3 EASY STEPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CLOSET SITUATION

A few things happen when the seasons change. For one, I start craving soups, stews, and chili … and perhaps a baked good or two. The second thing that happens is that I start craving a cozy new winter wardrobe – a much more dangerous craving if you ask me.

In all seriousness, the “changing of the closets” is a key step in the summer-to- fall transition. Cleaning out your closet can be frustrating but it can also be a fun, feel-good, and freeing experience. Plus how can you make room for the new without getting rid of the old?

Just follow my simple tips and add closet cleanse to your weekend to-do list.

1. GRAB A FRIEND

I have found that cleaning out your closet is a much more successful (and fun) experience when you do it with a friend or a trained professional. Having another person acting as a second opinion/ voice of reason will help you part with those questionable items.

2. SORT IT OUT

Make space for five different piles: donate, trash, mend, consign, and store. I know, that’s a lot of piles but trust me, they are all necessary.

Donation pieces are in good condition and can be given to the charity of your choice or to your friends. Trash is just that, trash! Dirty, ripped, and stained pieces need to hit the circular file. Things that need to be altered need to be placed in a separate area and then taken immediately to the tailor. If you own fancier items then consigning is a great way to recoup some cash. And finally, if closet space is at a minimum, store your summer wardrobe.

Once your piles are set go through each garment one-by-one and start chucking.

3. GET ORGANIZED

Now that your closet/ bedroom looks like a total disaster (piles of clothes will be everywhere) it’s time to get organized. The easiest and most effective way to make your closet look more organized is by getting uniform hangers. Slimline Hangers will become your new best friend. Purchase them all in one color (black or tan) and toss out all other hangers.

Once everything is hung, merchandise your closet as if it were a store. This will make getting ready in the morning a whole lot easier. Display your accessories, shoes, and bags. I don’t know about you but if I can’t see it, I don’t wear it.

That wasn’t so bad now was it? Now sit back with a hot cup of tea, your laptop (for online shopping, of course) and admire your handiwork.

10 WAYS TO WEAR ADIDAS SNEAKERS

When being comfortable is actually stylish – I am so on board. I have recently been embracing the classic sneaker trend and my feet are loving it. You know I am an adidas die hard so today’s ’10 Ways’ is devoted to the 3-stripes.

1. WITH CLASSIC NEUTRALS

Pair a classic shoe with the most classic and timeless clothing on the block.

2. WITH A SKIRT

Let those sneakers shine without a pesky pair of pants getting in the way.

3. JUST ADD BOYFRIEND JEANS

Ripped and baggy boyfriend jeans make for the ultimate weekend look.

4. TRY A TRENCH

It might make you look as cool as this model off duty.

5. Get Short-y

Shorts and tights are a classic fall/winter combo. Sub your typical pair of boots for a stylish pair of sneakers instead.

6. SUIT UP

Love the concept of dressing down a conservative suit with a pair of sneakers.

7. BUNDLE UP

Because adding a scarf makes you look totally chic.

8. ALL BLACK

Because black goes with everything

9. WITH A DRESS

Dresses need comfort too ya know!
10. Clutch it Up

An evening wear staple meets a casual classic – I love it!

How you wear your classic adidas?

5 NO-FAIL LOOKS IF YOU ARE BIGGER ON THE BOTTOM

If your body type is “bigger on the bottom” chances are you aren’t all that interested in rocking a bodysuit and tights like Queen B is illustrating above. I get it. Most of the women I style with this particular body type body type would rather conceal their assets to create a more balanced appearance.

This week’s “5 No-Fail Looks For Your Figure” post is for women who carry their weight in their lower half. Whether its your booty, hips, or thighs – I’ve got you covered with 5 outfits that will balance and slim you out.

1. FLARED SKIRTS AND DRESSES

It may feel counter-intuitive add more fabric to an area that is already a little larger than you’d like BUT this styling trick actually does make you look smaller. The looser fabric will drape effortlessly over your curves instead of pulling tight across it, which will make you look larger. Go for something strapless to show off your shoulders and to draw the emphasis upwards or try a strong attention grabbing sleeve instead.

2. DARK BOTTOMS

If you want De-emphasize your bottom half, then wearing darker colors on the bottom is the way to go. Avoid patterned pants and light colored pants, as they draw attention to your trouble area – save all that magic for your top half instead.

3. STRUCTURED SHOULDERS

If you want to create a balanced body, think of the hourglass as your goal. If you are bigger on the bottom, you’ve already filled the bottom half of the hourglass. All you need to do is fill the top. A great way to do that is by adding volume up top with a structured shoulder. Look for jackets with a slight shoulder pad or some type of embellishment to draw the attention upwards.

4. PRINTED TOPS

If you are bigger on the bottom, your wardrobe should be filled with printed tops! Wear these with jeans, skirts, pants – and you have an easy go-to flattering outfit.

5. CROPPED JACKETS

Don’t cover up your bottom half with a long jacket or blazer, instead go for something cropped. A cropped jacket draws the eye up and brings attention to your tiny little waist.

7 SIGNS YOU ARE IN NEED OF A NEW WARDROBE

A style slump, it happens to the best of us. When we get busy with work, family, and just life in general … our style is often the first thing to go. For many of my clients these “slumps” can last for YEARS. I see it all the time. The big promotion comes or maybe it’s a new baby, and suddenly days turn into months and months turn into years. The time has gone by but the wardrobe remains the same. Then one day it hits them and something has to change. That’s where I come in to overhaul their style and in less than a week, they are a brand new version of themselves.

So how can you tell if you are in a style slump and in desperate need of a new wardrobe? I have found that if identify with these statements, then you probably need to give me a call.

1. YOU CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU WENT SHOPPING

Whenever I clean out a client’s closet they are always shocked to find out how much I know about them. Just by looking at their wardrobe I can tell exactly when they stopped shopping for themselves. I can tell when you got the “big job” or how old your child is without even looking at them. That is how telling your closet can be. If you honestly can’t remember the last time you purchased a new piece of clothing, then it might be time for an upgrade.

2. YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE YOURSELF IN YOUR CLOTHING

People change (and so do you) and when your insides change, the outside usually changes along with it. If you are now the big boss at work but you are still wearing your clothes from back when you are a coffee fetcher, then you probably don’t feel like yourself in your wardrobe. Taking care of your outward appearance is just as important as all the inside work you’ve done to change your current state of affairs. Dress the part or, even better, dress for next role you’d like to play in life.

3. THOSE “I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR” MOMENTS ARE HAPPENING A LITTLE TOO FREQUENTLY

Even those women with a closet full of amazing clothes have “I have nothing to wear” moments. But if you are finding that you are having these moments more than the average bear – then Houston, we have a problem. Think about all of the time and energy you are wasting by having a certified meltdown every time you go to get dressed. Admit defeat, throw in the towel, and get yourself a new wardrobe. It’s totally worth the investment.

4.  FINDING CLOTHING THAT ACTUALLY FITS IN YOUR CLOSET IS A CHALLENGE

Another common problem that women face is not wearing clothing that fits! Weight gain happens but there is no reason to punish yourself by stuffing yourself into clothing that doesn’t fit OR even worse wearing that one outfit that fits over and over again. Dress the body that you have and if you lose the weight? That fantastic – get new clothes as a reward for your hard work or visit your tailor.

5. YOUR CLOSET IS QUANTITY OVER QUALITY

As a woman in her 30s who is still young at heart, I understand the temptation to get sucked into the fast fashion trap. Many women our age have closets that are spilling over with fast fashion purchases from the past 5 years. The problem is a.) we are too old for this $hit and b.) we are probably completely over all of these pieces. It’s time to invest in quality over quantity. So if you find that your closest is lacking quality, then it might be time for an upgrade.

6. GETTING DRESSED IS A CHORE

Do you dread getting dressed? If you do, I am so sorry because fashion is supposed to be fun! You should love getting dressed in the morning because fashion can be very empowering. When you look great, you feel great. So if getting dressed sucks then lets make a change and get some items that make you feel excited each and every morning.

7. PEOPLE ARE MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR CLOTHES – AND THEY AREN’T COMPLIMENTS

No one sets out to be mean by making comments about your clothing  (okay some horrible people do) but it does happen. Those little “jokes” are typically just helpful hints to get you to take a good hard look in the mirror. Read between the lines and try not to take it personal because your friends are simply trying to help make your outsides match your awesome insides.

How did you stack up? Do you identify with any of these statements? If so, give your wardrobe a facelift or better yet, let me do it for you.

The way you look is the way the others see you.

Enjoy!

Marta Marques

HOW TO ADD A LITTLE SPARKLE TO YOUR HOLIDAY LOOK

While many people have a love/hate relationship with sequins, I have nothing but love of them. With all of the holiday parties that are sure to start filling up your social calendar, why not start preparing your wardrobe for the most wonderful time of the year.

A FULL-ON SEQUIN DRESS

Hear me out, a sequin can dress can often sound like it will be a “bit much” but why not try wearing a belted blazer over it to tone it down? You can even wear a sequined dress with chic sneakers for a cool street style vibe.

TRY A CUTE SEQUIN TOP

Oh the versatility of a sequin top. Wear it with skinny jeans for a daytime affair or with a leather pencil skirt for something a bit fancier.

HOW ABOUT A SEQUIN PENCIL SKIRT

What I wouldn’t do for a sequin pencil skirt. I am still on the hunt for mine but once you find yours, try pairing it with a cozy cashmere sweater and strappy sandals for an “I woke up like this” holiday look.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS … SEQUIN ACCESSORIES

The easiest way to add a little sparkle to your holiday look is by adding sequin accessories. Think shoes, bags, belts, or even a hat (sequin beanie, anyone?) This gives you the sparkle without stealing the show from the rest of your outfit.

by LAUREN MESSIAH

Enjoy 

Marta Marques

11 WAYS TO SHAKE UP YOUR LOOK THIS SEASON

After months of 40 degree weather, Macao finally got the memo that it’s FALL! Hooray. With this “official” change in season I have been feeling the need to shake things up a bit.

This shake up isn’t your standard summer-to-fall switch out either. Recently I have felt the need to reinvent myself. Maybe its my new-found singleness or that I’m just a girl that like to change her look quite often but something needed to change.

Here are 11 things that I’ve done to shake up my personal style. These tips work for nearly every season so give ‘em a try, it feels good.

1. Create a Pinterest board with looks that inspire you

I love Pinterest! It is probably my favorite social network. I use it gather inspiration for my clients and to gather inspiration for my personal style. I am constantly adding to my personal style board but I rarely go back and look at it. Well I did and I used to fuel shake up #2 …

2. Style outfits using the items in your closet to re-create those looks

My new style tradition is to style my looks for the week on Sunday night. I pull up my Pinterest board, get myself re-inspired, and then get to work. Its a fun way to bring new life to your existing wardrobe and an opportunity to try new things (style wise).

3. Sell the clothes you don’t wear and use the money to buy something new and exciting

I am a reformed style hoarder. In the past I was always terrified to get rid of clothes for fear that I’d need them someday or they’d come back in style and I’d be full of regret. Those days are done. Now I sell my clothes and use the money to buy new things that I will actually wear. I recently did another purge and it felt amazing.

4. Try out a new shade of lipstick

Makeup is the most inexpensive way to shake up your look. I have two signature lip colors but in honor of the shakeup, I am adding a new shade to the mix.

5. Get a tired looking handbag dyed for an instant refresh

I posted about this here and man is it an awesome way to shake things up. I recently took another bag in to get it dyed and am so excited to pick it up. Even doing something as simple as swapping your current handbag with a neglected one can help shake things up a bit.

6. Invest in a new pair of sunglasses

I am not the type of girl that wears a new pair of sunglasses with every outfit. I buy one really nice pair of wear them until I can’t stand them anymore. This season I am on the hunt for a “fun” pair to wear just to keep things interested.

7. Head to the tailor and finally get those pieces altered (you know what I’m talking about)

Last week I put on a pair of pants that I’ve had for YEARS but finally got tailored. My stars it was like getting a new a pair of pants. Take that sad pile of clothes that need to go the tailor or even to the cleaners and get that shit done!

8. Dress up for one week straight

This one is fun … If you usually wear jeans and tee shirts to work, go crazy and actually dress up. Wear a pencil skirt and a blouse instead. Why the heck not?! Stop saving your “good clothes” and take them out for a spin just because you deserve to look good and they deserve to be worn.

9. Swap your flats for heels

The older I get the less I care about being the girl who “wouldn’t be caught dead in heels”.  I wear flats because they are easier to wear and, lets face it, they are just more comfortable. Last week I decided to wear heels everyday and it was actually fun! Sure it was painful at times but I felt the “power” of the heel and it felt damn good.

10. Bust out the boots

Nothing says summer is really over like a pair of boots. Today I broke out my favorite pair of boots and it took my outfit up about 10 notches.

11. Do something drastic to your hair

I discovered something about myself last week and that is that I am a hair chameleon. I have been wearing my hair curly for over a year and I was sick of it. I’m not going back to chemically straightening my hair but I did decide to go get it flat ironed and OMG … I feel great! This was probably the most dramatic part of my shake up. I feel like a new woman and I have little confident boost that I didn’t even know I needed. So chop it off, dye it, or just re-style it for the fall/winter season.

Don´t be afraid to change things!!!!!

Changing motivates you!!!!!!

Marta Marques

THE TOP 10 SHOES EVERY WOMAN SHOULD OWN

Maybe I’m alone here, but … I’m a full-fledged shoe addict. Last week I found myself looking for the perfect shoe to go with my “perfect” outfit and I came up short. How can that be possible when you own an un-namable amount of shoes?

Just as your regular wardrobe needs those classic staple pieces, so does your shoe collection. It’s great (and necessary) to own fun, statement shoes but ladies, lets not neglect the classics.

With that being said, I have compiled a list of essential shoes that every woman should have in her closet. As I always say, invest in well-made shoes. Quality shoes will not only last longer, in most cases will be more comfortable than the cheap stuff.

Remember, you don’t have to run out and buy them all at once. Pace yourself, plus then you get to go shoe shopping more often.

1. CLASSIC BLACK PUMPS

Opt for the pointy toe version, as they will elongate your legs.

2. ANKLE BOOTS

Don’t let the fact that they are boots fool you, these are great for all seasons.

3. KNEE-HIGH BOOTS

Because every woman has the right to feel extra sexy sometimes.

4. STYLISH SNEAKERS

I’m not talking about your gym shoes; grab a pair that you can wear for comfort and style.

5. ANIMAL PRINT SHOE

This attention-grabbing yet still neutral print will stand the test of time.

6. BALLET FLATS

These classics are also perfect for running your daily errands.

7. EVENING SHOE

Because sometimes a girl needs to get fancy.

8. SANDALS

Give that fresh pedicure the attention is deserves.

9. WEDGES

Comfort, height, and style – all in one shoe.

10. STATEMENT SHOE

Told you there was a place for fun, statement shoes. Grab a pair that instantly upgrades the dullest of outfits.

by LAUREN MESSIAH

I love shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marta Marques

5 NO-FAIL LOOKS IF YOU ARE BIGGER ON THE TOP

If you want to really dress your best, it’s best to keep your body type in mind while shopping. You can have the best outfit in the world on but if it doesn’t make YOU look amazing then, “Houston, we have a problem.”

This week’s “5 No-Fail Looks For Your Figure” post is all about the ladies with large busts. It is very important to choose the correct silhouettes, patterns, and styles because one wrong move can have you looking larger than you actually are. I’ve yet to meet a woman who wants that to happen.

Here are 5 go-to, no-fail looks that will have you looking your best in no time at all.

1. ROCK A BLACK TOP

Keep the colors darker on the top (black is always a solid option) to help downplay your top half. Balance out the look with a colored or printed bottom because visually it will give you a more proportional look.

2. GO FULLER ON THE BOTTOM

The idea here is to create balance or an “hourglass” shape. If you already have the top-half filled, then you need to add to the bottom. What better way than with a full skirt.

3. THROW A JACKET ON

Jackets can be tricky for the large  busted ladies but when the fit is right, it can create a really flattering shape. Opt for a collarless jacket or a single button that allows plenty of room for your top half.

4. ALL-OVER PRINTED DRESS

All-over prints confuse the eye and therefor downplay your problem area. Bonus points for belting it. This creates a new focal point and really helps build that hourglass shape.

5. LENGTHEN WITH A SCARF

Draw the eye up-and-down instead of across your chest with a long printed scarf. A scarf is also a great way to instantly upgrade a “boring” look.

by LAUREN MESSIAH

Enjoy every tip, THAT'S why EVERYONE needs a Personal stylist :)

Marta Marques