Which Ones Would You Choose?

Rochas $1,100

Everything has a price but that doesn't mean you have to pay it. With knock-off everywhere, you can find your style at every price point.  Let's take a look at shoes.

Shoes can make and break you! Do you remember the scene in Sex and the City where Carrie looks into her closet and discovers she has spent a down payment for a condo on shoes?  I've been there!  

The last thing you need to worry about when trying to create your personal Brand is bankrupting yourself buying a new wardrobe.  Take a look at these "inspired by" options. Seems you really can Have it All! 

Louis Vuitton $1,000

This shoe was a huge hit for LV spring.  Top Shop made sure that even those of us with modest budget can covet them too.

  

Top Shop $116

How do you feel about this?  Is it fair to the designers?  They say," Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", and as one who has been "Flattered" a few times I think it depends.

 I once had a little raincoat I made for the movie "Dick", copied right down to the lining.  The  coat cost me about $45 to  make  but the "Famous Designer" was charging $850. For the exact same coat.

                    That, my friend is a rip off.

Let's say I doubled my wholesale price when I sold it =$80. Then the retail store doubled the price when they sold it =$160. Let's triple the price to give the retailer wiggle room to mark it down = $240.
Need I say more?

I think, if you can create a similar look using different materials and sell it for less, go for it.  But if you copy a look, use the exact same materials, and sell it for more than the origional..... that's stealing from your customers!

             

Colored Tights

SJP in aqua tights/neutral dress

Yay for colored tights! They are everywhere, in every color, and are a super way to transistion into spring. In many places it's still too cold to wear dresses, but whip on a pair of tights and you are good to go! Even in the warmer months a pair of tights can be a life-saver should a gust of wind come your way.

tights with shorts

The best advice for how to wear them? If your dress is bright choose  more muted color tights. If your dress is neutral or black...bring on the brights!

April Showers

Cheap and Chic

If you've read my blog before, you know I'm a huge fan of color! Adding color is the single best way you can modernize your look and help people resond positivly to your 'brand'

If you don't want to re-do your entire wardrobe, how about adding a colorful raincoat? These three are just a taste of what's out there at every price point. So try one out and watch people smile at you when you pass them on the street!

Expensive

Crazy Expensive

Are You Shorts Savvy?

Touring

Now that Spring is here, Los Angeles is beginning to see our annual flood of shorts-waring-tourists.  It's weird to be going along in your regular work day to suddenly be confronted by someone in cut-offs and a tube-top in the middle of Beverly Hills.  This is a city, not your back-yard!  Anyhow, I love shorts as much as the next person so I thought I'd give some dos and dont's on wearing them :-)

                                                                     

Resort

 - Do think 'outfit' just as you would

with a skirt or trousers. Consider your shoes, bag, and jewelry

- Do not bare all.  If you are in a city (or anywhere that's not the beach)           keep your top half covered.

- Do check yourself out from behind.  Make sure everything is where it should be and looking good. Bend over and squat down checking to be sure you aren't showing more than you think!

City

- Do pick the slimmest part of your thigh for the length of your shorts.  This will make your legs appear longer and leaner.

- Do think about walking shorts as an option in the city. You will look chic and pulled together....and do the rest of us a huge favor!

- Do consider using leg make-up to smooth out your skin tone and desguise any 'dimpeling' on your  thighs

I Hope these tips keep you looking cool and chic this summer!

Dress Code

I love dresses. When it comes to work wear there is no easier way to inject color  print, and massive personality into your wardrobe. You'll also strip up to 30 minutes off your getting ready time! And there's a silhouette to suit every shape, taste, and budget.  Is maxi length right for the office? Make it so by teaming with a statement belt, a chic pair of boots and polished hair and make-up.

Spring Tone-Up

As warmer weather is just around the corner and sleeveless tops and dresses will soon make their seasonal retur, a frequent  complaint among women  is that chubby skin that rests between your arm pit and your chest.  While body fat and genetics could be the culprit, changing your diet alone won’t always solve this issue.  If you’ve noticed women with implants have very little of this extra tissue.  That’s because increasing the size of your chest by adding muscle or implants (in their case), can fill out that skin.  Doing chest exercises paired with back exercises can help fill out that problem area.

Changing your diet alone won’t always solve this issue.  If you’ve noticed women with implants have very little of this extra tissue.  That’s because increasing the size of your chest by adding muscle or implants (in their case), can fill out that skin.  Doing chest exercises paired with back exercises can help fill out that problem area.

Here are a few excercises suggested by Adria Ali that will help!

PUSH UPS

Flies

Dumbbell Row

Lat Pull Down

Although you can’t spot reduce, you can add muscle to fill out extra skin.  Keep up on these exercises especially over the summer months and you will see the improvement in no time!

Death By Shoes

The phrase might not be "The higher the heel, the closer to God," but it may as well be. Super-high platforms, stilettos, and wedges may give you a boost, height-wise, but anyone who's worn them knows that one misstep, and you can end up with a twisted ankle — or worse. Allegedly, a 25-year-old teacher in Japan died after falling from a 5-inch platform sandal and fracturing her skull, and another Japanese woman died in a car crash when her stiletto-clad foot couldn't get to the brake in time. Yikes.