Lovely, Luscious, Lascivious Lips

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick." - Gwyneth Paltrow

I have always loved red lipstick. It's fierce, sexy, playful and bold - and what self respecting girly-girl doesn't want to live those adjectives?? Yet despite my love affair with a crimson kisser, I've never been able to effectively pull it off. Mere minutes after application, the color seeps outside the lines and smudges onto my chin, fingers, and scarf...and if I'm hanging out with you, it's probably on your scarf too. No amount of lip liner or primer does the trick - I look like a tore-up-from-the-floor-up hussy, whether that was my intended fashion statement for the day or not....UNTIL NOW!

Thanks to a gal I shop with who is forever flawlessly rocking the brightest red, pink, and plum lip shades (even in her workout gear!), I - and you too!! - now have access to the perfect persimmon pout! Last week said client told me about a new Sephora product - SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain. It applies with a gloss wand, like a lush and creamy lipstick, and transforms into a vibrant lip stain in a flash! I ran right out and bought one and now, three hours after applying matte-finish 'Always Red', I am still going strong - the stain is exactly where I put it, and nowhere else! I suspect reapplication at hour four will keep me feeling fresh and fabulous - but who am I to poo-poo a little maintenance for sheer pucker perfection?

Head on out there, fashionistas, and snatch one up - at $12 a tube, it's slightly more than a couple of lattes and lasts FAR longer! (Plus it comes in a variety of shades and in matte and satin finishes - play away!!)

One thing to note: unless your hitting a costume party or the runway, when wearing a bold lip, make sure to keep eye makeup and blush to a minimum, lest you summon visions of red, curly wigs and big, floppy shoes. Check out the pic of Anne Hathaway, below - she didn't forget the brows and lashes, but stuck with neutral tones on her cheeks and eyes - the perfect red lip look for day!

Pick Your Poison

I lovingly refer to myself as an "accessory whore". Though my wardrobe is jam-packed with denim, skirts, dresses, sweaters, and tees (and when I say "jam-packed" I mean it - my closets are overflowing, and that is with past-season wear in storage!), I most often find myself in my tried-and-true uniform - jeans and a black top. The way I differentiate is through accessory. I love scarves. I love jewelry. I love shoes. I love handbags. I can tell the world how I feel about life on any given day through my manipulation of those four things: if I'm sleepy or feeling underwhelmed? Black on black will do. If I'm feeling sexy and saucy, ready to conquer the world? My ultimate motto applies: "excess is best"...I want red patent leather, 5" heels, and blinged out jewels. That's just me.

Today's blog is short and sweet and is about giving you license to find what is just you. I know gals who never wear pants - bring on girlie skirts and dresses every day of the week. I know divas who don't own heels - converse for day and ballet flats for night keep them feeling fine. And for the more hair and makeup focused chickies? A basic outfit and slammin' turquoise shadow and liquid liner put them in the zone. Take some time to think about what really flexes your fashion muscles and own it! Spend your energy (and your dollars) in the right places, and getting dressed in the morning will become as much - if not more - fun than the rest of your day! Pick your fashion poison, fashionistas, and I'll see you next time!

A Tale of Two Price Points

I'd like to tell you a quick story about perspective. In the shop I run, we carry a line of pretty pricey jewelry. A substantial, semi-precious and sterling necklace can run you upward of $500. These pieces are 100% worth the money, hand-crafted by artisans who work within a small, socially conscious co-op. They plant trees and donate a generous percentage of their profits to various organizations and to groups in crisis. Not to mention the fact that their baubles are absolutely beautiful, one-of-a-kind, and timeless.

A few weeks ago I was working with a 20-something who was wearing a necklace reminiscent of those selling in the shop. I admired it and she informed me that she got it at Forever 21. The necklace most likely ran her around $14.90 + tax and, upon further inspection, I found that it was made of brass colored plastic that reads as metal and clear plastic beads that read as quartz. In her rush to make her purchase that day, she left her knock-off hanging in my fitting room. I've worn it around the shop a couple of times while waiting for her to return to claim it. Each time I wear it people compliment me on it and ask if I sell it in the shop, some even going to far as to ask if it was made by the crafstmen mentioned above.

The moral of the story is this: don't fret if you can't afford to drop $500 on a gorgeous necklace or designer handbag right now. Pay your rent, buy organic produce, and get yourself a nice knock-off. Wear it with pride and no one will know the difference. And when you find an investment piece that won't stop calling to you, save your pennies and indulge...because you're worth it! And it will be that much more worth it to you because you took your time, thought it through, and acted responsibly and within your budget.

Happy shopping fashionistas!!

Sunday Style Solution - "Why go bare when you can wear nude fishnets?"

Fishnets are no longer just for the goth girl, the exotic dancer, and the Halloween costume.Whether your look is classic, ultra-girlie, punk chic, or low-key, nude (skin tone) textured hosiery has a place in your wardrobe. They work all year round and are at the same time a little playful, very chic, and a lot sexy!

* Wear standard nude fishnets with a skirt suit or classic trench for a quick nod to high fashion and the fact that you may not be as conservative as you first appear (while at the same time maintaining work appropriate dress: from far away your leg will read nude...it isn't until you're close up and paying attention that the texture really pops.) 

* Girlie girls, kick up the femme-factor by pairing a flirty, flouncy, printed skirt with a large weave nude fishnet (often referred to as diamond net, fence net, or large net) and a provocative peep toe pump...va va va voom! (standard fishnet pictured - and remember, no matter large or small the net, if you're showing the little piggies make sure you have a fresh pedicure!)

* To create an edgy, urban look, how about a pencil skirt, nude fishnets (maybe even with a back seam!), and ankle booties with your choice of top? Something shredded out will satiate your inner punk princess, while a cozy, long sleeve tunic sweater will add a pop of polish.

* For the more timid trendster, start with a knee-length walking short, standard nude fishnets and a cute ballet flat with a drapey tank or tee. Perfect for weekend brunch, afternoon shopping, or casual first date! (This is my spring style suggestion. For fall, wear nude fishnets - or a nude textured tight if it's chilly outside - instead of your standard opaque tight with boots and a skirt!)

The most important part is to OWN IT. Wear the look with confidence and you'll feel stylish and saucy, and the compliments will roll on in!

Extra Credit: post a pic of YOU rocking your favorite nude textured hose...I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Chic-Commerce

While we're waiting for the glamour and excess that define the Oscars, I'd like to have a conversation about a Hollywood awards ceremony opposite - BARGAIN SHOPPING. Clothes these days can put a serious dent in a girl's (or guy's!) pocket book. With designer denim inching closer and closer to $300 a pair and anything that won't fall apart in a couple of wears being more investment than impulse-priced, how's a girl to put together a high quality, fashion forward wardrobe that she feels great in?

We all want to appear a certain way to the rest of the world, and one of the quickest ways to make that happen is through what we choose to wear. Even those who don't make their clothing choices based on designer, or who could care less about what was shown on the fall/winter runways at fashion week, choose clothes that define them as an artist, a professional, a student, or as belonging to a specific group or subculture. (Yes, even those who "don't care" about fashion participate in this! See Meryl Streep's monologue in The Devil Wears Prada about the cerulean sweater - it's harsh, but she makes an excellent point.) Pair that with fickle and ever-changing trends and options, and the idea of having a closetful of clothes we're excited to wear at a price we can afford can seem utterly impossible. I'm here to tell you it's not...with a little bit of time, commitment, and an internet connection all of us can have a wardrobe to die for!

First, know what looks good on you. Try on your clothes. What do you feel the most you in? Do you whistle while you work when you're wearing flirty floral print dresses and 50's housewife heels? Or do you gush goodness from the inside out in your favorite jeans and oh-so-comfy flips? Take the time to try things on in stores - even if you can't afford them or think you would never wear the style (you'll be surprised at how often something you've resisted for ages really does look great on you!) Take note of colors, silhouettes, and brands that really get you going. And make sure to utilize store employees - that's what they're there for! They might not always seem happy to help, but it's their job. Ask them how to wear things and what to pair with them. (And look forward to a Seattle Shop Girl blog about the demise of customer service standards!)

Next, hop online. There are a virtually limitless number of discount designer websites at your fingertips. These sites sell designer merchandise for a fraction of the retail price. For example, my I-don't-know-how-I-lived-without-it Hobo ran me $50 and retails for $108! Become a "member" of whichever sites you choose (which is free - if a site wants you to pay for membership, run!) and watch as your inbox fills to bursting with bargains! (My current favorites are Rue La La, Beyond the Rack, Editor's Closet, HauteLook & Ideeli, but do some research - there are TONS out there!) Join as many as you can to start off with - you can keep an eye on which ones offer brands that resonate with you and pare down if you start to feel overwhelmed. Also, I use a secondary email address for this so I don't feel like I'm being inundated with junk in my business and personal email accounts. Open a new one, just for this purpose - that way you can pay attention only when you want to.

Now, keep your eyes open and be patient. This is not an instant gratification game - it's about building your dream wardrobe one piece at a time. Most of these websites send a daily email letting you know which brands and items are on sale and which are coming up. This is where the personal style information we discussed above comes into play. Scan the emails you receive for brands that you like and that you have discovered fit your body well. Also check out brands that you haven't heard of. If you like what you see online keep an eye out for them  in the real world. Once you know you like how they look, how they feel, and how they fit, you're in business!!

The one thing to watch out for is impulse buying - it's rarely a good idea when you're at the mall and NEVER a good idea online. If you haven't done real-life research on a particular line or style, having one shipped directly to your front door is not the way to find out about quality and fit. You may have success from time to time, but more often than not you'll shell out the bucks returning things that just don't work. Now, I realize all of this can seem like a lot of work...but the payoff  is huge! Feeling confident about what you're wearing frees you up to focus on all of the other important things in your life. And you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you're building a fabulous wardrobe without crippling your bank account!

And if you really don't think you have the time to take on another project? Schedule a consultation with yours truly. Your closet couldn't be in better hands! :)

I would like to thank the academy

Very few things light a fire under my perfectly-fitting-and-exquisitely-broken-in second hand boots quite like the Oscars. This is the case for one reason, and one reason only...the red carpet. I don't care who takes home the Best Actor statue or whose set was the most realistic or which score tugged at the greatest number of heart strings. I might care a little bit about Best Costume Design, but only a little, because this prize is most often won by designers who work on period or sci-fi pictures, like 2011 nominee, Alice In Wonderland (not to marginalize the talent found therein - Alice In Wonderland made me pee my costume design panties - it's just that, in my opinion, the "best" isn't always found in the most grandiose or fancy or commercialized). The bottom line is, I get off on the red carpet.

I want to see Versace and vintage Chanel, Badgley Mischka and Elie Saab, Herve Leger, Marchesa, Tom Ford and Giorgio Armani - the tried and true. I want to see glamazons in Louboutins, Jimmy Choos and Prada stilletos. I want to see Fred Leighton and Neil Lane diamonds dripping off of airbrush-perfect spray tans under perpetually sunny southern California skies...I want to see the fantasy and I want to see the BEST. And, let's be honest...I want to see who bombs. I want to see the Helena Bonham Carters and the Bjorks. I want to be the first to know whose stylist huffed too much nitrous the night before and forgot that a high neckline doesn't work for a larger-than-average bust or that strategically placed geometric shapes can be an absolute mess, no matter how gorgeous the girl.

So, if you're as excited as I am, check out the 2011 Academy Awards, and then forget Joan and Melissa, tune in to Seattle Shop Girl following the Oscars for red carpet do's, dont's, and dish! See you in 48 hours!!

Welcome fashion lovers!

I am Seattle Shop Girl, and I have never met a piece of clothing that I didn't like...or at least that I didn't appreciate. Apparel originated out of necessity, to shield the human body from the elements. And from its very beginnings it was embellished, styled, and given significance. Not only could it keep the wearer warm when it was cold and cool when it was hot outside, but it could also identify what tribe they came from, what position they held in society, and what their livelihood was. Fabrics and skins were used to cover the human form and at the same time to enhance it and make it more beautiful. One of my very favorite things about clothing is that it is one of few common threads (so to speak) that is shared by EVERY SINGLE PERSON on the planet. Even in societies where "sweaters" and "jeans" are nonexistent, the body is covered to varying degrees, is decorated and is adorned. It is a daily part of the human experience. From the most breathtakingly beautiful couture gown to the most painfully paired leopard legging/stripe hoodie combo pictured in some "what-not-to-wear" spread, each apparel creation and style choice gives us something to talk about, provides inspiration, or tantalizes our senses through shape, color, movement, and meaning. I have dedicated my life to the study and design of fashion and style, and to sharing my passion with anyone who will listen. Welcome to my brand new fashion blog...and let's talk shop!