A Great Time!

I know I'm late, but this is a really great time in history. With the inauguration of Barack Obama, our nation's first president of color, we, and I personally, have a lot to celebrate. Whether you're for or against his politics, this truly marks a an amazing time in our lives. This is a wonderful achievement for America, and another step ahead in our nation's progress.

Not only is it a great time in history for our political landscape, it's a great time in history for fashion. I'm not only thrilled about our new president, I'm just as psyched about our fashion-forward first lady. You know how I feel about fashion, and to have a Black first lady who is being pegged a fashion icon in-the-making, excites me to no end.

I am looking forward to seeing her selection of colors, her style, the small details, (like those FABULOUS lime-green leather gloves she wore on inauguration day), the children's clothing....This is like a dream-come-true for me.

In fact, I was recently inspired by Michelle Obama. It was time for me to purchase a new wool coat. I've been skating by with a combination of a full length down coat for the really brutal days, and a black and off-white wool jacket for the not-so-cold days. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything for the "other" days.

Last year, I tried to be "cost-effective" and purchase a $99.00 wool coat from H&M. It was quite lovely - nice collar, belt around the waist, and I got a lot of compliments on it. Unfortunately, within two months, it was pilling and looked quite shabby.

The moral of the story is, for certain items, you can't be but so thrifty. I should have done a better job of inspecting the fabric, and really eyeing the overall quality of the coat. Well, that's a lesson learned. You need to really invest money in certain items in your wardrobe. This includes anything you wear often - coats, handbags, shoes...In the long-run it really pays off.

You're probably thinking, "okay, what does this have to do with Michelle Obama?" - well nothing...yet! So last weekend, I said, "I've had enough," and I went out to find a coat. After all, this is also a great time of year for winter bargains.

Sure enough, I get to Macy's and one of the first coats I try on, is "the one." It's a black wool Calvin Klein number that comes down a little past the knees, with wide pleats at the bottom. Really cute! $128.00 marked down from $400.00 - you can't beat that!

It's a nice heavy coat that is well-constructed and I can see myself wearing it for several years. I'm really pleased at that acquisition. So here's where Michelle Obama comes in...I bought red leather gloves. I thought it would be a nice idea to throw some color in the mix, like she did with her inauguration outfit. Now it's a small detail, and of course I'm not the first woman to sport red leather gloves, but that little shot of color really makes the difference.

And the gloves were $16.00 at Kohl's. Between the winter clearance and 15% coupon, I really made out like a bandit.

Anyway, I'm going to ride this high for a while - a Black president, a fashionable first lady, a new quality wool coat, and a pair of red leather gloves. Life is good!

Dressing for Success

We've all heard the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover," but the sad reality is, people DO judge others based on their appearance. My belief is if you present yourself in the best way possible whenever possible it will benefit you the majority of the time.

I recently came across a quote by Tom Ford, former lead designer for Gucci, stating "...dressing well is a kind of good manners, if you ask me. ...I find it's a show of respect to try to put on your best face and look as good as you can."

When I read that, I was like "Wow, I totally get where he's coming from." Firstly, I feel as though looking good makes you feel good, and secondly, when you look your best, you create opportunities for people to view you in a positive light.

DISCLAIMER: I fully understand the value of inner beauty, personality, and intelligence. However, when people first lay their eyes on you, they're not looking at all those things - they're looking at your outer appearance.

Someone recently told me that I always look nice and asked where I find the time...and I thought to myself that it really doesn't take a lot of time to put together an outfit that is flattering. It takes a little time to build a wardrobe that contains flattering, functional, and flexible clothing that you can easily piece together into stunning ensembles. But once you get that task out the way, getting ready every morning should be relatively simple.

So I urge you to invest the time to assemble your ensembles.

1. When you shop, keep in mind that you should have other things in your wardrobe that you can easily coordinate with the pieces you're considering
2. Take the time to arrange your closet so your clothing is easily identified and accessible
3. Plan ahead!!! Take a few minutes to think about ways you can mix-and-match to get the most value out of your purchases
4. Think outside the box. Try layering, pattern-mixing, and adding a few "conversation pieces" to your wardrobe. (e.g. a statement ring, patterned hose, a vibrant color to brighten up an otherwise dull ensemble)

The time you invest in looking good will pay off in the long run. Remember, looking the part is half the battle!

-You'll feel your best when you dress for success!

I'm Baaaaaccccckkkkkk!

You know...it's been many months since I made my last post, but during that time, I've thought about blogging many times.

I got married in September, and in the months leading up to the wedding, there was so much going on, that I just had to let the blogging go...but that has not curtailed my love of fashion and my desire to fit myself into that industry in some way, shape, or form.

Things have slowed down a lot, but of course, I'm still busy, but I decided that I absolutely NEED to blog, but I'll start off slowly, this way I won't feel pressured or overwhelmed. I will blog when I feel inspired to do so!

Let the blogging begin!!!

P.S. Of course I'm including some of my wedding pix....

Photographs courtesy of Tom Smith Photography www.tomsmithphotography.net

Weekend Wrap Up

I always look forward to the weekends - you get to sleep late, relax a little, and catch up on some much-needed shopportunities. I didn't go out with the intention of acquiring anything, but some situations presented themselves to me and I had to jump on them.

Cosmetics Finds

You know that I’ve touted the benefits of Benefit’s Bad Gal Lash and Christian Dior’s DiorShow Mascara in the past; however, in the interest of pinching pennies, I’ve been trying to scale back my spending to save for the wedding.

My DiorShow is on the verge of drying out, and since I’ve been looking for a cheaper alternative, I decided to give Revlon’s Fabulash a try. I’ve actually used this in the past, and I recently read that it works really well.

I visited my local drugstore and purchased the Fabulash. I also purchased L’Oreal’s True Match Bronze Glow in Neutral Deep Bronze (Retails for about $8.00) to give my face a little shimmer. I couldn’t wait until I got home to try my products, so I sat in the car and gave myself a mini-makeover.
I applied the bronzer to half my face so I could compare to the other side, and I generously applied the Fabulash Mascara. I was really pleased with the mascara. It volumizes and lengthens and really makes my lashes pop. And at $8.00 you can’t go wrong.

The premise of the bronzer is really good, because you can wear this solo or combine a little with your tinted moisturizer or liquid foundation for a sheer glow. However, I had to look long and hard to notice the shimmery flecks and they weren’t that visible. Maybe I need the next shade for more intense color. If I try the deeper color, I’ll let you know how it works out.

Shoes Cure the Blues

My girl Steph has been lusting after these BCBGirls spectator pumps for several weeks, maybe even months now. We’ve seen them retail for $110.00 and they don’t seem to be going on sale any time soon. I’ve been trying to encourage her to wait it out - until some kind of coupon became available or for the price to decrease, but her patience has been wearing thin.

This weekend, I happened to find myself in Burlington Coat Factory, and of course I headed straight toward the shoe section. BCF has some really good deals on shoes with notable brands such as Nine West, BCBGirls (see where this is headed?), Baby Phat, etc.

As I perused the shoes, I noticed a bright pink box (a BCBGirls box) laying randomly at the end of an aisle with what looked like “Steph’s shoes” inside. Now I told Steph I’d keep my eyes peeled for the shoes, and here they were. I picked up the box, checked the size, and they were her size!!! I quickly sought out the price tag and they were an amazing $49.99, a mere 45% of the original cost.

So to make a long story short I picked up the shoes for Steph and she's ecstatic. But I’m happy I was able to make a fashion fantasy come true and I also snagged a cute pair of Nine West pumps for myself for a mere $39.99.


Life is great!

Shoe Therapy

I was feeling a little down today and decided to go for a walk. It was absolutely beautiful outside and I headed straight to Macy's to check out the latest and greatest in the shoe department.

Since it was after 2:00 pm I managed to avoid the usual lunch crowd and was able to navigate through each section in a leisurely manner as sought some much-needed shoe therapy.

As I eyed the Nine West, Marc Fisher, Enzo Angiolini, BCBGirls (you get the idea), footwear, I felt a sense of calm o

vercome me. I made a mental list of future prospects, including price, I envisioned the outfits I could wear with each pair, and even tried on a few.

I paid special attention to the clearance rack, but to my dismay there were no "must-haves" in my size. Of course I had a coupon in my pocket - just in case, but I wound up leaving the store partially satisfied and significantly less stressed.

When I got back to work, I took a trip to "Fantasyland" (a.k.a. the Neiman Marcus website) and teased myself by browsing throught the exorbitantly priced shoes. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE these mules by Christian Louboutin. They're so incredibly sexy and I feel as though I MUST have them. (I mentioned that to my fiance while he was half-asleep hoping that the subliminal message would sink in.)

What is it about shoes that draws me in? Is it the fact that a cute pair of shoes can take you from drab to fab in a matter of seconds? Or is the fact that shoes are another opportunity to make your statement to the world? I would have to say it's both and then some. Shoes make me feel sexy, strong, confident, and invinceable.

I also stumbled across these, also by CL, and it's taking all my restraint to prevent myself from adding them to my online shopping cart.

And how about these?

I'm a little saddened, yet also somewhat thankful that I have this upcoming wedding to pay for to keep me in check. If not, I could have easily done a lot of damage in Macy's AND on the Neiman site. I find that when I'm feeling down, looking at shoes makes me feel good, but buying shoes makes me feel a WHOLE lot better! I actually get an adrenaline rush.

Okay, back to reality! Until after the wedding, I'll continue to salivate and fantasize.

(All shoes featured on this page can be found at Neiman Marcus)

I Need a Makeover!

I've been hearing that a lot lately, and that got me asking myself "What steps does a woman need to take to give herself a new look?"

A makeover can range from simply a trip to the cosmetics counter at your local department store to a wardrobe overhaul. So if you've decided that it's time to present a new and improved version of yourself to the world, I've outlined some steps to help guide you through the process.

Step 1: Before you decide whether you're looking to make a few tweaks here and there or you're looking to totally reinvent yourself, you really need to define exactly who you are. If you're casual and low maintenance do you really need an intricate new hairdo and a 12-step beauty regimen? Makeovers are meant to enhance the already existing you, not turn you into someone you're not. (Although sometimes it can be a beautiful thing to reinvent oneself)

Step 2: Go through magazines and compile pictures of "looks" that you like. (makeup, hair styles, outfits, etc.) This will help you guide you as you consult your hairstylist and navigate through the boutiques and malls.

Step 3: Think about how much time you'd like to spend maintaining your new look. Will that $150.00 you shelled out at the MAC counter for those new beauty products require an extra 25 minutes in the morning that you just don't have?

Step 4: Think about how much your makeover will cost you - in the short and long term. Yes, you have a cute new 'do, but how much will those weekly salon visits set you back?

Step 5: If you're feeling a little intimidated and don't know how to move forward, enlist the help of a friend or acquaintance whose style you admire. Some are born with the gift of fashion sense, so lean on them for support.

Depending on what you've decided to upgrade, take it slow. No need to run out and do everything at one time. If you've decided to cut your hair, you may want to go shorter in stages. If you're really unsure about those high-waisted slacks you've been eyeing, carve out a day to focus on just trying on trying on bottoms. (Make sure you bring an honest, but tactful friend with you.)

Step 6: Once you've begun making the desired changes, step away from the situation and try to look at yourself through someone else's eyes. Because you've made choices and changes that reflect who you are it shouldn't be too difficult to embrace the new you.

The good news is:

• If you cut your hair too short - it will grow back
  
• If that new shade of red lipstick doesn't cut it - you can wipe it off (and you may even be able to return it to the store, depending on where you purchased it)
  
• And if those skinny jeans make you look too skinny or not quite skinny enough, there's a style out there that will fit you perfectly - you just have to keep looking!

Every once in a while I get bored with myself and feel the need to make occasional "upgrades." It's easy to fall into a rut, and small changes can really boost your confidence and make you feel good about yourself. So seek out the looks that inspire you, grab a fashion forward friend, and have a happy makeover!

Wedding Shoes News!

I'm so excited! I received my wedding shoes in the mail on Friday! I didn't think I'd be able to find anything both stylish and affordable, so I resigned myself to the fact that I'm going to pay quite a few dollars for my wedding shoes.

The run-of-the-mill dyeable shoes are usually not the most fashionable, and the styles that are more "up my alley" start at $100.00. So I said, "Fine, I'll just bite the bullet and pay what I have to pay." But in the back of my mind I was still hoping to stumble upon a bargain. I happened to be on Amazon.com last week and came across these babies by Nine West. I wasn't really too keen on the heel, because I envisioned something more sleek, but I said "For $26.99, I'll give them a try."

So I ordered the shoes last Wednesday, received them on Friday (with free shipping) and when I tried them on with my dress they looked PERFECT! Without giving any details about the dress, let's just say...the shoes and the dress balance each other out perfectly!

I'll be adding crystals to the middle of the bow just for some extra sparkle. I have another secret about my shoes, but you have to wait until after the wedding to find out!