Makeover Monday!

...or almost Tuesday this week. 
(I'm not good at being out of town and blogging at the same time, quite yet.)
Today I am featuring a long time friend, "Barb".  Barb has always enjoyed being chic and fun with her clothes, but after her divorce she realized she had neglected care of herself and her wardrobe.

One thing Barb was brave enough to do, was to let me go ahead and get started in her closet even though she wasn't at her goal weight or able to invest in new clothing.  You would be surprised how much we can accomplish even with the pieces in your closet you aren't quite ready to be done with because of size or budget.  I am here to show you how to express your style and beauty no matter what your weight, and it is amazing to see what a belt and strategically layered clothing can accomplish.

Here is how Barb started out when I came to go through her closet, round one:

 

Barb was working in the school system at the time and it was totally dictating how she got dressed.  When I got to visit with her again, she had since gotten a new job that would call for more "professional" looking clothes AND she had lost over 30 pounds.  So, round two was focused on getting rid of frumpy and baggy clothing out of her closet.  Then off to shopping we went.

Barb's body shape is mostly athletic now that she has trimmed down and her style is romantic and trendy.  We also had her hair cut into a more "young" professional style which probably made one of the hugest differences in her appearance.  One thing I help my clients determine is their "style statement" and Barb's was to be Elegant, Unique and Attractive.

So, here is the new Barb.  Still the same kind and sweet friend on the inside, but on the outside, watch out.  She also happens to work in an office of almost all men and I know this has made her so much more confident.

 

And no matter where we are or what we are doing, Barb always looks nice.  Here she is at a summer bbq...

 

Here are a few words from Barb.   "I have known Missy for years and always admired her style.  It was so fun to go shopping and have her magic rub off on me."  

I am so proud of Barb and all the positive changes she has made to her life.  Thank you Barb for letting me be just a little part of that!

Help Me Monday!

What is COLOR BLOCKING?

Although this term might not be familiar to you, you are probably seeing it all over magazines and in the stores.  Color blocking is one of the most simple ways to be fashionable right now, so all you chicas who claim to have "no fashion sense" can hop right in!  Here is a formal definition thanks to Real Simple, May 2011...
Color Blocking:  A striking mash up of contrasting shades creating a visual impact with minimal effort. 
So, how does this look? ...

Basically, it is wearing pieces and accessories that start and stop with obvious sections of color, whether it be bright, soft or even neutral.  If you are like me, and the pieces in the style above don't quite fit your taste, below is a more every-day approach that I could see more ladies like myself wearing.

This is a VERY TRENDY look for the spring/summer...white jeans and this beautiful citrus orange color.  You can see how even her purse is color blocked with bold sections of color.  Now I know for MOST of us, wearing white jeans is not going to happen, so just think of them like leggings and cover your bootie instead of tucking in your shirt.  Aubrey and friends, I give you permission to go for it, just remember to wear nude colored underpants.  Any other color (including white) will show through!

 

Some more examples of switching it up and putting color on the bottom and white on top.

And shoes are really fun to wear in color blocks.  These will look good with so many outfits.  To buy: they are from Kohl's.

My little dog Miss Beans also had a great suggestion for this week's blog post....

Even a bright scarf used around your waist or neck can bring in a touch of color blocking.
We hope this helped.  If Beanie can do it, we can too! 

Have a great, colorful week!

Missy, Aubrey and our guest model Miss Beans

Mission Monday for April 2011

Preppy and Cheerful Stripes!

With April still being a month of volatile weather, I thought this might be a good time to try out this spring trend of stripes in all colors, not just your typical navy and white.  When looking at shirts in particular, you will see them in 3/4 to full length sleeve, which again is great as a layering piece and can easily be mixed with skirts and shorts as the weather gets warmer.

So, your assignment this month is to add a striped piece to your wardrobe.  If you are nervous, you can start with a scarf or piece of jewelry and for you risk takers, I say go for the dress.  They are SO much fun!  Here are some great examples of how to do it classically all the way to dramatic chic!

This is your classic look, layered under a fitted blazer, boy friend jeans and lace up booties.

This next look I love for you younger gals, pairing your striped shirts with whimisical skirts and either high heels like shown here or flat oxfords and socks.  Anything goes!

I know for some of you, this classic look just isn't enough, so here are some stripes in exotic, eye catching colors.

 

And lastly, I'll end with some suggestions on how to mix this all up...

So with this classic look of denim and stripes, please pay attention to the bright red nail color and/or lipstick and the floral scarf peaking it's head out of the straw bag.  Stylist Kate Young suggests that when mixing animal prints or florals with stripes, that at least one color in the print matches the same shade in the stripe.  

And if you are worried about stripes making you look wide, then stick with the shirt only and tuck it in.  Horizontal stripes will give the illusion of broad shoulders and a narrow waist if worn this way.  Horizontal stripes can also be very forgiving in the chest area whether you are big or small.  The stripes make it hard to see, which in some cases is a good thing (like me who has been deprived in this area).

So, no excuses not to give this a try.  I bet some of you may already have this item in the closet but haven't thought to wear it in a while. Just make sure you make it about you and not just what you see in the magazines.  You've got stripes with blazers, stripes with skirts, colorful bright stripes and even stripes with animal or floral prints. So really, the only way to make your stripes "un-cheerful" is to not wear them at all.

Missy and Aubrey

(Pictures thanks to polyvore.com, In Style and Real Simple, April 2011)

Quick Pick Monday

Okay, I will admit, this is probably the hardest week of the month, knowing you all are staring down what Aubrey and I have on and not being able to hear what you are thinking.  But, oh well, here goes!  I'll go first.(Dress and Jacket - The Rack, Lace top - Lucky, Leopard scarf - The Rack, Socks - DSW, Flats - Palladium from The Rack)

So, just a little background on what I have chosen.  I purchased this dress at the end of the summer, last year on the clearance rack.  I liked the maxi length and the light weight sweater material and imagined having fun with t-shirts underneath and denim jackets on top for cooler weather.  What I DIDN'T imagine was how self conscious I would feel when wearing it knowing how snug it was on my "booty".  So after wearing it once, with full Spanky body armor, I decided I could not bear it another day and to the back of the closet it went.

Then, when I wasn't even expecting it, I noticed one of the sales clerks at Lucky, wearing this lace tank ON TOP of her clothes.  How did she know to do that and why didn't I think of that?  So I ran home (with my Lucky purchase in hand) and pulled this dress back out and I have not stopped wearing it ever since.  What a difference layering can make which is why we did a whole blog on just that.  Just by changing my top layer out I can make this dress work for any season and for any occasion.  And another fun tip, try wearing your scarves as belts for a more colorful and eye catching look.

Okay, so here goes Aubrey...

This is one of my favorite outfits, I wore it at my bachelorette party!  If you haven't noticed already, my mom and I LOVE Nordstrom Rack and everything in this outfit except the long tank is from the Rack!  The tank is from Anthropologie, wrap bracelets from Walmart (yes, Walmart), and the necklace is from our dear friends who own We Three Designs.  My favorite thing about this outfit is how comfortable it is, yet still super chic! Down here in Texas, we are seeing the last of the cold days for a while, so I'm glad I got some use out of this outfit before it's bye bye to the cute boots I stole from my mom :).  The jeans are actually "Jeggings" which are a recent trend for us younger gals.  But, moms, if you want to try them, this kind of outfit would work for you because it hides the areas that you might not want to be seen with tight pants on, and it makes your legs look super skinny!  Who doesn't want that?!

So, thanks for tuning in this week.  Next Monday is the first Monday of April so it will be time for Mission Monday and we have a very fun wardrobe assignment waiting for you!  Have a great week!

Makeover Monday!

I always love these kind of articles where you get to see before and after photos.  What a difference just a few changes can make!  Today I am featuring a long time friend and very brave soul that allowed me to "practice"  with her image, closet organization and even shopping.  Thank you Renee for letting me now use you as my first blog guinea pig!

So here is Renee:

Renee is a quite adorable, petite mom of four with an hourglass/athletic shape and a style that is a mix of edgy modern with cultural fusion.  Her goal in having me spend time with her was to pare down what was in her closet and update her look so she didn't feel so frumpy when getting dressed in the morning.  Probably one of the most dominate issues in her closet was this plethora of boxy over-sized jackets that swallowed her up and was not reflecting her style within.

In case you haven't had me come over to go through your closet, here is a glimpse of how good it can feel to get those pieces you aren't wearing (or shouldn't be wearing) OUT and on their way to someone that can use them.

Renee's closet is now organized by color and clothing type (ie shirts, dresses and pants have their own sections) and she can actually have fun shopping out of her closet each morning, which is the ultimate goal in closet makeovers.  Your closet needs to be full of "pieces" not "outfits" so you never grow tired of all the mixing and matching.  So, with a list in hand of specific wardrobe pieces needed to finish off her closet, we headed to the Outlet Mall, now with more confidence and direction.

The first thing we did was concentrate on Renee's waist.  This is a common body part we wish to hide but in hiding we tend to make the situation worse.  So, I was determined to see Renee show off her waist with some new belts and more fitted tops and jackets.  Here we are experimenting with layering and different styles and widths of belts:

We had such a fun day, the time flew by.  We got Renee started in the right direction and since then she has done a beautiful job of bringing new pieces into her closet that get worn and are right for her, not for the masses.  I'll sign off with one last pic of Renee, in one of her completed ensembles and a few words from her....

"Thank you Missy for helping me with my wardrobe problem.  Even though I now have much less in my closet, I feel like I have many more wardrobe choices.  I am actually saving money when I shop because I am no longer buying clothes that are not right for my body type.  Shopping is so much more efficient.  What a boost of confidence this whole experience was for me.  Thanks again!"

Thank you Renee, you look gorgeous and so youthful!  She is a kid at heart afterall! 
Missy and Aubrey

Help Me Monday March 2011

Wear it now...Wear it later...
Our subject this week is how to get dressed in this crazy spring weather.  I don't know if Colorado is similar to other states, but this is the time of year to get a 12" snow storm one day and bright sunny days in the 70's the next.  And the most common mistake I encounter is the urge to throw on the sweater, turtle neck, and fur lined boots in the middle of March and April.  So what is a girl to do?  It's called layering.

So, I am giving you permission to get that closet changed out for the spring/summer weather but to hold on to the light weight cardigans, denim jackets, blazers and even your leather boots and maybe some funky knee socks.  So here goes...

Thank you to InStyle magazine, March 2011 issue.  I love this idea of pulling out that sleeveless summer dress and topping it with a lightweight vest, jacket and leather boots.  No hose, no tights, just bare legs.  Just remember that the perfect hem length is just above or right on top of the knee cap of the leg.  Aubrey and friends, I know you can go shorter if you like, but not too much shorter.  All things in moderation please.

These next two ideas involve denim jackets, one of my favorite go to tops for cool spring breezes.




A perfect solution to keeping those warm leggings out but topping them with a soft sheer sleeveless dress and a fun belt to show off your waist.  This next idea is for the 20 somethings.  Oh to be young again...


This is absolutely one of my most favorite looks in the spring which is pairing those bare legs with fun knee socks and leather boots. My 40 something version of this would be my dress or skirt just to the knee, bare legs and leather boots and you might see me try a more conservative knee sock, but NOT above the knee.  Mommies, if I catch you wearing thigh highs in public I might have to tackle you with my bedspread.

So put away those thick winter clothes and get out your fun spring frocks and start layering!
Missy and Aubrey
PS Next week is Mad Makeover Monday.  See you then!

Just one more Khaki outfit!

So, this is exactly what I was trying to describe on Monday.  These Khaki's are a bit like harem pants, in that they are high waisted, fuller through the hips and tapered at the ankle, which makes them ever so cute when rolled up.  The pants shown here are from www.topshop.com for $76, the shirt is from www.madewell.com for $85 and the very affordable jacket (with pushed/rolled up sleeves, I might add) is only $39.95 at www.hm.com.  Speaking of H&M, does anyone know why Denver does not have one??????   So frustrating!   

Hope this helps.  The spring weather is back in Denver so no better time than the present to give this a try!  Enjoy!