Summall

Summall by lupercultura featuring long sleeve tops

Burberry long sleeve top
$420 - farfetch.com

Rebecca Taylor mini skirt
matchesfashion.com

Giuseppe Zanotti leather pumps
$500 - farfetch.com

Azzaro blue handbag
modewalk.com

Juicy Couture chunky jewelry
juicycouture.com

Kenneth jay lane earrings
net-a-porter.com

Season Shape Up

Season Shape Up Get Your Closet Ready For The Season To Come By: Jennifer Fernandez

Seasons come and go whether our closets like it or not.  Unfortunately not all our wardrobe favorites will make the cut.  When it comes to whipping our wardrobe into shape it is important  to know what we have to see what it is we need. For most fashion  lovers the closet purge can be quite overwhelming, but have no fear  your easy season shape-up is here. First thing's first, it is important to know that a closet purge is not as  hard as it seems. Start the purge by going through your wardrobe,  Break down your closet into three piles: NEW LOVE, OLD LOVE  and NO LOVE. NEW LOVE: This pile consists of new and semi new pieces, fit for  the season to come. New love is a pilecontaining newly purchased  pieces ready-to-wear. Many of the items in this pile will become key  pieces for the next season. OLD LOVE: Oldies but goodies are essentials for your look this season.  Keep great blouses, pants and blazers in rotation that you can layer.  Also select favorites from the year before that might still come in handy.  With old love, be strong and store things you like but never wear.  Chances are, if it did not make the cut before, it will most likely  sit the bench going forward. NO LOVE: Pieces from the season before that cannot make the transition,  need to be stored somewhere other than the front of your closet. Get past  season looks out of the way by packing them up in tubs or moving them  to the back of your closet. Even if stored, a good fashion builder remembers  to keep classics and labels for the future. Other no love pieces include:  old worn clothes, out of season pieces, things that do not fit and things  you never wear. After sorting your wardrobe into three specific piles, you can easily  determine what you have. Look through the new and old love piles pick  out ten key pieces for the season. These ten pieces should be a logical  arrangement of jackets, blouses, pants, dresses and skirts all capable  of mixing and matching with other wardrobe items. Upon deciding  on your favorite ten, find and create atleast two outfit options for each item,  hanging them together in you closet. Now that you have organized your wardrobe, you are ready to shop for a  few much needed seasonal pieces. The outfits you have created will give  you an idea of what you have and what you still need for the season.  An organized seasonal closet makes it easier to buy quality over  quantity because it keeps you aware of what you need over what you  want. Finally, splurge on shoes, jackets and handbags that can go season to  season and year to year, while only investing in minimal trendy items.  Trends help keep your wardrobe fresh, but should not overshadow classics.  Remember, first impressions are not only based off of what you say,  but also how you look saying it. Wear clothes you like and know  look great, over what is trendy. Everyone can have fashion, but only  the unique and fabulous have style.

SHOPPING 101

Learning how to shop, is not a problem for rocket scientist to solve, but for female fashion lovers alike shopping smart seems to be a problem we all possess. Is it the impulse buy, or the gotta have it style that we love? Do we take to our fashion like we take to everything else, fast and with our heart? For me the answer is all the above.

I love fashion, but die for a good bargain or a great sale. I find myself falling for quantity over quality daily and love coming home with bags upon bags of fun stuff, only to find 80% of my clothes and accessories sitting years later with tag in-tack. The gluttony of female fashion enthusiast seems to be a trait we all possess. What seems good,  only seems good under the mirage of store Florescent lights, and by the time we get home beautiful buys become basic bunches of stuff.

Recently after a new move, I have decided to intervention my old hoarding fashion ways. That is when I read a great article about bargain shopping "The Bargain Hunters Guide to Style" an article by Anna Holmes in an antique 2007 InStyle I hoarded in my home. In the article Holmes discusses how dressing well does not have to mean mazing out credit cards. She asked experts how to look chic for less, and gives the secrets for million dollars style at a fraction of the cost... Can you say YES PLEASE!

How to shop? This is the question on all female fashion minds. We know what we want, but have no idea how to create the look without the high price tag or if you are like me, you go overboard when it comes to shopping and loose site of the look you are searching for. So when do we splurge?

• INVEST IN CLASSICS:

Stylist agree, that we should spend cash on shoes, handbags and coats. Thank goodness too, because I know those are some of my favorite things to break the bank on. Great accessories take inexpensive clothes to the next level and make $50 dollars purchases look like million dollar looks. Plus, a great jacket, perfect leather handbag and beautifully crafted heels will last a lifetime. Consider these buys an Investment!

• PLAN AHEAD

Planning your wardrobe can keep you focused when you shop. In past YouTube videos, I have briefly
discussed closet preparation for the season ahead. By pairing items together that you already own, you can easily determine what it is you need. Going to the mall for one specific thing, is better on the wallet than going crazy girl buck wild in the stores with no plan or focus. To save money, decide which pieces you need before hand, so you can not only shop sales but also look for great can not live without pieces. "You can avoid having a closet full of stuff you only wear once," says Kate Young. Young's right, why have piles and piles of stuff you only want to wear one time and never look at again? The answer... YOU DON'T! I want a closet that is filled with things I love and can not live without, this is something you can only have if you carefully select the pieces that belong to your wardrobe.

• TIMELESS TREASURES

Why buy beautiful fakes that will tarnish and fade with each wear? Instead, when is comes to timeless jewelry selections like gold earrings,  or great genuine stone jewelry or a great pearl necklace, it is not a bad things to spend and splurge a little more. These are pieces you will have and wear for years and years. For more trendy colorful accessories try to find deals, things that you may only wear a handful of times are not worth spending big bucks. For these... Hit up trendy stores within your mall or shopping center.

• FIND YOUR OWN STYLE PATH

Do not religiously follow the trends, do not loose yourself in fashion let the fashions loose themselves on you. Part of personal style is that it is unique to you. Do not be afraid to try new things even if they aren't what everyone is wearing. Your closet should be filled with 70% classics and only 30% trends. Runway looks are easily duplicated, but make them your own. Finding your own flare while touching on trends of the moment is less expensive and more likely to be worn into the next season.  Basics can be found in staple stores like Express, Gap, Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren and JCREW.

• THRIFTY NIFTY 

Consignment stores are the best places to find fabulous vintage blazers and bags. I love finding 90's leather bags for $10 or a great tuxedo blazer for $2, and the best part is... One stop in the local cleaners  or tailor and these pieces are good as new. If you do not know which designers to look for, try doing your research before a big consignment crawl, locating designers from past decades.

• USE YOUR MATH

In order to decide if something is worth the high price, think about the cost per wear. If you see a dress you love, divide the price by the number of times you will wear it. Be honest with yourself, this will let you see if it is worth the wear.  Even if it is only $5, if you do not wear it...you have just wasted $5

Finally

• MIX IT UP

The smart shopper knows how to make a look turn heads, pair investment pieces that cost a little more and last a lot longer, with affordable pieces to create the perfect look. Great Handbags and Shoes got perfectly with simple dresses, tops and skirts. Jazz them up with jewelry for your perfect style looks.

These are a few tips I found to helpful in the bargain hunt. Keep them in mind, for you next shopping trip and do not forget to check out my YOUTUBE videos discussing closet purge and piece selection for the season to come. Remember to think of shopping as a treasure hunt, live for the diamond in the rough and be patient to find it. Focus is key to finding things you can not live without. Window shop regularly, even if you so not need anything being a store regular will keep you abreast on new styles, sales and can miss pieces.

This as been Shopping 101... Thanks for stoping in, feel free to stick around and read some more..
J.Cultura - Be apart of the culture!

VOGUE : Style Resolutions

 Great ideas, well dressed women share there fashion updates for Summer.... ENJOY

Sharing from Vogue.com

Whip your closet into shape

I read a great article in www.instyle.com "Whip your wardrobe into shape." The article was beautifully insightful on how to get your closet ready for the season to come. The first step is seeing what you got. Purge and Organize Form three piles, I like to call them Old love, New Love and No Love. These piles will help sort your clothes into things you love and have had for a while, things you love that are new to your wardrobe and of course things your over. When looking through your wardrobe, try to gather your looks. Decide what goes with what...this will give you an idea of what you need and what you already have.  *Most stylist prepair most of their outfits within their closet. Arrangement is key to forming great looks and knowing exactly what you have. Section off your closet whether by lifestyle, day to night, work to play, however you would like. Step 2: Evaluate In order to prepare you closet for the season, locate your top ten key pieces, If you are like me and can not decide check magazines and boutiques to give your self some inspiration. After selecting your top ten... try to build your wardrobe around those ten pieces. Make sure these 10 are unique, fashion forward and in season. Pay close attention to the shape, color and cohesiveness of these pieces make sure they fit you and your season style. PAIRING-- when pairing your looks together, remember to find each key piece two are three buddies to party and pair with. This will give you look versatile. Look at what you have, what jeans/tops/blouses/shoes/jewelry, by creating these pre made looks you will see what you have already, and know what you need. Step 3: SHOP... After going through you closet and seeing what you already own, you have a better idea of what you need. Get a clear picture of what need to shop for, which will help you focus while you shop. Your focus should be pieces that coordinate well. Do you research to assess trends and get inspired by looks you love.  Big money should only be spent on classics, and pieces you will have and wear season to season or at least year to year. *Jeans/ Heels/Handbags* For trendier pieces try to find a good deal especially if it is a short term trend. For these trends 1 or 2 pieces are all you need to invest in. Also try to pick one super unique fun piece that can spice up any outfit, for this I would look to jewelry selections. (Big junky jewelry). **Also double check the calendar for any future events you have coming up--prepare.

This will guide you through the craziness of season wardrobes, but do not forget to have fun with it. This is your wardrobe and you should give yourself the options you love, and will LOVE TO WEAR. Enjoy

It is who you are---Be apart of the culture J.Cultura!Instyle