Fabulously Cheeky

Halloween is coming, and even though it is another 5 weeks until it is actually here, Walmart has already filled the isles with scary outfits.
I know, because yesterday, my daughter and I went shopping. From where I live, the nearest Walmart is 55 miles away, and my daughter didn’t really want to come, but she had to, since I didn’t want her to stay home alone all day.
Anyway, as soon as we got to Walmart, the Halloween section was like a magnet. We spent hours, and hours there, looking at everything, and my daughter insisted on trying everything, too, even though it was packaged and probably wasn’t supposed to be tried in the shop.
Buying a Halloween outfit for myself was the last thing on my mind, but since I ended up spending 5 hours in that section, I couldn’t help but look at grown up outfits while I was there.
There were some really cool gothic outfits with belt buckles everywhere, scary platform boots and nasty looking eye makeup. If I had scary platform boots, I would definitely go for that look, but it just doesn’t have the same effect with leather ballerina flats. So forget it!
Then, there was Cleopatra, supposedly the most beautiful woman who ever lived. The dress looked like a white sheet with a hole for a neckline, with a gaudy belt and a very outdated hair style. NOT! I was actually more attracted to the escaped mummy who had made a dress out of all the rags and put toilet paper in her hair. At least it was creative. But, a toilet papered mummy isn’t really an expression of me…
Then there was little red riding hood in a mini skirt – very silly – and witches with big pointy hats. Really – those pointy hats definitely has an outdated look as well. Magical witches should be able to be more creative than that. And angels – great if you are an angelic type – and devils – the other side of the coin…
The worst one was a cupcake!!! Who in their right mind would want to dress up as a cupcake? Unless, of course, you were planning to have someone eat you… I say no more.
The one I settled on was a gothic vampire – scary, I know, but there was something appealing about that outfit. Except for the dum red collar that was choking me. So, the red collar had to go. Then, I ended up in the Halloween accessory section, and there I found a gothic choker, that choked me less, and looked way better than that red foam collar that made me look like I just came from the vet’s office, and I also found a beautifully modern witchy hat decorated with black feathers and a veil with spiders. Oh, yes! I finally found my true self – a gothic vampire witch!!! (It is all about creating your own style, isn’t it?)
Next, we went and bought scary makeup – blackish nail polish, scary red lipstick and black and red eye makeup.
My daughter also ended up in a scary black dress with spider webs, so we are going to be quite a couple.
If I don’t scare away my husband, I’ll try to get him to take a picture of us when the time comes. Until then, I’d love to hear what outfits you all end up with…

Tags: Halloween

I just came across this little video on MSN about a new trend that is happening – less makeup and more curves! Yeah! It is time to bring out our inner goddesses, and it is even affecting the fashion world! Check it out – this is really cool!

Tags: curves, inner goddess

It’s the season to be slim and perfect – unfortunately, slim and perfect doesn’t come with the seasons, so if you are not slim and perfect, you just need to know how to disguise what isn’t ideal and enhance what is. This is an article I came across today on MSN about finding the perfect swim suit for all kinds of different figures. Check it out:
Swim Suits

Tags: swim suits

There are many quests in life, besides the quest for truth, there is also the quest for the perfect mascara that doesn’t smudge or flake, and the perfect bra that doesn’t poke or pinch you.

Recently, I was really battling with my bras. I have just hit menopause, and am starting to develop more curves. No, I’m not fat, I’m just turning into a goddess with curves. Have you ever seen a goddess pictured without curves? I sure haven’t. So, there you go – if you want to free your inner goddess, you have to have curves.

Anyway, the new curves and my old bras just weren’t a good match. Those nasty poky-wires started poking into my sides, making red, painful bruises. So, I decided to change the wires so that they could accomodate a more curvy figure, by pulling on the wires so they would get wider. The problem was, that as soon as I widened the wires, it completely ruined the shape of my bra. The cups became sort of flat, and the breasts starting sticking out over the tops like muffins. (Not a very flattering look, I know).

So, I finally went to the store and tried on a bra with the same size band, but a bigger cup size. Oh, my, what a relief!!! A comfortable and flattering bra that wasn’t trying to squish my boobs together in the middle! So, that is the solution – as you get curvier, just increase you cup size and you won’t have to fight with your bra!

Tags: bra size

You may wonder if it really matters if you know what your clothing style is. It matters for one reason – it is an expression of who you are as an individual, and this expression affects your relationships in many ways. For example, if you dress in a style that is not essentially a reflection of you, you won’t attract people on the same wavelength, people who can actually understand or appreciate who you really are.

I heard a story about Marilyn Monroe which makes sense to me. Because she dressed in a very sensual and alluring way, she attracted tons of men who simply couldn’t resist her beauty and sexiness. However, this wasn’t really an expression of who she was. By heart, she was supposedly deeply romantic and vulnerable, and she needed a man who could honor this quality in her and love and protect her. Instead, she attracted men who were only interested in sex. They didn’t have a clue what she really needed because she projected a totally different “self” to the world. The result was great confusion and unhappiness.

I also heard another story about two girlfriends who were invited to the same party, one was an alluring type, the other was a romantic. The alluring type convinced the romantic friend to wear one of her sexy dresses, and the whole evening, she attracted men that came on way too strong, and that actually scared her.

Or, imagine a dramatic type dressing as a romantic. She’ll attract some sweet, oldfashioned knightly type who will be shocked into his boots when her dramatic side shows itself. This isn’t at all what he bargained for, and he might even resent her for being so dramatic.

In all relationships, there are huge amounts of non-verbal communication between people. When you see someone for the first time, it is not just the way he looks or talks that matters. We basically pick up clues from everything, like the way he dresses, whether his clothes are clean, how big his muscles are, how he smells, if he has any odd habits or ticks, what the energy of his eyes are like, and so on. So if you want anyone to get an impression of who you are as an individual, you must find your own clothing style and dress in a way that reflects the real you. Once you do, you’ll attract a lot more likeminded people into your life. So, forget about fashion. You are better off finding your own unique style.
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Tags: Clothing Style, Create Your Own Clothing Style, Fashion

I have always found the issue of clothing style difficult. You may know what your horizontal and vertical figure is, and what color category you belong to, but the kind of clothing you wear also have to have a certain style. Why? Because your individual style is a direct expression of who you are as a person.

I used to think that I am a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and that style is whatever you like to wear. But that is not so. For example, I love long flowing skirts and flouncy fairy tops. Very romantic. I can argue until the cows come home how romantic I am at heart, and how I love to be in love, but this kind of clothing is doomed to be worn once or twice, and then it gets stuffed into the deepest part of my closet, and stays there for an indefinite time. The truth is, I am dramatic in every way. How else could I pick a name like “fabulously cheeky” for my blog? So forget romantic – it makes me look like I dressed up for halloween.

Not only do these kinds of clothes look dum on me, but my husband keeps saying “Those things look awful on you, they just aren’t you!”
Or, like my little boy said, once someone gave me a beautiful flowing dress with little flowers on it – “You look like an old hag, mom!” Nothing can be more clear than when a child speaks!!! Thank you for that insight!

Again, the question was why? Why does my daughter look absolutely lovely and fairy like in flowery dresses, when I look like a hag? Obviously, we have different styles, but what is style, and how do I figure out what my style is?

Again, I found a super simple way to penetrate this incredibly essential mystery that every woman needs an answer to – and the answer will be revealed in one very simple question: If you were invited to a great big semi formal party this weekend with lots of people that you don’t know, what would you wear?

Would you wear a beautiful buttoned up silk blouse and a long, simple velvet skirt? Would your makeup consist of mascara and lipstick and nothing else? If so, you are a casual type. Simple, no frills, girl next door look. Just wants a normal guy who works for a living.

Would you wear a beautiful flowing dress with lace and flowers and a choker around your neck? Would your makeup be soft and delicate pinks and peaches in your lipstick and blush, with soft colored eyeshadow and long dark lashes? Would your hair be soft and wavy, or have long curly tendrils hanging down? If so, you are a romantic type. Think soft, feminine, innocent and vulnerable. In need of a man who can sweep you off your feet and take care of her.

Or, would you wear something sensual or alluring? A soft sensual cashmere dress that shows off your every curve? A beautiful velvet dress with long splits up the sides and cowl neckline that shows off too much cleavage (and wear no underwear)? Would your hair be wild and tousled, like you just woke up? Would you wear 5 coats of mascara, and glossy, tempting lips? Would you wear a Marilyn Monroe dress and spiked heels? If so, you are a sensual type. Think sexy, soft, sensual, cleavage and curves, dangerous to men…

Or would you wear a black mini dress, a furry vest from a second hand store, combat boots and striped leggings, spiked asymmetric hair and purple and green eye shadow? If so, you are an innovative type. Think second hand stores, eclectic mixes, asymmetric, untraditional. Needs an open minded guy with no fixed ideas.

Or, would you wear a black, one of a kind pant suit with 5 eye catching necklaces around your neck, 3″ long ear rings, and dramatic makeup. Or perhaps, a long straight dress with high splits up the sides and big, bold blocks of color, paired with long black pants and bare feet? And perhaps some boa feathers around your neck, and very dramatic eye makeup? If so, you are a dramatic type! Think simple, clean lines, bold colors, no frills! Needs someone in her life who can appreciate some drama!

Or, how about a classic pantsuit with a simple strand of beads over a simple silk blouse. Your hair is pulled back, your makeup is simple, but elegant. Your clothes are expensive, but timeless. Very proper. You are a classic type. Needs a guy with good taste and lots of money.

Now, which one is you? Honestly? Once you know, you can start going through your closets again!
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Tags: Clothing Style, Create Your Own Clothing Style, Fashion

I remember having a teacher who was probably less than 40 at the time, but he used to wear the kind of baggy, shapeless pants with suspenders that my grandfather wore, who was almost twice his age. It made him look dated and old, even though he probably wasn’t very old at all. His choice of pants actually made it hard to even determine what his age was.

It is too easy to get stuck in some kind of time warp. You found a dress that you loved 30 years ago, and you just can’t bear to throw it out. Well, guess what; even if it still fits you, it won’t look as smart now as it did then. In 30 years, things have changed, both personally and in the world of fashion. What worked 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago, looks dated and frumpy now.

So, if you have anything in your closet that is more than 10 years old, get rid of it! I don’t care what it is (unless it is really a timeless classic) – every decade a girl needs a complete makeover!

Over time, we change in so many ways. That midriff that used to look so cute, may be better off behind some flattering clothing now. That super short skirt should perhaps be replaced with one that is a little longer now. Or, you may realize that the deep plunge neckline you used to love, actually doesn’t look quite as flattering any more. Or, perhaps you are a bit curvier now, and need clothing that flatters your new curves. Every decade (or even more often), all of these issues have to be re-evaluated with great honesty. Get a second opinion from an honest girl friend if you can, and if you are courageous enough to really hear the truth, ask your own daughter! Then throw away everything that doesn’t work, and write a list of what you need now.

Knowing your horizontal and verical body type is really helpful. Now you know what lengths your skirts, pants and tops have to be, and which part of your outfit that has to be a dark color or a lighter color. You also know which parts that has to be fitted and which parts should be loose.

Knowing all of this makes it much easier to pick something that flatters your body type, and is still in fashion. This way, you don’t have to be a “fashion slave,” wearing clothing that doesn’t flatter you just because it is “in.” No, we have to know what will enhance our best features, and then look for that, and disregard everything else. That way, you can use fashion to your advantage by creating a clothing style that is uniquely yours, but still fashionably up to date.

Tomorrow, I will talk about a completely new system I have developed that makes it easy to determine what are your best colors to wear. Forget about “Seasons” and “Sunset Colors” – my system is better because it is easy to use, and it works!
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Tags: Body Type, Clothing Style, Create Your Own Clothing Style, Fashion, makeover, What are my best colors to wear

When you want to create your own clothing style, not only do you need to consider what your body type is, but also how long your neck is. The most unflattering, and also the most popular neckline, is the crew neck. I simply can’t understand why so many t-shirts in the stores have crew necks when crew necks add weight to your neck. Nobody wants a hefty neck! Crew necks are just simply frumpy! (We could easily make a frumpy list: crew necks, knee length skirts with flats, baggy t-shirts with tights and tapered pants that are baggy around the hips – I shudder just thinking about it!!!)

Anyway, lets talk about what actually does flatter your neck.

Flattering necklines for long necks:
If your neck is long, you can wear turtle necks as long as the neck on the sweater is at least as long as your neck. If it only comes half way up, like a mock turtle, you are in danger of looking like a turtle. (Sorry, I’ll stop joking). In addition, you look great with a ballet neck, boat neck, cowl neck, wide v-neck, off shoulder necks, and anything that creates some kind of horizontal lines (except crew necks!!!). This will visually shorten a long neck and widen the shoulders to create more harmonious proportions. If someone with a long neck happens to love v-necks, it should be a rounded v (not a sharp v), and you need to break up the neck lengthening effect with lots of necklaces or scarves around your neck. You can also get away with super long ear rings!

Flattering necklines for short necks:
This type of neck needs visual lengthening, so the most flattering necklines are deep v-necks and deep scoops. In addition, you need to accessorize with long necklaces, nothing too close to the neck. If you also have narrow shoulders, you might try deep and wide v-necks instead. Tiny ear rings looks best. Don’t use any scarfs around the neck. If you like scarfs, pick long scarfs that hang down loose, or put a triangular scarf around your shoulders. This will widen the shoulders and still lengthen the neck. Long dusters worn open are also a good option.
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Tags: Body Type, Clothing Style, Create Your Own Clothing Style, How Do I Determine My Body Type

Hopefully, you have figured out what your vertical body type is, so you know if you are long legged, short waisted, or perfectly balanced. If you haven’t, you might want to CLICK HERE.

Determining horizontal body type is easy. Measure around the bust, waist (around the narrowest part) and hips (around the widest part).

If your bust and waist measurements are bigger than your hips, your shape is like an apple.
If your hip measurement is bigger than your bust, your shape is like a pear.
If your bust, waist and hips are fairly equal, your shape is like a rectangle.
If your bust is almost the same size as your hips, and your waist is 7-10″ smaller, give or take a few inches, your shape is like an hourglass.

Dressing an apple
Promise me to NEVER, EVER wear a big, loose, boxy t-shirt over tights or skinny pants!!! For some very strange reason, women with this type of figure love this combination, but unfortunately, tights and a loose, baggy t-shirt looks way too boxy and actually accentuates your proportions in the wrong way. I know it is tempting, because this type of figure often has skinny legs, but skinny legs and a heavy top can easily look top heavy. So forget leggings and skinny pants. What you need to do is to add fullness to the hips while minimizing the bust.
The best way to do this is by using dark colored tops in crisp, somewhat fitted fabrics. NO BAGGY T-SHIRTS! Also, stay away from short sleeves, which add weight to your bust. Long or 3/4 sleeves are more flattering.
Pants should be light colored (since light colors will add fullness), with straight or wide legs (NO TAPERED LEGS). This will make your body look more proportionate.

Dressing a pear:
When dressing a pear, we want to minimize the hips, and add fullness to the bust. For some odd reason, women with this kind of body shape love wearing pants that are baggy around the hips and tapered on the bottom. TERRIBLE! I call these “frumpy mommy pants!” This will only make your hips look bigger and more disproportionate! What you need is nicely fitted pants with straight or wide legs in a dark color. Dark colored pants are a must for this type of figure. If you love jeans, get the darkest color you can find, and make sure they fit snugly around the hips.
To add fullness to the bust, think bright or light colors, patterns, horizontal stripes at the top (not at the hips), shoulder pads and short sleeves. The goal is to try to even out the proportions so that the hips and shoulders look more equal.

Dressing a rectangle:
Here, the main purpose is to divert attention away from the waist line. The easiest way to do this is use the same color on top as on the bottom, preferably a dark color. Avoid belts or pockets in this area. Use long scarfs that create strong vertical lines. Try tops with princess seams or baby doll styles that don’t cling.

Dressing an hourglass:
The more extreme the hourglass shape is, the more tailored and fitted the clothing has to be. Baggy clothing doesn’t fit this type of figure at all. If your waist line is tiny, you can wear narrow belts to show it off. If your proportions are balanced, you can even get away with tights and skinny pants if you wish. This type of body can get away with wearing a bit more extreme fashions than the other types.
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Tags: Body Type, Clothing Style, Create Your Own Clothing Style, How Do I Determine My Body Type