2010 Fall Trend Report

Oct 13, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

As many of you know, September is the month where there are fashion weeks all over the world. Some of them run into October but they go really strong in September. Even if you aren’t a fashionista, all you have to do is watch any talk show on television or the news and you will see mention of fashion during September. Well, I did some research and compiled a list of fall trends for you. And in Clueless Fashionista tradition, once a trend list is shared, it is followed by the “How do I wear that trend” series. While this is not a finite list, it is a good cross section of trends from all over the world (I like to keep things worldly here wink, wink).

1. Velvet and Velour

2. Patchwork

3. Camel

4. Electric Blue

5. Paisley

6. Black

7. Geometric Shapes

8. No make up make up

9. Blood red lips

10. Thigh high boots

If you’ve already delved into some of these trends, wonderful! If you want to dive in but aren’t sure how, check back regularly for the trend break down, “How do I wear that trend” where I will give you tips on how to incorporate these trends into your wardrobe in a way that is affordable and easy.

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Boutique Spotlight-Shop 4 Sparkles

Oct 8, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

Accessories are an important part of an outfit. The right accessories can take an outfit from plain to fly or from casual to dressy. While I am a fan of visiting stores like Target and Walmart to get great low cost accessories, those aren’t always foolproof options. Shop 4 Sparkles is a wonderful online accessories boutique that features a wide variety of pieces from rings to scarves to purses. Started in October 2008 by Susan DiMezza, Shop 4 Sparkles is a great go to resource to help build your accessory wardrobe without killing your budget.

Susan took some time to chat with us and share what fashion means to her and her inspiration behind the pieces that she chooses to feature in Shop 4 Sparkles.

What inspires you to create?

We have a boutique so we don’t create per se, but our inspiration for buying comes from the haute couture runways, what the celebs are currently wearing and the seasons, of course!

What is one tip you would give to an up and coming designer?

Times are tough right now. Design affordably!

Finish this sentence:

Fashion comes from within.

Share a favorite quote that you use as a creative inspiration:

“A girls should be two things: classy and fabulous” Coco Chanel

I strongly encourage you to take a moment and browse Shop 4 Sparkles, then buy something. There are some great sales as well as some really cute pieces. The ladies over at Shop 4 Sparkles are so wonderful that they’re offering a special 20% discount to you! When you make a purchase on the website, use the promo code CLUELESS20 to get 20% off of your purchase. If you were deciding whether to go visit, this should be the added push. Hurry because the discount expires on November 11. Between their reasonable prices and this discount, you should be able to get some great Christmas gifts. Go! Visit at www.shop4sparkles.com.

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Fall Essentials for Healthy Hair-guest post by Mandrill Hardge

Oct 5, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

It is officially Fall which means that the braids come out, the hair extensions taken down, short hair is allowed to grow and the color is darkened or refreshed. Here are a few essentials for healthy hair after the summer. They are not optional but requirements!

1) Protein Treatment ~ This is the most important of all the “add-ons” in the salon. A protein treatment will aide in restoring the essential nutrients and vitamins that the hair has lost over the summer due to having hair braided up or hair extensions. It also is enriched in Biotin and other ingredients that help strengthen and promote growth for the ladies that choose to grow out their cropped cuts.

2) Proper Trim ~ A proper trim should be performed every 6 weeks, however due to some summer styles it’s just not possible. Therefore, a trim of at least 1″ off the ends is necessary to rid the hair shaft of dead and fragile ends. This is also necessary when color is involved. Colored hair tends to fray easier and could began to climb up the hair shaft and cause damage to otherwise healthy hair. If you have gone the entire summer without a proper trim, it may be necessary to go beyond the normal 1″ in an effort to keep the hair at its healthiest state.

3) Consultation ~ A consultation is essential at this stage to maintain the health of your hair and to also move forward into the fall and winter months. It will assist you and your stylist in determining which direction to go with your hair needs and desires. You will need to be honest about any products you used over the summer and other “habits” you developed in regards to the care of your hair, especially if you did not keep your regular appointments. Based on this information, your stylist will be able to make professional recommendations.

I hope you take the time to follow these recommendations. Mandrill Hardge is an amazing stylist who cares about the health of his client’s hair. If your stylist doesn’t do the same, you should consider changing stylists.

If you want more information about Mandrill Hardge or to book an appointment, visit his website http://mandrillhardge.com.

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Urban Glam-Clueless Fashionista approved event

Oct 3, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

Recently, Clueless Fashionista had the opportunity to attend a shopping event at an amazing accessories boutique called Seven74 in Atlanta. In recent months, shopping events have become a great way for store and boutique owners to increase sales for their locations. They offer some great hors devours and possibly cocktails and invite people to come out to their store. It’s a wonderful idea because not only do the customers (you!) get access to some great deals, it’s also a cool way to network. It’s always nice to meet someone new while trying on a wonderfully sparkly piece of jewelry.

Urban Glam is an event organized by Urban Suite Entertainment and we were invited to visit Seven74 boutique and enjoy delicious sweets while browsing lots of sparkly things. I’ve recently discovered that I am a big fan of sparkly jewelry and accessories and Seven74 was filled with them!

Pictures provided by: http://kyomikreations.com

It was a great event and I have definite plans to return to Seven74 to get some sparkly baubles. You should definitely keep an eye out for similar events in your area. They are totally worth it. If you happen to live in the Atlanta area, stop by Seven74 it’s at 482 EdgeWood Avenue; Atlanta, GA 30312.

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Ladies Let’s Talk-Wearing too much makeup

Oct 1, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

Here is the latest installment of the Ladies Let’s Talk series where I address wearing too much makeup. Since this series is meant to help and not just criticize, here are some links to previous posts that include videos showing you how to apply makeup to get the most out of it. I am a big fan of makeup and I support everyone doing the same. However, caking it on is going to have the exact opposite effect. It won’t make you look better, it will make you look worse. Ladies, let’s work on using makeup to enhance our natural beauty and not as a cover up. It shouldn’t be a mask. I hope you take some time to browse around here because there are some great videos up that show makeup basics. Here are some links to a few:

http://cluelessfashionista.com/beauty…

-This post includes a great video that shows how to properly apply eye liner.

http://cluelessfashionista.com/beauty…

-This post features a video that shows how to apply different eye shadow colors and blend them.

http://cluelessfashionista.com/beauty…

-This post features a video that shows how to apply blush.

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Back to Basics: Why should I care about my face shape?

Sep 28, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

You may be wondering why you should take the time to figure out the shape of your face. First of all, your face is the first thing people see. If you are wearing a hair cut or earrings that don’t flatter your face, it will automatically take away from your overall look.

Have you ever gone to see your hair stylist and asked for a hair style of a famous celebrity or in one of those hair books only to have it look completely unflattering on you? Often times it’s because you do not have the right face shape for that particular hair style.

If you want to take your look up a notch, figuring out the basics is the best way to do it. Once you know the shape of your face, you can focus on finding hair styles and accessories that are the most flattering. Besides, it will only take a few minutes to put in the work but those few minutes can pay off for the rest of your life. Think about it, no matter what happens to your body (gain weight, lose weight, etc.) your face shape remains virtually the same.

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Designer Spotlight-Estylo Jewelry

Sep 24, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

In 2005, Sandra Callau began designing jewelry as a hobby, following in her mother’s footsteps. Five years later, she was moved to finally begin sharing her designs with the world via her online boutique, Estylo Jewelry. If you are like me and a budding accessories wearer, you may be looking for cool jewelry to add to your collection. If you aren’t like me and always looking for cool jewelry, you should still check out this website because she has some great pieces that are very reasonably priced and very pretty. She combines elements from South America, which gives each piece a unique flair.

She gave some great insight about what drives her to create and her thoughts about fashion overall.

What inspires you to create?
My inspiration for all my designs is to bring stylish jewelry to all women, no matter if it’s for work, evening out or a wedding I think that women should always look glamorous. Having said that, I also try to promote my country’s natural seeds by combining them with silver and crystals and making them look more elegant.

What is one tip you would give to an up and coming designer?
Be persistent and positive, but overall make what you enjoy making.

Finish this sentence
Fashion is a form of expression on how you feel in the inside.

Share a favorite quote that you use as a creative inspiration.
“Fashion Fades, only style remains the same” – Coco Chanel

Take some time and visit Estylo Jewelry and improve your jewelry collection. A pretty piece of jewelry can enhance any outfit!

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