Create 50 New Looks Just By Changing Your Bag

We’re all guilty of having major bag envy at times. We see a woman walk down the street with the latest Prada and find ourselves swooning. It happens.

For many of us, especially during this recession, buying extremely expensive handbags every season isn’t an option. If you want to stay current with the always-changing trends, look chic, and feel great, all while cutting back spending—Charleston Style Concierge has the answer for you.

The key is to have a collection of three or four moderately priced handbags and match them with different outfits. Add little accents here and there to make it appear like you have 50 new and stylish looks! Make sure each bag you own can go with a handful of outfits you own, because what’s the point of owning an expensive bag that can only go with one or two outfits?

Learn some tricks of the trade from Charleston Style Concierge . . .

• Look for bags that have a classic timeless style.  Trendy bags are fabulous and we’ll always drool at the sight of them, but often you no longer want to use them the following year.  If you want to buy less and wear more of what you have a great classic bag can help you achieve wardrobe versatility.
• Shop for neutral colored bags such as black, brown, and nude—between the three of these colors you can wear every outfit you have with one of them.
• Find a bold colored bag you absolutely love and buy it. You’ll feel fresh, confident, and playful wearing it.  Many colors are pseudo-neutrals and can be paired with most of your wardrobe.  Remember, your shoes and bag don’t have to match.
• Look for accessories to use on your bags that can spice them up. For example, let’s say you are wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a cherry red silk top out for dinner. Wear your black bag with this outfit and fasten on a matching scarf or funky pin. You can dress bags up with a simple touch here and there.

For more personal style and spring fashion tips, visit Charleston Style Concierge at http://www.charlestonstyleconcierge.com. We’re dedicated to providing each client with services tailored to their specific style and needs. Visit our services page to learn more about how we can help you perfect your style. With spring around the corner, it’s a new beginning and the perfect time to make changes to your personal style . . . 

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Save Money By Not Looking at Price Tags

I do not believe in going into debt for fashion, or that you have to spend tons of money to have great style.  I do believe that looking at price tags before trying something on can cause you to spend more money. 

 

The first thing you do while shopping is look at the price tag.  Usually that price tag tells you it is okay to try something on, the item is a great deal, or it will cause you to put the item away wishing you were an instant lottery winner.  The last two cause havoc in your closet and will ultimately cause you to spend more money.

 

The next time you are shopping try on this new mindset about price and you will discover that you make much smarter purchases and wardrobe investments.

 

·        When you come across a great deal, proceed with caution.  Don’t let the allure of a deal throw out your good judgment about fit, versatility, and need.  If something doesn’t fit or won’t work for your lifestyle, don’t buy it.  Practice only spending money on items that suit all of your style needs.

 

·        When something is out of your budget don’t put it back and wait for the depression to set in.  Try it on.  The more expensive item could be a better investment than the multiple deals you continue to buy.  For example, the perfect fitting pants can be hard to find.  You go from store to store settling on pants that kind of fit.  They allow you to leave the house fully clothed but are not the best fit. You’ve now bought 4 pairs of imperfect black pants and have spent $200.  The expensive pair that you would have never tried on are also $200 and fit like a glove.  These are the better investment, and you no longer waste time looking for the perfect black pant.

 

·        Until you try something on and determine it is right for your personal style, price doesn’t matter.  Decide if an item fits and will work in your wardrobe, then think about whether or not it is worth the price tag.  I always recommend clients stay within their budget but remind them to calculate the cost per wear for items they purchase.

 

·        Don’t let discount price tags sidetrack you from your shopping mission.  If you are looking for clothing that helps you create a more put together image for an upcoming meeting, a super cute casual dress that is on sale isn’t going to get you to that meeting with professional style.

      Learn how to make smart clothing investments the next time you go shopping by signing up for Charleston Style Concierge’s free ezine, Get Great Style.

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Fit Is the Key to Great Style

The word fit gets thrown around a lot in our lives. Something may not fit your lifestyle. Your last job just wasn’t a good fit. Or maybe last week you were really fit to be tied. With so many things in our lives revolving around what fits, how is it that fit gets thrown out the window when it comes to our style?

 Does it fit? That is the question you heard from your mother right before she came into the dressing room with her fit checklist. There were a series of squats, bends, and seated positions before the pants in question were deemed a good fit. Now, as an adult, you may have your own fit checklist, but does your clothing really fit?

When it comes to great style, fit is key!

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How to Make a Good Wardrobe Investment

When buying a new wardrobe piece, determine its versatility by calculating its cost per wear.  Cost per wear is the original cost of an item divided by the number of times or ways it can be worn. 

 

Let’s say you find the perfect trench coat for $300.  It is classic in design and neutral in color.  This coat can be worn all year round and will be a wardrobe staple for years to come.  During that year, even if you only wear it twice a month, its cost per wear would be $12.50.

 

Cost Per Wear:  $300 Trench Coat/ 24 Times Worn = $12.50 Per Wear

 

Cost per wear is a helpful tool during the allure of a killer sale.  A $60 top on sale that you can only wear twice might not be such a great deal.  That top has a cost per wear of $30 and won’t help you figure out what to wear on a daily basis.

 

Calculating cost per wear is often thought of as an advertising tool to get people to spend more money that they normally would be comfortable doing.  For me, it just makes good sense.  It forces me to analyze the versatility of each item I buy to determine if it will be a good investment for my personal style, lifestyle, and wardrobe.

Charleston Style Concierge believes in the importance of creating a versatile wardrobe.  Contact Charleston Style Concierge to get great versatile style.

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How Image Affects the Fruit You Buy

Do you think your image doesn’t matter?  Close your eyes and picture yourself in the produce isle of the grocery store, choosing apples.  Without any real thought you pick up one apple after the other until you find the perfect one.  Some of those apples may be bruised or old, but some of the ones you discarded simply had an image that negatively impacted you.  Lucky for us, we can be aware of our image and make changes that ensure we put our best foot forward each and every day.

 

No matter your profession, age, or where you are going, image always matters.  Like it or not, in our society we only get seconds to make a first impression.  In that very brief time period people make split decisions and judgments about you that are hard to undo. 

 

A big part of the image you portray comes from the clothing you wear.  Coco Chanel said, “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress, dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”  Wearing clothing that fits well, is age-appropriate, and shows your unique style will help you portray the image you desire.    

 

What is your clothing saying about you?  If you’re not sure, Charleston Style Concierge can help.  Sign up for our monthly ezine and shape up your image with FREE style tips and tricks.

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5 Reasons Style Matters at the Gym

1.   There are mirrors everywhere. If you hate what you have on you will be less likely to keep a good spirit and finish your workout.

2.   A lot of stylish active wear has wicking technology to keep you cool and dry.

3.   There are other people there!

4.   Choosing workout clothes that don’t make you feel good about your body will deflate your motivated spirit.

5.   Style always matters because it gives you the confidence to conquer anything, including that really hard workout.

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Your Fit Problems Solved

·        Sleeve Length  Long sleeves on a shirt should stop just below your wrist bone.  If you are wearing a jacket or blazer the sleeve should stop right in the middle of the meaty part of your thumb.

·        Sloppy Shoulders  Shoulder seams  on a garment should be AT your shoulder. A common fit problem is a shoulder seam that hits below the shoulder, causing a sloppy ill fitting look.

·        Jacket Length  If the fit of your jacket is the wrong length it can distort the way your body looks. For example, a jacket that is too long will make your legs look shorter, making you look shorter.  A good rule of thumb is for your jackets to be no longer than a few inches below your hip bone.

·        Shirt Gaps  A button front shirt should not pull or gap.  If you have a larger chest this is probably a common fit problem for you.  Buy the size that fits your chest.  If the rest of the shirt is too big, a tailor can size it down for you.

·        Pant Length  Hem your pants to be ¾ of an inch from the ground helping give you a long and lean leg line.

·        Waistband Gap  This is a very common problem for curvy women.  The gap in the back of your waistband can be taken in by your tailor.  Buy your pants to fit the widest part of you and take in the waist.

·        Mind Your Rise  The fit of the crotch, or rise, of a pant can make or break your look.  If you get a lot of pulling and wrinkling across your crotch, your pants are too small.  If you get a lot of excess fabric around the crotch area your pants are too big.

·        Uneven Skirt Hem  Your skirt should have the same length hem all the way around.  The curve of our bum can hike up the back of a skirt.  Make sure you look at yourself in a mirror from front and behind to combat this fit problem.  Consult your tailor and discuss letting the hem out in the back of the skirt or shortening the front.

 

Remember that great fit is the first step to having great style.  Everyone has one fit challenge so discover how to combat yours.  For help determining proper fit for your body contact Charleston Style Concierge.

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Get Effortless Style

Do you envy the woman who always looks stylish and put together no matter what?  You know the woman, the one who looks like she spent hours getting ready with a stylist and tailor at the ready.  You will be surprised to find out that many of your style icons (I’m talking real world style icons.  Your co-worker, the neighbor, your best friend.) are able to get dressed in minutes with minimal effort, and look fabulous. 

 

 

Get effortless style.

 

A Perfect Fit.  Without fit you have no style.  A trendy blazer that is too big will look shlumpy and outdated.  The same blazer too small makes appears as if you are trying too hard, and will remove the chic sophistication from an outfit.  Learn about your body type and dress it appropriately.  It is sometimes hard to see our bodies for how they really are.  Get advice from a personal stylist or ask a trusted friend to help you examine the fit of your clothing.

 

Embrace Your Personal Style.  Stylish women own their look and exude confidence because of it.  Take note of the style and type of clothing that makes you feel like you can conquer the world.  This is your personal style.  If the trendy item of the month doesn’t fit your personal style, it will just look silly on you.  Find a style that makes you feel sexy, confident, and proud.  Then embrace it, that’s your style, and what makes you unique.

Flaunt your Assets.  The put-together women of the world know what their best and worst body features are.  Nobody is perfect, and everyone has at least one hang up about their body.  Stop dwelling on the parts you don’t like and flaunt the parts you do.  As you study how to play up certain assets you will learn how to downplay you least favorite body parts, and stop worrying about them.

Create a Versatile Wardrobe.  French women are a great example of how chic a versatile wardrobe can be.  Walk the streets of Paris and you will find women who put together fabulous outfits with fewer pieces than hang on your husband’s side of the closet.  Examine your lifestyle and then purchase wardrobe pieces that can be mixed and matched to make different outfits.

Accessorize.  Accessories are one of the most important parts of your outfit.  The right accessory is the missing link between you and your style icon.  Learn to accessorize with unique pieces that compliment an outfit.  Add pizzazz to a boring outfit with a colored shoe.  Carry a handbag in a pseudo-neutral color like purple, pink, or burgundy.  It goes with everything and will save you time from changing back and forth.

 Effortless style isn’t just for celebrities.  Change how long it takes you to get dressed and feel good every time you walk out the door.  For help creating your effortless style contact the Charleston Style Concierge.

 

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Inauguration Day Fashion

(CNN) – The presidential inauguration party tops the list of formal affairs next January, and President-elect Barack Obama is rumored to be preparing for his big event: He’s believed to have ordered a simple and classic black tuxedo by the union-friendly suburban Illinois-designer Hart Schaffner Marx, a stylist to which the president-elect is said to be faithful, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Read the full article

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Shop Now, Shop Right

Every day the media paints a bleak picture of the economy. Not everything is bleak. Now is the time to get out there and shop! Many retailers are offering huge discounts to encourage people to shop with them. These sales are an opportunity for you to save money or treat yourself to something you ordinarily couldn’t justify or afford. Not to mention you are putting money back into the economy.

Spend some time examining your current wardrobe and lifestyle. What do you need? What would help make your current wardrobe more versatile? Make some notes about items that would help you make outfits and solve the problem of never having anything to wear. If you need help determining how to get more use out of what you already own hire a personal stylist. The knowledge you learn is an investment and will save you money in the long run.

When you hit the stores only buy things that fit, work for your lifestyle, and compliment your personal style. Even the best deal isn’t a deal if it won’t help you solve your morning crisis of having nothing to wear.

If you shop with your style goals in mind you will walk away with a great deal and an idea of what to wear to work the next day!

For help discovering how to get the best deals on clothing that makes you feel stylish and confident, contact the Charleston Style Concierge. We can help you feel confident about your style while showing you that great style doesn’t take a lot of time or effort.

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