SCARED OF SWEATERS?

I know Halloween is near, but it shouldn’t be a sweater that frightens you! If you don’t where sweater for one of the following reasons, this blog post is for you!

1.       It makes me look fat.
2.       I cannot wear a coat with it and feel comfortable.
3.       It is too bulky.
4.       It does not wash well and often shrinks.
5.       I would rather dress in layers.

Guess what? If you use ANY of these excuses as reasons why you have not or would not purchase a sweater, I suggest you stop right now. The crew neck ugly Christmas sweater with the cinched waistband is not your only option! Why miss out on adding this piece to your wardrobe because you’ve had a bad experience? This goes without saying, but I am going to say it ANYWAY… “BUY FOR YOUR BODY TYPE, NOT THE MODEL WEARING IT.”

It is so common for us to compare ourselves to someone else, but what’s worse is comparing yourself to someone with a dissimilar shape as yours. I am 5 ‘9’ and I would not dare wear a dress to work that is modeled by someone 5’6’. I doubt think that my colleagues want to see the inside of my thigh when I sit down at the conference room table for a meeting. The same goes for sweaters. Why by a thick crewneck sweater that cinches at the waist if you are 5’9’, over 200 lbs., and have a cup size of D or better? Of course you are going to be uncomfortable! The assortments of sweater styles today are endless. I use myself as an example, because I can relate. Regardless of the season, my sweaters are always lightweight, cardigan style…and in play!

Do not judge a sweater by its cover! Just because it’s thin does not mean that it is made out of a variation of cotton that isn’t quality or warm. Your selection can range from lightweight cashmere to a linen-like cotton. Depending on what county, state or province you live in, the weather will dictate how warm you need to dress. For the purposes of this blog post, I am going to provide you with a few sweater shopping tips, that I adhere to and that I recommend for those with sweater issues.

1.       If you are a shorter woman:

a.       Bypass sweaters that fall below the hip. Caveat…if you are wearing a sweater dress, DO NOT put pants on up under it! Opt for some sexy pantyhose and knee or thigh boots to give you some length. You could possibly pull off knit pants, but you do not want to run the risk of looking or feeling bulky around the waistline.

b.      Turtlenecks look great on almost anyone (with blingy stud earrings! I normally rock my #Honora 10mm button stud earringsJ... Tangent!). Anyway, if you have a shorter neck…PASS! Opt for a V-neck style.

2.       If you are an average height (taller than 5’4’, but shorter than 5’9’): You can almost wear any style sweater and look GREAT!

a.       I caution any woman about buying the shorter waist sweaters that even look boxy on the hanger! I personally don’t want to look like a square box, but I have seen many women that look great in them. We must be honest with ourselves and say no if the style isn’t complimentary for our figure. If your waistline isn’t want you want it to be…PASS on the short waist sweaters.

3.       And if you are 5’9’ or taller…like me…:

a.       We have the gift of length on our side! (I still caution you about the short waist sweaters…lol). We can sweaters of mostly any length.

b.      Consider the length of your sweater when you select which coat you wear for the day. When opting for a more conservative look, your sweater length should not exceed that of your coat. It’s okay if you going to the ball game and your throwback is longer that your team jacket. (We can talk about coat lengths next month).

c.       Make sure that if you wear a sweater that cinches or gathers at the waistline, that it ACTUALLY REACHES YOUR WAISTLINE!!!!!! No one wants to see you belly button when you raise your arms to scratch your head! LMBO!!! (Being lengthy has its challenges).

Lastly, any type of top can be worn with a sweater. YES, I SAID ANY! That only means is you have to select the right sweater for the look you are trying to achieve, the level of warmth desired, and comfort required. You could easily put a cardigan sweater over a thin cashmere crewneck sweater and still put a coat on top (if you’re in Canada! LOL). All I am saying is enjoy this garment! Buy cardigans with patterns and of different color variations to pair with solids or other patterns. Your look is a reflection of how you feel about you. Let your light (and your sweater) shine so bright that it reflects on others.

These are just a few tidbits of information that I wanted to share. If you have your own, please share them by commenting on this post. We love to get our readers engaged.

By now you should have your fall and winter wardrobe just about complete for 2014/2015. If you passed up that sweater you’d been eyeing because you weren’t sure about it, give it shot. Remember, thinner and lighter fabric sweaters are easier to layer and can be worn year-round. You know A Classy Closet is ALL about timeless and transitional pieces that provide endless style regardless of the season.

Post pics of your favorite fall items! We love you and wish you a warm fall and winter season!
Until next time…keep it Cozy and Classy! (wink)

Don't forget to check out aclassycloset.com and shesa10.com for great #fashion and #accessories!

 

It’s Never Too Early to Start Planning….

It’s Never Too Early to Start Planning….  

YYYYYAAASSSSS!!!!! Summer is here, but Fall/Winter 2014 is on the way! That’s right, I said it. I am not trying to being a kill joy, but I do want you to know that unless you are replacing Spring/Summer pieces worn out this year for next year, you SHOULD NOT be purchasing spring/summer clothing at this time. I will caveat that and say that all of my Cali Chicas and West Coast Beauties get the luxury of rocking the summer gear long after the rest of us have added that staple cardigan or jacket to our daily ensemble. I don’t want to leave anyone out, so if you live in a country that experiences an excess of 4 months of summer weather, STOCK UP ON SAVINGS FROM SUMMER SALES in the states!!!! The savings definitely outweighs the postage (wink).

We are going to cover a couple of topics this month: (1) Taking advantage of end-of-season sales and (2) getting a cutting edge on trends that others aren’t prepared grab!

Let’s start with taking advantage of end-of-season sales. I used to be one of those girls that would get dressed to the nines to spend my last dime in the name of that 4 letter word – S.A.L.E. I also used to think that I wasn’t shopping unless I had more bags than I could carry. And I certainly wasn’t the shopper that would place all of my smaller bags into the larger one, because hey…EVERYBODY had to see that I had been to Tiffany’s and picked up a new piece. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH…Thank God for maturation!

Shopping is so not about the brand names, shopping malls and you guessed it…THE FLASHING SALE SIGNS! Shopping is all about you! If you weren’t at the center of every designer’s and retailers thoughts, they would not spend countless resources trying to woo you. Your needs and desires should guide your selections.

Are you someone who thinks that you are too busy to bother with coupons? Stop cheating yourself! I am not a proponent of store credit cards, but if you have them, take advantage of the rewards that come with them. The amount of interest that you are paying to have the card should be enough of an incentive to get back what you can, especially if the store is one you frequent while on the shopping trail. I am challenging you to find coupons for the stores you frequent and make a list of sales that will be going on!

Let’s move on to replenishing those items that you are getting the most wear out of this summer. Tanks and camis are items that should be replaced each year, along with your undergarments…NO EXCEPTIONS. Sidebar: I know you have read many articles that encourage women to look just as sexy under their clothing as they do in their clothing. It makes a difference. If you think you have a sexy walk in heels and tight jeans, you should check yourself out in a matching bra and panty coordinate or just a sexy bra if you’re truly daring (a personal fav) – wink. Okay, back to the subject at hand! You have your coupons, dates and time of upcoming sales so now we need to figure out what to purchase. Here goes:

1.     Tanks & Camis (which we’ve already established)

2.     Sandals

3.     Maxi Skirts/Dresses

4.     Swimsuits and Cover-ups

This isn’t an all-inclusive list, but it’s a start. These are items that are essential to summertime fun, comfort and timeless style. If there are others that you want to share, please add a comment to this blog post. We need to go ahead and have this conversation now, so that can focus on shopping later!

Maxi’s are not going anywhere anytime soon, so make sure the colors and patterns you select will take you into the next summer/spring season. If they look washed out, like most that containing cotton, or the pattern could be considered dated, go ahead and list it on #threadflip or #poshmarkapp. You most likely will not get what you paid for it, but you will definitely add a few dollars to the shopping budget.

If you aren’t the type of lady that likes to refresh her closet on an annual basis (meaning you don’t like to shop #howdareyou), you definitely have to be careful when it comes to patterns. Classic patterns include stripes, polka dots, some floral and plaids, and definitely solids. Remember, if you are buying something…You MUST giveaway, sell or THROW AWAY something! We are not packrats! We are women that always know what we have at our fingertips for every occasion.

Go ahead and buy a few new maxis if you can 50% or more. Keep in mind what we talked about in February and March, if you don’t love it, don’t buy it! Your options are unlimited thanks to online retailers.

This is also a great time to purchase swimsuits and sandals for next year. I personally love buying swimsuits and cover-ups from #ASOS, #Target, and #VinceCamuto. They have great selections and fantastic sales prices at the end of the season. There is no reason, no matter your size, not to have nice swimwear. If you don’t feel comfortable in a two piece, buy a swim shorts set! Sexy cover-ups are a must, but they can be very pricey. A cover-up is one item that you may feel like you don’t need, until you NEED IT! I purchased one from #ASOS a few years ago that is a blue fishnet halter that provides a sexy solution for all of my food babies and water weight (#ihatecrunches). Don’t let your self-consciousness about your size keep you from having the time of your life during the summer. Find pieces that make you feel comfortable and enjoy yourself!

Trendy sandals have wide price ranges, so you should be able find a few pairs at great prices to kick-off the 2015 season. I caution you and ask that you purchase no more than 2 pairs! I say this because, you are going to want to buy something new next year, and the shopping bug bites at the beginning of each season!  If you purchase two pairs now, you will obtain the same adrenaline rush when you purchase that one pair of strappy pumps or sandals to refresh you for the season. DON’T GIVE ME THE SIDE EYE! YES, that is only three pairs of shoes and I am aware of that! If you follow this blog, you probably have well over 200 pairs of shoes, just as I do. The last think we need to do is indulge in unnecessary buying…that’s why you’re here with me in “Closet Camp”…LOL! If you are working with less pairs that the typically shopaholic, its okay…the buildup is REAL and you are well on your way. The one thing I can promise you is that, your closet will contain all of the items necessary to attend any event on the planet…and it will be ORGANIZED!

Now!...Go through your shoedrobe and pick out a few pairs of sandals and pumps that need to be donated to #goodwill, #salvationarmy, #clothesclosets. One or two of those pairs should include those that are over 5 years old that you’ve been hanging onto, but never have taken to a shoe repair shop. The closet must stay fresh, and as long as you’re here with me, it will stay that way.  

This is not an art! It is all about staying organized and replenishing what is worn out and dated on a somewhat regular basis. You should never have sandal with insoles stained with dirt…come ‘on! I understand the “I don’t like to shop”, or “shopping isn’t important,” but what I do not understand is taking a shower every day and selecting clothing that do nothing for your body or your spirit. What’s the point of bathing if you want to look dirty, washed up, and washed out???? My point exactly, there is no point! Your femininity should not suffer at the expense of a poor ensemble. Select what you wear like you do the food at the supermarket. Make sure it’s fresh and clean.

Share your shopping experiences with us by adding a comment to any of our blog posts! We would also like to hear about your experiences and whether any of our tips helped.

Until next time…keep those Closets Classy and Orderly (MUAH)!

A Classy Closet Boutique
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