FiestaProm.com : Find Your Dream Designer Dress for your Dream Price!

I'm Baaaaaack!

Hi all! I know, long time no see right?! I've been super, duper busy so I have neglected writing this fashion blog, but never once have I ever taken my eye off of the trending styles from Spring to Summer! As Summer has already loudly and beautifully rolled in, the Prom Season is swiftly coming to a close. Still,  I must write a review about a clothing boutique that most notably carries some of the best Prom Dresses out there. This clothing boutique is Fiesta Prom! I chose to write a review on this store and to include it in my trendiest stores series because it carries a large inventory of dazzling, stunning dresses that most people aren't even aware of!

This clothing boutique's physical location makes it a true diamond in the rough as it glows in a sea of many ho-hum boring,inexpensive dresses . Fiesta Prom proudly carries a large inventory of designer gowns like Sherri Hill, Jovani,  La Femme, Terani, Tony Bowls, Mori Lee and more. Most people are shocked to see designer, gorgeous dresses when they walk into the store--and they should be--hence Fiesta Prom being a true "diamond in  the rough". Not only that, but Fiesta Prom offers these designer gowns at prices that people would fight each other for if they even knew about them!

What They've Got that No One Else Does!

Look at the ever stylish Paris Hilton strutting her stuff in Sherri Hill 2900 in the stunning color of silver.
 The Glam Gladiator look is SO her!

Bella Thorne sporting Sherri Hill 2814! So chic!

For starters, Fiesta Prom has a wide selection of dresses and gowns that were worn by many well-known celebrities . They have a selection of dresses from La Femme that are literally physically labeled with a tag as being apart of the "Dancing With the Stars" franchise--yet people walk on by these glam outfits as if they are worthless rags. When I started going through the store inventory  I was shocked at what I discovered.  I saw dresses that were worn by Katy Perry, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Hayden Panettiere , Selena Gomez, Zendaya Coleman, Bella Thorne, Paris Hilton, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert,

 Claudia Lee, Casssie Scerbo, Brook Burke, Jessica Clark, Kim Kardashian, Kylie and Kendall Jenner and more! That was when I  realized that this place was a wondrous gold mine with precious treasures! Not only that--the sales prices that FiestaProm.com offers you are insanely awesome!

Whether you love her or you hate her, Snooki still occasionally wears cute little numbers-- and the dazzling Sherri Hill 2226 is most definitely one of them!

Just to give you a taste of what they have, how much it's worth and how much you save when you purchase from FiestaProm.com. I will be talking about three lovely dresses! So let's go over some of their current gorgeous dresses in stock and the sale prices applied to them:

Sherri Hill 1403 in the color Royal. Simply Stunning!

1) Sherri Hill 1403. Look familiar? It should, 'cause Selena Gomez rocked Sherri Hill 1403 to the max as she belted out her beautiful tunes! Sherri Hill 1403 is sexy, cute and above all--extremely unique! The V-Neck style bodice is decorated with many shards of  glass collectively surrounded by intricate beading which creates a stunning "broken glass effect". It's so daring. So different. So Sherri Hill!

Sherri Hill 1403 in nude on the gorgeous Selena Gomez--and FiestaProm.com sells this lovely piece for much less! Work the Scene , Selena !

The fact that the bodice is fitted as if it were a corset gives it that extra hint of sexy--girls, never underestimate  the sexiness of a corset! The irony is that the corset was used in the Victorian Era during  a time when sexuality was hushed up and tied down...just like a corset did to a woman's body! But to this day it is one of the sexiest things that a woman could ever wear! But I digress..back to Sherri Hill 1403!

Beyond the fitted bodice waistband is a bouncy, soft skirt that is slightly curled at the hem lines . The finished look is polished to a T--it's the perfect dress for a sexy young woman who wants to hold onto her intrigue and youthfulness just a little bit longer! This dress is normally priced at $450, but FiestaProm.com has it on sale for ONLY $350. Whoa. Big whoa. Prior to their massive clearance sale they were selling it for $400--which was such a steal  since it was still $50 off the original price! That kind of sale is amazing--but unfortunately people who are looking for deals on designer dresses and designer gowns have never ever heard of Fiesta Prom or their website FiestaProm.com !! Btw, you can tots buy Sherri Hill 1403 at this seriously discounted price here : http://fiestaprom.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=1403&product_id=67


2)

Terani 35070C. Sultry, short and stunning!

This is Terani 35070C . It's a short, glorious dress. Wondering where you've seen it before? Why, on the lovely Gossip Girl's star Blake Lively of course! Blake is well known for wearing only the most fashionable ensembles around and wearing them well. She does this to perfection when she slipped into Terani 35070C!

The beautiful Blake Lively keeping up with Gossip Girl and wearing the trendiest clothing!
 Here she is wearing Terani 35070C and showing off those famous long gorgeous legs!

We don't blame the beautiful Blake Lively for donning this Terani dress for her special occasion--it's so pretty! The bodice is fitted and explodes into a lovely embroidered flower pattern that extends upwards into a strap that is  cleverly embellished with that same flower pattern. This interesting bodice then turns into a black feathered skirt that is short, A-line and stunning!

FiestaProm.com took the normal price of this dress from $470 to only $250!!Whoa, so basically you can own a dress that was worn by Blake Lively for over 40% of the retail price? Um, YES please!  Do you see what I mean? Btw--you can purchase this dress from FiestaProm.com here: http://fiestaprom.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=terani&product_id=568



3)

Sherri Hill 2408. What a gorgeous weaving of coins
and sequins! Plus it's fitted nicely too!

Sherri Hill   2408 . It's a  lovely dress that is covered in spirals of sequins and golden coins like a beautiful tapestry! It's fitted bodice and low cut length  makes it sexy and simple all at the same time! It makes any gal look stunning without trying too hard!

And it's the dress that country star singer Miranda Lambert ( also wife of the Voice Judge Blake Sheldon) decided to wear for her photo shoot of a 2011 Country Weekly photo shoot! It's great to see this lovely dress splashed across the cover! Seen in many other Sherri Hill dresses such as Sherri Hill 1429

Miranda Lambert  in
Sherri Hill 1429 w/hubby
Blake Shelton at this year's
2013 Country Music Awards
(CMAs)

Miranda Lambert wears them well and they make her look so gorgeous!

FiestaProm.com is selling this dress waaay below it's original cost--originally $350--now it's only $150! It's a huge markdown from the original price value and is still a very IN dress! You can purchase this dress in  a variety of colors while it lasts here: http://fiestaprom.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=2408&product_id=105


I still can't believe Fiesta Prom marked the dresses down so low, but you know how I love to pay less for more! So I'm not looking the gift horse in the mouth!^_^


Conclusion

Yay! I'm so glad that I stumbled onto FiestaProm.com! They have just want I want the way I want it and how much I want to spend! They have all the best designers from Sherri Hill to La Femme--all at their finger tips! Why do I mention Sherri Hill dresses so much in my examples you ask? Because Sherri Hill is one of the most popular, gorgeous and most diverse evening dress-producing company out there! If  someone needs a prom dress, pageant dress, evening dress or just a clubbing dress--they usually run straight to Sherri Hill! You can go from Rocker Chic to Vintage Goddess when you slip into one Sherri Hill dress to another. I love how they cater to every type of girl out there with every line they make every year! Also more than 90% of the inventory of Fiesta  Prom is Sherri Hill. AKA, FiestaProm.com has many diverse dresses that can fit any kind of girl!

I will occasionally blog and blog more about the dresses I love that Fiesta Prom carries, but for right now, I just wanted to clue you guys in on this place! And btw--if you don't live in New York or the USA--they ship to every state and internationally too! So you can benefit from their major sales on some of the most gorgeous designer dresses around! Well, I've gotta go now guys! Keep looking fab, and as always, remember to get some Sugar and Spice in your life!  ^_^

The Dirt on the Trendiest Stores: Part One : Forever 21 is Forever Overrun!

Hi all! Sorry for my delayed absence but I've been working on some special blog entries just for you--so I'm going to jump right into it! Recently I have been going to some of the trendiest clothing boutiques to give you guys the richest, fullest telling of my shopping experience. I studied the organization of the shop, the price ranges and the customer service. Sometimes I was enthralled with the results, sometimes I was really disappointed. But I will let you guys know all that went down right here on this blog!

The first clothing shop I will discuss in this entry series is Forever 21. I have a serious love/hate relationship with this clothing boutique. I have held my opinion of them for a while and I never made it public, because in spite of all its fault, the avid shopaholic in me doesn't want them to go away because of bad reviews. But they seriously need to shape themselves up in some areas.

The Origin of Forever 21

Do Wong Chang, the founder of Forever 21 alongside his two daughters that now help to run the highly successful 4.5 billion dollar
 business franchise.

Let's star off with when it all began. Forever 21 was founded in LA, Cali in 1984 by Do Wong Chang and his wife Jin Sook Chang. If you look around the store and your inner fashionista tingling is telling you that some of the items along with its presentation screams "Korean Fashion Obsession" well you would be correct. Although founded in LA, the store has an atmosphere that is constantly associated with the Korean fashion world that the Changs' heritage stems from .  

The philosophy of every Forever 21 is that there is no "in between" girl--every girl falls into her own niche . Within this business chain there are several girls' sense of style embodied in their own specific category. The focus of Forever 21's hugely Korean- fashion-inspired direction ensures that they will always have their finger on the pulse of the hottest things out there. And now with the Chang daughters going full throttle into the family business , we can be assured that they will keep up this momentum.

You see this image in America and
your mind will most likely think " Oh, it's obviously
an Ad by Forever 21" . But shocker--it's not! In fact
it's a random Ad made by a random
Korean clothing store! Seeing the fashion connections  yet?

Usually in American clothing shops, we take a few trends and run with them and constantly try to reinvent them. But in Korea , it's a different story. They absorb all forms of fashion in their shops , making each look appear to be strictly stratified, cookie-cutter and effortless to achieve.

Look at this typical advertisement for a
fashion-forward Korean clothing shop.
Notice something familiar? This Ad and several
others bear an odd resemblance to
Forever 21 ads! Similar minds
think alike obviously! 

This cultural method of mass incorporation of various different fashion styles is the way that Forever 21 goes about doing everything. It has paid off a great deal as there are approximately over 480 store chains and the brand itself is valued at around 4.5 billion dollars as of 2012. It's a store that gives you everything that you desire...whether it is wise to or not.


Welcome to the Wonderful World of Forever 21!

When you enter the amazing world of Forever 21, you are bombarded with images of "coolness" "trendiness"  " youth" and "bargains". You feel special even to be in a store like this. It fills you up with this great emotion of awe and indestructibility--whether you realize it or not! Allow me to explain: Forever 21 makes you feel like you can be any girl you want to be and do it fabulously well with their never-ending selection of choices and varieties. But...therein lays the problem! Their selections are...never-ending. 

Current trends at Forever 21 is to make ads displaying hip, high-fashion
models ( In this case, Kendall Jenner, a sister of the infamous Kardashian clan) .It's intriguingly awesome to find out that this look is all within your reach for non-designer prices at Forever 21!

To prove my point further--on a common shopping trip to Forever 21--what do your friends commonly say about the clothing items they bought?  In normal situations with normal stores, your gal pal will say to you " Omg, look at this top that I bought at ____".  But nine times out of ten, when you speak to your gal pal that just shopped at Forever 21, they will say " Look at what I found at Forever 21." GULP!  Shopping should ONLY be referred to as "finding" when you're venturing through a thrift store or a black friday sale. And since everyday isn't black friday--does that make Forever 21 a-GULP--thrift store?!!! Oh no! But just like in thrift stores, you find yourself walking out with many things and you spent more and bought more than you intended to.

How you feel right after shopping at Forever 21--if you're not too busy
being miserable with a headache that is!

How you look when you get home and actually LOOK at what you bought there--wtf?
Half these things you will prolly never wear and didn't need immediately.

The last stage of your Forever 21 experience--"OMG I spent so much money
on all of this random stuff? Just because it was so cheap and appealing?!! NOOOO"

             
Woe to the average shopper that comes across the willful power that seduces you to enter Forever 21. This is because the average shopper doesn't come prepared with a set idea of what they want to buy exactly. They have a metaphorical, distant concept of what they need so they are easily distracted by similar looking items. Further more, the average shopper wants more than anything else to be in ; and for a store like Forever 21--the epitome of being "in"--these people are ripe for the pickings. 

The average shopper will shell out a lot more cash than they wanted to spend at Forever 21. Because they buy as many things as they are told to buy according to the store's advertisement, but when they get home and put it all together--its TOO MUCH, overly exaggerated, and in the end, some customers can miss the look they were going for by a HUGE mark.  It's highly possible that they make so much money off of you because you aren't aware of this. But unfortunately your bank account and wardrobe pays a severe price. I am not entirely sure that this is not intentional on the store brands part---mostly because of the behavior of their employees and the startling responses you get from them when you ask certain questions. They have the world at their finger tips but lack the grave, necessary skills of organization. This entry will discuss all of this in great depth--and I will be leaving no stone unturned!

Overrun! Overaccesorized! Over Burdened! Over done!!  
 The Breakdown: Style Organization.  Clothing Organization.    
 Customer Service. Prices.

Forever 21 is the store that we all grew up with. Teenagers, twenty-somethings alike hugely rely on this store for bargain-priced trendy wear. The store is vast. Tons of diversity. Tons of everything. And THAT's its main problem. I hate to blow the horn on this one, but Forever 21 is like, schizophrenic/bipolar/bulimic/anythingit all thrown into one messy package. The store levels are always a mess--and that's when they are "fixed".   The categorization is poor and its really hard to find a top or a bottom in the same place because their concept of "order" is color coordination, or price,or what the staff THINKS belongs together. In other words, you can walk into Forever 21 and walk out looking like a freaking Toucan Sam (a parrot)...or worse--looking like Nikki Minaj!

"Hi! I'm Nikki Minaj! I have no sense of style and I think that if I throw enough random, odd items on me I might be mistaken for Lady's Gaga's occasional fashion genius! But nope!In reality I'm a horrible hot mess--if you want to be a hot mess please take all directions from me! You'll be a real deal fashion disaster in no time!"--Nikki Minaj. True Story.

My issues with Forever 21 runs so deep that I even once decided that I should work for them. My momentary desire to work in Forever 21 was hugely fueled by the fact that I thought I could bring order to its extreme chaos (and I could get great discounts on items I wanted). And part of me still really wants to believe that. But in all honesty, its too huge a task for a little someone like me to undertake. 

For me, Forever 21 is a place I always avoided because after twenty minutes in the store I would get a throbbing migraine. You shoppers out there know what I'm talking about.   It's the MACYs migraine, the KOHLS migraine--when there's so many items to process that your brain overloads and it throbs and throbs for hours instead.  I would find a color and a cut and a style and would want to find something similar to it because it missed the mark for me--and it would take me on a journey up and down the floor levels and across the display floors. Omg. If something is similar to something, it should be next to it! A shimmer skirt? Thigh length? Great--where is one in blue? Oh wait, that is somewhere else? It's not next to it? What--it's across the floor? No , wait, wrong directions--it's down at another level? Why, why?!! And then comes my migraine, and I leave with either nothing or something I half- like because I was too overwhelmed to find exactly what I really wanted. Oh no, not good.

As a shopper who doesn't have tons of cash to spend, I believe in putting my money to work in the best way possible. But Forever 21 can take my money and eat it up because I was too exhausted to find my true gem of an item. That's not fair--and it's probably the true source of their financial success. You want so many things, yet you don't know why and often times you do not find exactly what you truly wanted to buy so you settle for what you can get your hands on. Let's go over Forever 21's faults and benefits a little more indepthly...

A: Style Organization

A diverse collections of different girls' at Forever 21

A great reward of this shop is that it's set up to cater to a varieties of specific girls with a specific sense of style. Forever 21 easily gets a general A+ for style organization. More than any other clothing shop out there, I know that I can walk into Forever 21 and find what I would need if I were preppy, punk, hipster, etc. They have their style organization in the bag! 

You will enter the section of let's say, a preppy girl. You will find what you will need to complete the preppy girl look--shades, the vintage hat, the modestly cut pants, the collared shirts, the bow tie, the plaid. Bam. All there. You just choose what you want to use and you are done. There are many variations of this look, and you might find yourself buying two or more of the same thing in a different color or pattern. Regardless , you can achieve the look you desire.

The sections are so clearly defined as being based around a specific "type" of girl that you identify whether the section is for you or not. The one problem is that although Forever 21 gets an A+ in style organization, they get a B- in actual clothing organization.

B: Poor Clothing Organization
Poor clothing organization is the root of all evil in Forever 21 because its a combination of clothing organized in a hazardous way and too much of it too. Forever 21's staff puts together outfits that suits the mannequin with the colors that they want to express it, but there are other clothing in different colors and cuts that are basically the same thing--but they are assigned to different sections . If you're scracthing your head now, you should be! Because this kind of nonsensical categorization is what leads to my typical shopping migraine when I've been flooded with too many options!

     
  
Do you see the mannequin pedestal in this picture? Looks familiar? Well it should--because that's the way most  sections look in Forever  21--it's a hot mess with random clothing thrown together in a pile where it truly doesn't belong.  There are the nice and nifty window views of Forever 21 clothing, but when you go to other levels and actually go through the store sections, you find that shopping in sync can be a total nightmare. You find one top and you need it in a small , but all you see is large--but underneath the jeans on the pedestal no where near the other items is what you are looking for.  What? Seriously? 

I understand that many, many people come through these stores everyday--but the amount of clothing piles and disorganized clothing isn't the result of one hour--it's the result of half a day at the least.  But when I turn to look at the employees on the floor, they are usually standing around next to clothing racks, chatting about their random drama and not attending to these messy piles.  In my opinion, the jobs of the employees is to provide-among other things-their services in keeping the sections neat and tidy. My other problems with these sections is that  apparently some of the management in the store assume that everything is more organized for you because it is color-coordinated. --even if the plain red top has no business being next to the dressy one because it falls completely out of context!

I know the set up of the sections dictates otherwise, but color-coordination doesn't settle everything. It does however, give the illusion that everything is "in order". It's this illusion that lures the customer in and lulls the employees into the false sense of knowledge of where everything is . It could not be farther from the truth! This leads me into my next discussion about the employees of Forever 21.

C: Forever 21 Employees: Well Meaning but Almost as Clueless as You!

Based on my experiences, there are three types of Forever 21 employees--those that believe that they know the store through and through; those that don't care  about the customers and are only there to get paid and "discovered"and  those that barely know anything about the store but try their hardest to make up for it. The majority fall into the category of those that try their hardest to provide you with the best service--in spite of the gaping holes in their knowledge.

When going up to various different customer reps in four different Forever 21 stores , I played the role of different types of shoppers that come through their stores everyday. I was the clueless shopper,  the fast-stressed out shopper, the casual shopper and the expert shopper just to mix it up with each customer service representative I came across.  I wanted to test their responses to each situation presented to them.The employees that couldn't be bothered to help me really got under my skin.

I have a great dislike for those that are more focused on making sure THEY look good instead of making YOU their primary focus .They are the ones that make you feel apprehensive about shopping at Forever 21 and make you doubt your own self worth .  

Forever 21 employees should be as warm, inviting
and helpful as this pix at ALL times! 

They are also the ones that allow you to walk out of that store with horribly mismatched outfits. I asked a few employees if a top went with a skirt  (when it absolutely did not) and they shrugged and said " sure it looks good" .   I felt my heart drop! I took the two worse color combination in the world--neon orange and neon pink--and found them in two separates--and I put them together. The top didn't even go well with the cut of the skirt--there was no redemption in this outfit at all. Yet instead of warning me, they let it slide. Shocked I bought out a pinstripped short cut turtleneck with a pair of purple neon leggings that were two sizes too big on me--they were literally gathering on my legs! I asked them for their opinion--once again , they said it looked great and I should get two of them! Wow. Mind you that these workers  I spoke to looked like they were dressed up for a photo shoot with  Lucky Magazine...aka, they know their fashion inside out. So when I got those horrid responses from them, all that I can say is that it was super NOT COOL and I was thoroughly insulted. All they wanted was to make a sell and my actual fashion sense was being thrown out the window! 

The zebra-print top that I retrieved 
from Forever 21

Thankfully, however, the majority of the employees there aren't as terrible as these. They attempt to assist you even if they fail. Some fail miserably and are as clueless as some shoppers around them. Those are sad employees. However some of the employees go the extra mile to accommodate you and those guys are real winners in my book. I once asked an employee to help me find a top that I said I had seen only a few minutes before but could not recall its exact location. It was a top with a lion face printed on it. In the end, the customer service rep could not find it for me and instead brought me a zebra print top. She told me how pretty it was and even though it wasn't a lion, it would look great on me. Plus she supplied me with a bottom that complimented the top color wise and style wise perfectly. I actually knew where the lion print top was...she missed it three times while looking for it...but I was so impressed with her efforts that I bought the top anyways. That's the kind of customer service that I expect that makes shopping at Forever 21 a much more bearable and rewarding experience.

I admire this majority because they are working against a slightly flawed system. So much inventory comes in on a daily basis that its difficult to keep count of where everything is. Plus, they have to  figure out what is selling and what isn't selling so that they can know what loads to push or sell to other vendors at a discounted price. And their training for doing so is highly inefficient! So hardworking Forever 21 employees who are thrown into the lion's den, I salute you! Also, to the few Forever 21 employees that managed to study and learn the whole store in its entirety inspite of so many road blocks , you are quite the rare breed and they need to make more of you!

This entry wouldn't be complete without me throwing in a few common lines to be heard from Forever 21 employees:

"If this top is in another size and it's not on that rack, then it could be on the other racks in this area--I don't know which one."

"The shoes are everywhere on every floor. "

"You saw that top over here in that color? I didn't know it came in that color"

" If you don't see it, it's not in stock anymore" ( this one said it without looking, and I happened to know the tops were only a few feet away from her!)

"The bags are all over in the middle of the store, the corners of the store..."

Ah , I could go on and on and on with the insufficient responses I received from Forever 21 employees, but I won't. I get it. It's too hard to look for, there are soooo many tasks to complete in one day, etc. But at least put more thought into your responses--I'm a paying customer not your annoying mother. 
Example :
Mother: " Honey where are you going?"
Daughter : " OUT mom."
Mother: " Where exactly is it that you're going and who are  you going with?"
Daughter :" Omg mom , you don't know them and I'm going OUT. Omg!". 
Yup. My interactions with some of the employees felt just like that conversation

D) Prices

Black-belted chiffon dress. Only 20 bucks and super classy 

Unbelievable. Overly tempting. Totally affordable. This is what makes Forever 21 the IT place for cheap and current clothing. Another great thing about the prices at Forever 21 is that no matter what season it is, you always can find a sale and the prices themselves are a major steal!

I was able to finance an entire season wardrobe in one shopping

This furry short-cut vest--only 32 bucks! 
Looks fabulous

 session at this place. They had everything that I wanted in that store, even though I had to search all over to find exactly what I wanted. Normally, getting a full season wardrobe usually entails me bouncing from three to four different stores to get all that I want, from jewelery to a basic hat--Forever 21 has it all for me. Not to mention that also normally it would cost me up to $500 for a full season wardrobe.  But with Forever 21 , it costs me significantly less.

This wonderfully chic zipper jacket is only 27 bucks--
even though it looks like it could easily be
at least 80 bucks! It manages to balance both the edgy and classy world
with the greatest of ease!

You guys have NO problem at all in the price department. You get an A+ for it hands down! 


Conclusion

Whew! I crammed as much as I could without making this into an lengthy survey! Forever 21 has what it takes to make it, but the areas that they come up short in seriously need improvement. Yes, Forever 21 will still make money. Yes, people will still shop there. But for crying out loud, please make the shopping experience more pleasurable! Cut back on some of your inventory. Reduce the amount of clothing that you have per section. Learn to organize the sections better and keep them nice and neat. Train your employees with more infinite knowledge of such a vastly wonderful store. Please help the everyday shoppers go through your lovely clothing boutique and not have to suffer a migraine. We like you guys already , you know this. Now it's time to make yourselves more accessible. 

My fav color is pink--specifically the neon colored kind--and soon this bag will be mine! 

Well that is all for now! I will be continuing this series on the Dirt on the Trendiest Stores as I visit more clothing boutiques! Also, I will be doing a new blog focused on the Coach brand alone! Why? Because Coach items can range from extremely affordable to extremely expensive and Coach is generally a classy brand with a modern twist! Anyways, goodbye for now and as always, get some Sugar and Spice in your life! ^_^

Fall -Winter 2012 Trends : Are these Trends Worth Raving About?

Hi all, it's me again!  Fall 2012 has brought out some new trends that I haven't really brought attention to in any of my previous blogs. I personally feel that some of these trends are too generic and highschool.  So what are these trends that have been very present in fall 2012 wear? Skulls prints, the Cross prints and the Green "feminized" army jacket .

As with all my posts, I say what I do because I really care for you gals and I want you all to look your best. Your opinions may differ from mine in the end, but it's always great to have a second opinion to make sure that you're taking your fashion style in the direction you truly want it to go in. First I will be talking on the trending of skulls and what it means for the average shopper and female fashionista.

Skulls, Skulls To and Through!

The typical skull top look being propped up in stores. 

YAWN!

Skulls R Everywhere!

When I look at these particular Fall 2012 trends, I feel like its something that is just so expected, so ordinary--even though the irony is people wear this design to look " different"  . But nevertheless, it is a fashion trend that first peeked its head out in the spring, and now it has spread into a legitimate fashion trend. The skulls and crosses patterns have been sprayed across sweaters, jackets, tops, leggings, hats--you name it, its covered in skulls. It's just become a general expected staple in stores like H&M, Forever 21, Strawberrys, Necessary Clothing, etc.  The irony is that most people wear the skull-look because they believe it's different and interesting, and they want to look different and interesting too. But if everyone is wearing it in a very standard way, how can a person truly stand out as a different, unique individual?

   Well here's what you gals can do if you want to be memorable and still sport the skulls on your clothes:  take a new, fresh approach on how you wear this pattern. Wear a fitted short dress featuring colored skulls--wear a couture dress featuring mini skulls in a beautiful display with a wonderful cascading mermaid tail -- wear a shirt that is skillfully cut out with the design of a the skull itself on the back-- take a chance! 

Such an original and creative design!

Do something new and original with skulls. Don't be generic, be different. You can do it, I know you can!


The Trouble With Crosses

                              An example of the typical tops  being sold 

                          in most trendy stores. It was slightly cool at first, 

                          but now it's not so much anymore. 

                          It lacks that surprising wow factor now.

Crosses---what's the downside? Well, sure its  a pretty design and all. It's an appealing design, so structural, it really pulls you in. It adds that little bit of skilled beauty. But in all honesty , you can't, you just CAN'T make such a well-known, deeply religious significant  symbol into a fashion trend. It's not right or fair to people who don't follow the religion . It's extremely limiting its audience. Pushing it onto so many people really  just isn't the right way to go. Also, there are some people who actually are Christian but who don't want to shout it out to the world either. This trend is seriously the most problematic one out there.

Well this is clearly a British flag. It's a twist on the typical print with a tiger embossed with the cross symbol. Sure, this can be worn by practically everyone without any real religious implications.

Now I know what some of you are thinking--well what if the cross is used to mean something else? What  if it's for the Red Cross Organization? What about the whole British " Stay Calm and Carry On" trend that's been around? Ok, ok, I hear you. So let me go with the British flag example. The background of the British flag famously has a cross on it. Forgetting that the cross was and still is of religious significance to Britain--yes, let's say  the crosses could represent that. Well that is different, and something like that is clearly understood. It's a deeper message being sent to the world--or maybe you could be a person expressing your love for the group One Direction ! Either way, it's different. But just a flat out cross isn't doing that. It just isn't. For a while I was hoping it would fade away, but alas, it has totally not.

Uh-oh...so the accessories are crosses also? 

 Currently the cross print has evolved past being featured on tops and now they have spread to jackets, headbands and NOW--jewelery.
Uhoh.  It keeps going from bad to worse--especially when it comes to the necklaces , earrings, bracelets and rings....omg.  The way that trends go, the jewelery is usually marketed to match--but with a religious trend.. you end up finding yourself wearing ...well...crosses. So...seriously guys --come on !

Let's drop this trend already.  There's more downsides than upsides. Choose another symbol to emulate and circulate through the clothing trending world. Please.

The Feminized Army Jacket

I don't get it. I honestly don't. It's rare to find this jacket in a flattering cut. Also the sleeves are too poofy and the body isn't bulky enough to be that adorable borrowed-boyfriend coat. The color doesn't demand attention. It looks best when you're wearing, well, nothing but itself and a pair of aviators. Other than that, it really does nothing for me--and from people I've seen sporting it--it does nothing for them as well. I don't hate it or love it, I just don't get it.  I feel as if the feminized green army coat is a concept that hasn't been fully executed.  It doesn't scream fashion-forward to me, it just screams "Hey. I'm a coat. Put me on. It's cold outside". Yup.  That's all. But if this coat is your style, then by all means pick it up.

Conclusion:  Keeping it short and sweet, these three fashion trends are still here in the winter, and will be sticking around into next spring too. By then you will really need a new approach on how you will be wearing them. So shake it up and think outside of the box. Make these designs relevant again. Also- make sure that you maintain the delicate balance between the 1960s style and the 1980s style--you want to lean more towards the 1960s style. Don't bring back the 1980s--I know its hard not to in the age of printed-pattern clothing galore and bright yellow pumps--but you must not take it there. Keep it current and stylish all the way. 

Stay tuned for my next blog entry series: The Dirt on the Trendiest Shops in the City. I will be discussing clothing styles, arrangements, displays, prices, taste, and most importantly of all--customer service.  I won't be holding back any punches, even with shops that I like to shop in.  Well bye for now until then! And as always--get some SugarandSpice in your life ! ^_^

How to Look Your Best and Not Under Durrest ! The Plus Size Edition

Hey guys--I promised to make a blog that tells you how to stay current, how to get it all for less and how to really look amazing! In this blog I'm gonna focus more on the "looking amazing" part, because I think it's time to talk about this. This blog is all about how to dress well as a plus-size woman. 

It's an issue that most magazines skip past or barely mention.  Also so-called "fashion forward" plus size stores claim to have your best interests at heart , but they really can make you look awful. Some of these places claim that you can wear what that skinny toothpick girl is also wearing because they made it bigger. Women go into these stores and buy that size 18 spaghetti dress, walking away with  the false confidence that they can offically be just like that skinny toothpick. But its not right or fair. It's literally straight up false advertising. 

 I actually spent some time going through some of these plus sizes stores/sections seeing exactly what they were pushing to their customers. In some places I liked what I saw, but it was very common to come across something that most plus-size women should never ever wear. So I've decided to write a little bit about what you gals should and shouldn't be seen in.

Patterns, colors, cuts, sizes, pleats--I'm gonna talk about all of this and more! Why? Because it must be addressed. And I'm saying it cause I love you all and truly want the best for you!! 

The one retail store that you can rely on to constantly reproduce the current trends in a wearable way is Lane Bryant--remember that--Lane Bryant! Just in case you forget, I will mention this store's name over and over again until you get that this is so the it store to be!

Sensitive Issue Time: How to keep it Going Strong in Plus Sizes

Omg. Don't kill me, don't hate me, please.  Just listen. 

I have to talk about this because it's something that is a very sensitive issue for people that fall into this size category. I am the size that I am. But I have many friends that range in very different dress sizes and it doesn't phase me a bit. I love it. But everyone knows that "plus-size" is the new norm in America.  It's just a fact. So rather than making people feel bad that they have a certain dress size, instead, we should embrace them and make them feel special. A size is just a size, it doesn't reflect what kind of soul it is that you have inside. Some people can be horribly mean and be as skinny as a runway model--their size doesn't make them beautiful at all.

So take this in as I go over this part--big is beautiful because it is you. If you have health issues, however, and losing weight will make it go away then by all means you must go and seek health advice, get a healthy diet and really push yourself to get to where you need to be. You can't enjoy life if you expire because you were unable to maintain a healthy diet and liftestyle. Lose the weight to extend your life span.  Lose the weight if you feel you need to and not because someone else has bullied you into doing so. 

Don't Let Their Opinions Control You! You are Better than They Are!

You should all be aware that October is National Anti-Bullying month. Many people fall prey to the horrid acts of insensitive people. But you should never let the words of insensitive people hurt you. If you want to or need to change, don't let the petty people around you make that decision for you.  I've found that when it comes to making drastic changes with yourself, you only do it if you truly need to and want to ---not because your douche bag boyfriend or bitchy frenemies tell you to. If you don't truly want or need to change you, then you can not. 

Phew. Now that we have gotten all of that out of the way, it's time to tell you how to feel comfortable and look fabulous in your own skin.


Stripes and Black are slimming? Well It All Depends

I'm sorry, but this poor woman actually has a nice well rounded body--but in this pix she looks like a stripped , huge round beach ball . Doesn't do her body justice!

Everyone has heard that black is sliming and that stripes are too; but here's what you don't know--it all depends on the size, cut and color balance of these two looks. Let's deal firstly with the stripes issue. In more sophisticated terms, the width of stripes and their vertical/horizontal orientation determines how slim they make you look.

The Science of Stripes:  The Width Determines the Fit

The width of the black stripe is bigger than the yellow stripe. The yellow will accentuate the parts that you want to, while the black will slim out the other parts you don't want accentuated. 

Some people don't realize that the width of stripes featured on your clothing determines how slimming that dress will look. For example, stripes are only slimming on you if the thin line is the light color, and the dark color is the bigger, bolder stripe. Or if both stripes themselves are teeny weeny ones then it can have that desired slimming effect. If both of them are big and bold, however, then the orientation of the line will be the last factor in making the garment look slim. In other words, the width of the lines determines how slimming it looks. 

Vertical vs. Horizontal

These vertical lines are perfect in color and width and compliment any body type.

The type of lines that make up these strips effects how slim it is that you look, aka horizontal versus vertical lines. I believe that horizontal lines are for people who aren't so curvaceous or for people who desire to call more attention to their curviness. I believe that vertical lines downplay your curviness. So you can mix and match these two depending on what image you're going for. 

Horizontal lines that would look great on most body types. 

 Often times many women, size 0-20+, don't understand how these shapes drastically changes the shape that they want to portray to the world. So remember this, thin lighter stripes over the darker is the best way to go.  And if both stripes are very thin together, then this will look great on you as well. I'm more of a thin stripped, vertical-line kind of girl, but to each their own. Black, however, is a whole nother story.

This woman , a plus size indeed, wears her weight well by wearing the right colors and cuts in the right way. She is curvaceous and fabulous . Use this concept .

Black is slimming only in certain flattering cuts. Sometimes, based on your curves, skin tone, hair color and size--black can make you look like a huge beach ball, a cheap whore or a total hot mess. Get to know your body so you don't make this error. That "little black dress" only works if it compliments ALL parts of your body. Seriously. ALL parts. And when you seek out that "little black dress" you must have a clear vision of what you want that dress to do and what kind of vibe you want to give off. To make these distinctions clear, I will make up three different categories : Sultry, Cute and Office. 

If you want sultry, you have to think about  showing legs , cleavage and curves.  If you want cute, you have to think about the waist fit, the shoulder cuts and the way the dress grabs you in a warm, cuddly yet fun way. If you want office, you have to make sure that cleavage is packed away or subtlely shown, its knee length at least so that it screams womanly but appropiate. If you consider these issues with these three concepts, you can successfully achieve whatever version of this look you want. 

Wear black and wear it well. The power is in your hands.

Color .  Color Blocking. Color Fun! Period.

NO!! NO!!!! OMG NO!!!

Color. Choose wisely from the colors you will see before you very, very carefully. A solid neon yellow or turquoise pencil-shaped/mini-dress can never, ever, ever be your friend. It calls too much attention to your waist, your hips and your legs. And you don't want all of that attention. You want to put on something that exuberates Fall 2012 in the most flattering way possible. Color blocking--thank goodness--is very in this season and will be your savior as well as your great creative direction.

Lane Bryant does it right in this top! Just a tease of skin and it fits so well 

 If you truly want to show a little skin, then you have to give the skin-teasing tops and dresses a shot. For example, a full shirt that is button down or totally closed with little slits on top of the shoulder areas. The top till middle part of your shoulder usually shows less jiggly-weight than does completely exposed arms or legs. So if you're worried about the potential excessive layered skin effect, then you can go with this look. 

Ugh! Ashley Stewart is pushing the wrong kind of color blocked dress here, the lighter color is the strongest one present! It grabs at your body too much and will show unwanted parts and gives you a whole "hootchie mama" look too---and you deserve better than that!

Plus--jump on the band wagon of color blocking apparel! It creates so many fun and exciting angles for you!

Shawls, Cowls , Wraps and Jackets---all made just for you!

I really have to give Lane Bryant a huge pat on the back for carrying some of the BEST selections of plus size clothing . Ashley Stewart ( a plus-size only store), Rainbow , H&M  and other stores that have a plus-size section usually don't go the extra mile to adjust their clothing to suit your body type. It's just the same design, same material--except bigger. And that's really not the best thing if it won't look good on your body type . But Lane Bryant tends to transform the current fashion trends so that it translates well for your body.

This is a shell designed as a cowl in a wonderful fall/wintery print. There are so many cuts and angles to it that it creates an amazing structured look on your body that makes it look curvy and fresh!

Fall time means its layering season. Scarves, wraps, and the like are totally in now. Lane Bryant grasps at this trend and pulls magical bunnies out of their hat just for you! This pix below, which although does have its own caption, is another example of how this company takes everything to the next level. I want to wear this cape. Anyone would love to wear this cape.  Luckily, it's all for you guys!

YOWSA!! Look at this amazing, amazing cape! The pattern is amazing! The cut is great for ANY body type! Go Lane Bryant!

Lane Bryant currently has killer looks with your body in mind! I can't stop singing their praises really!  Their collection of versatile inner-outter wear is astounding--check out this amazing color blocked poncho. I love it! Its so sophisticated and slimming all at the same time!  All in all, Lane Bryant has a great collection of sportswear, casual wear and formal wear that flatters you. Put them up there on your list of top stores to shop at.

Did Someone Say Jumpsuits?!!

Featured here are 2  strapless jump suits created by Fanista. Look at how it gathers so that your belly isn't seen and your waist is accentuated ! 

Yes! Believe it or not, jump suits are pretty much naturally made to flatter any body shape or size! They are usually fitted but loose at the same time, and this is the one thing that is sold in most stores that a plus size woman can buy with confidence that it will fit her well! There's something magical about jumpsuits, I just can't describe it!

This stunning piece of work can be found at this website :http://www.plusshe.com/

I bought my first jumpsuit over the summer, and whether I was walking around on the beach or dancing my heart out in the club , I felt so comfy, free and beautiful all at the same time. Most retail shops are pushing these out now, so go out there and find one that speaks to you the most. You will love how it holds you and how great you feel in it. 

Pleated Looks Does it!

Nothing but pleat showing here! Although I disagree with the sleeveless part of it, overall it does an excellent job of fashion flare and awesome coverage.

Oh. My. Gosh. Seriously. Pleats are the BEST thing for anyone. Like ANYONE. Like ANY body type. It gives you a whimsical and sophisticated look with little to no regard at all whatsoever to your body size! It makes me feel magical and weightless even when I'm having a really bad bloated day or I just don't like what I see when I look into the mirror.  Ladies, grab this up. Tops, skirts, dresses, omg. Pleated clothing does not discriminate, it loves you no matter what size you are. 

Just a little fyi--don't take it in the too "cheesy" direction . Match it up in nice, normal tones. If you are going to get a silver pleated dress...it may call too much attention to yourself in a not-so-good way. But a metallic, dark color is the best thing for you. Please DON'T get this in  neon yellow, neon orange, lime green or neon pink. That's half way to cheesy and trashy town. Plus, its the fall not the summer or spring so you really shouldn't be wearing those kind of colors in a pleated style anyway ( not that it can be pulled off so gracefully during the summer or spring at all). It's fall so indulge yourself in dark blues, purples, violets, greens, grays, browns, reds and blacks. If you are getting the glittery kind of pleated styles,the glare of it all will make up for the dark colors and give you that extra sparkle at night. No need to get a bright color to look like a shining star in the dark city night! 

Give your Hair that Extra Flair! 

Here's the thing, as I mentioned before in my second blog entry--big hair is in. And big hair also has the power to take the attention off your body. If your hair is big and bursting with tons of volume, it actually gives the illusion that you are much tinier than you actually are!  I've been doing the big hair thing since the spring and I love what it does for me! Its sooo big that it overshadows my waist and make me look super slim! 

Disclaimer: There is no guarantee that everyone who tries this clever little fashion trick will get the exact same results I did, but you will get something that takes the attention off your body and slims you down a bit. Give it a shot. Do an ode to whitney houston or just a throw back to diana ross.  Big hair will help you in the long run for the better, so get the blow dryer and start teasing it! ^_^.

Make Up Revolution

Rihanna is rocking the black eyeliner, bright red lip look here. Dramatic and Sensual all in one! 

Big hair is in, yes it is! Since it will make your face a major focal point you really should do something great to pull people into it. So  if you're more of a same-routine type of gal when it comes to make up, now would be a great time to start experimenting! I personally love the overly dramatic look with either a whimsical or sultry feel. Some days I want to feel like a floating fairy; other days I want to feel so sensual and super sexy. 

Loreal Makes the Best Eyeshadows that aid me creating my Fairy-like look!

Dark and defined eyeliner with bright crimson red lips are the perfect companions to capture that dramatic-sensual look. A colorful array of fall-toned eyeshadows in green, brown, purple, orange , lilac, gold, silver and  black along with pixy-pink blush captures the dramatic-fairy look so easily. These are good guidelines to work with, but everyone has their own look and their own taste, so experiment ladies. You will be glad that you did.  

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Ahh omg!! I'm so excited for you gals, you're gonna rock out this fall 2012 season in style ! I hope this itty, bitty little entry will help you in nailing down your look in just the way you want to! And don't fret or cry when you hear the word "plus-size". Think of it the way that I do, there's more of the awesomeness that is you to love. And I want you to rock it out in the best way possible. I <3 u guys! So until next time, keep rocking it! And don't forget to get some Sugar and Spice in your life!