What do I do with a free Saturday? Wardrobe my own closet!

It's a new season and a new career journey for me and I've gained a little weight around the middle so what do I do with a free Saturday?  SHOP IN MY CLOSET!  I had recently made some fall purchases, and wanted to create some outfits for work around them so here goes...

Bought identical suits in tan and black (the jackets are being returned for a better size - who knew I wasn't tall on the top half of my body?) so here are the pants.

Then I pulled out seasonal clothes in the same colors and started to mix and match:

Two things to point out here:  The details or final accessories are ALWAYS what matters to make the outfit fun and "pulled together" and so it's the pin, necklace, shoes and bags in each picture.  Also make note of how completely different the outfits would have looked had I paired the black sweater with the black pants and the color-blocked top with the tan pants.  It's OK to do that, but the look would have been totally different.  So how do I know which goes with which?  I start with some words on how I want to look: "casually professional".  Approachable, friendly, roll-up-my-sleeves kinda worker.  That's achieved by making it look like I just "threw something together" but trust me, this takes work!  The all-black column woulda looked more sophisticated and therefore standoffish....better if I were an executive vs. and executive ASSISTANT.  Get it?  Also, the black-on-black without the blouse better if I were going out for cocktails vs. going to work.  So I guess here's my point and passion:  EVERYONE can work with what they have in their closet and pull together the best possible outfits.  You don't have to have the style "gene" because even stylists will try one necklace vs. a 2nd one and will immediately be able to tell which one works better. Trust me - YOU can do it too, you just may not have the patience to pull outfits out of your closet and experiment, but once you do, AND THEN RECEIVE COMPLIMENTS, you will keep doing it!  

OK, here are the details/accessories up close - which make me excited to wear each of the above outfits.

My Online Beijo Bag Boutique!

I was walking around the other day....carrying what I thought was a "winter" Beijo Bag and received two compliments on it......the receptionist at the doctor's office and the sales women in the high-end shoe section of Nordstrom's - who deftly pointed out that the color combo perfectly matched a new fall shoe that had just arrived.  Well, that inspired me to go get my online Boutique so these women could have access to purchasing these stand-out bags!

So, here it is.....  Donna's Online Boutique

The bag I was carrying that day is called "ZIP IT UP" in Deep Purple: This is a medium to large size single strap handbag, beautifully decorated with trendy zippers that can be used to expand the opening of the bag. This hip handbag features great hardware, an inner zip compartment, and magnetic snap closure. A cell phone pocket and PDA pocket enhance this bag’s functionality.
Item #1211 Product Type: Handbag Dimensions: 16″ L x 2.5″ W x 14″ H Strap Length: 8″ Opening: 8″ Trim Colors: Charcoal, Black SRP: $120.00
Deep Purple, Pewter

Ms. California, Emma Baker, loves to “ZIP IT UP”with Beijo! Shown here, Emma is carrying the sleek patent handbag; enormously popular for  its modern silhouette, chunky zippers and contemporary silver hardware accents.

Back at It!

I think it has been 3 months since I last posted, so I decided to just post anything to get back in the groove!  This  is what I have been doing......fixing up our new townhouse.  It has been interesting to read my prior posts about paint colors, etc.......because these walls were going to be gray and ended up a soft, sagey green.  I love them, of course, but goes to show how decorating is a process.  I paid an interior designer to come in and check out the colors I had chosen, and she gave me the advice of not breaking up the bedroom and bathroom - to use the same color.  GREAT advice as it is a contemporary design and there is no door between the two rooms.  Woulda been awkward to change colors.  AND I had no intention of maroon being the "pop" color for this room, but two things made it come together:  the proportion of the flower picture (it was the biggest artwork in the house) and the fact that the maroon is a great complimentary color for green. (Although a nice shade of pink would also work, but I don't think my husband is ready for pink!)

Neutrals vs. COLOR!

Carol posted the question on her blog Sofas and Sage "When a top designer hones his or her "look", is conscious thought given to the palettes used, based on how they will photograph?"  


I'm answering her question here with a resounding  "No!  I believe the designers truly like this look of neutral and how the white-on-white plays off of each other.  I read all the comments to her question of the post on February 27, 2011 and the only answer that came close to my belief is that designers might later want to pop some color in the neutral palette and change the accessories of the room to create a completely different look."


This is a question that intrigues me because I have a sister that is as equally fascinated by wardrobing and designing as I am.  She has formally studied it way more than me (architect by degree and recent fashion design student in NYC), so I will put her in Carol's category as a "designer".  I have no formal training.  I like color way more than she does and have recently been fascinated by our differences in wardrobe and interior decorating choices.  I think the answer goes back to personality.  I am a little more outgoing than she is and if you think about it, wearing bright fuschia draws a little more attention to oneself than a mellow pink.  I will try to differentiate our differences in home and wardrobe choices:

Meet Sarah and Donna.  Donna on the left and Sarah on the right.  I like colors; Sarah gravitates toward classic neutrals.

Donna needs bright fuschia!

Sarah likes a more pastel pink.

Donna needs a ton of color in her home.

Donna pops the color with orange in her living room.

Sarah has a classic neutral and white on white theme in her kitchen....recently painting her oak cabinets taupe and matching the kitchen wall color.  VERY stunning in person.  Very clean and inviting!

Sarah's Dining room looks like it belongs in a magazine....if it were professionally photographed...

So, even though Sarah is the designer and Donna is not, this would seem to support a theory that designer's may be thinking of how their work may photograph.  My theory is this:  Sarah truly loves the look and has created the home and wardrobe that reflect HER and her personality.  I also strive to dress authentically and decorate my home in an authentic manner.  Has nothing to do with marketing or photgraphs.  Color is what I like.  Neutral sophistication is what Sarah likes.

Home Decorating is Much Like Wardrobing

I thought I was in a funk - wasn't coming up with inspiring outfits or accessories particularly well.  Then it hit me:  in the process of moving between homes I've been concentrating on paint chips and staging a new home with my old belongings, etc.  I was reading decorating blogs, trying out new colors on Benjamin Moore and trying to take a "crash course" on decorating.  Well, this is what I learned:

• buy what you love
• if something has meaning to you; use it!
• pay attention to scale and proportion; think about focal points in a room
• trust your gut...you will be drawn to things you love
• surprisingly, it will all come together!
• punctuate solids or neutrals with small doses of vibrant colors!

So, not much different than the clothes you put on your body.  I can DO this!.

In the process of putting together a color scheme for an entire townhome all at once, I came up with the following:

We started by all agreeing that we liked the deep brown currently in the living room.  It would look great with our dark leather furniture.  But, I chose a deeper brown with red in it, because the existing wood blinds on the main level were a reddish brown.  From there, I decided on a popular neutral:  gray.  This is very current and can be accentuated with almost any color:  turquoise, oranges, fuschia's you-name-it!  With the bright open space and cathedral ceilings I wasn't afraid of going too dark.   However, I was intent on having our ceilings painted non-white.  The painter advised me that anything we put on the ceilings will appear darker.  Hence, we're going to have a lot of silver going on up there...like the "silver lining of a cloud".  I like that idea!

I worked with a color expert at my local paint store and she helped me get hues of colors that all worked together.  But here's the amazing thing........when I brought the paint papers home and put them with fabric swatches that I had pulled out for inspiration weeks earlier, it all came together!  Just like wardrobing...you will be attracted to the things you LOVE!

The painting pro advised me not to mix the subtle green (spanish olive) with the dark gray (galveston gray) I was choosing for the bathroom/master bedroom combo.  I vetoed that advice.  Sure enough, when window shopping for linens and towels yesterday, I saw the perfect combo of printed (checked) green and gray towels!  And....some really cool kiwi green bathroom cabinets that will give a "punch" of color to the whole bathroom.  I had only envisioned the bedroom being gray, black and white - with shots of purple or fuschia, but then I saw the perfect duvet cover.......white with a trail of green embroidered leaves running across the foot of the bed.  Perfect!  Like a "yellow brick road" leading the eye right to the green of the master bath!  I didn't hesitate to buy the duvet as I KNEW I wanted an almost entirely-white bed.  (My husband and I think we are minimalists...)  I also know that the nature theme is popular right now and I like pulling the "outside" in.  Like the snowball-type lighting fixture I had in an earlier post.  No, I don't think our new home will be filled with bamboo........but there will be hints of nature, for sure!

Oh.......and I did my homework by studying the interior decorating of the other townhomes (on-line) and noticed that when the woodwork that trims the fireplace is painted white, it actually looks odd.   So, ours will be painted the same color as the walls - with a glossier finish.  The painter said it will look "rich".  YES!  That is the adjective I like to hear.....simple but "rich".

Okay, so I'm driving myself crazy with figuring out how to "re-purpose" almost everything in our current home.  At first thought, this shower curtain makes perfect sense in the light green bathroom.  But then I pulled the color swatch "shaker beige" out of my fan deck and VOILA...looks perfect.  I kept noticing how "gold" the shower curtain looked and how it wouldn't go with the silver accents of the master bath.  That's when I thought of my son's bathroom.

I'm not a beige(y) kind of person, so I had picked a really deep sand color for our son's bedroom.  He took one look at it and decided it was too "poopy" and asked me to lighten it up.  The painter pro picked out the Shaker Beige.  Of course, I'm imagining reds or blues for that pop of color, but for now, we needed a neutral. And take a look at this stunning clay bust.  A dear friend from Michigan gave it to us 18 years ago - she said it reminded her of our two boys (who are eight years apart).  The older boy is cuddling the baby boy.  Is that not too precious to be put away and not displayed!!!????  It's going in the BEIGE room or bathroom, for sure!

Do you have a house or room redecoration going on?  Would love to hear your comments!

Another Great Week

Moving forward toward moving into the new townhouse, one step at a time and recovering from knee surgery - literally one step at a time!  With post-surgery lack of energy, I found myself forced to create a work outfit one day this week, when I wasn't even in the mood to get dressed.  This is what I chose:

 The reason?  Yellow is an instant "pick-me-up!"  For me, and everyone looking at me.  I've been reading other blogs and everyone is talking about the snow and the unusually harsh winter we're having - all across the country.  I'd rather talk about energy.  Or lack thereof.  It's OK for you to be dragging.  That's what lack of sunshine (vitamin D) does!  So, how do you combat it?  You can hibernate and "be woken up in April" or you can take some positive steps:

• give yourself extra time to rest - don't beat yourself up
• do something nice for yourself....bubblebath, swim at a pool, manicure, GNO
• plan a fun dinner for your "significant other" for Valentine's Day
• linger for 5 more minutes in the parking lot during the middle of the day when the sun IS shining!
• play with COLOR.....both in your wardrobe and in your home

Here are some explanation of colors that I found interesting:

Color Psychology

Do different colors affect your mood?

by David Johnson

Like death and taxes, there is no escaping color. It is ubiquitous. Yet what does it all mean? Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms?

Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. And even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. But today in the U.S., researchers have generally found the following to be accurate.

Black

Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains, such as Dracula, often wear black.

White

Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.

Red

The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

Blue

The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.

Green

Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. However, seamstresses often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show for fear it will bring bad luck.

Yellow

Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

Purple

The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.

Brown

Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.

From Homeless to Hopeful...

I was feeling a bit wild and decided to throw on this oversized costume jewelry ring for a Christmas party this past December.  Before long, we were taking pictures of it against my friends' new diamond ring.  This picture has come to symbolize a saying for me:  LIVE LARGE!  Don't be afraid.  Just DO it.

So, when my husband sent me pictures of a new townhouse to consider, I decided not to be afraid.  It was in a town that was out of our "geographic comfort zone".  Turns out, the first picture was of a jacuzzi tub with a fireplace next to it and I thought: "the place can only get better from here...!"

We had successfully sold our home, and I had just hung up the phone from calling the local Residence Inn to inquire about temporary housing, as we were going to be homeless at the end of the month.  We now have an offer on the place and am dreaming about paint colors, lighting fixtures and breakfast nooks like the ones pictured below.

This snowball-like lighting fixture is so over-the-top gorgeous to me!  My stomach literally is tickled when I look at it!  The interesting thing is that I went into the store asking for lights with trees or twigs on them, and ended up LOVING this winter-wonderlandish thing.  My point?  Take notice of what tickles YOUR fancy in both home decorations and wardrobing.  Pay attention or notice common themes, colors, textures, lines, etc.

Below is a breakfast nook that may satisfy my husband's love for the German-style family gathering place, as well as my desire for a sleek furnishing look.

What a GREAT segue!  As I was posting the breakfast nook above, I noticed how similar the chairs are to a black Beijo Bag that I carry/love/sell!

So here's where I tie it all together.  This blog is about my paying attention and building a wonderful wardrobe for myself, then living in the moment and paying attention to how that wardrobe actually creates a life of my dreams!  You're inspired by fashion tips and by taking action (for yourself) as a result of reading my posts, and I will represent Beijo Bags as an Independent Sales Consultant to fund my new wardrobe pieces, blog about them and repeat the cycle again.

To kick it off:  I currently have two beautiful Beijo Bags in my inventory.  Both are around $100 and both can be used for everyday use - a great splash of color to add to your wardrobe!  Email me at Donna

if you're interested in purchasing.

Feel free to add a comment on similar patterns and colors that you are drawn to!

Kate Gosselin loves Beijo Bags and am posting this picture to give you an idea of the size.  I LOVE mine....

Black Pants and Black Boots

The trend is everywhere...black pants and black boots.  It's just one of those looks that you gotta have if you want to feel really trendy.  But, it's not easy easy to even FIND the right pant/boot pairing.  Wearing the pants tucked in can be a challenge because the boot calf needs to be wide enough!  But when you do find the right boots (see my earlier post on the challenge I had) I strongly suggest you wear a top to cover your butt!  It just makes the whole look come together and be more balanced, no matter how slim you are.

See for yourself:  The picture on the left is a "DO" and the picture on the right is a "DON'T"!

                                                  DO                                                 DON'T

Below is me and my sister-in-law sporting the look.  This is after a 6-hour wait in the hospital and receiving some great news!  But I had to chuckle that we were both sporting the black pant/black boot trend and actually are both "DO'S" for our body shape/height.  You can't see our boots but the point is still made:  COVER YOUR BUTT and experiment with different top/bottoms to find one that looks right for you.

Note that one of us is closer to 6' tall and one of us is closer to 5' tall; one of us is a triangle shape and one of us is an inverted triangle shape.  So, YOU TOO can wear this look.  Just play with it.

For those of you who can stand a little more detail, as I study this picture, I also notice something very subtle but important:  My sister-in-law has her (pink) scarf open, while I have my (white) scarf centered.  There is a reason for this:  The pink scarf is visually widening her upper body, while the white scarf is visually narrowing my upper body.  I am the inverted triangle so I need to narrow my upper body.  The fashion rule is this:  try to balance your upper and lower body and create as much of a waist as you can.  So, yes, think hourglass.  (At least with your shoulders and hips.)  What does that mean?  It doesn't matter if your shoulders are 4' wide or 2' wide - try to balance them with your hips!  OOHHHHH, I just saw one other important trick!  Notice how one of us is wearing short sleeves and one of us long sleeves???  See how the short sleeves add 2-3 inches to her chest/shoulder area by making your eye follow the horizontal cut along the short sleeve?  This is done right as it further broadens her top to balance her bottom, and I don't need any more horizontal width across my shoulder and chest area!

So, for the philosophical/experimental purpose of my blog:  How was my life enhanced or changed this week because of my building a better wardrobe to then create a better/authentic life?  Even though I was facing an extremely stressful day of driving my mother to her heart surgery appointment, I took the time to dress and put on makeup.  I didn't want to.  I didn't even feel like showering.  But, I knew it would make for a more comfortable day.  I now have memories of a wonderful bonding experience with my sisters in the waiting room, and a healthier Mom who is recovering well!

Leave a comment of how you've been successful with the black boot/black pant or leggings combo...

If you Build It...

Wednesday night was very exciting...an un-precidented event happened - Celtics tickets dropped in my lap! In the context of "Building your authentic wardrobe and your authentic (and exciting) life will come" I did not hesitate when I was offered last-minute tickets to the Detroit/Pistons game this past week - thanks B and P!

Here's what I had ready and waiting in my car and in my gym bag at work:

Picture a rainy New England night in Boston with 1 foot of snow on the ground - yes, there were puddles to navigate!  Had I not been prepared with hiking boots, I'm not sure I would have accepted the tickets...get the picture?

Of course, I wasn't prepared with my camera, so I didn't get fun pictures of the whole gang together.    Scratch that, thanks to Facebook, I got this picture!

Donna and Donna at the Celtics game!

The most severe weather does not have to mean BORING.  Check this out:

And you can get inspiration from your snow-covered surroundings....I've been wearing my "snowflake" pin a lot lately....

I just love how the sparkle in the blue scarf plays so well with the sparkle of the pin!












I would love to hear your comments below on what you've done for winter dressing or have worn to "keep it interesting!"  You can also email me pix by sending to the email in "my profile" at the right.

Best Outfit of the Week - January 13, 2011

Feeling a little drab, but wanting to wear my new boots, I put together this black skirt/black top outfit.

The top needed a little "oomph" so I started to pull a tired old green silk blouse that I had used many times in the past to extend the narrowness of the black v-neck.  I just love the black/lime green combo!  I wasn't really feeling the old green top...it felt outdated for me, even though it does a really good job of putting focus on my face.  So, I pulled this brighter lime green summer top to pair with the black velvety top and VOILA...the outfit was getting better.  I still needed a little more color so I added this long scarf which picked up the green in the blouse.  Even though it was an outdoor scarf, I wore it inside at work all day.  Other women were doing the same, and I felt very chic.

See below how the collared blouse is more yellow in undertones.  (I bought it when I was a blonde.)  Although the contrast with the black top is fantastic, I like the brighter lime green with the reddish tones of my hair now.

Here's a close-up to get a better feel of how this brightened my day.  Rule of thumb:  you can wear all black, but don't overdo it near your face.  Add some color somewhere!  If black looks good near your face, then add a punch of color with bright shoes OR a bright purse.  One punch of color is usually good.  It's more chic.  I added two 'cause I wanted to add that winter feel to my outfit.

How was my day changed or different by paying attention to my wardrobe?  I had a great day - did things out of the ordinary like getting my nails and hair done - just to prepare better for a business meeting and it gave me a great confidence boost!

Black Boots Dilemma Solved!

Okay, so I was looking to emulate this silhouette.  What could be so difficult?  I'm a fashion consultant and this new look would be good on my tall body frame AND go with my life.  I was anxious to incorporate the new black pant/leggings that I had already purchased into my wardrobe.

I even found the look featured in a Garnet Hill flyer.  I love everything about this picture:  the length of the jacket, the funnell neckline with the princess seaming, the flat boots and even the colors!!! (I'm a red head and I know those designers know what they are doing when they have photo shoots like this.  I also know that black washes me out, and although the coat appears to be black, it is really a dark gray.  A MUCH better choice for me!)

When I went to purchase the coat and boots when the sale catalog came out; both were gone.  No surprise, so I set out to Wrentham Village Mall to get me those elusive black boots (I already have brown but the calves don't fit over any sort of pants) that I needed to complete my winter wardrobe!  My budget was $200 and I had a vision of hitting a sale at Cole Haan, so I started in the middle of the mall.  Quickly navigating 4 shoe stores before I would come upon the Cole Haan outlet, I tried on about 4 pair of boots - passing up "good for great!"  I learned that the Cole Haan store only had a pair of suede dress boots that would fit the bill for wearing with skirts, and since they were 60% off, I could consider going back to a previous store and buying a 2nd pair of boots to create the look above.  I didn't love both pair of boots, although they would both be under my $200 budget.  I also didn't want to spend my Saturdays shopping for boots.  I salivated over the pair of boots the sales rep was wearing, and a former customer even pranced around the store wearing her version of the style I wanted.  There were none in the store to be sold.  I pressed on.  Dejected, I hit the last store: Off Fifth.  I knew that there was a possibility of my finding Michael Kors boots - the MK rep had told me so, but I really wanted one pair of quality boots to do the job:  to be able to wear with skirts to the office, and over leggings for the look above.  That's my goal, afterall: to have a minimalist wardrobe that fits the life I want to have!

As I was bending down to try on a pair of black suede "Lucky" brand boots, my eyes saw two boxes under the shoe racks. In one of those boxes was the perfect size, black Air Petra Tall Cole Haan boots that I had just admired on two women back at the Cole Haan store!  I was a-emotional as I knew this would happen. Of course they were 40% off, and in my size and color.  Of course they were just laying there for me to find, and of course there were not others in other sizes.  My boots, laying right there.  Waiting for me to open my eyes and see them.

I had done my homework to get these.  Most importantly, I had freed up the space in my life to attract these. 2 years ago I gave away my only pair of black dress boots to a friend, because the heel hurt me.  I watched her wear them in pride.  Then I replaced those boots in July with a pair of ultra-inexpensive black suede flat scrunchy boots that were way too young-looking for me.  I gave those away to my son's 15-year old girlfriend a few months ago.  So, I've been making do with black hose and black shoes in search for my perfect black boots.  Well, feast your eyes on these puppies! Gorgeous Cole Haan boots!

Exhausted but exhilerated, I now wanted to find a top or a coat to fall just below my crotch, so I could put the look together.  Yes, I had 2 sweaters at home that could fit the bill, but neither were perfect.  It was getting late and I had to do some grocery shopping, so I went to my favorite TJMaxx Stop & Shop combo in Milford.  I debated on grocery shopping first (delayed gratification) but I knew if I found the perfect top in TJMaxx then I would be exhilerated enough to get some grocery shopping done.  After trying on 10 tops and numerous coats, I emerged victorious with the perfect gray fleece, funnel neck, zip front jacket.  Oh yea, the length was just below my crotch.  YAY!  I did it.  I wore it out of the store - with my new boots.  Complete ensemble in 4 hours!!!!

Here's the fun part.  I was wearing my authentic outfit, and something happened in the grocery store that has never happened to me before.  I was checking out, and the fish counter guy came up to me and told me he had mis-priced my fish and he would go back and get me the correct price!!!!  OMG......how does that happen?  I wasn't even smiling alot.  Just walking around a grocery store in my gray and black outfit (usually I need MUCH more color than that!)

Of course, I noticed every boot/coat combination on all the women in the store.  Some got it right; most did not.  Here are some tips:  The 2nd longer coat picture above is OK, but is not as slimming as the length that falls just below your crotch.  Is there a better word for "crotch"?  Someone please correct me.  But the point is that the 2nd coat is about 8 inches longer than the first - this is a HUGE difference.  Changes the entire appearance.

Helpful hints of what NOT to do:

• Please don't wear "mommy jeans" - EVER
• If your pants taper at the bottom, make sure they don't start out wide at the top.  (Rule of thumb:  if they were bought 7-15 years ago, do NOT wear them.)
• One new look is slim legs and pants, and most women should cover their butts while wearing them.  Even if you have a yoga-pant-worthy butt, the entire leg slimness is too much - you look EXPOSED.  A very slim woman was standing in a bank line sporting this exposed look and everyone in line could not help staring at her undescript butt.  Don't do it!

• Keep your pant leg as slim as you can if you tuck in your boots.
• The taller the boot; the better, for the new look.
• I'm on the fence for UGGs on women over 30.  I even like the croc sandals (because I can garden in them) but I have no desire to get me a pair of UGGs.
• Have fun keeping stylishly warm this winter!

Feel free to comment with any fashion questions you may have!