In honor of Mother’s Day, I asked four lovely expectant moms to model maternity fashions on KING5′s New Day NW. We featured affordable fashions from Motherhood Maternity, Village Maternity and Me ‘n Mom consignment. Obadiah salon provided hair styling and pampering for our models backstage, and Lila Yoga helped (big time!) by lending me two glowingly pregnant models and donating free yoga classes to the entire audience.
I applaud my models (Seattleites Elisa, Niveen, Melinda and Andrea) for a) arriving at the station looking fresh, energized and excited at 8:45 in the morning (whereas I, the not pregnant one, looked like a mess upon arrival); and b) being unafraid to proudly show their baby bumps on camera. I was certainly inspired by these women, as I’m sure you all will be, and I only hope that someday I can be as stylish as they are. Congratulations, ladies! And Happy Mother’s Day.
I’m very pleased to introduce everyone to my dear friend Tiffany Lowry. Many of you may already know Tiffany, because you’ve heard her giving great make-up tips on Movin 92.5′s morning show (they call her “Miss Make-up”) or Northwest Afternoon or New Day Northwest. Or perhaps you’ve seen her work in the pages of magazines (too many to list!) or seen her interviews in The Seattle Times, nwsource.com, or countless style blogs. Or–JUST MAYBE–you’ve had the pleasure of having Tiffany make-over your haircut or hair color (she’s the best hair stylist in Washington) at RedX Salon on Capital Hill.
She’s an extremely talented, ingenious stylist and the kind of girl you just want to hang out with (and I guarantee you’ll end up walking away feeling prettier and more stylish as a result!).
This Sunday, we invite you all to hang out with Tiffany–and dozens of local fashionistas–at the “Swap Till You Drop” event on Sunday, April 10th. Tiffany will host a Make-up Clean-up workshop, and she will help you clean out your cosmetics case and get on trend for spring.
Spring is in the air, ladies! We had our first taste of sweet sunshine, and even though the clouds are back (for now), we all know winter is wrapping up for real. Spring time is the perfect time to refresh your style and purge away the unwanted, unflattering items that are weighing you down. Girl Power Hour’s Swap ‘Til You Drop event on April 10th is the perfect excuse to spring clean your closet!
There’s no “right way” to clean out your closet, but I do have a time-tested formula to help you reduce, reuse and restyle your wardrobe.
Every item you own will fall into one of five categories:
Category #1: Items that you LIKE, that fit you well and you wear often. In a perfect world, your entire wardrobe would fit in this category (and, believe me, cleaning out your closet is the first step). These items are your favorites and they should stay in your regular rotation.
Category #2: Items that you LIKE and fit you well but you don’t wear often. These are the hidden treasures in your wardrobe. Hopefully, through the process of cleaning, you’ll discover items you haven’t worn in years or forgot you owned. You should keep these items and strive to start wearing them.
Category #3: Items that you DISLIKE but wear often for lack of something better. We all have these items lurking in our closets (like that ratty old fleece that gets worn on the weekends). As much as you despise these clothes, the truth is getting rid of them will leave a void. I call these items “candidates for replacement;” you owe it to yourself to replace frequently worn items with really awesome alternatives (replace that old fleece with a fitted hoodie!) Bottom line: you should always spend your money on things that will get worn A LOT.
Category #4: Items that don’t fit or don’t flatter you. Whether you like an item or not is irrelevant if it does not fit you or make you feel great. We all have items from the clearance rack (“But it was only $12.99!”) or items we’ve outgrown. They may even be in excellent condition. These are the hardest items to part with, I know, but clearing them away will make space for other, better things! **Bring these items to the SWAP ‘TIL YOU DROP EVENT!**
Category #5. Items that you DISLIKE and don’t wear. These are the easy items to purge. (Tip: start by getting rid of these!)
The final step? Bag up your unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories and bring them to one of GPH’s swap drops before the main event on April 10th. Get your tickets, and get ready to swap ’til you drop!
SWAP DROPS:
Fri 4/8, 5pm-8pm, (UVillage) – Styled.Seattle Offices, 3430 NE 45th, Ste 101, Seattle, WA
Fri 4/8, 5pm-8pm, – (Eastside) La Bijou Boutique, 10311 Main Street, Bellevue, WA
Sat 4/9, 10am-4pm – (Seattle) Tropical Tan Queen Anne & Tropical Tan Wallingford
Sun 4/10, 9am-10:30am – (Seattle) Sodo Park, 3200 1st Avenue South, Seattle, WA
Proper clothing care is one of the most important style skills any fashionista can master! Building a fabulous wardrobe takes time and money–and you’ll be wasting both of those things if you fail to properly clean and care for your clothes. No one likes to do laundry, but a little effort will go a long way to keep your favorite outfits looking great!
Here are my top three tips:
#1. Always consider garment care before you purchase a new item. Everything looks nice when it’s new and neatly hanging in a store; ultimately, though, you want to spend your money on items that will continue to look great after many wears. Factor the cost of garment care into the price of every item you buy. For example, a high-maintenance jacket that requires professional dry cleaning after every wear will, over time, cost much more than the original price. If you are not willing to pay for cleaning, don’t buy it!
#2. Be honest about your laundry patterns. Do you hate taking clothes to the dry cleaner? Do you machine-wash everything on cold? Do you have time to hand wash your delicates? You should not purchase items you cannot take care of.
#3. Always read garment care instructions. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how often my clients ruin their clothes by failing to read the care instructions. Care tags will tell you how to wash your clothes, whether or not you can iron and if you can machine dry.
Here are my other favorite tips to help you keep your clothes in top shape:
Wedding Wisdom – insider knowledge to help you relieve stress, celebrate, and enjoy planning your dream day!
Your wedding dress is a HUGE part of your wedding. It is your signature piece! It tells everyone everything about you and your style. With my clients her engagement ring and dress choice(s) are the foundation of my design. They are the 2 pieces that give me the clearest insight into my Bride’s style. The ring she will wear forever, and the dress…It is her persona in the fashion form!
Fabulous fashion on wedding day is a MUST! If a designer dress by Vera Wang, Calvin Klein, Badgley Mischka, Amsalae or Kenneth Poole is at the top of your priority list, but may NOT be in the budget, give the following Bridal Boutiques/web boutiques a try! They have the desired designers with out their price tag!
Bride’s Against Breast Cancer:
This amazing organization holds designer dress sales all over the country! The dresses come directly from the designers and donations. Their web site states: “Most gown prices range from $99 to $799*, including hundreds of beautiful new name brand and designer gowns valued up to $8,000. *Exclusive designer and couture gowns valued up to $20,000 are also available at an incredible 25% to 75% savings” All the proceeds from the dress sales go to benefit The Making Memories Foundation! They work to grant wishes for stage 4 breast cancer patients and their families! It’s a cause I’m personally very passionate about! They are coming to WA very soon! Here’s their schedule:
2011
Olympia, WA: January 30 – New!
Tacoma, WA: February 25-27
If traveling to Olympia or Tacoma is not for you! Have no fear! There are 2 Seattle companies to turn to!
Blue Sky Bridal’s philosophy is “you don’t have to sacrifice style, quality, or your budget to have a beautiful wedding that reflects your values. Blue Sky Bridal offers recycled and reconstructed wedding gowns, organic wedding dresses, and green wedding accessories.” Being green and sustaining the environment is at the heart of Blue Sky’s mission! Located in the Phinney Ridge Neighborhood, they are a Seattle girls go to location for a fabulous green wedding dress! It’s a purchase you’ll remember forever! Buying at Blue Sky gives you even more to feel good about!
Belltown Bride brings you affordable couture! They “cater to the sophisticated woman who has great taste and style, but appreciates good value. Belltown Bride lets you spend the average and get the extraordinary. Most gowns are priced between $1200 and $2500.” Their show room is full of designer samples gowns ready to be taken home for your dream day! Belltown Bride is like attending a coveted designer trunk show everyday! It’s worth the trip!
Bravo Bride is a Seattle based company giving you access to Bride’s all over the country! With this user friendly website you have access to resources you never would have dreamed about! Vera Wang for sale in Connecticut, or Jimmy Choos in Florida! “Bravo Bride has thousands of options for you to choose from. Discover amazing bargains on designer wedding items from all over the country.” The wedding dresses for sale on their site are of the highest quality, from leading designers. You have to check it out!
Don’t worry Bride’s maids! Stay tuned for next week’s post when I share how you can save some major $$$ on couture bride’s maid fashion!
Top Photo: Amsale Collection
Bottom Photo: Kenneth Pool
If you woke up this morning, saw the snow, and made the decision to stay home today, then I say, “Good for you!”–I did, too! And while you’re home today, staying warm and avoiding the yucky snow/sludge/rain/ice weather cocktail on our menu today, I challenge you to take on a little project.
Ok, it’s more than a “little” project. It’s a doosy. But I promise that it will help you feel more in control of your style and save you time in the morning when you’re getting dressed, so it’s worth it. Ladies, let’s all clean out our closets! Who’s with me?! Anyone? Anyone?
Fair enough. I wasn’t expecting anyone to approach this project with excitement (it’s more of a “necessary evil” situation). But I’m guessing most of us could use a little reorganization and trimming down of our closet, so here’s my advice:
Why is it important to clean out your closet? Having an organized and well-refined closet is KEY to having great style. If one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to take control of your personal style, this is your most important first step. You can’t go shopping to add to your wardrobe until you take stock of what you already own.
How do you know if you need to clean out your closet? If you struggle with picking an outfit in the morning or spend more than 15 minutes, then you need to clean out your closet.
What’s the best way to clean out your closet? Take everything out, and separate all the clothes that you own into 5 categories:
Category #1. Items that you like, fit you well and wear often. These are your “favorites” and obvious keepers. They stay in your closet. Your ultimate goal is to have everything in your closet be in this category.
Category #2. Items that you like and fit you well, but you don’t wear. These are also keepers. Ask yourself why don’t you wear them? If the answer is you just forgot you owned it, you should make an effort to put it back into regular rotation. The best part about cleaning your closet is getting to “shop” in your closet and find new favorites.
Category #3. Items that you dislike, but wear often for lack of something better. These are items you replace. There’s no reason to hang on to something you actively dislike, but if you’re wearing it often, you owe it to yourself to find a more flattering version.
Category #4. Items that don’t fit or are unflattering. These are items you pack away or give away. It’s frustrating to look into your closet and see items that don’t fit and don’t look good on you. If items are in good condition, you can take them to consignment or give to a friend.
Category #5. Items that you dislike and don’t wear. These are items you get rid of. If you have anxiety about purging, bag up these items and store in your garage or another safe place in your home. Wait three months, prove to yourself that you don’t need the items and you’re better off without them cluttering your closet. After two months, drive them to Goodwill!
Allow about 2 hours for this project.
(HINT: it’s more fun with some good tunes and a nice glass of wine!)
I think most New Year’s resolutions are nearly impossible to keep. Who’s thinking clearly on New Year’s Eve? There’s so much pressure and confusion with the ball dropping and the “10, 9, 8, 7…” and the champagne popping. We’re practically set up to fail!
I think resolutions made on January 2nd carry much more weight. The dust has settled, we’re sober!, and we have more time to think about what we really want and plan for positive change.
As you contemplate the various areas of your life that need improvement this year, I encourage you to think about your wardrobe and consider the role that clothing and your personal style plays in your daily routine. Step into your closet, and ask yourself a few important questions:
#1. Do I like my clothes? (seems like a silly question, but how many of us can truly say Yes?)
#2. Do I feel confident when I leave the house every morning, because I know I look good? (because everyone deserves to feel that way)
#3. Will my wardrobe help me get ahead? Am I reflecting the best possible image to my co-workers, clients, bosses and friends? (or do my clothes say, “I don’t care”?)
#4. Do I feel anxiety about getting dressed in the morning, and/or do I spend longer than 5 minutes putting an outfit together? (in the scheme of things, getting dressed should be very low-stress and easy)
#5a. Do I waste a lot of money on clothes that I never wear? How many items in my closet still have the price tags attached?
#5b. Approximately how much money did I waste last year on clothes that weren’t right for me?
#6. Do I have a good grasp of what looks good on me? Do I know what colors and styles are most flattering? (or do you feel clueless every time you hit the stores)
#7. Am I stuck in a rut? Do I shop at the same stores and buy the same things over and over? (many of us default to a “uniform” that is simple, yet unexciting, and don’t know how to break the cycle to try new things).
#8. Do I own a signature style that fits my lifestyle and budget?
—
After the roller coaster year we’ve had, I think we all need a fresh start and renewed self confidence. Everyone woman deserves to have a wardrobe that reflects her best self. Clothing is not a luxury; we all wear clothes every day. Thus, every day we make a choice to put on something that makes us feel great or something that makes us feel, “eh.”
The truth is, everyone needs a little style help from time to time, and the start of a new year is the perfect time to redefine your style goals. Let 2011 be the year that harness the power of your own personal style. If I can help you get your style on track, let me know.
I sincerely wish everyone a happy, healthy, successful, and stylish New Year!
The accessory swap table at GPH Holiday Party
New Year’s Eve is my favorite style holiday! It’s a More-Is-More kind of night that calls for maximum glitter, sparkle and sequins. The challenge, of course, is that after a long month of Christmas parties, work events and celebratory cocktail nights with my girl friends, I always find myself struggling to come up with a new and exciting festive NYE outfit (also, it doesn’t help that I’m always broke after Christmas and don’t have any spare cash with which to buy a new party dress). So, I have to dig into the depths of my closet and try to come up with something really creative. The right accessories always help tie my whole look together!
This month, several members of the Power Team helped me demonstrate how easily inexpensive accessories can transform basic wardrobe staples (watch our clip here). And we extended this concept at our annual GPH Holiday Party on December 9th at Citrus. Seattle’s Fashion Group International helped us pull off the ultimate holiday accessory swap, and it was a huge success! Dozens of women participated by bringing their unworn jewelry, purses, belts, shoes, coats and scarves, proving that one woman’s “trash” is another woman’s treasure. There was plenty to go around as everyone took turns selecting their baubles and walking away with new holiday fashion inspiration.
After the swap, I pulled three ladies and styled them with a few items I set aside, to show what a huge difference a few little accessories can make to an outfit. The addition of three accessory pieces to each outfit transformed each lady’s entire look. Moral of the story: don’t underestimate the power of accessories to bedazzle your New Year!
Added: motorcycle jacket, layered necklace, cuff bracelet
Added: feather headband, faux fur wrap, sparkle clutch
Added: sequin headband, velvet shawl, layered necklace
Wishing everyone a safe and stylish New Year’s Eve!
If you woke up this morning humming Bruce Springsteen (“Boooorn in the USA, I was Boooorn in the USA”) and are looking forward to a long weekend of BBQs, kiddie parades and fireworks, I have a little fashion advice to help you celebrate in style. There is, after all, a fine line between looking chicly patriotic and looking like Lady Liberty’s crazy cousin.
So, here’s the trick to dressing the part this 4th of July: let two of our nation’s three colors comprise the majority of your look, and toss it in the third color–if at all!–in a single, simple accessory.
Also, remember that you don’t have to match the colors of the flag entirely; consider softer alternatives to Red, White and Blue, such as Burgundy, Ivory and Navy, respectively.
Here’s some inspiration:
Wishing everyone a safe (and stylish!) holiday!
Ok, don’t hate me!: I’m currently blogging from a sunny resort location. As I type this, I am lounging in the hot sun, sipping a cold drink, and feeling very glad I packed my SPF 45.
Packing well is the key to a great vacation, and my goal is always to get as much use and variety (and style!) out of the fewest possible items. It’s a challenge I take to heart, and I’m happy to share the must-haves that made it into my suitcase:
Top ten things to pack for your next sunny retreat
#1. Sunscreen. I personally use Aveeno’s Clear Complexion face lotion with SPF 30 and Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen for body. Both are available at Target and are available in under-3oz containers (perfect for carry-on!).
#2. Waterproof Mascara. I always scale down my make-up regimen when I travel, but I never leave home (or hotel room) without a little mascara. I love Lancome’s Aquacil’s Waterproof Mascara, but I usually travel with a cheaper alternative: Covergirl Marathon Waterproof Mascara.
#3. Bathing suits. I live in bathing suits when I’m on vacation. A bathing suit is the first thing I put on when I wake up, and it usually stays on all day (even when I’m out to dinner). I love Target’s selection of affordable swim wear (average suit, under $30), and I enjoy mixing and matching tops and bottoms to create a different look every day of my trip.
#4. Flip Flops. Wearing a comfy pair of flip flops is the next best thing to being barefoot on the beach. Right now, my favorite pair is a sporty but feminine style from Reef, available at BC Surf and Sport.
#5. Yoga pants. I always have grand intentions of keeping up with my workout routine when I’m on vacation. It never actually pans out, but I still end up wearing my ultra-comfy Lucy yoga pants non-stop (bonus: they’re great for long airplane rides!).
#6. Sunglasses. I have a problem with losing sunglasses, so I never invest TOO much in a great pair of shades. Luckily for me, Nordstrom Rack in downtown Seattle has a great selection of marked down designer shades. I recently scored a pair of Diors for under $80.
#7. Floaty dresses. Comfy-yet-elegant chiffon maxi dresses make the best bathing suit cover-ups; they transition perfectly from poolside to a restaurant. I always stock up at Forever 21.
#8. Facial Mist. The perfect thing to cool your skin after a day in the sun? The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Energizing Facial Spritz. I always buy a bottle at Sea-Tac–after I’m through security–and use it to keep my skin hydrated on the plane.
#9. Make-up remover towelettes. Boots No. 7 (available at Target) makes the best cleanser/make-up remover/moisturizer/toner towelettes on the planet! I carry them everywhere (especially to destinations with questionable water).
#10. Sarong. Finally, wearing a sarong makes me feel so luxurious…like I’m truly on holiday, without a care in the world. I love versatility, and thanks to the magic of the Internet, I know at least 3 ways to tie a sarong.
Happy travels!
