The key to any wardrobe is selecting basics. But how do you know what's right?

If you want to create a classic wardrobe, one that can be added to each year and never fade from style, you need to identify your colors, shape, and then how to expand on the theme.

Knowing what you look good in is partially knowing what you are comfortable in. Dressing daily for office, hang-out afternoons, date night, or special occassion begins with these simple steps.

Short Girls: Go for looks that elongate your legs, this will make you look taller.

Tall girls: Concentrate on pulling attention upward. Long, straight lines will help your legs.

Small bust: Go for V-necks, embellished tops. When you layer, layer your core, and find a means to cinch the waist, or button a tight-fitting sweater to just-bellow the bust. This will create the illusion of a larger chest.

Large Bust: Go for high-necked sweaters. Keep the lines from collar to waist straight. This will not make your bust less noticeable--if you got it, there won't be a way to conceal it--but the straight lines of these basics will keep your tops flattering and classy all at once.

Narrow hips: Employ the cinched waist and flaring trouser or skirt. You want higher waists, wider skirt hems. Jeans, pants and skirts that sit on your hips will cut off your form at the hips and make them look even more narrow. Steer clear of pencil skirts. Form-fitting bottoms are not your friend--unless you are also short--in which case, skinny pants are your friends, and form-fitting minis as long as they also have a high waist.

Wide hips: You want slimming pants and skirts. Pencils are okay, but to be worn with caution. Pants and skirts that sit lower are better. Keep pant lines clean. Don't go in for embellishments along the hip-line.

Long waist: Wear high waisted skirts and pants. Be fond of babydolls and belts.

Short Waist: Stay away from loose tunics, they will swallow your form.

Skinny legs: If you are worried that the muscle tone in your legs is lacking, don't be. If you are also short, skinny pants, tights and leggings can be worn to their best affect. If you are tall, you want to go with wide-legged pants, mid-shin and maxi skirts. Flowing is better.

Thick legs: Keep to flowing skirts and pants. These will not make you look larger if you create a waist.

Abundant Form: If your form is rounder, you can create an hourglass shape by cinching at the ribs, just under the bust line. If you are also short, make certain that the lines of your outfits flow loose and straight from this point. If you are tall, employ pants and maxi skirts with low-waists under belted tunics.

Not-so-Abundant: If you're afraid your size is more narrowly-linear than curvy-hourglass, follow guidelines for small bust and hip.

Color:

There are two considerations for color--

skin tone
personality

Skin Tone:

The basic distinction is contrast. Paler skin looks better in darker colors and darker skin looks better in paler/brighter colors.

But even in "pale" and "dark" populations is there variation.

I am pale, with a slight olive undertone to my skin. I look best in blues, purples, dark reds, black, charcoal and teal. I can swing some corals and brighter reds, but wear few oranges and no pastels.

If you have darker skin with a rosy undertone, pinks, pale blues, mint, warm taupes/browns, some oranges and black suites you well.

If you are dark with deep undertones (brown-blue) you will pull off yellow, orange, bright red, pastels--any "loud" color to full affect. If this is your tone, but not your personality, see the next section.

If you are pale with rosy (pink) undertones: Deep pinks, soft pastels, greens, lighter blues, soft browns, and coral will suit you well.

Medium skin tone with a brown undertone: yellow, brown, black, orange

What you want: use color in cloth to make your skin more vibrant. You want the undertones to stand out, but the contrast with your "dominant" skin-tone characteristic to be muted through contrast.

Personality:

Feminine: Classic colors. Keep it on the darker end of your skin-tone selection.

Sporty: Earth tones. Keep it cool, and don't go for dramatic colors. Tend toward complimentary colors and monotone outfits.

Artsy/Bohemian: Bright. Doesn't match your skin tone? Mute with a mix of earth tones, navy and black.

*if the colors that bring out the undertones in your skin don't match your personality, use darker versions of your colors paired with the bright. Darker shades will tone down the brighter colors. Wear bright colors in the forms of: tee, scarf, undershirt, that peaks out around the collar somewhere. The goal is to make the natural colors in your face stand out. Other option: choose a dark blazer, cardigan, top with bright patterns.

A few carefully selected basics can give you a whole new look that can bring out both form and personality!

Last week Natalie Portman won an award for best actress for portraying a ballerina.

In the 1980's the return of swing dance and movies such as Dirty Dancing and Flashdance were followed by the poofy, short skirt trend. Leggings entered the 80's fashion with the exercise trend.

Modern fashion can take a more sophisticated look, by incorporating ballet inspired accents. These accents have been around for a few years now. But with the popularity of Black Swan, it is entirely possible these trends will be around for awhile.

I am grateful for the appearance of these trends. The short skirts can help to make short legs look longer. the high, trim waist can make narrow hips look wider or a long waist look shorter. The chunky sweater can tone down the fancy dress, while the shoes--heeled or flat--can create a dressy outfit.

Complimenting colors serve to make the short girl look taller, and all together either of these outfit--or anything with a similar shape--can be a feminine and elegant addition to a girl's wardrobe.

There is nothing so 50's glam as floral. But now that floral is returning, we don't want to look dated in the old-school grandma-esque florals. This is an especially dire outcome of thrift store shopping. You want to look modern, classic, but with hints of vintage.

Hints of floral.

One way to achieve this is by mixing the fabrics and styles in a way that references a vintage style, without mimicking it. In the Louis Vuitton Fall and Winter Collection 2010/2011 Collection there are a few excellent examples of this working successfully (and some not-so-much, IMO) Styles 15, 18, 19, 22 and 49 (minus the buttons on the jacket) are my favorite examples.

So how will a touch of floral and edgy materials give you a similar look?


Knee-length A-line skirts are as close to the mid-shin circle skirt that Vuitton features. The middle outfit is inspired by my favorite runway look from this collection, the combination of a leather jacket and floral skirt. Mind, the floral on my set is much bolder. But the jacket I pick does not have buttons that could have arrived in a time machine...

The pencil skirt was more popular in the 40's and 60's than the 50's...but paired with Victorian inspired-blouse and a floral bolero, you have a modern work outfit with vintage appeal. Belts keep the outfits cinched at the waist, maintaining the classic hourglass form. The floral patterns reference the 50's but what you pair it with keeps the outfit of being trapped in the past.

So what if I'm thrift store shopping and want a modern look?

The excellent thing about vintage inspired looks is that you can incorporate true vintage pieces for a similar look. If you have a little sewing know-how, you can alter thrift store pieces to make them fit like a glove. The straight, knee-length-skirt was big through the nineteen-ninety's. They did not have the form-fitting elegance of modern skirts, but if you found a skirt of this period (my recommendation would be to find solid colors)you can take it in to fit closer to the body. Or you could insert panels to create a layered circle-skirt. If adding a second fabric, I would suggest a more modern pattern. Then, like incorporating different textures, your skirt becomes evocative of a unique and modern look.

The fashion mags say that "fake" is never in style. I don't think that goes for expensive materials like leather. I believe that in order to pull off a look on a budget, fake materials are okay. You just need to remember the interaction between shape, personality, color and form.

I will talk about Shape, Color, Personality, and Form next time!

Another entry from your Polyvore-addicted fashionista!

Here's a 50's inspired set to ring in the new year:


I really liked Luis Vuitton's Paris collection for fall. I read a lot of bad press about the whole return to 50's style, though. Certain bloggers thought that it was bad to return to a style from an era famous for its exploitation of women, and the intensive segregation of gender roles.

However, I don't think exploitation has stopped. I think mini-skirts (though I love to wear them, sometimes myself) are more exploitative than the 50's-esque mid-length skirts and matching blazers.

In fact, I think that what is scandalous now is far different from that time. So when we renew the style, we do so in a context that will imbue new meaning to the shapes/forms and colors.

I personally can't wait for these classically-inspired designs to hit the local stores!

So last post, River called me on a boo-boo I made :(

I didn't introduce polyvore.com.

So what is it? Polyvore is a fashion-lovers-playground. You can put together sets that look like you tore them out of a magazine. For me, I like playing with form and finding that balance between classics and trends that is my own.


And sometimes, like this one, they are just for fun. It's all the benefit of playing dress up without the urge to buy immediately!!! I have found it helpful in narrowing my style down.

When I was younger I thought my style was all over the place. I thought I loved patterns and various colors, etc. I couldn't say how I elected to express myself with clothes beyond "like" and "dislike."

What have I found? I'm an earth toned kinda girl. I like classically fitting forms, and am unswayed by severe trendiness. But I like integrating partiocular trends into a classic wardrobe and donning the whole thing in a way that looks...modern, without exuding "trendster fashionista!"

This one is a good example of what I'm talking about:


Trends:
One shoulder, tiered skirt, ruffles, and the strappy sandals, and wide belt.

Classic feel:

Cinched at waist to prevent the loose-fitted top from diminishing an hourglass form. Chunky necklace so the right shoulder is not left completely barren, so as to limit the top's lack of symmetry. Using the frills and the skirt to echo a sort of girlieness throughout the ensemble. The contrasting belt is complementary to the top, and is a declaration that the wearer is consciously manipulating form. (Making clothes work in a way that they *may* not have been intended) The shoes pick up the tones in the top, instantly lengthening legs given a boost from the wedge heel. The illusion is furthered by the two complimentary browns, much like that of the top and the belt. Gold jewelry adds a touch of pizzazz, brightening the top and hands, for the summer outfit.

Matching:

I <3 matching. Because color creates illusion. The play of color, matching or contrasting, is something I believe needs to be done very consciously. I think color needs to match personality, skin tone, and the message you want to create about yourself.

It is classic to match, but it is not currently popular. But from me, you will see consist matching or complimentary colors. As I said before: I'm short. I use color and heels to give myself a taller presence. I have a very young face. So I use form to enhance my appearance of womanliness. The classic form suites my needs. The cautious implementation of trends to fit my style fulfills my inner fashion-lover :P

I work at a nail supply store part-time, and even though I'm not into nail polish, being the girl that I am, I still get a tad bit giddy being surrounded by so many different brands of types of polishes. I think the designer in me wants to color-code these polishes, organize, reorganize, and create different color palettes from the thousands of colors available. The OPI polish aisle is my favorite.

Click on the READ MORE link for pictures.

Hellooooo everyone. I'm back with a review for the Boscia Oil-Free Must-Haves Kit.

This time I'm trying a video review instead of a written review. Please let me know what you think. Please excuse the stupid picture YouTube chose for the video. I look like an idiot.

Polyvore offers a veritable playground for a fashionista. While the clothes in this set are way out of any ordinary person's price range, their patterns are common enough. So let me walk you through my rationale.

There is much talk in the fashion world about the "modern silhouette" as if we could somehow take a big eraser and get rid of the natural female bone-structure and start walking around looking like Vogue's starving models. My policy is work with what you got. Accent your natural form, in a tasteful, classy manner.

Trends are to be integrated in your daily wardrobe with care. Designers' runway outfits have been seen recently mixing leather with floral patterns. My variation on this theme is the lace and the skirt with leather accents. A cheaper alternative for daily wear is faux leather, or (my fave) satin. Satin is much more feminine than leather, but it has a similar glossy surface. It might be easier to create this look by finding a satin-trimmed A-line skirt, or by reviving an old skirt by sewing on a satin trim.

The open-blazer is another item that has been popular on the runway. In order to keep your form feminine, make certain that the clothes worn under the blazer are either:

a) fitted
b) cinched at the waist

If you are small-busted, B is a better choice. Keeping a shirt baggy around the chest, but cinched at the waist will obscure chest size.

High-waisted A-line skirts are awesome because they can give a girl with narrow hips the illusion of wider hips, and can slim wide-hips. Because the skirt is loose around that portion of the female form, it works to accent or even create the hip-waist ratio you want the viewer's eye to see. Because my bust and hip size are relatively similar, I choose fitted tops. If your bust size is smaller than your hip size, you want baggy on top. Or ruffles, designs, etc. Ruffles are very popular right now. They serve well to make a girl's chest look bigger than it is, by granting greater volume to that part of the body. But keeping the waist cinched is important for not looking like a pole.

I'm petite. This influences my color choice. Monotones make a person appear taller. So keeping the skirt and leg color the same are essential for making me appear taller than my 5 ft - 3 inch - self. I matched the blazer and skirt to continue this affect. The red shoes and sweater are designed to match, for the same purposes, but are picked for their stark contrast with the black. This draws to the form-fittingness of my top. This helps me retain the hourglass figure beneath the loose blazer that could, otherwise, give me the dread up/down pole appearance. Also, matching shoes to sweater rather than skirt makes the outfit look less "matchy-matchy" while preserving the benefits of pairing colors in this way.

Indications (Sephora): Perfect for oily, acne-prone, or sensitive skin, this oil-free, 60% water based primer refreshes on contact while oil absorbers provide a smooth, matte finish all day. Light diffusers minimize the appearance of imperfections while vitamin C and peptides help even skin tone and promote collagen production for a flawless future.
Directions: Apply to face after moisturizer and before foundation.
Price: 0.5oz for $16, 1oz for $36, 2oz for $49

I've struggled with oily skin for years. It only takes about 3 hours after washing my face for my nose to produce enough oil to displace my foundation and create holes in my foundation where the oil was produced. Doesn't matter what type of foundation I wear, my face usually ends up looking like bacon in a frying pan by the end of the day.

I had high hopes for this Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Light because
1. It has hundreds of amazing ratings on Sephora.
2. It's supposed to do a very good job at controlling oil, especially for the ridiculous price tag.

After doing some research, I've decided to pick up a 0.5oz tube from Sephora instead of the MAC Prep+Prime. I apply this after my moisturizer and before my foundation (Bare Minerals Original Foundation). It goes on smoothly and offers a bit of hydration to my face without adding more oil.

However, so far, I've seen no difference in the look of my makeup. My makeup doesn't glide on any easier with a primer and my face still gets incredibly oily after 3 hours. I've tried applying very little and I've tried applying a lot. No difference.

I'm disappointed. I was hoping this would at least help control some of my oil so I can actually last the whole day at work without feeling like I could fry an egg on my face. I'm glad I only bought a small tube to try out or else I'd be wasting a lot more money.

Rating: 2/5
Recommend: Even though I gave it a bad rating and it didn't work for me, I'd still encourage you to try it because it does work for many people. Buy the small tube first instead of the $49 bottle.

—River

Indications (Amazon): A light conditioning, leave-in Systeme that eliminates flyaways, leaving hair more combable. Contains the Biolage Leave In Botanical Complex that combines pure botanical extracts of Kelp and Hops.
Directions: After shampooing, spray evenly on damp hair. Comb through. Style as usual.
Price: $17-ish

My sister at The Saucy Choppers introduced Biolage Hydratherapie Daily Leave-in Tonic to me a few years ago. After showering, I spray a liberal amount onto my hair, then comb through. It doesn't smell much like anything—almost unscented, but it is a killer for battling tangles.

I'm one of those people whose hair tangles so much that I lose hundreds of strands of hair each time I brush. I spend about 10 minutes just to brush my hair after I shower. This product saved me time and energy. No longer did I have to deal with the frustration of seeing a ton of my hair fall out each day. Brushing my hair became a breeze.

My hair is also very dry, but I haven't really noticed a change in the texture of my hair when I use this product. It doesn't seem more moisturized, but my sister swears it does wonders for her hair.

I took half a point off the rating because I wish it was more moisturizing for me and smells a little nicer, but that's just a preference.

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes! For the worst of all terrible tangles.

—River