5 Ways to Green Your Style

• Choose organic: Hemp is NOT the only choice anymore! Organic and alternative fibers have come a long way since the 70’s. Support clothing lines and textiles made with organic cotton, organic bamboo or other sustainable fabrics. Look for organic certifications online and hangtags and labels that say organic. Organic clothing materials come from plants that have not been radiated, genetically modified or treated with synthetic or chemical pesticides. Any product labeled organic has to meet national standards set up by the United S­tates Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Buy less, but better: Quality clothing last longer, washes and wears better. Buying one top that won’t shrink or twist after washing is worth a few extra bucks and makes it a favorite for comfort and look. Also, over-washing your clothes not only wears down the fabric, it wastes water and can introduce excessive pollutants into the water stream. Wash less often and try wearing bamboo fabric , which is naturally antimicrobial and therefore won’t hold odor.

• Look for less chems: Raw materials that aren’t treated with pesticides have been shown to produce organic and natural fiber products with a longer lifespan and durability. Look for clothing lines not treated with bleach and dyed with low impact dyes. Low impact dyes don’t mean dull and boring – beautiful and vibrant colors can be achieved without bleaching fabric and using less toxic dyes. Check out this Tahiti Blue scoopneck and matching duo-tone scarf – flattering and wow!

• Buy local: Lesson your carbon footprint by choosing clothing that is locally designed and manufactured. Buying American made, and even better – made within your state, means your clothing didn’t have to travel the world to get to you. Where were your clothes made and by whom? Check the labels and think about how, where and in what conditions your clothing was sewn.  Shift your spending to companies who manufacture in a sweatshop-free and safe environment  and provide a living wage to their employees. Speak to the owners of your local clothing shops and let them know what you want to see and buy … and encourage them to buy from local and USA Made manufacturers and source sweatshop-free products. Don’t support companies who use child labor. Did you know that The International Labor Organization has estimated that 250 million children between the ages of five and fourteen work in developing countries? 

•  Recycle, trade or donate clothes you no longer wear: Invite co-workers, family and friends to bring old clothes they no longer want and swap them for ‘new’ fashions. Has a shirt been hanging in your closet for 2 years, never worn? Take it to Goodwill and donate it to someone who needs it. Let’s put less clothing into the landfills and more clothing onto the bodies of those in need.
• Be a responsible shopper! Think before you buy. It’s a lot to think about when it’s so easy to walk in the nearest super store and buy a cute inexpensive dress, but these small changes in how you shop can lead to big changes for you and your friends and family. The conscientious changes consumers make can mean huge changes for the clothing industry in providing products that are safe, non-toxic, manufactured responsibly and less harmful to the Earth.

A closet edit is the foundation to great style. And it’s necessary if you want to create a fashionable and versatile wardrobe that allows you to get dressed quickly. We wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time. It’s no wonder we find ourselves standing in front of a bursting closet, yet find nothing to wear.

Editing and organizing your closet will remind you what you have, where it is, and whether you actually wear it. The trick is being ruthless about what you truly need and wear.

Go through your closet, section by section. Ask yourself 4 questions about each piece of clothing. This is where the true edit comes in.

1.  
   1. Do you love it?
   2. Is it flattering? Specifically, does it fit your body right now?
   3. Does it help you meet your style goals?
   4. When did you wear it last?

If you don’t love it, get rid of it. If it doesn’t fit or isn’t flattering it is a detriment to any attempt at style. The first step to great style is great fit. Without fit, you have no style.

Does the item help you portray the image you desire? Does it work for your lifestyle? If you want to go from the playground to the PTA in style, will it accomplish this goal?

If you haven’t worn something in over a year you probably aren’t going to wear it again.

Once you have honestly answered these questions about each item in your closet, you will be left with a wardrobe you actually want to wear.

The age old saying that you can’t get something for nothing just isn’t true when it comes to your wardrobe. In fact, you can get an entire new wardrobe for nothing just by shopping at your local consignment boutique.

This Spring I edited my closet and took my own advice about being ruthless with its contents. At the end of my closet edit, I was left with a stack of clothing that no longer worked for my style, lifestyle, or body. All of these were stylish pieces in great condition. I’m embarrassed to say that even a few of them still had tags on them. This can happen to anyone, but the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and move on. Placing each item back in your closet because you feel twangs of guilt about how much you paid isn’t going to help you figure out what to wear in the morning. My advice is to head straight to your local consignment boutique.

Take your pile of in season and in style (on hangers) clothing and consign them so you can get something you actually need and want to wear. You can even get fabulous new wardrobe pieces without handing over a dime. Most consignment boutiques will pay you a higher percentage for your clothing when you spend that money in their store, allowing you to spice up your wardrobe for free!

I took my edited pieces to one of my personal favorites, Butterfly, the sister boutique to Victoria’s Consignments. I haven’t missed a single piece I got rid of. With the money I made from the sale of my consigned items I got a few new items including a beautiful pair of Prada wedges that have been a versatile addition to my Spring wardrobe.

Some of the best deals are found in consignment boutiques. You can find amazing savings on high end designer pieces that are in perfect condition. The next time you edit your closet, consign what you don’t wear and discover that you really can get something for nothing.

A closet edit is the foundation to great style. Let Charleston Style Concierge help you jump start your style by editing your closet and help you to discover how to wear what you already have more. Visit www.charlestonstyleconcierge.com for more information or contact us at (843) 323.2466.

Give your wardrobe a punch of style with this gorgeous Lella Foster Designs necklace. The beautiful clasp can be worn in the front or back for maximum versatility.

Delicate 26” vermeil chain with rubies and 24kt gold plated clasp that can be worn as part of the necklace.

Entries will be accepted the entire month of June. One lucky winner will be randomly chosen on June 30, 2009.

Click here and enter to win!

About Lella Foster Designs:

A Charleston Style Concierge favorite, Lella Foster Designs celebrates your individuality. Each design is exclusive. When you purchase a Lella, it is yours and yours only. Their beautiful pieces bring versatility and elegance to any outfit. Lella Foster Designs also offers a LUX line which offers limited production brooches, hair pieces and embellishments for your wedding or special occasion.

To learn more about this Charleston favorite please visit www.lellafoster.com. Are you on Facebook? Become a fan of Lella Foster.

Personal Style..It’s Closer Than You Think

For this month’s style issue we sat down with Lee Heyward, style expert and owner of Charleston Style Concierge, to find out how to get great style.
Pink: As a personal stylist, what is the one fashion mistake you see people
make most often?
Lee: Wearing clothing that does not fit properly. No matter how “on-trend”
something is, if it doesn’t fit, it isn’t stylish. I think as women, we struggle to
accept our bodies as they are. The best advice I can give is to embrace the body you have and learn how to dress according to its shape.
Pink: Coco Chanel said that fashion is like architecture. Do you agree?
Lee: Yes, fashion is all about proportion and fit. What’s great is that
you can manipulate proportion and fit to create the most flattering look for
your body. For example, if you are pear shaped you can disguise your hips by wearing trousers that create a straight line from your hip to the ground. Your eye is then drawn to the narrowest part of you, your waist. Using tricks like that can completely make over your figure just by changing your pants.
Pink: You speak a lot about having easy and effortless style. Is that
really possible?
Lee: Absolutely. Easy and effortless style is best achieved by simply editing
your closet. Typically, we wear only 20% of the clothing we own. That means you stare at 80% of your clothing each morning never wanting to wear it. A closet edit teaches you how to create a versatile wardrobe that allows you to get dressed quickly and easily. You should be able to get dressed in ten minutes or less.
Pink: What advice would you give someone feeling the pressure of finding
the perfect outfit for a special event?
Lee: First, start in your closet. Remind yourself of the options you already
have. You may not have the perfect dress, but an inventory of what you own will keep you from buying duplicate accessories or shoes when you’re feeling pressed for time. Look for classic styles that can be worn again with a change of accessories. You can also enlist the help of a stylist. A stylist can help you find an outfit that will be versatile for multiple occasions and look great on your body type.
Pink: Do you mean hire a stylist to shop with you? Isn’t that mainly for
the rich and famous?
Lee: Using a stylist to help you shop is a great investment. A stylist will
help you select styles you may not have considered before. Plus, she will teach you to make multiple outfits with just a few pieces. For example, when I shop with a client, I bring along my digital camera to take pictures of the outfits we put together. This way when the client gets home and is on her own, she is
reminded of all the outfit options we put together.
Pink: Is personal shopping the only service available through Charleston
Style Concierge?
Lee: No, we can help through our Virtual Style Consultation. In addition,
each month I teach a teleseminar on a different style topic. These seminars give you great information over the phone from the comfort of your house.
To learn more about Lee Heyward please visit
www.charlestonstyleconcierge.com. Charleston Style Concierge is
a personal styling company committed to making women feel more
confident through the development of a unique personal style.
Read more from Pink’s fabulous June issue at http://www.itsallpink.com.

A FREE ONE-TIME ONLY TELESEMINAR EVENT
Is your professional wardrobe keeping you from receiving the promotion you deserve or the job you want? Do people talk about your skirt length instead of the impressive report you gave at last week’s meeting?

55 percent of the message you send at work comes from the way you dress. What you wear to work is the key to your professional success. Whether you are looking for a job or trying to break out of your professional-wardrobe rut, this seminar will provide easy ways to dress for success on any budget. Join me as I share the secrets to dressing for success in this FREE ONE-TIME ONLY TELESEMINAR.

(In a hurry click here to sign up.) 

On this call, you will discover …

• How to decipher your office dress code.
• When to splurge and when to save.
• How details give you a “power look.”
• Why your work wardrobe doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
• How to make 5 outfits from 1 suit.
• Why black isn’t the only power color.
• How to create a wardrobe that takes you from work to dinner in style.
• Why your image is the key to success.

Sign up here to reserve your spot on this complimentary call.

Please feel free to tell a friend, but don’t forget to sign up first.
 
 
 

We’ve all seen a list of the 10 most versatile wardrobe pieces you should own. You probably already have some of them. The trick to making wardrobe pieces versatile is making them your own. Each piece should be representative of your personal style.

On any must-have list, you will find the classic white shirt. I find this shirt in almost everyone’s closet. However, most people don’t actually wear it. Why? Because they saw it on the list and went out and bought a classic white shirt, not a shirt they actually want to wear.

When you are purchasing staple wardrobe pieces, keep the following in mind:

• Look for details that make the piece special or unique to you. For example, purchase a classic white shirt that appeals to your style. Your classic white shirt could be a wrap shirt or have tuxedo detailing. It is still as classic as the button-down you see on the list, but yours is a version you will wear a lot more.

• Buy quality pieces. How many pairs of black pants do you own because you keep buying versions of the “perfect” pant? It is easy to be swept away by the price, not the pant. The result is discontent with the pant you have. You will spend more money buying 5 imperfect versions than you would have spent purchasing one pair of quality, well-fitting pants.

• The fit of your clothing is key. Your wardrobe staples should fit you like a glove. Sometimes a perfect fit cannot be achieved from clothing straight off the rack. Get to know a tailor. She can help you make small adjustments to your clothing. Your staple wardrobe pieces are worth the investment.

• Keep your lifestyle in mind. Remembering what you do on a day-to-day basis is one of the best tips I can give you. This will help you purchase versatile clothing that functions for what you actually do. A day dress is a very versatile piece, but if you run around all day, a dry clean only version will not do the trick. Choose a dress in a wearable and washable fabric.

Click here to view my list of the 10 Most Versatile Wardrobe Pieces.

Imagine having a closet full of clothing you truly love. The only challenge to getting dressed would be deciding which fabulous outfit to wear. Getting dressed would be quick and easy, and you would feel great every time you walked out the door.

All of this is possible if you adopt a love it or leave it attitude. It is easy to be seduced by price, styles that you love but that won’t work for your body type, friendly encouragement from sales people, and numerous other factors. As you shop for wardrobe additions or as you edit your closet, you must be ruthless. If you don’t love something, you’re never going to be happy wearing it. Give it away, or leave it at the store!

5 Things Each Piece of Your Clothing Should Have

1.                The fit makes you feel great about your figure.

2.                The price does not affect your desire to buy it.

3.                It makes you feel confident and unique.

4.                It can be used to create many different outfits.

5.                It has special details that speak to your personal style.

It is impossible to create a wardrobe that allows you to get dressed quickly when you have no style direction or goal in mind. What you get is a closet full of clothes you don’t want to wear.

Whatever your wardrobe challenge is, it can be fixed! You just need to figure out why you are not happy with your style. And thinking to yourself, “I don’t have a perfect body,” is not a reason. Start by determining your style goals.

Observe what people are wearing when you think to yourself, “Wow! They look great!” Do you notice a pattern in what you like? Is it always a certain style?

Become aware of styles you naturally gravitate to. For example, when you are out shopping are you constantly drawn to classic and sophisticated looks, or bohemian chic ones? Make note of this. 

Ask yourself how you want to look. Do you want to look younger, more modern, more professional, more put together. Then ask yourself why you want to look this way. The why is important.

Pretend you live in a perfect world with none of your lifestyle and body constraints. Now, what would you like to wear everyday?

If you feel stuck, get inspiration from fashion magazines. Cut out pictures to narrow down what you really like. Don’t focus on what you think you can wear, just focus on things you like. 

Take some time to think about these questions and write down your answers. Your responses will help you determine why you are unhappy with your current wardrobe. Then, work towards creating a versatile wardrobe that meets your style goals and functions for your lifestyle.

Let Charleston Style Concierge show you how to create a wardrobe you love to wear. Through a compete image and style assessment, clients learn how to create an easy and effortless style.

                   

Next Style Swap ~ May 14th ~ Charleston

STYLE SWAP: CHARLESTON
Date: Thursday May 14th
Time: 7-9pm
Location: Music Farm – 32 Ann Street
Hey Recessionistas! – Looking for some guilt-free shopping with instant gratification?
If you want to look good without feeling the pinch on your pocketbook, come to Charleston’s ultra stylish, eco-friendly STYLE SWAP.

See what Charleston’s City Paper is saying about the Style Swap! Click Here.