Fashion Sense on a Dime

I was planning on writing the second installment of my supplements/vitamins entry, but I'm just not feeling it tonight. I still have the remnants of my distaste at reading what a fashion editor for InStyle magazine can buy with a fall fashion budget of $2,000 hanging over me. Last night, I was talking to Josh about that and how impractical this is for the average woman who supports a family, depends on her husband to support her family, and can't justify spending $2,000 on anything other everyday bills. So why read InStyle? Ummm... a guilty pleasure that makes me feel like even if I can't afford or wouldn't want to afford everything they're pushing, I can still see what people are wearing and copy the ideas in a practical manner.

Because the fact of the matter is, you really don't have to spend a fortune to look up-to-date, chic, or well-dressed. I find comfort in telling myself that bargain shopping, or budget shopping is an art form. It takes no skill or intelligence at all to go out and buy an outfit off a manikin in Bloomingdale's. It takes a lot of persistence, patience, fashion savvy, and most of all, luck, to recreate a similar look from low end stores, thrift stores, clearance racks, or your own closet. So I find that InStyle is a good place to go for ideas. And c'mon... it's starting to feel like fall here. If that doesn't make you feel like a wardrobe adjustment or update, then you're a lot less materialistic than I, and good for you. But for all you ladies who feel the call of nature, then read on because I've distilled some of the more note worthy ideas from this issue's InStyle. :)

Cool styling tip - any of you moms or students wake up with red in your eyes? I do... all the time. Apparently, blue eyeshadow or eye liner makes the whites of your eyes look whiter. Cool, huh? And if your eyes are bloodshot or have dark circles under them, stay away from brown or purple eyeshadows because those colors intensify the discoloration.

What's everyone wearing - Honestly, as far as I could tell, EVERYTHING. Animal skin prints, gold metalics, something called "minimalism" (which just looks plain and ugly), and over-the-knee boots. One thing that definitely looks like it is out is flare leg jeans. Not news, huh? Yeah, well, I haven't exactly been following fashion in the past year. Everyone is wearing skinny jeans. But please, do everyone a favor and go with straight leg or bootcut if you aren't built for skinny jeans. If you don't know what that means, then just walk around the Gallup WalMart with me and you'll see pretty quickly. Some of the new fashion ideas I really liked (because honestly, I can't see myself sporting gold leggings or lepard skin coats) were the heavy bracelets, which instantly dress up any simple outfit, and the lovely, mid-calf, full skirts that are coming back into style after a long and sad hiatus. I just love the second one.

Maybe it's just me, but the look is so feminine, classic, 50's, and just ahhhhhh!.

Quick fall wardrobe update - I liked the idea of adding an earth-toned blazer to your collection. You can wear it over a simple summer dress or with a skirt, maybe add boots or a scarf, and you'll start smelling crisp leaves and bonfires. I checked Goodwill for a blazer or leather jacket today and had no success. But then, fitting any jacket is dicey when you're 25 weeks pregnant and are only getting bigger. You might have better luck.

Boots are a big deal right now. They are worn with everything, but the cropped pants/ankle boots stood out to me. However, I'm just not an ankle boot person, so I'm on the lookout for mid-calf boots that are narrow enough for my skinny legs. Maybe now that I'm preggo and fattening up....?

A couple more neat makeup ideas - Try using bronzer and a light blush together for a natural, light, everyday look. When you apply it, use a large brush and put it on in the shape of a number 3 - start on your forehead, then curve down to your cheeks, then down to your jawline. Accentuating your jawline lightly gives more definition to your face and helps to make your neck look longer. Random, isn't it? For a natural, easy lip tip, use a lipliner that matches your real lip color. Trace the outline of your lips with it, then fill in the middle area with plain ol' chapstick or a light lip gloss.

That's all for now. If I think of anything else interesting or read anything worth sharing, I'll post it later.