Normally my blog is pretty self-serving or truly related to fashion trends but today I will share my new closet space secret. I discovered these slim-line “huggable” hangers. They are felt/velvet covered so you can literally hang anything on them and it won’t slip. I love that since I have a lot dresses. I bought a few packs and loved them so much I went back a few days later and got more. Then, I went a third time. Tonight I actually measured the space I saved to compare to my other hangers. I saved an entire inch of space for five garments which basically I can hang twice as much clothing in the same amount of space. Multiply that over your entire closet and that will truly give you a lot more room to buy new stuff or just be organized! Not to mention, the clothes hang in a neater and straighter line. Ahh I love to be organized.

A few weeks back my Mom asked me if I wanted to go to a “Victorian High Tea” with her for a charity event, so I said sure. Needless to say, my outfit is a top priority. So I picked out a very vintage looking Diane Von Furstenberg dress that has a print that looks like lace in a black and soft white combination. I thought that it would be PERFECT. In fact, it was. But that is not what I want to discuss.

I want to discuss what OTHER people decided to wear. We saw everything from golf clothes and jeans to skin tight stretch lace dresses with high boots. First of all it’s a high tea, which carries with it the expectation you would wear a skirt of dress, or at the very least a nice pants outfit. Second, it was at a country club. I am thinking that if you know you are going to a country club that would eliminate even the thought of the skin tight lace mini dress. I am baffled that people don’t consider where they are going and what they should wear. What happened to decorum?

Recently it occurred to me that I am constantly giving fashion advice and tips but sometimes you need to see things to understand them. The old saying “a picture is worth 1000 words” is so true. So I am starting a new series on the Artfulwears Blog, “What I’m Wearing!”. They will be pictures of my outfits as well as our readers. I will explain why I chose items I am wearing to help you understand the fashion choices. I welcome the readers to email their photos of outfits that they love to blog@artfulwears.com.

I am quite happy to report that sequins are still in fact fashionable for Spring. This is great news for those of us who have been enjoying this trend. The last twist are stripes of sequins in various colors. I have yet to see something like this that I like but the jury is still out. Another important look for Spring are metal studs/embellishments. Look for these on shoes in particular.

Statement earrings are a great look for Spring 2009. We love the large Peace Hoop Earrings from Saundra Messinger which will be available at Artfulwears. If you are wearing a large earring, there is no need for a necklace.

Menswear inspired fashions are also hot for Spring, Think a tailored button down shirt and jacket.

All the top designers are showing nude hues in their Spring collections. From skirts and dresses to shoes, you will want to make sure you mix a few flesh colored pieces into your wardrobe.

Great news for pant lovers, anything goes for Spring. Whether you like wide-leg or skinny or a voluminous trouser, everything will be in style. If you are a skirt person, slimmer styles are more the trend.

Last but not least, break out the belts. The wider the better.

I feel like I am beating a dead horse hear by saying that these are things women should already know, but apparently everyone isn’t aware of some fashion rules. This is one is truly simple: Do not wear dark or black bras under white shirts. It’s just tacky. Yes, I really did see someone at the airport today committing this fashion crime. If you are wearing white, please choose a skin color bra. White will also show through. It is okay for your bra straps to show under a cami if they are either pretty or the same color as your top.

For quite some time my closet has become a featured attraction for many of my girlfriends. It’s kind of like the library of great fashion. They stop by randomly to check-out an item or two or three. I don’t even charge late fees if they return items after their due date.

Today however, was a special. I had a friend who INSISTED she could not fit into my clothes even though I was sure she would. So she picked out a few items and started trying them on and then I took some more out to add to her pile. The goal was to find something hot for her to wear for her birthday. So she gets to a dress that is a larger size than the other items and her immediate reaction was horror that not only was it a large size but it didn’t fit her. So I explained to her what I am going to once again explain to my faithful readers.

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER! I have things both two sizes larger and two sizes smaller in my closet than my “normal” size because manufacturers don’t follow a set standard for sizing. You can only go by averages. So don’t think because you have to buy something in a larger size you all of a sudden got fat. You didn’t, the manufacturer just cut the clothes smaller than they should have. When purchasing clothing, the main goal should be fit and you should ignore the size. I am not saying don’t look in the mirror and deny you may have gained weight but if your other clothes still fit you then you probably have nothing to worry about.

The happy ending is that the dress my friend borrowed for her birthday, which looked totally HOT on her, happened to be a size smaller.

I really didn’t think these two no-no’s need be published, but apparently I was wrong since I saw both violations this evening.

1. One shoulder tops or dresses are not acceptable. They are in fact tacky. For a brief period of time a few years ago, they were ok but now they are not. Please don’t think they are fashionable as I assure they are not.

2. Vests are NOT back in style either. I really do not think this needs further explanation but if you feel the need to put on a vest, I beg you to resist the temptation and save yourself from a big fashion mistake!

I am not sure how missed the boat for many years with boots, so I am going to share the virtues of boots with my fellow fashionistas. First, for those of you single gals, I was unaware that men love them. Apparently, a girl in boots can easily attract men. I was recently informed of this by my boyfriends. Second, they just look hot. Hence why the boys turn their heads. Third, when it’s cold out and you want to wear a dress, it actually makes it possible to skip tights if you are wearing boots. Most importantly, they create a sophisticated look with little to no effort.

Ladies, ladies, ladies PLEASE don’t be amongst the many women of the world who don’t find it necessary to make sure their pants are the right length. This is a tragic and easily avoidable fashion faux pas. It’s quite simple, your pants should to at least the middle of your heel or right above the floor. You should hem your pants with the shoes you are going to wear with them. Short pants are really not attractive. They make you look shorter and heavier. Thankfully most designers make their pants and jeans with a 33″ length to allow you to hem them to the appropriate length. Be grateful for this and have them hemmed to exactly the right length for you body and your shoes!