The Cheap Diva

Hot Prices on Sunglasses

One of the hottest things under the sun this time of year are the deals on sunglasses.  While the clothing racks are littered with leftovers that are hardly worth a second look, there are still plenty of stylish sunglasses to be had at very attractive prices like these Xhilaration Plastic Oversized Stone and Etched Temple Sunglasses for $12.99.  Although you can buy sunglasses online, it's better to try them on in a store to see how they work with the shape of your face.  Like any accessory, sunglasses should be scaled to your proportions.  Do not bury delicate features under big dramatic sunglasses or buy sunglasses that are so small in proportion to your face that they reveal your eyebrows.

It's a good idea to have more than one pair of sunglasses.  Buy one pair to keep in your car for driving.  Buy another pair or two for style and protection.  Black sunglasses are a classic, but a dark brown tortiose shell sunglasses also look great for summer.  The dark brown is a bit mor subtle than black.  This ligher effect complements the lighter more relaxed pieces in your summer wardrobe.  Save the black sunglasses, like these Candie's Rhinestone Oval Sunglasses for $13.40 when you're feel a little more drama is in order.

.

Preston & York Oversized Sunglasses for $25.46

Developing a Signature Style

"Fashion fades, style is eternal" Yves Saint Laurent

Fashion is fun, but a developing a signature style that is a reflection of you will separate you from the less stylish crowd.  A signature style can be based on a certain piece, like a bold necklace, or a total look, like a casual elegant look that relies on a variety of well made pieces that gently skim over the body.  A signature style should always complement your figure and your personality.  Wearing baggy sweats all the time is not a signature style, it's a fashion makeover waiting to happen. 

Zebra Print Braided Shopper $47.00

The difference between a signature style and a rut is that a signature style has the potential to evolve or it is adaptable.  Brooches make a great signature piece because they can be pinned wherever you want to wear them on a variety of clothing pieces and they can be worn individually or in groups.  Wardrobe classics, like a versatile cardigan, can be updated by buying them in different colors, embellished with different details, or made out of different materials.   

Signature pieces should be realistic in terms of your budget.  If your signature style is a pair of classic jeans worn with chic but simple flats topped off with a plain T-shirt accessorized with a fabulous trendy handbag, buy a designer knock off similar to the expensive version by a reputable company that isn't trying to pass the copycat bags off as the real deal.  Whatever your signature piece is, you will be wearing it frequently so even if you are buying a designer knock off, buy the best quality knock offs you can afford.  Because you will be wearing it frequently be sure your signature pieces are not high maintenance, like clothing pieces that need to be professionally cleaned often.

Before buying things that you are drawn to, certain colors, patterns, individual pieces or whole looks,  understand that certain versions of the things you like are going to be more flattering than others so be selective.  I love animal prints, especially leopard and tiger prints.  When I am looking at prints I look at the scale of the print befor trying it on.  I check to see that the leopard spots are not too tiny and so uniform they look like polka dots, but not so big I look like I belong in a Flintstones cartoon.  While I might consider wearing a bold zebra print handbag or pair of shoes, I know that if I wore that bold of a print on a shirt or skirt it would overwhelm me.  The trick to developing a signature style is discovering what versions of the things you love are going to work for you.

For inspiration, expose yourself to magazines, like In Style magazine, look at mannequins in display windows for how pieces are put together, pay attention to movies and TV shows etc. until you see a pattern of being attracted to certain pieces or looks more than others.  Then try different looks on for size and see what feels like you. 

Just Try it On

Traditional bargain shopping wisdom says that you should avoid paying full retail and wait for items to go on sale.  The book Just Try It On: A Month by Month Guide to Shopping and Style by Susan Redstone makes a great case for buying items when they first hit the stores.  For one thing you will get what you want in your size instead of getting stuck with unflattering leftovers that come in sizes small, extra small and microscopic.   

She breaks down what items to buy in what month based on when those items are hitting the stores.  While she does a lot of name dropping of high end designer labels that may be out of reach for many readers, there is a lot of sound advice that works for stylish women on any budget.  She talks about developing a signature style, decoding invitatations to figure out what to wear for various events, thrift store shopping and a lots of other stuff any shopping savvy woman would want to know.  While I am still going to hold out for sales on certain items, having a heads up about when different types of merchandise arrive in stores allows me to strategize my shopping trips better and makes it easier to build a more stylish wardrobe.

Strappy Summer Dresses

Strappy summer dresses can take on a multitude of personalities, from sensual, to light and playful to grown up sophistication.  The one thing strappy summer dresses have in common is that they look great on without looking like you tried to hard.   

This fluid Silk Halter Dress for $149.00 from Spiegel lightly skims the body for a sensual effect while revealing beautifully bronzed shoulders.  The straps eliminate the need for a necklace.  Frankly the best accessory for this outfit is the confidence to carry it off.

.

 

 

This ELLE Floral Crochet-Trim Knit Dress for $34.99 manages to be both sweet and sexy at the same time.  The skimpy straps and shorter length show just enough skin to be enticing while the flared cut gently floats over the body.  The bright color is fun, but for those of you who want to tone things down a little it does come in dark brown.

.

 

 .

For those summer occassions where you want to feel pretty without feeling overdressed there is the apt. 9 Dip-Dye Tank Dress for $34.99.  The feminine silhouette has a kind of retro glamour that appeals to my girly side while the machine washable cotton material appeals to my more sensible side.

How Not to Look Fat Book Review

With the fashion book How Not to Look Fat by Danica Lo, the author offers fashion advice that works for just about any budget.  She doesn't insist women mush invest in cashmere sweaters to be stylish the way some other unrealistic fashion books do.   I found the often irreverent tone of the book How not to Look Fat as refreshing as the fact that this book is written by a former plus size model, not a size 4 fashion editor.  Her advice on dressing slim is covers a pretty broad range of topics for such a small book, including which necklines are the most flattering along with how to use scarves for stylish camouflage, to the most flattering haircuts for full figured women, and makeup tricks to slim the face.  Looking slimmer is not just about clothes and makeup.  She also talks about the slimming effects of good posture (good news for those of us who would rather stand up straight than try to squeeze into a girdle), how to pose for a picture and how to avoid waking up bloated.  In other words, she offers real world advice on not looking like a frump.

The Right Bras for Summer Tops

When I was a sales associate many years and many dead end jobs ago, I advised women on what to wear.  The most common question I heard was "What kind of bra do I wear with this?"   It's still a good question.  Considering the variety of necklines that don't work with a regular bra,  I decided to address the issue. 

One option is a convertible bra, like the Victoria's Secret 100-way Strapless convertible bra starting at $50.00 that has 44 tiny slits to attach the straps in ways that would work with any neckline.

.

For the stylish woman who understand that visible bra straps are eternally tacky no matter what fashion editors are saying, the smooth lines of this Defining Moments Strapless bra for $31.00 by Lilyette provides the  discreet support of a T-shirt bra without the straps.  This is perfect for and top or dress that has skinny straps to skinny for even the thinnest bra straps or no straps at all.

.

.

Sometimes all you need to change are your straps, not the whole bra.  Clear bra straps can be found in plenty of lingerie departments.  These straps work under semi sheer fabrics or fabrics with holes in the design, like eyelet,  that would reveal regular straps.  For the woman who wants a slightly wider strap than the typical clear strap, Fashion Forms has come out with Full Figure Invisible Bra Straps for $8.50

A Shorts Story

Sure you could stick with your safe boring khaki shorts for summer, but with so many cute wearable styles out there you don't have to.  These printed apt. 9 Leaf Cora Shorts for $16.99 from Kohls can be adjusted for length.  The colors and scale of the print are perfect for anyone who is hesitant to splash a bold print across their bottom.  The subdued print proves that you can wear a printed pair of shorts without looking like you wallpapered your butt.

   

Technically these Gilligan & O'Malley Eyelet Shorts for $7.99 are sold as sleepwear, but having witnessed everything from slippers to pajama bottoms being worn in public, I don't think wearing these outside the house would turn too many heads as long as you keep two things in mind.  Your underwear needs to be seamless and it needs to be close to your skin color.

.

.

Plaid shorts can be tricky to wear.  If they are done badly you will look like a badly dressed golfer with a big butt.  The most flattering patterns tend to be ones that use different colors from the same color family, like the cool aquas and blues of these  Croft & Barrow Plaid Bermuda Shorts for $14.99 from Kohls, or go for a plaid in a smaller scale.

 

Loosen Up with Trendy Tank Tops

Few items of clothing are more unforgiving than arm baring thin ribbed clingy tank tops .  Luckily the trendiest tanks this spring take a more relaxed approach with looser cuts that often feature gathering or pleating at the neckline. 

This apt. 9 Batik Trapeze Tank from Kohls for $30.00 gathers at the neckline and skims the body for a relaxed look that isn't sloppy.  I also like the balance between the fun bright aqua color and the slimming more sophisticated black.

.

.

Take a cue from the model wearing this A.N.A. Beaded Slubbed Knit Tank starting at $17.99 from J C Penny and skip the necklace when the neckline is embellished.  Wearing dramatic earrings with similar beads as the ones featured on the neckline of the tank top complements the neckline without competing for attention.

.

.

The simple yet elegant cut of this silky rayon blend Jersey-knit tunic tank for$24.00 from Newport News makes this one tank top that could easily transition from day to evening just by changing a few accessories or pairing it with a dressier bottom. 

Skirting the Issue

One of the prettiest most wearable trends for spring is the A-line skirt.  A-line skirts combine freedom of movement with a hint of subtle flirtatiousness.  These skirts should always be worn with a streamlined to to balance out the fuller silhouette of the bottom.

Isaac Mizrahi for Target Floral Eyelet Skirt for $24.99 comes in several colors.  This bright colored skirt would also work with tops in chocolate brown or a coral color the same intensity as the color of the skirt.

.

  .

The design of this Worthington Pleated print Skirt for $29.99 shows how opposites can balance out each other.  The  dull shade of tan that makes up the background of the print and the dark band of color at the hem counterbalance the brightness of the pinks and reds in the pattern.  The horizontal stripes at the hem are a sharp contrast to the flowing dynamic floral pattern on the skirt.  What could have been a mess of a design is actually a study in harmonious contrasts.

.

.

This Butterfly Skirt for $39.99 could easily veer into frump or fashion victom territory if not worn correctly.  A simple black shirt looks sophisticated and picks up the embroidered pattern.  A bit of a heel, like a solid black wedge or a strappy shoe with some substance, like the ones in the middle picture, would keep the skirt looking flirty and not frumpy, unlike the unflattering sporty flats shown in the picture.

Give Your Fashion Profile a Lift with Wedges

Skinny high heels are supposed to make you look slimmer.  In fact they do the opposite.  Legs actually look larger when contrasted against the skinniness of the heel!  That's why I love wedges.  A streamline wedge heel offers height without pain, they are easier to walk in than skinny heels and they look balanced with the body so they don't make your legs look fatter.

Bold jewels dramatically increase the glam factor on these Wild Rose Idea46 Wedges Gold for $34.99 (they also come in black, bronze, silver & black).

.

Dark colors sometimes  make wedges look heavy.  These Layla Slides for $34.99 (also in white & black) avoid looking heavy by using cut outs in the heel and having an open buckle in the center of the shoe.  The overall effect is rich looking and light at the same time.

.

.

.

.

In spite of the gems, these Apt 9 Luvvy Wedge Sandals for $29.99 (also in black) aren't limited to dressy outfits.  I can see these glamming up jeans, simple solid colored summer dresses or even a nice shorts outfit.

A Fashion Trend to Dye For

Dip-dying refers to an effect where a certain color is more intense on one part of the fabric and that color gradually fades out completely.  The end result is often beautiful but not always cheap.  This INC International Concepts Dip Dyed Sleeveless Pleated Dress for $119.00 is not what I would call cheap, but I featured it because it is silk (I would not feature a $119.00 polyester dress) and it is one of the more elegant examples of dip-dying I have come across.

.

.

.

.

One of the easiest ways to wear a trend is with accessories.  This Azuri Ombre Pashima Shawl for$34.00 comes in 50 colors!  It tops just about anything stylishly.  If you have solid colored gemstone jewelry a dip-dye shawl like this in a similar color works because between the light and dark end of the shawl it should pick up the color of the gemstones somewhere.

.

.

Here we have two fashion trends going at once.  The short A-line skirt and the dip-dye effect.  This Express skirt for $69.00 is sold only in stores.  A skirt with this much visual interest calls for a simple streamlined top, like a T-shirt or camisole.

.

For D.I.Y divas who want to create their own dip dye fashions Paula Burch All About Hand Dying has step by step instructions that should work as long as you skip the folding part of the instructions.

Swimsuits with the Golden Touch

Nothing looks as glamorous by a body of water than a body adorned in gold.  A golden shimmer elevates even the most basic swimsuit into something a bit more special.

This Lustrous 2-piece halter suit by Newport News for $49.00  has to be one of the most forgiving versatile swimsuits out there.  The top skims the tummy in a way that allows you to exhale without making it obvious you are trying to hide your tummy.  The top half of this could easily be worn with nice shorts or jeans and the bottoms are nuetral enough to mix with other swimsuit tops.  Because of its' versatility, this would be my pick to pack on trips where any swimming was involved.

.

.

Doing the backstroke while wearing a bunch of fancy baubles just looks silly.  A meltallic print, like this Rose print skirted tankini for $39.00 creates the rich look of wearing a bit of gold without taking your precious jewelry for a dip.

.

.

.

. .

This Mossimo Black Chain Triangle Swim Top for $17.99 makes clever use of the gold chain theme by putting a gold chain between two pieces of fabric printed with similar gold chains.  This is not a top that demands a matching bottom.  Just about any solid colored swim bottom would work.  A swim bottom in a dark bronze or deep jewel color would look especially rich.

.

 

.

.A solid black swimsuit would look heavy at the beach.  A black swim suit with metallic gold woven in the fabric and some skin showing through the middle gives you the figure slimming benefits of wearing black without looking like your torso was dipped in ink.

JC Penny Bisou Bisou Metallic Crochet Monokini $68.00

It's Easy Being Green

Shades of green as bright as fresh grass are making dreary winter neutrals green with envy this spring.   What's great about this particular shade of green is that it is a bit of a chameleon.  Green clothes are playful when paired with bright accessories like a bright plaid purse and yellow shoes.  Green can take on a more low key look when worn with dark wood jewelry or paired with dark neutral like brown.

Metrostyle Mock Wrap Dress $39.99.

.

.

.

.

.

The color combination of green separates paired with white tops or bottoms looks fresh and  crisp.  It also means the possibilities for accessories are wide open because just about everything with work with this color combo.

.

Old Navy Womens Mid Rise Clean Front Bermudas for $20.00.

.

.

.

.

While all over cables tend to look chunky, cables bordering a deep V neck and running down the sides of this sweater add visual interest without the unflattering bulk.  Pair this with cute shorts or a pencil skirt if you want to sex things up a bit.

.

Old Navy Women's Cable-Knit V-Neck sweater for $24.50.

Organize Your Handbag

Jumeau Bags let you pick from a variety of colors and styles.  The Adair bag sells for $89.00                                                        

One of the most common wardrobe mistakes I witnessed was women forgetting that a stylish bag is more than arm candy. A handbag should be both fabulous and functional, keeping things organized and easily accessible. Like this Jumeau bag with plenty of inside pockets.  Bottomless pit bags that turn the wearer into a slumped shouldered pack mule and overstuffed small bags straining at the seams are more fashion victim than fashionista.

Some women try to lighten their load by buying a smaller bag than the one they normally carry. This new bag often ends up being too small for their good intentions. Soon this bag is over packed with all the stuff that was in the old bag. This overstuffing distorts the shape of the bag and puts a strain on the seams. If you are considering making the switch to a smaller handbag, edit the contents of your purse before switching to a smaller bag.

First take everything out of your purse piece by piece. Throw out expired coupons and receipts, pens that don’t work anymore grungy cough drops etc. or anything else that you can’t imagine needing or using in the immediate future. Things like band aids and safety pins that are nice to have on hand just in case, but limit yourself to having just a few of these on hand.

Group related items together, a pen, small notepad for shopping lists and coupons got together in a pocket. Think about the cosmetic items you actually use when you are out and pack only those items. The cosmetics you decide to keep in your hand bag go in a brightly colored cosmetic bag in lightweight material that’s easy to spot. All those quarters floating around in your handbag add up. Have enough change on hand for an emergency phone call, but start a tip jar for all that spare change that’s weighing your purse down.

Carrying less stuff has the added benefit of giving you more choices in the handbags you wear. From now on you will be able to select a handbag on it’s stylishness, not it’s ability to contain a carry on suitcase worth of stuff.

Craft Meets Chic on Etsy.com

Mass produced jewelry that tries to recreate the look of handcrafted jewelry usually ends up looking exactly like what it is, cheap assembly line jewelry.  Luckily Etsy.com features thousands of one of a kind handcrafted fashion and home decor related items sold by individual designers.  While a lot of the merchandise looks like it belongs at an amateur craft show, there are many reasonably priced gems like these Sleeping Beauty Hoops $15.00 among the tackier offerings.

.

.

.Handmade DIY Natural Paua Shell Bali Sterling Silver 925 Bracelet Bangle Jewelry $29.99

.

                                     

.

.

Clef Earrings -Garnet $15.00

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Steampunk Vintage Watch Face Dial Parts $55.00

Yellow Brightens up Spring Fashions

Maybe it's because yellow is such an upbeat "happy" color, but bright notice me yellow is popping up everywhere in spring fashions.  Yellow is not always an easy color to wear, but it is possible to enjoy the trend without looking like a giant canary.  Break up a solid blocks of yellow by wearing a fabric with a pattern or open lacey design like this Ruffled Eyelet Dress for $55.00 from Victorias Secret.   Pair a yellow jacket or sweater with neutral colored pieces in gray.  Limit yellow to accessories like shoes or handbags.  Yellow is a "happy" color so save it for fun pieces and continue to invest in neutral colors for your more serious tailored office proper pieces.  .

.

Old Navy V-neck Top $16.50   

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Old Navy Convertible Clutch $12.50

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Walmart Z.B.D Design Women's Print Double Knit Pencil Skirt $14.88

Chic Sporty Shoes

I tackled the challenge of finding fun feminine sporty shoes and came up with six winners perfect for spring.  In spite of the fact that the only competitive sport I engage in regularly is shopping for bargains, I still like to include a few sporty looking pieces into my wardrobe mix for the sake of variety.   

These Aurora03 Wedges for $18.99 in canvas fabric also comes in blue, green, black and the hot color for spring, yellow.

.

These  Converse One Star Skimmers for $29.99 available at Target, straddle that fine line  between gaudy and glamourous.  I included them with my favorites because silver goes with everything and I'd rather wear shoes that look like they were dipped in a vat of glitter than wear something boring.  Fashion is supposed to be fun after all.

.

.

The canvas fabric and white and green rubber band around the bottom to the heel give these American Eagle Slides for $19.99 a slightly sporty feel while still maintaining a flirty look with the high wedge and simple strap that exposes much of the foot.  These shoes are available at Payless Shoes on black, white and green.  I strongly reccommend looking at the green shoes in the store since the shade of green in this picture looks different from the shade of green you see in the shoe store.

.

.

The color may be red hot but the cut outs on these Madded Girl Awsome Flats in Red for $19.99 will keep you tootsies nice and cool.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The elegant pattern and brilliant colors in this Qupid Vida37  Floral Turquoise for $34.99 makes for one rich looking pair of sneaks.

.

.

.

.

.

.

These American Eagle Funky Sneakers for $22.99 also come in black and white.  Don't ask me why this shoe is called a Funky Sneaker.  The tapered toe and streamlined design of the shoe make this the one of the most sophisticated sporty shoes I've found. 

Red Hot Lingerie

Whoever came up with the name Victoria's Secret for the famous lingerie chain understood the true appeal of lingerie. Lingerie lets women indulge in their private fantasies, playing the vamp, the glamour girl, the delicate ingenue or a flirt.  I think it's a common misconception that women wear lingerie to appeal to men's fantasies.  I think the appeal of lingerie is that it allows women to indulge in their own fantasies.  So go ahead and spice up your weekly routine by slipping into something that makes you feel sexy, decadent and glamourous all at once.  It'll be our little secret. 

Victoria's Secret Diamante Halter Babydoll $48.00.

.

.

Old Navy Women's Empire Chemise $12.50 

.

.

.

.

.

.

Aeire Satin Dot Nightie $29.50

  .

.

.

   Walmart Women's J'Adore Amour Gown $9.00

Bold Graphics Brighten up Spring Dresses

Spring fashion arrives with bold prints and colors to officially mark the change of fashion seasons.   Prints are flattering to just about any figure as long as you keep two things in mind.  The print should be scaled to your size.  If you feel overwhelmed by a print, then try a print in a smaller scale or a more subdued color palette.  Prints should be fluid and vertical in design drawing the eye upward like this Kohls apt. 9 Emma Dress $34.99 .  A print with clumps of flowers here and there with blank areas in between for example, makes the eye bounce from one area of the print to another creating a disjointed look and feel for the outfit.

.

JC Penny Smocked Bodice Sleeveless Dress $34.99

This dress is accessorized with plain black shoes.  With so much going on with the dress shoes in a simple style complement the dress by picking up the most nuetral color in the print.  A bright colored shoe would have been too much.

Isaac Mizrahi for Target Geo Print Wrap Dress Pink $39.99 also comes in a blue print.  There is something a little off about the black shoes in this outfit.  The style of shoe isn't nearly as fun as the print of the dress.  The solid black shoes look heavy with such a bright print with no black in it.  A better choice would have been shoes in a deep bronze material that picked up on the warm color of the orange in the print while still remaining neutral.

Project Runway is a Runaway Hit

Project Runway The Complete Third Season $19.99.

Like Heidi says on the hit show Project Runway, your either in or your out.  For me the third season of this fashion reality show is definitely in.  The third season gathers the usual suspects, the prolific designers who amaze me with their creativity and skills while others designers whose technical skill don't match their inflated egos that amaze me in their ability to not get kicked off sooner.  Then there are the nut cases and the confrontational types that guarantee the show will always have more drama than a televised sewing class.  Off the wall twists keep the show fresh and engaging.  There are surprise models, surprise materials and a surprises with the designers themselves.  For frugal fashionistas like me who are too cheap to pay for cable, this DVD entertains while answering such burning questions as "Can you make a cocktail dress from coffee filters?"

No Sweat Sweater Storage

The brightly colored canvas shoes and cute swimsuits already hitting the stores are an exciting reminder that soon it will be time to pack away those bulky winter sweaters to let lighter brighter clothes take their place.  Proper sweater storage insures sweaters stay protected and wrinkle free while hybernating during warmer months.  Howstuffworks.com has a great article on folding sweaters so they don't wrinkle.

Stored sweaters should be ready to be worn the minute they come out of storage.  Before stowing away winter sweaters, make sure they don't have any stains that need to be removed or holes that need to be repaired.  For extra insurance against insects, toss a lavender sachet into the storage container.  It's a natural insect repellant.

Gitano V-neck hooded sweater $39.99

.

.

.

.

Sterilite Under the Bed Wheeled Storage Container 66 Qt. $19.99.

Bracelet Watches do Double Duty as Jewelry

Sure, wearing one watch with everything is economical and practical, it's also boring!  Instead of wearing one watch with every outfit, why not invest in a bracelet style watch or two that has the jewelry like effect of enhancing different outfits and moods?  Stylish bracelet watches aren't always cheap but it's sometimes a better deal to invest in one quality bracelet watch than to buy one cheap watch for function and a cheap costume bracelet on top of that to add style.  For a bolder statement, try a watch with wide bracelet like links like this Circular Link Bracelet Watch with Faux Diamond Accent for $10.49 or a cuff bracelet with a watch face embedded in it.  A watch charm attached to a link bracelet adorned with your favorite charms reflects more of your personality than a plain watch band. 

.

.

Fossil Women's F2 Dress Charm Bracelet Watch $76.50.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Fossil Women's F2 Dress Watch $67.50

.

.

.

.

New York and Company City Style Watch - Puff Hearts $19.95

The Forgotten Woman Finds Style on the Web

One look at fashion magazines or websites makes it clear that the women the magazines and advertisers are primarily interested in are women who are underage, undernourished and tall enough to play professional basketball.  Luckily there are a some style savvy sites and blogs that offer excellent advice for women  want to embrace their uniqueness instead of  moping about the fact that they will never be supermodel material.

Totalbeauty.com has several short videos designed to address specific needs of real women.  Some of the videos feature makeup advice tailored to women of different ages and races.  Personally I was happy to see a video on daytime makeup for women over 40.  The kind of pretty low key makeup that looks good on real women doesn't always get a lot of attention with the fashion media.

Petitefashionista.com shows women that being short in stature doesn't mean being short in the style department.  This blog is produced by a professional stylist and it shows.  There are plenty of useful fashion related tips in addition to posts featuring petite celebrities and shopping advice.

Bomshellbeauty.blogspot.com is dedicated to women with dangerous curves, otherwise known as plus size women.  The blog features mostly fashion articles with a sprinkling of beauty articles thrown in.  The attitude of this blog is that fashion and beauty should be fun whatever size you happens to be.

Figure Flattering Empire Waist Shirts

The fitted V-necked empire waist shirt is one of  the few articles of clothing can be described as both forgiving and flattering.  The V-neck is visually lengthening, showing of the neck and framing necklaces nicely.  The area right below the bust  is the narrowest part on a woman's torso so drawing attention to this area has a slimming effect.  A slightly flared cut that skims the over your waist discreetly disguises less than flat abs with style.  Pair this style top with with a narrow skirt or boot leg jeans and you have a figure flattering outfit for whenever you want to look fabulous.

Kohls Sonoma Life + Style Mock Layer Framed Babydoll Top $24.00.

.

.

New York and Company City Stretch Shirt Twist Front $24.95

.

.

New York and Company City Style Empire Wrap Top $16.95

.

.

.

.

.

JC Penny A.N.A Trapunto Border Tunic $26.00

Chic Flats with the Golden Touch

Gold flats that aren't as shiny as a trophy (adorn yourself in too much shiny gold and you will literally end up looking like a trophy wife) or flats with gold trim, add personality and pizazz to outfits the same way wearing a piece of jewelry does.

If the flats have no padding and the sole of the shoe is so flat that if it got any flatter and you would be in direct contact with the ground, be sure when trying on shoes that you have a little wiggle room in case you want to add padded shoe inserts to the shoes later.