Mix & Match

Hey ya'll!
So, I was having a fashion frenzy this morning. Honestly, it is such a conundrum nowadays when trying to coordinate an outfit that involves tying the shoes, belt and purse together. It was so overwhelming that I had to take a break and focus on something else for a bit. I decided to settle for something less stressful and picked out my eye shadow hues for the day! I have flipped through many a magazine these past couple months and I am finding that I really like the mix and match examples that I have been seeing!
The pieces no longer have to be a matching set, in fact, the more you play with color and textures the more fun the ensemble becomes. I'm not saying that matching counterparts are out, I am highlighting the fact that there are many more opportunities to try new groupings of items together. Oh! And the thin belts, the things we can do with them...
There are so many helpful hints out there. For instance, advice from "a new skinny-belt fashionista, it's best to purchase one universal belt-- preferably sold black, brown, or cream-- for wardrobe versatility. Skinny belts can be purchased almost anywhere, including Target, JCrew, Anthropologie, GAP, Nordstroms and Macys."
The thing is, you can keep the belt simple and breathe new life into a long lost closet favorite.
You know we all have those days as we shuffle through our wardrobe and sigh when we come into contact with those beloved items that are on the brink of second hand shops or even worse, Good Will!
To think how we were seduced by that one tunic or dress as we passed it by on the display. Now it has been reduced t the "back of the closet" grouping, oh the horror! I say experiment and give these once cherished items a second chance to be worn for a trend's sake. Not only is it savvy, but it a good way to keep your pocketbook capable of moving on to bigger and better things like those fabulous shoes that absolutely made you drool... Best of luck!

-Bianca

Highlight That Please!

OK, so now that spring is giving us the urge to clean and make changes for summer. Be sure to stop and think about your hair. Highlights are all the craze especially to "lighten up" for the fast approaching warm months. Please take into consideration that chunky looks funky! Yes, it was popular a few years back but not anymore.
Think about how highlights naturally occur...
The sun hits the surface of your hair and the hair shafts lighten from the exposure to its rays. The highlights are random and spread out giving a "sun-kissed" effect. Highlights don't occur in chunks unless you use products to bleach it. Basically, if your a fan of large highlights sorry to say, it looks fake.
Today's look is more natural. So when you race to claim your new do, tell your favorite stylist to make sure he/she is subtle with the highlights. Focus more on your color and what best compliments your skin tone.
I find myself gasping over the horrifying hair styles that float around me each day. A new concept of my chemical romance and  hair comes to mind. Yes, I know the majority of us are devoted to our monthly root & color updates. However, we need to ween ourselves from too many highlights.
Layering your hair can give a fuller effect and will reveal more of your hair's natural tones. If you decide to highlight, layers really do help to show them off.
Try skimming through fashion magazines to get a better idea of what colors will work for you. A wise hair stylist once told me, "the  best way to keep up with the popular styles is to see what the soap stars are doing with their fabulous tresses". It will give you an idea of what the latest trend catch is and you can either incorporate it or use it as a guide to define your new summer do! Best of luck, and remember when it comes to highlights thin is in & chunky is funky!

-Bianca

Target Your Ride

I am going to put forth more of an effort to educate myself on my vehicle from now on! There are so many people out there who are absolutely clueless when it comes to repairs, warranties and exactly where does that little thingy need to go to make it work?
I shudder when it nears the time of servicing my car. I feel like my car (even though it is still new) will have so many needs according to the shop. They always tag on extras like: brake pads, windshield wipers, filters, special oil to keep engine up and it makes my head spin. My anxiety level reaches all time highs when any light decides to glow on my dash because I know I'm in for it.
However, I am going to be proactive from now on. There is nothing worse than feeling like you are naive. I find it infuriating when I arrive at a garage and a dirty mechanic gives both my car and myself a once over and immediately sees an easy target. I'm not saying that all mechanics are like that but a vast majority that I have encountered have been dishonest. And it is so common to find yourself in a situation, absolutely clueless, wishing you had briefed your manual or borrowed someones husband for the day.
So I am making this suggestion for all of us unfortunately clueless people out there. The manual in your glove compartment, yea that dingy black book full of info, take it out and at least read over the warning lights that you car possesses. So the next time some smart ass tells me he thinks my flux capacitor needs to be replaced I can swipe my keys from him and swiftly say "No dear, it's the alternator and I do believe a new battery is in order and my money will not be spent here."
Hell, maybe I could have been nice and offered the neanderthal some fashion advice. Perhaps a shave and a thorough spray down? There would be a process to help you on your way to being presentable. Its OK that you aren't fabulous you can be some poor soul's pet project. However, you can keep your way of abusing your power to yourself because the public is onto you. Nah, I wouldn't waste a moment like that. I would be proud that for once I overcame something that I feared. Yes, it is one of the scariest things for me to do on my own. I know there are many ladies & gentleman out there who would agree with me!

After all is said and done you can confidently stride back to you car with your fabulous new outlook knowing that you may look like you are an easy target but in the end, you win. Thank you Mr. Sheen I knew all of your nonsense would come together to teach us all a great lesson! Life is about winning but you have to have a strategy to overcome all of the adversity. So take the time to step outside of your comfort zone and educate yourself on subjects that you are not familiar with. I am going to start making it a point to flip through my car manual on a weekly basis to better understand it. Hell, I may even pick up a few mechanic magazines at the store today. I am conquering something that has been an issue for quite some time. Seriously, I know there are so many more interesting things out there but I hate feeling like a fool. Don't you?


Stay Fabulous & learn new things!

xoxo


-Scarlette

Don't Dress to Impress, Dress for Your Body Type!

Scarlette,
You make a good point. However, I never disclose my deodorant or lotion information. I have my private collection that I have always used. I guess its a matter of personal preference if you will. Honestly, I have never really placed that much thought into the fragrances that these products have. It just became a habit because I stick with the products that I feel work best for me.
Now that you have referred to me as a "parfait" I am going to take my choices into consideration. I do not wish to smell like a pudding, apple pie, or any dessert of that nature. It's hard enough to follow my diet as it is!

However, my issue is not with the scents that people chose. I have bigger concerns. I would like to place the focus on how to educate people that "fabulous" is not only a frame of mind but it is also achieved by simply loving oneself. The most important aspect is being savvy about dressing for your body type.
What is with all of these poor souls who simply cannot dress themselves? Honestly Scarlette, have you seen these oblivious fools meandering around in public? Everywhere I go I see an abundance of walking catastrophes. They consist of both pattern and color combinations that could stop traffic. And some of the clothing nowadays. People, if its stretchy, bright colored and not meant for the gym, set it down and RUN away.

We need to reach out to people to inform them. It could just be a nice way to show them that they are not alone. The best part is there are very simple solutions to working toward an exterior fabulousness! Of course there will always be exceptions and that is something that we must be appreciative of (it just ensures the fact that 'What not to wear' will always be on television).
There is a vast majority of people who are simply, well let's put it lightly, clueless! And I know that we all don't possess a running list of designer names in our closets but for heaven's sake some fabrics should not be worn on most body types (I'm shuddering as I write this).

Ladies we are all beautiful. We need to embrace this! Large hips, big butt, plump thighs, all of the hills and valleys of our physiques that we despise comprise the being that make each and every one of us unique. These are our curves! Women are supposed to be curvy and it's so easy to dress your curves. Let's say it together "I am curvy, I am beautiful, and dammit I love to look at myself!"

I know that everyone has stood before his/her mirror and made a thorough evaluation of every single flaw. We ARE human and flaws make us beautiful!
So the next time you stand in the mirror do yourself a favor. Focus on what physical aspects define you, yes EVERY curve. Say to yourself at least 5 times in a row each day "I think that I am beautiful" and it will positively effect your outlook, I promise. People we need to love who we are both inside and out. This is the first step to Fabulous, own it!

Now, for those of us who are a little clueless, it's springtime. Stop wearing the closed toe shoes! You need to bite the bullet and get a pedicure because frankly it's time to let the "little piggies" come out to play. I would suggest something that is not too bold for spring. Maybe nice pinks, corals or a bright magenta (save the bold reds for late summer). Its that time of year to feel fresh and warm up for summer. So after a good day of spring cleaning go ahead, get something fun to flaunt when you break out your first pair of sandals from the back of your closet.
Now for those of you who feel too pale and still need to ween yourself off of the pantie hose. I'm just going to say this, you have to give them up now. Just do it! Think of a band aid. It's going to be so much more painful to remove it slow. Take a deep breath and throw the damned things away. Let your skin breathe!

There, I feel better now. *sigh*

-Bianca

What Is That Smell?

Ladies,
Summer will be here very soon and it is time to prepare ourselves! Most of us get into the habit of slathering on globs of lotion and spritzing ourselves with a scent we believe "compliments" the cucumber melon, lavender, and or whatever scent of  lotion that is conveniently on hand. Summer shows more skin and ladies you know what that means. Get ready, lotion is vital because not only does it make us smell "pretty" it keeps our skin from becoming "ashy". True, the majority of us are not J-Lo and we cannot afford those rediculously expensive bottles of caviar, placenta, or whale sperm that she bathes herself in on a daily basis. We all know that her skin doesn't glow because of Curell. Someone or something had to be sacrificed for that type of result. So, all of us everyday women, we must settle for the over-the-counter bottles of whatever will suffice at our nearest drugstore. I know, I know ladies, our pocketbooks have been stretched tighter than our favorite pair of jeans over the past couple of years.
However, we must find a way to treat our skin but not overwhelm our favorite perfumes. Because frankly, I think too many fragrances create a bouquet of well, confusion. I myself cannot stand the fruit basket array mixed with a little je ne sais quoi. By the way girl, is that a musk or did you forget deodorant this morning?
And what's with all of these new deodorant smells anyway? Cucumber melon, spring breeze, Island tropics along with brown vanilla sugar lotion and maybe a hint of DKNY's "Be Delicious" and a girl could unknowingly make herself into some type of dessert!
I would like to know how in the hell did it come to this? It's a blessing if some of us ladies can put our outfits together in under an hour. However, coordinating lotion, deodorant and perfume is going to become quite the challenge...

Oh Bianca! The horror and to think you are one of those fruit parfaits. There I said it, I think you stink!

    -Scarlette