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Winterizing Your Wardrobe
By: Ashely Lombardo
lright ladies, it’s that time of a year
again. The killer question is, how do I maximize my winter wardrobe without maxing out my credit card? Here are some of my best tips for winterizing your wardrobe while managing your accounts. There is a chill in the air. Leaves are fading into a sweet shade of yellow, fall orange, and warm red. It’s certainly getting too brisk for your current collection of summer styles. So like every other bargain buyers out there, you dust off those winter boxes, and pull sweaters trapped in the back of your closet. Put your medley of last year’s autumn and winter styles in the front of your closet. In this economy we all have to be as financially savvy with our seasonal clothes. What’s a girl to do when maximizing outfits for winter? Maintaining a balanced checkbook is the first priority. Instead of spending a fortune buying a new wardrobe, (as fun as that may be) it is more feasible to simply add a few essentials to what you already have. Here is where we begin. Pull out the styles in your closet that are still fashionable from last year. You can also keep out the trendy designs from the summer that you aren’t quite ready to store away. Ask yourself what’s current? What does each outfit need in order to be a workable outfit for the fall and winter months? Here are a few suggestions: Afraid you’ll miss your dresses this winter? Think again. A chunky sweater with skirts and dresses this fall are in. Style hint: Boyfriend sweaters will be a hit. Leather skirts are hot for winter. Mix in a little more spice by adding a pair of colored tights. Now we’re talking. No tights? No worries, they are inexpensive and easy to find. Do you have a maxi-skirt left over from summer? I hope so, because these work too. Throw on a pair of sexy boots or heels. Viola a sexy winter look. Just remember to wear a pair of leggings or stockings underneath your maxi-skirt to keep you warm.
You can’t go wrong when combining a choker or scarf to winter outfits. For scarves, go old school plaid or polka dots. If neither of these patterns works for you, grab some dynamic green. Gorgeous greens, not dark or forest green. Get the green that works best with your complexion. It’s the go-to color for the coming months. Believe it or not, you can even get away with camouflage this winter. Here are a few more crisp colors for fall. Add red, teal, mustard, purple, gray, blue and silver into your color rotation. Have some heavy sweaters, blazers or jackets that are still practical this year? Add a belt around your natural waist and flaunt your frame. You worked hard for it all summer! Boots and booties keep your feet warm. Lucky for you, they can work with pretty much any outfit. Every woman has got to have a pair of hot, colored pants in her closet. Wear these to brighten up dark winter outfits. A huge fashion yes this winter is skirts with slits up the front. Complete the skirt look with a long-sleeved shirt with a nice neckline and the night is yours. But if you must, and I mean must splurge a little this winter, I’ve got a few suggestions for that too. Hopefully you have saved so much dough using the tips above that you can spare a few bucks. Lace, lace, lace, but in moderation please. Working women add some sexiness to your slacks with a lacy blouse. After work lose the slacks and throw on a skirt. Thankfully, lace works with both, and it is an ultra sexy addition to any outfit. The 70’s style dress is back and slamming hot. Even for the workplace. If you don’t have one, get one. You’ll be glad you did. The talk is flapper dresses may also be a hit for fall. A winter must color is rust and mustard. Two tone coats and jackets will be a huge hit. They will dress up any outfit and they are a necessity this winter.
May I Have This Dance? I’ll bet if I asked you to name your favorite love song you would have to scratch your head. If you were tweeting a response to me it would look something like this: IDK any #CURRENTLOVESONGS because I’m too busy tweeting. SMH. Maybe your Facebook status would be, “Out dancing with my life partner to Justin Beiber. All the good love songs were already taken.” I would hit the unlike button, if that were possible. Sound familiar? We’re in a serious crisis here. All of my research around this extremely important topic of the perfect love song has plummeted me back to the 1980s, 1970s and beyond. It’s a travesty! There were artists I’d never heard of, songs that were dated back to when I wore argyle, and bands that were last seen on twelveinch album covers. Oh sure, I recognized The Commodores, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Freddy Jackson. I swayed a dance or two to, “You Are My Lady” by Freddy Jackson. When you think about the present day equivalents of these beautiful love songs, there are minimal options. With that being said, there is a certain respect for the classics. Etta James, “At Last” has been the wedding song for millions of couples around the world. But please shoot me if I hear another round of “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion.
So what is it about a song that sends us back to a certain place? A song that gives us just the right words to express our love? It’s the most beautiful, sensual and provocative combination of lyrics. The melody has a way of touching your soul. Music can bring back a certain memory or time. It can communicate for us, to us and through us. When you’re standing across from your partner and your favorite love song comes on it just pulls you closer in love. You look at him or her smiling. You both know the song is just for the two of you. He grabs your hand and places it gently around his neck while pulling you in closer. You smell that spot on his neck that you love. It makes you smile with shivers rolling down your spine. As you stand toe-to-toe he puts his nose to your neck and the light touch of his lips make your heart smile. He lovingly gazes into your eyes with a smile. It’s the smile that’s just for you. While you sway back and forth the music surrounds you. Just for that moment you are floating on a cloud with the world swirling around you. If it were possible, you fall more, and more in love. As he leans in to whisper, you can feel the moment freeze. He puts his lips to your ear to say, “I love you”. Only a song can create this moment. You can listen to it in 2011 or 2020 and it will still bring back that single moment of love and tenderness. Music is the single greatest vehicle to transport us to a place of harmony and balance. Music can create, evoke and bring back memories. We have iTunes, Pandora, Grooveshark and other ways for social media to find music to help us make new memories. We can play song after song with melodies that pass through our ears. Songs that make us do a little two-step while cooking dinner. These are great times in our everyday life. Music is a huge mood lifter and great for self expression. When was the last time you heard a song that made you stop in your tracks and smile. The words just said everything you felt in your heart for someone? When was the last time you
actually put a song on and stood in the middle of your living room for a slow dance with your partner? Nowadays all we hear is sex, sex and more sex on the radio. Songs are giving you a road map of “how to do it”. Aren’t we allowed to figure out how to do it ourselves? It is time for a change. Life is too short to let these lovely moments slip by without the perfect love song (not sex song) to bring you closer. Music says all the things that you are sometimes too shy to articulate. I’m going to give you fifteen songs. If there are some you haven’t heard, you can consider it my gift to you. They range from classics to modern day tunes.
Classic love songs that will always have a place in our hearts. 1. The Way You Look Tonight – Tony Bennett 2. When I Fall In Love – Nat King Cole 3. When A Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge 4. At Last – Etta James 5. You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
In the past decade… 1. Come Away With Me – Norah Jones 2. By Your Side – Sade 3. I Know What Love Is – Celine Dion 4. Crazy Love – Brian McKnight 5. Push – Sarah McLaughlan
Best I got for now… (No Beiber, no Perry, no Nicki, no JayZ, no GaGa) 1. The Moon and the Sky – Sade 2. I Am – Christina Aguilera 3. There Goes My Baby – Usher 4. Make You Feel My Love – Adele 5. How It Feels to Fly – Alicia Keys Whew…I’m spent.
That’s a ton of great music for your listening pleasure. Make an iTunes playlist with these musical gems. Be sure to title it “Gia’s List.” When your special someone stops by you’ll be able to easily retrieve it and get the mood going. You can certainly see the transition over time from deep visceral music to a more serious tone. The lyrics from the past express the simple pleasures of falling in love, seeing beauty in your partner, and confessing vulnerability. The modern day lyrics are a little more complicated. They are actually a reflection of our lives today. We put too much pressure on falling in love. We over complicate things and get tripped up over our words. So perhaps, we’ve found that maybe it’s good to fall back on the trusted melody of an old love song. My parting words: I wish you a Crazy Love and that someday you will know How It Feels to Fly. Life is a short exciting journey so you really need somebody By Your Side. May I have this dance? Gia Claire www.giaclaire.com
Style Corner By Alecia Sampson
Fall is finally here. Time to dust off your boots and pull out your winter coats. What are the trends for this season? The runways have been full of life for this fall. Colors and patterns are playing a huge part for many designers’ lines. No one wants to just cover up using large sweaters or hoodies. Yes, I know they are comfortable. Just because the heat has left us that does not mean your fashion went too! Most of the styles this fall and winter will be bold and simple. Styles we have not seen in years are emerging again, but with a modern twist. We see the 1970s silhouette making an impression on most collections. No more skinny jeans. Embrace the high-waist, wide leg and flares. Skinny jeans have become too common and frankly too tight. Good make-up and hair are a must. The smoky eye has a more dramatic look this season. This look can turn you from average to high fashion. I like to pair the smoky eye with some lashes that stand out. If the smoky eye look is used, make sure you use a natural blush tone. Your eyes should be the main focus! A messy bun gives attitude to your look. The roughness and texture adds confidence. A good manicure always makes my day. The brand I always trust is OPI. The new color line, “Touring America,” introduces some great colors for the fall. For a night on the town try, “Color to Dine for” or for business look, try “Honk if You Love OPI.” This is a wonderful line from OPI!
To follow are my favorite trends that have hit the runway: Connecting the Dots. Polka Dots have hit the runway! Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney and Diane von Furstenberg have incorporated this pattern into their fall line. Marc Jacobs’ fall line adds the 1940s flare. He gives a seductive classy look. While Diane von Furstenberg uses her signature 1970s inspired wrap-dress. The collection’s high slits and tunic style make the look easy to pair up with knee-high boots. To the M ax! Tired of jeans and leggings? Try a maxi skirt. Pair it up with some great ankle boots or pair it with a cozy sweater. Maxi skirts are here to break up the mundane winter blues! A re you choking around? Chokers are the biggest accessories to add to your wardrobe. The new twist is metal chokers. The metal adds a simplicity and modern edge to your outfit. Also by adding metal cuffs you can complete your look! To get this look, try pairing it with a nice plunging neckline. Add a fur vest and a minimalist jacket to give the look of sophistication. Wor king it! Your fashion doesn’t have to end during the weekday. Designers are starting to merge fashion and work. Jill Stuart and Luca Luca have changed the normal work uniform. No more black pants! Accent fun colors or even a puff sleeve can bring life into ordinary work attire. Try one of the 1970’s inspired dresses to bring a mix of chic and professionalism.