuff in new and interesting storage ways. There were numerous suggestions that intrigued me, but I loved this peg board idea. Basically, you mount a peg board on your wall and hang all of your stuff. Easy! So, I ran to my local hardware store and bought a 4X2 peg board. Because it wasn't the most fascinating color, I spray painted it. Now, I have a royal blue peg board hanging on my beautiful green wall. My favorite jewelry is always at hand, and it's become a piece of ever changing artwork. Both the artsy and fashionista parts of me are satisfied.

Another idea I had, actually it's a revamped idea, is using an old school coffee mug rack for more useful storage. It was initially saved from a heap in my grandparents garage to hang my jewelry on, but with the birth of the peg board it's been bare. Now some of my hats, and my son's hats, have a new place to call home.

I realize I may not be the first to have this epiphany, but I'm still proud. Organization is on the way into my life at a high rate of speed. This is recycling and reusing at it's best!