Using Accessories To Battle Weight Gain

This past weekend I saw a friend that I have not seen in a long time. She recently gained some unwanted pounds and has not transitioned her clothes to accommodate her new size ( You have to dress the body you currently have and not the one you used to have). She is afraid to go up in size because she thinks she will get too comfortable and never try to lose the weight. Many women develop this mentality when they gain weight.

There are a myriad of things you can do to camouflage weight gain if you do not want to buy new clothes. I have one word, Accessorize.

There are three types of Accessories that can make you feel good about yourself as you come up with a plan to trim down:

1) Statement Jewelry

2) Bold Belts
3) Full Hair

Large earrings draw attention to the face

Gold oval hoops, Anthropologie, $128

Drop earrings, Anthropologie, $42

Multi colored earrings, Anthropologie, $38

Chunky Layered Necklaces draw the eye upward and takes the focus off problem areas.

Necklaces, Banana Republic, From Left: $98, $88, $125

Belts-They are a great way to create a waist and camouflage extra pounds around the stomach

Belts, Nordstrom, From Left: $38, $32, $48

Add some extensions to your hair A La Wendy and Tyra. Extensions with volume in some cases can balance out your body.

And to all my beautiful women out there. Please, please remember you are doing yourselves a dis-service by wearing clothes that no longer fit your body. We can see the creases and the rolls and muffin tops. If you have to go a size or two up, please do. Sometimes, it actually makes you look smaller when you wear clothes that fit you properly.

We'll save this topic for another day.

DESIGNER FASHIONATION OF THE DAY

Designer fall shoes are pouring in and I am officially obsessed with these Jimmy Choo's priced at $1,295.

STYLISH CURVES OF THE DAY

If you think you have real curves and you stylishly dress them, please email your pictures to alissasavonne@yahoo.com. Your picture could be chosen for stylish curves of the day.

SUMMER SALES

RALPH LAUREN END OF SUMMER SALE
UP TO 65% OFF
http://www.ralphlauren.com/

MACY'S
SAVE 50%-75%
http://www.macys.com/

FILENES BASEMENT
ALL DESIGNER JEANS ON SALE
http://www.filenesbasement.com/

ACCENTUATE YOUR FAVORITE BODY PART?

Since it is summertime, we have been bombarded with diets and lose weight quick schemes. You've seen the infomercials, "Take this magic pill and lose weight in a week." Then at the bottom of the screen you see all the side effects you may have to go through just to lose weight in a week. The side affect that makes me laugh the most is the one that says may cause anal leakage. What! So, that means at any given time, I could be doing something and a little liquid is going to moisten my pants. I'll pass on that!

Today, I want everyone to take a break from working yourselves crazy with trying to get into a swimsuit, or a pair of jeans. Just for a minute, let's all just think about what our favorite body parts are and let's show them off this weekend. No matter how big or small we get, as women, we all can agree that there is one body part that we think is our best asset. What's funny is, that body part seems to remain in its best condition whether we gain or lose weight.

Right now, my favorite body part is my hips. They used to be my least favorite, but, now I can really appreciate them and I have been showing them off all summer in pencil skirts and skinny jeans.

Tell me, what's yours?

Check out these celebrities who have famous body parts and love showing them off.

Toccara Jones is known for her ample bosom

Of Course, J.lo is known for having junk in her trunk

Tina, need I say more?

Angela, oh how I wish I had guns like hers

Summer Sales

Lane Bryant

Bloomingdale's

Take 40% off sale items
http://www.bloomingdales.com/

Torrid

50% off clearance items

http://www.torrid.com/

Fashionation Of The Day

Don't be afraid of Plaid. Plaid is your friend. Check out these affordable plaid styles

Buffalo Dress, $59, sizes 3-13

Donna Ricco,$168, 14W-16W

Whose Curves Do you Identify With?

All photos were taken from celebrities official websites

There has been a lot of talk about what it means to be curvy. Is curvy just a nice way to say someone is fat or out of shape? Do you use the word curvy when someone has a full figure or hourglass shape? What does curvy mean to you? Do you exclude skinny people from being considered curvy?

When I think of curvy, I think of a shapely body, whether a body is a size 2 or 24. A curvy body can be round and soft but it still has some type of structure and definition to it. I like to think of curvy as Voluptious.

Which curvy celebrity above do you identify with?

Are you like Sherri, all top and no bottom?

Are you like Beyonce, shaped like a pear?

Do you have Tyra's hourglass figure?

Are you like Jennifer and Latifah, full figured?

Are you like Kim, petite and thick in all the right places or like Chandra petite and full figured?

Or are you like the Queen of Comedy Monique?

FASHION AND RETAIL NEWS

According to CNBC.com:

Clothing maker Jones Apparel Group Inc. said Wednesday second-quarter profit rose 20 percent as the company cut costs and closed stores in a turnaround plan to offset lower revenue.
Second-quarter profit rose 20 percent to $12.6 million, or 15 cents per share, from $10.5 million, or 12 cents per share, last year. Adjusted to exclude a provision for income taxes, loss and costs related to repurchasing notes, a write-off of line of credit fees, severance and other charges, net income was 29 cents per share.

The New York-based company, whose brands include Nine West, Jones New York, Anne Klein and others, said that revenue rose fell 3.1 percent to $803.9 million from $829.4 million last year.

Excerpt taken from cnbc.com

Dresses Under $150

New York & Company's Dress Boutique

NY&C has been advertising their new dress boutique which offers more fun modern styles.

$59.95,Sizes XS-XL $69.95, Sizes 2-18

Check out Kiyonna.com for the more sophisticated/work dress styles that show off your curves

Both Dresses $126, sizes 10-32

SHOE STORY
If you are looking for a hot summer shoe to take you into fall check out this gladiator style from Lamb. sizes 5.5-10, $345

If you are looking for a more affordable style, check out these from Nine West, $150

Summer Sales

Ann Taylor Loft

Macy's
Extra 40%-75% off online only

http://www.macys.com/


Lord & Taylor
Up to 80% off clearance. Final Take
http://www.lordandtaylor.com/

Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic
30% off Friends and Family Coupon

Check out RetailMeNot.com and CouponCabin.com for more coupons from your favorite stores.

Keeping Those Curves In Line

Picture taken from website

As women we all know that there are some days that we feel out of shape and feel like we need to drop 20 pounds with the hope that ten of them will miraculously fall from our waist, thighs, hips, butts, and whatever else we think is jiggling just a little too much. Although I am a curvy woman, I still like to keep certain body parts in line. Sometimes that means working out with weights and most of the time that means breakout the Spanx or Girdle.

If you are looking for a way to look pounds thinner in as little as one minute then check out ShapeFx.com featured in the new Life & Style magazine. ShapeFx is the only brand that offers fashion-forward designs with body-enhancing benefits built right in. Its like a girdle already built in your clothes.

The best thing is they include sizes starting from 2-26W, which also includes petite plus sizes.

They break down their size chart by shape. They offer apparel for women who are shaped like a a pear or hour glass to full figured and top heavy frames. They even have built in shaping underwear inside their pants. Check out this black and white color block dress. It is on sale now from $44-$49.

FASHION AND RETAIL NEWS

Isaac Mizrahi on QVC

According to the Wall Street Journal.com, In December Isaac Mizrahi will have his own show on QVC. Well, not a complete talk show, but, he will be part of QVC's new program called Isaac Mizrahi Live. Cameras will follow Isaac around as he sells us anything from home furnishings to handbags. Go to http://online.wsj.com/ for more on the story.

Coach Profits Fall

According to Bloomberg.com:

Coach Inc., the largest U.S. maker of luxury leather handbags, said fourth-quarter profit fell as revenue retreated in the recession.
Net income declined to $145.8 million, or 45 cents a share, in the three months ended June 27, from $213.5 million, or 62 cents, a year earlier, the New York-based company said in a statement. Revenue declined 0.5 percent to $777.7 million, missing analysts’ estimates.

For more on the story go to www.bloomberg.com

SUMMER SALES

Macy's

Extra 40%-75% off online only
http://www.macys.com/

Lord & Taylor

Up to 80% off clearance. Final Take

http://www.lordandtaylor.com/

Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic

30% off Friends and Family Coupon

Check out RetailMeNot.com and CouponCabin.com for more coupons from your favorite stores.

Fashionation of The Day

Harem Pants

You've seen everyone from Jennifer Hudson to Ciara rocking the harem pants. I kind of like them, but don't they take you back to the early 90's when M.C. Hammer was King of dance music. This is one trend that I am scared of how my curves will look in them. Please Hammer don't hurt' em.

Tell me are you Fashionated with them or do you think they should get back in their time machine?

Urban Clothing Brands For Women

According to Essence.com, Baby Phat will possibly fold due to Kellwood manufacturing company filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy. Kellwood is a clothing manufacturing company that represents brands such as Fabulosity, Phat Farm and many other big name clothing lines. Kellwood is in debt for $140M. Just last week there were reports that Jennifer Lopez would not be selling her J.Lo line in the US and that she would be closing down her Sweet Face line. Almost a year ago Eve announced the relaunch of her Fetish line, but, I did not think the clothes looked any better.

We all know that chain stores are filing for bankruptcy left and right and designers are backing out of fashion week shows. Are the so called urban chic brands joining the club? Well, I for one, wouldn't miss any of the urban brands if they were to close down. I know, I know, you love the big Baby Phat cat logo, J.Lo's jeans fits your pear shape, but, did these female urban brands really capture the essence of the urban community?

These brands are sold in the local urban neighborhood stores such as Jimmy Jazz, Dr. J's, Hyperactive, and S&D's. The funny thing is that you will not find these brands on Madison Ave. or Rodeo Drive. The only urban designer I know that made it to the upper class area is Sean John, whom I think did a great job diversifying his designs to fit various age groups. His designs are sleek and not flashy and they can transfer from day to night. How come the female brands don't do that? What's up with all the polyester fabrics, slouchy and glittery tops, cropped jackets, and most of all, over powering logos that take away from the design of the clothes.

Yes, I know the brands target teenagers to young adults, but, at some point can these brands stop young girls from looking like they are going to a club at 12 in the afternoon and most of all can they stop the urban community from being walking billboards with logos on everything?Don't get me wrong, I am all for entrepreneurship and I understand each brand is selling a lifestyle.

However, I think with any clothing line there should be a balance. A balance that includes going out clothes, weekend attire, and work wear. To me that is part of building your brand and this represents the lifestyle of urban communities. You see Sean John now has suits in his collection. Even Gwen Stefani's clothing line Lamb is doing well and offers an array of pieces to fit your lifestyle.

I don't think Baby Phat will fold, I do have to say that the designs get better each year. The Fall 2009 collection has a couple of pieces that can translate from work to evening. J. Lo's Sweet Face line was actually much more creative and chic then the regular J.Lo line. As for Fetish, I'm still hoping for the best.

Check out some of the 2009 Baby Phat fall designs

Rompers

I don't know about you, but I really like the rompers and jumpsuits that are coming back. It reminds me of my favorite era, the 70's. Remember when J.Lo made the jean jumpsuit popular back in the early 2000's, when she had just started her singing career. She had every girl around the way rocking the jean jumpsuit with heels.

If you are going to try this look please do it right. The romper can look a bit childish and inappropriate if you are over a certain age (TBD). The romper is sassy and edgy and it is a great look for day or night. The jumpsuit is sexy and feminine. It makes me want to cut off my hair rock an Afro, and change my name to Sheba as in the Queen of Sheba.

The romper shows off one of the great assets a woman has, and that is legs. However, I know that some women do not like their legs, which is why the jumpsuit is a great option because it highlights the decolletage which is something that I rarely hear woman complain about.

If you decide on purchasing a romper, please make sure it is the right cut for your body.

If you have small petite curves or a true hourglass figure then I suggest a tube style romper. It will help emphasize your chest while highlighting your waist and ample booty.


I like this one from Urban Outfitters. It's $48. Sizes XS-L


If you have fuller curves and an undefined waist, then I suggest a halter style romper. The one below is from Torrid. Its only $58. Sizes 10-28. The v-neck halter defines the breast and the belt will help create a waistline.


For those of you who may not like your legs due to cellulite or lack of tone and definition, then the jumpsuit is perfect.



Try this one from Baby Phat. Its nice and simple and the bootcut leg is flattering to thighs. Best of all there is no big cat symbol on the butt. Accessorize to make it your own. Try a big bold belt with a colored clutch. Or go casual chic with gladiator flat sandals and a straw bag.


$74, 1x-3x

For small petite curves, this Forever 21 jumpsuit is sexy and casual for daytime. I see big gold hoops with this.



$27.80, sizes S-L

If you are looking for something a little more sexier and trendy, then , go for the Dereon (picture below) jumpsuit with a one shoulder sleeve and skinny leg opening.


$99, sizes 1x-3x