How to Look Like You Have Long Legs Simply By Choosing the Right Outfit

Whether you truly do have shorter legs or you simply want to make yourself appear longer and leaner, there are certain ways that you can look like you have long legs by simply choosing the right outfit.

Check out these 5 clothing style tips below for some easy ways to make your legs appear longer without having to do anything but put on some beautiful clothes.

1. Wear a Nude Colored Shoe

A nude shoe will help elongate the line of your legs without disrupting cutting them off at the ankles with a different color.

Any shoe, especially high heeled pumps, that match the color of your legs will elongate your legs. If you happen to be wearing tights in a different color keep this tip in mind as well as it can be used for something like black tights paired with a black shoe as well.

2. Avoid Wearing Shoes with an Ankle Strap

Any shoe with a strap around the ankle, no matter how high the heel is, is going to cut off the line of your leg. This make your legs appear shorter instead of longer.

Instead go for a pump that is lower cut so you can see your entire ankle going down into your leg. This works very well for elongating your legs when wearing a skirt or dress.

3. Go For a Longer Hem on Your Pants

Instead of choosing an ankle length pant hem, choose one that grazes the floor instead. This helps to lengthen your leg as much as possible and can make them look incredibly long.

Pair your longer hemmed pants with a high heel and you may just be amazed at how long your legs appear.

4. Choose a Taller Boot

If you are looking to wear some killer boots, then opt for a knee high boot instead of something that ends at your calf or especially not ankle boots.

This tips sort of goes back to wearing items that don't cut off the length of the length or don't bisect them into different areas and colors. If you really want to extend the length of your leg, opt for something like a pair of black leggings tucked into knee high boots or a black skirt that goes to to the top of your boots.

5. Avoid Wearing a Tunic Top

By wearing a long tunic top you can easily cut your legs shorter instead of making them look longer. If you want your legs to look longer, choose a top that ends at the top of your hips and no further down as it will start to hide the length of your legs.

If you do choose a longer top, make sure it is more of fitted one rather than a loose, blousy one so that you can tell where your legs start.

5 Tips for Wearing a White Dress This Summer

This summer why not branch out a little bit and choose white instead of black for your dress?

White dresses are really quite popular right now and you can see plenty of celebrities sporting white frocks this spring and summer. But, you don't have to look like a celebrity to be able to pull off a white dress.

Here are 5 tips to keep in mind when choosing a white dress this summer.

1. Make Sure You Wear the Proper Undergarments

I know that one of the reasons why I often stray from white clothing is because a lot of the clothing pieces I come across you can easily see-through them. This means it is really important that you choose the right undergarments when wearing a white dress even if you don't think you can see through the dress.

This means choosing a bra and underwear in a nude color that matches your skin tone. It can be tempting to go with a white bra or underwear but it may show more than you think and instead stick with a nude skin color.

You also want to wear a slip or camisole underneath the dress if it is really see-through or sheer in any area. I know that a lot of women my age are turned off when it comes to slips and think are just for old ladies but you really don't want to be showing off everything you own to everyone you meet. Look for a slip that fits properly under your dress so that you don't have to worry about any lumps or bumps peeking through. You can even find shape wear slips that will help slim your body and provide some coverage as well.

2. Choose a Flattering Shape for Your Body

Since lighter colors like white are a lot more unforgiving than say black or navy blue, you definitely want to make sure you choose a dress that flatters your body shape.

An A-line dress is usually the most flattering for just about any body shape as it has a closer fit on top and then starts to flare away from the body around the waist and hip area.

You may have to try on different dress styles before you find the perfect one on your body.

3. For a More Feminine and Sweet Style Go with Lace or an Eyelet Dress

If you want to pull off that feminine and sweet style with a white dress, look for one that has a touch of lace or even an eyelet dress. These dresses can easily be dressed up for evening events and date nights out but still have that fresh, summery look.

4. Don't Be Afraid to Add Some Color

If you are afraid that you are going to look washed out or simply boring, then don't be afraid to add some color to your outfit by the way of your accessories.

Items such as a bold statement necklace, or even a darker colored blazer over your dress can easily add some color and style to your white dress and still give you that fresh look. You can even add a pop of color with some funky print pumps or even a long necklace.

5. Choose a Dress with Some Interesting Accents

Instead of just sticking with a plain white dress, look for one that has interesting accents and elements such as a sheer panel or gold hardware accents. This can easily take your look from boring to super stylish and adds a fun aspect to the dress.

I have seen plenty of white dresses that are super cute and stylish with some funky accents or even just simple touches like lace cap sleeves or a crocheted accent at the neckline.

So this summer, don't stray away from all the pretty white frocks you run across, but instead play it smart and choose the right white dress for you and it may just become your favorite outfit this summer.

10 Quick Clothing Style Tips to Make You Look Thinner In Minutes

Can the way you dress really make you look that much thinner?

If you don't believe that the right outfit can easily take 10 pounds off your body, then do a little experiment.

Dress in your normal clothes and take a picture of yourself standing in a normal position. Then, follow my clothing tips below to get the perfect outfit to make you look thinner in minutes and take another picture. Compare the pictures side by side.

Unless you are already following these tips when you dress on a normal basis you will see a difference in the way you look in picture 1 from picture 2. You may just become a believer and start dressing like this all the time.

Here are 10 quick style tips that can absolutely make you look thinner in an instant.

1. Choose a dark wash jean or even go for black pants instead of a lighter wash or khaki color. It is true that darker colors especially black are more slimming and this is especially true when it comes to pants.

2. Add a structured jacket or blazer to your outfit. Not only will your outfit look a lot more polished and put together but the jacket can help define your waist and show off your curves but also hide some trouble spots on your body as well.

3. If you going to wear a pump, choose a skinny heel with a pointy toe instead of a large chunky wedge shoe. A chunky wedge when paired with a dress or skirt tends to make the legs look chunkier as well while a skinnier stiletto heel extends the length of the leg and slims out this area.

4. Show off some skin on top, if you feel comfortable doing so. Drawing attention upwards is a great way to distract the attention away from your stomach and hip area, if this is problem area. Choose a lower cut v-neck top or blouse to give off a hint of cleavage but not too much.

5. Don't be afraid to wear some kind of shape wear underneath your clothing. There are shape wear lines that don't feel like you are wearing a corset but instead just smooth out bumps and lines you may have. This is especially true when wearing a dress or skirt.

6. Opt for lightweight layering pieces to help you look slimmer. Layering can be a great way to hide some body parts you may not like that much, but it needs to be done right with lighter weight fitted items such as cardigans, scarves, and lightweight knit sweaters. Chunky pieces will only make you look chunkier.

7. Instead of capri length pants opt for a slim fit pair of pants that hit right at your ankle. Pair them with a cute pair of heels or even a flat shoe for summertime and you won't have to worry about your pants cutting you off at the wrong spot on your leg and making your legs look stumpy and short.

8. When choosing a skirt, a black A-line skirt that falls right above the knee is probably the universal skirt that looks great on just about every woman. Plus you can pair it with all kinds of different tops and accessories to make new outfits all the time.

9. If you are going for a maxi skirt, then go for a solid colored one that hits right above the ground when you pair it with shoes. Skip any maxi skirts that have stripes, patterns, pleats, or pockets as these can make you look unshapely and bigger than you may actually be.

10. If you have curves and want to accentuate your waist, then use a skinny belt around any loose tunic or blouse as well as dresses.  A skinny belt helps to define your natural waist and make you look thinner. Be sure to stay away from thicker belts though as they can cut your body off and can actually make you look shorter and wider.

Keep these styling tips in mind next time you go shopping or start picking out your clothes for a date or night. You may just be surprised at how much thinner you look.

Any other tips you would add?

5 Dresses That Will Make You Look Slimmer

Wouldn't you like to be able to lose 5-10 pounds in only a few seconds? Sounds too good to be true, right?

Some women don't realize the clothes that they put on can really make or break them, especially when it comes to dresses. Some dresses do a great job at disguising any body parts you may not want to show off and can actually make you look 10 pounds thinner, while other dresses can do a good job at accentuating the wrong parts of your body, making you look 10 pounds heavier.

If you are in the market for a new dress or you simply love buying new dresses on a regular occasions, check out these 5 dress styles that can make you look slimmer in an instant.

Wrap Dress 

Wrap dresses are a classic style that was popular when they first came on the scene in the 70's and are still very popular today.

These style dresses are great for camouflaging a larger tummy to help you appear slimmer. If you aren't sure about a wrap dress, then look for a faux wrap dress that doesn't actually tie on the side but still has that front wrap style to help slim your stomach area.

A-Line Dress 

An a-line dress is basically what it sounds like because it is shaped like the letter "A." The top half of the dress is going to be smaller and fitted while starting after the waist, the dress will slightly start flaring out. 

These dresses are usually universally flattering because they flare out and can help hide larger hips and butts and help define a smaller waist. There are all kinds of different a-line dresses that you can choose from. There are some that are shorter that hit above the knee and you can also have a longer one that hits past the knee or around the calf area. Some of these dresses are more fitted on the top than others while some may flare out more than others at the bottom.

It may take some trying on for you to see which exact a-line dress style best fits your body shape.

Belted Dress 

If you want accentuate your small waist, try a dress that has a small belt where the smallest part of your waist is.

By defining your waist you can make yourself appear slimmer especially if you have the body shape in which you have a small, defined waist. This is especially true for women who have an hourglass figure or even pear shaped women. If you have a larger chest this may also work in your favor to help define the difference between your chest and your stomach.

Color Block Dress 

Color block dresses are quite popular right now and you have probably seen a few celebrities even wear these on the red carpet. These dresses can come in a variety of different styles but most of them are more figure hugging dresses.

The key to choosing a color blocked dress is to choose one that distracts the eye from your problem areas and helps to slim your body. For example, a red dress that has color blocking on the sides around the hips and thighs can help draw attention away from large hips and thighs.

Little Black Dress 

There is not way around it, a black dress can instantly make your look slimmer when comparing it to a lighter colored dress. If you choose a black dress in one of the above styles, you can instantly take off about 10 pounds when you combine these two clothing tricks.

Plus, black dresses can be worn in a variety of different situations and you can usually dress them up with the right accessories and even dress them down with a cardigan or sweater.

When choosing a dress, here are some other things to keep in mind to make you appear thinner.

• Make sure that the dress fits the largest part of your body properly. A dress that is too tight will only make your look bigger than you no matter what style it is. If you have to get a larger size to fit an area of your body, then take it to a tailor so that they can alter the dress to fit perfectly. 

• Make sure that you wear the proper undergarments under your dress. Spanx and other body slimming garments are great for hiding any lumps or bumps that you may see through your dress. If you aren't into wearing body slimming garments make sure that you are wearing ones that aren't visible under the dress. Panty lines in a dress is definitely a no-no.

• Don't forget to accessorize your dress to help draw attention away from any problems areas you may think you have. Draw attention upwards with a beautiful necklace or even a pretty scarf. Or do the opposite and draw attention downwards with some awesome heels or wedges with your dress.

• Lastly, your posture can have a lot to do with how thin you appear. Standing straight up with your shoulders back can make you instantly lose 5 pounds when you compare it to slouching or standing with hunched over shoulders. This is a tip that you can follow at all times, and not just when wearing a dress.

Best Jeans for Pear Shaped Women

Shopping for the perfect pair of jeans is definitely not an easy task. There are so many different styles, lengths, rises and washes to choose from it can be confusing to what jean best flatters your body.

If your hip measurements are larger than your bust and waist, you are classified as having a pear shaped body. Pear shaped women have wider hips and thighs, with usually a defined, smaller waist.

*If you aren't sure if you are pear shaped, check out this body shape calculator were you can enter your measurements to see what exact shape you are.

When it comes to dressing your pear shaped body you definitely want to take the attention off your hips and thigh area and focus it elsewhere like your small waist or your up to your face or on your long legs.

I've come up with some tips to follow to find the best jeans for a pear shaped woman.

Jean Shopping Guide for Pear Shaped Women

Choose a Darker Wash Jean 

Lighter color washes will just draw attention to your hips and thighs and can actually make them appear larger than they are.

When choosing your denim stick with darker washes that help slim your hips and thighs. You don't have to go really dark if you don't want to, but you should stay away from the lighter shades.

Avoid Whiskering or Fading On the Hips and Thighs

Look for a jean that doesn't have any whiskering or fading in the hip and thigh area. This may be actually harder than you think, since this is really popular at the moment, but any type of fading or whiskering around your thighs will make your bottom half only look larger.

If you are unable to find a pair of jeans that doesn't have any fading around the thighs or hips, go with a pair were it is the least noticeable then. There are some jeans that are very obvious and then you have some denim that it is very subtle and doesn't attract your eyes as much.

Choose Jeans That Have a Straight Or Slightly Flared Leg

If you want that streamlined, slimming look, you have to find a pair of jeans that is not too tight in the thips and thighs and goes straight down the leg or slightly flairs out like a boot cut style. This helps to balance out your wider hips and won't make them appear larger.

If you want to go with a skinny jean, it may be a little harder for you to pull off if you are a pear shape. Look for a skinny jean that isn't as tapered at the bottom but instead sort of goes straight down. This will help with offsetting your hips and won't make you look so wide.

Go with a Mid Rise Jean

A mid rise jean will help elongate your longs which helps to make you appear slimmer. Unlike low rise jeans, which pear shaped women can have a hard time fitting into correctly, a mid rise is still trendy and young but won't draw attention to your hips.

Avoid a high rise waisted jean. The high waist sits right at the smallest part of your waist and the difference between your waist and hips in the jeans can only make your hips look even larger. Instead use a fitted top to draw attention to your small waist and leave the high waisted jeans at the store for non-curvy women.

Make Sure Your Jeans Fit Your Hips 

When choosing the right size for your jeans, you want to make sure that the pants fit the widest part of your body properly, which would be your hip area.

I know some women won't be able to find a pair of jeans that fit their hips but doesn't gap at the waist. That is okay, because you can always spend the couple extra dollars and take it to a tailor to take in the waist so that it fits as well.

If you choose to smash yourself into a smaller size so that the pants fit your waist instead, you will end up the "rolls" and "creases" on your hips and thighs that will only accentuate this area and can easily make you look bigger than you are. This is definitely something to stay away from.

There are all kinds of different brands of jeans that you can choose from, but you may want to stick with a designer brand or at least one that has a quality feel to it. Cheaper jeans tend to have more stretch or elastic in them, which tends to stretch out easier and doesn't fit your body properly.

Some of the brands of jeans that I recommend are Express ReRock Jeans, J Brand Jeans, and Levi's Curve ID Jeans.

5 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Closet

Spring is right around the corner and I have started mapping out a plan to madness of spring cleaning.

Every year I like to get things really organized and cleaned around the house and one of the areas that I like to get done first is my closet.

The reason why I believe it is so important to spring clean your closet is to see what exactly you have for the upcoming warmer months and any pieces that you may need.

I like to shop on a budget so once I have organized and purged the old clothes, shoes, and accessories I make a list of must-have items so I can do my research and look out for some good sales on these items.

Some people get overwhelmed when it comes to cleaning out their closet or have a hard time parting with clothes. If you are one of those people, I have 5 simple tips for you to get your closet cleaned and organized for spring and summer this year.

Take it from me, who has done this closet cleaning thing every spring for the past 5+ years, you will be thanking me because you will find pieces you forget you had and be able to quickly put together a cute outfit in about 2 minutes because everything will have it's proper place.

Get Rid of Anything You Haven't Worn In the Past 12-16 Months

If you haven't worn the item in over a year, it is very doubtful that you will wear it anytime soon.

Now, there are some exceptions for things like a little black dress that you may not have had the occasion to wear it to yet or some other formal wear that you may need to keep around for important events like weddings.

Otherwise, pitch the item or give it away to charity. It is most likely just taking up space and is not something you need to keep around.

If you are having a hard time getting rid of it, choose 1 or 2 of your favorite items from this pile and only keep those but get rid of the rest.

Toss Any Clothes or Accessories That Are Damaged or Stained

Unless you are going to invest some money into the item to get it repaired, you need to toss any damaged or stained pieces into the garbage pile.

This includes items that may have holes, zippers that are broke, stains that won't come out, and are pilling so bad it looks like you have worn the item at least 1,000 times.

If something is really that sentimental to you, consider putting it away in storage or somewhere else in your home like the attic or basement to keep as a memento but not in your closet taking up space.

If It Doesn't Fit It Doesn't Belong In Your Closet

Unless you are in the process of losing weight or you are pregnant or was recently pregnant, get rid of items in your closet that don't fit.

This is especially true for items that may not fit your body type as well. For example, if a shirt fits your body but is too tight in the arms, you are never going to be able to wear it no matter how much you like the shirt. You need to let it go.

Unless the clothing is worth getting altered you need to get rid of it now.

Utilize Every Single Space In Your Closet for Organization

If you are short on room in your closer or you simply have a hard time finding what you need, you are going to have to adjust the layout of your closet to utilize every free space.

This could mean getting some organizational items like storage cubes and boxes or getting a closet organizer at least some sort of shelving.

A lot of people have wasted space in their closet and many other women tend to just hang their clothes instead of actually organizing and making the most out of the space.

For example, you could get a few stackable storage cubes so that you can fold your sweaters so that they retain their proper shape and don't get "hanger shoulders". You could also use a double closet rod for smaller items such as tops so that you don't waste any room below the normal closet rod.

There really are all sorts of ideas for organizing your closet and utilizing it properly.

Check out this article by Real Simple on how to make over your closet for more organizing tips.

Choose How You Want to Organize your Clothing

There are several ways that you can organize your clothing and it all depends on your creativity and how you pick out your outfits.

I organize my closet by separating the clothing into different categories. For example, I will put all my cardigan sweaters together and then hang all my sleeveless shirts together. Within those categories I will pair the same colors together. So going even further with my sleeveless shirts I would have all the white ones first then black, then blue and then so on.

I like doing it this way because it can literally take me 20 seconds to pull a shirt and a pair of pants that match and have an outfit ready to go.

I know other people who like to simply pair all of the same colors together or even make outfits with their clothes and hang them like that in their closet. These options don't work well with me, but they may be an option for you.

Once you are all done, you should have a garbage pile of items that are damaged or worn out and then a donate or sell pile. There are places that you can make a few extra dollars from selling gently used or even new clothing items or you could always try selling them on eBay. This can be a great way to fund your new shopping trip to get some new clothes in your closet that you may need to have this spring.

5 Must Have Fashion Items for Spring 2014

I'm really hoping that old man winter is going to stop his madness some time soon and that spring will be arriving soon.

If you want a head start on your spring wardrobe this year, check out these 5 must have items for your closet this year.

Stylish Rain Boots

Spring brings quite a bit of rain with it and in some places spring is still on the chilly side weather wise.

A great pair of stylish rain boots can really be your friend for not only a great outfit but also functionality of the boots as well.

Look for rain boots in fun patterns and colors. Things like floral prints and polka dots are great as well as colors like turquoise, green, and even red.

White Button Down Blouse

A white button blouse can be paired with so many different items in your closet and is perfect for a spring day at the office or even running errands.

Look for a blouse that fits your correctly especially over the bust area so that it flatters your figure.

Some ideas for styling your white button down include pairing it with skinny jeans, cute flats, and a lightweight blazer. You can also tuck it into a maxi skirt for something a little more dressy and trendy.

A Great Pair of Flats

Flats are great for the spring because they can help you transition your wardrobe from colder weather into warmer weather.

Flats can be worn with a variety of different outfits from a cute skirt to a pair of skinny jeans. You can wear them around the city running errands, on a casual date or even in a casual business atmosphere. And best of all they are comfortable.

Look for a pair that really draws your attention such as leopard or zebra print flat or something in a bold color like red or green flats.

Pastel Colored Clothing

Pastel colors are really hot for spring 2014. Colors like light pink, baby blue and lilac are straight off the catwalks but can easily be incorporated into an everyday woman's wardrobe.

Look for great tunic tops or blouses that can be paired with jeans or even dress pants. Or if you want to get a little brave look for a pastel colored dress to rock this spring.

You can even go for a pastel colored bottom with some cute capri pants or trousers as well as shorts or even a skirt. Pair a lilac colored short with your white button down and you have a super cute casual spring outfit that hits all the right notes.

Black and White Top

Along with pastels, black and white seems to be hot this spring as well.

Black and white paired together in a top looks cool and simple with the contrasting colors but also looks put together and trendy.

Look for a blouse with color blocking or something with a black and white print.

White tops with black cut out areas are also hot as well as a black top with white cut out areas. These tops look great with jeans or pair them with a skirt for a hot night on the town.

Get these must have fashion items for spring 2014 and incorporate them into your wardrobe with some classic pieces and you will have some beautiful outfits to rock this year.

What to Wear On a First Date

If you are like me and many other women a first date means combing through your close and whipping your clothes around to find the "perfect" outfit.

Even though I am married now, I can remember the first dates I used to have before meeting my husband and I cringe at what I put myself through trying to find a great outfit. In fact I remember one time going to the mall two hours before the date because I could not find anything to wear in my closet.

If you are having trouble finding a great outfit for your upcoming first date, fret no more, because I am here to help.

Here are some great tips to keep in mind when choosing what to wear on your first date so not only do you impress your date but you feel confident and beautiful as well.

Take Into Consideration Where and When the Date Is Before Choosing an Outfit

Before you even start looking at your clothes be sure to take into the consideration of where your first date is taking place. If it is at a restaurant, is the restaurant fancy dress or more of a casual spot? If it at a coffee shop you definitely will want something a little more on the casual side.

You don't want to be dressed in your best little black dress for a date at your local café or sports bar. You also don't want to be wearing leggings and a tunic for a date at a 5 star restaurant.

Not only should you consider where the date is, but when it is. For example a Wednesday night date at a small local café is not going to warrant the same type of outfit as a Friday night 7 p.m. dinner at the best restaurant in town.

Also, if your date is outside plan according to the weather and make sure you bring extra clothes just in case as well.

Play Up Your Accents As Best As Possible

Most women have at least one area of their body that they really like. Some women love their chest while others like their butt or legs.

When choosing an outfit for your date, play up your best accents. If you love the way your legs look, then slip on a pair of high heels and a short dress to show them off.

Leave Something to the Imagination

It can be tempting to want to dress sexy and proactive for your date, but you want to leave something to the imagination. As I mentioned, play up your favorite part of your body but that may mean cover up the rest of it.

If you are wearing a short dress with some high heels, then opt for a dress that has a higher neckline or wear a blazer or cardigan over your dress to cover up on top.

You don't want to come across as too slutty and let him see everything on the first date. Instead give him a hint of what he can expect if he impresses you.

Examples of First Date Outfits

Dress with a Blazer or Jacket

If you are comfortable wearing dresses, then by all means wear a cute dress on your first date. You can choose a cute little short dress or even opt for a longer maxi dress.

Pair your dress with a blazer or a jacket for a complete look that not only looks hot but looks very put together.

Jeans and a Blouse

If you want to go a little bit more casual but still have a dressier feel to your outfit, wear a pair of your best jeans with a cute feminine blouse.

You can add a pair of high heels or a pair of wedges to complete the outfit. This is probably the best first date option because it is comfortable but still sexy and hot enough to really impress your date.

When choosing your outfit for your first date just remember that he is most likely as nervous as you are about your date and you have the advantage because you are the beautiful woman. Dress your body to accent your strengths but still be completely appropriate for the date and you will find that you will knock his socks off.