Know your body. The first step in finding the perfect pair is understanding which styles look best on you. Hourglass bodies do best with hipster styles, and apple-shaped women are flattered most by subtle boot cut or traditional straight cut jeans. Pear-shaped bodies look lovely in flared jeans, and long-legged ladies should stick with wide-leg styles. Petites make skinny jeans look great, and boot cut styles are best for full figures.

Look everywhere. Utilize all of your resources. Don’t limit yourself to one store or one website when searching for the perfect pair of jeans. Go to department stores, designer boutiques and consignment shops. Thrift stores will surprise you with their variety.

Try on at least ten pairs for comparison. One of the biggest mistakes people make when searching for jeans is trying on too few pairs. Most people refuse to try on jeans if they don’t like the way the pair looks on the rack. It’s a big mistake. The rack’s ugly ducklings are usually the best-fitting ones.

Move your body in several positions when you try the jeans on. Don’t buy denim before you sit down, stand up and walk around. You may not have the perfect pair if the jeans hug your thighs, and you’re forced to push them down or keep pulling them up.

Alter your designer jeans, since they come at their longest in order to fit all. Create your perfect pair of jeans by having them altered.

Ask your friends to tell you how the jeans look on you. Friends are doubly helpful when you’re hunting down jeans. They’ll be the first to tell you if you need to keep looking. More importantly, they can share their shopping secrets when they show up wearing a perfect pair.

Thanks to ehow for the tips!

All that jewelery you have needs to maintained along with everything else. It can be a hassle to take items to be cleaned, especially when you can do it right from your home at your convenience!

Things You’ll Need:

• windex
• a bowl
• a needle
• an old tooth brush
• paper towels
• water

Get a needle and gently nudge the stones in your jewelry piece that you are cleaning. You have to make sure that they are securely set before you do anything.

If all the stones are secure, drop it down into a bowl full of windex. Yes, I said windex. It’s the best thing to clean your jewelry in, and you probably have some around the house anyways. Let it sit in there for about 5 minutes.

Take a toothbrush and scrub the piece down. Get every corner. Make sure it gets down in between the stones and everything.

Now that you’ve scrubbed it, place it in a bowl of water. Let it sit for around 2 minutes to make sure all the windex is out. Take it out and wrap it up in a paper towel so it’s dry.

Thank you, ehow, for the tips.

It’s been sticking around for a while, and doesn’t show any signs of leaving- it’s that slightly tousled, yet utterly romantic “boho braid”. Because braids have such a classic appeal they have been reinvented numerous times to fit a more contemporary look.

For a “Heidi” braid look—all you need are a handful of flat bobby pins, a couple of ponytail holders, and about ten minutes. To start, separate your hair into two equal pieces. You don’t need a severe middle part, however, you do need to make sure that you’ve got two even hunks of hair at the base/back of your head. If you have bangs, feel free to leave them out. Next, plait your hair into two braids (not too tight), starting each braid right behind your ear. When you finish each side, wrap a ponytail holder around the ends, then flip the braids up and over your head. You can either remove the ponytail holders and pin your locks in place, or just tuck the ends under the opposite braid and pin. Starting with the ends of your braids, pin them securely all along your head, working back to the origin of the braid. You’ll need approximately one pin (per braid) every two inches if you have medium to thick hair (less pins are required for finer, lighter hair).

You can also try to add one French braid or Fishtail Braid across your forehead, which are slightly more work, or one classic braid somewhere amidst your hair, down or up!

Whether to make a statement or to just add a little pizazz to your otherwise basic look, try adding a braid unexpectedly this week. Let us know what happens!

Dresses are perfect for showing off femininity and are nice and cool for the summer heat. Aesthetically, dresses look best when they are filled in the bust, hip and derrière. Obviously, we always want to accentuate the positives without overstating them and deemphasize those features that you are less proud of. Here are some tips for finding the perfect outfit for you.

Willow - Little definition between bust, hips and waist. *think kate hudson*
Focus on your neck, face and arms for balance.
Choose tops that have an interesting design feature in the chest area. High necklines will give the illusion of slightly larger shoulders, which is a plus for you. A-line skirts, pencil skirts, dropped waist or handkerchief hems are all great for a straight figure. Use lots of color and design in straight figure clothing. The simple lines of your figure mean you can pull off a variety of texture and layering- have fun with colors and patterns!
Pear - Smaller bust, rounded hips and more defined waist. *think kate winslet*
Focus upward for balance.
Wear the right size, don’t try to hide your hips. Full skirts are actually a boon for you- (i.e. The Academy Skirt) Dark colors are always generally more slimming. Love detail on your tops and blouses! Solids for the bottom half and prints for the top half of your wardrobe will be best.

Hourglass - Bust and hips in equal proportions, with more defined waist. *think liv tyler*
Focus on waist for balance.
Look for tops that are cropped or end at the waist. Select tuxedo, shawl and v-neck collars. Seek to emphasize your waist without highlighting your curves by color blocking your outfits and adding a thin belt that matches the pant or skirt. Tight shirts and high necklines are NOT your friends, they just make your bust look bigger. The “the Pencil skirt” is your best friend, as it glides over your curves and flatters that hourglass shape. (I have one in nearly every color, including white) Pocketless pants and skirts minimize your full hips. Remember that dark colors such as brown, navy, charcoal and black are naturally slimming. Keep your jeans and slacks bootcut at all times!

Spoon - Full bust, small hips and small waist *think nicole kidman*
Focus on hips for balance.
Avoid tops with high-placed pockets, buttons or designs that draw attention to your top half. Try wide-leg pants and skirts or dresses that are triangular in shape. Have your clothes altered so they fit. Solids for the top half and prints for the bottom half of your wardrobe will be best.

Apple - Full bust, average hips and average waist. *think catherine zeta-jones*
Focus on mid-section for balance.
Pieces with vertical lines will flatter your curvier figure. Keep your accessories to a minimum and make sure they are proportionate to your frame. Avoid baggy or over-sized pieces. If your thighs are the largest part, try a one-piece with a graphic design. You can also add a bubble skirt to help camouflage your hips. Dress in tops with empire waists to elongate your figure.

Half-pint
You are under 5′ 4″ and  generally are a miniature version of the willow. Keep clothes in proportion to your smaller frame, this also applies to prints.  (small prints on a small frame). Skirts to the knee are most flattering and pants with heels will lengthen your frame.

DO accentuate the positives without overstating them

DON’T accentuate your larger area.

Remember, whatever you wear, own it. If you’re not confident in it, wear something else.

We can always be more pleasant to look at (in person or in pictures) when we dress ourselves well. Keeping in mind that we should be dressing for our particular body shape and skin tone, we should also remember that hair styling and makeup will enhance features to our betterment or detriment. Beyond those basics, and forgetting those annoying naturally photogenic people, there are a few things that anyone can do to look better in photos. Try out these tricks and stop running for cover whenever the camera comes out.

1. Minimize certain attributes by tilting your head slightly.
2. Arrange your body ¾ toward the camera, to minimize your hips, with one foot in front of the other and one shoulder closer to the camera. Weight on your back leg.
3. Stand up straight, shoulders back and relaxed. Think long and lean like a ballerina.
4. Flatter your face by angling your face at a ¾ angle to the camera vs. full front, and look up through your eyelashes. Practice with a digital camera and see what angles are most flattering to you.
5. Posture is a life saver and will dramatically improve your appearance. Sitting or standing up straight will make you look far superior to your slouching companions Do not lean in towards the center of the pic.
6. Relax. Think happy thoughts. If you know a picture is about to be taken, take a deep breathe, and exhale slowly. Nothing kills a photo like a tense or stiff expression.
7. Smile, regardless of anything else, the happier and more relaxed you are, the better the picture will turn out.

You might be surprised to learn that when it comes to fabulous dressing, it not about quantity or big-ticket items. It’s all in putting it together. Learn to shop your closet like a pro by following these simple steps, and turn your mismatched pieces into some fabulous outfits.

Step 1: First things first, pick your favorite items and build from there. For me, my favorite items are often the things I’ve saved up for, but they’re not always the newest items in my closet. They should be unique enough that you always feel fabulous in them.

Step 2: Pick your basics. You should keep SOLID colored staples such as: slacks, A-line skirts, cardigans, and sundresses. The basics go with anything and you wear them to accentuate or tone down your trendy pieces.

Step 3: Lay out your choices on the floor- or whatever works for you. The idea is to be able to see everything in front of you. It’s easier to hone a workable color, prints or texture palette this way.

Step 4: Make a list of what’s missing. With all this sorting through your closet picking your favs as well as your basics- you’ve got a pretty keen sense of what you like and have. Do you have too many of this or that? Consider adding textures or prints. Make a list of what you need and keep it in mind next time you hit the stores.

Step 5: Create and try on the different outfits—shoes and all! Dainty or chunky, heels or flats, shoes are crucial in how well your outfit comes together.

Step 6: Choose a handbag- some of you may only have 1, it’s time to expand. Leave no store uncovered You need a minimum of 3, a structured day bag, and small evening bag and a casual bag.

Step 7: Accessorize! Jewelry is highly personal so try on your array and go with what feels best.

DO place trendy pieces (like animal print) with other SOLID prints.

DON’T combine different textures

Remember, have someone check out your outfits to make sure your color, texture and print combinations look excellent to another eye besides your own.

*Fashion Flash*

Now introducing a new spin on a classic… move over black, this year designers let the little white dress step out. Adorably fun, it has been morphed from a convenient frock into a must-have, every-woman-can-wear-it item. What a black dress lacks in up-to-the-minute trendiness, the white dress more than makes up for. It is an excellent decision if you want to pull of an playful, sweet look. Our dress is not only the most flattering pattern (every shape looks good in it) but it also naturally draws your attention to the intricacy of the feminine eyelet material and it’s cut - to your natural waist - both very “in” this year. New York-based couture designer Nanette Lepore says, “It’s something that appeals to all people. People have an inherent psychological reaction to nice, crisp whites, and it’s nice.”

DO
accesorize with one bright color

DON’T
wear white to a wedding as a guest

Remember, get a dress you love and feel comfortable in. Check out our shape post if you are having a difficult time knowing what to look for.

Will you try the trendy white this year?

From messy to super-sleek, here are a few fantastic bun looks to give you some variety this summer whether hitting beach or ballroom.

Round or angular shaped faces should use parts as a nice focal point to the face, while other face shapes can easily use a “ballerina” slicked back approach.

Insider tip: most of these styles are based off a ponytail. It gives stability and a platform for securing your bobby pins.

Ballerina how-to: be sure to spray your hair with hair spray before pulling it back, pin securely in place and lightly finish with a shine spray.

Tousled how-to: put your hair in a messy ponytail, tease the pony for added volume and lightly pin in place leaving a few pieces out to keep it relaxed around your face.

Need some pictures? Check this site for some great ideas-
Know any hair bun tricks you’d like to share?