Celebrity Beauty, Style and Fashion Tips for You

We can all agree that times are tough right now. Your dollar doesn’t go as far as it used it, and a new Fall fashion season just around the corner. It's always tempting to overextend yourself and spend more than you should on a few new outfits, but if your budget doesn't allow for it, then you need to make some adjustments. There are some really simple things that you can do to help make those adjustments and stretch your dollar, so here are some really simple tips to help you look and feel great without breaking the bank.

Closet Audit

A new season is the perfect time to audit your closet. You will always find pieces you still love and a few pieces that you just don’t wear anymore.  An audit is a great way to really see what you've got, and to see if there are any holes in your wardrobe that need filling. This will help make shopping for new clothes easier, and prevent against impulse buying something you don't need or already have.  It takes a little time and effort, but will pay dividends later on as you start dressing for the Fall season.

Back to Basics

It is important to go back to basics now. I bought a trench coat a few of months ago and have already gotten so much use out it. Trench coats aren’t particularly flashy, but they are a necessary part of the Fall wardrobe simply because you are going to need it at some point. I consider the trench coat a ‘basic’ wardrobe necessity, and have come to appreciate the beauty in its simplicity.  It has become the most versatile piece that I own. I can wear it over just about everything, and it just gives my outfit that extra something. It also keeps me warm, covers me up it keeps the wind out the rain out. It's practical, it's versatile and it makes my outfits look a little more polished and pulled together. So those key pieces in your wardrobe really become staple pieces, so if you don't own them, maybe borrowing one or doing a swap with your friends. Whatever it is, just make sure you've got some of those key pieces in your closet. It has made a huge difference for me, and I think it will for you too.

Accessories

The next tip to not spending too much money is the use of accessories. I always think of accessories as that little extra something to make your outfit come together. They're the final piece of the fashion puzzle that really does elevate some of the most basic clothes that you own. They're also a really cost effective way to add a modern look to some of those pieces that you may have owned for years. Those trending pieces are always going to elevate your style whether it's a bold headband or a beautiful lightweight scarf just wrapped around your neck or your shoulders or your purse. Whether it's a new watch or sunglasses or just a snappy piece of statement jewelry, these are pieces that you probable already have in your closet. So don’t go out and spend if you don’t have to, use what you have in new and fun ways.

 Monochrome Outfits

Keeping it simple and one of the easiest things you can do to wear monochrome outfits. Not only do these top to toe, same color outfits, always look chic and stylish, but they're really easy to pull together and create simple, elegant outfits. It's a really simple way to look stylish and if you just want to add a little bit of extra flair or just a little extra something to your outfits, use texture to do that, especially if you're wearing top to toe to break up an outfit and just add a little bit more personality.

Sale Alerts

Not all stores offer this but more and more are offering this so if you have identified key pieces that you would like to add to your lineup, put them on your wish list, set them up as a sale notification so that you will be notified when that piece is reduced. Now obviously this isn't always foolproof because you do run the risk of missing out on some of your favorite pieces. But it does mean that you won't pay full price and you will always get the best price possible for a piece that you really need. Sometimes it's avoidable with a new season that there are new pieces that you really need as opposed to want in your wardrobe. Try  looking at some of the online outlet stores like Saks off 5th or Nordstrom Rack. Now these pieces may have been hot for last season last fall and they've been in storage and they're being brought out and that's why they're on outlet stores or outlet sales. But a lot of these pieces will still work for this season, especially if they're a piece that you need. So think about shopping online but online at outlet stores now just a word of warning with choice outlet stores is make sure that you go into it with a plan. Don't just go scanning the site. The temptation to impulse buy is real, so go in with a plan and you can save yourself a lot of money.

Thrift Shop with a Plan

When thrift shopping, it is always wise to have a plan. I find thrift shops incredibly overwhelming there are generally so many options and often some of my favorite thrift stores are not very well stocked. So you do have to go looking through racks and racks of clothing. If you have a plan of a few pieces that you're particularly looking for when you're thrift shopping. This definitely helps. But I have seen some of favorite thrift shops are well picked over lately, so some of those gems you are looking for are getting harder to find. I had some success finding a few lately, but it isn’t easy. So set some time aside and go in with a plan to increase the the chances of finding what you're looking for.

Imitate Others

Copy someone else’s style. People wear clothes to attract the attention of others, so why not flatter them with imitation? Whether you have been inspired by someone that you've seen on Pinterest or on Instagram, or someone at work or at a restaurant, steal her style. Finding inspiration in others is perfectly acceptable and can be quite time efficient as well. If you love what someone is wearing, look at that outfit closely and take mental notes. Maybe you create a Pinterest board and look at some styles you love. I am sure you will have similar pieces maybe not exactly the same but similar pieces in your own wardrobe that you can use that image as a way of inspiring some different outfit combinations from within your own wardrobe. So find someone and steal their style!

Sell / Swap Your Stuff

I do this regularly with my girlfriends, and it is a great way to purge and/or to sell the pieces that you're no longer wearing. I regularly use the money from reselling to update my new season wardrobe. It's also great because it means that you are constantly churning or turning over your wardrobe by removing the pieces that you aren’t going to wear anymore. Plus, but selling them sooner rather than later, you avoid them getting worn out or fall out of fashion and no market for them. And you're investing in your wardrobe by adding to it.  So have a look in your wardrobe when you're doing that wardrobe edit I mentioned earlier. Have a little look for some pieces that you know you will not wear, and then list them list them on eBay on Facebook marketplace, the Real Real or wherever you like to list secondhand recycled clothes. It's a great way to find extra cash so that you can splurge on some new pieces. It takes time, be patient and diligent and it will pay off. And I'm sure you've heard about it before, but think about a clothing swap whether it's with friends, family or coworkers. It's a fun way to socialize and if you swap one piece of clothing for another, it is worth it. There's nothing wrong with most of the clothing in your friends’ closets, and what's old to someone else is new to you. Plus I love the idea of recycling clothes and giving them a whole new life. The clothes swap thing is not as hard as you think, you just need to organize and execute. I do this with a couple of my friends, and sometimes we only swap one or two pieces, but it is a fun way to get together.

 

Repurpose the Clothes you Have

Repurposing the clothes that you already own is hard, but worth spending some extra energy on. What I mean by that is just wearing them in different more creative ways. And it's as simple as wearing a button down shirt tied at the waist with your favorite pair of jeans one day, and  under your favorite sweater the next. It's about looking at those pieces and being inspired to wear them differently. I find Tik Tok to be a great resource for these kinds of ideas. There are hundreds if not thousands of videos dedicated to this notion. They inspire me to wear some of the pieces that I already own, just differently. Instagram is another good source for styling hacks and different ways to where simple pieces but it is about just getting a little bit creative. And if you're not a creative type of person, find someone creative to help out.

Okay, there you have it. Some great, fun ways to stretch your fashion dollar and be ready for the Fall season. Happy Shopping!

 

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

The leaves are changing color and the weather is cooling down – it's officially fall! As we prepare for the upcoming season, what can we expect from fall fashion? Well, according to the experts, there are a few trends that will be big this year. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the most popular fall fashion trends for 2022. Stay tuned – you're going to want to update your wardrobe before the cold weather hits!

One of the biggest trends we can expect to see this fall is bold colors. After a year of wearing mostly neutral tones, it seems that people are ready to add a pop of color back into their lives. From vibrant reds to electric blues, don't be afraid to experiment with different hues this season. And if you're not ready to go all-out with a colorful outfit, you can always add a statement piece, like a brightly-colored scarf or handbag, to your look.

Another fall fashion trend that is predicted to be big this year is vintage-inspired pieces. With the '20s making a comeback in recent years, it's no surprise that we're seeing a resurgence of '70s and '80s fashion as well. This means that we can expect to see lots of retro-inspired clothing, like high-waisted jeans, flowy dresses, and statement jackets. So if you've been holding onto your mom's old clothes (or raiding your local thrift store), now is the time to break them out!

Of course, no fall fashion roundup would be complete without mentioning the ever-popular animal print. Leopard print, in particular, is predicted to be huge this season. So whether you want to go all-out with a leopard-print dress or just add a touch of the trend with some accessories, make sure to incorporate this into your fall wardrobe.

Baggy Jeans are another trend we see as evolving in 2022. They're stylish, comfortable, and don't seems to be going away. Whether its regular pant leg bottom or wide-bottom, you may want to have a pair in your closet so you don't feel left out.

And there you have it – some of the most popular fall fashion trends for 2022. So start planning your outfits now and get ready to rock the latest trends this season!

Photo by Joanna Nix-Walkup on Unsplash

The so-called “bikini season” has arrived, and we have two words for you: Calm down.

It’s easy to get into a panic, we know. Every woman knows. Try on a bathing suit in front of a three-way department store mirror and it’s all you can do to keep yourself from running out shrieking. The new, hugely unflattering compact fluorescent lighting that is everywhere these days certainly doesn’t help. Meanwhile, every fashion magazine, billboard and store catalog features images of women with beyond perfect bodies.

So, if you want to keep yourself from freaking out about bathing suit season, you’ll need a varied toolbox, from the practical to the inspirational. Here are our five don’t-panic tips to dressing for the pool or beach.

1. Find a self tanner you love, and use it regularly. Self tanners aren’t just about the “glow,” but giving you smooth, even color that instantly makes your legs, arms and belly look sleeker. That’s why it’s a universally flattering beauty booster for any skin tone. Erica Kelly, a dermatologist in Galveston, Texas, self tans twice a week, using a lotion on her legs, arms and torso and a spray on her back. Then she sprays a tiny bit of product on a makeup sponge and applies it to her face.

2. Choose a bathing suit that covers and reveals the body parts you want. Think beyond the two-piece suits you see paired on the racks at department stores and customize your bathing suit to work for you. Love your legs, but not so much your middle? Try a tankini, like this polka-dotted halter from Ann Taylor and this shrunken low-rider bottom from J. Crew. Want to flaunt your cleavage but draw attention away from your hips? Pair a bold and brightly colored top with a boy short or skirt. And if you’d rather check out these options in the privacy of your own bedroom, do your swimsuit shopping from a website that has a liberal return policy, like Lands' End.

3. Take some advice from Tyra Banks. Yes, she’s beautiful, but uniquely so, with a big forehead, as she likes to point out, and a tendency to carry weight in her thighs (as a tabloid pointed out when it published photos of her with -- gasp! -- actual cellulite). “Girls of all kinds can be beautiful,” says Banks, “from the thin, plus-sized, short, very tall, ebony to porcelain-skinned; the quirky, clumsy, shy, outgoing and all in between. It’s not easy, though, because many people still put beauty into a confining, narrow box … think outside of the box … pledge that you will look in the mirror and find the unique beauty in you.”

4. Listen to Lupita Nyong’o and refuse to give in to what she called “the seduction of inadequacy.” Before she won her Oscar, became a red-carpet sensation and was named People Magazine’s “Most Beautiful Person,” she felt, like the rest of us have from time to time, “unbeautiful.” Teased about her “night-shaded” skin, she’d wake up every morning praying the mirror would show that she’d gotten paler overnight. It took a while, she says, but she realized that “beauty was not a thing that I could acquire or consume; it was something that I just had to be … what is fundamentally beautiful is compassion -- for yourself and for those around you. That kind of beauty enflames the heart and enchants the soul.”

5. Accessorize brilliantly. Don a gorgeous coral colored straw hat with an oversized brim (also a great way to shield your skin and hair from damaging UV rays). Forget neutrals and rock nail lacquers in hues that evoke sunflowers or Gerber daisies. Swipe on some peach-colored lip balm. And, finally, make sure you’re wearing a smile as dazzling as the sun. As Serena Williams says, “My smile is my favorite part of my body. I think a smile can make your whole body.”

Photo by Aiony Haust on Unsplash

Did you know that orange is a universally flattering color? No really, I swear. First, consider your options: melon, coral, tangerine, terracotta, apricot, blood orange, burnt orange, neon and more. There are so many hues to go around, you’ll definitely be able to find one that’s right for you. Not to mention, orange is the hottest lip color for spring and summer (sorry, radiant orchid), so you might as well give the color a chance.

Orange lipstick may sound like another sensational trend (we’re looking at you, blue eye shadow) better suited for catwalk models than your average gal, but the color is much more wearable than it sounds. Don’t believe me? These made-in-heaven orange lipstick matches might just change your mind:

Blue Eyes: Orange makes blue pop like no other color. Going for a true orange (one that is equal parts red and blue) is a flawless match, but really any orange that complements your skin tone will work. For cooler undertones, try pastels, red-oranges and corals. Warmer undertones will look amazing in oranges with yellow, copper and golden hues.

 

Olive Skin: I’m pretty sure terracotta was invented for olive skin tones, but you can’t go wrong with a coral or any other orange that you’d pair with green (think cooler, blue-based oranges). This all also applies to Green/Hazel Eyes.

 

Yellow Undertones: Remember learning in elementary school that red plus yellow equals orange? If your skin has yellow undertones, you can rock the brighter and bolder oranges without overpowering your complexion.

 

Pale Skin: Orange can provide the same pop of color as a red lip, but it’s less harsh on pale skin than its ruby cousin.

 

Bronzed Skin: Bright oranges and bronzer were meant to be. They play on each other’s warmth in ways that even work for cooler skin tones.

 

Dark Skin: Lupita Nyong’o is the red carpet leader in all things orange lipstick. She has rocked blood orange, mandarin, sheer tangerine, coral and the list goes on. Fact: The darker your skin, the larger your selection of flattering bright and bold colors. Orange is no exception. For example, while sheer, lighter oranges tend to flatter all, rocking the bolder and deeper orange hues in sheer colors will be no challenge with darker skin.

 

Redheads: Pick an orange, any orange. You have the hair-given right to wear oranges like nobody else. Since your coloring is already working with the orange you’ve got, you can go for fun contrasting oranges or choose a similar shade for (get this) a more natural look.

 

So basically, if you’re a blue-eyed redhead with dark-as-night skin, you’ve won the orange lipstick lottery. But I’m not joking when I say anyone can pull off orange lips. However, going absolutely orange (such as neon or tangerine) may not be your style. No biggie. You can still rock spring and summer’s hottest lip trend by going for hues that aren’t all about the orange. Coral and blood orange shades, for example, can be found with a more balanced orange-to-pink or -red ratio respectively. And if you want to go orange but not scream it from the rooftops, try out a pastel or start with a gloss.

Still doubting the orange? So did I -- at first. My gateway orange was a red lipstick with a burnt-orange hue. Since then I’ve moved onto a medium coral and bright tangerine. So before you knock it, try it. And now is the time, as orange options are popping up in cosmetic aisles (and online stores) everywhere.