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Spring is finally here, the days are longer, the weather is warmer and you no longer need to wear those bulky, unflattering winter coats. Whenever a season changes over, many people struggle with how to incorporate new things into their wardrobes. Maybe we’re struggling with those pounds we packed on this winter or we just need an update to our wardrobe. Whatever the case, it is definitely time for a spring closet makeover.

Makeovers are not done to replace an entire wardrobe, but just to revise or change things so that all the pieces in a closet is current, flattering and fits well and polished.

Spring Trends For Women

This spring is all about a pop of color. Women will want to add a few colorful pieces whether a blazer jacket, cardigan sweater or a scarf. Many women may want to try the new spring trend piece, the midi skirt which falls at mid-calf and looks great with a colored button-down blouse. Try one in silk! Stripes also command attention and can be paired with a business professional neutral such as navy, brown or black to look professional, but still classy.

The key here is to wear one bright color and pair it with a neutral. There is really no style that will flatter everyone, so you will need to try on many things to see what looks best on your body type. A drapey fabric or pencil version skirt looks great on most women.

Spring Trends For Men

Men can follow the same advice with their closet makeup. The same pop of color applies to them. There’s no need to look any further then a bright color, whether for a tie or a button-down shirt from Edwin Labour or Farah Fontella. Add some nice musky cologne to the mix to complete the look. On a side note, they can also look for online stores like Inocencia shop for bright and elegant apparel.
They can even wear a colored pocket square. Royal blue, red, turquoise or pink all look great under a blazer coat or peeking out of a suit pocket. Narrow ties are in and follow the same pattern rules then wider, more conservative ones. The skinny tie looks newer, more modern and brings attention to the man’s outfit without trying too hard. A man can also choose a more slim-cut suit or a plaid sports jacket to update his spring wardrobe for the office. If he is more of an athletic person he may want to check out https://imprint.com/shop/custom-apparel/athletics/warm-ups-jackets to have a look at their custom sports jackets.

Try Something Different

Dare to be different? Women can try a new jumpsuit that elongates the body and can be accessories for a variety of events. For men, try a double-breasted blazer coat that can be worn casual on Fridays. Opt for a unique color that can be worn with no tie and just casual pants.

Jumpsuits a perfect choice

No matter what you choose to update your wardrobe this spring, always make sure that these pieces fit the body well, the pants hit the floor, the sleeves hit the wrist and all buttons or zippers don’t gap or bunch. It’s important to understand that looking great means wearing clothes that fit well.

Purge Old Outdated Things

Overall a closet makeover would never be complete without eliminating things that are no longer relevant, no longer fit or just look old. For women, get rid of oversize jackets, platform shoes and wide bootleg pants that look unprofessional. Men can get rid of pleated pants (slim and fitted is the new trend in the business world) as well as any three-button suit jackets.

ImageDesign LLC. owner Sharon Kornstein is a certified image consultant, offering wardrobe organizing and etiquette training services. She specializes in wardrobe consulting in New Jersey. Her expertise gives her clientele a leading edge on how to conduct themselves and dress in the workplace.

13 Ways to Feel Like Halle Berry in Your SwimsuitI annoyingly tell anyone who will listen that I grew up in Florida on the bath warm Gulf of Mexico. It was a very special childhood-the first thing you learn is how to run away from an alligator (zig zag and then up at tree as soon as you can). The next thing you learn is that things ripen faster in the heat. I’m talking about fruit and people.

At 14, my friends and I were regularly getting hit on by dudes with mustaches and real ID’s. This usually happened at the beach far away from our parents. We still laugh about the Wile E Coyote dust clouds that appeared when we finally revealed we were in the 9th grade. Aside from our very mature figures, part of the misconception was that our swimsuits were quite small. It’s a Florida thing. I had to constantly compromise with my mother in this department. Full coverage was the F word in swimwear but there was no way she was letting me go anywhere in anything smaller.

I went to St. Tropez as a recent college grad and reveled in the freedom of topless sunbathing. I also tried a thong for the first time. There was a lot of jiggling. And digging. When I came back to New York the law had just been passed that women could go topless since men could do it. Woohoo! For some reason I thought that New York women were just waiting for the moment they could rip off their tops and frolick in the ocean. Not so. I did it once on Long Beach and still bear the scars from everyone’s eye daggers.

A few years ago I went on a magical mermaid vacation to eastern Brazil with 2 of my best friends. There were a lot of butts. If your swimsuit wasn’t a thong you could jam the bottom up until both cheeks were on full display. We called it the ass crammer. I never saw one of those brasileiras dig it out. The suits were also kind of confusing-one of my friends realized a week in that she had been wearing the thing backwards the entire time. We were there for 2 weeks but I never worked up the nerve to go full ass crammer. I’m more a fan of top butt cleavage like the Coppertone girl. But in Brazil the locals thought is was too much. I received many friendly warnings that my boomboom was showing. Seriously?

When I visited the Hamptons for the first time I couldn’t believe how big and conservative the swim wear was. Brown? Paisley? One piece? Whaaatttt??? We are at the beach right? I had visions of another Miami, just further north. HUGE culture shock. I’m a believer in being appropriate to your surroundings but also not being afraid to express yourself; two piece swimsuits should pose no problem in helping you to fit in while still showing off the best of you. Finding that balance has been a fun challenge. These days there are a lot more Europeans on our beaches so my tiny bikinis don’t garner as much attention.

Because of these experiences I consider myself somewhat of an expert in swimwear. I know a lot of people, especially if you live outside of Florida, have anxiety when it comes to swim suits. I think it has to do with body image and also worrying about what other people think. Whatevs-someone is always going to think something you don’t want them to. Truly that is their problem. This is the perfect time to really celebrate your body. Whatever the shape. With that in mind, you might want to find yourself a thong bikini bottom if you’re hitting the beach this summer and you want to flaunt everything that you’ve got. As long as you’re comfortable, don’t pay any mind to what anybody says.

Finding the perfect swimsuit is like solving a physics equation-you have to take in to account mass, volume, velocity and gravity. The answer to this equation is not how your suit makes you look but how it makes you feel. I think it should be something link Divine GoddessMermaidHalle BerryBondGirl. Below are some of my guidelines to help you get that feeling when you are on the beach.

GREEN LIGHT

  1. Try on your swimsuit with high heels. No one ever said, wow, I look amazing standing mostly naked in flat bare feet in fluorescent light. When your foot is elevated your legs look longer and leaner, your chest and butt naturally stick out in a sexy way, and your stomach automatically sucks in. Ca-Ching!
  2. Pose like a Victoria’s Secret swimsuit model in the dressing room. This will instantly help you feel sexier. It works! See last week’s post on practicing.
  3. Keep in mind that it is not the size of your body but the shape that we are working with. If you are looking for your best shape bottom, start with your favorite underwear. Not the comfy period panties but the ones that you’d wear on a 3rd date.
  4. A halter style is universally flattering. Whether it is a triangle top, underwire bra style or retro, the around the neck design lifts the girls into place and draws them together. Yay. There is also a lot less worry with this type-no straps falling down and it’s completely adjustable.
  5. Polka dots, bright colors and black never fail.
  6. Make things look bigger with ruffles, fringe or gathering. That goes for boobs and butts.

RED LIGHT

  1. Strapless. There is already so much tugging going on. Why make more trouble? Also, there can be a really unattractive boob squeeze thing that happens with strapless. It can look like a tomato in a press-not cute.
  2. White. There is not enough lining in the world.
  3. Brown. Hmph.
  4. Monokinis. What is that even?
  5. The American Flag. No one wants to know about your stars and stripes

YELLOW LIGHT

12. Retro Coney Island Beauty Queen or the Marilyn Monroe. I love a pin up girl but I’m on the fence for the beach. Think of the tan lines! If you don’t have enough curves to fill it out it just looks like a saggy diaper. It works spectacularly on plus size women, tattooed Betty’s, and ladies old enough to have worn it the first time around. If you are not one of those, skip it and go with something more modern

13. Tankinis.I get te idea of these but have yet to see one that that makes me think Goddess, mermaid or Halle. They can look sloppy real quick.

I hope this helps when you are out swimsuit shopping this season! Below are some of my favorite resources. Have a question or something to say? Put it in the comments below or post to our Facebook Page!

Check us out in the One Healthy Hamptons Summer Guide!

Love this guide but would need some help to bring out your inner Halle Berry? Do you want to stop wasting your time and money on clothes that don’t work for you? Could you use some style guidance or a closet co-pilot? Are you ready to use your Wardrobe Language to tell the world about your amazing self? Click here to contact me and schedule a free 20 minute phoner!

Halle
Aviator glasses on sale until May 1st for $20…enter code Vanessa at check out for free shipping.

Swimsuits Direct

Hamptons Style: Innarah..Discover your beautiful skin..Innarah SkincareIf your skin is starting to age and reveal issues such as chin dimpling, there are plenty of professional treatments available, but others prefer to use less invasive products. These products are on the expensive side, but let me tell you it is worth every dime. My skin looks young and it radiates. I am 47 and I have no crows feet at the eyes, no blotchy skin and absolutely no wrinkles, and my skin is tight. I have been using these products now for the last 2 years.

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photo credit innarah.com
photo credit innarah.com

VenoDefenseTM Eye Treatment Sèrum

  • Instantly smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Helps to strengthen the connective tissue around the delicate orbital eye area while it firms the skin.
  • Hydrating
  • Helps reduce the appearance of under eye puffiness and dark circles.

Daily Moisture Crème

  • Hydrates
  • Reduces the appearance of fine lines
  • Brightens skin

Treatment Solution Daily Solution

  • Hydrates skin
  • Stimulates skin renewal
  • Exfoliates dead skin cells
  • Leaves skin looking healthy

Defense Masque Oxygenating Masque

  • Hydrates
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  • Detoxifies skin
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There are other products in this line that I love, but these 4 are my favorites. They are currently offering some special packages..click here for more info. www.innarah.com

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images by innarah.com

Beauty.com $15 off $75 purchase

Hamptons Fashion: The $10,000 coat..

The coat has a swing that you cannot deny

The fabric so soft it could make you cry

Is it the best coat ever?

Paris Fashion Week

This  week I was on a shoot where the main attraction was a Giorgio Armani coat that retailed for $8895.  MmmHmm.  After tax it would be over $10,000.  There were… reactions.  Mostly surprise and disbelief with a little disgust thrown in. Who would/could pay such a price for a coat? A family of 4 could eat for a year for the price of the coat.  I was slightly panicked that just by touching it I would somehow be responsible for purchasing it.  I’m not judging–I would love to be able to afford the coat–but it did get me thinking about how we spend our time and money on our clothes.

One woman who is a particular coat devotee immediately saw the value in this coat.  According to her, a coat is the easiest thing to wear to make you look instantly put together.  I grew up in Florida and still have some trouble wrapping my mind about wearing any coat.  But she has a job where she is constantly running in and out of stores so actually wearing a coat is her life, not just a way to keep the harsh New York winter from freezing her to death.

When I am working with my clients I can spend a lot of time convincing some that a certain price is a good value for something, especially if it is a purchase outside their spending comfort zone.  This is based on a lot of things, not just whether or not they have the money for it or if it looks good on them.  I consider how many times they will be able to wear it, what pieces it will work with in their closets. I have no blanket rule on what you should spend extra money on clotheswise except that like furniture it should be the best that you can afford and you must absolutely love it.

Many times when talking with people who know I am a stylist they automatically get defensive about buying cheap clothes.  “I’m not going to pay X for just a top that I am only going to wear a few times.” Yes, you will only wear that cheap ass top a few times because it will fall apart and look like shit after only a few wears. Then you will have to buy a new one and then another—a constant (constant!) cycle of cheap disappointment.

Or they say they bought it just because it was:

On sale

Cashmere

Italian

 Buying clothes “just because” anything is a very slippery slope.  That is how you end up with a closet full of nothing to wear.   I call it The Loehmann’s Syndrome.   For those of you who don’t know, Loehmann’s was, until very recently, the place to go in NYC for designer discounts.  Some of the things were so cheap that it was as if they were paying you to take home.  As in most of the off price stores there were so many shiny labels and lush looking pieces that you became convinced that your life would be perfect if you had it.  I would shop there for shoots and clients and come out with a huge bag of designer items. Yay! We would keep maybe 1 or 2 pieces after we tried it all on. Boo! The fits or the colors would be off, the piece would be hyper trendy or just plain useless. Buying  “just because” anything is a complete waste of time and money.   If you took the time to really consider your purchases like you would anything else I guarantee you would be much happier with your wardrobe.

But Carmen, you say, I’m ready to stop wasting time and money on my clothes but how do I begin? Don’t worry!  Below are a few questions I have come up with to help.  These are all things I ask myself before I purchase anything.  Be patient—if you have a habit of buying your clothes “just because”, this process will take a little longer but eventually it only takes a few seconds.  Stick with it and you will start to see changes in your wardrobe and your wallet!

When you go shopping and there is something you want to buy “just because”

  1. Walk away from the item and find a quiet spot. The bathroom will do.
  2. Take a deep breath and imagine yourself wearing this item.
  3. When you try it on does it make me feel crazy wonderful full of joy like everything is right with the world and always will be?
  4. Which and how many of your features does it enhance?
  5. Do you have anything else like it in your closet? (Be Honest)
  6. Do you have an idea of what else it will go with in your closet?
  7. Do you love it?
  8. Is the price something you can truly afford?
  9. Will you have guilt or shame because you have purchased this item instead of proudly wearing it because you worked hard for the money to buy such an amazing thing
  10. How often will you be able to wear this in your life? Once? Seasonally? Every day? Breaking down the cost per wear can be really informative.

Remember—these are just guidelines. The point of this exercise is get you to be more mindful with how you spend your money on clothes. This also does not mean that I am above retail therapy!  I understand that sometimes our gathering instinct kicks in an we must fill our berry baskets with something amazing.  When that happens I say buy makeup! The most expensive product tops out at around $50 and you can wear it right out of the store.

Do you want to stop wasting your time and money on clothes that don’t work for you? Could you use some style guidance? Find out if we are meant to work together! Click here to contact me and schedule a free 20 minute phoner!

Hamptons Hipster: Nicole Miller goes Tribal for Fall 2014

NICOLE MILLER: MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK Fall 2014 COLLECTIONS… Nicole Miller is one of my favorite designers, there are many pieces in this 2014 Fall Collection that I like and there are some that confused me. I found the collection, edgy, feminine and sexy. The Tribal Theme was  dark and yet  intriguing, sexy and Fierce.

I loved that Nicole had so many separates in this collection that could be mix and matched. The styling and make-up went with the Tribal Theme,  dark, edgy and Fierce. I do wish she added some bold colors to the collection  because it was just a bit too dark for me. I personally do not care for Peacocks but I thought she did a beautiful job with those pieces.