Shorts for the TEENSIZERS (is she for real?)

Summer in Venice by Jalibu featuring Tory Burch

Wearing a pair of pants when is 90 degrees outside is more than torture, it's almost a sin.

So, yes, I am for real!!!!!! we CAN and should wear shorts. Now this is a touch topic for many TEENSIZERS (including me). Our first reaction tends to be "what the heck! I'll wear them and throw a t-shirt on, and pray nobody sees me". But trust me, there is a much smarter approach.

First of all, if your are going to wear them, wear them proudly! spice them up with extras (take a look at the collage), don't wear those awful "soccer grand-ma" Bermuda shorts and GET YOUR LEGS READY!

This should go without saying, but I've seen so many things out there...

1.- Shave, wax, do whatever you do to get smooth legs.

2.- Get them TAN, you have no idea the difference this will make. If you are not a fan of laying in the sun, get a self-tanning cream and use it. just don't go orange.

3.- Hydrate and shine! We do it to models about to go out on the runway, every movie-star applies this secret as well. Get a light hydrating oil (ex. baby oil) or thick cream and rub some on your legs before going out. This has to be done carefully, you don't want to look greasy, you just want your skin to shine, and your muscles to look more define when light reflects on them.

Go on, try this, and thank me later...

Got more Kimono dresses!

About that wonderful dress I blogged about a couple of days ago... It's better than I thought!
I looked and felt fabulous. My friend Kelly went on-line and got three (3!) right away, and she knows when she sees a good deal. In her words, it is the kind of dress that we will regret not getting in a couple of months.

I was turning heads, YEAH! a teensizer can turn heads!!!!!!

I have a picture of the "potting soil" color, but I still think the "pimento" is my favorite. For tips on how to style it read two postings down.

GOOD NEWS - boyfriend jeans!

They are back!!!!! and we should be happy about it... They are comfortable and forgiving, but they can still look sexy and feminine.

Now please, don't just throw your husband pants on, remember, the idea is ALWAYS to look great while feeling we are wearing those disgusting sweats that nobody should ever see.

Yes, you can start by trying on your man's jeans, make sure your bum looks awesome in them, we should all be proud of our bums, if they are too tight, just go get your own par of jeans.

Now take a hint from the pic, rolled them up just enough to show your ankles. For a weekend trip use cute flip flops or flats and a great tee (don't forget accessories! EVER!).

For a more dressy look use high heeled sandals (those chunky ones Gwyneth Paltrow hasn't taken off the whole summer), and a blouse, and go show yourself off to the world.

Remember, for us TEENSIZERS proportions are very important. If the pants are baggy, try a fitter top. Or go to the other extreme and wear a very loose blouse, but be careful not to look masculine, I am not talking about a XXL tee, I am talking about a loose blouse.

Oh! this pants are from NY & Co. . But you should try Old Navy or the Gap also, my gorgeous friend Rachael was wearing a great pair from there a couple of weekends ago.

Great kimono maxi dress!!!!!!

I love dresses, specially the long flowy ones. I just found one in target.com that has a great fit!
It has kimono sleeves and an empire waist, and it comes in beautiful solid colors. All of which make the long column style elongate the figure! Just want we need...

I felt modern and sexy trying it on. I will wear it with a couple of really long necklace (DO NOT COVER YOUR CLEAVAGE), to accentuate the v-neck affect, and a pair of great sandals, either flat or high heels. Another thing, the size M fits me perfectly, and I am sure the L would look good too, but I often go for an XL, so be confident to get your size, don't go up.

The price is great, $24.99, on-line only, but I was SOOOOOO lucky, that I found it in the store for under $7 dollars, thanks to whoever returned it!
I couldn't copy a pic of the dress here, but you can find it by clicking here Mossimo® Black Kimono Sleeve Maxi - Pimento

Make a graphic t-shirt work

I LOVE graphic tees!!!!!

They are clever and fun, and very casual.
But I love to put a twist in the way I style them, so I even wear them to work. But to make that work you have to pair them with the right elements.

Today I put on a nice pair of gray slacks (on sale in Old Navy), posh flat sandals, tucked it in and put a simple belt on, and threw some very thing and long silver necklaces and a pair of nice earrings. That will make the trick and spice up my Amazing Spider-man t-shirt!

Now PLEASE, do not wear man's or too baggy tees. You don't want to look like a feminist gone wrong, or a tacky wrestler. It doesn't have to be tight, but it does have to have a nice fit. A little sleeve that covers only the 1st 1/3 of your upper arm (unless is purposely a 3/4 sleeve), and a slight curve at your waist.

This is specially important for us, the "teensizers". We tend to forget how femenine and sexy we can look!

Styling H&M, favorite clothing store, great deals and styles

H&M is my most favorite clothing store. Most of the models I work with use underwear from there... Did I mention I am a fashion designer?... But don't get scare by the prospect of trying on clothes made for a model. I am far from a size 2 (try a 14-16) and I always find beautiful, well fitting things there.

REMEMBER: Fitting is the No. 1 requisite to buy a piece of clothing!!!!! price is the 2nd.

Now, before you go nuts and buy things at full price ALWAYS check there bargains. I just found great organic cotton t-shirts for $5, and jeans at $15. Sadly they had no pants on my size in this particular store, I will look in another one, but you can get lucky.

-I recommend the "very wide" wide jeans, or the skinny one, with one of the tees I mentioned before. -But don't stop there! This is when it gets fun. Get some long thing necklaces and wear them over the shirt.

-Try on a tee one size larger than the one you would usually get, maybe tie a knot, or tuck in one little corner. The baggy look is coming back.

-Please don't wear sneakers, unless they are very sleek, feminine and stylish (and believe, I DO love sneakers). Better wear sandals, or ballerinas.

Why Cheapest?!

I've always had this amazing gift of find the cheapest most inexpensive things.
When we were teenage we use to take family shopping trips. My mom would give me and my sisters the same amount of money to spend in whatever we wanted.
At the end, Maya would leave with a few, expensive, stylish things... the fashionista.
Melina would find the strangest things, her bag was filled with "peter pan shoes", an antique instant photocamara (not working, off course), and some interesting pieces of clothing...the eccentric.
Me, oh my, always had to include in my shopping list an extra bag. I had to pack shoes, pants, shirts by the dozen, and believe me, nobody would have guessed we had spent the same amount of money.

Having now a family, I have come to really appreciate the great mix of my frugality and sense of style. It is an act of perfect balance and good eye. I won't allow myself to look like a Walmart model, although I might find there some interesting pieces.

I have decided to write down a guide to achive the perfect balance. I also urge you to post questions and pictures, together we can hack the cheapest clothes from any stores and make it look like we just stepped out of Barney's.

My most important rules:

1- NEVER consider price more important than fit, NEVER!!!!!!!!
2- Learn what's a good fit for you (so you can apply the first rule). I can help you with that.
3- Don't buy brands, buy looks.
4-When I say cheap, I mean it!!!!!
I consider cheap: Pants for less that $20.
t-shirts for $5-7.
Dresses for less than $20.
5- EVERYTHING needs to be accesorized, it could be only earrings, or tons of things, but it needs to be the right accesories.