Working From Home

In my many involvements in women's organizations, charity work and social events I have had the opportunity to meet numerous women who work from home. Let's face it, the home office is a huge reality of the 21st century workforce. The question is what to wear when you are working in a home office.

I haven't met a woman yet who has told me that she gets up in the morning and gets ready just like she was going into a corporate office. She isn't putting on a suit and wearing heels into her home office. Sometimes these same women admit that they are actually wearing sweats a lot of days and look like something that the cat drug in. I can relate.

When Donna and I first moved into our office, we had weeks that we were unpacking, hanging pictures, moving more stuff in daily and moving the office furniture around regularly. We spent those first couple of weeks in sweats or jeans and a t-shirt. I started to notice what it was doing to my performance.

Every day I would come in with a list of things that I absolutely had to accomplish and somewhere around mid day I would realize that I hadn't gotten close to getting it all done. I would find myself slumping in my chair and not really feeling motivated or energized. I was talking to my business coach one day and I told her that I just really didn't feel like the CEO of a company that had accomplished so much in such a short time. She immediately asked me what I was wearing. What?

She said, "You heard me...what are you wearing?" I got quiet...I mean, you don't want to admit that you have on an old pair of jeans and a sweatshirt when you are a trained professional in personal image. I slowly told her what I was wearing. She asked me if that was what I imagined CEO's of successful companies wore. Obviously, the answer is no.

Our office is somewhat like a home away from a home. We are waiting for our space to be built out so our developer put us in a residential loft for the time being. We don't need to wear suits and heels. But, it is appropriate to wear something that makes us feel like we are the position that we are in.

These days you are more likely to find Donna and I in a dressy pair of jeans with a nice shirt and a jacket. When we leave the office during the day, we aren't embarassed if someone asks what we do. As a matter of fact, we want to tell people what we do!

So, if you have gotten into a slump and are wearing your pj's or sweats until noon. Make a point of getting up and putting on something that makes you feel fabulous. See what a difference it makes in your day and let us know. We love to share your stories!!

Designer Head to Toe?

An interesting question that I get asked a lot is where do I shop. People want to know if I have favorite designers or boutiques. Most people assume that I do the majority of my shopping in high end department stores and small specialty stores. This assumption is based on the fact that I spend so much time immersed in the fashion industry.

Well, I'm about to punch a hole in that illusion. I shop everywhere. What I buy is more about the shape and style of the piece than the name on the label. Whatever I buy has to make sense in my overall wardrobe plan and it has to have an attractive cost per wearing.
Yesterday I wore a gold turtleneck from Walmart, a fabulous Vera by Vera Wang jacket from Kohl's and a pair of St. John knit pants. I accessorized with an antique pin that was my grandmothers, earrings from the gold souk in Dubai and Stuart Weizman boots. If there was ever an outfit with diverse price points...this was it. So what made me decide on each of these pieces?

• The turtleneck was around $17.00. I figure that this time of year I will wear it about once a week. It looks great with this little black velour jogging suit, my jeans, my business suits. It is a great top. If I wear it for the entire season (Nov.- March), I will most likely get 12-15 wearings out of this top. That makes it somewhere in the range of $1.40-$1.13 per wearing. I really think that this top will only last one season.
  
• The jacket was approximately $52.00. It is a substantial fabric that will last at least two seasons. Again, it goes with slacks, jeans and is even cute thrown over a dress. I can get away with wearing this jacket at least once a week, maybe even two (it is a neutral navy). It has a little longer season to it because the fabric can transition into Spring. I will be able to wear it all the way through May. Therefore, my cost per wearing looks like this 30 weeks x 1.5 wearings per week (some weeks 1...some weeks 2) = 45 wearings a year, for 2 years = 90 wearings. $52/90 = $.58!! What a bargain.
  
• The pants were St. John knit and I got them on sale for $210. Now, this might sound like a lot, but I just can't find pants that fit well without having them severely altered. They can actually make the alterations on St. John fairly easily because of the simple construction. These are basic black, high quality and will last me for at least five years (I am already into my second year with these pants and they look brand new). I wear them at least twice a week during Fall, Winter and Spring. Therefore, my cost per wearing looks like this 36 weeks x 2 wearings per week = 72 wearings per year, for 5 years = 360. $210/360 = $.58!! Can you believe that they are the same value as the $52 jacket?
  
• My jewelry is always something with some sentiment attached. My grandmother's broach wasn't ever an expensive piece, but it looks great and it makes me think of my beautiful, stylish grandma. The earrings were a gift from my mother. She picked them up on her most exotic trip ever and I like to think of her bargaining with the gold dealers in the souk
  in Dubai.
  
• The Stuart Weizman boots? Expensive!!! I looked for black, wedge boots all over town...on the internet...everywhere! My husband and I saw them in Neiman Marcus one weekend and I think I left a trail of drool as I passed through the shoe department. If they end up being anything like my brown wedge boots, I will literally wear the soles off of them within the year! The cost per wearing? Yet to be determined, but I do feel sassy every time I put them on so it was worth every penny.

Next time you go shopping think of how a piece will look on you and what it will really cost you to wear it. Don't ever shop labels just for the sake of putting someone else's name on your back. Shop to make yourself look your best regardless of price. You will feel like a million bucks, even if you are only wearing $100!!

What's Hot for Spring 2008

You may have noticed that there hasn't been a blog for a couple of days. Donna and I were in Dallas at the apparel market. We have decided to carry clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories ourselves. While department stores have a lot to choose from, they just don't serve the needs of all our members. Therefore, we decided to go right to the source and get what our members want directly. I'll give you a little preview of what we saw.

What we saw was lots of shine, bling, shimmer and comfort. It seems that the shinier and brighter the better for spring. And we don't just mean shiny black or white. No, you are going to be seeing a lot of bright, primary color patent leather bags, shoes and even some clothing. If it is linen this season...odds are that it will have metallic threads running through it. And Swarovski must be working overtime with all the crystals that we saw on things. Even Haviana sandals (the traditional beach flip flop) has gotten in the game with blingy, beach sandals.

Not only are you seeing lots of bling and shine, but things are big. Bags are bigger than ever. You should be able to get everything you usually carry in your purse plus your gym clothes in the new over sized bags! Clothes are still big and roomy. We saw numerous swing jackets in every fabric that you can imagine. Tops had a tendency to be full around the middle and hips. Many of the dresses are that straight 70's look (complete with the bright graphic fabric). Of course, there are always exceptions which is how we can still each have our own personal style. I am happy to report that Donna and I were able to buy things that fit every shape of body and will flatter the woman wearing it.

As far as accessories go, it is still big and blingy. Belts are huge this Spring. This is great news because you can belt some of those larger tops and dresses to show off a tiny waist. The belts are wide and have interesting best buckles. Some of the belts we saw were so wide that they looked like girdles! Fashion jewelry is still a big trend. Acrylic bracelets, dangle earrings and long crystal necklaces seem to be every where. Of course, the key is still understanding how to pull your accessories together with your outfit. But, not to worry, that's what we're here for.

You will begin to see the items that we picked up at market on our website in early March. We can't wait to hear what you think of our picks!

$1 Cosmetics

I recently discovered a brand of make up that sells everything for $1.00. That's not a typo....they really do sell everything for a dollar. Now, I think that you can find some treasures in dollar stores. But, for the most part...it's stuff that no one wanted to buy at regular price. I expected the same to be true for the $1.00 makeup. But, what did I have to lose ($1?) to try it out!!

I ordered $27.00 worth of cosmetics from . That's a lot of makeup when you are only paying $1 for each item. The goal, of course, was to try it so that I could make a recommendation or not. Well, the big box of goodies was delivered to the office yesterday. I came in this morning with a clean face. After saying good morning to the staff, I went in and "put on my face."

When I came out, I asked what they thought. I got.....looks great.....your skin looks fabulous....did you change mascaras....love the lip color!! So, I liked it when I put it on and the staff thought it looked great. Why am I spending more than $27.00 on one tube of mascara?

I can tell you that I liked most of the products, but I loved a couple. The eyelash curler (yes, it was $1.00) is fantastic! It works better than all the others that I have tried. It has a wonderful handle that makes it easier to apply the right pressure. The lip pencil and gloss is the most natural and long lasting that I have tried. The concealer is as good as the one that I spend a large amount of money on. It all had a clean, citrusy smell to it.

So, what is the down side? For the most part, the quantity is small. Maybe that is how they got the Elf brand name. If you are ordering mascara or lip gloss (things that go faster than the rest of your makeup) you will have to order more frequently. That's it!!! Otherwise, I think the product is great.

Whether you are a makeup aficionado or not, this is a great way to try new things. If you only wear makeup on special occasions...what a fabulous way to get a little and not pay an arm and a leg. I encourage everyone to give Elf a whirl!!

How to Look Good Naked

The tides have finally turned. I am so ecstatic to report that there is a style show about the inside first and then the outside. The Lifetime Network and Carson Kressley have hit it out of the ballpark with their new show How to Look Good Naked.

Donna watched the first episode and couldn't say enough wonderful things about it. I just hadn't gotten around to watching it until last night (thank God for TiVo). I watched the first two episodes...absolutely riveted to the set. It's perfect!

Carson takes average women, who are having self esteem issues (who isn't), and proves to them that their body perceptions are off. They have to strip down to their underwear (on national tv...yikes) and then they have to start talking about their bodies. I believe their words, their perceptions are shared by millions of women all over the nation. We all have self doubts. Carson lets them get it all out and then he helps them to see the positive aspects of their bodies. He does this by posting a GIGANTIC picture of them (sans the head to protect their identity) on the side of a building and asking strangers to tell him what they think.

Of course, the women think that the negative comments have been edited out....don't we all think that way. So, in the end, Carson has the women themselves asking strangers how they look naked. It is liberating to see them gain confidence and feel beautiful. Its also interesting to hear people say that they think the average body is beautiful. Hmmmmm....I think maybe we have been brainwashed a little too long.

The best part of this show is that the women get a foundation overhaul, a couple of outfits that fit well, a little makeup and a new hairstyle. That's it!! No months of dieting and unrealistic exercise. No major surgery. No negative comments about how they currently look. It is all good.

Carson, you are absolutely what we have been waiting for. Keep helping women feel fabulous!!! Oh, and by the way, you are fabulous too.

Beauty in a Deeper Sense

I was speaking to a woman this morning who said something so moving that I wanted to share it with you all. This is a woman who I have great admiration for and she is 150% heart. So, when this conversation started it frustrated me for a minute. We were talking about my company, http://www.anatomyofstyle.com/, moving into the retail sector.

I was giving her the low down on what Donna and I expect when we go to market next week. She was telling me about a class that she recently took from another consultant. We got on the conversation of size and why the apparel industry doesn't make attractive clothing for larger women readily available. That's when she started telling me that she used to be smaller.... I don't have to finish that sentence because we have all used it or heard it. That's where I get frustrated.

Why, as women, do we feel the need to tell people that we used to be smaller, are in the process of losing weight, have a medical problem? Whatever the reason....why do we feel that people will respond to us differently if we make them understand that we don't choose to be larger than the average 15 year old in magazines? Like I said, the frustration was momentary. Here comes the really beautiful part.

This woman told me that she gained weight when she was going through chemo. Ouch, I feel like a big jerk. Then she said the most beautiful thing. She said that when she talked about her weight to her husband, his reply was, "you're here, that's all that matters." He understood the blessing that it was to have her to love another day. He understood that her beauty transcends her body. His response to her was simply moving.

I will tell you that I haven't met many women that I think are more beautiful than this woman. Every thought that goes through her head is about how she can help someone else. She has a servant's heart and she is good at helping people to get what they need. I personally think that this earth would lose a little of its beauty without her. I would like to think that we could begin to value spirit beauty over aesthetic beauty and stop feeling like we have to justify our bodies.

Donna and I want to make sure that our company is a balance between celebrating the beauty that doesn't readily show with providing you with resources to make the outside match the inside. As we head off to market for the first time, it is people like this woman that we will think about. Every one, regardless of shape and size, should feel beautiful and never feel like they need to explain why they look a certain way. God Bless every one of the beautiful women on this earth.

Is there such a thing as exercise style?

We talk a lot about style in terms of clothing, hair, makeup and accessories. But, is there such a thing as an exercise style? Is the form of exercise that we choose saying something about who we are? I think that the answer is...Yes, absolutely.

My mother started a line dancing class as a form of exercise. It is a perfect reflection of who she is and her personal style. She is fun, light and a little goofy. The line dancing class is fun, light and (according to her) her dancing is a little goofy.

So, I took a look at the exercise that I have chosen for myself and asked myself if it really reflected who I am. I mean, in truth, I hate exercise! I started to ask if I was setting myself up for failure because what I have chosen to do is a huge undertaking.

I decided that I wanted to train for a triathlon (a half, really). I am running, biking and swimming on a regular basis. When I really start to analyze whether this is something that I can achieve it occurred to me that this is exactly the type of exercise challenge that I need. I have a definite start date and end date. There is a tangible, date driven goal in place so that I can measure my success on a timeline. It is completely in line with my personal style.

Exercise programs that I have tried in the past that haven't worked are not in line with my personal style. Going to a gym, exercise classes, team sports and other exercise endeavors just don't fit my personality. I need a personal, tough challenge that I can tackle with a tangible outcome. I need something that makes me feel strong and in control. I need something that is diverse in what I do.

So, I'm sure that many of you have resolved to get in shape this year. And, I'm sure, many of you...like myself, have failed your resolutions in the past. To be successful this year, really take a look at the plan that you are working and make sure that your personal style is being satisfied with your exercise plan.