Are the designers just screwing with us?

In my grandmother's day a size 10 was the "IT" size, then my mothers day a size "8" was the "IT" size. OK, I get it we are going down in size! I am in my forties and the "IT" size was a "6" up until the past ten years, then it was a "4" to "6". Well, all right, I can live with this. Now the new "IT" size is a "0" to "2" are you kidding me! If your anything like me, my bones are bigger than a 0/2!

I saw Paris Hilton interviewed the other day on the View. They commented on how thin she had gotten and with a big smile she said, "Thank You!". Now come on, have we really become a society that is all about the bones! Do we as women really want to look like a walking skeleton! I like having a few curves. My husband complains when I get too thin. Oh and by the way, when I am "too thin" I am wearing a size 4, not a 2! At 5' 7", am I suppose to top the scales at 110? I don't think so!

We as women have to see ourselves as we really are and not as a "SIZE'! Believe me I know how hard it is to walk into a department store and realize that I am squeezing into a six. "What! I have always worn a six, have I gained weight? I am never eating again!" You know you have been there! But is a six really a six anymore? Are the designer's just screwing with us? Well, just to satisfy my own curiosity I decided to take my size "6" pants to the department store with me and lay them side to side with the new fashions. Guess what? My size "6" were the same size as the new size "8"! However, that's not the shocking part. My size "6" pants were also the same as a size as another designers size "4", what is up with that?

The moral of the story ladies; know your weight range, be comfortable with your weight and forget about the number sewn into the back of your pants. I now have an array of sizes in my closet from size "8" to size "2" (yes I said size "2" LOL). My weight is exactly the same now as it was when I was 20, 125 lbs and I get it, the designers are screwing with all of us!

The Power of Accessories!

Keep in mind, everything you put on before you walk out that door tells a story about who you are. We all look at someone and decide who we believe that person is before we actually meet them. Example, the guy with the dreadlocks and sloppy clothes is not exactly the guy you want to take home to mom telling her he is your new boyfriend from Harvard. However, that is yet another story! Let’s stick with you and your accessories; we will get to fixing him later.

What works with what? What do my accessories say about me? Accessories can make or break an outfit. Let’s say you have on your white tee shirt and jeans, but you’re going out with your girlfriends for cocktails. This gets me excited because there are about a hundred different ways to go with this. Hats, scarf’s, vests, belts, bracelets, rings, necklaces and don’t forget the handbags and shoes! OMG, my favorites are the shoes!

Every time you pick up a magazine your hit with what all the latest celebs are wearing. The trick to knowing what to wear can be made really easy. First think about what you like, are you a lots of bracelets girl or a less is more type. Are you fashion forward or country hip? Knowing who you are is definitely square one. If you are anything like me, I fit in the “all of the above” category, depending on what I am doing and who I plan to be that day.

Magazines are great for keeping us up to date on what is current and hitting the runways. So does that mean we have to hit the shopping trail every time the trend changes? No. If you notice the styles don’t really change they just recycle. Things we are calling trendy today we called old fashion five years ago. If we look back about two years ago accessories were simple, delicate and silver. Today, bold necklaces, big rings and gold jewelry are all the craze. When I look back into my yesteryear closet I see the wide belts, big necklaces and out of date bulky gold jewelry. Styles recycle and the latest trends are just a new version of what we wore a few years ago. The trick is how do we purchase a few new updated trends and mix them with our yesteryear accessories, thereby creating the iconic you. This will make you stand out from the crowd of followers and scream individuality.

Of course, if you’re among the still “financial untouched” by our present economy and money was meant for shopping, Neiman Marcus is holding the door for you! The rest of us are looking for fun places to pick up those trendy pieces to create the new us. I like the consignment stores for the unique estate pieces, you know the stuff that Miss Neiman Marcus bought and just could not bring herself to wear! Another place that is great is the Good Will stores, they are updated and this is a twofold shopping event because you are not just helping yourself to fun accessories you’re also helping those in need, again unlike Miss NM.

Before heading out on your scavenger hunt for your newest treasures, do just a bit of homework. Yea, I know homework sucks, but this will keeps us focused on the prize. Go through your favorite magazines and tear out the pages with the looks you just have to have. Using a red, purple or whatever color marker, circle your desired item on the page and have an idea of what you already have in your wardrobe that you will pair with these items. Ok, off you go! Your desired treasures are out there and you don’t have to spend your last dime trying to look like Miss NM. She will be wearing what the sales girls told her looked great on her (we know they all lie) and you on the other hand, will have great pleasure of knowing that you are your own personal fashion designer, after all, aren’t they all just knocking each other off anyway!

Written by: Brooks Rose

Fashion Sense! Age Appropriate Attire

What exactly does this mean?  Well, if I am in my 50’s I probably should go ahead and donate those thigh high boots and miniskirts!  When we look at what is socially acceptable for our age range and the attire we desire are we even close?  Who is going to tell Pamela Anderson when to stop wearing her trademark mini dresses?  It certainly won’t be any man I know.  But what about the rest of us that are not celebaties, high fashion models or high profile singer, what is age appropriate and what can we really get away with? 

My take on this is simple; who do you want to be?  As fortunate or unfortunate as it may seem our wardrobe tells the world who we are.  It expresses our personality before we even open our mouth.  When you wake up in the morning you decide what you’re going to say to the world that day.  Example, do you wear the same thing to a job interview that you would wear to go out clubbing with your friends?  Of course not!  Because you want the job interviewer to take you seriously and you want to present who you think he/she wants to hire.  God forbid they meet the real you!  When you go to the wedding of a older couple you wear the more conservative outfit, but when your 22 year old gal pal is getting hitched you pull out the stops, still remembering that the bride should get all the attention but you get the eye of the all the single guys!  After all, she’s married! 

When we look at “Age Appropriate” aren’t we are really asking ourselves “what does society say I can get away with?” In your twenties, you can go all out! The high fashion run way is my play ground, look out Alexander McQueen!  You can wear short shorts and mini’s, showing off those twenty year old legs.  The designers are targeting your twenty something bodies with your firm buttocks and perky bosoms.    But remember there is a fine line between sexy chic and sleazy stupid, I think it’s about an inch in the hem line and comes with underwear. 

As we hit our 30’s, society has once again been very kind in that society it’s self has evolved.  In the old days, you know when your mother was in her thirties, society said live it up this is your last 10 years of looking like a million bucks! Great news!  Today’s thirties are yesterdays twenties!  We can (depending on body type) still where all our clubbing clothes.  Our thirties are a grownup still fun loving time in our lives.  You can even still tell people how old you are when they ask!

Then inevitably here it comes, the dreaded 40^th birthday!  It used to be filled with “now I have to wear old lady clothes” and “I am officially old!”  Well Ladies, not anymore.  Today’s forties are filled with style and sophistication; this is where it all counts.  This is when we have to really decide every morning “Who will I be today?”  You’re young enough to still look hot and the mirror tells you that you can still wear that mini, but does society agree?  Do you care what society says? It is a defining moment, that morning commitment to who you will be that day.  In that I am in my late forties I address each day with one question before I walk out the door.  That question is:  Will I be confident and proud of whom I am projecting today?

By the time we are in our late forties and fifties we have earned the right to tell society who we are and exactly what we will wear!  We no longer care if every guy is breaking his neck as we walk into a room.  As Sharon Stone once said “I am ok not being the most beautiful woman in the room”.  Although it is really easy for her to say that because she still is at least one of the most beautiful! 

A closing note to remember at any age, being noticed is important but how you are remembered is more important.  

Written By :Brooks Rose