Fashion Friday, a little overdue.

Just a little round up of assorted outfits from the last little while, I apologize for the difference in quality, iPhones don't compare to Canon apparently ;)

Get Inspired

Sorry for my lack of posting; my sister was in town for ten days and just left today (sniff sniff..) tomorrow will be back to normal!

These days, with the likes of pinterest, fashion blogging, instagram, you name it, it's never been a better time to share your outfits with people who appreciate it, and take little snippets from outfits you like to make them your own. Personally, I love it. 90% of the bookmarked blogs and websites are fashion related sites (big shock, I know).

For the days your closet hates you.

 

Bucket List

My birthday is on Sunday (EEEEE!!), and I have been thinking a lot about getting older, wiser, saggier, you know, all the perks that come with it. And I thought to myself, I have so many “dreams” that I say “before I become an adult, I want to do this..” Well, girl, you’re a homeowner, haven’t lived at home with mom and dad since you were 18, and every month you pay bills for various lovely companies. Wake up! You are an “adult”. It happened when you weren't even looking. I consider being an adult when I've finally come full circle, when I’m caring for someone other than me, be it to a dog baby, or a real baby. So, as I continued thinking about what life will bring me as I grow older, I thought of what my “adulthood bucket list” would look like; meaning, what do I want to accomplish before I can no longer be completely selfish, and before my life is no longer 100% about me? And, I decided since my birthday was coming pretty quickly, why not make a “Before I am 25 Bucket List” I give myself until 25, because by then I’ll be ANCIENT. (JOKING! no hate mail please! ;) )

The War on Gluten.

Slight (okay, huge) departure from what I normally blog about, but this is an issue to me I've become pretty passionate about, because it is one heck of a lifestyle change. One that I can't say i'm overly thrilled about.. Neither is my wallet, for that matter.

For years, literally, years, I was always nauseous.  Or would have a weird headache, or stomach cramps, all for no reason. I couldn't understand it: I ate very healthy - most of the time -, I drank lots of water and didn't drink soda or sugary drinks.. WHY was I constantly feeling this way!? Obviously, it was pretty inconvenient, because feeling sick most of the time is just ridiculous, and gets in the way of a lot! Not to mention, can make one very grumpy.

Dresses for Every Shape

Who doesn't love dressing up? Okay rhetorical question, I understand not every lady is like me, and gets much too excited at the task of dressing up. Especially if you have troubles finding the silhouette to best flatter and fit. Luckily, there are a few "basic" silhouettes that are quite universally flattering, which I will show you today. First, let me define some of them for you:

A-Line: Having a tighter top, and flared bottom. Literally makes an "A" . Suitable for almost every shape

Sheath/Shift: A straight cut dress that doesn't hug the body or cinch in at the waist.

Empire Waist: One of the most common used silhouettes in fashion, why? Because it is fabulous. So flattering, and so diverse. The waistline falls far above a woman's natural waist, usually just under or a few inches below the bust, and the bottom is generally flowy and not fitted. This shapes works very well with Apple figured girls, as it hits where your waist naturally occurs.

Wrap: A great, versatile piece of clothing to have in your wardrobe. It is a v-neck dress designed with a slim-fitting top and a looser skirt, often with extra material across the bust and stomach, giving it the "wrap" look. This silhouette is universally slimming, as is creates an illusion of a more nipped in waist.



a. Shift: Best shapes for this silhouette: Straight and Apple figures. To create the illusion of a more cinched in waist with this style, just add a belt!

b. Wrap: best for hourglasses and full busted ladies. The wrap enhances your natural waist, while showing off your curves without showing too much. To ensure the most comfort, look for wrap styles with adjustable waists for the best fit.

c. A-line. Best for straight, hourglass, pear, full busted. The a-line is quite a multi-tasker, for straighter girls, the cinched in waist creates the illusion of more curves, but for the girls with more natural curve to go around, it helps to hide the fullness of hips.

d. One Shoulder. Best for straight shapes, as the added drama ensures a more dramatic silhouette.

e. Strapless: Quite flattering for all, but best for Pear shapes, as the open neckline enhances your upper body, and draws the eyes up.

Now, for some of my personal "do's & don'ts" when it comes to the dress, and dressing up in general.

Do:

• Wear something that is comfortable, that you can dance in, and allows you to eat in. Stretch is always your friend. Always.


• Wear a color that is flattering to your skin tone. Warmer skin tones look best in "warm" shades, think reds, oranges, deep burgundies or purples, greens and jewel tones  Neutral skin tones, well, you can pull it all off. Cooler skin tones look best in pinks, purples, and blues.


• The sit test, and the "raise the roof" test. This summer, I found the most amazing shift dress, ever. But as soon as I put my hands over my head, it raised right up to my belly button. Needless to say, it didn't come home with me. Dependent on the event you're going to, make sure that the dress you pick enables movement, and does not require you to stand the entire evening for risk of showing off too much when you sit.


• Above all else, wear something that makes you feel like a princess/starlet/beautiful. 

Don't:

• Wear a dress that is too short. If you put your hands down at your sides, and your dress falls well above where your fingers fall, it is too short. Try to bend over. If you are unable to do so without showing your underthings, it is tooo short. If you are unsure on whether or not it is a dress, or fancy shirt, it is TOO short. Sometimes opaque tights can blend the lines of just right/too short, but in the hotter months when you do not have that luxury, don't risk it.


• This is not the time to pull out your best glamour goddess of jewellery impression. Yes, it might be a fancier occasion than your day-to-day wear, so by all means wear the glitzier items in your repertoire, but the rule of 3 still applies.


• If you are wanting to create the illusion of a long, lean Gisele body, don't wear items that will hinder that. Ankle straps (my arch nemesis, thank you cankles), will cut your leg off at the ankles, so if your hemline is a bit longer, it will create the illusion of stumpier legs. Also, if you decide to wear a dress that has a dramatic neckline/embellishment, wearing your hair down will distract from it, and add too much in a way you don't want.


• Visible bra straps. DON'T. The only person that can - barely - pull that off is Carrie Bradshaw, and she is fictional.

And to end it off, my most favorite quote on this subject, summing it up perfectly :  "A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to prove you're a lady." - Edith Head

 

xo,

B

My life, as told through my purse.

In 40 30 15 years, when my back and shoulder problems have caught up to me, I will be able to pin-point the major reason I am lopsided and semi-hunchbacked: my love of big purses. I do not have "little" purses, except for the Coach purse I bought for my birthday last year (happy birthday to me, from me), and the only reason it is small, is because that's what I could afford. Otherwise, I love big purses. I carry my life around, and by the end of the day, my poor shoulders are not my biggest fans. One day I will learn, but today is not that day. So, what is inside my bag of tricks? Well, let's see!

All Shapes & Sizes.. Part 1

I am woman, hear me roar! Sorry, couldn't help myself. But ladies, we are not all made the same, are we? One pair of jeans can look amazing on my leggy sister, and my hips practically laugh at me when I attempt to put them on, all while being about 3 inches too long. And on the flip side, I love me some high-waisted skirts to flaunt my shape, but they don't do a whole lot for her. But! We are the same "size". Funny how that works hey? And by funny, I mean the most annoying thing ever. I am a true "hourglass", I have a teeny waist I love to highlight, but my hips have not been little since I was 13, and my boobs are the first thing to balloon when I gain weight. But, I know my shape like the back of my hand, and I have no problem dressing for it. I know what works, what doesn't, and what seriously does.not.work. The problem is, I don't know every shape like the back of my hand, so this is something I have literally stressed about, and put lots of hours into "understanding" (it is a work in progress). Just because it works for me, doesn't mean it will work for you. And vice versa. So, this will be a multi-series post, to go over casual, business, dressy, and everything in between to master your shape, and master the art of dressing for it.