Innovate Your Fashion!

Have you ever taken notice of a female that just looks like she’s got it together from head to toe around the clock? It seems that this sophisticated lady has a chic appeal that just never stops. Even on her worst days, she turns the heads of everyone in the room. She is a show stopping, runway bound, fancy and stylish lady that you wish would share her brilliant fashion tips with you. Well, the good news is that no matter what ethnicity or social economic background you’re from, you can delight in being one of the more “polished” well-put together women that other women love to envy. And the better news is that the show stopping abilities don’t have to come with a costly price tag. You can achieve that “polished” look by adhering to these 7 simple fashion tips that guarantee you success in the workplace and lure the most desired company your way!

1. Preparation is key. As with most things, preparation is essential for achieving goals. Start by planning how you want to look or what look you desire and begin working towards that objective. Do you want a more practical conservative look or are you aspiring for a trendier look? Are you seeking business casual attire or a more sleek elegant style? Whatever your preferred style may be, plan for it and then get ready to shop. Before you shop, make a list. List all of the basics that you need and stick to your list, rather than going on impulsive shopping trips. This will save time and money. Consider browsing through some catalogs and fashion magazines to discover fashion ideas that catch your eye. Be sure not to overkill on the same type of pieces and colors schemes. This gives your wardrobe a repetitive appearance. You don’t want to be known around the office as “the girl with the gray sweaters.”

2. Check your closet first. Most likely, you’ll find that mixing and matching pieces and maybe adding a new piece here and there to jazz it up can spice up most of the pieces that you already own. Another money saver is to get rid of undesired items in your wardrobe by having a garage sale and using the money for more updated pieces.

3. Shop for Bargains. You don’t have to compromise quality when you bargain shop. You can find some good quality pieces at some of the major department stores clearances, as well as TJMaxx, Marshall’s, and even Target for a fraction of the prices that you’ll find the similar pieces at expensive boutiques. Find out the day that their new merchandise arrives, and go for it! This will keep you from rummaging through leftovers. You will be amazed at the treasures you’ll find for a little bit of nothing.

4. The Bare Necessities. The basic necessities in your wardrobe can make a world of difference if chosen correctly. For these pieces, quality is a must. Most wardrobes are not complete for a professional environment if they do not include the basics: white blouse, blazer, jacket, black slacks, trouser jeans, black suit, black skirt, and last but not least, the perfect little black dress. Once you have these quality basics you can add to them some colorful pieces and mix and match as needed. The key is to compliment these basics by accentuating with trendy pieces. Most importantly, avoid limiting outfits that only go together… this will only restrict your wardrobe. Play around with mixes and matches that achieve a new look every time.

5. Layer your Look! The layered look is definitely in! You can piece an old blouse from your existing wardrobe with a fresh blazer, or take a tee that you’ve become bored with and pair with a sweater for a more polished look. Layering your look always gives a more refined effect.

6. Choose clothes that look good on you. Let’s face it, as much as we’d like to, not everyone can sport every look! One significant piece of advice is:

If you don’t feel comfortable in it, chances are it’s because it is not flattering on you. Form fitting is always best for a well-put together look. Clothes that don’t fit well look unprofessional and shabby. Discover the clothes that best flatter your figure and stick with them. Be on the safe side, and simply ask a friend, “How do I look?” Make sure that it is someone who will offer honest constructive criticisms. And always, be your worst critic!

7. Accessorize!!! Have some fun with your look by adding a few beaded long necklaces to an otherwise plain outfit. Throw on a big belt with those jeans on top of that long sweater! Add a splash of color to that black suit with a playful blouse. Make your attire enjoyable by jazzing it up with bold costume jewelry, belts, sashes, pins, and shawls. Be creative with your garnishes! Accessories always catch the eye and complete any outfit.

Have fun with your new-sophisticated look. Be creative, but maintain your professionalism. Happy shopping!!!

Clothing is something we take for granted. For centuries clothes were used as protection – later on they became useful as body adornment as well as a form of nonverbal communication to indicate occupation, rank, gender, sexual availability, locality, class, wealth and group affiliation.

With such nonverbal communication came the term fashion. Of course fashion is more than just clothing, it also includes shoes and accessories. But at the core, what we wear and how and when we wear it, provides others with a synopsis of who we are and what we care about.

Culture plays a role in this interpretation as well. In modern society, we call those who are defining fashion as cultural icons and these are the people newspapers and magazines talk about while others follow.

The idea of putting fashion into magazines for others to examine dates back to the 1700s. Even then, people pored over fashion magazines to see the latest styles. Women and dressmakers outside the French court relied on sketches to see what was going on. The famous French King Louis XIV said that fashion is a mirror. Louis himself was renowned for his style, which tended towards extravagant laces and velvets.

Today we are constantly being bombarded with new fashion ideas with the Internet, videos, books, and television. Movies also have a big impact on what people wear.

Sociologists believe group affiliation is our prime concern with regard to fashion.  As long as some group similarity is identified within the group, our personal fashion whether current or dated can belong to any tribe. It is the sense of belonging marked by how we fashion ourselves that gives us the tribal connection.

At the same time, we as human beings desire differentiation. People are often socially and economically labeled by their clothing or fashion.  In history, the Edwardians were socially stratified into those who wore tailor made clothing down to those who wore other people’s cast offs.  The poor simply looked poor, because the clothes they wore betrayed them. The rich and nouveau riche displayed their wealth through an iconography of signs and symbols that enhanced their body image in the eyes of those that saw themselves as socially inferior.

Today, the purchase of fashionable clothes, fabrics, or accessories is more affordable and easily attainable by many. Dressing nice, choosing your style, being comfortable and classy are all within the reach of most people’s pocketbooks.

Yes fashion is still big business. More people are involved in the buying, selling and production of clothing than any other business in the world. But as long as people enjoy being unique, standing out from the rest and having something new to choose from year to year, fashion will always remain with us, no matter what the style.

For centuries individuals or societies have used clothes and other body adornment as a form of nonverbal communication to indicate occupation, rank, gender, sexual availability, locality, class, wealth and group affiliation. Fashion is a form of free speech. It not only embraces clothing, but also accessories. What we wear and how and when we wear it, provides others with a shorthand to subtly read the surface of a social situation.

How we perceive the beauty or ugliness of our bodies is dependant on cultural attitudes to physiognomy. In many cultures, those defining fashion are the cultural icons. This is why newspapers and magazines report on what celebrities and even politicians are wearing.

Examining who is wearing what through print media dates as far back as to even the 1700s. People pored over fashion magazines to see the latest styles. Women and dressmakers outside the French court relied on sketches to see what was going on. The famous French King Louis XIV said that fashion is a mirror. Louis himself was renowned for his style, which tended towards extravagant laces and velvets.

We are constantly being bombarded with new fashion ideas from music, videos, books, and television. Movies also have a big impact on what people wear.

Sociologists believe group affiliation is our prime concern with regard to fashion. As long as some group similarity is identified within the group, our personal fashion whether current or dated can belong to any tribe. It is the sense of belonging marked by how we fashion ourselves that gives us the tribal connection.

At the same time, we as human beings desire differentiation. People are often socially and economically labeled by their clothing or fashion. In history, the Edwardians were socially stratified into those who wore tailor made clothing down to those who wore other people’s cast offs. The poor simply looked poor, because their raiment betrayed them. The rich and nouveau riche displayed their wealth through an iconography of signs and symbols that enhanced their body image in the eyes of those that saw themselves as socially inferior.

Today, the purchase of fashionable clothes, fabrics, or accessories becomes a visual currency and can speak to one’s status. People are so aware of the fact that others make judgments about them through their clothes and accessories that many run up huge debts to appear to belong to a particular lifestyle. Only individuals with a strong sense of self-identity stick their necks out and admit to wearing items that others might consider dubious or passé.

In reality, there are many reasons we wear what we wear.

* Protection from cold, rain and snow: mountain climbers wear high-tech outerwear to avoid frostbite and over-exposure.

* Physical attraction: many styles are worn to inspire “chemistry.”

* Emotions: we dress “up” when we’re happy and “down” when we’re upset.

* Religious expression: Orthodox Jewish men wear long black suits and Islamic women cover every part of their body except their eyes.

* Identification and tradition: judges wear robes, people in the military wear uniforms, brides wear long white dresses.

The fact is, fashion is big business. More people are involved in the buying, selling and production of clothing than any other business in the world. Everyday, millions of workers design, sew, glue, dye, and transport clothing to stores. Ads on buses, billboards and magazines give us ideas about what to wear, consciously, or subconsciously. Choosing what we wear may be more complex in nature to ourselves than we imagined, ask yourself – why determines your fashion?

I love clothes. For me, clothing is a form of self-expression just like paint on a canvas is a form of expression for an artist. So, over the years Iâ??ve been known to scour the pages of fashion magazines for ideas. Sometimes I buy the magazines in the store, other times I subscribe to them for a year or more. Often times, when I flip through the pages, I get inspiration to combine colors, textures or styles in a way I hadnâ??t thought of in the past.

Iâ??ve known for years that fashion magazines are filled with unrealistic, computer-enhanced images. I know that many models have eating disorders and drug problems and I know that many young women aspire to look like models and therefore become victims of eating disorders, compulsive dieting, body dissatisfaction, drug use, smoking and more. I know because I was one of those girls.

But I figured since I â??know betterâ? now, since Iâ??m smart enough to see beneath the surface, that thereâ??s no harm in looking at the magazine for fashion ideas. It was only this past week, after the mailperson delivered a 500 page copy of one of my favorite fashion magazines that it all began to hit me. I sat at the table eating cereal and flipping through the pages one at a time.

I oogled a $500 purse and a $200 pair of shoes. I saw pictures of $1,000 dollar watches. Page after page was permeated with items that would break my bank if I were to purchase them. I realized that I was literally paying money out of my pocket to be advertised to. I was paying for a 500 page manual which might as well have been titled: 500 pages of things you will never be, do or have.

I realized I was paying to look at and read lies. Even though I â??know betterâ? on a conscious level, there was still a little girl part of me that wanted â??that purseâ?, â??those shoesâ? and â??that watch,â? even if they were all incredibly overpriced and sure to wreak havoc on my financial future and my self-esteem.

On this particular day, looking at the fashion magazine wasnâ??t enjoyable, it was infuriating. I suppose this fury has been working itâ??s way out over the past few months. There was the time when I saw the picture of Madonna in a Versace ad and it hit me: she doesnâ??t have a wrinkle or a smile line or crowâ??s feet. Not one sign of being a mother of two, over 40 and a woman with an incredibly demanding career that spanned several decades. I thought to myself, â??thatâ??s impossible.â? It wasnâ??t a jealous or envious thought, I meant it very literally. It is impossible. Computer enhancement and heavy duty make-up is the only logical explanation for the flawless face I saw.

I decided to put my emotions and judgments in check and get objective about what I saw. I performed an unofficial research project and scanned the pages of this 500 page magazine to get an accurate account of what I had been absorbing mindlessly month after month and year after year. Hereâ??s what I learned: of the 500 pages, 300 were full-page ads. 172 pages were ads that pretended to be fashion advice, party advice and editorial content. Letâ??s get real, when the fashion advice includes the name, phone number and website of the store and the price of the item, it truly is an ad. About 30 pages of the magazine were not technically ads but they were things like: â??This star likes thisâ? or, â??This star does that.â? Three of the pages were public service ads (I believe this is a requirement). So, there you have it, my 500 page contained 472 ads and approximately 30 pages of â??content.â? And Iâ??m the sucker who sent the check in to cover the yearly subscription fee.

Now after this informal research project, I was beginning to get a little steamed up. Then, my friend Cindy e-mails me a link to the Dove website (campaignforrealbeauty.com) I go there and watch a 30-second video that shows a sped up version of all that goes into your typical fashion photo shoot. The 30-second video clip encapsulates the hours of time spent on hair, make-up, lighting, professional photography techniques and computer enhancement that takes place before an ad is published or broadcast. When I say the magazine ads are unrealistic and unattainable, I mean it. Because not even the model looks like the model!

So, Iâ??ve made a decision. I am boycotting all fashion magazines. I will never purchase another one again. I will not spend my money on lies and images that lead to self-hatred, deadly behaviors and oppression for women. I know that money is power and I refuse to spend my money on harmful lies that destroy the lives of many women.

I know that my few dollars will not be a big loss to the mega-rich publishing industry but I think itâ??s important for all women to realize that in a very real way we do not have to buy the hype. I mean that in two ways. We do not have to buy the magazines with our money and we donâ??t have to buy the lies that reside within their pages. We can also decide to support designers and manufacturers that promote positive images for women. We can choose to withhold our dollars from companies that exploit women whether itâ??s the model or the sweat shop worker that sews the clothing.

If a full boycott of fashion magazines is not for you, you always have the power to write advertisers when you see images that are harmful or ridiculous. These letters do make a difference.

Now, as far as my fashion inspiration, I decided that if my clothes truly are to be a form of self-expression then I will decide for myself what textures, colors and styles I want to combine. Iâ??m a grown woman living in a free country. I donâ??t need a magazine to tell me how I should dress.