Five Fun Fashion Links.

I received a gift card, which I want to use to buy some investment shoes -- the type that I will keep for some time and use often. So, I figured I'd better check out the fashion scene, as I do want to at least look like I know what decade it is. :)

Here are a few fun fashion links that I found. (Please note that just because I link to a certain article, that does not mean that I endorse the whole blog):

1) Here's some great information about trends for 2008. I had to laugh, though, at one article that showed jewelry for "real people". I don't know any "real" people who would wear the chin- to-collar-bone bronze necklace in the accompanying illustration.

http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/content/style_notes.html

2) The Budget Fashionista weighs in on the colors that will be popular in 2008. It looks like there will be two color groups to choose from this year: bold, jewel type colors and pastels. If you have vibrant or dark skin tones, you may do well in the bolder colors. With my light coloring, I'll be looking to the pastels. If you don't look your best in either of these groups, don't despair. There will be something out there for you, if you keep looking. For those of you who do a lot of thrift shopping, using 2008's colors as a guide can help you pick selections that will look fresh and up to date.

http://www.thebudgetfashionista.com/archive/spring_2008_color_forecast/

3) Here's a blogger who's compared several styles of shoes at four different price points each. Whether or not these price points fit into your budget, it does illustrate how you can re-create a look at different price levels.

http://preppychicblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/basics-shoes.html

4) Dress fans and vintage fans will love this one:

http://dressaday.com/dressaday.html

5) The top ten fashion must-haves for 2008, otherwise known as ten reasons why I will choose classic style over fashion fads this year. (They're bringing back the tent dress! Don't tell me that it come to that!)

Oh well, at least, at least it looks like American women's passion for wearing low jeans with too short tops is finally over. We have to be thankful for small things.

http://talkfashiontome.blogspot.com/2007/12/tuesday-talk-must-haves.html

Once again, let's run through the definitions of style, trend, and fad. It always helps me to keep them in mind.

Style (at least in the Merry Rose dictionary): a woman's personal fashion stamp. While our style does evolve somewhat as we mature, our basic style generally stays with us for life. Some examples of personal styles are classic, traditional, romantic, artsy, sporty, crisp, soft, etc. Also, the colors that flatter your complexion the most will likely become part of your personal style. You'll also gravitate towards fashions that flatter your body shape, though this is harder during some fashion cycles than others.

Trend: a fashion silhouette that lasts anywhere from five to ten years or so -- usually ten years.
The trend has to do with how garments are cut, and it affects hair and makeup as well. For example, are jackets basically longer or shorter? Are skirts A-line, tulip shaped, pleated, or sleek? Are shoulders padded and broad or are they more natural? Are hairstyles "big" or are they sleek? Is jewelry bold or dainty? Does makeup emphasize the eyes or the lips?

Fads: a fashion offering that lasts about a season or maybe even a year. Seldom will a fad last more than two years.

Fads are seldom worth chasing. On the other hand, taking note of both your personal style and the season's current fashion trend will help you dress in a way that is up-to-date and approachable.

Sometimes, we over-thirty ladies get stuck in old fashion trends so long that we start looking dowdy. It's easy to do for reasons that range anywhere from having a tight clothing budget, to being too busy with life to notice changes in fashion trends, to feeling comfortable in what made us look good when we were younger, to thinking older styles are more modest, etc. Younger women can be put off if we look too out of touch. They can think we look unapproachable and as if we don't have anything relevant to say to their lives. Of course, we don't want to dress like teenagers. And, mature-minded younger women will look past our outward appearance to our character. But, keeping within the current fashion trend is one tool can help us to inspire a greater number of younger women, particularly if we lead the way in wearing current trends modestly. Our husbands also enjoy it when we put in the time to keep a fresh appearance.

Remember, there is nearly always a way to interpret current fashion trends in a way that preservers your modesty, your femininity, your dignity, and your age-appropriateness -- not to mention your personal style. You just have to be creative about it.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth