Raisin Feeds

Why I kept one style advice book from the ‘90s (and gave away the other)

Over the years, I’ve collected a small library of style and fashion books. They range from the whimsical to the practical, with a bit of memoir in between. Two that have been sitting on the shelf since said shelf was made from milk crates and plywood in the corner of an apartment were by Real [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

Outfit post: Lots of layers for winter weather

After some unseasonably warm December temperatures, it’s finally getting to be winter around here (that’s the DC area if you’re keeping track). For a lazy weekend day, I wanted two things: warmth and comfort. So I layered on a loose-fitting grey sweater over a black turtleneck sweater. Another layer: a black-and-white Missoni knit scarf (thank [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

Friend Fridays: Trends and inspiration for spring 2012

This week for Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, we’re talking about trends for spring, next fall (!) and beyond. 1. With Fashion week just around the corner, we are all beginning to focus on the upcoming trends for fall. But what about the trends hitting stores now? What are you coveting? After a bit of a [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

From Steve Jobs to 5 Levels: My top 10 posts of 2011

Once again, I’m taking a look back at the top posts of the year past to see what was popular and what inspired you. Some of them I expected, and some were surprises. (Which do you think were which?) Here are the top 10 posts of 2011: What Steve Jobs can teach you about style. [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

Outfit post (Level 3): One outfit, two variations

One of the things I talked about in my series The 5 Levels of Working Mom Outfits was how to transition from one outfit level to another. Often many of the pieces are the same; the difference is in accessories, or shoes, or one garment. In the next two outfit posts I’m going to show [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

How to dance the Tangerine Tango with the color of the year

How to wear Tangerine Tango by closetcoach Every year Pantone, the indisputed leader in the science and trends of color, announces its Color of the Year and for 2012, it’s a snappy orange, Tangerine Tango. Now, orange is not an easy color for everyone to wear, especially if your skin tone and shade, like mine, [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

How to figure out what your body shape is

Hourglass. Pear. Apple. You’ve heard these terms before, right? They’re the slightly awkward, and not always flattering, ways we try to describe a woman’s body shape. Perhaps more accurately, they are an attempt to describe a set of body proportions: the relationship of widths across various points in the body. Fruit metaphors aside, what’s the [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

Outfit post [Level 4]: One outfit, the second variation

Last week’s outfit post was intended to show how you can take an outfit from one level of the 5 Levels of Working Mom Outfits and tweak it slightly to take it to another level. I started with a Level 3/Casual Friday outfit (as I would define it for my workplace). This week, I’ve reworked [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

Outfit post (Level 4): Re-using a winning formula

Do you remember my outfit post from last month, when I winterized a summer wrap dress by layering it over a turtleneck and wearing it with tights and boots? Having discovered a winning formula, I put it into action again, this time with a new knit dress in a summer weight. (That’s the beauty of [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach

Outfit post (Level 4): Electric blue

I may have set a new speed record for the photo shoot for this outfit; it was 28 degrees outside on a Sunday morning when I rushed out, sans coat, and tried to find a spot with some sun to stand in. This outfit was inspired by an article I read in a back issue [...] Related posts:

Read On: Closet Coach