How to make your Fashion Dollars stretch in a down economy

As a woman, I love to look my best whenever I go out.

When you look good, you feel good. I also never want to be caught out in public looking terrible, because your bound to run into someone you know. How awful would it be to run into an ex and you're in pajamas and rollers? You know they're going home thinking, "wow best decision I ever made was dumping her."

If you're like most people in this economy and you've had to cut back but you feel you need a little pampering once in a while, you're not alone. Companies are laying off workers and doubling the workload of employees (I'm dealing with it firsthand). The stress and overwork with no increase (and sometimes even a pay cut ) is hard to deal with.

If you bump your attitude up into something positive and decide to dress for success, you can get yourself noticed by your own company or possibly another if you're looking for a new job.

If you're wondering how to do it with a closet full of tired, old, I'll-fitting clothes, I have some tips for you to go out and get top notch looks for less.

• I've discovered the wonderful world of consignment shops in high-falutin' towns. It's amazing what you'll find. Brand new Louis Vuitton handbags, never used for more than 50% off retail. Designer jeans that were $150 and worn once for $25. Dresses, suits, jewelry and watches all designer and unaffordable for most, now at much less than retail.

You really shouldn't snub consignment shops. They're definitely worth a look. The nicer the town, usually the better the quality. 

 I got a pair of gorgeous Gucci shoes that were never worn for $189. I promptly went online to check the retail cost of $475.

What Makes an Event Magical?

Fairy Sparkle Dust	magical lights	romantic cake with a surprize

Sometimes I amaze myself how I operate in life (reality) when I daydream so often. I live in a world of hope and fantasize of something better and more beautiful than what is given to me. Give me a word and I'll write you a story.

The best way for me to explain it is that some people see what is, but I see what can be.

Yes, I know I'm a hopeless dreamer and it does get me into trouble sometimes. I sometimes get overwhelmed because I want to draw out into reality what I envision in my subconscious; it's an almost impossible task.

Because I'm driven by hope, I push on and try to bring my vision to life. I'm a creator and can't shake those tendencies.

Now that you know how I operate, let's get back to business...What makes an event magical? Well, It's about a culmination of many elements. The most important things are the idea and the experience.

What's your Party personality type?

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 Ever wonder why you struggle planning a party?  Or maybe you wonder why you're so stressed?  If you've ever wondered how to host a better party, you might need to start with figuring out what personality type you are.  You can easily determine the type of personality you have when it comes to planning by the list I've put together of Party Planner personality types.  Which one are you?

Just as every party is unique in its own way, so are the individuals that host them.Once you know what type you are, you can be better prepared in how to handle planning a party.

You can better determine you plan of action with my guide to dealing with your personality type below.

The No-Fuss Party planner:  You're a casual type of person.  You don't like drama, you don't like worrying about the details.  All you want is for your guests to have a good time.  You're idea of setup is throwing on the radio, putting out some cold appetizers and making sure your alcohol is refrigerated.
The Benefits: The relaxed and casual environment is nice for guests and friends.
The Problems:  You have to choose your audience wisely.  You probably can't mix your rowdy friends with your uptight grandparents if it's a BYOB type of party.
The Solution: Hire an event planner for your party.  They can take care of the details you don't want to stress over and can suggest great ideas to keep your party low-fuss but still feel more personalized than just turning on any music and serving basic foods.  It will be the extra touch to make guests feel special and the link that will make mingling between ages and personalities possible.

Damask Wedding Inspiration

via bellacupcakecouture.com

According to Wikipedia, "Damask is a reversible figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, with a pattern formed by weaving. Damasks are woven with one warp yarn and one weft yarn, usually with the pattern in warp-faced satin weave and the ground in weft-faced or sateen weave. Twill damasks include a twill-woven ground or pattern."

The way we typically think of it today is by the distinct repeating floral pattern that you see in wallpapers or designs. Typically today Damask is a solid color graphic icon set upon a contrasting background.

Big Bold graphic prints are hot right now for modern weddings. It's no wonder so many brides are drawn to not only damask, but leopard print, zebra print and other big bold patterns.

Looking at your Wedding as a Brand

An interesting thought today is considering your Wedding as your very own brand.  As a graphic designer, event planner and marketer it's just part of my whole process.  If you're not use to this way of thinking, it's a great way to gather your thoughts into your personal style.

"There's so much wedding information floating around out there on the web, that it becomes hard to sift through everything." 

We get bombarded by color themes, cakes, flowers, etc.  How do you go picking out what you like?  And worse, what if it all doesn't go together?  You may like a pink rose bouquet, but your favorite centerpieces might have tiger lilies.  Your favorite color may be purple, but your favorite bridesmaid dresses might be green.

An Elegant Invitation from Minted

When you come up with a central theme, it can help a great deal.  How do you go picking a theme?  Well imagine your perfect wedding day.  Picture it in your mind.  Do you want elegance, romance, something modern?  Once you have that down you can begin to break down what that means into your ideals.  Lace is romantic, while a plain satin dress is modern.  Neutral palettes are elegant and timeless, while bright color palettes are more modern.

"You may find when you're done choosing your theme, what you end up with for wedding choices are much different than you originally expected." 

Tip 1. Don't feel bad about what you like.  If your thing is roses, go with it!  It's what makes you, you. Trust me you and your guests will "get it" if everything is consistent and goes well together.  You'll also feel less overwhelmed by all the stuff out there to sift through. If you were to go with a theme like this, you could deck out your invites with roses, have an all rose bouquet and find a gown covered in roses!  Don't be ashamed of it, embrace it.