Dress the Part

There’s a saying out there…”dress for the job you want”. I strongly believe in that. I currently do legal work for an insurance company. Understandably the dress code is pretty conservative…which means I have to save dying my hair pink for weekends and vacations ;)

Today however, I am on a business venture. I am planning on approaching a business to see if they would be interested in carrying my jewelry collection. This made me very aware of my attire. A jewelry designer can’t dress like someone from an insurance company, can she? The answer is no. So I planned out my outfit, hair, makeup (and even nail polish) to look the part of a professional/creative designer. I have planned out exactly how I will introduce myself and made sure I have enough items to present, but not too many that they feel overwhelmed. Armed with a cute dress, black pattered tights, black heels, and accessories (some of my designs of course); I am ready to go...Cross your fingers for me!

When applying for a job, you need to tweak your resume to fit that particular position you are applying for. You cannot use the same resume for each job, since each job may be slightly different and each company may be looking for something else. The same goes with your wardrobe. Dress for the job you want.

Not long ago, my wonderful friend (who shall remain nameless) was applying for a job as a waiter. He was dressed very nice! Black pants, blue collared shirt, black vest and dress shoes. Unfortunately he was not getting any leads. He couldn’t understand why. We joked about him being dressed like a lawyer/banker. Although we thought it was funny, it seemed to intimidate the managers that interviewed him. He was told at one restaurant that when he returns for the second interview, please just wear a shirt and jeans…and guess what? He got the job J  I have no idea if I will be successful today, but the bottom line is to make sure you do all you can to be prepared, including planning your outfit. I hope this is helpful to any fashionista out there who’s on a job hunt. If you are, good luck to ya!

I would love to feature some of you in any fantastic outfits you’ve found for a great deal. Send me pics along with some info of where you found your great steal and around how much you spent (did you stay within budget? Did you use coupons?) Tell us your secrets to being an awesome fashionista! Until next week…happy shopping! J

Rent It

Due to our less than stellar economy, a lot of us fashionistas are watching our wallets these days, and wonder what we can do to continue to look amazing on a budget. There's a lot of creative ways to do this...becoming a crazy coupon lady, shop one day sales, shop the local good wills for designer steals, etc.  Another great way to save, is to rent it. If you NEED to have that designer (fill in the blank); then this blog post is for you!

Rent it shops have been popping up all over the internet. It's a great way to rent an amazing dresses and/or accessories without spending this month's rent. Check out http://www.renttherunway.com/  for the latest designer dresses and outfits. What I love about this, is that your first sorting option is to sort by price. This way you can always start with whats the least expensive and go from there. This site is great if you have a special occasion or a hot date and need to look extra special without breaking the bank. 

For accessories check out  http://www.bagborroworsteal.com/. There was even an episode about this on Sex in the City. Jennifer Hudson did a guest appearance and gave Carrie her secret of always having the latest purse on a normal person's salary. I love Kate Spade purses but can't fathom spending $400 on a purse. With this website, I can rent one for as little as $9 a  week! That's pretty awesome! I would be careful to not go overboard though. I would really only rent for a very special occasion, otherwise it can get a bit pricey.

Have fun checking out these sites and post any fashion rental sites you've seen or used. Happy shopping my fashionistas ...I mean happy renting! :)



$17.00 a week - Kate Spade clutch...seriously!



Golden Globes

I may have missed the Golden Globes, but it's hard not to miss the fashion! There were several dresses I loved. I'd have to say my favorite is Reese Witherspoon in Zac Pozen. That color of red and the structure to the dress is phenomenal! I want that dress Reese! Call me :)

Trends

Metallic, pastel, and vampyness were other trends trailing the red carpet. Although pastel is the trend for Spring 2012, I was very happy to see the vamp look. I am in love with Emma Stone's entire look. Along with the dress, her styling was right on. I plan on snagging a similar belt and paring it with a pastel outfit for the spring season. Others who carried this look: Evan Rachel Wood and Roonie Mara.

Madonna, Lea Michele, Nicole Kidman took on the metallic look. I have to say Madonna looked great and it's hard to believe she's in her 50's. Just goes to show you ladies, we can still look amazing at any age, you just have to own it! I loved the top of her dress but was not so impressed with the bottom. With that said, I still think she looked pretty darn good!

Pastel announced itself this season on Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji. She looked absolutely amazing. The soft pink/lilac color and the roussing on the dress was perfect and would love to have that in my closet! Tilda Swinton also went with the pastel trend. Although she usually carries a more androngonous look, the pale blue and soft hair and make-up gave her a more feminine look which she carried well.

Other favorites of the night: Jessica Alba in Gucci, Charlize Theron in Dior, Sofia Vegara, Zooey Dashanel in Prada (and her nails & hair)...and Kate Beckensale, I want to be you! lol

Anyone one of you fashionistas can carry these trends too. Just take an inspiration from your favorite Golden Globes dress and run with that idea when choosing your next outfit. You can also use these photos to get ideas on what style of dress flatters your shape the most, when shopping for your next event. Happy Shopping my fashionistas!

New Year, New You

Happy New Year!

It's now 2012 and stores are clearing out of their old and in with the new. Although there are a lot of trends rising this season, the best trend to follow (that is always in season) is confidence.

If you have new years resolutions to lose weight or to fit into that dress from years ago, don't forget to also love the body you're in today. We forget that sometimes and work against it, dressing ourselves in baggy clothes until we lose that last few pounds. Love yourself! You've earned it!

I was a bit sad when I gained around 20 pounds this past year due to a serious back injury, but while I'm working on a healthy way to lose what I've gained, I'm also working what I've got now.

I bought a great dress for only $16! I received so many compliments on it. I went to the mall armoured with coupons and was able to negotiate and extra 10% off of the dress since the belt was missing and it was the last dress. (I knew I had a belt at home to match).

So stand tall ladies, walk with your head high and work what you've got! This new found confidence is going to go great with the new Spring collections to come.

Work it fashionistas! :)