back in black....again

my blog is strictly personal opinion & never intended to offend anyone.  that being said, i'm so over black being equated with formal.  i know that every girl has at least one little black dress in her closet.  i'm just as guilty and have at least 3.  i don't regret those purchases one bit & i love them each and every one.  however, i L-O-V-E color!  it seems that every party, wedding or formal event i attend is drenched in little black dresses.  

sometimes i think women lean towards black because of it's slimming effect or because it's a "safe" choice.  an issue with this time of year is that so many people associate winter with dark colors.  i completely disagree.  wearing something bright & colorful instead of black makes you forget about the dreary weather outside (even if it is a hot 70 degrees in january).  as long as the fabric is right for winter you can dress happy with a burst of color.  

with all of that being said, maybe i'm just bitter because black isn't really "my color".   i just think there are so many wonderful alternatives to a little black dress.  i'm always a huge fan of wearing colors that "work".  for instance, i always try to determine what someone's best color options are by checking out their eye color and then hair color and skin tone.  there's nothing better than someone wearing a rich green or striking blue and seeing their eyes just pop.  i'm partial to vibrant colors & taking chances.  however, if you're hesitant to go bold, why not change it up a little with grey, brown or even navy?  

either way, wouldn't it be fantastic to add even the teensiest rainbow of color to everyone's wardrobe?!

shout outs:

teal ruffle dress

red bow dress

charcoal rosette dress

magenta strapless dress

metallic silver dress

Rufflestiltskin

i've always been a fan of ruffles.  many people don't care for them, but i think they're fantastic. they just scream girly and that's why i love them.  ruffles also say sweet & sassy and that makes me smile.  whether it's horizontal tiered ruffles or a single vertical ruffle, i'm a fan.  some may disagree, but i think it's a look everyone can pull off. for someone looking to add volume, ruffles do a nice job giving a little pizazz to that area & for someone wanting to hide a problem area, it's the perfect camouflage.  you can't go wrong with a ruffle up top.  we've all got lovely faces & a ruffle around the neckline will draw attention right to that pretty, happy face. sometimes i want the conservative lady to spice things up a bit.  for instance, instead of  the classic white button up, opt for one with a ruffle down the front to add a little sassafras to the simple, chic look.  on another note, i'm extremely partial to the tiered ruffle look. i think it works for just about any age & looks great in a dress or even a cotton tee.  you can pay top dollar for one at a swanky boutique or find one in a color that pops at budget stores such as kohl's or wal-mart. i'm pretty sure most of you could care less about my ruffle obsession, so i'll bring this to a close.  however, i do hope to see ruffles on the rise in 2009.

dreaming of ruffles

shout outs:  

ruffle halter

ruffle scoopneck

ruffle dress

i am the rain queen

usually i hate rain.  i'm a huge fan of sunshine. i wake in the mornings & look outside in hopes of seeing blue skies & a big ball of sunshine.  however, i've really been craving rainy days lately.  now i know we need it for obvious reasons like watering the grass, trees & other green things that need to grow, but we also need it for the drought we've been experiencing the last several years. unfortunately none of those are my main reason for desiring a rainy day.  my reason is vain & selfish - i wanna wear my new rain boots!!  a few months ago i became obsessed with finding the "perfect" rain boot.  i went all over town in search of the cute, comfy & practical pair.  i tried on everything from target brands to kate spade.  i searched internet shopping sites & the local malls & alas am now wearing my favorite new shoes - my Hunter brand "Festival" short rain boot.  to the average bear they appear to be a "work" boot, but to me they are the perfect blend of fashion & function.  i believe that everyone needs a boot for the gloomy weather days.  whether your style is polka dots, hot pink, plaid or red cherries, there's a boot out there for everyone to do a little puddle jumping. 

happy rainy day!

shout outs:

hunter boots

where i found mine

the inaugural blog

so this is my first blog ever & i don't  know how long it will last.  i'm not a writer so my blogs will not be grammatically correct and may have made-up or misspelled words.  so far i'm peeved at the nine boring font options and had to settle for this one that doesn't capture the fun-ness i was looking for.  anyway, back to why i'm blogging...temporary unemployment has given me more time on my hands than i'd like to have.  in all of my free time i spend hours online & have found that i really enjoy reading blogs.  i don't expect anyone to read mine, but i thought it would be a productive time waster because it will keep me out of the malls and allow me to express some of my opinions, thoughts, etc.  i'm pretty sure that all of my blogs will be about my shopping experiences (they are minimal due to budget cuts :),  but i still get out & window shop & am still passionate about all things fashion. some people may not define me as "fashionable", but it's what i love & it excites me.  so....here goes my attempt at blogging.