Shop With Style

Yes, yes…you need coats to keep you toasty when the air turns chilly. But you can accomplish that by walking around with wrapped in a blanket too.  If you’re gonna keep warm, you might as well do it with style, right? Right! Coats are not just mindless pieces of fabric that get you from point A to point B. Selecting a coat should be no different than selecting an outfit…it should always flatter your body type. These coats will keep you warm while making sure you look hot, flawlessly flattering both your shape and your style this winter!

Hourglass – If you’re an hourglass, then you know how tricky it can be to dress that beautiful shape of yours for warmth… without making that shape look like a tent or a blob. So, for the perfect coat, think wide-belted, single-breasted, with a bell-shaped or A-line skirt. It will show both your curves and define your small waist, which will keep your body in beautiful proportion.

Petite – Your small frame will only be swallowed up by a long coat with lots of bulky material, so look for something that ends just past your hips, and definitely no longer than mid-thigh. Also avoid big buckles and flashy buttons or embellishments. Coats with too much going on will only overwhelm your frame.

Pear – Since you’ve got some awesome hips and curves, your best coat will be one with a dramatic, sizeable, v-neck collar and a cinched waist. This will not only balance up your bottom half, it will draw the eye upwards toward your cleavage and face.

Boyish – The best way to add curves to a boyish shape is with a double-breasted, belted coat with either a peplum waist or a flared, bell-shaped bottom. This will help keep you looking slim while creating delicious curves in all the right places.

Apple – An overall A-line shape with an asymmetric closure (either the line of the zipper or buttons) will skim your widest area, while hugging your most narrow…thus creating a very flattering shape for you. Also look to a geometric, asymmetrical pattern, such as a plaid.

Long and lean – If your figure is ballerina-like (long and lean), you can pull off a longer, straight, structured coat. If it’s more on the boyish side and you’d like some curves, opt for a belted version that cinches in and creates/defines your waist. For an even more graceful and elegant line, try a funnel-neck collar. Positively swanlike!

Not all of us were blessed with gorgeous, full, Angelina Jolie-esque lips… some of us have had to struggle with constantly “drawing in” an upper lip. But there just so happens to be some nifty little tricks you can use to help make your lips look fuller…and only you will ever know you needed them!

• Exfoliate – Exfoliating is not just for your body and face. Our bodies are daily sloughing off the dull, dead skin cells for fresh, new skin cells underneath, and exfoliating aides in that. If your lips are rough, dry, or flaky, a gentle exfoliation will help to remove the dead, dry skin and soften the newer healthy skin underneath. More importantly, it will also make the lips more able to draw in necessary moisture, which in itself can help lips look fuller. Smooth lips will also not only look healthier, but will make any lip product you apply look better.

Since the skin on your lips is thinner and more delicate that that on most other parts of your body, the key to exfoliation here is to think gentle…both in what you put on your lips to exfoliate, and how you do it. A simple mixture of olive oil and sugar, applied to lips with a finger or a washcloth, will do beautifully. Rub in small circles for a minute or two on each lip, then rinse with warm water and pat dry. You can also use Vaseline on a toothbrush, applied in a similar way. Just remember to be gentle!

• Moisturize – Our skin can temporarily absorb moisture (think how much easier body lotion goes on after a warm shower or bath), but without something to help lock it in, the moisture will evaporate throughout the day. Try to avoid those with ingredients such as lanolin and glycerine, as they can sometimes leave lips feeling “waxy,” as if the product hasn’t absorbed into your skin. Also try to avoid moisturizers with a lot of oils; a higher oil content won’t allow the product to be absorbed (think of oil and water in a bottle). When in doubt, opt for natural, like Yes to Coconuts Naturally Smooth lip balm. It’s all natural and absorbs beautifully into your lips.

After exfoliating and before you go to bed, simply smooth the moisturizer over your lips. Since you won’t be talking/eating/drinking it will give your lips the time they need to sit with the moisturizer. When you wake, you’ll be amazed at how your lips look fuller.

• Highlight – Contouring is all the rage now, and your lips definitely need to get in on the trend… especially if you want to make your lips look fuller. A general rule of thumb to remember for make-up is that dark colors recede, or make things look smaller, and lighter colors highlight, or bring to the foreground. A bit of strategically placed highlight will make your lips look fuller and more “three dimensional.” You can use a shimmery vanilla or white colored eye shadow for this, but it works best with a highlighting pencil, like Benefit High Brow Glow.
  1. After applying your desired lip color, lightly run the highlighter over just the cupid’s bow (the center V of your top lip). Blend gently with your finger or a clean shadow brush.
  2. Apply highlighter to the center section of your bottom lip, just outside the natural lip line. Blend gently.
  3. If desired, highlight the two creases running from the bottom of your nose to your cupid’s bow. Blend gently.

Now, simply sit back and admire your perfect pout (but don’t forget to smile too…smiling always helps anyone to look beautiful)!

We often focus a lot on what to wear and our accessories often find themselves second in the grand scheme of things when we are deciding on an outfit for a night out. It is my honest belief that you can accessorize a simple outfit and make it go from ok to wow with just a few simple statement pieces, so read below for a few simple pieces to help change your outfit from plain to amazing in just a few simple steps.

A great statement necklace

If you have selected a simple, block color outfit such as a plain black jumpsuit or a black top with a pair of black skinny jeans or trousers, a big, bright and bold statement necklace can really pull together and set off your entire outfit. If you feel comfortable select a large, chunky necklace, in block colors to add a bit of color and style to a plain outfit.

A dazzling clutch purse

If you are heading out for the evening you might want to style a simple outfit with a clutch purse. You will find a brightly colored clutch will help to either brighten up a simple outfit or keep a busy outfit looking stylish, elegant and unfussy.

Simple, yet elegant heeled shoes

Shoes are one of the most pivotal parts of any outfit and if you are looking for an elegant look a simple pair of strappy sandals really can help to bring your overall look together. If the weather does not really allow for sandals, which is especially true in many places throughout the winter, then a simple pair of court shoes or heeled boots while work just as well.

A pair of statement earrings

Earrings are a simple addition to your outfit and you can go two ways with them. If you are looking to go simple with your accessories because you have a bit more of a bright or fussy outfit, a simple pair of studs can help to make any outfit look classy. If you feel like your outfit needs more color you can consider a colourful pair of statement earrings.

Do not dismiss hair accessories

If you have longer hair you might want to consider some accessories for your hair. If you have your hair loose around your shoulders you might want to add a simple or sparkling headband. If you are attending a formal event, such as a wedding, a fascinator works well instead of committing to a full on wedding hat. Other hair options include clip in florals or a nice simple hair clip to keep your hair off of your face.