Jumpsuits are high-fashion this season. While some of them are fun and perhaps fashionable, I wonder if they are simply too much trouble? Personally, it seems like a lot of work to me.

So what is the alternative to create a similar look without having to go full throttle into wearing a jumpsuit? Many designers are showing dresses with cinched (typically elastic) waists and zippers. This gives the illusion of a jumpsuit in a dress. Dresses are much easier to get in and out of.

While I am well aware of the fact that I have an excessive amount of clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes, coats, jackets, boots, and accessories; today I realized just how excessive my fashion habit has become. For years (3), I have been avoiding filling up the closet in my spare bedroom with my clothes. I was attempting to reserve that closet for guests and potentially my significant other. However, today I had to accept defeat. I must confess, that closet is in fact almost full. How can my 12′ x 9′ master bedroom closet not be large enough to house ALL of my wardrobe? I mean that is large enough to put a full size bed in the middle of! So it is what it is and I am accepting it. I will have to be grateful that I have the space and I will worry about the future when it gets here. In the mean time, hopefully my guests will travel light.

I have accepted the fact that less is not more. More is more and more is better. That is just the way fashion is. Once you go beyond a very basic wardrobe you need all kinds of clothing to make sure each outfit has the right parts along with shoes and accessories. I guess it’s a vicious cycle. The more you buy, the more you need.

Every time I think to myself I don’t have the right shoes for an oufit, I think “gee that’s ridiculous”. I mean how can a girl who has in the neighborhood of 150 pairs of shoes not have the right shoes for any outfit? Well ladies, it is in fact possible. I am currently on the hunt for a pair of black pumps because apparently, I don’t have any and that’s what my black sequined mini-skirt needs.

Even though many women have one or two of the same items of clothing  (or more depending on the combination of invdividuals) our closets and our wardrobes really define our personalities. Even if we do have the same dress, shirt, or pants as another woman, we wear it and accessorize it in different ways. I think it’s fascinating observing how different woman combine their wardrobe to create their own unique style.

Sometimes I take my fashion knowledge for granted but after two evenings out and seeing many women in print pants, I thought I might need to discuss this topic. Print pants are pretty much NEVER a good idea. Even when they were “in style” during the ’80’s, they were still UGLY! Particularly bad are loud floral prints or pants embroidered with little whales or palm trees. It just screams tacky and unsophisticated.

Please don’t confuse print pants with things like tweeds, houndstooth, or a muted pattern. Those are totally different. A muted pattern can act as a neutral and should not be confused with a print. Patterns look chic and sophisticated. Should you require clarification on this, I am MORE than happy to help.

If you do happen to have print pants in your closet, I highly recommend donating them to a charitable organization.

I can’t believe it either but the holiday season is right around the corner. Personally, I LOVE buying gifts for people but I don’t go crazy for the holidays. However, since most of you do, I am going to give you some good ideas on how to make holiday shopping less stressful, less expensive, and less time consuming. Of course Artfulwears will be a part of the plan!

First, make a list of all the people you need to buy gifts for. I am not huge at planning in advance, however the sooner you have a list, the easier it will be. After you make the list, give yourself a budget per person. Again, I am not much of a budgeter but this is the logical way to do things. Don’t exceed the budget. That way when you are done shopping for everyone’s gifts you won’t have any surprises and you won’t have to eat Ramen Noodles for the whole month of January! Take the list everywhere you go that way if you see something while you are out and about, you can pick the items up.

Second, I highly recommend shopping online, and not just for self-promotion. It is actually less expensive to buy online than it is to go out and it takes far less time. You spend money on gas and then if you are out shopping
long enough, you need to eat. Plus, you are almost always going to buy additional things that you don’t need. After all of the running around, you still might not come home with what you need. You can take a few minutes on the computer and locate exactly what you want and hopefully get free shipping. In most cases, you will also not have to pay sales tax. Additionally, you can easily comparison shop once you find what you are looking for. Last but not least, if the person you are buying for doesn’t live nearby, you can have it shipped right to their door.

Now onto the self-promotion. Artfulwears makes holiday shopping REALLY easy, as we offer FREE shipping AND FREE return shipping. How great is that?! If you buy it and it doesn’t work, you can send it back at no cost. We also
offer FREE gift wrapping. That alone saves you 5 minutes a present! Artfulwears has items for women of all ages in a wide array of prices. You might even suggest to your friends/family/husbands/boyfriends that you filled out your Artfulwears wish list. That way they know they are buying you the correct size or color. We are also available to personally assist you in your search. Gift certificates are an option as well. They can be mailed in hard copy or emailed. So if it’s last minute you will be all set.

So take my advice, save your time and go to parties. Save your money and take a little weekend getaway, or better yet, shop for yourself!