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Small town girls
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What do you do to stay connected with current trends? Is there a magazine or blog(s) you read to know about what is hot? I avoid magazines like Cosmo but I feel so out of touch I'm about to go get a fashion magazine.

When this forum first started I confessed my wardrobe was lacking and I'm afraid QRGirl will drain my back account the next time we're near a store together so I've been trying to upgrade my wardrobe but I don't know what the trends are or where to buy things.

I feel like I did when I was 13 and went to the make-up counter with my friend and had make-up applied for the first time only I'm 35 and still don't know what I'm doing.
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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I haven't a clue how to direct you. I live in Chicago and I am clueless on fashion, makeup and other trends. But hearing that I am not the only one in their 30s that feels like a 13 with friends at a makeup counter makes me feel better. A few years back, I had a roommate who was my personal shopper. Whenever we would go shopping, I would stand out of the way and let her pick out things for me. She was a shopping champ and loved places like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. She would literally push a "Deanna cart" and a "Hillary cart" through the store and then find me on the bench at the front of the store (usually reading a book) when it was time to try things on. I moved and oh, how I miss her.

Hopefully, someone will be able to guide us.

Deanna
Last edited by: instigator: Mar 28, 08 9:05
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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well, the internet is great. www.nymag.com is a key resource for me; i look up all the designers and watch their runway shows.

for mainstream--i mean really mainstream and simplistic--look at Banana Republic. these are modern basics.

belle gray is another great resource, you can check out new fresh trends and labels there. www.bellegray.com

one of my new favorite resources is www.etsy.com and this is a website chock full of artisans who make things like garments and handbags. i love etsy! and it's awesome to support artisans.

magazines are ok, i'm reading them just on and off. the internet is the fastest, most economical way to stay current; you can go through many resources without spending a cent, let alone bulking up your house with paper products, such as magazines.

i think the fastest way to refresh your look can be had with these steps:
  • a new hairstyle.
  • new lipgloss
  • a few new basics that have modern twists (ie, tanks are now long, t-shirts now with cool prints, etc. check out www.americanapparel.com for tanks and simple t's.)
  • a new style of jeans (don't feel that you have to spend over $150.00 because you don't have to. i'm still a fan of Gap jeans although their life expectancy generally is under 2 years).
  • a key spring and summer skirt, denim or linen, something you really like and can wear all the time with everything
  • most importantly a couple of key accessories that make a very contemporary statement (big sunglasses that are not for sport; a little clutch; maybe a spring scarf, and shoes that pop with color).

Last edited by: kittycat: Mar 28, 08 9:11
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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My favorite fashion mag is Vogue because it is about fashion and doesn't tell me how to improve my relationship. I pick it up every couple months and thumb through. I'm not really fashionable and spend my money at Title 9 and REI but I do like to keep an eye on things to make sure I'm not doing a major fashion faux pa. I love swanky heels even though I never wear them and Vogue usually provides my fix. I admit I also look at gossip rags in the grocery store and see what stars are wearing for jeans, shirts, etc so if I do spot something I like I'll go find it.

I grew up in a very small town, 2500 people, and we got our fashion advice from what people were wearing on TV. That means we wore lots of dayglo green and black rubber bracelets. The internet would have provided that if there was such a thing back then ;-)

Go to the fashion magazine websites and look at what the stars are wearing in the gossip mags. You see them in their day to day clothes and will get a feel for what is in style off the runways.

Fashion ultimately is so personal that finding some good classics in very high quality is key and when I do go very trendy I'll pick it up at Old Navy or something similar so I don't spend a lot of money on something that will be out of style in 6 months. I also wear Gap jeans and pay attention to denim cut and color that is trendy, not brand.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: Small town girls [jenhs] [ In reply to ]
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Vogue and W are my favs--the fashion in them is above most other mags.

celebs gossip rags are great for finding out what is hot, and looking at them in the grocery store is a great way to do it without having to buy them all. you so smart miss jenhs! :)
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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Vogue is way too advanced for me -- there is just no way I can translate the stuff I see in that magazine to my everyday life. I like In Style Magazine -- it's a little more realistic and it has these pages where they put outfits together for different age groups.


The make-up counters are so intimidating. I one time had one gal look at me and say "You've spent a lot of time in the sun, haven't you?" Cripes! What kind of statement is that to make to a customer? She might as well have said "You look like hell, but I might be able to do something about it."
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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I really like InStyle magazine. Vogue is just a little too high fashion for me personally. Also love Banana Republic. I think most of their styles are great without being too trendy, but then there's a little trendy thrown in for flair.

Lately I've really been enjoying What Not to Wear on TLC and Tim Gunn's Guide to Style (not sure what channel that is on.) I just love make over shows and these are pretty good where they help bust someone out of a fashion rut, but without making them dress like someone they're not. Tim Gunn suggests the key pieces you need for any good wardrobe and suggests you only buy items that "move you." I'm trying to work towards that, to help eliminate clutter :)
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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Another "more realistic" breakdown of fashion trends is Self Magazine. It's my guilty pleasure/fluffy girl's magazine. The Pacific Northwest definitely has it's own fashion thing going on, so sometimes I find it hard to translate what's actually in fashion into not looking crazy here. (When I used to visit from NYC, people would look at me like I was going to the prom and I'd be dressed WAY down by East Coast standards) I also like What Not To Wear, for advice on how to dress to flatter your body type and be age appropriate. I tend to build my wardrobe of basics that fit well and look good on me and then accent them with fun/trendy pieces like cute tops/shoes/bags, etc. I've found some great stuff at Target, especially with their seasonal designers - you can get some great pieces there.

M

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The beatings will continue until morale improves
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Re: Small town girls [mdraegernyc] [ In reply to ]
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too funny about PNW but I totally agree. Since moving to seattle from NYC and Chicago I can count the time I've worn my heels on one hand. I sorta miss my heels...well, maybe only the kiss a$$ red ones that are sitting forelornly in my closet right now

When trying to dress like a grownup - which isn't often - I love Banana Republic and Ann Taylor Loft (younger then ann taylor - and typically cheaper). I feel like they do a good job taking current trends and making them wearable.

I did hear that this season skinny jeans are out and wide leg is in which makes me incredibly happy. Cycling has made my legs strong but getting them into a pair of skinny jeans was like stuffing a sausage and the result was not pretty!


http://smallfoodbiz.com
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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I like W magazine.

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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The trick is finding what looks good on you. You have the good fortune of being tall and thin, so most things will flatter you!

I like Real Simple magazine as it has fashion, food and other interesting info. In Style and Glamour too. Target is a great place to give things a try w/out breaking the bank. I've been trying to remember to check out consignment stores, especially if you hapen to be in an upscale area.

My go to stores are Banana and Ann Taylor loft too. Macy's has killer sales, but the store in my area is almost too full. it can be overwhelming.
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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ok, I am a small town girl too and have faced the same problems. I also lived on an island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean for 3 years. We were 900 miles from anywhere. I learned ot do a lot of my shopping online. Also had a friend there who taught mem about makeup and hair-she was a hairstylist. It made a lot of difference. Believe it or not, I have gone on ebay and looked in clothing. I type in the word "lot" and my size in my search. There are some people who put together some complete wardrobes. I just got a lot of 53 spring items-basically revamped my whole closet. It was $410 with shipping. This is a cheap way to do it too. My old clothes I consign at a shop to help defer the costs of the new clothes. This way these peole put together a whole outfit for you too. ANd they do this for a living.

Jolene Wilkinson
Triathlon Coaching http://www.pacificfit.net
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Re: Small town girls [trailbait] [ In reply to ]
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I get Vogue and W magazines every month. Then I just wear jeans or a sun dress. Or, let my roommate tell me what to wear. When something gets too big, she makes me put it in the donation pile.

clm

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com
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