Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Gotta love that Earring Bling-Thing

I've never wanted to be that girl that couldn't leave the house unless she had makeup on and I am proud to say that I have not become that person. However, I am that chick that must have a pair of earrings on at practically all times. Yes. Tis' true, I sometimes even wear studs when working out.

I'm a lover of long, big, shiny, gaudy and simply extravagant earrings. Then there those smaller, classic, simple yet elegant earrings that do just the trick. What can I say, I love them all and I might argue that you should too. The earring provides an element of authenticity to any outfit and in some cases pulls it all together. The key is learning what type of earring is appropriate for a particular event as well as knowing when you are piling on too many accessories.

I am very careful about my earring selection for my 9 to 5. The last thing you want is to be the conversation piece when walking out of a meeting. "Check out the Christmas Tree on that one." That's a no no! I normally go with a stud, small hoops or dainty drop earrings for a more professional, polished look. Some of you may think they are not as fun, but you can make these looks youthful and fun. Try stores like For Love, Amuse, Claire's and Icing for professional earrings that still have a hint of youth to them. STAY AWAY FROM NEON, FLUORESCENT, PLASTIC EARRINGS even if they are studs or small hoops. These are not work appropriate by any means and they simply look childish. If it's not an 80's party, don't do it to yourself.

Now for more social outings, especially during the night, practically anything goes. Currently I am a huge fan of both silver and gold accessories, costume of course (we have to spend wise my friends). I normally wear them very big and coordinate them with my clothing. I have short hair so they really accentuate my face and they are great with long hair, especially when you tuck your hair behind your ear. What a sexy Alicia Keys look!

As for piling on too many accessories there are a few rules.
  1. The Neclace and the earring should not compete! Pick one to be the focal point and simply eliminate or downsize the other.
  2. Only 10 shiny things on a person. My Communications teacher taught me this rule. Again, we do not want to look like a Christmas Tree. Count all jewlry, glasses, shiny buttons, etc.
  3. Belt, necklace and earrings...no, especially if the necklace touches the belt. HUGE NO! In most cases, get rid of the necklace and let the belt and earrings do their thing.

Be as unique as you like! Go to consignment shops, thrift stores and the Goodwill to find one of a kind pieces. Wear two different earrings of the same color and see who notices. I used to do a stud in one ear and along dangling earring in the other. Or perhaps a hoop and a stud. It provided a little drama to the outfit and was always the topic of discussion. Someone who doesn't mind being the center of attention can carry that look off.

I can safely say that I have converted most of my friends to earring lovers as well. What joy! Hopefully I can convert you too! Take a look at my pics and tell me what you think, get some ideas or just look around.

Until the next time...be Bailout Beautiful!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

"Test Driviing"


And I'm not referring to a car my friends. I see males and females make this mistake constantly. Wearing that outfit that you tried on momentarily in the mall, or the one you thought of in your head to an actual event and to your surprise (and perhaps demise) it is UBBER UNCOMFY! Don't you just hate that!? As a result, your swag is utterly destroyed for that evening because you spend the entire night a-pullin and a-tuggin, adjustin' and a-fixin'.

Two Words: Over it!

I think my sister and I came up with this term "test driving" a long time ago. The process goes a little something like this. We envision an outfit in our minds and get excited thinking about how wonderful it will look when we don it, but we must first put it to the test. I test drive outfits for every type of function. Just because it looks good in your head doesn't mean that it will look good on. And more importantly, it does not mean that it will feel comfortable throughout the night.

Here are the basics to test driving an outfit (feel free to add some ideas in case I leave some out):


  1. Try on every article of clothing that will comprise the entire outfit, UNDERGARMENTS INCLUDED! Shoes as well. Ladies, I can't stress this one enough. If you want to avoid those unsightly panty lines, this is a must do!

  2. Perform similar actions and movements in the outfit that are typical of actions that you will make while actually wearing the outfit. Do this for at least 15 minutes. Walk around, sit down, bend over, dance, jump, clap...whatever's clever.

  3. Take note of how the outfit responds when making certain movements and decide if this is what you want. Is this how you want to portray yourself? Does that skirt show half your back side when you bend over? Do those pants fall down by your knees (men) while your walking? Does that dress creep, creep, creep up while you dancing? If that's what you want, GO FOR IT! If not, you better rethink your clothing selection.

  4. If needed, make the appropriate adjustments and repeat steps 1-3.

Test driving is one of my favorite things to do because I get to use my creativity. There maybe articles of clothing that you have vowed to never wear again, but after test driving it and coordinating it with some new pieces, it has a new life. For all my budget fabulous peoples out there, this can save money while helping you to grow your wardrobe. You can find one piece that mixes and matches with several other pieces after taking the time to be creative and test drive your ideas.


If this concept is new to you, I encourage you to try it. C'mon, get out of the passenger seat and let's drrrriiiiivvvvveeee!