---UPDATED--- Stylish Giveaway- Win a British Classic from Next and Beyond Black

If you don't know already, let me be the first to announce to you that the ultra fab UK based clothing store Next is now shipping to the states (2 day delivery as standard for $10).  Next is one of the UK's top high-street stores, and a personal favorite of mine.  I was approached by them to help promote their new American shipping policy, and I could not say no!

They let me pick from five of their Great British classics that they felt really summed up everything that's brilliant about Next.  I chose the Gold Coloured Chunky Ribbon Bracelet (£12.00).  I wore it during my latest photo shoot at Barney's.  I wanted some bling to add to my outfit that wouldn't be too distracting or clash too much with the wallpaper.  And this bracelet fit the bill.  I love the black ribbon and how it makes this expensive looking bracelet fun and flirty.

And the best part about it, they are letting me give one away to one of you!  To enter, friend me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, AND post a comment to this post letting me know what you would wear the bracelet with.  You must complete all three to be eligible.  I will randomly pick the winner on June 28th!

---UPDATE--- I posted this giveaway while I was on vacation, then didn't check my email again until today to post all of the comments I've received and approve my FB friends.  I'm  EXTENDING THE DEADLINE until July 7th for entries.  Thanks to all of you who have entered already.  I'll be posting the winner on the morning of the 7th.

Image(s) courtesy of Next and Beyond Black

Even when you work from home, do you still have to get out of your pajamas?

My friend Lisa and I were chatting, over dinner on a patio in Tiburon, about fashion and our closeted pajama wearing.  As a fellow work-from-home woman, she understands my need to be comfortable.  This is different from being comfortable while I am out of the house.  It's some mental thing for me.  I get cleaned up when I am getting ready to head out to meet a client, run errands, etc.  I seem to have a hard time focusing on my admin duties (see "small business ownership") here at home when I am dressed to leave the house.  So somehow my brain has connected pajamas to working at home.  So why fight it?

Now don't get me wrong, it's not like I am walking around the house in hole-filled tees and sweatpants (implying I would sleep in that sort of thing).  I collect vintage kimonos because they make me feel beautiful, even when just lounging around the house.  I love this vintage beauty from Shrimpton Couture.

Maybe you're not a kimono kind of person, but you still need to ditch your track suits and holy duds for something a little nicer.  Here are some suggestions:

Opt for a chemise with matching robe

It's all about the layers

A little lace goes a long way

A sleep tank doesn't always have to be a traditional ribbed style

 
Image(s) courtesy of Shrimpton Couture, Victoria's Secret and 

How Your Boobs Change

Ladies, did you know that your breasts will change shape, size and distribution, on average, 6 times during your life?  I found this interesting article on {Intimacy} about the subject:


Here are some of the lifestyle events that cause breast changes:

• Weight loss or gain can mean reduced breast size, less tissue elasticity, loss of firmness or increased needs for support.
  
• Birth control, hormone replacement therapy, cortisone and other medications can cause water retention and effect hormone levels in a woman's body. This can mean an increase in breast size of up to one cup.
  
• An increase in exercise for younger women may tighten pectoral muscles, which can improve uplift to the entire breast area. A decrease in exercise can cause a decline of body fat, thus reducing a woman's bra size or firmness. (Breast tissue is not muscle. The pectoral muscles lie behind breast tissue.)
  
• Pregnancy and/or nursing puts demand on tissue and skin resiliency. Most women lose firmness due to increases of at least 1-2 cup sizes. If nursing, the constant fill up and flow during lactation stresses the breast. While nursing, a woman should not use underwire bras, as they do not allow enough growth during the numerous lactation cycles.
  
• Breast augmentations require the same support as normal breasts. Skin elasticity and resilience is influenced more by an individual’s genetics than by operational procedures, enlargement size or where the enlargement is placed (under or over breast tissue.)
  
• A change in diet may affect the percentage of body fat, fluids or protein your body needs to metabolize and nourish the breast tissue. Radical changes can result in hormone imbalance, loss of hair, and is not generally recommended

*Source:  In research we conducted with over 500 women, 55% of respondents reported one or more lifestyle changes during the past year. 

I found this interesting little tidbit while reading a blog post about the booming business of large figure bras.  Being a large breasted woman myself, I am looking forward to having a larger selection of pretty bras made available to me.

 
Image courtesy of Bare Necessities

Spanx for Men: Yes or No?

My female clients know of my love/hate relationship with Spanx.  I don't always like having that extra layer (especially on hot summer days),  but I hate lumps and bumps more than a little extra sweating.  For many women like myself, shapewear is a necessary evil.  And now men can have the same experience [inset evil laugh here].  Introducing Spanx for men!

While I'm not sure anything other a diet or being stuffed into a sausage casing is going to make you look 10 pounds thinner, I do believe that shapewear can smooth out your lumps and bumps.  And this shouldn't be a luxury just for women (Lord knows the other options for guys aren't so great).  I know I couldn't wear half of my closet if I didn't wear Spanx.  So in the name of fashion, I am going to force my husband to test out these little beauties for you guys. 

Stay tuned for pics from my very unconvinced husband....

Image(s) courtesy of barenecessities.com

Tips to Organize Your Closet

Better Homes and Gardens posted a great article on tips to organize your closet.  Here are some of my favorites:

small section of my temp closet

-Keep out-of-season clothes, shoes, and accessories in the back of the closet or in another closet; same for those "wish clothes" that don't fit but you can't bear to get rid of.

-Also, professional organizers suggest turning all of the hangers in your closet the opposite way. Every time you wear an item, turn the hanger around. After a few months, you can clearly see what clothing items you could live without.

-Organize your own closet -- or a child's -- with a combination of double hanging rods, drawers, and shelves. Drawers corral small items such as socks while cubbies hold folded items. Upper shelves can store out-of-season shoes and clothing in clear bins with lids.

-If your closet is also your dressing area, make it more functional by hanging a large mirror on the wall behind a dresser. Or consider hanging a floor-length mirror on a door.

Tip #4- I can not stress enough how important a full-length mirror is.  You can't get the full effect of your outfit if you can only see the top half of it.

I started this hanger trick fresh one month ago.  Wow, I wear such a small percentage!

Tip #2- I also do this hanger trick myself.  Being able to see what you do and don't wear plain-as-day in front of your face, makes it much easier to self-edit when you are ready to shop for the upcoming seasonal changes.  Start with all of the hanger facing forwards towards you (being hung from the back).  As soon as you wear something, not just try it on, hang it back up facing the wall.  So when you decide to go clean out your closet again, first take a look at all of the items still facing you, and ask yourself why?  Is it too big/small?  Is it out of season?  Does it fit my current lifestyle?

Consider putting unwanted items in consignment to earn some money for future clothing purchases.

Before/After Pics: A Guide to Dress-Down-Fridays

My client was gracious enough to let me post before/after pics of him all over the internet (thank you!).  Cliff, a sex/relationship coach in the south bay, wanted to dress up his casual beach style to be a bit more professional.  Not working in an office setting, he didn't want to look like he worked in a cubicle, but did need to step it up a bit from his surfer style.

 

before

Cliff is not my first male client having issues with their dressy-casual clothing.  Whether it's casual Friday or date night, many men are unsure how to dress to impress without wearing a suit.  Take it from me, just throwing on a jacket over your favorite tee, a pair of dress shoes and your cleanest pair of jeans is not cutting it (you know who you are :)

after

We took Cliff out of his over-sized button down shirts and tees, and put him into more fitted layers in darker hues.  These darker tones, even on this red head, look stronger, more powerful and sophisticated.  Together with the better fit and more masculine colors, he's more approachable, professional, confident and ready to break into a larger client base.  What do you think?  How does your dressy-casual look compare?

How To Wear A Wrap Sweater

All of my female clients know how much I love the BCBG wrap sweater.  This type of sweater is great because it's so versatile- it can be tied or wrapped in many ways to change the look.  But they can also be overwhelming to those who don't know how to wear all of the yardage without looking sloppy.  Ambiance posted this great how-to video to help show you some of the ways to wear yours.

Image courtesy of BCBG