It's been a while- rate my look!

The weather has been terrible here lately- rainy, cold and dreary. This week, the forecasts show higher temperatures and sunshine! Whoo-hoo! Since this brief rise in temperature is probably the last one we'll have before winter sets in, I thought I'd show off one of my absolute favorite summer dresses. The picture is blurry and I apologize for that, but I couldn't let that stop me from sharing. This is one dress that makes me feel incredibly feminine- the high waistline that really makes my waist look tiny, combined with the top chiffon layer that is just so flowy and the neckline that is just so flattering- I feel great in this dress. Really great. And I often get lots of compliments on it, too. On this particular day, I chose to wear the pink satin heels with rhinestone embellishment on the toe- who doesn't love a little pink in their life, right?

Anyway, I'm sure it will soon be time to put it away for the winter, but I'm sure I'll pull it out right away when the weather warms up next spring. In the meantime, I'll be counting the days until summer dress weather is back!

What about you? What clothes make you feel really great? Why do you feel so great in them?

Go bold with color

Having my mom around this weekend has actually provided me with a lot more ideas and inspiration for this humble little blog. Yesterday was the story of the red shoes and how to ask for a discount. Today, she was pleasantly surprised by the color combinations I chose to wear over the weekend. Today was chocolate brown with bright turquoise. I'm not saying that blue and brown is a color combination revolution, but it did get me thinking about color combinations in general. This fall, bold colors are hot, but instead of just adding a pop of fuchsia with a pair of shoes or a scarf, try pairing it with a cobalt blue or a lime green somewhere else on the outfit. Not so much that you look like a clown, but enough that there is more visual interest to your look.

I have a fabulous lime green jersey dress that I love to wear with brown tights and a brown cami. Boring, right? Not when I add a bright purple flower pin at the waist! Instant style and it didn't take any longer than the outfit without the pin. Adding color is a fun way to update your wardrobe without spending a fortune. Pair pieces that you would never have put together before and see what happens. You might find a new look that you never thought of before.

What's your favorite quirky color combination? Orange and pink? Emeral green and sunshine yellow? Leave a comment and tell me all about it.

How to get a discount

My mom is in town visiting this weekend which is why I was MIA yesterday. So sorry for not posting! Anyway, we had a lovely dinner tonight and she was asking about all the shopping I do for work. I told her the story of the red shoes and how I got a discount on them. It made me realize that it's a great lesson for anyone to learn- if you want a better price on someting, ASK for it. The worst thing that will happen is the salesperson will say "no." And then you're no worse off than you were before you asked for the discount. In a best case scenario, you get a bargain!

In today's current economic climate, a lot of people are looking for a good deal, but guess what, a lot of shop owners are looking for a sale. And most of them are willing to cut you a break in order to make that sale, so do yourself (and them) a favor and ask for a discount! I do it all the time and I have no problem doing it. For some of you, it may be a little awkward the first time you ask, but eventually you'll get over that.

Keep in mind that you have to have reasonable expectations- they aren't going to knock 50% off a brand new dress, but they might take 15-20% off a piece that's the last of its kind taking up space on the rack. They'll also be more likely to give you a discount if you are spending a lot or buying several items. You are probably thinking that this advice won't work in a major department store, but you're wrong! No matter the size of the store, go for the discount. Ask the cashier if they have a coupon to scan, or if there is a promotion starting soon or that ended recently and see if they'll give you the discount despite your off timing. More often than not, they'll do it.

Some areas are easier than others to get discounts, too. For example, shoe departments in major department stores often have empoyees who work on commission, so discounting (to an extent) can be at their discretion. It may reduce their commission a bit, but like I said before, they are still happy to have made a sale rather than see you walk out of the store empty handed.

In any situation where you are asking for a discount, know your bottom line BEFORE you ask. And always ask for more than what you actually want. If you are hoping for a 15% discount, ask for 25% just in case they haggle a bit. Who knows? You might get the 25% you asked for! (I did with the red shoes, remember?)

When I shop vintage or antique shops, I always wait until I have picked out everything I want, then I look at the price tags and add it up in my head. Let's say my total is going to be $45 for a handful of vintage accessories- a scarf, a couple of brooches, a pair of earrings and a necklace. I might approach the counter and offer $35 for everything. They'll probably counter offer me back up to $40, but guess what- I just got a little over 10% discount!

Finally, be prepared to walk away. Decide before you hit the counter what it will take for you to make the purchase and if you don't get the discount, walk away and leave the purchases behind. Nine times out of ten, you'll get what you want as you are about to exit.

Good luck and happy hunting! Email me if you have a discount story to share- I'd love to hear it!

Project Runway- Episode 9

BOB MACKIE!!!! Wow. I think that when the designers are creating a look for an icon, they tend to implode a little. And let's be honest- I'd do the same thing if I were in their shoes. If I was presented with the challenge of designing a dress to be judged by Bob Mackie, I would probably freak out from the pressure. Clearly that happened a little on this episode. Also, it seemed as though most of the designers were a little out of their element.

WIN: Carol Hannah
AUF'd: Shirin

I definitely agree with the judges choice this week for both win and auf. Shirin has been struggling and I think that the caliber of designers she is up against is just too much for her. She's so young, and she'll be fine- her career will be fine. She has a strong point of view, and I'm sure if she isn't being forced to work with old wedding gowns and sequin fabrics, she'll be just fine. As for Christopher almost being auf'd, I think his days are numbered. He's been in the bottom a lot lately!

I love Nicholas' line about Irina this week, "Irina's a good designer. The only problem with her is that she's a b*tch." He hit the nail on the head with that one. She's a great designer, but I really don't like her. She's so arrogant and rude towards the rest of the designers.

My favorites this week were Carol Hannah and Christopher. I wasn't a huge fan of the hot pants Christopher made simply because of the fabric choice, but if it was a different fabric- something like a black sateen maybe, I'd like it a lot more. Also, I felt his was the most "Christina" of all the designs and I liked his concept the best. He just needed to update the "revealed" outfit more. Carol Hannah's was a spectacular gown- she completely deserved the win.

Nicholas' dress was great, but just like Tim Gunn said, it was so similar to his movie challenge outfit. He chose the exact same color palette and everything- the main difference was the length of the dress. I have to wonder why he is still on the show! I've said it before and I'll say it again- with the judges constantly changing, there has been no consistency and it must have been really difficult for the designers to find their footing. In previous seasons, they were more able to get a feel for what the judges loved and hated, but it's been so hard for them this season. I feel for them all because of that. I can't believe we're only a few episodes away from the finals- this season has been flying by! Good stuff always seems to go by too quickly!

Nude Shoes

I don't know about all of you, but I have short legs. Shapely, but short, so I'm always looking for ways to elongate them. You've seen in many of my "Rate My Look" posts that I tend to wear tops and dresses that accentuate my natural waist or fall even higher at an empire waist. That's one trick that works really well, but another that's a little more subtle is the use of a nude shoe. Even though ankle booties in solid and cut-out styles are so hot right now, they can look a little bit heavy. And for women like me with short legs, the LAST thing you want to do is cut yourself off at the ankle, especially with something as heavy as a boot. It's that exact reason that I often pair the trendy booties with tights of the same color. Which brings me to the leg-elongating trick I want to focus on today: nude shoes.

When you wear a nude shoe- pump, ankle strap, sling back- whatever style you prefer, you create a long, uninterrupted line on your leg which creates the illusion of a longer leg. This works particularly well with high heels- the higher the heel, the longer your leg looks. Here are a few lovely nude shoe options for you:

First up is the Miss Me "Alyssa" open toe in beige available at Endless for $29.95. It's simple, elegant and timeless in style- this shoe could be a staple in your closet for the next 15 years- seriously.

Next is a personal favorite of mine- the Luichiny "Wicked" sandal in beige also available at Endless. I love the t-strap and the peep toe- the details are totally adorable, but with a bit of a retro feel. These shoes are a little more pricey at $43.34, but at that price, they are a steal.

And while I may be a pasty white, I know that "nude" means a whole array of colors, so for those of you with slightly darker skin, I love the Caparros "Bernie" pump available at Endless for $27.50- what a bargain!

I just love the detail on the toe, but it's not so distracting that it would be an issue. I love them! Any other tricks you're hoping to learn? Leave me a comment and I'll post with an answer to your style dilemmas.

It's my 100th post? For real?

It's funny how I didn't even notice that this was going to be my 100th post until I finished my 99th post and thought, "Huh. Well that's interesting." I googled "100th post" and found that just about every blogger on the face of the earth seems to devote the 100th post to the fact that it's the 100th post. I'm going to use my 100th post to see how many times I can type "100th post" in a single post. Just kidding. I do think it's interesting how many bloggers make note of it like I am. After all, 100 blog posts isn't really all that impressive. Television shows celebrate the 100th episdoe, but it often takes several years to reach that point. Blogging is a lot simpler- I could post 10 times a day and have my 100th post in less than 2 weeks. But even though it's a simpler process, I still understand making note of the milestone. I hope that when I reach my 1,000th post, I am still enjoying it as much as I am now at number 100.

However, instead of counting the times I write "100th post," I'll use this 100th post (sorry! I couldn't resist) to show all of you some of my favorite past posts. And so without further ado, I present (in no particular order), my top 10 favorite posts thus far:

1.) Inspiration, July 16, 2009

2.) Tim Gunn said I'm FABULOUS, October 8, 2009

3.) A Second Story, August 6, 2009

4.) It's a wrap, July 22, 2009

5.) Breaking the Rules, September 6, 2009

6.) Top Ten for Men, July 21, 2009

7.) Etsy Besties, September 28, 2009

8.) NYC Garment District, A Beginners Guide, September 5, 2009

9.) Style Support, August, 29, 2009

10.) One Shoe, Three Ways, August, 27, 2009

Maybe by the time I've reached 1,000 posts, I'll have a top 100 list to share. That's a crazy thought, isn't it? Time will tell!   

Shoesday Tuesday- Downtown Lancaster store

Over the weekend, I went downtown to queen Street in Lancaster, primarily to show my friend Brance the two vintage shops there. Unfortunately, both Mommalicious and Zap & Co. were closed, but what was open was a fairly new shoe store called "Walk in Style- Fashion Footwear & Accessories." I was skeptical because it had the look of an expensive boutique, but I also figured it was my duty to all of you to check it out. It's a really cute little store with tons of fabulous and affordable shoes and boots. I ended up with a pair of cute low-heel wedges in a green patent for $22. Most of the shoes ranged from $20-50 and were all really adorable. Even the knee-high boots were all around $35-50, which in my opinion is a fabulous price. The boot selection was the most fun for me- there were lots of great colors and details to choose from with the boots.

In addition to boots and shoes, there were lots of handbags to choose from as well. Throughout the store you'll also find lots of interesting jewelry mostly necklaces, but some bracelets and earrings, too. What I like about this store is that there is a large selection, but the space itself isn't over crowded.

My pick of the store is this pair of Casa di Torino leather kitten heels in beige:

Technically, they are a tad bit taller than an actual kitten heel, but these heels are low enough that they'd be pretty comfortable. I highly recommend a kitten heel to all of you ladies out there who want to wear heels, but can't because the height just isn't practical. If you walk to work, or are on your feet a lot throughout the day, a kitten heel can be a great solution. It's slim and feminine, but usually under 2 inches. A kitten heel will always look better than a larger short heel, which can be kind of clunky and dated-looking.

I really like the detail on the toe as well as the rich caramel beige color- they'd be a perfect addition to any closet- you could wear them with just about anything. And at $28, the won't break the bank.