Alterations Needed is a twenty-something city girl who dumped her college-age closet with a vow to build a respectable adult wardrobe. However, at a towering 4′11″ tall, she found herself too small for conventional garment sizing, and constantly pointed towards the children’s department by well meaning “average-sizers”. Refusing such injustices, she started a blog documenting her adventures in XXS Petite fashion and building a wardrobe, as well as a community for like-sized women to share their shopping experiences.

I am the human equivalent of a teacup chihuahua. I conveniently fit in most overhead storage compartments. I never complain about inadequate leg room. I have been lifted, without permission, off the ground by complete strangers, but I’m usually quite nice about it if you ask beforehand. At 4′11″ tall, and 85 pounds, as a full grown adult I am the size most people were at age 12.

J. Crew suiting pants – Size 0 Petite!

But that is not all I am. I am also a thoughtful dresser, lover of style, and appreciator of good fit. I believe in clothing’s ability to completely transform a person and how we feel about ourselves. The day I began to think deeply about how I wanted to dress myself, and how I wanted to present myself to the world, was the day I began to truly feel self confident. I love a well dressed woman, but want even more to be one.

So, I’m on a quest to build a stylish, respectable wardrobe, free of children’s clothing thank-you-very-much. Give me cashmere… give me tweed… give me silk…

But how do you do build a wardrobe when fashion is not made for someone of your…*ahem*…stature? Fashion is made for the tall and thin, not the short, and, well… I’m very short. I paw through racks of clothing, looking for something – anything – that runs small. I stand in dressing rooms, tugging and pulling on extra fabric, wondering if it can be taken in, up, or chopped. I woefully return beautiful garments because my tailor tells me it can’t be altered… proportions are all wrong… simply can’t be fixed…

When you’re this small, shopping becomes an interesting adventure. Necklines end rather immodestly below the bust; shoulder seams hang down the arm; waist details end up somewhere near the belly button. Arm holes droop down by the waist. Bust details are never in the right place. Pant rises hover dangerously near Steve Urkel heights. Fabrics can swamp me. Prints can swamp me. Length can swamp me. Basically, imagine a little girl playing dress-up in her mother’s closet. That’s me trying to dress myself in standard sized clothing. It’s cute when you’re 7… Not when you’re 27.

But I press on. My perseverance is unyielding. I will find those elfin-sized designer shoes, because I will call the customer service to every retail store known to man, and have them shipped from across the globe if need be. I have become so aware of how poorly garments fit on me, it’s exhausting, but oh so rewarding when I hear those magic words, “that fits you perfectly”. You bet your average-sized ass it does… I spent months hunting it down, and a week getting it tailored.

Finding yourself on the extremes of what is considered “standard” is insanely difficult. After beginning my wardrobe building adventures, I’ve never felt more connected or sympathetic towards the styling plights of my plus-size and tall counterparts. I chat with tall women about the unreasonable limits of fabric hems, and lament with plus-size girls about the prevalence of polyester (what? no silk?) in anything larger than a size 14, or labeled with a giant “P”. And don’t get me started on the injustices of the “in store only” coupon (um…but you only carry special sizes online…how am I supposed to use this?).

So… to all the special sized ladies out there… press on! And to all the tall skinny girls out there… back away from that 00… you don’t want to make me angry. I bite ankles.

I recently got back in touch with an old best friend, whom I hadn’t seen in two years.  In our heyday we’d been thick as thieves, but both our lives had taken a domestic turn and I had no idea what to expect (other than what a little Facebook-stalking afforded me).  We planned to catch up over coffee, and when the day finally came I suddenly got nervous:

“Have I gained weight?”

“Does my hair look stupid?”

“…what the hell should I wear?”

I was obsessed with looking as good as I did two years ago - which is funny, because my self esteem is better now than it was then - but I couldn’t even decide which “look” to go with: casually cool, professional and sassy, or unconcerned and relaxed?

Attempting to practice what Elle and I preach - finding your own sexy, fighting negative body image thoughts, being confident au natural -  I ignored the urge to glam up.  Instead, I wore one of my go-to outfits for a put-together, comfortable look (a cotton dress with flats) and forced myself to keep the makeup at a minimum.  I kept reminding myself that it’s silly to be this nervous about  “looking good” for someone that has seen me bare-faced, drunk and with the flu (not all at the same time, of course).

As it turns out, my old friend was just as nervous as I was: she had curled her hair, washed her car and stressed about her outfit just as much as I did, and when we realized it the tension in the room vanished.  All those worries about being “good enough” don’t compare to the confidence an old friend can inspire…if you just let them.

Why is it that nostalgia makes us so self-critical? All those Facebook photos that make us look fat/ugly/weird don’t matter to anyone that genuinely likes us, and the people who critique them tend to be pretty insecure themselves.  (Just look for MySpace angles and pursed lips.)

It applies to exes, too.  How many of us have seen an ametuer self-portrait photo of an ex, looking all serious and sexy, and thought it just looked desperate? That same ex, though, is pretty enviable when their profile photo is of them laughing with friends…no matter how messed up his or her hair is.

Have you reconnected with old friends lately, on Facebook or in person?

How has it affected your self esteem…

…and has it caused you to change that dreaded profile photo?

Image via WeHeartIt.com.

When I was a teenager, the one style I wanted to emulate most was faux androgeny. I wanted to rock the menswear look: straight-leg slacks and starched dress shirts, spiked short hair, a sexy, almost masculine swagger.  With double D’s and a short stature, however, I chalked it up as a never-to-be-realized dream.  I have an hourglass figure, I thought, and only straight-bodied girls can wear that style.

After seeing one of the shoes from the spring line from Vans this weekend, though, I had a change of heart.

Saddle shoes are the original menswear-inspired shoe: they started as a loafer alternative – boys only – in the early 1900s, and were only translated into womens footwear in the 1950s.  Girls were gutsy back then, too: saddle shoes were often worn with big, fluffy skirts…whereas girls of today are afraid to go for anything less than a three-inch heel, especially if they weigh more than a hundred ten pounds.

And then there’s the guys, whose rules for fashion aren’t complicated at all (by comparison, anyway).  No one tells them they can’t wear khakis because of their wide hips, or that a button-up dress shirt will make their pecs look fat.  Nope: any man can wear any style, if he wants to, and unless his clothes just don’t fit, he probably won’t catch much flack for doing it.*

But I like those damned saddle shoes, as well as a number of other styles I’m “not supposed to wear.”  So, as a further moratorium on the idea that our body types restrict us, I think we should take a cue from the girls of the fifties, and from the boys of today.

In short: Menswear is back, and this time I’m taking advantage of it.

Riller & Fount George Scoopneck Boyfriend T-Shirt

Ninety percent of us have already taken on Menswear Lite by wearing a Boyfriend Tee.  I can’t tell you how nice it has been to have something billowy, soft, and a little messy as a staple in my wardrobe, and know that even though my outfit doesn’t hug my curves, I’m still sexy.

7 For All Mankind Josefina Cargo Pants

I started seeing cargo pants in the windows of local shops just a few weeks ago, and at first I was a little concerned.  After a closer look, though, there are some really flattering cuts for almost every figure, my favorite being this skinny-with-boy-boots style.  Speaking of which…

Jeffrey Campbell All Lace Up Combat Boots

Okay, maybe not grey-on-grey (these come in brown and black, too) but this is the kind of boot I’m talking about.  This “combat boot” really is marketed to women, and I am all over it.  Can you imagine a short, curvy girl and a tall, willowy chick striding down the street together, wind in their hair, each wearing a pair of these?

Report – Tawnie (Natural) – Footwear

Or, if you’re into something a little more feminine, there’s a reason it’s called menswear-inspired. These look a little awkward in the photo, but they are damned cute on.  The natural ones are perfect against pale legs – yes, Twilight lovers, I’m giving you permission to avoid the tanning beds – and look adorable with those cotton floral-print dresses at Target.  (Yep, I bought one.  I’m taking on that trend, too.)

Genetic Denim Ryder Boyfriend Striaght Leg Jeans in Coal

The great thing about straight-leg boyfriend (a.k.a. relaxed) jeans is that, if you get the right size, they’re flattering on almost any body type.  No one’s going to see the number on the tag, so no muffin-topping, ladies – a little room in the thigh never hurt anyone.

What’s your favorite menswear-inspired style?

*That’s not to say that men don’t have to deal with body image issues or media standards.  Their own issues are completely valid – they just don’t apply the same way.

I have three words:

No. More. Uniboob.

(Okay, “uniboob” isn’t a word, but bear with me, here.)

If you have big boobs, you know exactly what I’m talking about: a single band of stretch cotton, smooshing your chest into an indiscernible blob, which bounces in a single, sticky, sweaty motion despite your sports bra’s purported “support,” while the adjustable criss-crossing straps dig into your shoulders, set to their tightest setting in hopes that they’ll actually keep you from smacking yourself in the face with your own nipple…

Instead of spending hours trying on sports bras, knowing that how they feel in the store doesn’t tell me how they’ll feel on my fifth mile on the treadmill, I’ve started recycling my old t-shirt bras into makeshift sports bras: they don’t keep my breasts from moving, but they do fit my body, and keep me from developing a puddle of sweat in the center of my chest.

This experiment really makes me want to try the above bra by Natori (sold by Athleta, which is owned by the Gap, which I love) and see if its wide straps (that “won’t dig ruts into your shoulders”) and two-ply cups are as great as the reviewers say they are.  Have any of you tried it?

What bra do you wear to work out?

Naturally, if you’re a regular follower of The Demoiselles, you know that we preach self-love as gospel. Accepting yourself, accepting your “flaws” and accepting your insecurities… They’re all part of our master plan to ensure that you enjoy your life, as you, as thoroughly as possible.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the bond between women. Particularly women who are coming around to this self-love, and their relationships with each other.

There’s a song by Kate Nash that always comes to my mind when I get to talking with my group of close girlfriends. It’s called “We Get On“, and it’s fabulous… But there’s one particular part of the song that I get especially empowered by:

So I went to that party and everyone
They were kind of art-y
And I was wearing this dress
Because I wanted to impress
But I wasn’t sure if I looked my best
‘Cause I was so nervous
But I carried on regardless
Strutting through each room trying to find you

And when I saw you kissing that girl
My heart, it shattered
And my eyes, they watered
And when I tried to speak, I stuttered…

And my friends were like “Whatever!
You’ll find someone better!
His eyes were way too close together!
And we never even liked him from the start!
And now he’s with that tart
And I heard she’s done some really nasty stuff
Down in the park with Michael
He said she’s easy
And if your guy’s with someone that’s sleazy
Then he ain’t worth your time
‘Cause you deserve a real nice guy!”

So I proceeded to get drunk and to cry
And lock myself in the toilets for the entire night

The bold portion of the song is where I start to stand more straight, proverbially linking arms with my sisters, and man… That is awesome!

But I got to thinking – and you know that can never be good.

Do we, as women, bond together in self-love… by using those struggling with self-love as targets?

Take this example: Taylor Swift vs. Lady Gaga. Oh, if you’re a fan, you know. There are photos like this all over the internet:

Rivalry is all well and good – I’m into the idea of playful competition. But! Those who I am closest to are naturally Lady Gaga fans because, well, she’s Lady Gaga. I’ve found that women are strengthened by bonding over The Gaga, but in turn, poor 20 year old Taylor Swift has quickly become the target for the Gaga Army.

“Ew, dude. She looks like someone stepped on her face.”

“Taylor makes a hot blow up doll.”

“No, I will never stop wanting to punch little TayTay in her smug, squinty mug.”

Do you think that if any of these women (yes, women said these things) saw Ms. Swift crying in a bathroom, they’d stop? Sure they would! Of course they would. They would reclaim their sisterhood instincts and rush to the aid of a fallen lady. I think most women would do this in any situation.

So why do we allow ourselves to attack the physical appearance of one another in the first place? Perhaps we need to check ourselves – our society has put such a heavy weight on physical beauty that we, as a country (and especially as a gender) have latched onto the ability to break it down. How do we know how to do it so well? Because we all do it to each other.

Self-love aficionado, Gala Darling has established February 2010 as “Radical Self-Love Month“, and not only do we encourage you to participate (use the Twitter tag #radicalselflove), but consider including something in this idea that addresses the way we subconsciously defend ourselves or people we love.

Let’s stop propagating the unrealistic media standards by degrading those who we’re jealous of, upset with, or just plain don’t like.

Someone pissed you off? Tell them why, don’t tell your BFF about how nasty her skin is.

That girl stole your dude? Leave her body mass out of it, and just focus on yourself.

There are plenty of ways to express and/or deal with frustrations – don’t bring your fellow sisters down in the process. You’re only as strong as your weakest teammate, and we’re all in this together.

How will you check yourself?

As for me, I hope to teach myself how to calm down to the point where I can isolate exactly why I’m upset. I find that this is best accomplished (for me) by either talking it out with someone with a level head/objective perspective (Jennifer is great for this!). If no one’s available to talk me off the edge, I’ll just start up a new Word document and write down every single tidbit of the situation that’s upsetting me – from the scalding insults to the emotional breakdowns… Every single piece goes into that word document. Then, once it’s done, I’ll re-read it and typically I’ll see exactly how acidic, bitter and cruel the defensive mind can be. Sometimes, just the writing process itself allows you to see how being upset affects your judgment when talking about others. After that, I know exactly what my defensive mind will try to say in the heat of the moment, and I’ll be able to restrain and retrain my mind to abandon those unnecessary evils.

For more excellent reading on the processes of self-love,
please, please check out the following websites:

Already Pretty
Medicinal Marzipan
Rabbit Writes
Every Body is Beautiful
Your Wishcake

Here at the Demoiselles, we talk a lot about body image, and more specifically, about self-image.  The biggest goal of this website (and its owners) is to promote your own acceptance of YOU, all the way from your wide hips to your tiniest bits, no matter what the media thinks, or what the guy you really, really want to make out with says about it.

At the same time, it would be silly of us to ignore the media, and that guy (or girl) you think is cute, because the reality is that society’s opinions matter.  Even the strongest of us can’t help but be affected by them, because no matter where we go, we’re bombarded by standards and opinions that aren’t our own.  We’d be crazy not to at least take them into consideration – even if it’s just so we can fly in the face of them.

While we’ve talked about the media – and even called it out on its bullshit, occasionally – that’s not the only thing we look to when we’re deciding what to wear, or whether or asses are too big or our shoulders too small.  We start looking around at the people that we see every day, the people we want to impress…the people we want to make out with, and (we hope) want to make out with us.

What does the punky guy you flirt with in math class think of your kinky hair?  Does the uber-feminist you’ve been eyeing think your lipstick is a sign of patriarchal subservience?  Does anyone really think your ass looks fat in those jeans…and if they do, do they kind of like that look?

What do the people in your life – the ones that are attracted to the female persuasion – think about women, and beauty, and sex appeal?

We aim to find out, so we’re charging you with a mission:

Send us your straight guys, your gay women, all of your friends-who-like girls.  We want to know what they’re attracted to, and what they hate about the industry that we’re constantly exposed to.
What do they think about body image standards in the media?
Do they like makeup?
Is back fat really a big deal?
What do they wish us fashion girls would stop doing, or wearing, or focusing on?
What do they find just plain ridiculous?

…and before they comment, make sure they’re being honest.  Even if it starts a battle, we’d rather see someone truthfully say they aren’t attracted to fat women – or thin women – than try to be PC about it.  No matter how harsh the comment, we’ll let it through, as long as it’s honest and on-topic.

So let’s unravel the mystery: email this link, drop it on Facebook, Stumble or tweet it – I don’t care.  Just gather your friends, and tell them to bring it on!

It didn’t take long for me to react to the following photos, originally published in “Curves Ahead,” an editorial from the January issue of V Magazine (also called “the size issue”).

My reaction was, in short:

Do I see back fat?  Sexy back fat?

And does that mean I could have sexy back fat?

And if it does mean I could have sexy back fat, then does it mean I could convince others that their love handles can be sexy*, or that their breasts sag like a womans and less like a farm animals?  (You have no idea how often I hear older women compare their breasts to udders.  What is wrong with you, ladies?)

Yeah, some of these photos are a little overly edited, with extra smooth skin, no rolls overlapping the garments (which, if you’re heavy yourself, you know that blue swimsuit below must have done).  Despite that, and despite my fear that this shoot will cause people to start saying that fat equals “a real woman” – which makes skinny equal what, exactly? – I still love this shoot.

Because this shoot inspired me to get up, strip out of my clothes, and look in the mirror…and appreciate what I saw.

Back fat and all.

—

Here are a few more shots from the editorial.

When you look at these, what’s the first thing you see?

Is it back fat, big hips, pretty small breasts, or are you more focused on the styling of these models?

What do you think about this shoot, and V Magazine’s decision to use “big, little, pint-size [and] plus-size” models in their January 2010 issue?

*One thing I’ve noticed: “skinny girls” are way more likely to complain about love handles.  I’m not discounting you, beauties!  I know you’ve got your insecurities, too.

Images via Refinery29.com.

Jaka Merriman, a friend and valued commenter, takes us through the “saga” of her hair color, and ends up with a new perspective on self-love.

Chelsea Rae of Pink Rock Candy also saw the Crystal Renn/Jaquelyn Jablonski photoshoot – but she saw it surrounded by hate-mongering comments towards women’s bodies. Here’s her take on the whole shebang.

Have you heard of Medicinal Marzipan? No? Well, go get yourself some fresh coffee or tea, grab a muffin or some string cheese, and get settled – this blog is a wealth of positivity. Some gems?

• Learning to Love Yourself, Even When You Feel Awful
• Learning To Love Your Body, Regardless of Your Size
• A Body Recovered

We only wish she didn’t have partial feeds! But we love her anyway.

Have a great weekend!

Sometimes, we get reduced to a blubbering pile of Demoiselle after coming across something truly thought-provoking. Honestly, this doesn’t happen all too often in the land of Fashion-&-Body-Image, but every so often we find a jewel that really makes us think.

Plus-sized model, Crystal Renn, and Spring 2010 Fashion Week darling Jacquelyn Jablonski faced off before the camera of ultra-photographer, Terry Richardson, for the January Issue of V Magazine (which hits newsstands on January 14).

Renn has been getting some media attention for her size as of late, having just released a book documenting her experience as both a “regular”-sized model and her transformation into a plus-sized model. The book is called Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves.

Here, she faces frames with an average-sized runway model, Jablonski, who is just 17 but managed to book over 50 runway shows last season. The girls are both wearing super-luxe, high fashion duds from design houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Proenza Schouler, and Versace.

What do you think of this unique photoshoot?

While I can’t deny that my inner-chubby-girl is “rah-rah“-ing from the rooftops, I have to take a step back and really look at this shoot – I encourage you to do the same.

Before starting off with the “____ looks better than ___”s, let’s examine the concept at play – One size fits all. The originating magazine, V, claims that “[The photographer,] Terry Richardson finds that Spring’s most sizzling looks can work on any figure.”

Is that what’s really going on here? Maybe. But regardless of the intention, there are several ideas at play. I, for one, applaud this kind of display and – while there’s definitely a difference of *ahem* signals being sent by each of the models, I love that Crystal Renn comes off as a saucy saucepot vixenator who looks like she could eat you, and your Balenciaga boots, too. Jablonski? She looks great, as well – but a completely different type of “great”. The important idea here is that, aside from the fact that they shouldn’t be compared to each other, they really can’t.

I’d like to carry on in my life resting assured that the will behind this photoshoot wasn’t aiming to over-sexualize curvy women, but instead liberate them and tell them: Look at hot as you want, regardless of what size you are.

Then again, there are folks out there who are eager to find something wrong here. For instance, this Newsweek article on the shoot has both Jen and me pretty disgusted. Look at this:

The spreads featured Renn and a skinnier counterpart in nearly identical clothing and poses. Renn looked awesome and, frankly, outdid her skinnier counterpart in a number of the photos. [...] Then, I did a little research, and it suddenly dawned on me: Renn is by no means plus size. While she is admittedly larger than the average model, Renn’s body does not represent the rest of us. In fact, she has dimensions that most American women would envy: a 31-inch waist, which turns out to be six inches smaller than that of the average American woman, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Not to mention  that at 5 feet 9, she’s about a half foot taller than the average American woman as well.

…So they’re officially invalidating the photoshoot strictly because Renn is not a visual example of what we expect to see when we hear “plus sized”? So every body is beautiful, as long as every body is visible represented? Come on – this is nitpicking to the point of nonsensical complaining. Do women with 31 inch waists have it easier? Should they be less represented? Newsweek, we are disappointed.

Oh, and to the comment that “Renn’s body doesn’t represent the rest of us” – well, guess what. She also doesn’t represent…

• Naturally thin women
• Black women
• Short women
• Women with clef palettes
• Anemic women
• … I could go on.

We have to remember that, just because our body type is not represented, it does not mean that there’s no representation occurring at all. Steps forward may not always be in your immediate direction, but forward is forward!

First of all, the average female waist size as referenced by the CDC is 37 inches?  Holy crap. Ladies, please visit Getting Healthy and work on that – stat.

On to the photos: When I first saw this shoot, my reaction was blase.  As I told Elle, I already know that women with boobs and booty can look just as amazing in designer clothing as straight-figured women, so there was little shock coming from my direction.  At the same time, I was a little disappointed that the poses each of the models did were merely similar to each other – I wish they’d either been exactly the same, or totally different.  Why?  Because I worry that the photos V chose to represent each of these models will further one of the stereotypes our society has about plus-sized women: that their only claim to beauty is sheer sex appeal.

Don’t get me wrong: I love the way Renn showed off these designs.  She oozes confidence, and pulls off each outfit with an effortlessness that Jablonski just…doesn’t.  (In my opinion, that has more to do with the models’ ability to do print work rather than their size – Jablonski is known for runway, so this isn’t a huge surprise to me.)  My fear is that the public will compare these women’s interpretations of each pose – as they’re expected to – and come away thinking that Renn’s poses were “a sexy version” of Jablonski’s.  And if people choose to focus on that, instead of Renn’s ability to carry the designs on her larger frame, the point will be lost.  Instead of One Size Fits All – plus size girls can rock designer duds just as hard as skinny models – the idea will morph into One Size Fits All…as long as the plus-size model is overtly sexy. Like Elle says, you can’t actively compare the two – you just have to know that both of them work.

But if the public doesn’t try to box these two models in – furthering the idea that having breasts and a butt mean you have to be overtly sexy, and not having them makes you androgynous or “edgy” – then this could be another step forward in opening up the fashion world, along with social consciousness, to a whole new array of different body types and beauties.  We could begin to see more designer garments on models with 30-something-inch waists, more “edgy” looks and poses from each and every body type, and more perceptions shattered about what “beauty” and “sexy” really are.

The Happy Holidays Edition

Edited by Retrochick

Well, I suppose I shall start this weeks Links à la Mode with this:

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

It’s Christmas Eve and I’m sure visions of sugar plums are dancing in everyone’s heads as they trim the tree and sup mulled wine in preparation for tomorrows frivolities. All too soon it’ll all be over and brain power sapped from too many TV Christmas Specials you’ll be wanting some mental sustenance, and that’s where we come in.

Essentially that’s a long winded way of me saying that what follows are some lovely links to keep you busy over the Christmas period.

M.I.S.S and JeweleryWhore have D.IY ideas to keep your mind and body occupied, ID Style and Little Miss Make Up show you how to ramp up the glamour in your make up bag, whilst Daily Diva Dish and The Working Wardrobe will help you plan what to wear for New Years Eve and that dreaded day you return to work.

If you run out of entertainment here then you should always check out the full Links à la Mode thread for more yummy fashion goodness.

I hope you all have a fantastic holiday and that Santa brings you everything you asked for!

Links à la Mode : December 24th

• Alice in Stilettos – Don’t Be Victimized By Fashion
• DailyDivaDish – New Year’s Eve Fashion: Make an entrance without breaking the bank. Includes 2 looks + DIY ideas.
• Fashion X K8 – Bringing attention to an essay of literary criticism that provides the proper vocabulary with which we can converse about a new fashion paradigm.
• Fasshonaburu – An interview with Liu Wen, the first Asian model to strut her stuff on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show catwalk.
• Idiosyncratic Style – Wham GLAM Thank You Ma’am – Indulge in a little glamour for the holidays.
• Jewelry Whore – HUGE Roundup of DIY Christmas Present Ideas! It’s not too late to make some fabulous jewelry for Christmas presents!
• kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS – You’re only a couple clicks and a few stitches away from owning your own one-of-a-kind designer piece with free patterns from SHOWstudio
• La Société de Mode – A scream of an interview with stylist Brett Bailey
• Little Miss Makeup – Bold lips: This season’s hottest makeup trend.
• M.I.S.S. – Another simple yet attractive necklace by Pandora from Acessory Source in this week’s She’s Crafty.
• Previously Owned – To celebrate the [almost there] opening of the ONLINE store Previously Owned BLOG is giving away a Royal Blue hobo!
• Retro Chick – Vintage Hair Styling with Flamingo Amy
• Style on a String – Harem Pants: Yay or Nay? And some quick tips on how to buy and wear them.
• Sugar and spice and all things nice – 10 things I like…. no, LOVE… about FANTASY SHOPPING!!
• sweetarchivia – Review of the much anticipated launch of the Rodarte for Target line by the Mulleavy sisters.
• THE COVETED – Versace Pre-Fall returns to color
• The Demoiselles – Wing Tips: Your First Time…at the Tailor
• The Fashion Planner – The Fashion Planner is excited to announce the publication of The Fashion Planner’s Guide!
• The Style PA – I review the comfy, Cable Cosy by Isabella Oliver
• The Working Wardrobe – Learning the art of layering that is both fashion-forward and office-appropriate