Product Review-Marika Slimming Capri Pants

May 15, 2012 by Clueless Fashionista

The wonderful people over at Lipton Publicity sent me a pair of Marika Slimming Capri Pants. I wanted to really put them through the paces so I gave them the full use test.

They are a Capri length stretchy pants that are great to wear during working out. I’m currently training to do Warrior Dash so I run at least three to four times a week. I love a great pair of pants that I can run in and look cute while doing it. I tried on the Marika pants and they fit nicely. Since they’re slimming pants for the tummy too, I pulled them up to my waist to see if they would truly give me that slimming effect.

They did.

However, the part that slimmed my midsection did not stay up as I ran. Now, I don’t fault the pants for this because whenever I wear something that’s designed to slim my midsection, it rebels and pushes the offending item down or up. My midsection is just stubborn that way. Whenever I wear spanx, I have to clip them to my bra to get that true slimming effect over my midsection.

With this in mind, I really like the Marika Slimming Capri Pants. They made my legs look great and were great to wear during my workout. If your midsection isn’t rebellious like mine or can be properly wrangled, I definitely recommend these. If your midsection is rebellious but you enjoy enhancing your legs, these work for that too.

Plus, if you want to get a 20% discount off of any Marika Miracles purchase, visit www.marika.com/miracles and enter the coupon code MIRACLES in at checkout. I’d love to see you in your Marika Miracles so share pics, please!

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How do I wear that trend…metallics

May 10, 2012 by Clueless Fashionista

Spring runways brought us metallic fabrics and prints in a very subtle, but stylish way. The thing about metallics is that they can easily go wrong or look like you’re wearing a costume. But if you err on the side of subtlety, you can really add some pizzazz to your outfit.

1. Accessories

The best way to incorporate metallics safely is with your accessories. This is a great time to go beyond the basic gold and silver jewelry. Look for cool, bold jewelry pieces like statement rings or statement necklaces and bracelets. You can also take things up a notch with metallic hair accessories. This is the easiest way to experiment with this trend without feeling overwhelmed by it.

2. Shoes

I know that shoes are accessories, but when you’re dealing with metallics, they should go in a separate category. You can take a basic outfit and put on some great metallic shoes and take the whole thing up a notch. I would suggest being more daring with your metallic shoes. You can do the gold and silver ones but also look for copper, bronze or even colored metallics.

3. Shirts

Metallic shirts can go from full on shiny to a subtle shimmer. If you’re feeling daring, make sure to pair a stronger piece with a neutral palate. That way your shiny piece can truly stand alone. If you go for something with a subtle shimmer, depending on the color, you could also put on a bold bottom or top it off with some metallic shoes.

I’d love to see your metallic looks. Send me your pictures and I will feature you in my Clueless Style Files Pin Board on Pinterest. Want to follow me?

 

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Kushyfoot Flats to Go-Slate Sandals

May 1, 2012 by Clueless Fashionista

When the lovely folks over at Lipton Publicity sent me a pair of the Kushyfoot Flats to Go in a sandal, I was excited to try them out. I really like the ballet flat slippers. They have a great sole and can be helpful when my heels expire.

I used the sandals in the same way that I’ve used the ballet slippers. I was out and about and my heels expired so I whipped out my slate sandals and popped those babies on.

I was a bit disappointed. The sole of the sandals isn’t very sturdy. I ended up taking them off and putting back on my shoes because it felt like I was walking barefoot in the sandals.

However, these sandals would be great after a fresh pedicure rather than the ones they give you at the salon. So in a nutshell, I wouldn’t suggest you get these to wear after a long night on the town. I’d suggest you get the Kushyfoot Flats to Go ballet slippers for that purpose. But if you would prefer to take your own sandals to your mani/pedi visit, these sandals would be perfect.

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Professional Dress for the Fashionably Challenged-part 2: Employee Onboarding

Apr 28, 2012 by Clueless Fashionista

The first article gave you tips on how to dress to get the job. Here is another post giving you tips on how to keep the job and make your way up the company ladder.

Congratulations! Your professional appearance left a good impression and you have landed the job. Now we can look at the employee onboarding phase. This is an excellent time to learn more about the company dress code by observing your peers. You can relax a bit and dress to fit into the atmosphere of the office.

A little common sense goes a long way during this phase. If your position has you climbing ladders in a law library to retrieve reference books, either lengthen the skirt or switch to appropriate slacks. For a casual business look—keep the tailored style, but lose the jacket at the office. You may need a blazer or jacket for special introductions or meetings.
Armed with the company dress code and your mental notes, it’s time to go shopping. Use these five tips to keep you on target.

• Business attire usually requires collared shirts. Scooped necklines should be within two inches (about three fingers) of the collarbone.
• Avoid animal prints and loud colors.
• Fashionable does not mean expensive.
• Limit jewelry to one or two signature pieces.
• Avoid tight, form hugging styles.

Ask where co-workers shop if you like their style; however, be realistic. Your personal shape, height and size will dictate some fashion choices. Everyone looks and feels more confident wearing clothing that fits properly. Consider having your garments tailored for a professional appearance.

Danielle is a full-fledged, no apologies, into-the-trenches thrift store warrior. When she isn’t scouting out her next hot find; she blogs for Sears and other brands she uses. She’s found everything from jumpsuits to grass skirts to a wedding dress and gotten the old lady smell out of all of them. Read her fashionably thrifty musings on beltsandbangles.com.

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Clueless Style Files-Tangerine Tango or just orange

Apr 26, 2012 by Clueless Fashionista

So here’s another example of me diving into a trend. I’m a big fan of orange and am excited to see the increase in pieces in different orange hues in the stores. I went out a few nights ago and decided to play around with my orange tank top. This is what I came up with.

I paired an orange tank top with an army green cropped jacket, dark skinny jeans and animal print sandals (not shown). I can’t remember where I got all of the pieces since I’ve had them for a while, but I got the jacket from Dots and the tank top wasn’t overly expensive. Actually, I saw some on sale for $3.88 at a Wal-Mart near my house in some great colors. I plan on picking some up over the weekend. I’ve also seen tank tops at Walgreen’s. They’re wife beater types of tanks but they are great casual pieces that can be layered under sweaters and jackets or worn alone when it’s hot. If you’ve done the orange trend, please share your pics. Email me at info [at] cluelessfashionista [dot] com.

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Professional Dress for the Fashionably Challenged-guest post by Danielle

Apr 20, 2012 by Clueless Fashionista

I know I often encourage you to be daring in your dress and experiment with trends and that does apply except when you’re going to an interview. Danielle of Belts and Bangles has some great tips for dressing for success in an interview while still looking stylish.

You have finally landed an interview with the firm downtown; you hit it off perfectly with the HR director on the telephone and your spirits are soaring. Then you find yourself standing in the closet surrounded by one fashion disaster after another. If you are one of the many talented up-and-coming professionals that has a great résumé, but fall short when it comes to dressing the part—don’t despair! Not everyone was blessed with an abundance of fashion genes; some of us need a little help from our friends to dress for success.

When I give fashion advice to job seekers, the first thing I point out is that during the interview your clothes should not speak louder than your resume. To accomplish this, think conservative. Darker colors project a more serious tone than spring pastels and solids rule over flashy florals and geeky geometrics. What else do you need to know? Read the tips below to help you feel relaxed and look fantastic for the interview and we will deal with how to dress for employee on boarding later.

The Do’s and Don’ts

DO choose a suit or ensemble in a brown, grey or blue. Wear a solid colored blouse or button-down shirt. White or barely there blue are excellent choices with a suit. Your slacks and jacket should fit properly and be comfortable to avoid fidgeting. If you choose to wear a skirt, select a hemline that falls at mid-knee or just below.

DON’T forget to check for wrinkles, panty lines and loose hemstitches. Heading into an interview with your shirt tail flapping in the breeze will not earn you any fashion points.

DO accessorize wisely. Choose jewelry that is modest, nail polish that is neutral and shoes that have a low-to-moderate heel with closed toes.

DON’T add bold, exotic scarves, chunky jewelry or a crazy new hairstyle. It’s important to let your personality shine over your clothing.

Prepare for the offer before you leave the job interview. Take a mental snapshot of how your interviewer is dressed. Look at employees you see in the halls and reception area as you pass through. Ask about company dress codes. You will probably notice that there are a variety of styles, but there should be a common theme that is predominant. It’s easy to tell if the majority of the staff are “fully suited” or wearing separates. Is everyone wearing slacks? Skirts? Ties? Flats or heels?

Danielle is a full-fledged, no apologies, into-the-trenches thrift store warrior. When she isn’t scouting out her next hot find; she blogs for Sears and other brands she uses. She’s found everything from jumpsuits to grass skirts to a wedding dress and gotten the old lady smell out of all of them. Read her fashionably thrifty musings on beltsandbangles.com.

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