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What I love about fashion is that it goes in circles. What was hot last season or last year is considered old, meanwhile what is really old, say a decade or so, is considered fashionable and new. Sunglasses are a great example of this. The sunglasses from last year are out, but the ones from the 2000 and 1970’s are in. Interestingly enough, the ones from the 2000’s looked a lot like the one’s from the 1970’s.

Last year it was all about covering your face. The sunglasses were huge, and simply covering your eyes from the glare of the sun was out. This made it very difficult for anyone to look good in a pair of sunglasses. Luckily, the sunglasses have gotten smaller this year. Now the shaped ovals and cat eye glasses are back in style instead of the aviator glasses that no one needed.

The color of the lens and frames has also undergone a drastic change. Last year the lens and frames were all very dark. No one could see the shape of the eyes, let alone guess as to the color of the eyes. The frames were dark, often black in appearance. This was nice for those who could pull off such a severe look, but most people found a lot of difficulty with this appearance.

The color of today’s frames tends to be a lot lighter, often metallic in appearance, although the soft hues of purples, blues and reds are also very popular. The lens are no longer black or mirror, but rather a similar shade to the color of the frame, allowing enough light in so that people can see the shape of the eye, but provides enough protection to ensure the limiting of glare and UV rays.

Remember not to go with what is in vogue though, when picking out sunglasses. Instead, pick out glasses that work well with your individual face and skin tone. Try on various sunglasses and pick the best one for you, rather than picking the ones shown here or on other magazines. Remember, fashion is only fashionable if it looks good on you.

Suits are fun to wear. A well tailored suit can take pounds and inches off the waistline, add inches in height and create a sense of purpose and authority that people see, understand and accept. That is if the suit is worn properly and with the proper accessories and garments. There are some serious follies that people do to destroy the image that the well tailored suit provides.

1. Dark Undergarments with Light Suits – This is really something that women tend to do more frequently than men. Women will often wear a fancy and dark colored bra under a light colored shirt. Sometimes dark colored panties can also be seen under a light colored pant, especially if that color tends to be black panties with white pants. Yes, it looks like the pants cover the dark panties, but trust me, we can see them.
2. Untucked Shirts – Tucking in your shirt provides the outfit with a sense of neatness that an untucked shirt is quick to ruin. Since the suit is supposed to symbolize authority, wear it appropriately and tuck in your shirt. Remember, you are a professional, not a rebellious teenager.
3. Sneakers Instead of Dress Shoes – Yes, sneakers are comfortable and many of them are very stylish. They are not appropriate with a suit. They symbolize athletics and fun, not professionalism and responsibility. You are going for a run on lunch and that is why you are wearing your sneakers? Great! You are not running in your suit; change your shoes when you change your clothing.
4. Socks with Suits – Just as it is inappropriate to wear sneakers with the suit, if you are a woman and wearing fancy shoes, put on a pair of trouser socks. These socks fit like socks but have the feel of nylons. This makes them easier to wear with heels and fancy shoes without looking like you have no idea how to dress yourself. Men, wear socks that are appropriate for that suit. White socks with a dark suit and dark shoes just looks messy.
5. Cat or Dog Hair – I have a dog, I know exactly how hard it is to keep animal hair off my suits. By hanging up the suits and running a lint roller over them before going to work, I can enjoy a pet hair free day and maintain that professional feel that is so important to the clients and employees around you.

Just incase you are sitting back and thinking, “Well, I’m just an employee. My suit appearance doesn’t really matter,” let me remind you that your appearance is one of the factors in raises and promotions. In addition, as you walk that final stretch to work, you never know who you are going to come across. You might just find yourself presenting an interview or project to someone you passed on the street and they will remember if you were put together or not.

Richard!

I woke up to see that you received my “tweet”.   I want you to know that EVERYTHING that has come our way in this business is because you decided to reach out (in 1996)!  My children have been even more successful than I have!  Because you took me to get pictures taken and then walked me in to meet Julie and the Gang, you started in motion a career that has literally changed my life.  When we moved to Los Angeles, I was green BUT I had a leg up because of all of the Target bookings in MPLS:-).  We hit the ground running and have carried on your tradition of REACHING OUT.  I am now seen by my peers as an expert of sorts.  Providing information and perspective to those who are trying to break into the business for their children.

I KNOW your ears were burning over the years, because I send a thank you your way with EVERY booking!

I love everything that you are doing – you run that town 🙂

Best,

Keri Shahidi

Well, finally the summer is here. After a long winter it is finally time to enjoy the summer’s sun and loose, fun clothing. Because the sun is so bright, the breeze so nice there are many more people standing out and enjoying this sun. While this may feel good for the moment, there is a painful consequence – the sunburn. Avoiding the sunburn while still enjoying the summer’s sun is the key to keeping your skin healthy and still loving the summer.

Sunscreen is the key to protecting you skin while enjoying the summer sun. Sunscreen does not have to be greasy or smelly. There are many different types of sunscreen out there. This being said, there are some important things to remember when picking out the right the sunscreen that can make the difference between tan skin and lobster red skin.

• SPF 15 is the minimum SPF that you should use. This sunscreen intensifies the period of time that you will be able to be out in the sun for up to 15 times longer than normal before you would begin to burn. This being said, it is important to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours or so.
• Using make up, lotion or other products with SPF chemicals in them can be used in place of sunscreen. This can help you to help keep your skin healthy and burn free. This should not be your only defense though if you are in the sun for a long period of time though.
• Do not rely on the window to prevent sunburns. Most windows are not designed to block UV rays and therefore the skin can be damaged without the proper skin protection. Sunscreen or lotion with sunscreen in it can help to prevent damage to the sink.
• Most people think that because their skin is naturally dark that they are not subject to sunburns and skin damage. This is simply not true. While people with dark skin do not burn as quickly, their skin can burn as well. It is important to remember to put sunscreen on even if your skin is dark.

Clothing and shade are the single best ways to prevent skin damage. This being said, it is not as much fun as being able to feel the sun’s rays on the skin. Sunscreen can allow you to enjoy the sun’s rays and still be safe and healthy. Enjoy your summer and have a have fun in the sun without the burn.

Pedicures are luxurious and difficult. They make our feet look and feel amazing, but also make it necessary for others to handle our feet. While it seems like such a little thing for someone else to be handling your feet, this intimate area is full of many very sensitive nerve endings that can cause even the slightest touch to tickle and cause people to be uncomfortable. I am one such person that cannot stand to have a pedicure done.

That being said, I also cannot stand to have cracked and dry feet. Since I am all about the strappy sandal, my feet need to look and feel amazing all the time. This was a serious problem for me for quite a while, until I discovered I can do my own pedicure at home. Does it still tickle? Yes, but not quite as much and there is no embarrassment due to cracked heels or untrimmed nails when you do a pedicure at home. Plus it is easy to do and fairly cheap in comparison to a traditional pedicure.

All you will need in order to do a pedicure at home is:

Foot scrub

Foot lotion (handle lotion will no do)

Foot brush

Nail clippers

Nail file

Nail polish

First start out by scrubbing your feet with the foot scrub and the foot brush. This brush will help to remove any dead skin and help to remove any calluses you might have on your feet. The foot scrub will be designed to help remove the dead skin and remove rough skin that is on the feet.

Once the feet are clean, apply foot lotion quite liberally and massage this into the feet. This will penetrate the thicker skin of the foot and provide a very soft feel to the foot. This will also protect the feet from damage that normally builds up over time. The lotion should sit on the feet for a while in order to completely absorb into the skin. Wrapping the feet in a warmed towel can help the lotion to penetrate deep into the skin.

Once this is done, the nails should be worked on. This includes trimming and shaping the nails so that they look and feel good. While nail polish is not necessary, it is nice to add a finished look to the feet. Be careful with the toe nail polish and be sure to allow the polish to dry completely before putting socks and shoes back on; otherwise the nail polish will smear, ruining that perfect pedicure look.