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THE SET BLOGGERS
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   Being a wife, significant other, mother, daughter or business professional, do you take heed or should I ask do you have pride in how you dress? My question isn’t focused on “bedazzling or spicing up” your daily attire. It’s focused on what you choose to wear on a day to day basis. For example, are you reaching for jeans that are cut so low that your bottom hangs out, tops that are so open that your chest is all over the place or dresses that are so darn short that your------well, you get where I’m going right? Is there a point in our lives where we need to “dress our age? LOL, whatever that means. I’ve seen SEVERAL magazines that feature so called “appropriate looks” while you’re in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and so on. And to be quite honest, me, being a size 8 (striving for size 6) 35 year old wife and mother of 3 (yes, I put myself on blast) have always been able to pick and choose something I would wear from EACH age group! *Give it Up ladies, don’t act like you’ve NEVER ran into Charlotte Russe for a quick going out top! In any event, I don’t know the answers, but I do have very strong opinions. However before I reveal my opinions, I’d like to pose the question: Should what you wear be a reflection of your age, body type or status (in a relationship, married, children etc)? Additionally, I’ve attached some pictures of some Celebrity Moms for your review and to hopefully get your mind working. I’d love to get your feedback and also some answers to the posed question. Please email me directly at info@jadareneestyle.com. I have an opinion,
Anyone ready to go sailing? That seems to be on the designers minds these days with all the nautical looks. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of heading to the Hamptons to ride around on a yacht, dressed cute sailor pants, a fun hat and a striped shirt. My only concern out of that outfit is the striped shirt. Actually, striped anything causes me to get antsy. I'm a broad woman, so the wrong striped ANYTHING can go completely wrong or completely right. My advice to myself and to you if you have any concerns: go for thin stripes or diagonal strips! Check out www.bananarepublic.com for the awesome universal striped pieces. My favorites are the Sleeveless Striped Vest and the Sleeveless Striped Sheath. Nicole Miller, www.nicolemiller.com, also came out with some awesome striped dresses that I personally feel can compliment many. I took a walk on the wild side with the Urban Renewal Blouson dress she has out now! She proves with this piece that stripes do not have to be boring. www.saks.com you must look at and consider the following: CLOTHES (real), Salon Z Abstract stripe cardi BCBG, Stripe silk tank Soft Joie Sheer stripe top Theory, Stripe cotton tunic Happy Sailing,
 Who says you have to be thin to dress in fashion forward attire? We all have our excuses for why we don't wear this or can't buy that and sad to say they often revolve around our personal body images. I know I'm guilty of it! In any event I decided to go against the norm. Instead on clicking on sites that cater to women from sizes 0-10 AND giving myself a headache trying to figure out if I'll look good in the dress being modeled by a size 4 model----I decided to go another route! I looked up pieces on plus size websites and/or in department stores to find pieces that I'd wear (as a size 8). Check out below to see what I discovered! Trendy plus size sites http://www.torrid.com/torrid/index.jsp http://www.bandlu.com/ http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6025135/2376776~2374327~6007059~6025135?origin=srcontent
  The economy has prompted more then just drastically slashed prices on normally high end designer clothing. It's also forced several designers to find "alternative" ways to sell their pieces. Several have paired with highly recognized store fronts to offer "limited edition," diffusion lines at a fraction of their normal price points. I'm sure you've seen advertisements such as, "Jimmy Choo," for H&M, "Vera Wang," for Kohls, "ABS," for JCPennys and even "Stella McCartney." for GAP. Easily the most recognizable mega store that continuously brings in fabulous designers with cool, unique pieces is Target. Currently, John Galiano is the feature! However, mark your calendars because on April 25, one of my personal favorites will be in Target...Zac Posen! Check out some of Zac's couture pieces and also some of the styles he'll have at Target (trust me; you're not going to want to miss out)! Happy Shopping,
 Does your day look like this? 1. Wake up at 5am to work out 2. Get Children ready for school 3. Volunteer at school library 4. Shower and change for noon business meeting 5. Meet a client at showroom for wardrobe selection 6. Pick children up from school and take to dance class 7. Shower and Change outfit for shopping/social event at Saks 8. Etc.etc.etc. What a schedule! Lots of responsibilities and at least half of them require me to look fabulously put together! What saves me and should save you is my suggestion for an easy, go to piece that will cover all the above events. In addition to it being one of the most challenging pieces for me to find (only because I needed one that complimented my body type), it also happens to be one of Springs top Trends!. Do I have you guessing? Wondering? Scratching your heads on what the heck I'm talking about? Ok, I'll stop torturing you and let you know what it is: THE JUMPSUIT Ladies and Gents (and the crowd goes wild)!!! The jumpsuit goes by many names, romper, overalls, bodysuit or even play suit! It also comes in an assortment of lengths, materials and styles. Whether you're going on a business venture or to the playground ----you can reach for a jumpsuit (and a nice pair of earrings and necklace) and rest assured that you'll look great! As I stated above, my challenge was finding one that worked for me. I needed one that could go from day to night with the switch of a jacket, I needed one that didn't hug my very muscular thighs, and I needed one that was long enough for me to pair with cute gladiator sandals or some nice Jimmy Choo heels. Trust me, when I say it wasn't an easy task! But I'm proud to say that my Black, Racerback, Button Front, Silk jumpsuit from Ali Ro------was well worth the wait and headache! Below you'll find some of my favorite picks and suggested Rules for acquiring and wearing the JUMPSUIT: 1.Casual (playground, grocery store etc) opt for a nice cotton or jersey knit jumpsuit. 2. Dressy or semi dressy event (ladies night out, date night, business function etc) opt for nicer materials like silk, tencel, or even wool if it's chilly out. 3. Solid colors are best for full length jumpsuits and unless you're a between a size 0-10, go for a loser fit (loser does not equal balloon baggy). 4. If you must have a full print piece----go for a romper style and please make sure your legs can back it up! 5. Accessories can definitely take a solid jumpsuit to the next level! But be tasteful and remember, less is always best. For example, one statement piece necklace is enough!
   In the fashion world, new styles, clothes and trends are showcased months prior to the actual season. For example, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week this past February focused on fall 2010 pieces and the upcoming MBFW in September will focus on Spring/Summer 2011 apparel. These shows serve as great insight for Stylists like me, magazine editors and anyone else who needs to stay ahead of the game for personal or professional reasons. HOWEVER, I must admit that at times it is hard for me to focus on say, spring/summer clothing when I’m layered in Ugg boots and a down coat. Or, if I’m sitting on the runway at a show wearing tights, shoe boots, a sweater dress and over coat. My point is, it’s sometime difficult for me to envision the upcoming season of trends 3-4 months ahead of time! And it may be the case for some of you! Well, this weekend, South Jersey had a breakthrough of some great weather. The sun was shining, the skies were clear and the temperature reached a high of 75! Alas ladies, spring is here! And now that I’ve truly accepted that, I can better appreciate the trends of the season! One of my favorite trends and a highly recognized one amongst fashion insiders is Camouflage! I’m talking camouflage pants, tops, shorts and skirts. I love it to death! This rugged, army fatigue normally is placed on cargo shorts and gets paired with a t-shirt and timberland boots. NOT THIS SPRING! In other words, don’t be surprised if you see someone in a camo skirt or dress with some rocking heels, and instead of “smirking,” you find yourselves “smiling in admiration!” Please refer to the websites and pictures below for camo inspired trends for Spring 2010. And see how not only these designers, but celebs as well have taken camo to edgy, sexy heights! And please don’t hesitate to email me directly at jadarenee3@yahoo.com for more camo inspired ideas! Juicy Couture (visit www.shopbop.com) Balmain (visit www.style.com)! Always in Fashion Fun Ladies,
     You know the saying, "You are what you eat?" Well how about asking yourself, "Do I dress according to my surrounding or do I dress to impress regardless?” I had to ask myself that question this week. 80% of my profession is done from my home in South Jersey. I have gradually gone from immediately showering after my work out and changing into a cute outfit, to conducting business calls, preparing client outfits and coordinating for fashion shows in my work out gear! Yuck Right!! While some may be ok with that, I find it unacceptable! Never mind the fact that I’m a Fashion Stylist and should not need to GET READY, but should always BE READY! How about I simply should take more pride in my day to day attire------even if that means chasing around my 4 year old in 3 inch heels (ok, that may be pushing it). But do you get my point? I mean come on, I’ve been with my husband for over 15 years, but even he mentioned that he’d appreciate if I dressed at home the way I did when I was going out. Ouch! My fall back, excuse is that I’m in South Jersey!! I can throw on some Uggs, jeans and a cute Butter Super Soft Hoodie and be a fashion statement! *Was that harsh? When I look back on my day-to-day attire in Atlanta and LA, I was constantly wearing heels, cute jeans, fitted jackets, lovely blouses and nice dresses. Lord and when I need to be in NY, even simply for showroom appointments, it’s like GAME ON!!! Therefore, I’m going to challenge myself and everyone else. To step up your day to day fashion game! Shower after working out in the morning! Get dressed in some causal, chic attire or if you’re really feeling good, throw on a dress and heels! Give your husband and/or significant other a reason to do a double take when he comes in! Give your children a reason to look you up in down with pride when you pick them up from school! And most importantly, give yourself an excuse to start wearing and ALL the clothes that you constantly think you have to “SAVE FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION.” Till the next jean size (DOWN) ladies, Renee Oh yeah and check out the examples below for quick, effortless, yet extremely stylish dressing. And if you see any pieces you like or simply want to hit me up on email with questions, please do so at jadarenee@yahoo.com.
 The highly anticipated new season of Dancing with the Stars just hit TV last week, but I’m not so sure that all of the costumes were a hit! Let’s face it. going on television is already a set up because it adds 10 plus pounds to the body. I never really believed that until the day I was doing an interview on a local news channel. I wore a cream sleeveless top that I thought was stunning and complimented my tone arms. Boy was I wrong! When I saw the footage later that day, I mistook my toned arms for some large baseball bats that would have given Popeye The Sailor a run for his money! Not good. My lesson learned, COVER UP THE ARMS ON TV! As you get to know me over the weeks to come, you’ll notice that I have a very big opinion on clothes and colors matching ones tone and shape. In other wards, denim leggings were NOT made for everyone, and Lord, wearing flats and skinny jeans, and your shoe size is a 12, so not for everyone---but that’s for another day. Right now my concern is how one chooses a costume for a show like Dancing with the Stars that WILL compliment their shape. Granted, many may be able to wear anything b/c they’re genetically blessed. But not all of them. For example, Niecy Nash, who is a hilarious comedian and spunky TV host. Niecy normally dresses like she knows her body type and what works for it. But after seeing her in what looked like gold, shiny, colored gift wrap (and matching flower), I’m scratching my head. I think she could have selected something more flattering for live TV. What do you all think? I’m not jus picking on her, I’ll have more after Tuesday’s show. And on “Body Types.”
I grew up borrowing clothes from family and friends, looking forward to the free handouts from the Salvation Army where my mom worked and even tearing out pictures from the fashion magazines like Sears, JC Penny’s and Hudsons (give me a break, I’m from the inner city of Detroit, those places were HIGH fashion to me). I was always hoping, wishing and dreaming that one day, I’d have those sought after shoes or that vintage handbag that wasn’t seen anywhere! And look at me now! I walk into the best NY showrooms and order items that aren’t event in stores yet. I attend several fashion shows during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and simply point and select what I’m going to order and even better, I get selected pieces packed, shipped off and delivered to THE CLOSET!! I HAVE TOTALLY ARRIVED! Ok, ok, ok, maybe not quite, BUT I do get to live vicariously through my career as a Professional Fashion Stylist for my company, JadaRenee. So what if the money I spend at the showrooms and stores are for my clients, so what if the clothes I now borrow are on loan for a client and SO WHAT if the items delivered are into the closet of CLIENTS and not MINE (well, sometimes). I still consider myself a TRUE BLOOD FASHION EXPERT! I’m thankful that SET Magazine entrusts me and my 20 year career in the fashion business (I count those years of borrowing and tearing out pictures of clothes as an extended internship) to deliver informative, honest, candid, enlightening and most importantly FASHION FORWARD Blogs on a daily basis!
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