Conservative Glamour.  The reemergence of luxury.  Classic style and quality are all over the runways this season.

Urban Warrior: The designers fascination with the strong American woman!  Rich leather and modern tech fabric in addition to sophisticated new trenches.

Bohemian Rhapsody: Our love affair with the juxtaposition of jeans and silk continues.

Eclectic Chic: Classic iconic lady like dressing.  This woman loves to mix her patterns, prints and textures while keeping the same color story going.  She knows how to wear color and layers it selectively giving her a look that is uniquely her own.

Let’s get excited about what’s coming.  Dig deep and find your own true American Heritage. Connect with your past and you’ll find inspiration to keep moving.  Give up the old, the tired and renew your own American Spirit!

As they say, nothing is new, it’s just reinvented in a new a better way.  Shop your closet for a great core piece and add something in the “renewed” American Style this season!  I promise you will

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

1. When buying basic wardrobe items (suits, skirts, blouses, slacks & jackets) focus on solid colors.  Neutral shades are easier to mix and match and never go out of style.
2. Knowing your natural skin tone will be your first clue to what neutrals are best for you.  A warm skin tone has gold undertones.  A cool skin tone has pink undertones. (warm colors have golden undertones such as orange, yellow, gold, rust and olive green-cool colors have blue undertones such as navy, purple and white)
3. Stay predominately within your natural undertones for prints.
4. Remember to balance stronger clothing colors with stronger makeup colors and softer clothing colors with softer makeup colors
5. Your personal neutrals are best shoes and handbags (navy, black, brown, etc.)
6. Don’t wear shoes that are a lighter color than the predominate color in your outfit.
7. Gold or silver can be worn by anyone as long as you are wearing your correct makeup and wardrobe colors.
8. Choose darker colors skins and leather belts in Winter and Fall and lighter, more fun in Spring and Summer.
9. If you want to look taller, wear one color from head-to-toe
10. Color impacts your appearance most when it is worn at the face.  Therefore if you are considered a “cool” season, touches of warm can be worn best when used as accessories or anything not closet to the face.  Similarly, touches of cool can be added to a “warm” season if it is not worn at the face.

A better wardrobe doesn’t just “happen”.  It is a deliberate effort that creates harmony in your closet and life!  You will reap the rewards of a job well done and always:

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

They even make getting dress seem effortless yet it eludes you!  You too can have a look that is pulled together.

The key to knowing what looks good on you is to take each part of your body and understand it!  Look at your body’s characteristics.

Look at:

1. Face Shape
2. Body Line
3. Coloring
4. Style Personality

Through makeup techniques you can enhance your best facial features.  Getting the right hairstyle will ensure you are complimenting your face shape. Knowing your face shape will also help you selecting the best earring shapes!

Knowing your body line will help you choose the most flattering shapes and styles so that you can look balanced.  You will know where you can add bulk and know how to accent the positives.  You’ll  learn how to wear accessories to draw attention to your face.  Finally, knowing your body line will help you choose your shoe styles to make your legs look their very best!

You personal coloring is key to selecting the right colors for your wardrobe.  Choosing the right colors will ensure that you only have what looks good on you, and makes you feel great every time you get dressed.  Th right colors will help you choose the correct lipstick and even coloring your hair.  It does matter!

Knowing what your style personality is quite possibly were most style mistakes are made!  Many women try to emulate a friend, colleague or style icon, but if it is not your own style then it will never feel like you!  Check out the “orphans” in your closet and ask yourself why you don’t wear it.  Is it the color, fit or is the style all wrong?

A confident image starts with knowing these 4 components of who you are.  Be confident in your image and you will always:

“Look Good, Feel Good and Have FUN Doing It!”

It’s all about choosing the right core pieces and an added side benefit is that it is a great way to stretch your budget dollars.  You’ll find yourself confident in your clothing knowing you are appropriately dressed for all occasions.   The most versatile core wardrobe begins with the following items:

1. Two suits in your best neutral shade (solid) (4 pieces)
2. Matching blouses (these can be patterned or solid) (2 pieces)
3. Jacket or cardigan in black or navy (1 piece)
4. Skirt or slacks in black or navy (1 piece)
5. Blouse in white or cream (your best color) (1 piece)

With these 9 pieces you can mix and match 20 outfits!  Build your core as your budget allows and keep in mind your goal.   You don’t have to have the core all at once!

The key to a confident core and making it work is to focus on solid colors and year round fabrics such as worsted wool, crepe, rayon & rayon blends, wool gabardine and cotton.  This minimizes your costs and adds greater versatility to your closet.  Once you have achieved success in your core, don’t forget to split them up so you can see the potential that is there!  You will find that all of your pieces will mix and match beautifully and you will always:

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

On July 7th, she had her colors and makeup done.  We learned that Kathy was a “Soft Autumn”.  Check out the video below and watch as she gets her colors done!

Surfer Girl:  go for a maxi or in this case a casual pull on dress!  It’s a great look.  Just add some colorful sandals a great bangle and you are good to go!

Sassy Safari: Animal is always in!  This summer rompers are the latest trend.  If you are feeling a bit on the wild side, try this new look.  Just take note that this is the “statement” .  Don’t over do it with lots of animal, a wooden bangle and a natural wedge or sandal is all you need to finish it off.

Pure Prairie: “Sweet” prints identify this look.  They don’t have to look dowdy though!  Wear it with a corseted bodice to amp up your style.  The Prairie Look is coming back for fall.  You’ll see it in plaids and vests so be on the look out!  Put a great woven hat with this to give it some style but don’t go overboard or you’ll look like an “old lady” trying to look thirteen again!

The Minimalist:  Black or white, it doesn’t matter.  The minimalist always needs both.  There’s nothing prettier in the summer than a “little white dress”.  It’s fresh, it’s uber cool and fun.

Prep Squad: Preppy is always “in”.  The distinctive Lilly Pulitzer is the iconic brand of “preppy”. A simple cardigan over a sheath dress will put you there too!  Have fun with it, wear something bold for summer.  It’s one time that you can get away with it!

Whatever you do or whatever you wear this summer,

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

The older I get the harder it is to walk on the beach or deck of a pool without some extra covering. Gravity takes it’s toll on everyone, so what’s a woman to do to find the right suit to wear in the sun and on the beach.

Don’t let yourself sink to the bottom of the pool in outdated swimwear that no longer works. Because technological advances have made swimwear better, you can find a suit that will cinch here lift there.

Buy the right suit for you; look for features in that suit that will support your body and will find yourself swimmingly beautiful and confident on the beach this summer!

Land’s End has long featured great suits that work.  Now they are adding technology to their bevy of offerings.  Check out these features and make sure that you note where “your” figure needs enhancing.

There’s one that’s sure to make you:

Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN.…

on the beach this summer!

We want to know where you go and hear all about your travels!  I want her to be like “Flat Stanley”!  I want you to experience the world through Sofie!  So don’t forget to send us your photos.  We’ll put a collage together and show you the world through Sofie’s eyes.

As Dale Evans and Roy Rogers sang:  “Happy Trails To You, Until we meet again!”

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

Continuing to feel the impact of the economy, designers are playing it a bit safe with colors and creating lines that mix into a wardrobe and can be developed over time.

If it has been a long time since you introduced a new suit into your wardrobe, now might be the time to start with some new neutral basics.

As they say, black is the ‘new basic’.  Well, black never went out, just took a back seat to other colors such as brown and navy.

Ah, the question then becomes, how do I wear black if it is NOT a good color for me???

Always add interest with color. Never just wear black and white.  Too predictable and quite honestly, pretty boring.  I know all of you in the northeast will scoff at this because everyone in New York wears black and white.  Step out of the box for a while and try some color. At the very least wear it in a scarf!  Color matters most when it is right next to your face so wear a color that will complement your skin tone.

Check out Doncaster’s Fall Trends now.  You can see the latest trends in person too!

Pantone introduced it’s fall color preview with more muted tones that the past seasons. I love how they create the names of their colors.  They evoke such emotional response.  Names such as:

• Endive
• Golden Glow
• Lipstick Red
• Purple Orchid
• Chocolate Truffle
• Lagoon
• Woodbine
• Oyster Gray
• Rose Dust

You just get the true sense of the colors and what they look like.  Soft and warm, not the bright electric colors of seasons past.  So two words for the upcoming season to remember soft and deep.  These colors are not pale and pastel.  Fall must have some depth of color to mimic the season and get us through.

If you purchased emerald green last year, tone it down a bit this year, soften it up with a new color.  You’ll still be able to work with it.  The color family is still there, just softer.  Adding a softer hue will give your “old” top increased dimension, new interest!  Use a  color in a necklace such as lipstick red or living coral, all Pantone colors that will blend beautifully with the new neutrals of fall.

You can read more about Pantone’s prediction of color for Fall 2010 and see with the colors actually look like at www.pantone.com .

Begin studying the color trends for fall and you’re sure to be on trend and:

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

Your teeth can tell someone how you live your life. Teeth can tell how young or old you are, whether you smoke or drink a lot of coffee, tea, wine or other porcelain staining drinks.

One of the least expensive ways for you to lift 10 years off your appearance is to brighten your smile, whiten your teeth. There are a plethora of at-home treatments in addition to procedures that can be performed at a dentist office, but first do your homework. To achieve smile success know what you’re talking about.

We can help you do your homework. We’ve defined the terms and given you some of the latest at-home treatments. Do know that often the professional visit can sometimes be comparable in the end to most at home treatments depending on the depth of your treatment.

Crest Pro White Strips:  $35-$50,

Supersmile: $35, Icing by Bling: $169

Bleaching vs. Whitening:

• Bleaching generally refers to “at-home or in the office procedures that brighten beyond the natural tooth color with an agent such as hydrogen peroxide.
• Whitening is the restoring of the tooth’s enamel to its original color by removal of plaque and stains with at-home over the counter toothpastes and mouth washes

The reason that you will get greater results at the dentist’s office is because they are able to use a bleach content of a higher strength.  For example the legal limit for over the counter treatments is 6%.  The dentist’s office is much higher.  Over the counter and at-home treatments are great for maintaining that white smile once you have achieved your ideal shade.

Although I don’t have any experience with the above at-home treatments, they have gained a following and have been around long enough to have been tested.

A bit of red lipstick can improve the look of your teeth too, but make sure that it is the right shade or it will counteract the brightening effect.  Always be an informed consumer and you’ll have greater style success, you’ll:

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have Fun Doing It!”