Alli Chic

The Short of It

2011-09-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of ugly shorts out there.

Let me clarify. There are a lot of ugly long shorts out there. Can you say Frump?

Now I know some of you out there wear long shorts because you can't wear short ones--ugly legs, modesty, weight, whatever--but you don't have to look like you just came out of the hills of Kentucky when you do.

Look at the shorts below--the ones on the left look great, the ones on the right--HATE them!-- look frumpy and they scream "mommy shorts!" I'm a mother but, no offense kids, I don't want to look like one.

Here's what you need to remember:

1. wear long shorts close-fitting to the legs

2. wear a heel of some sort (wedges for day, heels for night)

3. if you are going to wear a flat (pick a cute one, NOT like the one on the right), and wear the short just a little shorter by rolling up the cuff one more time.

4. And remember PROPORTION--the leg needs to be longer than the short.

Easy. Now go forth and conquer, ladies--don't look like the schlumpfs that you aren't!

Coming: Teen Wardrobe Solutions

2010-06-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

"I don't have anything to wear!" you wail while standing in front of your closet full of clothes.

You ever experience that? Has your daughter or son? Husband?

Well, get excited because I have put together a cluster of clothes for my 15 year old daughter that solves that dilemma. This small cluster of trendy and sophisticated clothes will take her from school, to the theater, to a rock concert with ease. Who wouldn't want that?

This small wardrobe is currently being photographed and then I'll post, hopefully to be seen and enjoyed by YOU by the middle of next week. So come back--you'll LOVE it!

Your Image is Screaming So Loud, I Can't Hear What You're Saying

2010-02-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

Imagine you posted on the billboard in Times Square, there for everyone that drives and walks by to see, dressed like you are right now. What are the unspoken words and messages that you are sending? That you want to send, but don't know how? That you don't even know you're sending? That you think you're sending, but aren't?
Your Image--the way you're dressed, groomed, and your body language--is screaming loud and clear, messages that you may not even be aware of. What are you saying?
Think about it.

Keep it Covered

2010-02-02T11:29:00.001-08:00

I was sitting outside at AJ's the other day enjoying my lunch--the weather was beautiful and I was luxuriating in some me time--when I saw a gal walking toward me. She was wearing a tank top and short shorts. I mean SHORT shorts. It's warm here compared to northern climates, but it's still winter and it's still cold and all I want to say is, "Come on people!" Just because it's Arizona and it's not snowing, they think it's warm.
But that's not what I want to say. This is it: I could tell she was in pretty good shape and she was thin, but as she got closer I realized she was not young, but of a more mature age and, yes, she was in shape, but when I saw her backside, I could see her tush hanging out of her shorts. You know, that 'flap' of a rear end that hangs down over your leg? Not pretty.
So, two things: old skin does not look good for all to see--keep it covered and, 2. we don't want to see your saggy rear-end.
Ladies, dress your age. I know you work out and you look good. For your age. But if you're dressing young because it makes you feel young: stop. All it does is make you look desperate. You're competing with 25 year olds and they always win.
Embrace where you are in life, don't look back, relish your wisdom.

Channel Your Inner Audrey

2010-01-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

You hear the words 'Audrey Hepburn' and it conjures up images of sheer beauty and classic style: slim ankle capris, turtle necks, black flats, that little black dress and the kitten heel.

Just found at Macy's the perfect black kitten heel: the 'Berry' shoe by Bandolino in snake or croc prints. This shoe looks expensive and is the most perfect designer knock-off I've seen in a long time, and only costs $49.98.

Check them out at http://www.macys.com/, but don't be fooled by the picture, they are fabulous!!

Happy shopping!

Gotta get this on Sale!!

2009-10-11T15:04:00.002-07:00

Gap has a Tuxedo blazer on sale right now for $73.00, regularly $99.00. I'm getting it! It will go with everything--skirt, jeans, slacks. What I'm really looking forward to wearing it with is my new boyfriend jeans (rolled up above the ankles...of course), with some fabulous platform shoes, and maybe just a white Hanes t-shirt. Tres chic!
If I can figure out how to post a pic, I will ha ha!

Gotta get this on Sale!!

2009-10-11T15:04:00.001-07:00

Still Learning!

2009-10-11T14:59:00.001-07:00

I really don't understand what all this blogging is about, but thanks for bearing with me. I am still trying to figure out how to DO everything because at this point of things, I always have to call my 14 year old daughter to come help me. CRAZY!!!!
For instance, how do I get this old stuff to move on and how do I change the TOP TRENDS from last Fall? Actually though, after looking at them, they are STILL top trends this year. Or was I just ahead of the game???

It Feels So Good to Be Right!!!

2009-09-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, didn't I call it? Last year I said the classic Blazer is really big. Well, what I should've said is, "it's going to be really big," cuz it didn't quite catch on last year but it did this year--it's everywhere. They're calling it the Boyfriend Blazer. That's okay, whatever it's called....we all need one.

Wear it with jeans, skirt, dress, slacks, t-shirt, button down. Let it take the place of your sweatshirts and hoodies.

Here are a few that I've found:
Heritage Military Blazer, $119.99 (regularly $152.00) at Banana Republic
Wool Boyfriend Blazer, $350.00 at J Crew
L.A.M.B. Boyfriend Blazer, $285.00 at Nordstrom

I know, these are obvious places to look, but give me a day and I will find the deals out there for you, so check back.
Later!

TIPS TO ALWAYS REMEMBER

2009-01-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

1. Dress Your Age.

2. Dress for Your Body Type.

3. Just because it looks good on your friend doesn't mean it will look good on you.

4. Don't save it for a special occassion, wear it now.

5. Remember: Fit, Silhouette and Proportion!

6. Classic never goes out of style.

7. Buy better quality Classic pieces and inexpensive (cheap!) Trendy pieces.

8. Light colored fabric shows shoddy and cheap workmanship, so if want to scrimp, buy less quality pieces in dark colors.

In the next 8 weeks I will really get in to the nitty gritty of each tip. You won't want to miss it!
Thanks for visiting my blog, come on back!!!

Shoe Alert!!!

2008-11-24T18:18:00.000-08:00

This is the perfect alternative to the black pump this Fall/Winter. It's a dark enough green to be neutral and looks fabulous on! It also comes in a brushed cognac suede and a tri-color pump. Truly beautiful, I want all three! Ciao!

It's Time to Get Dressed!

2008-11-18T15:25:00.001-08:00

I don't have anything to wear!!!"
We've all said that. This is why: A closet full of clothes does not a wardrobe make.
Think of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's--she was beautiful in every scene with just two chic black dresses, a belted trench and a low-heel, pointy pump. All pieces we could wear today, forty years later.
Why?
Because they're classics.
A classic is timeless, it lasts from decade to decade and still looks current. Hubert de Givenchy said, "All a woman needs to be chic is a raincoat, two suits, a pair of trousers and a cashmere sweater."
So this is what I have to say today: Build your wardrobe around classics. When you do that, you'll never say, "I have don't have anything to wear!," again.

But what are the classics, you ask. Here are my four favorites:
A trench coat
A pencil skirt
A turtle neck sweater
A classic blazer

All the stylish women wore these back in the 1930s and on.

More on this later.

2008-11-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

FAVORITE NEWLY DISCOVERED WEBSITE
Been looking at buying that pair of shoes at Nordstroms for-ever? Yippee, your daily checking of the website finally pays off--it goes on sale! But, darn it, you're too late, your size is all sold out and it's only available in a size 10.
That just happened to me and I looked on the internet at all my favorite shoe sites--zappos.com, piperlime.com, the shoe manufacturer's official site, even Neiman's website, and I could not find the shoe anywhere. I finally stumbled onto shopzilla.com and, voila!, they had the shoes I wanted in ALL sizes, including mine. Maybe you already are familiar with this site, but I wasn't, and what a find! It hooks you up with hundreds of stores! If you can't find it here, it's probably not available.
Anyway.....Check it out!

EMBRACE YOUR IMPERFECTNESS

2008-04-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

Anybody out there have a perfect figure besides Giselle Bundchen?
If you're one of the 99% of the population that doesn't have a perfect body, then this is for you: Camouflage Chic, or as I like to call it, Covering Up the Crap.
I see people out there and wonder if they actually look in the mirror when they get dressed. They don't. How can they have looked in the mirror when they look so bad? I think most people want to look good, they just don't know how. This I do know, though: every body can look great! You don't have to have the perfect body, you just have to know how to dress that fabulous, imperfect body that you do have.
Cover up the crap.
Accent the good, camouflage the bad.

Favorite Fashion Books

2008-04-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

WHAT NOT TO WEAR by Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine

DRESS YOUR BEST by Clinton Kelly and Stacy London

IN STYLE, SECRETS OF STYLE, InStyle Magazine

DOES THIS MAKE ME LOOK FAT? by Leah Feldman