STYLEnosh

WhatWentWrong: MOM JEANS STRIKE AGAIN

I'm always startled and saddened when I turn a corner and spot some poor women wearing these horribly tragic ill-fitting jeans. You just know they're over 10 years old and not doing the unsuspecting culprit any favors.

Why is this a problem you ask? Let's see. These jeans make her:

• * bum look bigger and flatter than it probably it is

* thighs look larger because of the faded thighs

* look as though she cares nothing about the way she presents herself to the world.

So sad. And so unnecessary. If you're wearing jeans that look like this, ditch 'em!

SASS, STYLE & SUBSTANCE BEST POSTS OF THE WEEK!

For this week’s best in Sass, Style and Substance beauty and fashion news!

STYLEnosh Can you really trust that online review?

A Touch of Blusher A Touch of Blusher reviews Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser.

Splendicity Accessories Do you like to shop with a conscience? Then you're definitely going to want to check out these gorgeous silk scarves from Mekong Blue - a Cambodian group of silk weavers.

Have a stylish weekend!

image: Stock.xchg

THIS WEEK'S SALES!!!

The Limited  Take 30% off select cardigans. Also receive $25 off a second pant or skirt (includes pant and skirt, 2 pants or 2 skirts). Offer good in-store and online through Wednesday, February 10th.

Macy's  Today is National Wear Red day, a campaign from the American Heart Association to end heart disease, the #1 killer of women and men. Now through Sunday, February 7th, take an extra 20% off sale, clearance and select regular priced purchases. For online shopping use promo code WEARRED. Click here for the details.

Ann Taylor Loft  Take an extra 50% off final sale items. Remember: The deals may be good, but the caveat is no exchange, no refund. Buy wisely.

CAN YOU TRUST THAT ONLINE REVIEW?

Image by mconners on morguefile.com

I check the online reviews on everything. Clothes, electronics, tomato soup recipes. I do mean everything. Heck, I even give them on this site. But every so often, I give some of these online reviews the side eye. Even the FCC is getting into the business of questioning blogger endorsements. 

I rely heavily on the information I receive online. (Anyone else in love with Google?) So here's my method of utilizing the internet and navigating through that massive info you come across:

Go to multiple sites  I obtain a lot of reviews from Amazon.com. If it's a book review I may not bother looking at another site. If the book is bad, it's no biggie. I'm only out of $20 at the most. If I'm looking to buy a new camera, I'll check Amazon, CNET (who I'm crushing on since watching CNET TV during the iPad launch last week), etc. Spending a few hundred bucks is an expenditure I want to do wisely. It's worth the time to do a quality search.

Read reviews carefully  If the review sounds a little too nice, it just might be. Most reviewers will find at least one thing they would change to make the item better. Very rarely will the review be so glowing that there's no room for improvement.

Trust your gut   No matter what you read, including this site, you still have to make your own assessment. Whether it's shoes or car repair shops, you have to make the call.

DOES A CUTE, COMFORTABLE SHOE EXIST?

I came to a grim realization the other day. I really shouldn't wear high heels or pointy-toe shoes. My feet have painfully spoken.

I want to wear these...

But these days, my feet demand these...

Over the years, older women would tell me that they wouldn't dream of wearing the high heels I happened to happily have on my feet. Now I know what they were talking about. Many women reach the point when they have to select footwear based on function before fashion. Please don't tell me that time has arrived for me!

I just need sexy shoes that don't make my feet feel like I've got pieces of glass chard piercing my soul. If you have any suggestions, please share them. Don't leave me stuck in rubber soles forever.

Images found at zappos.com

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE OVER ACCESSORIZED?

What a tricky question!

Here's my litmus test for determining if I have on too many accessories: if my earrings, necklace, rings or bracelet overshadow the actual outfit, then I've put on too many pieces. Take this picture for instance. At the time, I thought the earrings were a nice complement to the mandarin style jacket. Now reflecting back, I think they actual clash. Oh, and I have a necklace on too!

Big jewelry makes a big statement. And typically I'm all for making a big fashion statement. But I think too many large pieces can look like you're trying too hard.

A very stylish friend once told me to always remove one accessory after getting dressed. I think she got the notion from Coco Chanel. But who ever created it, it's great advice. My recommendation is: lose the earrings. 

What do you think? Are the accessories chic or cheeky?

HAVE MONEY, SHOULD YOU SPEND IT?

Say you have a wad of disposable income available at the end of each month. Your bills are paid and there's no lingering credit card debt. What do you do with that extra cash? Are you comfortable spending it on what you want instead of what you need?

I remember when the economy started making that slow, ugly turn and it was reported that many wealthy people didn't feel right shopping when the rest of the country was struggling financially. So the rich, like most other people, didn't spend much on non-essentials.  Now that things are looking better, people are ready to crack open their wallets. And people are spending some money. 

I'm glad that everyone's not putting a moratorium on shopping. (Like me!) That means the people who provide goods and services are making money and in turn, keeping their jobs. 

Not in the position to spend Saturday afternoon shopping and lunching? Do you feel resentment for those individuals that do? Check out this article in the New York Times on execs spending their bonus money. And read this clip from the Wall Street Journal on 2010 spending forecasts. One thing is clear, someone's buying something!

SASS, STYLE & SUBSTANCE BEST POSTS OF THE WEEK!

For this week’s best in beauty and fashion, check out these bloggers from Sass, Style and Substance!

Beauty Match Marion Cotillard’s hair at the 2010 Golden Globe Awards.

A Touch of Blusher A Touch of Blusher reviews two moisturizers from Pond's.

STYLEnosh Yes, you still don't need a bigger closet.

Splendicity Accessories Animal print accessories are a fun trend - here are a few picks from birds to zebras, to add a little "wild" to your life.

Have a stylish weekend!

image: Stock.xchg

YOU DON'T NEED A BIGGER CLOSET! Part 2

Image by ronnieb on morguefile.com

Last week I suggested that you don't need a bigger a closet. You really need a good closet purge. And now you've skillfully eliminated everything in your closet that doesn't work for your body or your lifestyle. You've dropped off or scheduled a pick up for your donations. (Well, at least you've got them boxed up and ready to go, right?) So what do you do with the clothing that remains?

All of the items left in your closet should be either a) things you can wear now, as is, or b) things that require some type of repair or alteration in order for you to successfully wear them. Let's tackle the latter of the two.

STEP 2 Make necessary repairs  This particular step is the toughest for me because I manage to put off doing any repairs until the day before I'm planning to wear the pants/shirt/skirt. By handling your repair items now, you'll not only eliminate unnecessary clutter, you'll also be adding more options to your wardrobe.

Do small repairs yourself like sewing on buttons and fixing simple ripped seams. Take bigger alterations to a tailor. If you don't have a tailor, ask your friends for recommendations. If you don't receive any recommendations, take a small repair job like hemming a pair of pants to a new tailor to see what type of work they do. If you like what you see, you just found a new tailor.

ARE THESE BOOTS REALLY PRACTICAL?

I'm scratching my head on this one. I was reading Lucky magazine online when I came across this link for flattering knee-hi boots. Intrigued, I clicked the link and I was really surprised by the options they provided. With the tag line of completely walkable, I figured they must be walking in places that don't have snow and ice. Cause I can assure you that walking in these heels in tricky conditions is not a wise idea. Maybe they're talking about doing the old switch a roo. Wear you switch into your sleek winter footwear after you reach your destination. But I'll put this question to the people: Are 4 to 5 inch boots a practical option for winter wear?