I just read an article on Forbes.com titled The Perfect Interview Outfit. There was a lot of great information, including a few quotes by my fellow AICI colleagues. However, I have to say I disagree with some of the information the author gave about dressing within your budget.

The author, Leah Bourne, states, "Finding that perfect interview outfit that is put together and sophisticated doesn't have to break the bank." I agree. She goes on to mention, "The best strategy is to shop at several low-priced retailers to find chic basics that mix and match with more expensive signature pieces." Here I disagree. She recommends stores such as Charlotte Russe and Forever 21 for finding great basics at a very low price.

The article shows photos from these low priced, low quality retailers. You can make anything look fantastic in a photograph. I dissuade anyone from interviewing in cheap clothing like this, even if it is basic. You're a package, and wearing cheap clothing from what I consider teen/trendy shops doesn't package you well. 

A better strategy is to take some time, and strategize your shopping. How? Check out stores like

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Something from Clinton Kelly's Makeover America show at Macy's last month has been weighing on my mind. Before the fashion show started,  Clinton mentioned to us that as women, we should try to wear some blouses. He was rather comical when he tried to imitate a woman, "Ooh, but that's so fancy!" To which he replied, "No, it's not. A blouse is just a shirt for women." This got me to thinking; I hardly have any blouses in my wardrobe. There are a couple of reasons. One, I have a hard time with fit. My back is very wide, so I always get pulling through the bustline. Two, most of the blouses I see either have ruffles or bows, and I'm not a ruffle and bow kind of girl. However, because of these reasons, I never have a blouse on my shopping list. I don't really put out my radar for blouses for myself. Now that Clinton has given me the challenge, I'm going to put at least one blouse on my shopping list for fall. It might mean that I have to go up a size and have it altered. Knowing that I'm not going to be buying a ton of (Read more...)

I just got back from seeing Clinton Kelly (from TLC’s What Not to Wear) “Makeover America.” at Macy’s. The turn-out was amazing and even more amazing were the transformations that Clinton performed on 15 Denver women! The show started out with C.K. offering to do a couple of audience member style critiques. First to jump up on stage was a blond haired woman wearing a black zip up hoodie with kangaroo pockets and black jeans. He first told her that black was not “her” neutral. She was washed out in the black and needed to look for a softer neutral such as navy or khaki. Next he told her that hoodies do nothing for anyone, and the pockets just give us a kangaroo pouch! Our next volunteer was wearing a pair of jeans that were far too saggy in the seat. Kelly stressed the importance of fit in a great looking jean. He claims that making your butt look great is really the only reason to wear jeans. This subject was also wearing a bright colored, horizontally striped t-shirt. While horizontal stripes aren’t always the worst thing, Clinton emphasized that they can tend to make most women appear a bit (Read more...)

Just within the last week, I've heard the comment, "I'm not a teenager anymore, but I don't want to dress like my grandmother, either--I can't find any clothes," several times. I can understand how women don't think there's anything out there for them between the ages of 23 and 97, but really you have the largest number of chic, wardrobe options. Here are a few tips to follow for finding stylish clothing that feels appropriate for your image.

• Extremes in styles tend to be the trendiest. You may feel more comfortable in classic styles in modern shapes.
• If you prefer to look a touch trendy, choose one trendy piece to be the star of the outfit, and then the rest of the garments should be more basic, supporting the star.
• Fit is more important than ever. No matter what your body type or size, it's important to show your shape. Covering everything up from head to toes in baggy clothing only makes you look larger than you are, and ultimately matronly. And that's not a flattering description even if you're 97!
• Go for quality, luxurious fabrics in modern or even trendy styles.

Where to shop? Almost anywhere, avoiding the Junior department and departments clearly for elderly (Read more...)

Shopping for jeans usually ranks right up there with shopping for bathing suits. As women, most of us hate it! Often times, if we find a pair of jeans we love, perhaps they fit but they don't really flatter. More often than that so many pairs just don't fit. There are so many to choose from it's overwhelming. Finding the perfect pair can take on the feel of a full time job.


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