So I have had a few questions from Cara over at The DI Denizen about how to make your body proportionate if you are petite and would like to wear modest shorts. Since this fits right into body proportions we might as well address her questions. Cara’s first question was about where the hemline should be if you are petite. Her second question was about how or if you can wear ballet shoes with short muscular calves.

Here’s some helpful tips to obtain a more balanced proportion for petite/short hips and legs (along with answering Cara’s questions):

• Don’t cut the hemline too short – that will emphasize any shortness in the thigh – best to leave it covered. (We naturally look wider where we are short in proportion, and unfortunately our short areas are where our bodies usually like to store the fat) So no daisy dukes for those short and round in the lower regions. Even though some people in fashion think the only way to lengthen the leg is by wearing a shorter hemline, this is not the solution for all women, especially those who are older (more mature), or those of us who put weight on in the thigh region, which is very common for short legged women.

Women’s Pincord Bermuda Shorts by Land’s End – $36.50

• Bring your hemlines just above the knee, before your leg starts getting wider.  This keeps the illusion of thin legs rather than legs that are getting wider up into unknown (clothed) regions, never knowing where the wideness ends.

• Think outside the box: look at the clothed section as another whole section of the body that needs to be proportioned with the golden mean. (From the top of the shirt down to the bottom of the of the shorts.) If the hem of your shirt hits right in the middle of that section, you will look like a box. So if you are petite this is going to make you look like a short box. Leave your shirt un-tucked if you are wearing longer shorts! This will create a break in the clothing that follows the golden section. The hem of the blouse should come above the crease of your leg. This is especially important to balance out longer shorts.

• Use fitting and lines that flatter your figure: Fitted or loose, but not tight shorts. Tight pants on short legs emphasize that you are wider than is proportionate for your height. Horizontal wrinkles let us know where something is too tight. Wrinkles tend to point to the problem area. Plus the horizontal wrinkles cut the length of the garment and emphasize horizontal lines all over your body, creating the image of short. So avoid jeans that have been faded on the wrinkles at the crease of your leg.

Check Bermuda Short by Banana Republic – $49.50

• Avoid any repeating of horizontal lines. Repetition is a way of emphasizing a point in clothing (just the same as when mothers repeat the same thing over and over.) So don’t wear, wide, scooped, necklines. Do wear higher and more narrow (image below) necklines or crew-neck tees.

Tuxedo Top by DownEast Basics – $12.99-19.99

• Vertical lines! On your blouse or in the style-lines of the shorts, they are only a bonus for the petite!

On & Off Hours Blouse by Anthropologie – $68.00

• Keep it simple. Try not to have many side pockets and detailing.
• Wear a looser or more flowing top, with fitted pants.  This will help create the illusion that your leg continues and is thin to an imagined point.
• Skirts are another great alternative for the short legged, if you want to wear ballet shoes.  A slight A-line or narrow skirt is a good choice.  Don’t add too much fullness around your hip and thigh region though.
• Heels are always helpful, but not a necessity if you follow the suggestions below.
• Use color to your advantage:  Neutral and subtle tones in the shorts and a flashy color up top.  This will create the visual effect of lengthening the legs, and drawing the attention up top.
• Neutral/skin-tone shoes- Are a must if you have short, muscular, calves and you want to wear ballet shoes. Visually neutral tones lengthen and carry on the vertical line that we want to emphasize, rather than breaking it with color in a horizontal line.  Contrasting colors draw the attention to the short calves.  (So as cute as yellow ballet slippers may be, they are not a good choice with shorts and a short leg combo)

Eco-chic Ballerina Flats by The Generation – $55.00

• Use monochromatic color schemes.  This will help de-emphasize breaks in clothing lines that create horizontal lines.  If you don’t want to wear all one color all the time, break the color by using a long open cardigan, this will give you variety while still continuing the vertical lines.  You can also add colorful jewelry and accessories to break up the monotony.

Exposed Seam Cardigan & Heritage Roll-up Short by Banana Republic- Though these shorts are a little too short, the concept of the outfit is good.

Cara, and the rest of our short legged readers, I hope this helps you plan your Summer wardrobe!

If you have fashion questions for me, feel free to leave a comment on this post, blog your questions like Cara did) or send them to her directly by email at antelita {at} hotmail {dot} com.  Stay tuned as we continue to discuss proportion balancing, as well as fashion trends for spring and summer 2010.

(yes, I know yesterday I wrote I may not be back for the rest of the week posting, but consider this a sporadic attempt to write and not an “I’m fully back” post… *wink*)

For those of you who know me IRL, you’ll know that I LOVE wearing comfy maxi dresses.  It’s my absolute favorite clothing item and I’m thinking I can TOTALLY get away with wearing them all through out my pregnancy, too (will just have to watch the cuts and lines in each dress to be sure I don’t look like I’m wearing a tent).  Today I was browsing Target for something else and came across the Liberty of London maxi dresses.  Let’s just say, I’M IN LOVE!!!  I’ll take one of each, please.

Check them out:

Liberty of London for Target Halter Maxi Dress – Turquoise Isis Print - $34.99

Liberty of London for Target Smocked Top Maxi Dress – Pink Mark Lg Scale Print – $34.99

Liberty of London for Target Smocked Top Maxi Dress – Blue Grand Royal Print - $34.99

Also, I was perusing DownEast Basics the other day and came across this GORGEOUS maxi dress.  I love the lines on this and especially loved how they paired it with such a heavy necklace.  It really balances the look.

Oceanfront Dress – $34.99

So there you have it: I’m obsessed with maxi dresses and would be perfectly happy to wear one every single day of my life.  For those of you looking for the modest way to do this, I recommend wearing a simple, form-fitting modest t shirt, like these from ModBod (Tip: Stick to neutral tones like black, white, cream, etc. unless you find a top that matches the print colors perfectly.  The goal of the undershirt is for it to BLEND with the dress, rather than look like two very separate pieces.):

Perfect V Neck by ModBod – $21.95 – works best and looks the nicest with any maxi dresses that also have a v neck; try to pair your under shirt to have a similar neckline as the dress to keep things looking uniform and polished (and stop people from immediately thinking, “wow! She’s wearing an undershirt!” and instead thinking, “wow!  She looks foxy!”

Perfect Cap Sleeve with Lace – $21.95 – I’d buy this one to do a double-duty by wearing it under a maxi (with a square or round neck) and then wear it under a jacket or something else later (where the lace could show)

One of the things I LOVE about maxi dresses is that they can easily look dressy or casual.  For a casual look, just toss on flip-flops and simple jewelry.  For your hair, you can keep it really simple, wearing it down, in a pony tail or a loose top-knot.  Putting a cute scarf or headband on would easily add a breezy, carefree look to it, too.

For a more dressy look, wear kitten heels or ballet flats and add bigger, snazzier jewelry.  Then, you could even add a fancier headband (like the feathered ones I love to feature here).  You know how I’m also nuts about those. *wink*

Aren’t maxi dresses fabulous?!  Ooooh, la, la!  They rock my world!  Have you worn them before?  Are you feeling daring this spring/summer to try them?  You should!

Note: There are a LOT of poorly designed maxi dresses out there that are anything but flattering on the wearer (no matter what body type you have).  Be sure to watch for nice, tight, flattering lines for your figure and don’t go for maxi dresses that have too full of a skirt (often looks like a poofy tent).  Also, not all prints are flattering on every figure and skin-tone, so don’t go crazy with your maxi dress purchases.  If you’re new to the maxi dress, try a solid black or chocolate knit fabric one first and then when you can tell how to make that flattering, you can branch into the printed fabric maxi dresses.

I have been searching for an explanation of proportion and the golden mean, that is easier than using fractions. Since most of us don’t carry tape measures into dressing rooms, and doing fractions along with it is far too complex. So I found a simple explanation of ideal head to toe proportions.

1. Head- top of head top tip of chin (one head length will be our standard of measure)
2. Chin to bust point
3. Bust Point to Waist (navel or thinnest part of your torso)
4. Waist to Leg Break (the crease when you sit)
5. Leg break to Middle of Thigh
6. Middle Thigh to Middle of your Knee
7. Middle Knee to Middle Calf
8. Middle Calf to Bottom of foot

This image is not exact, but gives a basic break down of what we are looking for.  I hope this helps clarify and simplify the last few posts!

Having said this let’s move in to some elements of design to help give optical illusions to compensate in areas where we need a little proportion adjustment. We have discussed how to move our waists up or down with lines and detailing, now lets talk another main point of interest: The Bust. I won’t tell you what is too big or too small, I think we all know what category we fall in. If you are unsure you are probably just right!

For the Bust that is too Low or Small:

• The push up bra – one obvious solution
• Brighter colored or patterned tops with neutral to dark solid pants/skirts

Feathery Tank by Anthropologie – $68.00

• Multiple strands of Jewelry (not too big or it will emphasize what is not there)

Bohemian Blue and Red Necklace by Botanical Bird – (sold out)

• Don’t show too much skin. (for sleeveless wear a wide strap instead of strapless or spaghetti straps)

Wide Strap Dress by Treehouse 28 – (sold out)

• Detailing, ruffles, texture, and/or color around the neckline (help fill in the empty visual space)

Skinny Taffy Teal Scarflette Scarf by Flutter – $30.00

For High/Full Bust:

• Lower cut v- necks
• Bulky necklaces that hit between your collar bone and bust point

Handcrafted Artistic Stone Kambala Jasper, Obsidian and Sterling Silver Necklace (Item No. 707) by Minden Marie Jewelry – $49.00

• Button up shirts (don’t button too high!)
• Darker colored blouse with a patterned skirt

Snuggle Up Top/Wrap Around Shirt by Shihar – $85.00

Picnic Favor Outfit by Anthropologie

• Skin toned or light pink blouse with jacket or vest that comes to a low V

Tattoo Inspired Kiku Flower Womens V Neck T Shirt by Namu – $35.00

• Make sure your blouse is long enough to compensate for the fullness. (don’t tuck in your shirt)

For additional reading on Body Proportions, check out this article by Inside Out Style: Body Proportions Explained

p.s. For more fashion forecasting and help navigating the world of flattering natural beautiful you, be sure to subscribe to CreatedByChicks.com and become our Google Friend (sidebar)!

Although we’ve featured bits and pieces of Ruche here before, I wanted to do a full post on some of their lovely women’s fashion trends today.  Have you spent time looking through ShopRuche.com?  It’s one of the greatest things since sliced bread (not even exaggerating).  I love their indie/vintage looks.  My fashion dreams now consist of filling my entire closet with Ruche items… and their JEWELRY is so dreamy, too.  But, alas… I need to quit typing and start showing you why I’m so crazy about them!

Sprouting Up – http://www.shopruche.com/outfits-sprouting-up-c-24_114.html

Even though this shirt has sold out, I had to feature it.  Isn’t it lovely?  And I think it could work beautifully to be made modest with a pretty v-neck/scoop-neck shirt underneath, especially with sleeves that end at the elbow.  It would also look gorgeous with a simple cardigan on top.  You’d want to leave it open, though, so the lovely embellishing could shine through.  I think the thing that draws me most to this outfit is the simple colors (tan/khaki with white linen pants) with the bright pop of blues in the embellishing.  This top would also be fabulous for people like me that need some proportion-compensating for not being as well-endowed in the chest region (a.k.a. members of the “flat like a wall” club).

Picture Frames – http://www.shopruche.com/outfits-picture-frames-c-24_116.html

This is a really great outfit, combo.  I especially am crazy about the belted look in the final picture.  The top is quite loose fitting, but it’s well-balanced by the form-fitting leggings.  This looks like such a comfortable outfit that wouldn’t look sloppy.  It could work well for a day running errands with the kiddos or even a get-together with friends.  Since I’m a food photographer by profession, I have this vision of things that work well as a “photographer outfit” and this would definitely classify as something I’d wear to a shoot.  It would look professional, but still casual enough for my clients to feel comfortable (even though I’d be so drop-dead sexy they’d have a hard time focusing on the food – always a problem… ha, ha).  Just fabulous.

Orange Sherbet – http://www.shopruche.com/outfits-orange-sherbet-c-24_100.html

I also have a BIG thing for orange… oddly enough my high school’s colors were green and orange (lucky, right?).  This orange top is just gorgeous.  I love the pin tucks along the bottom, as well as the vintage embroidery across the bodice.  They’ve paired it perfectly with the chocolate-colored cardigan and sailor pants (aren’t sailor pants AWESOME?!!).  Yes, I’ll take this whole outfit right away please.

Here’s some of my favorite tops: Celestial Embroidery Tank, Poplin Zipper Top, Daisy Wings Cap Sleeve Top and the Bella Embroidered Striped Tunic

And a few fun shoes: Pink Studio Leisa gray platform wedge sandals, Gray Studded Pointy Heels and Rocket Dog “Dart” frayed canvas ballet flats (I love Rocket Dog shoes!!)

Here’s some of their sexy earrings: Up Up and Away Dangling Earrings, Coral Moondrop Swarovski Earrings, Mini Mesh Rose Earrings in Silver, Golden Flower Drop Earrings, Jaded Dangling Hoop Earrings by Ollipop and Golden Daisy Sparrow Drop Earrings

A few rad bags: Box Pockets Purse in Chestnut, Leaf Bag in Avocado and Take Me With You Clutch

I love these necklaces: Not So Typical Diamond Locket Necklace by Thursday Island, Cream Rose Indie Necklace, Cherokee Feather Necklace by Thursday Island and All in a Dream Sparrow Necklace

To-die-for accessories: Chenin Grape Scarf in Chocolate, Sweet Sage Flower Headband, A Straw Hat for Huck’s Girl, Grey Berriflower Headband, Mustard Seed Ruffled Scarf and Astrantia Melody Headband

And now, the grand finale… yummy rings: Flower Child Oval Cocktail Ring by Ollipop, Purple Quartz Daisy Ring by Ollipop, Baby’s Breath Ring by Ollipop, Lost in Time Capsule Cocktail Ring by Ollipop, Lorelei Pearl Ring and Green Leaf Flower Ring

So…. are you loving Ruche like I am?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Around Christmas time last year I bought 4 fun hair accessories from Kaang (featured this creative chick’s store in the very beginning of CreatedByChicks.com). Every time I wear ANY of them, I get TONS of comments about how fabulous they are and am asked where I got them. Honestly, it’s been the best discovery since sliced bread to know that on any given day I can take my hair from drab to fab by just adding a clever hair accessory. Girls, you’d be shocked to know what kind of fabulous, dirty hair styles you can get away with by doing this…. shocked.

Me, rockin’ my very fun, Kaang butterfly headband, with my sweet friend Brooke at Anastasia’s Attic.

Me (bein’ snazzy with my Kaang pink flower clip) sitting between two of the most hilarious chicks whom I’m so lucky to call friends, Kristina and Steph (on a SassyScoops.com review).

So, now I’m the biggest fan of funky hair accessories on the planet.  My oober-hip friend, Carina, has been rockin’ them for awhile (she’s always ahead of the times) and I tell you what: she always looks fantastic and polished.

Today I was hunting for more fab hair accessories and came across a really fun new designer called Feather & Bloom.  I really found some great pieces that would brighten up any bad hair day, instantly.  Check them out (as always, click on the pic to be redirected to that item in their store):

CALIGO pink feather headband – $24.00

SALLY beige feather headband – $22.00

EVA rose flower hair clips – $24.00

RAQUEL chartreuse feather headband – $18.00 (cuz green is my FAVORITE color – love this!)

ENIGMA beige flower hair clip – $28.00

AMY purple feather headband – $22.00

Aren’t these fun?!  I’m definitely crushing over them and adding them to my wishlist.  I especially love the ENIGMA beige flower clip because it’s so stunning and would go with just about anything, quickly dressing up your hair.  But there’s soooo many fun choices that I had a really hard time not putting even more in (I know… such a long post today).

Thanks for inspiring us with your creativity, Feather & Bloom!  We’re diggin’ it!

What hair accessory is your favorite from Feather & Bloom?  Have you branched out and tried a funky, feather headband yet?  Do you dare wear flowers in your hair?  What’s your comfort level with hair accessorizing? Do you need some ideas on what to pair all of these with? You’d be surprised at how much can “go” with fun, bright colors like a lot of the hair accessories featured here today.

Disclaimer: no one paid for the promotion of these two fabulous stores… just my own adoration driving this post.

Life has been a complete whirlwind lately!  This past weekend was my daughter’s 3rd birthday which ended up taking a LOT more time and energy than I originally anticipated (isn’t that how most things go?).  Thus, I’ve been terrible at updating this blog… I’m so sorry. 

Today I’ve got a giant project that’s my first priority, but I would feel really badly to miss posting today again so I thought I’d share a link from one of my favorite blogs, TheCreativeMama.com.  This post by Jessica Cudzilo has really got me excited and eagerly anticipating spring and especially spring fashions: Dreaming of Spring.

These items were the ones that got me the most excited.  The jacket is from Ruche and the sweater is from J. Crew.  Aren’t they fabulous?!  I am loving the spring fashion trends for 2010!  Everything is looking very basic and balanced with lots of feminine flair (especially in the ruffles!!!).

Be sure to check out the full article on TheCreativeMama.com.  There’s LOTS more yummy spring fashions that you’re sure to adore!

Maybe it’s spring in the air, maybe it’s my ever-growing belly or maybe it’s just me being a girl who loves updating my wardrobe.  Whatever it is, I’m really psyched about fashion right now (more than normal, perhaps).  I went online and did a maternity search on Etsy and… to put it nicely, there wasn’t much that I found attractive or appealing (to put it more bluntly: for a laugh, check out Etsy’s maternity selection.. wow.).

The search – randomly – did lead me to a super-chic designer who makes all her own patterns and supports local New Zealand mills for her fabric.  Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to Cat and her fabulous women’s fashion dress designs.  Ooh, la, la!  They are magnifique and I think you’ll adore them, too!  (As usual, click on the pics to be redirected to Cat’s Etsy shop, Cast Couture).

Navy Flattering Frill Bust Dress with Pockets – $60.00

Salmon Pink Wrap Neck Empire Dress – $60.00 (can work well as maternity dress also & wouldn’t that be stunning?!)

Fab Camel Cozy Cowl Hoodie Tulip Dress – $62.00 (I LOVE this with the leggings!  Looks comfy, chic and stylish!)

Rust Stunning Pleated Lily Dress – $55.00 (even though this is too short for my wardrobe, I LOVE the style of it!  I would bet Cat could make a longer version upon request.  It would also look phenomenal with leggings.)

Navy A Line Twist Dress – $62.00 (you can specify what kind of sleeves you’d like this dress made in – cap, elbow length, sleeveless or full length)

Isn’t Cat one talented creative chick?  And even though she’s shipping from New Zealand, shipping only costs $6.00 to go to anywhere outside of New Zealand.  Isn’t that insane and amazing?!  I’m dying over her style.  I love how she creates all her own designs and patterns.  I’m also a huge fan of how she works to support local mills in her products.  Cat is an example of why, in general, I think women in business are so valuable to the communities in which they live: most women entrepreneurs love to give back and support those around them.

Thanks for your inspiring creativity, Cat!  We love your Cast Couture shop and all your fresh, chic styles!

The first principle of design that we will feature is proportion, or the size relationship of parts to the whole. Note, in this jacket example that the arrangement on the figure to the right has much more balance vs. the one at left.

Raspberry Fleece Jacket by Erin Alexandra Klym – $121.00

For example: the size of your hand in relation to the size of your arm. Or a clothing piece in relation to the whole outfit or body.

This concept can apply to colors as well; do the colors complement each other? Or is one color ill-proportioned to the other by having too much of a really intense color in comparison? What we want are dimensions that relate to each other, attract our viewers, and give a pleasant or complete feeling.

Tiger Lily Moccasin Navy by Darlingtonia – $129.00

The feeling of completion and pleasantness can be done with any style preference. Funky, all-natural, feminine, girly, frilly, classy, boyish….anything – as long as you follow the basic principles of proportion.

Some people seem to have a natural ability to know what works and what doesn’t, so what about the rest of us? Are there any basic rules or ways to find out what works if you aren’t a natural? Luckily there are! Throughout civilization, artists, mathematicians, psychologists and even philosophers have studied to find out what is naturally appealing to the human eye and mind. There are a lot of theories, but one that is best known and applied is the golden mean. Discovered by Egyptians, Greeks, renaissance (Notre Dame) and many other civilizations.  It is one that is found in nature in seashells,

in ferns,

Fern Ring by honeybee, Amy Moore Designs – $68.00

and even the human body.

So, here is a basic math version of the golden mean (section): 3+5=8, 5+8=13, 8+13=21, etc… What does that mean? If you look to the right of the image above, there are lines that help you visualize the proportion. The blue line equals roughly 5/8 of the white line. This proportion not only works for men, but for women as well.

What do you do if you don’t have an ”ideal” figure? No worries, my next Fashion Friday post will teach you some tricks and optical illusions to help you give your body a well-proportioned look.

For more images and examples to train your eye, go to http://feng-shui.lovetoknow.com/The_Golden_Ratio or http://goldennumber.net/goldsect.htm

I don’t know about you, but I am LOVING the neck scarves that have been trending in fashion during 2009 and now 2010.  I’ve always loved scarves, but there really hasn’t been much variety until the past 8-10 months when scarf selection has just exploded!  On a little Etsy hunt I found these fab “Neck Rags” made by the creative chick behind Textile Monster.

Neck Rag in Gray, Tipped in Turquoise – $22.00

One in every color?  Ummm.. YES, PLEASE.  You should check out the entire color selection in Textile Monster’s store… yummy!

Have you gotten into the scarf scene yet?  How do you wear your scarves – everyday accessory or only with a coat when it’s cold?  What are your favorite scarf looks?

Why the FAD is bad. Don’t get me wrong, fashion is wonderful, but Fads and Fashion are totally separate things, and it is time to point that out! First of all the definition of Fad, a fad is something that is trendy, has no or very little element of design to it, and will go out faster than it came in. Those pictures that you hate in two years and wonder “what on earth was I thinking, I looked awful in that, but it was ‘in’!” that is a FAD.

Oversized T-shirts with biker shorts, hemp necklaces with no shirt and leprechaun shoes, tuck in that giant T-shirt, add a belt, black jeans and more leprechaun shoes! Cool? FAD!

Fashion on the other hand follows elements and principles of design (look them up in a design book, or just keep reading this post each week, because I am going to highlight one of the elements or principles each week). Fashion is something that also is catching and soothing to the eye of the general audience, and will continue to be used in different ways throughout the decades.

Fashionable: Bon Voyage Navy Pleated Skirt Dress from Shabby Apple – $78.00

Here is an example of a fad that you will hate yourself someday for wearing: Uggs and capris!

Some of you may hate me already for just writing this because you have worn them and jumped on the fad wagon. But let me point out why this fad will fade fast and how it is reckless abandonment of elements and principles of design. Some of you might say the rules are made to be broken, but not ignorantly ignored and that’s what this fad does. Don’t worry though if you’ve made this mistake; we have all made plenty!

1. Line and figure flattery- The wonderful thing about design is you can accentuate any figure and bring out beauty of the wearer with lines, colors, and patterns. But if you misapply or ignore design then you will exaggerate and pull out the worst of a figure.

Notice that nobody’s and I mean nobody’s figure looks very nice from the hip down with this combo. That is because it creates two very LARGE tubes equal to the hip tube (the largest point on your lower half). Also it gives you a 1-2” visual of skin at THE THICKEST PART OF YOUR LEG!!!! Creating the visual image that your calf is as large as the widest part, all the way up and down!

She may look “cool”, but her calves look humungous! (and I’m guessing they aren’t really)

The lines that cut right at your calf also visually shorten your leg to make you look like a munchkin. (Notice the girl on the right) Whereas, if you are wearing full length skinny jeans, tucked in with uggs, it lessens the effect by visually carrying your leg down into the boot rather than the boot being part of the leg. But if you have short legs already, just skip the uggs there are plenty of other options! Even if you wear fitted capris it still has a chopping effect, too many horizontal lines making very wide, short legs! We all know by now horizontal lines shorten and widen!

2. Mass/visual mass/density/weight- Even if you wear slender capris and you believe your leg doesn’t look like a massive tube, or you don’t mind the cut at the thickest part of your leg, there is a visual mass that is not balanced and it is brought to those “clodhoppers”. The weight of denim and other fabrics covering balances the weight. Right now the visual emphasis is on the silhouette as a whole and up towards your lovely face.

Notice how much stuff these women are carrying up top and they still don’t look balanced! They look cluttered, unorganized and unaware that the primary thing you notice are the massive boots, and you are distracted too much to notice what lovely springy dresses and faces they have. Exaggerated visual weight at your feet is just confusing or weird to most people’s psyche when they look at you. So it is not soothing or lovely, it’s just a fad.

3. Seasons! – Okay, I know we are all sick of snow and would love to wear our capris, but if it is too cold then it is too cold. If you need some spring in your life but it is too cold, use brighter colors, light cotton with lots of layers, floral patterns, and of flower headbands.

Fashionable: Tropical Escape necklace by Rachelle D. – $29.50

Seasonal clothing is there for a purpose, not just for comfort it also makes others comfortable and is visually satisfying. For instance, how would it look if you showed up wearing Eskimo clothes to a Luau in Hawaii? Or how about just the opposite what would you think of a person walking around in a bikini out in the snow? If we go against the weather and all common sense, it is usually because we want special attention put on ourselves and go to extremes because we are insecure. This isn’t a psychologically appealing concept right now. Most people want to know people who are not caught up in themselves and are not going to extreme to find attention. Seasonally Uggs and Capris look confused, and even if the weather is confused, we don’t want to be completely blown around by it or be as confused as the weather.

What looks do you think are fads right now?  What fashion fad have you participated in and then regretted later (we’ve all done that)?