Style Lush

An Underachiever's Style Resolutions

by Tara C.

Happy 2013, everybody! How many of you made resolutions for the new year? Have you broken any of them yet? This year I decided to set my style-related resolutions at a nice, reasonable level. I'm not exactly reaching for the stars here, but following these rules will be an improvement for me.

• Don't wear anything that is ripped, stained, or has holes. I know, this should really go without saying. But I'm saying it anyway. I've been guilty of ignoring little signs of disrepair, and it's just not a good look.
• Stop wearing things that don't make me feel good. I'm guessing we all have items in our wardrobe that we realize are less than flattering or don't make us feel our best. For starters, I should only buy items I love, not just things that are "good enough" or on sale. Once I realize that an outfit is making me look heavier, frumpy, or sad, it's time to donate it and get it out of my clothing rotation.
• Change out of my workout clothes as soon as possible after exercising. Once again, this should probably go without saying. Walking around in sweaty exercise clothes is kind of gross and not great for my skin. I need to stop doing this as much as possible. I will say that I don't ever want clothing to become a barrier to exercising, so if squeezing in a quick workout before, say, picking up the kids is the only way to fit in the workout, fine. But most of the time that's not the case.
• Be wary of cropped pants. There are people who look good in cropped pants. Audrey Hepburn, for example. I do not. They make my legs look stubby. 
• Make more of an effort to accessorize. My wardrobe is fairly basic. A couple years ago, I organized my closet by color and I've kept that organization ever since. What it made me realize is that I have a lot of neutral colors in my wardrobe. See the picture above with all the green clothes? That's not what my closet looks like. I could try to buy more colorful things, but, in reality, I know that I tend to wear neutral colors more often. It can be kind of boring. Adding a scarf or colorful jewelry would help liven things up. 
• Wear heels from time to time for no good reason. I admire bloggers like Super Kawaii Mama and The Glamorous Housewife who seem to make everyday life glamorous. These are advanced-level glamorous ladies, and I'll probably never progress beyond beginner-level. Still, I don't see any reason that I can't dress a little better than necessary from time to time and perhaps throw on a pair of heels.

I am a firm believer that you should start from wherever you are and that just about anything can be accomplished if you break it down into manageable steps. So there you have it--six little steps to a slightly improved, more put-together me.

{Photo credit: A Life Well Told}

American Girl Dolls & Brand Name vs. Knock-Off Toys

by Tara C.

This year my 5-year-old daughter asked for an American Girl doll for Christmas.  After some hesitation, I bought her one.

My hesitation was based on her age and the price of the doll. These dolls are lovely but at $105 they are also quite expensive. They are, in fact, recommended for age eight and older. At five, I'm not sure my daughter is really old enough to take care of an expensive toy. I fear that by December 28 it might end up naked and tossed into a pile of other toys.

Target has a similar 18" doll from their Our Generation line on sale for $24.

Now I'm wondering if I should have bought the less expensive knock-off version. Would she know the difference?

I suspect that most kids would know the difference, but does it matter? I remember when I was a child and Cabbage Patch dolls were popular. We could usually tell which dolls were the "real" Cabbage Patch dolls. But once again, does it matter?

My mother was actually the one who advised me to buy my daughter the doll she asked for. As a child in the early 1960s, my mother asked for a Barbie doll for Christmas and received a generic version without poseable limbs. She still remembers her disappointment.

What do you think? When your child wants a popular name-brand toy do you buy that or a less expensive version?

{Photo credits: American Girl, Target}

What I Learned About Petite Sizing from Stacy London's New Book

by Tara C.

As someone who is around 5'7" and not particularly tiny, I've never considered shopping in the petite section. In fact, I've actively avoided that section, fearing that I might look like a giant stomping around in the land of the little people. However, I recently learned from Stacy London's The Truth About Style that petite sizing is not only for the short and super-skinny.

I purchased The Truth About Style on impulse from Costco. I have watched Stacy's show, What Not To Wear, for years, so I figured I would enjoy her book too. I did enjoy it, although it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Overall, it is very reflective and focuses and the emotional and psychological aspects of one's style (or lack of style).

Anyway, the book has a little blurb called "Signs You May Need a Petite Size When You Aren't Petite." Signs for tops are:

• Breast darts fall too low on the torso
• Shoulder straps sag
• You find yourself constantly pulling up shoulder seams.

That's me! You see, petite sizing is about smaller proportions overall, including the measurements from the shoulder to the chest, chest to waist, etc. So, it's not just about length and height, it's about the distance between certain parts of your body. So, while petite-sized dresses and pants may be too short on me, it turns out that petite-sized tops actually fit me better a lot of the time.

I think we all know that clothes that fit well make us look better. However, finding clothes that fit our individual bodies properly right off the rack can be difficult sometimes. Before I knew that petite tops might fit me better, I had the hardest time finding a good fit in tank tops, sun dresses, and swim suits. They tend to fall indecently low on my chest and the straps are usually too long. I have taken dressses and a swim suit to the tailor before to have the straps shortened. For tank tops, I've had the best luck shopping at Shade. Their tanks are not as low cut and have shorter straps than most I've tried. Aside from shopping in the petite section, many items can be altered from regular sizes to shorten straps or hems of shirts and sleeves. According to Stacy, what you can't do is raise chest or waist darts that are too low.

Do you have a hard time finding a good fit with certain types of clothing? Or have you ever been surprised to learn that your size is different from what you thought?

{Photo credit: amazon.com}

Three Solutions to Tricky Messes

By Tara C.

If you live with a child or pet, chances are pretty good that at some point they have created a mess that has left you scratching your head and wondering how you're going to fix it. These are messes that require something special and beyond your normal cleaning routine. Here are three solutions I've found for some stubborn messes.

Situation 1: Lipstick and cream blush crushed into carpet. Our master bathroom is carpeted, which I really don't like. But until we get around to changing the flooring, we're stuck with it. When one of my children was a toddler, he tried to finger-paint on the carpet with the contents of my makeup drawer. Because it can be fairly greasy, makeup stains can be hard to remove from carpet. Incredible stain remover was the third stain remover I tried and by far the most effective.

(Photo from: Amazon)

Situation 2: Pencil on painted walls. While I'm sure the artist considered this to be his masterpiece, we were not thrilled to have our walls used as the canvas. A few swipes with a Magic Eraser worked beautifully.

(photo from: Mr. Clean)

Situation 3: Permanant marker on hardwood floor. I was pretty shocked when I realized that someone used a Sharpie on our hardwood floor. And, it happened to be right in the entry way, just to ensure it was the first thing everyone saw when entering the house. A couple people suggested that we try a Magic Eraser, but unfortunately it didn't work this time. I read somewhere online that writing over the permanant marker's mark with a dry erase marker for whiteboards can "dissolve" the permanant marker underneath it. Let the dry erase marker ink sit for a minute or two, then wipe it off with a dry paper towel. Much to my surprise, it worked. I don't know why it worked but it did. Magical.

(photo from: Amazon)

What solutions have you found for out-of-the-ordinary messes?

Reader Help: Earrings for Sensitive Ears

by Tara C.

I love the way earrings look and how they can dress up an otherwise plain outfit. For instance, I might like to wear these:

Or perhaps these:

However, lately my ears have been rejecting all earrings. Within a few minutes of putting them in, my earlobes become itchy, red and ANGRY. I used to wear earrings a lot, but as I've gotten older it has become increasingly uncomfortable. I'm not sure which metal my body finds irritating. I've tried nickel-free earrings and they were not any better. Someone suggested that I try earring with a high gold content, such as 14K or above, but I am reluctant to spend a lot of money on something that might not be an improvement. Interestingly, I can wear metal jewelry on the rest of my body--rings, necklaces, watches and bracelets--without any trouble. But my ears simply do not want anything in them.

So, lovely readers, have any of you similarly sensitive types found a solution? Is there some sort of earring I'm overlooking that might be better for me?

{Photo credits: from: Blue Hour Designs and Silver Lotus Designs on Etsy}

Posters for Bookworms

By Tara C.

There are few things I enjoy more than curling up with a good book. My almost 9-year-old son also loves to read. He will disappear for hours at a time with a good book. He is a huge fan of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. When I saw this poster hanging in our local library, I immediately thought it was something he would like:

It turns out that anyone can buy this poster, and many others, from the American Library Association.

For younger children, I like this Ladybug Girl poster:

And, of course, this Where the Wild Things Are poster:

Something about this odd, steampunk-style Take Time to Read poster really appeals to me, too:

I also learned from a friend about Doedemee's amazing collection of re-imagined book covers. A European graphic design studio gather 100 artists from 28 countries and had them re-design classic book covers. A portion of each poster of these images that is sold goes to fighting illiteracy. I chose a couple of my favorites to share here, but you really should go take a look at the whole collection if you are at all interested in literature and/or design. Some of them are just gorgeous. But then, I do have an English degree around here somewhere, so it's possible I get more excited about this sort of thing than a normal person.

Here's Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott:

The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster:

While I am not familiar with this book, I love this design for An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro:

If you are interested in any of these posters, you should know that the design company is in Belguim and all the the prices are listed in euros. Alas, for those of us in the U.S., this could be a pricey endeavor with international shipping costs and all.

Skincare Bargains

by Tara C.

Since my last post was about a skincare splurge, I thought I'd share some much more reasonably priced skincare ideas this week.

1. Use baking soda to exfoliate. This tip couldn't be simpler or cheaper. Pour a little baking soda in your palm and mix with water for form a paste. Use it to gently exfoliate your skin. We've actually mentioned this tip before, but I think it's a good one.

2. Try buying a glycolic acid peel online. Glycolic acid is supposed to brighten skin, treat sun damage and smooth fine lines and scars. This glycolic acid peel is similar to the one I've used before, but it looks like the brand I bought is no longer available. This one is currently $10.99, which is 86% off the $79.99 list price.

3.Try Bio-Oil ($10.00 for 4.2oz. on Amazon) for stretch marks or dry, flaky skin. This oil is very hydrating. I have not personally used it for stretch marks, but I have used it overnight on dry patches and my skin seems much more moisturized and softer in the morning.

{Photo credits: amazon.com}

What are your bargain skincare tips?

Sephora Splurge: Josie Maran's Bronzing Argan Oil

Tara C.

Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself and realized that your complexion resembles the underbelly of a fish, but less radiant? If you are already youthful, dewy, and glowing, please move along. This post if not for you. But, if you're like me and your skin seems a little dull and in need of something to perk it up, Josie Maran's Bronzing Argan Oil might be the product for you.

(photo from: Sephora)

This oil does not make my fair skin look tan, but it does impart a hint of color and a slightly dewy appearance. When I first put it on it it looks a lot oilier and darker than it does once it soaks in. I find the bronzing effect to be fairly subtle.

Unfortunately, it is not cheap. I used a birthday gift card to buy this and it has lasted many months. However, I only use it sparingly on my face. It says on the bottle that it can be used on your hair and body as well. Obviously, if you were to slather yourself in this it wouldn't last as long.

I first heard about this product from a new mom who was looking for a way to perk up her tired-looking skin. I think this would make a wonderfully generous gift, if not for yourself, then for a good friend who has recently had a baby. Or really anyone who needs some extra TLC.

Honestly, I have quit expecting miracles from skin care products. They have all failed to give me the skin I had when I was 20. But, I do think this is a really nice product and that my skin looks a little better when I use it.

More Kid Art Display Ideas

By Tara C.

Last week, Megan wrote about displaying children's art. I wanted to jump in and share what we do. We use two Ikea curtain wires with clips to hang the art. Here's what it looks like:

(photo from: me)

We used the DEKA  curtain wire with clips ($6.99):

(photo from: Ikea)

And attached it to the wall with the DIGNITET support fixture ($4.99):

(photo from: Ikea)

On of the commenters on Megan's post mentioned making a photo book of kid's artwork before tossing the originals in the bin. This is something I've always meant to do, but have never gotten around to actually doing.

(photo from: Snapfish.com)

You could simply photograph the artwork, put it in a book and call it "Best of Kindergarten" or whatever. Or, you could include photos of the child creating the art, as in the book above, along with some narration. The photo book lets you remember some of the artwork, without having to actually save all of the originals.

Year-Round Beachy Decor?

by Tara C.

I know, I know. Summer is amost over. We're supposed to be looking ahead to fall and Halloween. But I can't help myself! I'm just drawn to things that remind me of sea and sand. And summer vacations and tropical drinks and so on. I think somebody is going to have to pry the piña colada out of my hands and drag me into our much more rigid fall schedule.

After a recent trip to the beach, I found myself wanting in incorporate more beach-style decor into my home. However, I am a little worried about it looking seasonally inappropriate, say, in Novemeber. Since I don't live in a cottage by the sea (not even close) it's probably best to keep it to a few small decorations, right?

Martha Stewart has a gallery of shell craft ideas, including these seashell koalas:

I think this looks like a fun craft to do with kids, but I don't think I would want these guys hanging out in my living room (watching me) for the next couple years.

I found a beach decor store on Etsy called Beach Grass Cottage and I like a lot of their items.

I love the color of this sea glass vase:

I'm crazy about this starfish garland, although I have no idea where I would put it:

As if to prove that beach decor is not exclusively for summer, I offer these lovely Christmas ornaments with sea glass :

and seashells:

What do you think? Do beach decorations scream "summer" a little too loudly to be out all year? Should I pack them away after Labor Day along with my white shoes?

{Photo credits: marthastewart.com, Beach Grass Cottage on Etsy}