For those of you who love a statement shoe, this is your year!

Pointed toes, color blocking, mixed textures and bold colors promise to keep your outfits interesting.

To read the full article, click here…

To find the perfect suit for you, determine your body type, then shop only the shapes and styles that will flatter you. Don’t waste time on suits you may love but don’t love you back! To determine your body type, take this quiz or identify yourself in the pictures and video below.

Also – shop online.  Spare yourself the torture of trying on a zillion bathing suits in horrible fluorescent-lit fitting rooms!!  Many retailers will offer free shipping with a minimum purchase. You will only be charged shipping on what you return, a small price to pay for the opportunity to try on in the privacy of your (perhaps candlelit?) bedroom!  (I also recommend wine.)

The hourglass figure, which tends to be the coveted body type, is someone who has shoulders and hips that are in proportion to each other and a small defined waist. The best swimsuit for this body type is anything with an evenly proportioned top and bottom.

The rectangle body type also has shoulders and hips that are in proportion to each other, but with a larger waist. Rouching, diagonals, or crisscrossing help slim down this figure, as well as a v-neck top.

A triangle body type is someone who is fuller on their bottom half. Someone with this “pear-shaped” body wants a bathing suit that brings the attention upwards, such as a swimsuit with horizontal stripes on the top and plain bottoms.

The inverted triangle figure has broad shoulders and/or a large bust but smaller hips or thighs. The right swimsuit for this body type is one that directs the attention downwards. A plain top with a patterned bottom is ideal for slimming down this shape.

*Don’t forget to order up a size from your usual clothing size.

Buying info:

Beyond Belief Pedicure at Alayne White Spa

Corkcicle Wine Chiller

Summer scarves from Francesca’s

Four-way convertible necklace from NewportStyle.net

Enamel Bangle Bracelets

Wonder Woman mug

Face Couture at Arch Beauty

Our girls are experiencing puberty younger and younger and often physically look like women long before they are emotionally mature. What she finds appropriate for her age, you may find too provocative. It’s a difficult dance helping guide your daughter toward womanhood while also preserving her innocence.

My advice? Choose your battles. Your daughter’s clothing choices may not be your taste or preference, but as long as it’s appropriate, let it go. Teens need to experiment with personal style in order to express themselves. A few years from now she may laugh at the choices she made, but she’ll be glad you let her make them.

As far as appropriateness, I stand by the advice I give all my clients: keep things balanced and show one thing but not another. For example, for prom, a strapless gown that is floor length may show a bit of cleavage but cover up the legs. The same balancing act applies to makeup application – emphasize the eyes OR the lips, but not both. I highly recommend a lesson with a professional makeup artist – it’s a fun mother-daughter activity (and you’ll both learn something!)

If your daughter is blissfully unaware of what is appropriate and what is not, ask this simple question to get her to stop and think: “What do you think that outfit/makeup tells people about who you are?”

If you and your teen are at a style stalemate, you’re not alone. Teenaged girls tend to take out their frustration and anger on their mothers because they are the nearest (and safest) targets. As a result, she may not want to hear anything you have to say, and it could be time to outsource the problem! Enlist an aunt, friend, or other trusted adult to take your daughter shopping and provide a fresh perspective.

Do you need a “style mediator” to help navigate your daughter’s style during her teen years? Contact me for help!

Spring is right around the corner, and now is a perfect time to spruce up your wardrobe.
Click the video below for the latest trends and my tricks for incorporating some fresh style into your closet!

Click here for my advice on purging and “upgrading” your underwear! (full article on Online RI)