Guest Blogger Amanda Gives the Scoop on Levi's Curve ID- Get your FREE pair on September 17th in Union Square, SF

I was recently out with my sister in downtown SF. It was a girls day, complete with nails, drinks, all-round fun times, and a little side quest: go try on a pair of the new Curve ID line at Levi’s. Downtown SF is a major flagship location so why not go to the heart of the beast? Supposedly, these are the best pair of jeans you’ll ever try on in your life and at $69.50, they promise a little extra $ in your pocket for a top to match.

My sister, Amelia, and I walk in and asked the lovely doorman where we might find a pair of the new curve ID jeans. He spoke and pointed to the second floor, so off we went to find a manager. I was there on official business after all and had to know if things like license and pictures were a problem. After a bit of a turn around through several, yet very attentive sales associates, a manager appeared, officially nixed the idea of pictures and set up me up with perhaps the most patient sales associate on the planet, Emmanuel, or more informally known as Emi. I don’t think there is a happier or nicer jeans expert.

We had him get us everything! The Slight Curve, the Demi Curve, and the Bold Curve. All geared to flatter the various shapes of women’s bodies, the jeans are all attractively folded and hanging, ready to try but first, you must be measured. Emi took my sister and I aside and proceeded to measure each of us. I went first but the process is the same. They take a measuring tape that’s been pre-cut and wrap it around your torso, under your bust. The extra strings hanging at its sides are used to find your natural waist as the associate holds them against your sides and asks you to bend towards your left and then your right. Then, you get measured at your widest part in your hips and a few more inches above that, an area I think most gals like to wear their jeans. Amelia was given her two options to try: the Bold and the Demi. I was judged a Slight and Demi curve candidate. Off to the rooms we went!

As it turns out, the jeans are more about fitting and flattering than problem-solving. After several studies done on over 60,000 women, You Ngyuen, the head designer behind this revolutionary new fit system, found that over 80% of women fall into one of these three categories. It’s more about a woman’s shape than her size. The Slight Curve is used for ladies who need a bit more of a defined waist. The Demi Curve suits ladies who can find jeans that fit but don’t flatter their body. The Bold Curve is for the woman who constantly finds herself in a battle with the gap at the back.

Back in the rooms the first pair I tried on were the best fitting. They also happened to be the first pair that Emi handed to me. A Slight Curve jean in the straight-leg really felt good. The only problem was, I didn’t fall in love. I know my body well and I wasn’t happy with the length of the jean on my legs. They made me look shorter when I stand at 5’9 every other day. The bad news is that after about 9 pairs of jeans, I struck out. Amelia on the other hand was quite successful. Though she too went through at least 10 pairs of jeans, the ones that best suited her happened to be the same size I had in the Slight curve, but in the Bold. She had no gapping at the back, the straight-leg flattered her at the hips, through the thighs, and all the way down to her ankle. She of course wound up walking away with a fabulous new pair of jeans and I ended up cursing my own dumb luck that I would have the body type that falls into the left over 20% of women these jeans don’t cater too. I would have been tempted too by that first pair except for that fact that the style I liked, in my size, aren’t made with a longer inseam...yet.

Apparently, there are reviews and “how are we fitting you” cards being exchanged between the heads up top and the hands on the floor all the time. Emi was very candid in letting Amelia and me know that their customer reviews are very important and with this Curve ID system garnering as much buzz as it is, Levi’s has a lot riding on its successes. Happily, most reviews you seek out online are nothing but positive. So far, I’m the only one who didn’t strike gold.

All in all, the experience was completely fantastic. I may not have left with a pair of jeans, but I left knowing that there was an amazing amount of help on the floor, should I need it, and that my comments and criticisms were being escorted to the top of the food chain. Hopefully Levi’s can help you find a new ID for your curves to flatter your shape and forget your size.

~Amanda 

You read that right! Bring in an old pair of jeans to the Levi's store in Union Square and get a FREE pair of Levi's Curve ID.  It's first come fist served, so get there before 10:00 when they open to wait in line.

Images courtesy of Levi's and denimology.com

Ready, Set, Shop: Zac Posen for Target Launches April 25th

Target is at it again with another amazing designer collaboration.  Drum roll please!!!  This time it's Zac Posen.  If you aren't already familiar with him as a designer, his dresses have been described as "sultry, body-hugging, thirties- and forties-inflected party frocks".  Lucky Magazine interviewed the designer about his collaboration for Target, and was asked if  there were going to be any revivals of his iconic pieces from his main line.  To the delight of all who love Zac Posen, he replied:

"We definitely looked to our archive for inspiration and did takes on two of my most iconic pieces: the snap dress and the trumpet dress. But this collection wasn't as much about reinventing the old as it was about exploring the new and uncharted."

The collection opens up to the general public nationwide at Target and Target.com on April 25th.

READER TIP:  Here's a little secret I have used over and over again for these designer collaborations.  This works best for those of us on the west coast- The items go on sale online around midnight EST.  I start stalking the target website about 9:00 PST to see when the merchandise becomes available.  It beats standing in line, but you don't get to try the items on first.  Another plus, you get to shop the collection before your friends who don't know this tip, so you get to choose from the best selection.

Image(s) courtesy of Lucky Magazine
Quote from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/designerdirectory/ZPOSEN/seasons/

Sheath Dress: Two Ways

Sheath dresses are really trendy for this fall. But frankly, they never really go out of style, just re-invent themselves over the years. When deciding what to invest in as a staple piece for your closet, start here. Why do both of these looks work?

Look 1 (left):

• belting this dress gives added shape
• layering the cardigan adds texture and interest
• the tone-on-tone leggings and pumps give this a lean appearance
  

Look 2 (right):

• don't let anyone tell you you can't pair black and brown
• layering the dress over a turtleneck is on-point for this fall
• the black turtleneck balances out the black tights and boots
• again, belting the dress is a MUST for this look
  

When I am flipping through fashion mags and fashion blogs, one of the features I enjoy the most are the "one dress: two ways" articles. Lucky Magazine is great about showing us one blouse styled multiple ways (dressed up and down) to maximize our wardrobes.

This is exactly what I do when I am working with clients in their own closets- maximizing what they already have. I help them to identify which pieces are "keepers" and then make multiple outfits using those pieces. Stay tuned for pictures I have taken during some of these consultations.

Images courtesy of Banana Republic
link:http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/division.do?cid=5002

Poll: What's Your Unapologetic Fashion Vice?

Lucky Magazine asked their editors "what's your no-apologies splurge?" There were designer brands thrown out, Chanel, La Mer. Which are both amazing choices I might add. But what else do you expect from a fashion editor, right?

I want to know what the average woman is willing to spend her money on without a care. What is your unapologetic fashion vice?





Images scanned from my copy of Lucky Magazine's October 2009 issue.

Lucky Magazine: October 2009- My Mailman Hates Me!

Every Fall my mailman must hate me. I am one of those fashionistas that subscribes to one too many fashion magazines (the list is too long to name). So many of the magazines have 600+ glossy pages covered in fashion I would give my left arm for (which, once gone, still wouldn't get me even close to the weight in which I would need to be to wear most of the items comfortably :). But I digress....

I was in Tahoe on "vacation" for Labor Day with some of my friends. While trying to disconnect from the world as we know it, my friend Gina and I scrolled through tons of websites looking for a new over-sized work bag for her (can't seem to leave the fashionista at home). What we should have done was just flip through the latest issue of Lucky Magazine.

Here are my tricks to finding a good work bag:

• If you're going to invest in an expensive bag that's going to last... you want the style to have staying power as well. Look for something either in a neutral tan or black.
• If you're going for color, don't spend your rent on something everyone is going to remember you've been carrying around every day for 3 years just to make it worth the price.
  
• Go easy on the hardware and keep it simple.
  
• Make sure the bag is large enough to hold all of your essentials (laptop, books, change of shoes, etc) including a smaller handbag to take with you to lunch.
• Buy one with a shoulder strap or handles long enough to wear over your shoulder. The bigger the bag, the heavier it tends to get. Make sure you have a comfortable way to carry your load.
• Having ample pockets inside (or an easy to reach pocket outside for essentials) because it's vital to keep your bag from being a bottomless pit for small items you will never be able to find (may my Chanel No5 lost in my Chloe bag R.I.P).
  

Might I suggest this Calvin Klein bag from the October issue? I love the raspberry color, the simplistic design, and the braided handles. Available at select Macy's.

Images scanned from my copy of Lucky Magazine's October 2009 Issue.

Product Review: The Invisibelt- "All Belt No Bulk"

I can't tell you enough how many times I get clients telling me about their woes when it comes to finding pants that fit correctly. And the number one problem is that their waistlines are smaller than average to their hip sizes, leaving a nice big gap in the back of their pants.

I fit into this category myself. My first suggestion to the other women out there finding this a problem, is to look for companies/brands that sell styles of pants cut specifically for this reason. For example, the denim line Joe's Jeans, carried by most major department stores, has a "honey" cut jean that comes in in the waist and is a bit roomier in the butt and thighs. And if you still have some extra room in there, take them to a tailor and have them taken in.

But what if you can't get to the tailor in time and you just have to wear that brand new pair of jeans? Are you wearing belts all the time to keep your pants up, but hate the all-too-wonderful belt buckle bulge you get under your shirts?

In the mail today I received a product that addresses this very issue. Myself, along with a couple other women, wore the invisibelt for a week with various outfits. It's been featured in People, Lucky and Shape Magazine, and retails for $19.95. Here is our honest (unpaid) review of the product.

Invisibelt's Claims*: -eliminate the unsightly bulge caused from bulky belt buckles -gives the support of a belt with a flat, clear and smooth finish -provides an instant slimming effect -enables women to wear fitted sweaters over pants or skirts- no trace of a belt buckle detected -unique adjustable waist size (sizes 0-14) makes it ideal for the average woman. Larger size belt fits up to 4x -available in "naked" (clear) or "noir" (black)

What We Found:
the pros:
- Having two color options was nice to have (there are more colors arriving and others already available on the invisibelt website)
- Once we figured out how to adjust the belt properly (there is a how-to video online) there was a nice snug, but not tight, feel like your pants were not going to need to be pulled up all day long
- Because there was not a traditional buckle, there was no bulge under a shirt (BUG PLUS+)
- The belt was a nice width so that it didn't feel like it was cutting into any belly fat or love handles
- Worked very well under a long tunic style shirt and jeans

the cons:
- when wearing a dress pant with a bit of silkiness to it, the belt seemed to ride up past the belt loop and sit against the skin on your back (possibly due to not tightening enough first)
- All reviewers wished that the belt came in a fabric or leather so that when seen (such as when you sit down in a chair and your shirt tends to ride up), it looked more like a traditional belt

But just like the inventor, Kathy, says on the website's how-to section, "it's about function, not fashion." I personally appreciate the thought that went into this product. Definitely one of those "why didn't I think of that" kind of moments. However, just like the clear bra strap, while functional, it isn't the most comfortable or stylish. When it comes to plastic in outfits, it is better to not be seen at all than to be seen wearing plastic.

I give this product a B+ for ingenious design, ease of use, and functionality. Let us know when a leather version comes out!





*Images and information courtesy of invisibelt