When life gives you lemons...

I've heard the saying for most of my life, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." What happens when the world gives you rotten lemons?

I think I understand what it must feel like to be in Limbo. I've never really believed in a Limbo; souls being stuck somewhere, not here nor there, until their unfinished life business is completed. This is where I hang, torn between normalcy and achieving my life's greatest goal. I'm at the point where I don't know when my life business will be completed. It could be tomorrow, a month from now, three months from now, or even ten years from now. I've invested so much time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears into this store of mine. I feel if I turn away now I will have wasted so much of me, and I know I would regret it.

On the other hand, I've sacrificed a normal life to fulfill my dreams. Every guy I've ever wanted to date thinks I'm either insane, or I'm "too much" for them. I've given up close relationships with friends and family members because they don't believe in me so I can't be completely honest with them. And I've given up applying for jobs that can take me somewhere. Instead, I'm stuck at a kiosk...people watching.

Today I saw a friend from Fashion School in the halls of the mall I work at. She came over and we quickly caught up. She was dressed in perfect clothes, had a new perfect job as a visual merchandiser, and was now engaged to her perfect boyfriend. After we said goodbye, I got in my beat up car and cried. I cried for a life never lived, and I cried for a life I was scared never would come.

After that incident all these fears kept crawling in. What if I never fall in love? What if I never open my business? What if I'm stuck in these terrible jobs for the rest of my life? And the scariest question of all...What if I've been wrong this whole time?

I don't know exactly why I'm posting this on my blog. I hope you don't think I'm giving up my dreams, because I'm not. I just feel torn between the known and the unknown, and frankly I don't know which is scarier.

I guess the lesson that will always be learned is under every circumstance you must:

Be Your Own Beautiful

Liz

Black Friday...A dismal day for fashion! Men's edition.

Today was every retailers greatest day and worst nightmare. Women become crazy demons, impolite predators, and pushy sale-hungry lionesses. However, surprisingly enough, todays award for the most fashion blunders and faux pas' was given, hands down, to the men!! I don't care how comfortable you're trying to be, it is never ok to wear sweats or pajamas out in public!!! If it were up to me every man would look like he stepped out of a Banana Republic and J. Crew catalog. I do realize that every man has their own unique style, just like every woman has theirs, I just wish sometimes they would leave that style at home!

Sweat it out

No. No. No. No. No. Sigh. I really hate sweats in public. Whatever happened to jeans? Or Khakis? Dockers anyone??? Bueller?

When it rains...it floods?

I dig the fire engine red floods with the loafers. Who says you can't mix business with casual? 1)Stacy London 2)Clinton Kelly 3)Tim Gunn 4) Michael Kors 5) Calvin Klein 6)Me 7).....

P to the J's

These are Smurf PJ's. No Comment.

And the winner is...

Low Rida!

This guys pants were so low (how low were they?) they were so low that penguins in Antarctica felt like they were being mocked. Really dude? I thought this fad ended in 1994.

Enjoy my Black Friday blunders.

Be Your Own Beautiful (tastefully!)

Liz

So, you think you can dress?

Sitting at a kiosk is a mind-numbing process. You sit, you greet, occasionally you straighten. But, the best part of my job is people watching. Here are some of my favorite outfits of the day.

Bubbles!



This is meant to be a bubble skirt. Hers looks like it's sagging somehow. The length and color are fine but, if there was a little less bubble at the bottom it would be amazing. Like this one.



That's nacho poncho!



Okay, so this one is on a man but, the rules still apply. Here he has a hoodie underneath his poncho. Personally, I never liked ponchos very much. For bigger women they tend to look like a giant sack on our hills and valleys. Here is what I would have done if I were in his...er...cowboy boots.



Christmas Pants



First mistake: wearing baggy plaid pants. Second mistake: pairing it with those red boots!!! Plaid is sooooo in! BUT! There's a way to wear it without making it look...outdated.



The Pink Parade!



I salute you sista for having the courage to step outside dressed as a bottle of pepto bismol. However; Halloween is no longer upon us. There's a way to wear pink, even neon, and keep it classy!!



So remember my dear readers it's ok to take a chance in fashion. Once you fall within the fashion rules and guidelines, then you're allowed to take fun chances on the color of the outfit or funky accessories! Play around with fashion, just be sure you have an honest friend who won't let you walk out the door looking ridiculous! Because someone's always watching!

Be Your Own Beautiful!

Liz

Reflections

Hello my dearest fashionistas!

I received a request to blog about how to take all the years of bargain hunting, garage sales, coupon clipping, and "I meant to only window shop but this was too cute to pass up" and turn it into a reflection of you. How do you take what is mass produced and turn it into an individual piece? How do you take something from, say, Target and completely redefine it to say "you"?

One thing I know for sure is stick with your strengths. I'm a conservative person. I don't like big parties, I don't drink, I keep my apartment pretty neat, and on any given Friday night I can be found watching an old movie with my closest friends. Now...who does this remind you of? With one word how would you describe my look from what I just said to you? The word I chose was...Grandma. I use a lot of cardigans in my attire. I have 4 or 5 different colors and styles of cardigans that I like to throw in the mix. If there is a particular dress I always wear a certain way, I'll throw on a bright turquoise sweater over it. I've also discovered how much I enjoy pendants in my accessorizing! I recently bought a bright red flower pendant that I'll throw on my colorful cardigans.

Now, not everyone has the same conservative style that I do. So, what can you do with your wardrobe? How can you shake things up? Ask yourself these questions:

1. My favorite thing in my closet is?....
2. My favorite color is?....
3. On any given Friday night you can find me?.....
4. If I could get rid of one thing in my closet it would be?....
5. I wish I could dress like (enter a celebrities name or someone in the public eye who's style you admire)
6. If I had to pick one article of clothing in my closet that describes me best it would be....
7. If I could travel anywhere, where would it be?...
8. How old am I (physically not mentally)?...

Now let me explain why these questions are so important. #1 my favorite thing in my closet is?... This question doesn't just describe the look of the garment, but the way you feel in it. Go ahead, I'll give you a second to put it on...ready? Now write down how you feel about yourself in this garment. Does it make you feel sexy, quirky, mysterious? Whichever word you used to describe yourself in the outfit is going to be the best word to describe your own personal style.

#2 My favorite color is?... this question isn't to get a specific color but to describe your favorite color scheme. Usually your psychological self will pick your favorite colors as the colors that will work best for your skin tone. I love vibrant colors. The brighter the better. I find that my attitude changes depending on the color I'm wearing.

#3 On any given Friday night you can find me?... Are you the the life of the party or are you at home like me enjoying popcorn and a movie? Are you cleaning your house frantically, or out on a nice, but quiet date with your significant other? You should always dress appropriately for the occasion you find yourself in. Please, Please, PLEASE, no pajamas to Walmart (or anywhere in public for that matter).

#4 If I could get rid of one thing in my closet it would be?... Mine would be the hoodies in the back of my closet that I never wear but I can't seem to get rid of them. Others would say the shirts you constantly have to fuss over, the dresses you always have to pull longer, or the jackets that don't hit you at the right angle. You now have my permission to get rid of them. There's a reason you subconsciously hate these articles of clothing!!!! THEY AREN'T YOU!!! You bought them on an impulse or you grew out of them, either way get rid of them. Realize that you can lead a girl to clothing that doesn't suit her, but you can't make her wear it. I knew a lady that I helped her purge her closet of bad taste and most of the things she was thrilled to be rid of them. I kept asking what she was thinking when she bought a certain item and she would tell me "I thought maybe I could try a different style, but I knew it really wasn't me". Listen, my lovelies...if you don't love it, if it doesn't really go with anything in your closet, if it's not your style...THEN DON'T BUY IT!!!! It's not going to magically become your favorite outfit overnight. Get rid of it...it's only holding you back.

#5 I wish I could dress like... Pick a celebrity or a public figure and research them. Find pictures of them in magazines or on the web and look at the way they dress and present themselves. My favorite fashion icon is Zooey Deschanel. She likes to take the old and make it young and hip. Many a time have I seen her rocking her casual style with a cardigan or two. If you like their style chances are you have an item or two in your closet that works for you too.

#6 The article of clothing that describes me best... Looking in my closet it would be either the cardigans or the bright colored dresses. Become the Sherlock Holmes of your wardrobe. Notice what you wear a lot. If that's too hard for you, get your closest friend in on the deal. Look at each others wardrobes and rediscover yourself through someone else's point of view.

#7 If I could travel anywhere, where would it be?... Pick a spot on the globe and research it. Some of my best designs come from architecture, food, flowers... Rarely does it ever come from clothing. Choose your favorite place on earth and look at their culture, food, architecture, etc. and apply a bit of that into your wardrobe. I personally love Tuscany with their golden brown stone and sunflowers dancing across the landscape. What's your favorite place? How do you incorporate it?

#8 How old are you?... If you've hit the 30 mark it is no longer acceptable for you to wear leggings, mini skirts, or high cleavage shirts (nor is it appropriate for any age to wear that last one...keep it in ladies!). Just like you should dress for the appropriate occasion, you should dress for your appropriate age.

I hope this has helped you figure out how to incorporate your style into your mass produced wardrobe. A lot of it has to do with the way you accessorize the outfit. Most importantly you should always stay true to who you are and what you stand for. People will notice if you're uncomfortable with your outfit.

Be your own beautiful.

Liz

If there is something about fashion you would like to know about just ask and maybe you'll see a blog about it in the future!!!

Dress the way you want to feel

Hello my fashionistas! A very key tip I've learned in dressing for success is: Dress the way you want to feel. You want to feel rich, happy, powerful, successful, important? Then dress like you take yourself seriously. You want to feel tired, moody, hopeless? Then don't bother even getting dressed in the morning.

There's so much psychological effects that clothing has on our psyche. Fashion affects the way people perceive us. For example: A woman walks into an interview to be a secretary. She'll be the first person that everyone sees when they walk into the company. She's dressed in jeans that are hopelessly frayed on the bottom, a t-shirt, and flip flops. Her hair is pulled into a messy pony tail and she has very little makeup on. Now the interviewer is going to take one look at her and realize that she's not a serious worker. The interview sees this girl as too casual and will take her work casually too. She's afraid nothing will get done on time, and as the face of the company people will think that the business is a casual work environment and deadlines are a thing of the past.

Now a different woman is applying for the same interview. She's wearing a clean cut button down shirt tucked into a pencil skirt. High heeled pumps (not too tall) adorn her feet, and her hair and makeup are clean and simple. The interview sees someone who pays attention to detail, is clean on the outside so she must be able to keep her station clean, and someone who takes herself seriously. This girl dressed like she already had the job. The interviewer isn't worried about deadlines with her.

Two women dressed two different ways for the same event. Which one would you hire? So many girls come to me saying...I wish I had a boyfriend who looked liked such and such. They want someone who dressed nicely all the time, or wears their hair a certain way, and they are baffled as to why they cannot find this certain someone. They look like they're trying too hard. Makeup is non-existent, and sweatpants are their evening wear. I say to these girls "dress as if you had that boyfriend." Would you want to stand next to an Abercrombie model looking like you shop at Hot Topic?

Fashion has more importance than we think. If you want a certain job, dress for it. You want a promotion? Dress for it. You want a boyfriend? Dress for it. You want happiness and inner peace? Dress for it. There's something about dressing for an occasion that puts your mindset there. So my dearest readers...dress the way you want to feel. But, always remember rule number one...

Be your own beautiful.

Liz

The MAGIC continues!

These are the Spring/Summer 2011 forecasted trends. Like I said in the previous blog, the nineties influence is in vogue with the grunge look in full swing. Yet they also predict a lot of femininity put into it that the nineties missed. Historic Interpretations from the Edwardian times, bohemian/artistic esthetics, and digital distortion are just some of the things you'll see hit the stores come spring. Now all we need is the giant bangs and we'll be in business.

Have fun using your own interpretation on these trends! Fashion is fun! Keep that in mind the next time you go shopping. It should never be a horrifying experience. Just remember to not take it so seriously. Bring your friends and have a laugh at the most ridiculous things there. And most importantly remember...

Be your own beautiful.

Liz

Photos courtesy of WGSN

The MAGIC of clothing

Hello my dear readers! I'm coming to you from Las Vegas, Nevada at the MAGIC trade show. Now, I've had to explain this at least 12,000 times so I will explain now for all of you. The MAGIC convention is not a place where the next Harry Houdini and David Copperfield flock to learn how to do magic, it is a fashion trade show where buyers and vendors can meet in one place and buy, trade, and sell their wares. There's also seminars and classes that you can attend when you are registered for the trade show.

Well, today I got to sit in and hear the fall/winter forecasts for 2011 and 2012. That's right folks, I will let you in on the secret! I"m going to tell you what you will see in 6-12 months from now....ready?...are you sure?....ok, here it goes...remember about 10 years ago when you were wearing velvet dresses, with your Mary Jane's? Remember the ugly christmas sweaters that your mom always gave you with the big reindeer dancing across the front? Remember fur shorts? Ok that last one never happened, but that ladies and gentlemen is exactly what you are going to be seeing on the racks of your favorite retail stores shortly....your entire childhood is going to come back and haunt you once again. Wasn't the first time bad enough???

There are a few trends coming around that I can get on board with. Coming back into play is the boarding school, preppy, geek chic look! Since I am a big fan of appearing on the outside to how you feel on the inside, I'm a big supporter of this look. Finally my geeky bottle-coke glasses will be back in style. Let me just put my knee socks on now and save myself the wait.

Well dear readers, here you are! An exclusive look at trends soon to come. The best part about fashion is you take what they give you and you put your own spin on it. No one can make you conform to fashion trends. No one can force you to wear something that you don't like (unless you wear a uniform to work then I pity you beyond belief...yes hot dog on a stick, I'm looking at you). The greatest part about fashion is creating a work of art, everyday, and you're the canvas. You get to express how you feel, think, and believe with the clothes you put on your back. You get to warn the world of your emotional day you're having before they even talk to you. And, you get to present your values, your views, and the way you feel about yourself to the world with one, quick, fleeting glance. YOU are a walking billboard. Enjoy it! Embrace it! But, most of all, don't abuse it. Learn to take yourself seriously by putting some dignity back into your clothing. Take pride in your beautiful body by treating it nicely, that includes dressing appropriately. And always, always, always remember...

Be Your Own Beautiful!

Liz

Dating

As I'm trying to open my store I'm focused on the planning, the designing, the research, and my sanity; but I also have to search for my soul mate as well? It seems that every friend I ever went to high school with is now on their way to the alter. So, after the last facebook invite to another friends wedding I felt desperate, and decided that since I don't usually meet straight men in my profession, it's time to try online dating.

Being a skeptic, I decided to go for a free dating site. My first night on, Joe* started chatting with me for about two hours. We continued to chat for two weeks. It was time to meet him. We went to Kiva Juice (which he insisted was better than Jamba Juice...um it's not) and sat outside for two hours talking. There were no awkward silences, no weirdness between us, no worries! This was starting out to be the best first date I ever went on! We took a drive through a canyon and that's when it went from the best first date to every other date I've been on. As we were winding through the dark canyon he dropped the ball...he's turned off by women more successful than him.

Now if this was the first time I heard this from a man, I probably wouldn't have been so upset. However, this wasn't the first time, nor the second. This was the third time I've been unwanted by a man because I am more successful than him! What a load of crap that is!!! So after countless hours bitching about my predicament to my girlfriends I decided that I'm much too special and much too wonderful to get upset. If these men don't want me...WHO CARES! If they don't realize what a good thing they could have going, it really is their loss.

Well, dear readers, I've learned a lot from this experience. I'm in such a great place in my life and if a man doesn't want to share that with me, then it's for the best. I've learned to be myself under every circumstance, to not apologize for who I am or who I'm going to become, and to realize that everything happens for a reason. Most of all, I learned to be okay with being single. One day I'll find Mr. Right, but I don't want to have to sift through the Right Now's to be happy. Happiness comes from within.

Be your own beautiful,

Liz

*Names have been changed to protect the...well...not so innocent.

Newbie

Hello cyberspace. Seeing as that is probably the only person who will be joining me on my blog. This is my first time blogging, however; I've been journaling since I was 8. Of course each journal entry then consisted of "Dear Diary: Boys are gross and my sister is bugging me." Now in my 21 years of age, well, not much has changed!

I'm about to open my business soon. I'm a fashion designer for plus-size teenage girls. I have most of the world telling me what I can't do, but I have one wonderful sister (that was not mentioned in the journal) who supports me whole-heartedly.

My vision in life is to change the idea of beauty. The sort of beauty portrayed in the media is one size fits all (0-2). I'm here to shout to the high heavens that beauty is in everything! Freckles dancing on a cheek, virgin hair color, and curves from H to T (Head to Toe, courtesy of Tyra Banks).

I love my curvy looks. However; not many stores out there carry figure-flattering clothes for my hills and valleys. So at seventeen, after a traumatic shopping excursion, I decided to do something about it. I drew up a magnificent department store! Every design, dress, and even bra was designed for a curvy girl like me, to be able to have the shopping experience of a thin person. It was magnificent, wonderful, and after speaking to a majority of people, totally ridiculous and impossible. So many people kept telling me how average people can't open department stores and they certainly don't at my age.

So after a year in a standard university, I felt depressed. I kept trying to find myself, my calling, in class after class. I never found what I was good at. I took off a semester to think over my life, which I spent living with my oldest sister, Rachel. She took me under her wings and told me that anything in life was possible...you just have to have the courage to want it and go get it.

The next semester I dropped out of the University and started taking fashion classes at a Community College. Many told me I would fail. Many were even bold enough to persuade me to give up now before I waste my life away. Finally finding something I love and am good at, I told the nay-sayers in my life politely to "shove it".

Now I'm finished with my classes and months away from opening my beautiful store. It's not a department store now, but I'm working up to it. I couldn't have done any of this without my sister, God, and the years of heartache to mold me into a better person.

So readers, if there ever any, just remember that there's beauty in all of you just like there's beauty all around you! It's time to tell the media where they can stick their anorexic celebrities. It's time for normal women to stand up and say "I'm beautiful and it's time for you to see that." But remember, dear reader, you can't see beauty in others, if you can't see it in yourself.

Be your own beautiful.

-Liz