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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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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.

[A-6]

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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]

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The Virtues of Stylish Workout Gear

February 7, 2010

woman_working_out

If working out on a regular basis is one of your New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone.  Every January, gym memberships peek as people come off of their holiday highs hoping to drop a few lbs before swimsuit season hits again.  Making the resolution is easy, following through on it is the challenge.

Crazy as this may sound, I always feel better about dragging myself out of bed to walk to the gym on dark cold mornings if I know that, while I may be a tad bit out of shape, my workout clothes are slammin’!  (For the record, James, my instructor at Physique 57, said I was his best-dressed student, what he was too nice to say is that I’m probably the least coordinated!  But I digress).  Working out in old t-shirts and ratty sweats doesn’t do it for me.  Some might argue that it doesn’t matter what you workout in just as long as you workout.  Agreed.  All I’m saying is that it’s much easier to get myself to the gym if I’m in workout gear that makes me feel good.

Workout clothes don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg – although I have seen some pretty FAB gear that I’ve just had to walk away from before I convinced myself that I would be able to run longer and faster on the treadmill if I wore it.  Now, I can be a little cheap when it comes to work out clothes; this is an area where I’m definitely looking for a bargain.  Truth be told, I’ve purchased my fair share of workout clothes from Equinox because in my haste to get there, I left a vital piece at home (um, shorts for example).  So, to balance those pricey purchases, I shop for workout gear at my favorite discount stores - Marshall’s, TJ Maxx and Target. Black is slimming, or so they say, so much of my workout wardrobe consists of black items with pops of color here and there. This also makes it very easy to get dressed while I’m half asleep because just about everything goes together so I don’t have to put thought into looking good, I just have to get to the gym.  And if I fall off the wagon, I don’t feel badly about having wasted money on expensive workout clothes . . .

Now, if none of this is your cup of tea, our friends on the other side of the pond conducted a study found shopping to be healthy exercise – we burn 5 calories for every minute of shopping (who knew?!?!).  So, rather than go to the gym, grab your purse and your best shopping bud and head to the nearest mall to burn off those extra lbs!

[image from WellSphere]

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My Stylish Valentine . . .

January 31, 2010

JHill Design, Mary Green Sleep Mask, Bona Drag, Baked by Melissa, Memoire Liquid

Let LOVE rule this Valentine’s Day and celebrate your loved ones, or yourself, with something a little different from the norm this year.  It’s always wonderful to receive flowers and chocolates, but here are some Valentine’s Day gift ideas to knock the socks off of your beloved (or to treat yourself with!):

For the JetSetter – A customized print, or a set of beautifully designed notecards, from JHill Design’s Places I’ve Never Been series is sure to be a hit for the jetsetter in your life or anyone with a wanderlust for travel.  Places I’ve Never Been is a collection of drawings by graphic designer Jennifer Hill of JHill Design.  The fanciful patterns are inspired by her imaginary vacations to far off places.  Cost:  $18 – $100.

For Sleeping Beauty – Waking up in a room full of sunshine is a wonderful thing if you are: (1) not hung over; (2) fully awake or (3) on vacation in paradise and not hung over. Glaring bright light, just like a baby’s cries waking you up in the morning, can set your nerves on edge.  Mary Green’s sleep masks to the rescue.  I am partial to The Breakfast at Tiffany’s eye mask, Audrey Hepburn’s eye mask just makes me smile. But, if you’re looking for something with a little less flash she’s got you covered (literally and figuratively).  Cost:  $13 – $35.

For the Girl Who Has Everything –These studded ballet flats are  great to kick around the house in, perfect to wear through TSA and on long flights; she has everything – trust me, she’ll figure out how to make the most of these funky little ballet slippers from Bona Drag.  Cost:  $48.

For The Girl Who Loves Sweets –Mini-cupcakes from Baked by Melissa.  Mmmm … mmm… good!  Shower her with bite-sized bits of love.  They’re the size of a quarter and the flavors are scrumptious – mint chocolate chip, cinnamon, red velvet, tie-dye, chocolate cookie dough, peanut butter cup, peanut butter & jelly, s’mores and cookies & cream – her sweet tooth will be satisfied. Stop by either her SoHo or Union Square locales. Minimum purchase is 3.  Cost: 3 for $3, 6 for $5.25 and 12 for $10 and so on.

For the Girl Obsessed with Fragrance –Is your sweetheart so unique that she deserves her own fragrance custom blended for her and only her?  If so, Memoire Liquide is the answer.  The specialists at the Memoire Liquide Boutique, located at Henri Bendel’s in New York, Bloomingdale’s at 59th Street in New York and Studio at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, will create a fragrance, lotion or bath oil based on her favorite notes creating a scent that focuses on who she is and what she’s all about.  Cost:  $30.

[images courtesy of JHill Designs, Mary Green, Bona Drag, Cupcakes Take the Cake, Memoire Liquide & JHill Design]

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