Buy well, wear longer, & love your planet on Earth Day

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

What’s your contribution to earth day?  Do you feel like you are doing your best to

recycle?  Many of us have gotten the hang of recycling our food containers and

newspapers.  But what about clothing?  Here are 3 very different ways you can

focus on earth friendly attire for Earth Day.

 

Option 1. Wear clothing made entirely of recycled materials.  (Not gonna

happen.)  Although dresses made from laundry bags, food wrappers and cardboard

have made the news, I doubt you will see your neighbors wearing them in the

grocery store any time soon.  Aside from being itchy and smelling like Cheetos, this

type of clothing is just plain uncomfortable.

 

Option 2. Wear clothing made of fabric containing some recycled material. 

(Now this is possible.) Some clothing manufacturers, such as Levi Strauss, have

found a way to incorporate plastic bottles into their denim.  On October 31, 2012,

Levi Strauss & Co.  “announced a new collection of denim apparel, including jeans,

that will be comprised of a minimum 20 percent of plastics recycled from drinks

bottles and food trays.” (gizmag.com)

 

 

Option 3. Wear good quality classic clothing that will outwear and out

trend fast fashion.  (This one is doable!)

Fast fashion clutters your closet, your mind and your land fill.

What is fast fashion?  These are stores that introduce new styles every month, every

week, and two or three times per week for some.  That’s why it’s called fast fashion.

The low prices are largely due to low quality-cheap chic. Forever 21, Charlotte Russe,

Buckle, H&M, Zara, and American Eagle Outfitters are applying fast fashion’s

here-today-gone-tomorrow mindset with prices consumers can’t resist.   For real-life

wardrobe needs, fast fashion is not something to indulge in or depend on. Disposable

is part of the fast fashion process.  With low prices and low quality, fast fashions

have to be tossed after a few wearings or washings because they are either worn out

or out of style.  To avoid getting sucked in, make classic pieces the bulk of your

wardrobe, with a few trendy items to update and add some fun.

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How to stop the black and white trend from wearing you!

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

Black and white patterns are everywhere this season.  However, with the extreme value contrast, it can be hard to see through the clothes to the person wearing them.  Here are few tips on how to put the focus where it should be … on you.

Color - What’s your best color?  The colors that have been given to you from birth, of course.  If you have black hair or white hair, black and white clothing will enhance your hair color by repetition.  If your hair is another color, it may get lost in the drama of black and white.  Does that mean, you cannot wear this trend if you are a blonde, for example?  Absolutely not!  But in order to keep the focus on you, and not your clothing, you need to add a bit of “you” to the outfit, (see option A).  Wear a belt and shoes that match your hair coloring, (option C).  Try a scarf or necklace and earrings that match the color of your eyes, (option B).

Pattern - The size of the pattern should correspond with the size of the figure.  A fuller figured person can wear a larger pattern, (option A).   A small pattern on that same person, however could accentuate her size due to the strong contrast.  A petite figure can expect to look great in medium to small prints, (option C).  However, large black and white flowers on a dress will drown out her petite figure.

Texture - The weight of the fabric is one of those details that can make or break the statement you are trying to make.  Aim for fabrics that are lighter weight for petites, (option C), and firmer for larger frames, (option A).

Choosing the right clothing can be simple. Consider who you are….your personal coloring and figure type, then choose  the color, pattern, and texture to match. Love wearing black and white?  Great!  Now you can make sure they see beyond the clothes to you.

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Let the SuperBowl Party Begin!

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

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It may be a bargain, but are you really getting your money’s worth? 7 Tips for a Cost-Effective Wardrobe

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

Sweater from Organic by John Patrick, silk blouse by Equipment, carmel top from Crumpet, Jack Wills blazer, flared skirt from John Lewis, stiletto heels are Repetto, loafers from office.co.uk, satchel bag from oliverbonas.com.

I have recently worked with two different clients, each professing to shop economically,

and each with tons of clothes in their closets.  In both cases, despite the many clothes,

very few pieces actually worked together.  For the amount of money spent on clothes,

they should have a marvelous wardrobe.  Not a closet full of confusion.  Without

having a plan, many will go out and buy single items because they are inexpensive,

but these purchases cost them in the end.  No matter how inexpensive a shirt is, if

you never wear it, you paid too much!  That’s not economic.  The solution is to begin

shopping with a plan, a Cluster Plan.

Cluster Guidelines:

• Find a source of inspiration - a pattern of colors in a print, stripe, or                                          plaid – to inspire the color scheme of your cluster.  She used the skirt                                                     (above) for inspiration.
• Plan for 5 to 8 easy pieces of clothing - top and bottom pieces.
• Select pieces that are basic - simple in style lines and shape.
• Select pieces that go together - will work with at least three, four,                                                          or more other pieces.
• Select pieces that are distinctly different from one another - no two                                         pieces alike, not yet.
• Select accessories to go with the clothes - essential basic accessories first.
• Gradually expand your cluster(s) - to meet all your wardrobe needs.

If you truly want to save money on your wardrobe but don’t want to sacrifice creativity,

versatility or individuality, clustering is a great solution!   Our September Newsletter

has been dedicated to the topic of clustering and provides even more information on

how to make this technique work for you.  If you are not yet getting Conselle’s

monthly newsletter, sign up by clicking

HERE http://www.conselle.com/conselle-newsletter-signup.php

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Keep Calm and Shop On – 3 Tips for stress-free back to school shopping

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

Is the thought of back to school shopping stressing you out?   I’ve been having the same reoccuring nightmare the last couple of weeks.  It involves me and my 3 sweet angelic children, who suddenly transform into a bunch of crazies when I even mention the words “back to school shopping.”  Taking 3 kids to a store, darting in 3 different directions, yelling “come with me Mom” and “I really need this!” is all too memorable from last year, and not something that I want to repeat.  No, I’m determined to make back to school shopping as stress-free as possible.  Judith wrote about this in her first book publication, Clothing the Family.  Here is the advise she gives:

1.   Evaluate their wardrobe - A wardrobe evaluation is a great way for you to spend some one-on-one time with your child before their day is taken up with school and other activities.  Be sure to listen and thoughtfully consider children’s attitudes and ideas, you may find time for a few teaching moments as well. 

2.   Make a list of needs – In this non-emotional situation, parents can lead children through the logic of planning for needs and goals versus wants and fashion-for-the-sake-of-fashion.  Create a list that you and your child can agree upon and congratulate yourselves on a successful planning session.

3.   Know where you are going before you leave the house – This may involve searching the internet to know which stores carry what you need.  The more efficient you are in the store, the better spirits everyone with have.

Prepare to keep calm, carry on and enjoy your stress-free shopping excursion.

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Picnic Perfect – What to Wear to Your 4th of July BBQ

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stripe sweater from owntherunway.com, Woolrich shirt from woolrich.com,

Band of Outsiders graphic design shirt at shoplesnouvelles.com, Fat Face jean shorts

at fatface.com, Madewell kitten heels from madewell.com, Chloé kitten heels at

net-a-porter.com,  John Lewis statement necklace with johnlewis.com, Canvas hat from

Target, Rag bone braided belt at barneys.com

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One piece wonder! Which bathing suit would you choose?

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

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Pattern Mahem! Mixing it up for Father’s Day without creating visual confusion.

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

Men often tell us they have difficulty mixing patterns in their shirts and ties.  They’re not alone.  Where to start and how to mix patterns presents problems for women as well.  Mixing the patterns in an outfit can add interest, sophistication and flair, but it’s difficult to do harmoniously.  Keep in mind the following guidelines:

1. Start by finding a pattern – plaid, stripe, or print – possibly a shirt, which you really like and feel like you could wear forever as your source of inspiration for the color scheme of the outfit.

2. Select other pieces of the outfit that have one color in common with your original favorite.

3. Select only one strong pattern, then a softer – more subtle – pattern, and finally a fairly neutral pattern or solid color.

We have featured a suit, shirt and tie – above.  All three pieces have the same color, blue-gray, in common.  The suit has a very narrow pin stripe and the shirt has a small check print.  Both of these are less attention getting than the wide striped tie, which is clearly dominant.  Putting together a look like this is slightly advanced, you may want to start with a simpler approach.

Pattern mixing for the beginner -

If you’re not sure what you’re doing, you’re smart to start by separating two patterns with a solid color.  Try a brown pinstripe suit worn with a light tan shirt and a small polka dot or check tie in brown, beige, and red for a beginner.  For a bolder look, opt for a more widely spaced rep-striped tie.

Intermediate -

Advance to wearing a solid-colored suit, a patterned shirt and a patterned tie.  This works more easily if both patterns are traditional and if one pattern is non-directional – that is, an all-over print.  Try wearing a charcoal gray suit, a cinnamon stripe shirt with a rust and gray print tie.

Advanced -

If you really want to make a statement, try wearing a medium check sport coat, with a small check vest, a stripe shirt and a diamond textured tie with solid colored slacks.  The look is terrific!

No matter your experience level with mixing patterns, consider our 3 guidelines and don’t be afraid to experiment.  Practice makes perfect!

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Summer White Out – Top 3 Mistakes When Wearing White

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

Mistake #1 Wearing a black bra under a white shirt. Don’t be a fool!  It’s distracting and sends conflicting messages.  Instead, wear a white or flesh colored bra or camisole to create a clean, seamless look.

Mistake #2 Wearing white too tight.  Instead, keep the size of your clothing slightly larger than your body size.  Ease in the fit of the garment is key.  Some feel that they cannot wear white at all because it makes anything it’s put on look bigger.  Not so!  If there is enough ease, this will not be a problem.  Regardless of your size, you can wear white, look fresh and alive!  Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

Mistake #3 Can’t wear all white?  Unless you’re going to a wedding, all white is wonderful to wear in the summer.  It reflects the heat and keeps you cool as temperatures soar.   Try varying the textures and tints of white for this cool monochromatic look.

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Mother of the bride dress that doesn’t look like the mother of the bride?

By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM and Dani Slaugh, Conselle Affiliate

When my own daughter was married, I did not want to look like a “mother-of-the-bride.”  According to my mind’s eye, the mother-of-the-bride appears matronly.  My dress would have to be something decidedly different, interesting, and a little more lively.  These were my key considerations:

• Something classic, that can be worn on many later occasions.
• Not white!  The bride should be the only woman in white.
• An interesting collar to frame the face.
• The hem line can range from the knee to the floor.

However, after all is said and done, this is your daughter’s day and you are to be playing a supportive role here.  Your dress should compliment her, not upstage her.

So how did I look when my daughter was married?  Like a “mother-of-the-bride,” and proudly so on my daughter’s day.

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