Shorts are for fashion and easy living

Shorts available at  www.facebook.com/fabrikgreenville 

Dressy shorts with draped front panel and print top available  at www.facebook.com/fabrikgreenville

Shorts, an ever present summer wardrobe staple, are now also one of the hottest fashion trends. Now is the time to find the latest shorts online at bargain prices. White House Black Market carries classic dark wash denim jean shorts, cargo shorts with front pockets, and flat front cotton cuffed shorts, all on sale for $39.99. Although most styles come in versatile neutrals, some are available in bold shades like pomegranate.  J.Jill, known for its distinctive linen apparel, sells a machine-washable linen walking short in white and black with an elastic waist. For those who prefer to show more leg, J Jill is now selling a linen twill cuffed short for $39.99. At Talbots, classic styles with contemporary sash accents are currently on sale. The “cuffed sash short” and the “parachute sash short” in summer palettes like sand and pale pink, are available at a deep discount. Styles like these can be dressed up when when worn with fitted jackets as a “short suit”, or graceful silk tanks and wedge sandals.

As the summer heats up, shorts fit the bill for comfort, coolness and incomparable style.

Today's Fashion Affirmation

I accessorize artfully and thoughtfully.

Opportunities to express your individuality and creativity present themselves every day.  You could invent a new recipe, transform a room by adding touches of color to it, or write in your journal. Fashion provides another vehicle for self expression. When you wake up each morning, you can decide not only how you want to look, but what image and mood you hope to capture. Do you wish to project a powerful presence for an upcoming business presentation? Are you going for a chic and sophisticated appearance for your vacation to Italy? Dressing with intention and looking your best requires that you have the proper clothing essentials to suit your personality and lifestyle. Next, you need a host of accessories. Like icing on a cake, accessories are what help you to stand out and look finished. In addition, they are the personal touches that reveal your authentic style. If you have a bohemian streak, you can wear a head scarf and multiple bangle bracelets. On the other hand, a double strand pearl chocker may be exactly the right jewelry choice for your classic and traditional tastes.

Would you like to learn how to “take your outfits from ordinary to extraordinary”, and also gain the confidence to create a polished look from head to toe? The expert DRES stylists at Holobi are eager to assist you with all your accessory styling and personal wardrobe needs. Find a stylist near you by visiting  http://www.holobi.com/.  I am also a regional director for Holobi, and one of their independent Holobi consultants. You may either contact me at coreyurbina@fashionforstylematters.com or cu@holobi/com.              

    

Today's Fashion Affirmation

"I have made my peace with bathing suits".

The very thought of going bathing suit shopping, let alone wearing a swimsuit in public, sends most women into a tailspin. Under those department store florescent lights, with next to nothing on, all of our imperfections are glaringly obvious. When faced with this situation, the impulse might be to put our clothes back on, flee the dressing room, and resign ourselves to wearing the same chlorine ridden swimsuit for another season. On the other hand, we could stay and face our demons.
So, if you are less than thrilled about wearing a bathing suit on your next beach vacation, then perhaps you will find comfort in being reminded of this: all of us have imperfect bodies, imperfect personalities and imperfect lives. Mare Petras, fitness expert, author and inspirational speaker, cautions us about the pitfalls of pursuing perfection in her book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Swimsuit Shoppers". A strong proponent of mind-body fitness, Petras advocates striving for balance, "vibrancy, and vitality" rather than perfection. Removing the pressure to be perfect is a critical step towards self acceptance.
We can also make friends with our bodies by developing healthy lifestyle habits such as exercising, eating nutritious food, and managing stress levels. Living in our bodies is a lot like living in our houses. They both require constant upkeep in order for us to fully enjoy residing in them. Unlike home maintenance however, the stakes are much higher if we fail to take proper care of ourselves, and we don't have the option of moving from our bodies. As a veteran of the fitness industry for thirty years, Mare Petras has her own formula for sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Her motto is "K.I.S.S." or "keep it simple, sweetie". All three of her Fitness Simply books are full of common sense techniques, meant to inspire and energize you on the inside and out.
The next time you put on your bathing suit, take some deep breaths, and then call to mind the things you like about your body. Also, do one extra health enhancing thing each day. Eat a handful of blueberries, take a brisk walk after dinner, or just sit quietly with your eyes closed for five minutes. Remember to also practice this month's affirmation.

The Bikini Goes Beyond Basic This Summer

For more than fifty decades, the bikini has been an enduring swimwear fashion force. Variations of this ever present style appear each season, and they are often inspired by what is current at the time in women’s wear designs.  No doubt you will spot most of these bikini trends at the pool during the dog days of summer:

1. Mixing It Up: The fact that tops and bottoms are often sold separately opens up the door for creatively blending bikini styles, colors and patterns. The combinations are endless, and include such pairings as polka dots and solids, crochets and florals, and string bikini bottoms with bandeau tops. By buying several separates, women can expand their swimsuit wardrobe by simply interchanging tops and bottoms.
2. Prints, stripes and color blocking:  Nautical stripes, exotic animal prints and florals are lighting up beaches everywhere. At Old Navy, bikini bottoms and tops come in daring black and yellow geometric designs, leopard prints, and soft blue floral prints. It's Anchors Aweigh this season with the strong emergence of nautical striped suits. Target has an exciting array of them in colors such as mint, coral and magenta. The Xhilaration Juniors Mix and Match Reversible suit comes in eye catching forest green and pink stripe, and is trimmed in trendy polka dots. Those who purchase solid color bikini separates can experiment with color blocking, the practice of combining swathes of at least two complimentary or contrasting hues. With color blocking, even the most unlikely combinations coexist well, like purple and chartreuse or orange and fuchsia. Both Old Navy and Target sell solid pieces suited for color blocking.  
3. Adornments and hardware: Romantic ruffles, seen on dresses and tops this summer, have made their way onto bikinis. Victoria Secret sells a delicate floral ruffled bandeau top with a removable halter strap and a ruffled bottom that is right on trend. Bandeau tops now come decorated with daisy and rhinestone accents. Metal or plastic rings, strategicallly placed on the hips and in the center of a triangle cut bikini top, continue to be a strong trend, as are mock ties, jewel embellished halter straps and buckles. Now you can wear your heart on your hips instead of your sleeve with Victoria Secret's "Heart Ring" bikini. Macy's also carries many suits with these contemporary flourishes. 

Who is responsible for the bikini's staying power? Historian Olivier Saillard credits "the power of women and not the power of fashion" for this phenomenon.

The Wondrous One Piece Bathing Suit

Debra Kerr wore a one piece in her legendary love scene with Burt Lancaster in “From Here to Eternity.” The vision of Bo Derek running along the beach in her flesh colored tank suit and braided cornrows in “10”, gave new meaning to the word “sexy”. One piece suits are forever fashionable because they exude sophistication, flatter any figure, and are as comfortable as second skin. Before you do swimwear shopping for your beach vacation, consider checking out these one-piece styles:

1.      Maillot: This classic tank normally has a scoop neck, and thin shoulder straps. Exciting new maillot trends include halter necks with front key hole cutouts or ruffled bodices. The Talbots' swimwear 2011 collection features these styles in paisleys and stripes as well as bold solids.  The surplice maillot style is also popular because its faux wrap design and pronounced v neck both slenderizes and compliments the torso. If you want a maillot with a little more drama, shop PacSun for tanks with plunging necklines or side cut-outs that present the illusion of wearing a bikini. 

Maillot leg styles vary from a traditional trunk to a high cut look. The maillot also comes in a boy short length that resembles a cropped bike short or a track unitard. Lands’ End also carries the ‘Tugless Tank” that is designed not to ride up in back. Swimmers who need suits that are designed for comfort, performance and durability, can find them at Lands’ End.  Made of highly chlorine resistant fabric, these suits will keep their shape after countless pool workouts.

2.      Strapless: This summer’s favorite is also known as the bandeau style, and is built for sunbathing.  J Crew is featuring some retro inspired bandeau standouts this season. The entire front of the Jersey Lomelina Ruffle Tank is replete with layered horizontal ruffles, and the Ruched Banded Bandeau Tank both contours the torso and supports the bust line with its built in seaming details. J Crew also carries a blouson style bandeau suit with an extra chemise type overlay that ends in a gathered band at the hips. This style camouflages the midsection and is an ideal maternity swimsuit.

3.      Swim Dress: Now you can swim in the surf and then walk the boardwalk without having to put on a cover-up. the swim dress is a one piece mini with trunks underneath. Lands' End calls it the "Grecian Swimdress", and Talbots' version is the "Skirted" one piece. this style, which hits at the beginning of the thigh, is not only slimming, but it also suits those who want maximum coverage.  

If you haven’t blown your budget on your one –of –a –kind one piece, then head to a Sunglass Hut to buy your updated wayfarer Aviators or a pair of Dolce Gabana wrap shades. With the addition of this glamorous accessory, your beach photo will no doubt be “simply mahvelous”.

Sensational Style on Cinco de Mayo

I am here in my second home in Greenville, South Carolina, enjoying the many pleasures of the "upcountry". As a fashion trends and style writer for the Greenville Examiner.com, I covered a wonderful event last week called "Muy  Caliente". Yes, it was held on Cinco de Mayo, and its purpose was to raise funds for the Carolina Ballet Theatre (CBT).

As a newcomer to Greenville, I'm just beginning to learn about the extraordinary work of the CBT. Even though it is an internationally recognized company, CBT is strongly rooted in the Greenville community. Its mission is to enrich and empower the lives of others through dance. The company does much to make dance accessible to children and families who would not otherwise have this exposure. In keeping with their commitment to education, CBT partners with area teachers to develop specialized curricula and dance programs to inspire new generations of dancers and dance enthusiasts.

Attending this event gave me a prime opportunity to view the latest cocktail dress trends here in Greenville. Upon walking into the ballroom of the Pointsett Club,  I was struck with the fact that the room was awash with color. Fuchsia definitely outshone all other colors, however. It was everywhere, in solid as well as fuchsia print dresses. Color runners up were aqua, orange, and pink. Those who opted for the LBD wore bold accessories. Strapless and one shouldered designs reigned. Satin, chiffon and jersey fabrics were well represented. as were ruffles, pleats and applique embellishments.

Refusing to take a back seat to the ladies, gentlemen spiced up their neutral trousers with daring touches like lavender ties, and jewel toned shirts. The fedora, a quintessential menswear accessory, made a jaunty appearance both on and offstage.

It was the sum of all styles, together with the entertainment and participation in a shared cause, that made this truly a resplendent evening.

 

Today's Fashion Affirmation

I love who I am on the inside and out.

I accept my physical imperfections and am happy with my body as it is. I don't compare myself to others, nor do I go to extraordinary lengths to look like the women I see in the media. I don't think that I would be happier if I was just taller, thinner, prettier or younger. I like the extraordinary person I am. I strive for excellence, not perfection. I seek opportunities to know myself better, and develop my talents and abilities. I understand that life is about living wholeheartedly.

This week's affirmation focuses on self acceptance. The theme of acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses resonates in the words of Hugh Prather who said: "Unless I accept my faults I will most certainly doubt my virtues".

From this point on, I will post a new affirmation on the first Monday of each month, rather than on a weekly basis. Throughout these past nine weeks, I have thought much about the relationship between our bodies and ourselves, and the importance of paying attention to all of who we are. My hope is that you have enjoyed reading my affirmations, and that they have sparked an interest in learning more about how they foster positive change. Perhaps you have even made some of them your own. When framed properly and repeated often, they do work. Here is a list of the affirmations from previous weeks:

• When I shop for clothes, my figure and not fashion rules.
• When I look into the mirror, I see my finest attributes.
• I enjoy receiving compliments about how I look.
• When I walk into a room full of people, I feel confident and stylish.
• I wear clothes that fit me.
• I am a mindful shopper.
• I strive to look my best every day.
• I enjoy expressing my personality through my clothes.