Staples in Your Closet

The subject of what should be in your closet came up again today. When I say staples, I mean something that makes you feel really pulled together, something that allows you to look amazing in less than 5 minutes and something that won't look dated next season. There are a couple of staples that every woman would benefit from having regardless of her shape or style. Great jeans and the perfect black pants.

I wrote a blog last year about Miracle Jeans. I love these jeans...they fit about 85% of the women who try them on. That is a miracle in itself. I won't go on and on about these. You can read my older blog to find out more.

The perfect black pants are what I really want to talk about. I love the idea of drawing attention to the face after the initial perusal of an outfit. If the pants are too dramatic then they draw the eye down below the waist. That's not usually where we want someone's focus to be. So, I found these pants that are smooth, flattering and look terribly expensive. There are a variety of styles, 3 fabrics and 3 lengths. So, really, no matter what your shape or lifestyle, you can find a pair of these pants to work. Even though they look expensive they are wash and dry. Plus, they are wrinkle resistant. If you are a busy working woman, a mom or a traveler you won't find a better option.

Check them out at http://www.krazylarrypants.com/

Garanimals for Adults

I'm one of those people that gets inspiration at the weirdest times. I was making my bed, after washing my sheets, and I really hate making my bed. But, I do love my sheets. I did this really eclectic thing and mixed and matched a variety of yummy sheets, blankets and pillow cases. It all works really well. So, I got a moment of pure pride that I am able to do something like buy random sheets and make it look like luxury. Which led me to think about Garanimals.

All of a sudden, my head shot up and I got that "aha" glow in my eyes. I obviously had to be hit over the head with it a million times before it really sunk in. I mean, I've had scads of clients tell me that I should do Garanimals for adults. Duh, I just wasn't listening.

How cool would it be to offer Garanimals for women...I mean, think about the possibilities. I have a fabulous pair of grey Krazy Larry pants, I put a cute Scala tank with them in hot pink and the cool black and white topper that just came in. Throw in a recycled bag, a Silk and Stone long sterling silver chain with a black Swarovski crystal and cool black wedges. No thought...you are stylin' and out the door. Imagine the tags on these things have cute little matching flowers. I group them on my website under the flowers name and anything in that group works together. Garanimals for adults!! That all ran through my head in about 20 seconds.

I quit making my bed...I hate doing it anyway, and raced upstairs to check and see if the domain name garanimalsforadults.com was available. It was!! Of course, I buy it. What else would I do. I own a website for every flash of inspiration.

Then a thought occurs to me. Is Garanimals still in business? Should I check on the trademark and see what's shakin'. I reluctantly google Garanimals and lo and behold there they are. They're still around and their trademark is still intact.

So, the Garanimals for Adults was a short lived dream. I'm thinking of calling it a clothing bouquet anyway!!

The beauty of Earth Day

Tomorrow is Earth Day and I've seen notices for all kinds of events for planting trees and recycling. All fabulous endeavors and helpful to our environment. But, we don't often think of beauty in terms of what it does to the environment.

Go ahead and take a look at all of the beauty products that you use. The chemicals in your products would be overwhelming if you listed them all together. Now, don't get me wrong. I have no intention of telling you to go au natural. I love my beauty products. And, over the course of the last year I have found a way to have the best of both worlds.

We all know that the chemicals in our products are probably bad for our health but how could they possibly be affecting the environment? Think about what you wash down the drain each and every day. When you shower...do you use soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash or body scrub? You had to have answered yes to a couple of those at least. The chemicals in your products are being washed into our water supply.

Once you have exited the shower you may continue your beauty routine. Do you use any aerosol products on your hair? These have a negative impact on the environment in terms of air quality. Do you use anything that has packaging that isn't biodegradeable? This all goes into a landfill.

There are some simple steps that you can do to change your beauty routine to be more environmentally friendly. Use products in the shower that are all natural and contain no harsh chemicals. It's good for the environment and your health too!! Use hair products that come in mister bottles versus aerosol cans. And finally, any time that you are able to buy something without extraneous packaging or recycle the packaging...it is good!

Happy Earth Day!!

anatomyofstyle.com: Fit Matters

anatomyofstyle.com: Fit Matters

Fit Matters

I had a fabulous conversation this morning with Cricket Lee. She is a pioneer in the field of sizing. If you are scratching your head and asking what the field of sizing is don't think you've missed something. When I say pioneer....I mean pioneer. The likes of The Wall Street Journal (click the link to see a short video featuring Cricket...be patient, it takes a minute to load), the Today Show (Cricket will be a guest again next week) and countless others have had her talk about her revolutionary sizing system.

So here is the deal about sizing. Can you say that you are always a specific size? Or, can you wear everything from a small to a large depending on the cut? The answer is typically that you can wear a range of sizes depending on the designer, cut or type of fabric. But, what if you could buy clothing based on a uniform sizing system that wasn't just about the size, but it was also by the fit. Like, are you a triangle, hourglass or oval. You would never have to try clothing on again because you would know what size you really were.

Well, Cricket is the woman who has taken this on as her mission. She has a system that doesn't just standardize the way that clothing is sized, but actually starts at the manufacturer. The designer and manufacturer make their designs and patterns to incorporate the various shapes of women. As consumers we will look for clothing that has the Fitlogic symbol attached. We will buy the exact same size every time. I don't know anyone who doesn't think that it would be nice to buy pants that fit in the waist and the hips! Today pants...tomorrow jackets.

It is up to us, the real women, to support the people who have gone to battle in the world of fashion for us. We deserve to be able to buy clothes that are fabulous, affordable and fit well. It is time for us to stand up and say that we believe we are worthy of beautiful clothes made for the real woman's body. Thank you, Cricket, for being our champion!

Please comment to this blog if you believe we are moving in the right direction. And, if you want a great fitting pant visit the Fitlogic website to see where to buy them.

Mommy Jeans

This is a departure from what I normally write, but I would like to discuss "mommy jeans." I've seen a lot of them around lately and am wondering what's going on with these jeans. Just so we are clear, let me define "mommy jeans." These jeans are higher waisted (not a bad thing) and have a tapered leg (not usually a good thing). The combination of the high waist and tapered leg is what makes them "mommy jeans."

The combination is also what makes women look an awful lot like an ice cream cone. Even very thin women have trouble pulling off this style of jean. It just isn't a flattering shape for any body. But, the good news is that there are alternatives! Good alternatives.

I know that for a lot of years it has been difficult to find a jean that you felt covered your bottom when you had to bend even a fraction of an inch. I think that is a very big reason that women have hung on to their dated "mommy jeans." I can completely sympathize. No one wants to feel that exposed when they are running errands, running after kids or simply getting into their cars. The good news, overall, is that waist lines are going up and they are generally not combined with a tapered leg.

When buying a new jean to update your look...go for a boot cut or even wider if you want a really modern look. It is okay for your jeans to come to your belly button or just slightly below. As a matter of fact, they are fairly easy to find now. Eddie Bauer has a great, casual jean that is perfect for daily wear (and its got some stretch to it). Another option is the Coldwater Creek Natural Waist logo cropped jeans. They offer a nice fit at a reasonable price and a wide range of sizes.

I don't want anyone to feel bad if they are still wearing their "mommy jeans." Our goal is to let you know that there are jeans out there that offer a modest fit and will make you look a whole size smaller. Not only will you appear smaller, but you will also look younger with an updated jean. I don't know many women who aren't interested in looking thinner and younger. Happy shopping, ladies!

A little chamelion

I went to an appointment today with a practitioner I see on a regular basis. When she walked out of her office I didn't recognize her. I think the first thing out of my mouth was, "Oh my God! You are gorgeous!" She had completely changed her hair....that's it.

I oood and awed over her hair and had her turn and touched it. I just loved the way it made her look sassy and sexy. She usually has lovely, curly hair that, those of us with straight hair envy, totally reflects her personality. But, this new hair made a different light shine through. It didn't take too long for her to share the secret.

It was a wig. A really good wig! She had found this store and played with various styles one day. She discovered that she liked the way she could change her persona with something as simple as wearing a wig. I have to say....it was working for her. So, the question is, is wearing a wig changing who you are to the point that you are being deceptive?

I personally think that it is just like clothes. Some days you feel different than others. There are days for power suits and days for jogging suits. Doesn't it really depend on who we are in that moment? Fundamentally, I think we always have the same style. If you are a classic you will still be a classic whether you are wearing your version of sexy or your version of work attire. But a wig helps you to express who you are in that moment. That's how this friend was feeling. She was expressing a more joyous side of who she is.

Think about the possibilities that open up with the wigs that are available today. When I got married I wanted my hair to be in a high up do. Well, I just didn't have enough hair to make that happen. I was going to be in Los Angeles on business and what better place to find hair than the city of angels. I visited His&Her hair on Wilshire Blvd. I think that is when I became a hair junky. But on the day that I got married my hair was piled high on top of my head with flowers braided into it. I felt, appropriately, just like a princess.

Next time you are feeling like you want a little change in your life, don't discount what a change of hair can do for you.