Style

Ask Alison

Alison,
I was thinking about getting the Sam Edelman Roza spiked pumps. The material is velvet and I want them for spring/summer. Does it matter wearing velvet shoes?
-Katiana

Hi Katiana,
The Roza heels are definitely statement making pumps for now thru early Spring, but velvet is considered a “heavy” fabric for summer. So when summer arrives put your Roza’s on the shelf until Fall and switch to heels in vibrant punches of color to make an outfit stand out.

Eric Rutberg, $235, Piperlime.com            Thaddea by Enzo Angiolini, $129, Piperlime.com

No beau? No problem. Sick of the icky-sweet candy hearts and teddy bears that pop up all over the place as gift ideas? Ban it. Lingerie that no one can wear? Don’t bother.

Avoid the overpriced dinners for two on Valentine’s Day and instead revel in the anti-Valentine’s Day fun that you can enjoy instead.

Anti-Valentine’s Day t-shirt or for any time of year you’re just sick of hearing another friend’s love story. Etsy.com, $15

Have an ex you’d like to release a little pent up energy on? Have the team at Able and Baker studio create a “Hate Pinata” for you. info@ableandbakerstudio.com

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In today’s episode of “A Secret Worth Sharing“, I answer, once and for all, the age old question of how to find your bra size. The wrong bra size and style can ruin any outfit! Here are the easiest ways to make sure you’ve got the right fit that will help you look and feel great!

Here’s the final Playtex Bra Makeover, featuring a pair of “Bosom Buddies”, Fabiola and Tuesday, who deal with their bra size denial and give their “girls” a boost in the newest episodes of my Playtex Bra Makeover series!

Fabiola continues to wear skimpy styles that are too tiny for her ta-tas, because she refuses to believe that she’s any bigger than a 38C.  She’s convinced that the larger the bra, the uglier the style, and is beginning to think it takes a PhD to find her perfect fit.   Her best friend since sixth grade, Tuesday, has “girls” that have been getting attention for all of the wrong reasons. Her boobs have headed so far south, they’re almost at the floor!

With help from Playtex, I save Tuesday from her drooping dilemma and show Fabiola that bigger actually CAN mean better!

See all the makeovers and much more at www.playtexbramakeover.com!

So into fashion you wish you could decorate your walls with it? Ever wonder what a stylish photo might look if replicated into thousands of small images?  Why wonder when you can see how fashion photography under the designs of de Joode Design has invented ways to cover entire walls full of charming, rhythmic patterns.

When you first walk into a room you see a powerful design, move closer and you see fashion models in various poses showing off the glamour and sophistication of fashion photography. Four different collections are currently available at Soonsalon.com including these photos of her Les Hors D’Oeuvres collection featuring such delicious names as Angel Cake, Honey Pie, Strawberry Souffle and Petit Fours.

In today’s episode of “A Secret Worth Sharing“, I share my ultimate bra secret for making even the toughest looks work – the convertible bra. Unruly bra straps are no longer a fashion faux paus!

Check it out!!  A pair of sisters, Melanie and Elizebeth, get a new fit and a new look in the newest episodes of my Playtex Bra Makeover series!

Melanie’s sick of spillage and digging straps, but she doesn’t know what to do! She wants to know that beauty doesn’t have to mean a painful fit and hopes to find the look she wants with the coverage she needs. Her sister, Elizebeth, needs to retire her bras because her underwire woes are out of control!  She’s sick of bras that poke, ride up and dig, and wants to make sure her wedding day is pain-free.

I’m going to rescue them from their bad bra fit and discomfort and show them that with Playtex you can look good and feel great!

See all the makeovers and much more at www.playtexbramakeover.com!

Buying new glasses can be stressful. You try on countless pairs in the store, ask a few salespeople for their opinions and still feel rushed to make a decision. Wouldn’t if be so much nicer to try them on in your own home or outdoors or just anywhere that’s not in a store?  And not feel like you’ve got 20 minutes to make a decision about something as important about what’s on your face?

Well, Mezzmer eyewear came up with a fantastic solution. They have their own collection for women and men and you get to choose five to try at home for free for 30 days. You choose your samples, they send to you in a lovely box and you show off to your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, UPS guy and when you decide just send back the samples for free and order your favorite pair online. And every pair is only $99. SWEET!

So here are the five I’m debating between. Please forgive the bad lighting, glare, not being all gussied up and not being at the best angle, but hey, I was out for coffee with my guy pal, Jordan and figured we’d have you help me make a decision.  (And the Shelley sample was a little crooked-oops.) So please comment on your favorite pair.

King                                                                                        Audrey

Speakeasy                                                                           Halliday

 Shelley

L’Agence grey top
Charles Nolan skirt
Te Casan deep pink strappy heels
Cole Haan belt
Ann Taylor bracelet
TJ Maxx cocktail ring

Stylist shout out!

Sometimes you’re stuck in a pinch with a stain, a spill, a dropped hem or need to make something look refreshed. As a style expert, it’s my duty to find quick fixes to life’s little annoyances that may impede on you looking great head to toe.

Keep a cool head and try these simple solutions:

*Have a pesky price sticker stuck on the bottom of your shoes and headed to a job interview? Use a hairdryer on high heat and blast that sticker for 30 seconds or more, then peel off.

*Static cling making your skirt bunch up? Banish it by lightly spraying hairspray under your skirt towards those bunched up areas.

*Get the sparkle back in your diamonds by soaking them in a glass of vodka.

* To get out scuffs on your patent leather wipe the area with milk then buff. It’s gentle and will leave a great shine.

*Pulled on a shirt and suddenly you notice a deodorant mark? Grab a baby wipe and wipe the mark away. If don’t have a wipe, then fold over the spot and rub the spot against your shirt or sweater. Don’t use a paper towel or tissue, this will only rub apart and leave bits of paper on your clothes.

*Ruining too many white shirts? Sprinkle a little baby powder on the shirt’s underarms and collar, then iron to help prevent sweat stains. The powder forms a barrier that keeps oil and grime from seeping into the threads so your whites stay white longer.

*If your zipper is stuck, rub a pencil on the teeth, the graphite from the pencil acts as a lubricant on metal. Lightly rubbing a candle will also help release a stubborn zipper.

*Need to hem jeans in a hurry? Use double stick tape or roll duct tape so it’s sticky on all sides and tape the insides of the  jeans.

*Got a little lipstick on your collar? Saturate the spot with hairspray, let it sit for 10 minutes then wipe it with damp sponge or washcloth. Then launder it as usual to wash out any remaining stain.

*Skip pulling out the bulky ironing board and iron to press collars or hems on your cotton shorts or pants. Use a flat hair iron instead.  So simple.

*Stop a run in your hose or tights, a loose thread on a sweater or a button by dabbing clear nail polish on the spot.

*And for fixes on the go, keep a stain-removing pen, safety pins and double stick tape in the same little bag that carries your lipstick and powder.