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Skinny Jeans v. Jeggings, Part 2

April 11, 2010

Thank you soooo much for all of your comments on last week’s post, Skinny Jeans vs. Jeggings!  Usually, I try to respond to all of the comments and emails I receive, but there were so many that I thought another post was merited.  In general, folks have not bought into the skinny silhouette craze of the moment.  Some of you were concerned that you might be too large or too thin to pull off this look.  Others believe it’s just a fad and why fix what ain’t broke. All valid points and concerns.

So, who are skinny jeans and jeggings for?  Honestly, they’re for whoever decides they want to wear them.  One reader said that she initially thought this was one of those trends that was going to have to pass her by because she’s plus-sized.  She got up the courage, bought a pair, wore them out and people started asking her if she’d lost weight.  Like I said last week, it’s all about the illusion.  Skinny jeans and jeggings have lyra or spandex in them (which like good shapewear) will suck you in in all of the right places.  Another reader wanted to know if skinny jeans might make her already thin frame look thinner.  The answer is: Yes, they probably will.  So, if you’re not interested in looking any smaller than you already are, the skinny silhouette may not be right for you. [Just a side note here, as hard as it may be to believe, regardless of size and shape each and everyone of us - myself included - has body image issues. That's a whole 'nother posting, but I just wanted to put that out there.]

And then there was the group who wanted to know what exactly to wear with this new skinny silhouette.  My response?  Although the silhouette has changed, what you wear with skinny jeans or jeggings is really the same as what you’d wear with your bootcut jeans.  A long wrap cardigan, a cool tank or t-shirt, tunics and funky sweaters with a pair of ballet flats or a cool pair of heels, a piece of interesting jewelry and a  a to die for handbag or clutch and you’re good to go.

For my bootcut girls, keep rockin’ em!  If you like ‘em, I love ‘em!  For those of you on the fence, try on a pair of skinny jeans or jeggings and see what you think.  Who knows, you might fall in love all over again.

From left to right: Splendid wrap cardigan, $59.99; James Perse t-shirt, $50; Cj Joy Jegging -$110; Kimono sleeve sweater, $39; L.A.M.B. Bootie, $169.46 ; NYD’s Boot Cut Jeans- $98; Crystal & Metal Spikes Pendant, $124.95; Kooba Studded Satchel, $645; Embroidered Tunic, $9.95; Kenneth Cole REACTION Ballet Flat, $60; Rebecca Minkoff Clutch, $330 ; Not Your Daughter’s Jeans Straight Leg – $88.

[A-13]

Posted in Fashion Tips, Shopping Tips, Style Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

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The In-Between Time: Winter to Spring Transitions

April 8, 2010

It’s been 80 degrees in New York this week – 80 degrees like in the middle of July , hot & sticky.  Unbelievable, right? Then I learned that it was above 90 degrees in D.C. on Wednesday (actually, it hit 91 degrees in New York on Wednesday – no wonder it was so hot & sticky!).  If we’re hitting these highs in April, who knows what’s going to happen when Summer really hits.  But, as with all good things, the heat wave ends today and we’re back to normal Spring weather which if anything is consistently fickle (cool and rainy one day, sunshine and warm the next).  I call this weird time of year The In-Between Time.  I hated this time of year when I was practicing because it was so hard to know what to wear to work – it was cool when I left home in the am, hot in the middle of the day at lunchtime and the evenings were always a toss-up!  I was invited by Corporette, a blog for overachieving chicks, to be a Guest Blogger and write about successfully navigating The In-Between Time earlier this week.  So, if you’re looking for some tips to help you bridge the gap between your Winter and Spring wardrobes, check out my article and let me know what you think.

Interestingly, the next day I received an email from the folks at Lawshucks (you get it right? Law Shucks is a play on “Aw Shucks” – the long version of the tagline is “A self-deprecating look at life in, and after, BigLaw”- a play on “shucking” through the layers and getting at the core of biglaw) telling me that my article on Corporette inspired them to learn a bit more about me a la Google.  Their research resulted in a lovely profile.

Thanks Corporette and Lawshucks!

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Skinny Jeans vs. Jeggings

April 4, 2010

After a recent couples trip to Las Vegas, my sister called to tell me that she’d bought her first pair of skinny jeans.  I know, shopping in Vegas?  But what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas  . . . Anyway, so glad she moved from  boot cut to skinny! But, what about these jeggings you keep hearing about?  What’s the difference?  Is there one?  I must admit, I love my skinny jeans but now I’m smitten by the jeggings craze.

Skinny jeans are just that, skinny.  They’re totally in right now, skinny is the silhouette of the moment.  Jeggings just take skinny to the next level.  Jeggings are simply jeans + leggings.  What I love about jeggings is that you get all the comfort of leggings, but none of the casualness that plagues leggings.  Jeggings may seem like the province of the young and rail thin, but think again.  If you’re not a toothpick and you often do all sorts of maneuvers to get your jeans up over your thighs (if you’ve ever had to do a squat to get a pair of jeans on you fall into this camp), believe it or not jeggings may be for you.  Why? Because jegging fabric is much more forgiving than the denim used to make skinny jeans (jeggings have 5 -7% lyrca/spandex compared to 1-3% in skinny jeans).  And, believe it or not, the Denim gods are smiling on those of us with butts, hips and thighs – jeggings actually have a higher waist which can help to give a more flattering slimming effect.  (Hint: They suck you in in all the right places).

Ready to give jeggings a try?  Check out Cookie Johnson’s new line. Yes,  Cookie Johnson, Magic Johnson’s wife.  She started her denim line, Cj, because she couldn’t find a pair of jeans with a perfect fit (i.e., no calestentics required and properly covers her B,H & Ts).  What’s cool about Cj’s is that the back of the waistband is lined with silk, no more rough material rubbing against your backside, the back comes up higher than most designer jeans but the front are still low-rise and the back pockets are smaller than the size of your fist which helps to minimize the derriere.  And the best thing?  They range in size from 2 – 18.  Oprah swears that they’re the best jeans for real women with curves. Cj Joy Jegging -$110.

Not into jeggings, but ready to go skinny minny?  Cj has a skinny pair for you, Cj Faith jeans – $112 (pictured below left), and so does Not Your Daughter’s Jeans. NYD Jeans come with a special Lift Tuck technology that they swear will make you a full size smaller.  Hey, I’m all about illusions! Not Your Daughter’s Jeans Straight Leg – $88 (pictured below right).

And if this skinny nonsense is offending your sensabilities and you’re a true boot cut girl, here are a few pair of classic boot cut jeans that will look good on just about everyone.  Cj’s Grace Boot Cut Jean – $112, NYD’s Boot Cut Jeans- $98 and Paige Premium Denim’s Laurel Canyon Jean -$179.

The most important thing to remember when buying a pair of jeans is that the darker the denim, the slimmer you will look.  Just a little tip from me to you.  But, I LOVE crisp white jeans in the Summertime!  I also love to hear from you, please take a moment to tell me which brand of denim is your favorite and why.

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Posted in Fashion Tips, Shopping Tips, Style Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

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Fashion Trends for Spring 2010

March 28, 2010

Spring Is In The Air

Spring is literally around the corner.  One of the hardest things about the anticipation of Spring is finding the right thing to wear while Mother Nature tries to make up her mind.  But even worse is Spring finally arriving and having nothing to wear.

To insure that you’re not left out in the cold when the warm weather finally arrives (and stays!), here’s a list of what’s HOT for Spring Fashion 2010.  The list is by no means exhaustive, but with the addition of just one or two of these items you can re-vive your Spring wardrobe without breaking the bank.

  • Wedges – A must have for this Spring.  Plain and simple.
  • Nude/Natural Colored Heels – This Spring is all about subtle footwear. Upside? Nude/Natural colored heels will give the illusion of lengthening your legs.
  • Nautical – Simplicity at it’s finest.  Crisp white shorts and jeans will help you pull off this trend.
  • Ikat Prints – These come in a variety of color pallets.  Go for the bolder patterns as accent pieces and the more subdued for the office.
  • Safari – Easy to pull off with simple khaki safari inspired dresses and blouses to anything with beading, studs or wood.
  • Sequins! – The shinnier, the shimmier, the better!
  • Clogs, clogs and more clogs – High, low or stacked-heels, they’re not just for the Swedish this season.
  • Floral Prints – Chanel your inner girly-girl with pretty floral patterns in everything from dresses and blouses to ballet flats.
  • Bright Colors – Bring a little sunshine into your wardrobe this Spring with bright yellows, hot pinks and fiery oranges.
  • Statement Jewelry – Statement jewelry rarely goes out of style.  If you haven’t found your go-to item yet, make it a priority to do so this Spring.
  • The Color Grey – Grey is the new black.  Lighten up this season with the color grey.  It’s just a chic as black, but not nearly as harsh.

Get ready to say goodbye to Winter and hello to Spring!  Spring will be here before you know it  . . . You’re gonna be sad if you’re not ready.

Posted in Fashion Tips, Style Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

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The Price of Happiness

March 21, 2010

How much is too much to spend on a handbag? A pair of shoes? A dress?  A suit?  . . . We all have different thresholds based on our own incomes, lifestyles and paradigms. That said, regardless of your income-bracket, it’s sometimes difficult to justify spending what seems like an ungodly amount of money on a pair of shoes(my ungodly amount might be different from yours and yours might be different from your best friend’s, but you get my point here).  However, all of us engage in a little Retail Therapy from time-to-time.  Feeling a little down, frustrated because you have to work the weekend yet again, wading your way through a horrible break-up? It happens to all of us.  Before you know it, your fingers just start dancing all over the keyboard as you participate on that conference call and peruse Zappos, Amazonor Bluefly to find your “fix”; you know, that item that once you have  it in your possession will make you feel soooooooo much better!  A little retail therapy never hurt anyone and it’s certainly helped keep the economy afloat, but how many of those purchases have really given you more than a momentary high?

There’s a FAB pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on, but they’re really really expensive.  So, you pass on them and buy 3 other items that you like but don’t love. Duh!?!?!?!  You coulda had the FAB pair of shoes and been really happy.  Your high would come back each time you wear them!  Instead, you’ve got 3 new items that in all likelihood are going to be relegated to the back of the closet or to The Salvation Army once the shine of having something new wanes.

Lesson learned here?  We ultimately end up spending more money not buying that expensive handbag, pair of shoes, or beautiful suit because we buy to fill the void we feel by not having the item we really wanted.  Sounds crazy, right? Maybe so. Pay attention as you clean out your closet this Spring, what are you purging?  Rarely is it those coveted items that you treated yourself to (unless one’s gone beyond its shelf-life), it’s the things you bought instead of that coveted item.

I’m not advocating that you go out and spend a paycheck on a handbag.  Far from it.  My point here is, think about your Rate of Return and spend wisely rather than spending to spend.  There’s always a first time, but to date, I’ve never regretted purchasing something I really really wanted.  Spending the money is always hard for me but each time I pull out my YSL Tribute shoes, for example, they take my breath away. On the other hand, when I purge my closet each season and get rid of those filler items the regret is palpable.

[image courtesy of Chanel]

Posted in Fashion Tips, Shopping Tips, Style Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

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