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| Beauty |
 Spice
Up Your Wardrobe - Just In Time For The HolidaysBy Sharon Syverson of Designs By Sharon With the Christmas season right around the corner, life is busy. We have a long list of things to do and seasonal parties to attend. You may find yourself standing in front of your closet in a panic saying, “I have nothing to wear to this party!” With all the gift shopping, in addition to working all day, it may seem impossible to find the time and money to get the perfect outfit for the many functions coming up. You stare at your wardrobe in your closet and dream that your Fairy Godmother would appear and solve your fashion dilemma. Back to reality, you do a search of your wardrobe in hopes of finding an outfit that no one at this party has seen before. Your husband tells you to just wear the dress from last year’s Christmas party. Right at that moment, you know that men just do not understand women. If your husband can recall the outfit you wore to the party last year, there is a good chance that everyone else could too. Good fashion sense tells us that we don’t want to wear the same outfit twice and especially not two years in a row. Now what if you could transform your favorite comfortable outfit into a new updated look without breaking the bank. A Dream Come True! Every season fashion trends change and it can be hard -- almost impossible, to keep up with the new styles. The good thing with fashion in this day and age is that you see many different looks. For example, the hem of a skirt can be short, long or mid-length, and all are in style. I believe today’s style is all about being an individual and finding a look that best suits your personality. Where better to find your look than in your closet? You have already acquired a style that reflects who you are and the image you want to portray. Most everyone has many basic, yet stylish, items in their wardrobe that could be transformed into a new trendy look just by adding a little spice. I have changed and updated the design of many wardrobe pieces by making simple alterations or by adding funky, inexpensive accessories. Spicing up your wardrobe and extending the life of favorite garments is a lot easier than you think. There is no need to have a fashion degree or be an expert seamstress. Anyone can rework their wardrobe and get longer life out of every outfit. Recycling your clothing can be a very rewarding accomplishment since you save money and have a chance to be creative. When I think of changing the design of a garment, I may ask myself if this item is something I want to keep in my wardrobe. Sometimes you may feel that you need to give a clothing item away because it does not fit anymore or it might be worn out. If this is true, it is time to say goodbye. If you choose to keep the outfit, there are simple ways for you to change the design or style of the garment. For example, a long skirt could always be shortened and a short sleeve dress could be changed into a sleeveless dress. If you are not a seamstress or don’t own a sewing machine -- no problem. You can still perform many of these simple alterations. There are many different fusing and permanent glue products available on the market today that are safe and easy to use on many fabrics and will allow you to achieve the look of a sewn hem. With that concept in mind a person could get really creative and transform a last year’s Christmas outfit into a new, trendy garment that no one would ever recognize. By simply adding a beautiful bead, rhinestone, feather or ribbon trim to the hem, sleeve or pockets you can create a new look. A good example is taking a pair of dress pants and adding a shiny, matching satin ribbon down the outside seam, achieving a chic and trendy tuxedo look for a very small cost. Attaching a rhinestone trim to the hem and neckline of your favorite black dress, this gives you a fresh look with an old favorite. A large variety of ribbon, feathered, beaded and rhinestone trims are available at many craft and fabric stores. These inexpensive trims can add life, elegance, and a hit of color to many of your favorite outfits. This winter season accessories, like beautiful beaded brooches, colorful scarves and knitted shawls, are trendy fashion must-haves. These accessories are definitely a way to spice up your wardrobe without breaking the bank. Accessories can also be used to transform the design of a garment and allow you to create a fresh look without sewing. Solid and patterned scarves are a way to add a little color to your wardrobe, and are also ideal to wear as belts and hair accessories. One of the latest trends is to wear a cluster of brooches of different colors and sizes on a blazer lapel, hat, handbag or sweater. Another great example of accessorizing with a brooch, is pinning it to one side of your neckline facing a sleeve or pinning it in the center of your neckline accentuating your bust. Then gather the fabric and attaching the brooch to your bra or bra strap. This will create a unique neckline and offers a wide range of possibilities for many garment pieces. These fashion-forward styles are a great way to implement color and variety to the key pieces of your wardrobe. This winter season you will find a wide range of fashion accessories available at many shopping locations. Your local thrift or consignment stores are also great places to find unique and funky vintage accessories. They offer inexpensive products with charter help so that you can achieve that trendy new look at a great low price. Fashion trends come and go! But don’t be afraid to spend good money on those classic wardrobe items. They will never go out of style. Remember that you can easily add small alterations to trendy, inexpensive items that can update and create many stylish looks. Fashion magazines and TV shows are continuously featuring new trends and can be a great resource. The key is to choose the latest fashion ideas that compliment your style. Not every fashion trend is intended for every body type, so you must feel comfortable before you can feel stylish. I believe your style is your own and feeling great is the first step to looking great. Sharon Syverson is a fashion designer & owner of Designs By Sharon. She operates & designs a clothing line call Giddy Up, which is sold to western stores & is available through home parties. Sharon can be reached at 403.818.3709 or by email at ssdesign@telus.net |