Reconstructing Ourselves!!!!!!

Hello my friends!! Last month we talked about hot trends for Fall 09 and how we were going to translate them into our wardrobes. It was still a little warm to really fully transition into Fall, so we were able to sneak in some of our summer favorites. But with the turn of the weather, in the last couple of weeks, we have all been summons to pull out our Fall jackets.

I want to dedicate the month of October to RECONSTRUCTING ourselves. What I mean by reconstructing is disassembling, modifying, and putting back together our whole outlook on our most beautiful selves!! I have met with several women in my professional career and in one way or another each woman has had a tendency to over-shop or under-shop. They are either impulse shoppers or budget shoppers, they are either comfortable in their skin or they are not. The point is that a lot of women are not stepping out into the world with the most beautiful self.

Just recently I went to a friends' house to clean out her closet. While we were digging, we found some of her favorite fall pieces from last year. she was also sad to see some of the same pieces that needed to be replenished from last year. She mentioned to me that she was unemployed last year at this exact same time. Shamefully she admitted to be holding on some black boots that needed to be thrown away two years ago.

Thankfully things have turned out good for her this year and she is ready to update her look with some great fall pieces. She even talked about getting a great haircut and trying some different make-up looks. Which brings me to my point about Reconstructing ourselves. Here we have a woman who has been riddled by unemployment and the stresses that go along with that. She knew she needed to reconstruct her whole thought process when it came to her wardrobe and make-up and beauty routine, but she did nothing she continued to go with the flow. She mentioned that people constantly asked her was she feeling okay or were offering her clothes that they no longer wore and she couldn't figure out why.

I decided to use her as my muse. It occurred to me that most everyday women tend to go with the flow of what is easiest and comfortable for them. It is all about routine almost to the point to where you don't even realize you have been doing the same routine for the last ten to fifteen years. Which means not much has changed on you or about you.

Over the past years, I have had the opportunity to go on a retail journey with all my readers. I have talked about organzining your closet, caring for your clothes and how to shop smart. I have touched upon make-up and hair tips. I have also talked about how to translate what you see in the magazines into your closet.

Now it is time to incorporate all those topics into one big action for fall. The best thing about Fall is that is the best time to start getting into good Fashion habits for the New Year. October is all about Reconstructing yourself from the outside in. The new focus is going to be on beauty and fashion from head to toe. For the month of October I have committed to starting over fashionably. I am going to go back to the basics and pull out my most beautiful self. This month join me as Retail Journeys takes a journeys down the beauty aisle and introducing a new segment called UnderNeath It All. This segment is all about the beauty side of fashion, I will talk about the latest in make-up, accessories, and under garments that will add zest to your wardrobe!! Check Syn and I out this Tuesday, October 21, @ 1pm, est. Until then May All Your Outfits Match!!!!!

Teal - How to Work Fall's Best Colors - Fall Fashion 2009 - Fashion - In Style

Teal - How to Work Fall's Best Colors - Fall Fashion 2009 - Fashion - In Style

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Accessories 101: What to Buy the Fashionista Who Has Everything!: glamour.com

Accessories 101: What to Buy the Fashionista Who Has Everything!: glamour.com

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Fall Accessory Trends: glamour.com

Fall Accessory Trends: glamour.com

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Red Hot Sale Alert: Half Off Christian Louboutin

Red Hot Sale Alert: Half Off Christian Louboutin
- This Week - What's Right Now - Fashion - In Style

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As the last bit of summer seems as though it will never end, and many of us get away from the heat by going to the mall, Don't caught up with the Fall merchandise that flowers the shelves and racks.  Some of the pieces that are in stores at this time of year are transitional pieces that will get one through the end of the summer heat.   Try to stay away from getting pieces that are way to hot to even think about wearing but focusing on things to add to what you already have in your closet and to refresh your favorite summer pieces.  So I repeat Do not waste your precious dollars on items that are not wear now items.  

 Personally this is my favorite time of year.  The transition means to me that the end of the heat and humidity is almost over and the we can start bundling up and getting cozy again.  

The Fall season is almost near, and I am so excited!!  There is something about the rich jewel tones, and layering piece after piece to create a fabulous look.  I will say that the time is near to hang up the linen fabrics and your other summer fabrics so wear them out in style.  Now is the time to shop for some great summer sales everyone has a clearance section going on.  It may be very picked over and small but it is definitely worth the look.  

The key to shopping this time of year is not to get caught up in all the Fall sweaters and other clothing items that are going to make you sweat just by looking at them.  But to find a great pair of jeans or two, some key accessories and some t-shirts that can be worn now and later on in the season.  It won't be too difficult to get off task because jeans is what stores are pushing right about now.  As for accessories the stores are always stocked with accessories the key is to find ones that fit into your wardrobe and will transition easily from one season to the next.  This week's pic is all about my favorite pieces this summer and how I am transitioning into one season to the next.  I am hyped about what this Fall season brings and I cannot wait to wear my rich jewel tones and long sleeve turtlenecks.  I also will miss wearing my comfortable linen pants and my sandals so at least until labor day I am going to get the last wear of my favorite summer pieces!!  Check out what I love and am going to miss about Summer, all while I show you my key accessories for transitioning from one season to the next!!!!  

Until the next time May All Your Outfits Match!!!!!

Beautiful World!!!

I am on my way!!  Vacation time is here and I am traveling to a place like no other!

Vacation means to me, being able to kick back and relax amongst the most beautiful scenery 

imaginable.  I pack up two of my favorite books, load up on my gossip magazines, and pack ready to enjoy my time.  

My luggage is generally consists of a small carry suitcase, my laptop bag, and my purse. At best for a seven day trip I am able to get every thing I need into a carry-on bag, especially since airlines are starting to charge for bags now!!  For the most part I tend to pack light airy clothes 

that can be rolled into a small ball.  Linen, cotton and silk are the best packing fabrics.  I am selective with the types of shoes that I bring as well.  I can usually fit two pairs of heels, two pairs of sandals, some flip flops, and my toiletries all into my suitcase.  

The key to packing effectively is planning.  After you have selected your location check out 

the weather, the night life, and the activities you plan to attend while you are vacationing.  Then you can choose your outfits.  Choose fabrics that you are going to be comfortable in all day long.  Also choose a color palette can easily be mixed and matched with. During the trip try and stay away from shopping at stores that you can find in your hometown.  Even still be careful when you shop at boutiques, the stuff might be pretty but they are usually at a tourist rate.  

Have a great time while traveling this summer, promise me you will plan accordingly so that you can spend your vacationing and not hunting for items you forgot to pack.  Until the next time May all Your Outfits Match!

Tippi  

When I get to be a size... This is my gift to myself!!!!!

Okay, so I had a moment the other day when I opened up one of my fashion magazines and I saw some famous star wearing a great pair of shoes, they were over $500 so that cut out the idea to run out and get a pair, but I still had a sparkle of hope and a vision of me walking down the street in those heels.  That made me start to think about body image and the responsibility I play in not letting the images I see overtake who I am.  When I saw this star in her great pair of shoes, I immediately looked at her outfit and her hair and thought damn I need to get my hair done.   I pictured myself walking down the streets of DC with the camera flashing at me screaming my name... okay I am taking it over board but you get the picture.  Having the slightest insecurity about your body image will allow you to be sucked into the madness. Getting sucked into the madness could be at the slightest moment to take your mind off of the reality of what you really look like in the mirror. 

I often ask myself to what standard is too fat or too thin?  This allows me to come to terms of what matters most and that is my opinion and what's comfortable for me.  One of the main reasons I am able to walk into any store and just shop is because I am able to relax and let go of my insecurities.  

My profession allows me to see the insecurities come in the door in masses and also from a different perspective.  In the retail industry, I see it everyday how women of all ages come into clothing stores feeling a certain kind of way and using shopping as an excuse to, "enjoy their day".  I get a mixture of women who stand in the mirror for hours looking at their bodies from every angle damning themselves for eating so much.  One of two things happen to these types of ladies (again no box), she either overspends her money on things she will probably never wear, or she will end up with nothing and continue to wear clothes that are way too big for her and add 10 pounds to her frame.  I will admit that I have been her,  I let her go though.  So I encourage you to embrace who you are and what size you are today.  If you go to your favorite store this week, treat yourself to something special, you deserve it!  Just make sure it is your size and it fits you like a glove.  Be sure to check out my weekly radio show, this June, 23, Tuesday at 1p.m., est.  

Until the next time May All Your Outfits Match!!!! 

 

Wow! Do I love my Body?

To be honest I almost hate too look in the mirror sometimes.  If I stand there too long I can see where my skin is breaking out.  My hair is dry, and my teeth... you pretty much get the idea.  But for the most part when I stand in the mirror and I am dressed ready to go.  I am the Lioness and I am ready to conquer the world.  Because I work in the retail fashion industry I will say that almost 85% of the women are uncomfortable in the skin.  I've seen it in every race, age and size.  The skinny ladies wish they could snatch some pounds off the thick women and the thick woman wish they could slap some of there extra rolls onto thin women everywhere.  At any rate we all have some sort of distorted view of what we see in the mirror.  Now I am not putting all women in a box and trying to say that how we view ourselves as women is mostly negative, but I will say that maintaining a positive out look on how we view ourselves and our body affects more of us than you think.  I have worked with and serviced many women.  Some of who may just have had babies, going through menopause, or just getting over some sort of illness so these cases are dealing with the adjustment of your body changing.  Then there are the other women who are for what ever reason struggling with their bodies and their weight.

 It is interesting because when I was doing my research for the upcoming Body Image radio show, I came across articles talking about how the media is a huge factor in how we view ourselves.  The images we see in the magazines and on TV somehow affects us even if we feel good about ourselves.    As a child I knew that I could never look like the women I saw in these mediums but it didn't stop me from yearning to have blond hair and blue eyes or even my brown skin and big brown eyes from being on the cover of my favorite magazine.  There are many different issues that play into why we see the types of images we do on magazine covers.  As time changes though the media must respond to and represent the typical woman, and she isn't your typical blond hair blue eyed girl next door.  She is who you see in the White House, owing her own television network as well as hosting her own daytime television store, and let's not forget the mother of three holding it down in  your town.  

So as I look at all sides of the circle, it gets pretty sticky when dealing with the whole subject of Body Images.  As a society we need to get better at understanding that we may not see ourselves on television and on magazine covers, but that doesn't mean that we won't ever. 

I will probably never ever be on the cover of Vogue and I am okay with that. ( I know that I could be on the cover of The Hottest Mom in the DC area if there ever was one!).  

I have more to say with my fashion debate but I will ask you to tune into my radio show this Tuesday June 16,  I am going to dig a little deeper about the whole Body Image debate and the interesting tidbits of info that I found while researching this topic.  In the meantime, since summer is less than three weeks away I decided to put up a couple of dresses that I will be wearing this summer as I party it up and enjoy the weather.  And to be honest, it is hard for me to accept some aspects of my body, but god willing I am able to hide it beautifully and still look good and be the life of the party!!  I encourage you to do the same!  Until next time May All Your Outfits Match

Tippi

Summer Chic 09'

It's that time of year again!!!  The summer heat!  Skin is everywhere and,  I love it.  I love to look at all the beautiful bodies that paint the city streets on a daily basis.  In my city life I have seen it all!  I have learned in my wise years to embrace the heat and be ready for it.  To be honest I used to dread the summertime, I live in an area where the humidity is unbearable, and I am usually always shiny and sweaty.  I remember growing up and always trying to combat the huge sweat stains that would succumb me when I got nervous or when I was playing basketball, dancing, and the smothering heat.  Let's not get into how many articles of clothing I ruined by stains and smells (I know it's gross but true).  Anyway, as I got older I learned ways to aid in minimizing the amount of sweat pouring from my glands.  The techniques actually work and now the skies is the limit as to how I go about my day comfortably.  Some of the techniques that worked for me were as simple as me eliminating scented products such as soaps, lotions, detergents, and dryer sheets from my daily routine.  I also stayed hydrated with lots of water (and sweet teas!) especially during the summer months.  As I became a professional and It was important for me to dress up during those scorching days, I found myself finding it difficult to transition from one climate to the other.  I would walk out of the house in a black suit when it was over ninety degrees outside and then drive for thirty minutes in the heat.  Next I would have to park my car and walk five blocks to work.  By the time I arrived at the store I was soaked.  So then I decided to go casual to work and pack my clothes in a bag.  I had to give that up because my clothes got wrinkled and I looked as if I had rolled out of bed and went to work.  My last final try was when I thought about wearing a nice sleeveless shell and then bringing a light sweater or jacket with me to put over my shoulders for when I was cool.  The shell worked the best for me.  I found a light weight wrinkle free sweater fabric in all my favorite colors and I just rotated in with my nice summer pants, dresses and skirts.  I created a nice summer wardrobe for myself..

I challenge you to walk into your closet as soon as you get done reading and count the number of sleeveless tops you have that could easily transition under a sweater or suit jacket and still be called an outfit.  Start your lists, budget and plan accordingly you know how I like to do it.  There are some beautiful shells out there that have your name on it treat yourself to a couple!  Check out how I am rocking it this summer on my blog!  Good Luck and remember to check out my Radio Show Retail Journeys this Tuesday, May 26, 2009, @ 1pm.

Until Next time May all Your Outfits Match

Tippi

It's raining jeans!!!

I have jeans on the brain.  First and foremost, I am super hyped about the upcoming radio show that is dedicated to Jeans, secondly I just purchased a couple of pair for back to school.   This topic is really stirring some excitement in me, I was born in jeans they are so comfortable.  The denim fabric mixed with lycra and spandex is the best thing coming since... well you get it!  My new jeans were sent from up above, they hug my nice slender thighs like a piece of art.  I am in love! For the first time since I wore pleated Guess jeans, I bent down and I felt no air.  I was hooked and maybe took it over board by buying six pair, but the key is that my affair with jeans has been ongoing and it gives me great pleasure to walk out in a great pair that move when I move.  I know that still doesn't justify 6 pair!

My quest for jeans has been relatively easy because of my professional background but even still,  I have often gotten frustrated with the whole process, and bought many pairs of  jeans because of the price.  I ended up putting most effort in hiding the parts that didn't hit me right and figured out how to make the jean fit to my body.

Having worked in retail has allowed me to see over and over the frustration in most women's faces as they struggle to find the right pair of jeans.  The fashion side of me tells them that it is a process and you have to be ready to play the game but the empathy comes out and I know exactly how they feel. 

There is a couple of basic fundamentals that go down when shopping for jeans.  The first is, that it may take a couple of different trips to the fitting room or even to different stores to find the right pair of jean. When you find it get it because it might not be there tomorrow. 

Also know that not one pair of jeans will fit you the same, yes they may fit similar in the way they hug you, but please try on every pair that you plan to buy.  Buy doing this you are conquering two things one you will learn what styles of denim works for your body type and next time you shop for jeans you can narrow down your selections.  Remember to ask yourself how do you want to wear your jeans.  Are they to wear at night, to wear to work or with the kids, or for a nice polished look.  The reason for this is because it is so easy to get caught up, denim comes in all shapes and sizes and they are plastered everywhere in most women's retail shops.  So again as I always say do your research, check out what people are wearing and how they are wearing them, look online, window shop do what you do,  but create a look that is comfortable for you.  

That is all of the tips I have on this post, again it is time for me to plug in my radio show so please join me this Sunday Sept 8 @ 9 pm for my live radio show!  

Until the next time May all Your outfit Match!!!

Tippi

Summer Fun

Okay! I just had to post about the upcoming summer season and what you will see when you enter the mall this summer. The colors are going to be of gold jewel tones and animal prints.  You will see lots of browns, greens and blues in all shades so get ready! White is out there strong especially on the bottom.  The fabrics look and feel just as rich as they did the season before.   I am so excited about all the beautiful clothes that are out there. I go to the mall and feel the urge to get sucked in by the beautiful ways the merchandise is displayed in the windows and on the racks. The signs that scream sale don't help much either!
I know it has been a minute since I posted but if you need a refresher of what I live by just read my past posts. I will say that what I talk about and live by is Planning a trip to the mall being prepared to shop!  Know what you are looking for when you shop. This will cut out a lot of impulse shopping, a lot of hassle of returning and exchanging product, and last but not least a lot of chaos and clutter in your closet.
I will tell you this, having run a clothing store has helped me learn the in's and out's of the retail clothing business and how people get easily overwhelmed by the words sale and all the beautiful pieces of clothing they had not anticipated on seeing. They usually walk out of the store spending over 50% more than what they had anticipated. Then they take the clothes home and realize that they already have something just like it or they don't have anything to go with the items that they just purchased or it doesn't look the same way it did in the store. So back to the store they go only to either exchange it and spend more money or find out that they cannot receive their money back.
So my point in saying all of the above is to just plan out your shopping trip and buy pieces that you can incorporate into the things you already have. Think of it as though you are adding spice to something you already own.
I know for myself, I love flowers! Love them to death, so for this summer I wanted to look for some key pieces that would add that flower feel I wanted to incorporate into my wardrobe. I created a collage for all to see my vision check it out at the top of the blog. The items that I chose will easily fit into my clean closet and work well with what I already own. Everyone's budget will be different I understand but the key is get only what is on your list (written or mental I will not judge) make room for impulse if you can but don't get sucked in. This summer let's all have fun when we go and purchase our favorite items and let's not forget to make many beautiful memories in them!! Have fun and feel free to write in and let me know what your planning to buy yourself for the summer season!!!  Until the next time...May all Your Outfits Match!!

Top Blacks in Fashion

Top Blacks in Fashion

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