Fall Favs!!

I cannot even begin to convey my excitement over the arrival of fall and therefore the opportunity to become reacquainted with wardrobe items I haven't even thought about in months. I am drooling over so many of the trends that are popular this fall. It's hard to restrain myself from buying one of everything. (Having limited funds certainly helps in this regard).

Here is what you have to look forward to wearing and what you're likely seeing in stores already:

1. Deep Colors - Hunter Green, Oxblood, Concord Grape, Burgundy, Eggplant, Royal Blue, Black, & more. Autumn offers a new and natural palette along with the change of season. Displayed on the left, Pantone nails down 10 prominent shades for this upcoming season, and there is no doubt about it! These colors coincide well with autumn's warm and cozy feel.

2. Military Details - For this trend, it truly is "all in the details." Designers amplify the impact of a look by using shiny buttons, gold piping, and signature military shapes.

3. Trumpet Hems - *insert trumpet fanfare* Say hello to the graduated form of the peplum! Peplums are still on trend; however, now you will see that characteristic flare below the waist, too. It adds a lovely feminine touch to an otherwise straight skirt. I like it (and happen to own one already! Sweet!).

4. "Bowler" or Dome-Shaped Bags - A more structured take on the hobo, dome shaped bags effortlessly add extra polish to your overall look. And, in this shade of green, this one is perfect for fall!





5. Bold Patterns  - Brocade, Paisley, Plaid, & Houndstooth - With the frequency these prints have been appearing, each one could have a category all it's own. I have seen them used in every combination imaginable - tops, dresses, pants, skirts, belts, shoes, and more! I am glad they've made a comeback and enjoy how designers have updated and incorporated these patterns. Definitely worth looking into!

6. Bedazzled Necklines - If it's big, eye catching, and provides high impact to your dress/top, you've hit this trend. You can find these necklaces in all sorts of styles. If you're a little hesitant, Forever 21 offers quite a few more than reasonably priced choices that you can try on for size. ;)

7. The Shift Dress - A tricky one to pull off well. It has no defined shape, so ladies with certain body forms (such as my own), could have a difficult time with this one. Real Simple offers advice as to what type of shift dress will best suit each body type. The appeal to their simple design is that they can be dressed up or down and accessorized any which way you please. A little creativity can take you a long way with this trend.

8. Over-sized Coats - Celebs are diving into this one! Over-sized outerwear is in. The main thing to remember is to keep your proportions in check! If your upper body is buried beneath a big coat, keep your lower body's look sleek and closer to the body.








9. Rich Materials that add Textural Impact - Patent Leather, Faux Fur, Suede, even Velvet! - If you're looking for an easy way to kick your look up a notch, try to incorporate one of these wardrobe items: patent leather shoes, a faux fur vest, a suede skirt, or a velvet dress. They pack a punch when it comes to fashion and can provide that "Oomph!" you're looking for.



10. Gold for Day & Night - With it's brilliance slightly muted, gold can now be worn during the day and does not have to wait for a night out on the town. It acts like a neutral, so it can be paired with just about anything! And, it still carries that "Notice me!" appeal without being over the top.

 
11. Loafers & Oxfords - Borrowing from the menfolk, you will find these two styles in great abundance at shoe stores. Loafers will often be accompanied by tassels to lend extra flair, and oxfords come in all sorts of styles, fabrics, and heel heights! Very appealing to shoe lovers everywhere!

12. Earthy Motifs - Navajo or Aztec inspired pieces became in vogue last year, but their presence pervades. Their earthy, natural color schemes lend themselves well to fall's color palette. Along the same lines, you will also find forest animals emblazoned on tops and sweaters. I fancy the owl one, of course. :)

So there you have it! Some of the more popular trends for fall. Wear them well. As always, mix and match! It's always great when you can invest in one piece that hits multiple trends, but half the fun of fashion is implementing multiple pieces into one outstanding, cohesive look. So have fun with it! Snap some photos of your favorite fall outfits. I would love to see them! And, as always, stay true to yourself!

Fashion Rules Fashion Show!

I attended my first fashion show!!! Our local mall hosted Fashion Rules, an event sponsored by mall retailers to showcase fall fashions and trends. I put together a laid back, though pulled together outfit to wear to the event (easy V-neck white tee, dark red flare pants, gold and rose gold bangles, gold owl earrings, black heels, a mustard yellow belt, and a matching cross body bag - if you must know). I must've looked like I knew what I was doing because as I parked myself at the end of the catwalk, poised with my iPhone to insure good picture taking opportunities, I caused some of the models to turn my way and pose. Hehehe... I was in my glory.

Anyway, here are the pictures I took from the event. I'll comment as I go.

This look is from Joyce Leslie. I liked the rocker vibe.	From GAP. Layers are in!
In my opinion, this look has too many layers. Well coordinated, but impractical.	Plaid is very in this Fall for men and women!
A look at evening wear! Not sure how I feel about this guy in purple, but he thought he was hot stuff. He posed AT me. LoL!	This suit is sleek!
Very cool.	A slimmer fit. I like the purple!
Royal blue is so standout!	Love the sky high heels!
THIS WAS MY FAVORITE DRESS! BCBG!	Miss New Jersey Jr.
Miss Teen NJ.	Love the beading.
Black and white...	...Classic and chic!
Blazers are HUGE this Fall. I like it in red with the tuxedo inspired lapels.	I liked this look a lot too. Red on bottom this time!
This suits him.	That's right! Show your stuff!
A different take. I like the combo.	For your sweet 16!

I enjoyed the show. I wish more stores had participated. But I had fun scoping out their fall selections afterwards in stores. :) In the near future, I'll do an overview of the big trends for Fall. One thing I am seeing A LOT of already is exaggerated houndstooth. I am liking it amped up in a larger print. I feel enlarging it has given it an updated look that will appeal more to the younger crowd.

In my perusing, I scooped up this scarf from Forever 21. It immediately caught my eye. It also comes in traditional black and white as well as blue and black.I can't wait to use it! Stay tuned for more!!

My New Best Friend

Quite a few years back I was admiring my mother's beauty, specifically her skin. Despite her being 30 years older than I, I could not help but appreciate how smooth and healthy it appeared. I asked her how is it that although she was well over 40 at the time and much of her hair had greyed as a result of her working over a decade on 3rd shift (not to mention raising us 5 kids), her skin was in such great condition! Her response: "You start doing something about it when you're 30!"

For whatever reason, these "words of wisdom" stuck with me. I have read and ignored too many times the admonition to take great care when it comes to your skin, particularly that of one's face. Consequently, as the heart and great heat of summer approached and as a natural compliment to my already proactive approach towards my health and overall well-being, I decided not to wait until I was 30 to start "doing something about it." I would begin now.

Somewhere along the way, I had read about Olay's moisturizer with SPF. As with any beauty product, I checked out the reviews. Amazon.com usually has very helpful consumer reviews for all sorts of products. The only complaints that Olay's moisturizer had were when they changed their formula. Once they changed it back, triumphant reviews followed. So, I decided I would start my new beauty regimen with that.

I purchased Olay's Complete All Day UV Moisturizer with SPF 15 for Combination/Oily Skin for roughly $10. I have worn it every day since and have been quite pleased with the outcome. Not only does it provide the necessary protection from the sun, but the moisturizing component works great without being greasy. It absorbs well and has not caused any breakouts. Concerning the SPF, it does it's job. For example, on July 4th, I was out in the sun for no more than 2 hours and had only applied the moisturizer to my face with no additional SPF. My shoulders and arms burned; my face did not. I need no further convincing.

Henceforth, I will continue to use this product religiously. You do not need to dispense a lot of the product with each use, so the $10 will go a long way - a small price to pay for healthy, young looking skin.

Whether Olay's moisturizing sunscreen is for you or not, I would encourage you, reader, to not wait any longer to take matters into your own hands with regards to your skin's health. Earlier this year, a dear friend of mine was discovered to have a nasty stage 2 melanoma that needed to be removed. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, and said person is doing just fine. Nevertheless, you always think it could never be you until it's too late. Why risk it, especially when prevention is so easy?

Another great SPF product that won't break your bank is Walgreen's Sunscreen. At 2/$5 for 3 oz., you can't beat the price. It goes on well and is not greasy, and it comes in varying degrees of protection - SPF 15, 30, 50, and even 70+. It is available as normal sunscreen or "Sport" with water and sweat resistance.  If you prefer spray over cream, they have that, too, but at a slightly higher price. I have been using this product for the last 2 summers and have no complaints.

So there you have it! No room for excuses! My final words are taken from a recent tweet by Chalene Johnson, "Treat your body like a temple, not a trashcan." Guaranteed, you'll be more than happy with the results.

It's Beyond Me!

I'm probably not going to make any friends with this post, but this topic has been on my mind for weeks. I cannot understand why people don't make exercise a priority. It is essential to living your best life, and, I don't know about you, but since I only have one life to live, I want to give it all I've got!

Believe me, I understand it is not easy to create an exercise regimen out of nothing, and sticking to it is even more difficult. It really just comes down to a matter of priorities; you have to want it. Unfortunately, it often takes something catastrophic for people to find the motivation. Thankfully, it is rarely "too late," and with a lot of work and moral support from friends and family, people are able to change their habits and reboot their life.

Exercise is unbelievably worth it in so many ways. Obviously, it assists in weight loss and/or management. It builds muscle, strengthens your organs, bones, and even boosts your brain function! It wards off countless diseases and conditions (heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis, etc.) that can decrease your quality of living or even be life threatening. It improves your mood by releasing endorphins as you exercise, which can reduce depression, anxiety, and stress.

In this day and age, people are constantly on the lookout for the "wonder pill" - the one thing, in whatever form it may come, that will solve all of their life's problems and make them nearly invincible. Well, guess what? It already exists; it's called exercise! Now, of course, exercise is truly only one side of the coin. It needs to be moderated by a healthy diet as well. The pair when in the right combination can produce unbelievable and positive results. Hence, it is beyond me why people don't make healthy living more of a priority.

Ultimately, it comes down to laziness, which makes me incredibly sad. It really is not that tall an order. Again, you have to want it. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that as a minimum adults should get 2.5 hours of moderate intensity exercise per week (that's approximately 21.5 minutes per day) and engage in muscle strengthening activities at least twice a week, giving attention to all major muscle groups. When the topic of exercise arises, the most common excuse people give is, "I don't have enough time." The CDCP goes on to say that 10 minutes at a time is fine and still able to produce health benefits. Who can't spare 10 minutes, really?

So, sorry to say it, but the general public is without excuse. And, your overall well-being ought to be important enough to take action. So, take a good introspective look. What's keeping you from the 20 minutes a day that it takes to keep yourself on the path towards a long, happy, and healthful life?

Is it easy? No. Is it doable? Yes. And as I always say, anything - even just 10 minutes a day - is better than nothing at all. Every choice one makes towards improving their quality of life and overall health makes a difference, and all it takes is a repetition of such choices to create a habit that will change your life for the better.

Bottom line: you can do it. You should do it. And, in whatever way I can, I'm here to help.

This Summer I Am Loving....

To me, and many others, summertime is nearly synonymous with fun - BBQ's, vacations, picnics, swimming, fruity drinks, ice cold beer, and easy, breezy clothing. Hands down, it is my favorite time of year. As the weeks slip by leaving spring behind and venturing ever closer towards the summer solstice, I have really been enjoying window shopping, tantalized by all of the various prints, cuts, and designs retailers are offering for summer. Here are a few things I've come to really admire.

Fuchsia!

It's bright! It's bold! I love it! It is part of the neon family that is so trendy right now. So far, it has shown up a few times in my warm weather wardrobe:

New Mini From Charlotte Russe	Jones New York Dress Worn To My Brother's Wedding Dress Rehearsal	Printed Tee, Also From Charlotte Russe

It has also made it to my eyelids and travels with me daily on my handbag. With the exception of the mini skirt, the color is worked in very nicely to it's accompanying pattern so as not to overwhelm. Nevertheless, it's very presence however minimal (or not) always makes me smile. To me, it coincides all too well with my fun-loving personality and all that I anticipate with the arrival of summer.

Bold prints.
It is another big feature of fashion right now and awful hard to miss. Bold prints are everywhere. My sister scored a terrific maxi dress, which she wore to our brother's rehearsal dinner. Again, bright colors, contrasting directional prints - love it! The blue/green motif is also very "in" right now. It stands alone very well, but also nicely compliments nautical inspired pieces (also very "on trend"). NY & Company currently carries this eye-catching number, playing off a similar color pairing, as does Calvin Klein.

NY & Company

Calvin Klein

Fun sandals.
Summertime is the best friend of toes. 'Tis the season for pedicures! From flip flops to sandals in all shapes, sizes, and colors, summer is the season of bare feet. And what better way to show off your tootsies than with a fabulous pair of shoes!

At our BBQ this weekend, a friend arrived wearing these lovely flip flops by Vince Camuto (see right). The golden bow is such a nice, adorable touch. I love them!


I personally picked up an awesome pair of turquoise espadrilles (see left). I have so many outfits I can pair them with. They're perfect summer footwear!



Fun Boho accessories.
Since wardrobe choices tend to lean towards comfortable, light fabrics and loose, flowy designs during the summer, they easily pair with the laid back vibe of Bohemia.

From rings, necklaces, bracelets, and shoes, retailers have it all. Take your pick! Or, throw on a floppy hat and a unique hobo and you're good to go! Playing to this easy-going vibe is...well, easy! And dressing this way only helps to foster that carefree, fun atmosphere that everyone relishes in this time of year.



Summer has just barely begun, which means we still have well over 3 months of mixing, matching, and re-mixing our wardrobes to fit with however the tides are taking us on any given day. Some days you may feel especially girly and don a flowy skirt. Other days, I'm sure you'll want to get grimy and dirty playing beach volleyball and wear sporty attire, making yourself appear no less formidable to your competitors. As always, there's no wrong approach. Wear what you like, what becomes you. And most of all, have fun! After all, it is summer!!

What have you fallen in love with this season?