Posts with tag 'Fashion Tips'

August 17, 2010
- Eco Friendly Accessories - Milena's Must-Have

January 13, 2010
- Look Good While You Lose Weight!

By far the most common New Year's resolution this year was to lose weight and exercise more...but did you know that less than half of American's actually achieve their New Year's resolution? In fact, most have abandoned their resolution by the third week in January! Why? Not only do we not always believe in them, but we aren't taking the extra steps to fully engage ourselves in our goals.

While I can't give you advice on how to exercise or eat right - I'll leave that to my expert trainer Emilee Jones, I can give you style advice that is often overlooked in weight loss plans, but is crucial to your self-esteem and ultimately reaching your weight loss goals.

It's simple: Look Successful. Feel Successful. Be Successful.

I use this tag line to describe the importance of a professional and social wardrobe to help you achieve your goals. It applies to your workout life too! If you are hitting the gym in your husband's shirt or the t-shirt from college that is too tight or unflattering...what do you think you will see in the mirror as you're lifting those weights or participating in a group exercise class? Someone who is overweight and looks ill fit in his/her clothes, that's who!

On the other hand, if you put on a workout outfit that actually contours your body and compliments your curves, you'll see the potential of a slimmer or more cut you! You'll also be able to see the progress you make as you begin to shed pounds. This will encourage you to keep doing what you are doing. Most people need to see some noticeable difference in order to keep up their stamina over a long period of time. When you wear clothes that are too big - you can't see the 5lbs you worked so hard to lose. You deserve it, so put on something that is more flattering to your body!

Don't know where or what to look for in your workout clothes? Here are a few brands that I recommend. Contact Milena at www.milenaconsulting.com if you need help finding the perfect workout wardrobe!

Lululemon www.lululemon.com Available for both men and women. The most stylish and flattering - you'll want to wear them even when you're not working out (but don't!)
Zella www.nordstrom.com Available for women. Good for yoga and lighter activities. Notice the contoured seaming which is very flattering!
Prana www.prana.com Perfect for the outdoorsy types. Who knew you could look so good climbing a mountain? (pictured above)
Nike www.nike.com A wardrobe staple for anyone who is a runner or does high intensity workouts!

(from lululemon.com)

November 18, 2009
- The Holiday Look: Affordable and Effortlessly Fabulous!

This holiday season you may have an assortment of different holiday parties to attend including office parties, get togethers with friends, charity events and the list goes on. In the past, many of us would go out and buy a whole new outfit from shoes to jewelry. However in today's economy, even those of us who can afford it, are cutting back. Money or not, I believe the best looks are the ones that look fabulous, yet effortless. Here's some tips for you to start putting together those holiday outfits without spending a whole lot or looking like you just spent your entire bonus in an effort to impress.

Keep It Classic This is a universal rule, no matter what the occasion. You can never go wrong with classic pieces. They are appealing to most people and you never risk being a fashion victim. No matter if you are headed to a conservative office party or a funky art gallery charity event, you'll fit in and be approachable. Men should wear dark ties in rich colors with a suit jacket for more formal events. A nice sport jacket in a solid color, subtle pattern or texture. Women should wear a tailored skirt and jacket or pretty blouse. Use jewelry like diamonds and pearls to add a little sparkle.

Rework What You Have Save your green for gifts and after holiday sales. It never makes sense to spend money on clothes that you are only going to wear a few times a year. Instead, shop in your closet. Men can do this pretty easily. Just use the same sport jacket and change the shirt and tie up. Contrary to our social belief, it's ok to wear the same dress twice. Take the dress you wore to the office party last week and wear it to the benefit party this week. Change up the accessories to make it feel new and different. I love black stone jewelry; it's different from your typical diamonds and still conveys a sleek elegance. It can also look edgy if done in the right way. Put the necklace from White House Black Market (above), with a simple black sheath dress (which you probably have in your closet) and you're instantly styled!

Keep It Simple Skip the Swarovski drenched dress and accessories. Use warm rich colors but keep it simple with the bling. I'm always a fan of a fun cocktail ring. It makes a good conversation piece and stands out without being obvious. Go for one standout piece. It could be a cool detail in your dress, bold earrings or a statement necklace. Limit yourself to one, otherwise you look like your trying too hard and your pieces start to compete for attention.

All men look more "manly" with a nice metal band watch. Skip the leather bands. A simple chain necklace works for men who naturally accessorize. If you do not normally wear a necklace, this is not the time to try it. You'll look uncomfortable.

Prioritize: Clothes, Shoes, Accessories If you feel like you have nothing in your closet that will work, then head to the stores. Based on your budget, spend the bulk of your money on the clothing, then the shoes, then the accessories. The clothing is going to be the largest, most noticeable piece on you. You not only want to have a quality piece that you can wear again and again, but you don't want to waste money on something that you don't love. Hopefully you can find shoes at home, but if not, then get a pair of shoes that will work for several special occasion outfits. Do not be matchy-matchy and get unique shoes that will only work with that particular outfit. You'll be wasting money.

Lastly, if you still have money left over in your budget, buy some accessories. If not, these are easy to borrow from a friend. You can pair inexpensive jewelry with a nice outfit. Some of the best jewelry I have is $10 from the B.P. department in Nordstrom. Target is a great source for some modern and fun pieces too!

Most importantly have fun and know that it isn't a fashion contest. It's about feeling good about the way you look and enjoying yourself at the party!

October 25, 2009
- Shine Like a Diamond!

Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat - the 4 C's for finding the perfect diamond. If you want to shine like a diamond apply the same principles to your wardrobe!

Color Color is powerful! Some colors will enhance your best features like your eyes and soften any flaws like circles under your eyes. If you are wearing the wrong colors you could unintentionally be accentuating an uneven skin tone or making yourself appear paler. With the right colors you can camouflage those flaws and brighten your complexion, making you appear even younger! First, find out if you have a warm or cool undertone. If you have a warm undertone you'll look better in orange/yellow based colors. If you have a cool undertone, you'll look better in green/blue based colors. Don't know if you are warm or cool? Schedule a Style Assessment ($25 off to milenablog readers). Once you know what colors work for you, try and keep those colors close to your face. Either avoid the colors that don't or wear them in other places such as a skirt or a handbag.

Cut How a garment fits you depends largely upon how it is cut. You will find that higher quality fabrics and designs not only cost more, but fit better. Nothing beats a custom made shirt or suit that fits you precisely. However, if you don't have a budget for custom clothing, then it's even more important that you pay attention to cut. You are only as small as your body is, so wearing clothing that contours your body closely will be most flattering. Wearing boxy clothing or clothes that are too big or too tight are only going to add unneeded volume to your figure. Use cut to create clean lines and accentuate or camouflage where necessary.

Clarity Create a wardrobe strategy by having a clear idea of what your style is now and where you would like it to be. Many of us buy the same things out of habit or buy foolishly because of a lack of time or planning. Know that your lifestyle and budget change throughout your life so if you are still shopping in the teen section and you have your own teen that is a sign you need to re-evaluate your wardrobe strategy. The best way to determine what you need is to first figure out what you have. Evaluate your wardrobe and clean out the things that you don't wear, don't fit or are worn out. Make a list of items that you are missing or need replacing. This will give you the direction you need to start building your wardrobe. If you are overwhelmed at the thought of this, schedule a Wardrobe Edit with your favorite personal stylist and your closet will be cleaned out and you'll have a shopping list in less than 4 hours!

Carat Measure the value of your wardrobe to you based on how it affects you emotionally and physically. "Look Successful. Feel Successful. Be Successful." When you have on an outfit that you know makes you look good, your confidence peaks and you feel empowered! It's not about having the latest styles and trends-I actually tell most of my clients to limit their trendy clothes to only 10% of their wardrobe-it's about feeling put together and viewing yourself positively! Knowing that you deserve to look and feel good is the first step to creating a wardrobe that is rich in carats!

October 6, 2009
- Dress Like "You" for Halloween...Scary Thought?

Have you ever thought about being yourself for Halloween? If “you" were hanging on the rack of a costume shop would you want to be “you"? What would “you" look like?

Halloween is a time for us to experiment, have fun and even try out an alter ego! Think of the time and thought you put into a costume for one night, compared to the ones you wear every day. It could be scary. Like it or not, we live in a world where we are constantly judged on appearance. Even without being discriminating we have certain assumptions that we make about an individual. If you see someone who has a wrinkly shirt on you may assume that they are lazy or messy. If you see someone at an event wearing khakis when everyone else is wearing a suit, you might think they are at the wrong place or that they're part of the staff.

Think about the “costume" that you wear everyday. What does it say about you? If you are intelligent, organized, and creative on the inside then you want your clothes to say those same things on the outside. Take those words that you want people to associate with you and find ways to visualize them through your clothes. Here are a few tips and examples using men's shirts and women's suits:

Powerful/Ambitious– use striped patterns, angled or straight cut styles and dark colors to convey authority. Keep clothing tailored to fit your body and wear crisp and smooth fabrics.

Friendly/Caring– use rounded patterns, curved styles and soft, muted colors like mauve or brown to convey friendliness. Clothing can be a little looser and full of texture.

Creative/Modern– mix patterns, combine styles and use splashes of bold color over neutral colors like grey and black. Blend loose and tight clothing together in one outfit.

The key is to truly look like “you", whatever that is. We use the word "costume" in place of "outfit", only because of the holiday. Your outfit should never feel like a costume! For example, some women may feel like they are wearing a costume if they were outfitted in some of the clothes we’ve seen on Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City. While many of these are amazing couture pieces, for some women it would feel like they were playing dress up.

Your costume should be desirable. First ask yourself how you feel about it and then ask a close friend. Have them give you three things they like about your style and any constructive criticism on what they dislike. You can even be as direct to ask them if they would want to wear your costume. Finding out why or why not will let you if you need a little tweaking or a whole new fitting. If you have been wearing the wrong costume for years, you may just seek the expert advice of a stylist, like Milena. She’ll help you create a costume that represents you on the inside and fits just right on the outside!

November 24, 2008
- Five Top Tips For Professional Dress

Here are five top tips that can have you looking sharp and professional. Sometimes we just need a reminder of what is appropriate for work, even in a business casual environment you need to pay attention to what you wear. It only takes 7 seconds to make a first impressions and 55% of that impression is based on how you present yourself!

1. Use neutral colors as the framework for your outfit. These colors are black, gray, brown, beige, taupe, and cream. Then add a piece that is in your color palette. For example pair a gray suit with eggplant (purple) shell, button-up, scarf or tie. The gray suit is the foundation and is refined, while the color will add creative interest while making you look more energized and interesting.

2. Make sure your clothes fit appropriately. In a professional environment you want to be careful not to "overexpose" yourself. Showing cleavage is never appropriate. This can easily be fixed with a camisole under any shirt. Your skirt length should be no shorter than 2 inches from your knee. Visit a tailor to make sure your suit fits properly, as there is nothing more unprofessional or obvious than an ill fitting suit.

3. Accessorize with caution and class. Your accessories should be used to enhance your visual presence, not distract from your message. Chandelier earrings, multiple bangle bracelets and any accessories that swing or make noise while you move can all be major distractions. Keep your jewelry simple and clean. Limit yourself to three pieces or less. Use scarves to attract attention to your face. Use classy, simple hair accessories to secure hair in place and keep it off your face.

4. Look at the whole picture. When people meet you, they look at you from head to toe. No piece goes unnoticed, so if you are carrying a worn out bag or have scratched up shoes, they will notice. Details such as having your nails groomed and cleaned is just as important. If you have a fabulous outfit on, but your hair looks like a mess, then you've ruined the picture!

5. Mix it up. Wearing the same suit with the same old button-up can be really boring. In today's world, there are so many other options that don't include a button up and matchy-matchy suit pieces. Try pairing a tailored blazer with a high-waisted pencil skirt or blouse. Pair a tweed skirt with a silk, flowy blouse. By mixing different materials you get a little bit different feel out of the outfit. For more casual looks you can jazz up some neutral black or cream pants with a long sweater jacket layered over a fitted t-shirt (must be high quality) and add a fun, but appropriate necklace. Men can opt for high quality t-shirt with a blazer over it - it looks simple, yet sophisticated!