Here are the basics I stick to:

First I try to consider my body type. After two kids I’m simply not full on top so strapless dresses and I would fight all night. However, I’ve worked for my Michelle Obama arms so I would like to show them off.  I’m petite, I have some curves and I want to find a dress that will compliment them.

Secondly I want to find something trendy but comfortable. The trends are one shoulder strap dresses, embellished dresses and color. I’m a classic style type person so I like solid colors and I will not depend on too many accessories.

Finally I have a budget. Around this time of year there are lots of sales so I wait to see if I get a flyer for discounts at my favorite stores.

My favorite stores to look for holiday dresses are BCBGMaxAzria, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, White House Black Market, French Connection and Cache. After searching through all the options I fell in love with these two. I love the upper left one from BCBG because it’s very different and not many women would go for pink for a holiday dress. I would pull my hair up, wear some diamond studs and a sparkly bracelet. The dress to the right is from French Connection. It’s a very classic dress and it also has my name all over it.

I am and always have been the classic style person. I like to mix classic with a couple of trendy items. I like the refined looks of J. Crew, Club Monaco, French Connection and from time to time Max Studio. My nieces love Urban Outfitters, Free People, and American Eagle. After having kids, my body has changed and I am more conscious of how I dress because I do want to be fashionable and have my twelve-year-old son be proud to introduce me as his mother.

I enjoy clothes as much as my nieces do. They are still trying to figure out who they are. For now they can have fun and be daring with their clothes. I am a mother, career woman and finally comfortable with myself . I know exactly what’s right for me. I see women who wear what their daughters wear and my opinion is, if you are comfortable and you have the body to wear it – you rock.

When it comes to trends they come and go. In my closet are basics that I pair with one or two trend pieces. That trend piece can be a shirt, necklace or even shoes. Some examples are a trendy blouse with basic skinny jeans, destroyed jeans with a graphical t-shirt, jacket and some killer boots. Find clothes that are comfortable and fit well. My favorite comfortable outfit right now is skinny jeans and a tunic  sweater or blazer.

Fashion trends are cyclical; so once hammer pants are now harem pants. Would I wear them now – no.  But that’s just me. Long blazers with fun leggings or skinny jeans are in full force. Would I wear this type of look? Absolutely. Not only are they great looking but no matter what size or height you are they make you look great.

Blazers are now available with several styles. Long, short, some have studs. Others have lots of zippers and some remind me of a poet. Whichever look you prefer I’d recommend making the blazer the standout item. I love this Free People one.

Are you revisiting the 80’s?

Then last week I had a conversation with a girl friend and she asked me where I had my jeans hemmed. She was shocked when I told her that I hem my own jeans. Growing up with a family from the clothing manufacturing business I was taught early on how sew a button and as I grew into my teen years, hem my own pants.  So to me this comes naturally.

I have always had great sewing machines around me but pants that I’ve hemmed by hand have always been better. To hem jeans with a machine, your machine must be able to handle the thick material. Use a needle that can handle denim material.

I’ve attached a link that demonstrates the process. Copy and paste the link below into your internet browser. While this is showing the process on a machine, you can also do it by hand. This will ask you to download a pdf.

http://home.comcast.net/~kozykitty/blog/originalhem.pdf

It’s wedding season and we all want to show up in a great dress, whether we’re seeing friends or bringing a date to the event. I thought it would be appropriate to talk about what to wear to a wedding. A wedding is NOT about you. It’s about the bride and everyone attending must respect that. Whatever you wear and how you do your hair remember to keep it low key. You should never outdo the bride. If it’s a black tie wedding keep it simple and classic.

Stay away from red and white. Black is permitted but use accessories so you don’t look like you’re going to a funeral. Don’t go too short. Try to keep the length of the dress about 2-3 inches past your middle finger; you’re not going to a dance club! Take a scarf or a light sweater that will compliment your dress.

A great dress option would be the French Connect Juliet’s Dream Dress. It’s simple with classy lines and you may wear your hair up or down. A short or long pearl necklace and bracelet would be a great finishing touch. A cocktail ring might be too much. Don’t forget the clutch and carry a scarf as wrap for the evening.

This is a look that has dressed up the boyfriend shorts. A simple t-shirt and light jacket paired with flats is quite nice. You can accessorize them with a gold necklace and some bangles. For an edgy look put on a tank top or form fitting t-shirt with a vest and gladiator pumps.

Some of my favorite boyfriend shorts are J Brand Bobby Boyfriend Roll Up shorts by Clyde. It’s a baggy fit and sits low. Nobody Distressed Boyfriend Short by Wily. And for a shorter pair get the Vigoss Stretch Denim Boyfriend Short.

My friends and I finally sat down to dinner. The topic of fashion and style came up. We were all wearing black, but in a completely different way. We all have our own style. It’s funny how we could all be friends but not share any of the same style interests.

What is even more interesting is that we’re all different ages 40, 32, and 26. The youngest, a designer, said that making things simple was key. She buys only A-line dresses and once in a while may throw a belt into the mix. It’s a rarity that she will put on heels unless going to a wedding. I’m always wearing a suit of some sort and stiletto heels. Our friend that is 40, owns her own business and once she finds something she buys several of the same item. Amazingly, she’s the one that wears jeans and the short skirts! She’s got legs that go a mile high. Tonight she’s in this Vince Dindl skirt (she’s had it hemmed up) with a white button up. Watch out 20-somethings!

The young designer friend came in a French Connection Mandy Minim dress and I was in a JCrew suit. No matter what age, no matter what event, know your own style and personality. If you’re not comfortable, it will show. You’ll end up becoming our entertainment for the night like the promotional models did.

Afterward I drove back into the city to enjoy the rest of my night in a lounge. I look at how the young twenty-something woman dress and one in particular caught my attention. This woman’s attire was painful. It’s like it was the ’80s all over again. She was wearing an awful flowered dress with a leather jacket that had zippers all over it, pink leggings, gladiator shoes, rocker hair, and a green clutch. Holy moly was all I can say to myself.

Strong and bold is the new statement in style for autumn. So I guess some women are putting this into their wardrobe early. That’s fine as long as its done right. For young women I recommend a black jacket like this Miss Sixty bomber, camisole, boyfriend jeans and gladiator shoes. Be bold, be strong and make the statement. Use common sense so you don’t look like a storm breaking up a rainbow.

A lot of stores who show up in the full figure search online are stores who sell sizes from 14 and up. I recommended Lands End and Target.  But there are a lot of options for full figure women. It really depends on what you are looking for. I recommended Lands’ End because she is a conservative mom. If you are a full figure woman and want a trendy look check out Express, NY and Company and Macy’s.