shoesandfashion

To be honest, I never though the day would come where it was anything less than inappropriate and weird to wear mix patterns . There have always been people who did it, but they were made fun of in high school and politely ignored in college.

Now though, to my utmost surprise, wearing more than one print is not only appropriate, it’s trendy.

So, for those of us who have avoided this kind of thing all of our lives, how do we do it? Simple. You mix different colors , patterns and fabrics. I personally think it makes wearers look a bit homeless, but that’s my opinion - and it doesn’t look nearly as bad as I expected.

Like in the picture above, consider wearing plaid or animal print with stripes, floral prints with stripes, polka dots or animal prints, and any of fall’s random patterns with animal prints or floral prints, as well.

Though it may take some time to get used to the pattern-mixing, once you do you may find some patterns  you like and some truly unique looks you never would have found otherwise.

I’ve always loved the look of baggy, flowing pants - called “harem pants” or “pirate pants” depending on where you get them. They are dressy enough to wear with for an evening out, but they’re comfortable enough for all-day. They stretch, so they make the right places look good AND you can probably get them in a smaller size than you normally wear - a great boost to the self-esteem.

The current style has them in many colors - black, purple, brown, white - and they’re even more baggy, with a kind of grunge look going on. They also have them cutting off at the ankle. To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about that. They look more piratey/haremy like this. They also remind me more of an Aladdin/Jasmine-style pants. Which, I suppose is appropriate given that they’re Harem pants, but I’d hesitate before purchasing them.

If you do go out in these, wear only one piece of jewelry. Something big would be perfect. 

I have a friend who can put on anything and look amazing in it. At least, that’s what the rest of us think. She puts things together that most people would never dream of wearing at all - and definitely not at the same time. Her mother used to say, “I would just go into the store and pick out the ugliest things I could find, because I knew she would love them.” But it works for her.

At least it did. A few weeks ago, things in her life escalated to an ultimate low. As a result, the way she sees herself has made her wear clothes that weren’t working for her. They were the same clothes, but she was feeling so bad about herself and about life that it was reflected in everything from the way she carried herself to the way she wore her clothes. Then, something happened, and my friend is now back to dressing in her usual style.

The only thing that changed is her confidence. She realized that the things that were going on weren’t her fault. She’s back to wearing clothes that maker her happy and make other people envy her.

The great part? The most expensive shirt she currently owns was on sale for only $10. Her favorite she purchased for $0.25.

Clothes are just clothes and you can wear whatever you want and still look amazing. Confidence, though is something that is irreplaceable. You can be wearing a million-dollar dress but not look as good as someone in a $15 hand-me-down skirt if you’re not confident in yourself.

In an attempt to be savvy, both on our pocket books and the environment, the ugliest concept shoes I’ve ever seen were recently designed by Natalie Cosette Thorne. And I’m not even joking.

Right now, they’re only black and gray, though later they plan to have more color options. The thing about the heels though, is they come with “adjustable” pieces that you can add to the shoe to make them uniquely yours. You can make the heel higher or shorter as you see fit, add straps or take straps away or make different kind of straps. The idea s that people won’t be able to tell it’s the same pair of shoes, and they can be worn for different occassions . Yeah, right.

The pieces are held together with strong magnets and a hinge.

Now, even though I don’t like them, there are some good things about them:

1. In a time when the economy isn’t the greatest, these will allow women to buy fewer pairs of shoes . (Assuming they’re purchased at all.)
2. One woman told me she thought they looked comfortable.

In any case, it should be interesting to see what happens with these. What do you guys think of them?

When you wake up in the morning and you have dark circles under your eyes, the quickest and best way to hide them effectively is to cover them with a light shimmery eye shadow. Something that is white, cream or a light beige and has a little bit of shimmer or sparkle will fill in the area and disguise the dark area. I think it’s a trick of the light, because your eye - and other’s eyes - will glide right over the area.

Also, if you have puffy under-eyes, you can get a spoon a little wet and stick it in the freezer. Then, in a few  minutes or before you begin your makeup routine, you can rest it on your eyes and the cold will make the puffiness dissipate a little bit. If you want, you can also try the shimmer eye-shadow trick.
Top it all off with mascara, and you have eyes that look like you got a great night’s sleep and always look marvelous.

A couple of months ago, a friend who has recently lost a lot of weight (about forty pounds), told me she’s discovered a love for vests. She loves the way they cinch her waist and press her “girls” up and out. At the time, vests were only just beginning to pop up.

For fall, though, vests will be a fashion staple for both men and women. And they’re in all different styles and colors, so it should be easy to find one for any figure.

My one warning for the women is to be careful. They emphasize the smallest part of your waist, so if you are really small right below your chest, and then go out a lot, they will emphasize the area right below your chest and then make your stomach look larger. Either way, there should be some styles that look good on you. You just need to find them.

I’ve never been a big fan of flip flops because I think they’re ugly and I think they’re uncomfortable. I hate the feeling of that little thong digging into the skin between my toes. I’d much rather wear something… anything else. Typically, I trade them in for cute flats or heels because I feel similarly about tennis shoes.

However, there are some new sandals, fit flops, that resemble flip flops really closely with one distinct difference and advantage. The cool part is that as you walk, they help tone your legs because they’re made of an uber absorbent material that makes it like walking barefoot when you step. This causes your muscles to work harder, thereby toning your legs. It’s a pretty nifty little trick. I haven’t used them myself, but I’m pretty sure I’m willing to sacrifice my sandal standards for legs that are more fit. It’s simple and easy and you don’t need consciously think about it, I’ve been told. For me, and others like me who don’t like to run, this could be a really good alternative (though not as healthy).

These awesome sandals are available at Victoria’s Secret, Macy’s, Bath and Body Works and probably some other, independent stores. However, they are close to $50 or more, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.

This year, floral prints are more than just a spring and summer thing. Instead, they are also a necessity for fall. However, the fall style is slightly different. Like in the dress pictured above, the prints use fewer colors, usually no more than two or three, and they are bigger and more spread out than in summer prints. Dresses and will also be decorated with other prints, including animal prints, plaid prints, patchwork prints and other prints reminiscent of the 70’s. Lace will also be a common accessory.

Skirts will be pleated, though. Personally, I hate pleated skirts. They just never seem to fit right.