The Wall Street Journal recently announced the advent of the new hemline :  midi length just below the knee or mid-calf.  That also happens to be the most unflattering length for every woman no matter how great you think your legs are.  This hemline cuts the calf in half making the leg look… well, frankly, fat.  Watch out for these hemlines as they hit the stores and boutiques. 

Style Matters suggestion:  Hem skirts and dresses to right below the knee where the calf meets the back of the leg.  This will give you the most flattering look while still looking current.

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Lately, I’ve noticed that tags on the necks of clothing are driving me crazy.  They are so itchy!  So, I went on line and found this website:  http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Clothing-Labels

It contains step by step instructions on how to remove tags without damaging the garment. 

Equipment you will need:

seam ripper, tweezers and scissors.  I had no idea what  seam ripper is.  See below.  Get them at any Target or sewing store for under $4.

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In the July issue of Marie Claire magazine, an article on how much makeup to wear to work caught my attention.  Style Matters gives seminars on how a business casual wardrobe can help promote you at work, but we have never addressed makeup as a separate subject.  MC has, and their advice:  keep it natural looking.  Here are SM and MC tips for how to wear makeup in the workplace.

TIPS
1.  Keep skin healthy by using moisturizer day and night. For day, moisturizer should be an SPF 15.
2.  Consider using tinted moisturizers which you can create yourself by mixing foundation with skin cream. Check that the moisturizer looks good under natural light and is blended.
3.  Use pale blush, lip stain in a color slightly darker than your lip shade and mascara that’s not too gloppy.  SM loves Maybelline Lash Discovery.  Under $6 and really does a nice job of separating lashes.
4.  Stay away from shiny lip glosses, false eyelashes and bright color  eyeshadows.

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Wall Street Journal suggests this is appropriate for the workplace.

 I typically agree with the WSJ’s take on fashion trends.  But this weekend writerAlexa Brazilian went over the top.  Her suggestion for summer office wear?  Shorts.  Yup, she says women should wear shorts to the office.  May I quote:  When  brought together (suits and shorts), they create an unexpected combination of crisp polish and playful sportiness that can be worn anywhere from the office to weekends in the country and formal evenings out. Now I don’t know about evening dress — maybe in NYC shorts are de rigeur — but shorts for work!!!!  Only if you want your male co-workers to lose total respect for you.  Unless you work in the entertainment or fashion industry, this look is just wrong and could get you into lots of trouble.  Don’t even think about switching skirts for shorts until you have left the office.

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Ah, the miraculous claims of liposuction.  The procedure removes fat cells with the promise that fat will never appear in that location again.  What patients will tell you  is that the fat returns SOME PLACE ELSE! Now a small study reported in the Wall Street Journal confirms that fat removed from the stomach, hips and thighs returns within a year of the surgery.  Where does it go?  To the arms, shoulders, upper abdomen and might I add, boobs. This study is the first to suggest that liposuction leads to fat redistribution.  But those of us who have partaken of this procedure have known for a long time that this is true. 

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I have been shopping for jeans all over town and completely forgot about the Gap.  I am not the only one. The New York Times recently had an article on the decline of Gap’s sales.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/fashion/gap-now-casts-a-wide-net-critical-shopper.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=yAccording to the Wall Street Journal, the Gap has been in trouble for almost a decade.  Let Style Matters contribute some good news.  I went in to a store last week and tried on skinny leg 1969 jeans and loved the fit.  For $60, you could do a lot worse.  The Gap also had some cream colored skinny leg jeans that I could have really used, but I couldn’t find a pair that worked for me. I’m in between two sizes.  The store also had a large collection of straight leg and boot cut in dark and medium blue denim. I bought a pair in both colors. 

Style Matters tip: When you find a pair of jeans that fit, buy at least two pair or even three.  One to wear with heels, one with flats and one that you take to the tailors to crop.  A flattering pair of jeans is not something to  treat lightly.

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If you are watching your dollars, but still find yourself buying stuff, you need to read this article on what retailers do behind the scenes to encourage us to keep purchasing.  Check out this link and learn their secrets. 

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/7-shopping-secrets-retailers-won-t-tell-you-1.aspx?ec_id=m1078093

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New research shows that women are wired to shed more tears than men.  Duh!  But wait.  There is a anatomical reason.  Male tear ducts are larger so that they can contain more tears before they spill over onto the face.  Women, with smaller ducts, display tears much sooner.  Other facts about tears:

• Prolactin is found in tears and is a lactation hormone.  By the time women are 18, they have 50-60 percent more prolactin than men, which could account for why women cry more than men.
• Humans are the only specie that cry emotional tears.
• As men age, they cry more.
• Women in developed countries cry more than women in more repressive societies.
• 43 percent of the research subjects consider people who cry at work to be unstable.

Hand me a tissue.  This topic makes me all weepy.

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 DSW send you “store” money after you have purchased a certain amount.

Have you noticed all the stores that now offer reward programs?  Reward programs can be coupons, non-credit card cards or store credits.  They are mailed, emailed, sent to you on your birthday or after you spend a certain amount.  Most all reward programs offer discounts or credits or “store” money.  Why? What’s in it for the retailer?  According to the Wall Street Journal, these programs are a high-tech method of tracking and monitoring customer shopping habits with the aim of getting them to buy more.  One expert in  the field says that it takes between 12 and 20 NEW customers to replace a lost loyal customer!  So the next time you feel a favorite store has treated you unfairly, quote them the above stat.  They can continue to deal with you or… find a dozen new customers!

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We are coming into the season when we wear shoes barefoot.  This leads to some ugly blisters.  I found a great new product that stops those pesky blisters from forming.  It’s called Blistop.  It’s a spray that you apply to your feet, let dry, and voila, wear those sandals pain-free.  Blistop is available at most chain drugstores and costs about $8.00.  I found it at Walgreens. Let me know what you think of it.

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