dress shopping – the Spiff

How to Determine Your Body Shape

July 8, 2015 No Comments

Ask a woman what her shape is and I’ll bet you 4 Piko tops she’ll immediately point out her largest area.

But knowing your shape isn’t just about knowing where you’re the fullest, it’s about knowing your shape overall and where your natural waistline falls. This information will allow you to buy more wisely and wear only clothes that will accentuate all your best assets.

The best explanation I’ve found for figuring out your shape is the following exercise from Bobbie Thomas’ book, “The Power of Style.”

If you’ll do this exercise, you’ll be able to know exactly what shape you are…

“Grab a buddy, such as a friend or family member, because this style session requires the help of someone close. Stand with good posture and your arms relaxed at your sides in front of an all-white or solid-colored wall. You can wear a snug black outfit, or if you’re up for it, a bathing suit or bra and underwear. Now have your style-session buddy snap a photo of you.

The goal is to take a photo that will clearly capture the outline of your frame. Print it out and, using a pencil, mark the outermost points of your shoulders and hips. Then draw an X by connecting the dots.

Next, note your waistline with dots, at the point underneath your ribcage and just above your belly button. If your waistline points measure wider than your hips and shoulders, your X will more closely resemble a cross. Just remember to be honest and accurate, and if you decided to strike a pose in the buff, be sure to delete the picture!”

Now that you know how to figure out your shape, watch this quick video to see what dress to wear that will flatter it!

dress, dress shopping, wedding, west town mall

You’re Cordially Invited to Wear This to a Wedding

May 20, 2015 No Comments

There’s an unbelievable amount of thought put into wedding invitations. For example, did you know how the parent’s names are listed indicates who’s paying for the wedding?

If the parents names are written as inviting you to the wedding of their son Billy Bob then the parents are paying, but if Billy Bob is listed as inviting you together with his bride Tookie, then ole’ Billy is footing the bill.

Invitation should also indicate the level of dress. They’ll do this by either explicitly saying “IT’S BLACK TIE” or more subtlety with the look of their invite and the location.

But even if everything’s spelled out for you it’s still hard to determine what to wear. So I’ve found four looks that will help with wedding guest attire conundrums.

Outdoor Weddings:

These days it seems everyone is getting married outside. Whether it’s in a barn, near the lake or in someone’s backyard, the biggest problem an outdoor wedding poses is the ground. Walking through a field is definitely not 4″ stiletto friendly. Therefore if the wedding is outdoors, regardless of the time of day, you’ve got to craft your outfit around wearing wedges or flats.

The two options I’ve put together are perfect for either shoe. The daytime look from Ann Taylor is nice and light and would work perfectly with nude colored wedges.

For the nighttime look I went a little crazy and picked out a jumpsuit from White House Black Market. It seems you can’t walk five steps in a store without bumping into a jumpsuit these days (unless it’s just me and my prego belly).

It’s definitely a refreshing choice over a dress and is probably pretty comfortable (except for when you have to pee which I do about every ten minutes and oh yeah…this would look crazy with my prego belly). Choose one that’s short enough for you to pair it with flats.

Indoor Weddings:

Daytime weddings can be a little tricky especially if there’s no indication of dress on the invitation. For this I say, dress as if you’re going to church. This blue number from New York & Co. would work in that instance, and it’s definitely a great choice for indoors as it would look great with ankle strap heels (like that girl is wearing). It’s also great for disguising a larger midsection (notice the rouching) and the little bit of sleeve will help hide heavier arms.

An indoor nighttime wedding? *Rubs hands together* They are my favorite! Typically they’re dressier so you get to pull out all the stops. And if you ask me, this black and white dress from Chico’s pulls out all the stops and throws them as far as they can.

I made an audible “wow” when I scrolled down and saw this. I love the whole look – from her bun to her chunky silver bracelet (although I would put the bracelet on the other arm to balance out the look). This is the kind of dress you wear when some of the wedding guests include people you haven’t seen in a while.

Be sure to walk in the room in slow motion like the camera is slowly panning your look and there’s a sexy song playing behind you…or would that look ridiculous? You be the judge.

By the way, all of these stores are at West Town Mall so be sure to get out and grab something glam for your next wedding invite!

Want to wear something you already own, and just add new accessories? Check out these great options from Vera Bradley…even jewelry!

dress, dress shopping, Fashion, florals, spring

A Double Dog Dare for Your Closet

April 10, 2015 No Comments

Dress Asos // Shoes Off Broadway similar here // Earrings New York & Co.

I double dog dared myself to break out of what I normally wear (leopard, animal print, black and white, leopard…) and try something new. Pastels! Floral! A dress that dips down inappropriately low!

With the addition of a black cami, I think it turned out pretty fantastically.

It’s good to know your boundaries when it comes to what you wear. It helps to really hone your style and give you direction when shopping. I know that I’m not a super girly dresser with bows and lots of frills and for a long time no floral whatsoever.

But it’s ALSO good to break out of that and push yourself a little bit. Even if you only get as far as wearing it in the dressing room, try to take a risk every now and then. It will either introduce your style to something new and fresh, or it will reinforce why it is you love what you love.

Listen, I’m not suggesting you bungee off a bridge. I’m saying try a new pattern – when you put it in that perspective it’s not so bad, right?

Now I don’t know if I’m going to go out and buy a whole bunch of floral print, but I’ve now got something I can wear on occasion that will liven up my wardrobe. And in going with a floral print dress, it really stretched my accessorizing ability. I can usually have a dress styled by the time I hit the cash register, but this one was a challenge I was completely up for. I didn’t want to wear earrings that looked like flowers, as there was enough of that going on. So I opted for a simple diamond and pearl drop. Diamonds because I wanted a little sparkle and pearls because the dress called for something soft – and they make it more daytime appropriate.

It keeps people guessing when you try something new, and can even break you out of a style rut.

To read more about how I chose this dress and get some more dress inspiration of your own, click here!

I double dog dare you to try something new this spring!

dress, dress shopping, Fashion, spring, west town mall

Good News for All You Dress Shoppers

April 2, 2015 No Comments

I bopped into New York & Co. in West Town Mall earlier this week to pick up some earrings for my Easter dress and I stumbled upon (not really because I was purposefully walking in there) their gorgeous spring dress collection!

If you’ve waited till this weekend to grab your Easter dress, definitely put then on your list of places to check out.

Because not only do they have a fabulous selection, but they also have an amazing sale going on! Plus if you’re a AAA member, you can always show your card and get an additional 20% off. I truly can’t think of any more good news to bring you my friends, short of showing up at your house right now and throwing glitter everywhere…(but that would require you cleaning it up, so more good news – you don’t have to clean up glitter!).

Hide hips and bum with the first two options below; disguise a rounder mid section and thicker arms with the blue wrap dress; and with the last dress, add shape (plus a little va-va-voom) to a straight figure, or show off your figure if you’re an hourglass!

For a more in-depth guide to buying for your body type, and for some more beautiful Easter dress options, click here!

#thespiffknows, 2015, ann taylor, dress, dress shopping, Fashion, jcpenney, shopping, the limited, Uncategorized, west town mall

The Guide to a Figure-Flattering Easter Dress

March 20, 2015 No Comments

The trick to writing a guide of any sort is research. And if there’s ever been an Easter where I’ve done extensive dress research, it’s this one.

I will be 5 months pregnant by the time Easter gets here, which means I don’t know what my body will look like. On top of which, I’m in the Easter program at church, which means I have to find a dress that meets a long list of standards (not to mention my own crazy self-imposed ones).

But man do I love a good clothing challenge.

I started looking for a dress in January, just to start formulating a vision. Once I knew the direction I wanted to go in, I started seriously looking in February and had my dress by early March.

Saying all of that to say, I know my stuff. I know what’s out there and I know what will look good on your body type.

So let’s dive in…

The best way to flatter a larger mid-section is by going with a dress that’s waist defining. All three of these options give the illusion that you have a tiny waist whether it be through color blocking, a change in pattern or strategic rouching. Those are the types of things you need to look for in your dress.

And if you want to add a cardigan to the mix, stay away from those that are short and boxy. Go with one that lays a few inches below where you’ve defined your waist, or better yet, choose a structured blazer to give you even more shape.

For a larger bum and hips it’s all about where you’re drawing the eye. First of all, make sure to go with an A-line shape. This shape is flattering on so many body types, but especially yours as it perfectly conceals your lower half. To carry the illusion a step further, opt for a dress that has a pattern/detail on the top half which will instantly draw the eye up.

The White House Black Market dress does a great job of drawing the eye to your neckline with that lace detail; as does the JCP dress by putting that gorgeous blue color on the top half of the dress. And of course the print overlay is just pretty all over on the Fiore dress.

If you’re looking to create a figure, you’ve got some great options as well. Look for dresses with ruffles or pleats to add volume where you need it, but stay away from anything too baggy. You want to show off your slimness while adding volume in all the right places.

The blue dress from Express gives your girls a little help with the pleats in the bust line. The middle dress from The Limited does kind of the same thing but in a cool modern way – I love the illusion of a crop top over a black dress. And by the way, this one would really do a great job showing off a gorgeous statement necklace. Finally, the navy Ann Taylor number defines your tiny waist but gives you a curvy hourglass shape with the addition of those ruffles (the dress has a tiny polka dot pattern too, which I think is so classic).

I wanted to show you that no matter your figure, there is a dress out there that will make you look your best. I purposely stayed away from using words like “flaws” and “problem areas” because you don’t have to look at your body that way. Appreciate what you’re working with, and learn to dress so that you show off what you love most!

If you have any questions or need more help, you can reach me through any of my social media outlets I’ve linked to there in the upper right.

Happy shopping!