Creating Your Own Color Chart

Woman with natural red hair

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Being fashionable is often a chore. Trying to decide what clothing looks best on you is an issue you face every few months. From the television and magazines to your friends and family, you likely have style advice coming at you from every direction. While styles and trends may change, one thing you can do to help make this process easier is to determining what colors are the most flattering to you and your skin tone. While it is expensive to ‘have your colors done,’ it is possible to figure it out on your own.

Consider the color of your nail bed. What color is it? Is it more orangery? Blueish? Pink or yellow? Carefully see the color and use it as your base color choice. Another way to do this is to briefly pinch the skin of your underarm. For example, if your nail bed is reddish-blue, colors in the blue family will be the most flattering to your skin tone.

Additionally, decide which of the following four categories you fall into.

  1. Winter: complexion is olive or a bit sallow. Hair is typically dark and eyes brown, blue or green.
  2. Autumn: An ivory skin tone and blond or red hair. Brown eyes are common.
  3. Summer: porcelain or rosy skin, brown hair and blue eyes.
  4. Spring: Peach skin town, blond or strawberry red hair, and blue or green eyes.

By combining your pinch test results and your ‘category’ you will easily decide which colors look best on you and buy your clothing appropriately.

 

How to Incorporate Yellow Into Your Wardrobe

Shades of yellow

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Yellow has slowly become a favorite color in the fashion world. More and more fashion designers are starting to incorporate this bright color into outfits and accessories. The problem is if you don’t know how to incorporate this bright and beautiful color into your wardrobe you could end up making a huge fashion mistake.

Here’s a look at how you can properly use the color yellow and not make a fashion mistake while doing so.

Choose the Right Shade

There are hundreds of different shades of yellow and each shade will look different on each person. Make sure you try out different shades of yellow and find the one that compliments you.

Match the Yellow With Like Colors

Try to team up the yellow that you are using with other colors that allow it to really shine. Fashion experts recommend using reds, beiges, golds and whites to bring out the yellow color. Using other pieces of clothing with these colors can really make the yellow you use in your outfit shine.

Use the Yellow as an Outfit Accent

Some all yellow outfits just do not look right on certain people. If you want to incorporate yellows into your wardrobe consider using them as a way to accent certain outfits. A small splash of yellow on an outfit can really brighten it up and make you shine.

Yellow is a bright, beautiful color that can really make your wardrobe appear stunning but it has to be used right. Following some of these tips will help you incorporate yellows into your wardrobe without making a fashion mistake.

Piecing Together Your Work Wardrobe

Certain retailers are popular places to buy work clothes due to their selection and prices. Online stores make it easy for shoppers to browse their selections and make choices at a time and place that’s convenient for them. Shopping online is a great way to save time and money. Still, it’s fun to go to the brick and mortar stores to see and feel the clothes in person, especially when you’re shopping for clothes to wear at the office.

Before heading out, check Canada 411 for phone numbers and addresses for stores. Save time by knowing exactly where to go.

There are many places you can shop at or near your local mall. One of the most popular stores for buying work clothes is Macy’s because of the broad selection of professional clothing. Macy’s is famous for “one day sales,” making clothing affordable for cash-strapped shoppers.

Old Navy offers discounts on quality clothing. Not all of its apparel is for the working professional, but you can find work clothes at a price that’s cheaper than what you’ll see at department stores.

Target is popular, even though it doesn’t carry all the high-end brand names. The clothes look good and are affordable. The store’s hours of operation make it a convenient place to shop for people who work all day.

Ann Taylor offers high-end work clothes. The fabric and cuts are stylish and elegant. Expect to pay more for this higher quality line. Ann Taylor Loft offers similar clothing but at a more affordable price.

Don’t overlook local retailers that offer one-of-a-kind pieces you can use to enhance your work wardrobe.

Wedding Gowns Without the Royal Touch

Vera Wang at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival pr... 

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The royal wedding has come and gone. Its fashion statements will effect fashion for years to come, but there are a few brave souls willing to offer alternatives. Vera Wang has chosen not to follow what has been determined by English taste, but to hearken back to a more elegant age from France.

Fashion Daily at wcog2005.org gives insight into the latest trends in the fashion world and though the royal wedding influence is there, there is emerging a trend to go in a different direction. Vera Wang’s team with its innovative ideas as a cornerstone of her fashion empire may be the major player to capitalize on  traveling the road not so taken. She has begun by displaying a dazzling tidbit of her Spring 2012 Bridal Show, and elegant does not even begin to describe the artistic spirit of her creations. Vera Wang is making a statement to the fashion world that though royalty may influence and create a stir, it is the artistry and the enterprising muse of fashion designers that determine what direction fashion should go.

Vera Wang based her idea for the wedding gowns on the Paris opera and Degas paintings. Paris opera is always dramatic, and an exhilarating theatrical display. Degas, an artistic paradox, was classified as an Impressionist painter fascinated by dancers and horses. He never claimed the title of Impressionist. His work evoked emotions from high regards to scorn. There are no words to describe Vera’s creations, but she put a video on her website displaying a fantasy of crinoline and lace. Click on Vera Wang above to see and enjoy.

 

What to Wear on a First Date

On a first date you want your outfit to be perfect. The first step to determining what to wear is based on where you’re going and if you know the person you will be going out with. Blind dates are in a slightly different category, since you typically won’t know where you’re going beforehand. If you do, follow the same guidelines.

One: Ensure comfort. You want to make sure you are comfortable on your date. Choose clothing items that will allow you to feel beautiful and comfortable at the same time. Hint: You don’t want to wear a miniskirt and tight top if you are going to a sporting event. Sitting on bleachers with tight clothing is often uncomfortable. If you’re purchasing a new outfit, search for deals at Offers.com.

Two: Dress for where you’re going. If you are going to a formal dinner, you want to make sure you dress for the occasion. Try to find out where your date will take place. You can then plan your outfit accordingly.

Three: Dress to impress. Wear something that allows you to show your true self and look fantastic. Your first date does create the first impression of you to the potential mate. You want to look your best and feel your best.

Four: Keep it simple. You want to make sure you don’t go overboard—be comfortable in the outfit you’re wearing. If jeans are your favorite clothing item, wear jeans and dress up your top or add accessories.

Five: Have fun.

 

The fashionable fashion accessories

The fashion accessories are the ones which add to the look of the person. The accessories are the add ons on the costumes which help to accentuate the makeup and the look of the person. The accessories can be in the form of the handbags and the accessories can be in the form of hats, bags, jewellery or the shoes. The accessories are the things that help to add on to the look of the dress or the costume. The accessories are very fashionable and these days are used by both the men and the women. Men use the bracelets and the shoes as the accessories while the women have a lot of options when it comes to the fashion accessories. The women can choose from the wide options of the junk jewellery, shoes, hats, handbags matching the dress. The fashion accessories are the ones which are generally worn or carried to add to the look of the person. The accessories are generally worn either matching or contrasting to the dress worn. The shoes, hats, handbags and the junk jewellery are very fashionable and its fashion keeps on changing every now and then. Carrying a wrong accessory can also ruin the look of the person. The fashion accessories are very trendy and thus are very commonly used by people. The accessories are like the fashion trends which keep on changing and reinventing itself thus have to be chosen very carefully and minutely so as to take out the best form the accessories look and not end up spoiling the look.

Follow the Pattern in 2011

The 2011 fashion season will be a bit more casual this year with the look of colors that are vivid and come alive as the weather gets nicer and warmer. Prints that match or are in close contrast to one another will work well just as animal and floral prints or stripes and patterns with graphics. As long as you keep an eye on what goes together as far as patterns, colors and sizes of the shapes of the print, they all can be interchanged with one another without worrying about clashing.

Returning once again are skirts, the everyday variety and some of the more flirtatious kind with subtle prints will work well with blazers and tops that have a hint of pastel shades or hues. It all comes down to if you want the look toned down with more quiet pastel colors or kick it up a bit with bright and vivid tones to set off a more stunning visual look. The size of the prints, patterns as well as the colors will play a key factor in how the overall look will turn out. Smaller but more congested prints will hide certain body proportions if you so desire. Using the smaller print in vital areas will add more curves and definition to your body. The spots you want to show off will benefit from larger, more stunning prints and the attention will automatically shift to that area instead of the area you’re not comfortable with. This is just a guideline of what to look for and what to associate with certain patterns, colors and textures. It is up to you how you want to blend, mix and match to bring out the best features and fill your day with confidence.

2011: Bikers and Punks Be Wear

Harley-Davidson Hummer single-cylinder motorcycle

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As we close in on the 2011 Spring and Summer lines of clothing, much of the old styles and styles you wouldn’t expect are coming back to the forefront. Here’s a look at the fashion industry’s trends for 2011.

The two unlikely candidates to make their way into the 2011 fashion season are anything of a Punk fashion and a host of biker clothing and accessories. The jackets, the pants and leather boots all apply here. Silver two-tone leather jackets (the ones that look like a fireproof jacket for stuntmen), beige on black leather jackets and Balmain jackets that have many zippers on both panels, arms and waist area. Jackets that are quilted and the ones that have zipped sleeves will also be popular this year and there’s motorcycle jackets that look like trench coats but also have the zipped sleeves.

Now on the Punk front, the old days of the leather jackets with silver studs, the ripped netted stockings, ripped shirts and combat boots are about as commonplace as the modern-day tattoo. The most famous boots of course are the Doc Martens or you can use just a pair of Harley-Davidson biker boots. Safety pins and kilt pins are part of the look to accommodating other articles of flash or accessories to your wardrobe. The only problems pins and studs is the risk of catching jewelry on them or piercing your skin with one of the edges.

These two trends are just the start of a spin-off from the 2010 military trend and all three have been hovering about for many years and more accepted by youth and the younger generation. The older generation will be happy to know the 60’s and 70’s are backing full swing this year as far as fashion wear and accessories.

Starting Your Own Online Clothing Store

Who says that there are few opportunities in fashion? While this may indeed be a competitive market, following your dream of opening an online clothing website is admirable. In order to connect to your customers and grow as quickly as possible, you must ultimately listen to what they want – and offer it.

Keeping the satisfaction of the customer is a top priority for any business, and it is no different in running an online clothing store. As you introduce new clothing lines, you should do what you can to receive the reactions of customers. This will enable you to tailor (ignore the pun) to their needs, giving them a range of choices that will reach every target group in your market.

This thought extends out to other areas. Not only will the design of clothing be taken into account, but the website itself. A pleasant experience is desirable in all aspects – from the website, clothing, and customer service – in order to keep and draw customers. If they enjoy their experience then you will be on your way to being successful with your store.

One strong option to do this is to offer a customer satisfaction survey at key points of your website. You could poll customers to receive their responses, in everything from the website to a piece of clothing. Obtaining valuable customer feedback in this way can be a great point to addressing change to draw more customers.

Consider using this versatile piece of technology. Not only is it easy to use and customizable, it can allow your store to grow as you get a better sense of what your customers like.

Take the opportunity to address ways to connect to your customers. A customer satisfaction survey is just one example of how to reach them. You should find a great deal of responses that will help you build a strong online clothing store.

Fashion Emergency: Checkered Flags and Red Flags (Part 3)

As we head down the home stretch, this is a good time to add more daily things you can consider before dressing for work or to go out with friends or a date. There’s a couple of “do’s” here that are good but, at the same time, have to be carefully watched. One would be wearing something that you never wore before. This can be good and uplifting for you. Make sure to try a few things of this nature on and get a few second opinions. Maybe you got a mini-skirt and you’re not too sure of it. There’s the option to get a longer one if you like that style and it covers up what you don’t want to be seen (or the fact some mini-skirts go beyond “short”).

While you look all snazzy and spiffy, a few don’ts to consider are rather simple: If you are dressed to kill with decent to expensive clothing, don’t wear a cheap watch or jacket! Just kills the whole vision of a well-to-do, successful man or woman. Same goes for a man or a woman wearing an elegant or expensive dress or shirt and slacks.  As for the woman, we mentioned this in part one, don’t wear anything ridiculously skin-tight or to the point you look like you’re working the street corner. Also, avoid too much see-through material as yes, I am a guy, guys are sometimes pigs and you may draw too much attention and cause distraction (or one less date for some other guy there on a date gawking at you).

To end this wild race, we have to mention a couple of the greatest classic don’ts of all time. The first would be the clashing of patterns, stripes, dots, circles, shapes, etc.. You either are going to look like a Picasso piece, be introduced to the Smithsonian or look like a human quilt. As we near the checkered flag, the final classic don’t? If you own a jump suit or jogging outfit, use it for that reason and not for a fashion statement!