Go Military!

Oh this is a fun one!  Usually military hints show up in winter trends on an annual basis.  This year it is fun because it has arrived for spring.  You can go all out with the military look or you can add a splash of it to your feminine top.  The military inspired trend only has to be as hard-core as you want it to be.   

A very fun way for a lot of women to do this trend is through updating what they wear on the bottom of their outfit.  Camo and olive/earthy tones really can complete the army inspired trend.  Cargo pockets also bring this style to life.  The best part is that doing this trend through your pants/skirts/crops usually means you are in for a comfy outfit.

Studs and embellishments also bring a military feel to the spring trends.  Personally, I have been doing this by adding accessories.  Today I am wearing an Alexia Crawford Studded Leather bracelet.  (You can find these in your local Hot Mama boutique).  As you know, I am traditionally in to girlie, pretty styles.  This leather bracelet is bringing some funk to my life.  Today, I became just a little more edgey. 

So go military and I think you will find it to be a fun way to wear comfortable and easy styles this spring!

The Boyfriend (or is it Girlfriend?) Jean

The Boyfriend (or is it Girlfriend?) jean is everywhere!  At Hot Mama we are referring to it as The Girlfriend jean; meaning, you want to look like you are wearing your friend’s jeans who just happens to be one size bigger than you. 

I, like most women, loved the look of this jean but did not think I could really pull it off.  Yes, it looks fantastic on celebrities but I am not a celebrity.  I wear a size 10, a size 30-31.  In my mind, I was thinking “I don’t want to look one size bigger than I am.”  I am happy with the way I look but at the same time, I am realistic that I need to show off the curves rather than adding to them.  In other words, I stopped following my own advice and decided to write off this trend for me. 

Still as spring has been approaching every time a box is opened containing Girlfriend jeans, I run to the back, dig for my size, and try it on.  This says to me that I really wanted to achieve this look.  How cute would it be with flip-flops, or ballet flats, or I could even dress it up when I am out for girls night by wearing a wedge and a little jacket.  So I continued my quest for this jean……

Finally, I found the pair for me.  The James Boyfriend jean.  It was just perfect and it actually was very slimming!  This brings me back to when we first started seeing skinny jeans and everyone (myself included) tried on one pair of skinnys and then wrote them off entirely.  When in reality we just needed to find the one that worked for our body.

When these new trends come out we all need to approach it with the same mindset that we have for bootcut jeans:  we might need to try on ten pairs before we find the right pair for ourself.  Keep on trying!  Don’t give up!

Luii Jackets

Usually, I try to blog about styles and trends as opposed to specific items.  I am going to need to make an exception this week….

A new obsession…..Luii Jackets.  A shipment arrived on Friday and I bought two of them!  For me, these jackets are the kind of thing that I see other women wearing and I think to myself, “I wish I had something like that in my closet.”  Check out Adele in this cute black jacket (I apologize for the quality of the picture….my digital camera is out of comission:)

I bought this awesome ruffle jacket.  I swear it made me hold my head a little higher when I wore it on Saturday.  I loved that women ages 25-65 wanted the jacket.  I always think of this as a good sign…..timeless is a good thing.  

These jackets should hit the Mid-West stores on Monday or Tuesday so don’t wait too long!

Its all in the details

If you have been shopping, looking at magazines, or watching television you have seen this everywhere:  details on tops!  It could be a huge ruffle collar or just a little bit of tucking and the neckline.  Regardless of what end of the frill spectrum, adding a little something to your shirt is a big part of this spring.

Many women have said to me that they don’t typically do like ruffles or frills or anything that is “too girlie.”  I don’t think that this has to be too over the top for any woman.  Besides the fact that this is a trend, it also is so versatile in  your closet.  Take this cute, Brit and Ash ruffle top for example:

This top will work well for any woman.  It just gives the outfit a little something.  It allows a woman to go from the park with kids, to coffee meeting with a colleague, to dinner with the hubbie.  It doesn’t scream “I am overly girlie.”  I think it says something a little more like “I am sophisticated and stylish.” 

How about next time you are shopping and you see some ruffles, just try it on.  You may be surprised by how this look might fit very nicely into your closet!

I’m back!!

I returned from Mexico a week ago.  Sorry, I didn’t blog right away, but you know that week after a vacation is just a race to try and catch up with life!  I promised you a picture of me in my dress, so here it is!  We were at the ruins in Tulum….just beautiful.

I am revived, refocused, and ready for spring!  We have so much to discuss:  boyfriend jeans, button-up shirts, popular colors…..there are tons of fun trends.  The first topic of discussion will be ruffles, frills, and any sort of detail!  I’ll post about that very soon

I’m going to Mexico!

It’s vacation time and I am going to Mexico!  The best part of it…..this will be my first time going on a tropical trip!  My parents are Irish so growing up, vacation for me always meant going to a very beautiful, very fun, but also very chilly country.  So it is time to explore something totally different. 

Five nights in the Mayan Riviera….delish!  Now comes the yearly question……what to pack?  If you recall my blogs about my trip to San Fran last year, I take my vacation clothing very seriously.  And I know many of you are quite serious about your packing as well.  This warm weather packing is tricky…hot days and cool (but not cold) nights.  Sounds like open cardi’s to throw in my bag are the perfect solution.  Also, I am going to bring my Hudson straight leg jeans to wear with sandals in the evening.  Daytime I am thinking swimsuit and a little coverup (such as this fun scarf by Opera).

Today I treated myself to a cute little tie-dye Mur dress and a Three Dot white open cardi.  I promise to take a picture of me wearing it on the beach and I’ll post it when I get back in town!

Let me explain….

I can not even stand the amount of cute, cute things still arriving in stores!   Flowy tops are one of the more prominent styles which has many customers asking, “Does this look too maternity?”  Now I know, there was a time where a more full shirt meant only one thing….baby on the way!  This is no longer the case!!  It also is a style that can be worn across all body types and ages.

However, I will suggest that you make one change when sporting these tops: change the cut of your jeans.  If you have a more flowy top, then you need less on the bottom.  Skinny and straights are not just for boots in the winter.  You can put on your straight jeans with a sophisticated ballet flat and a pretty, flowy top.  Viola!  The perfect, feminine outfit to transition into spring!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

You are probably thinking “Liz, it is a couple of weeks too late to be saying that.”  To that I say “no, no it is actually just now the most wonderful time of the year.”  By now, we are a few months into winter.  It occurred to me tonight when I watched the news that the winter is far from over.  The thermometer is reminding us that the worst is here and there is plenty left to come.  It is nothing but depressing.

But there is a beautiful glimmer of hope.  A little thing that the fashion world refers to as RESORT.  Yes, we love cozy sweaters and boots.  We love the styles that Hot Mama has provided us this year, but at a certain point we start to wonder “will it ever be warm again?”  Just when I started to lose hope, I walked into the store, grabbed my coffee to warm up and awaited the opening of the daily shipments.  Low and behold, as the box is opened, a beautiful splash of yellow and the playful warmth of magenta appears!  It has arrived and is ready to add a little bit of life to our cozy sweaters. 

Resort has started arrive in stores!!  There is hope….the winter will come to an end.   In the mean time, we can start to add these colorful pieces to our wonderful winter basics to get us through the next three months with a little bounce in our steps.  Enjoy!!

Trend Alert: The Vest!

Whether it is a men’s wear look or a cute knit, vests are very in!  There is something super sophisticated about this trend that literally works for all ages.  The fun part is that you can layer these sleeveless numbers with layering long-sleeve tees or if it is appropriate they will be cute with tanks and long necklaces in the spring (just make sure your vest isn’t too chunky).

Check out this darling little number by Lucca: http://www.shopmama.com/products2.cfm/ID/9873/c/fashion-tops.  Pieces like these stand-alone and you really don’t need to get all too creative in how you will wear it.

But you can get crazy with your accessories if your sleeveless vest is more understated.  Yesterday, a stylist and I made up a fun look with this basic, no button vest.  We added a scarf and a belt.  Voila!  A chic, put together look.

This trend is not going any where and I really think you are going to enjoy it!  There is plenty of this style in our boutiques in right now!

A rockin way to wear sequin

Yesterday, I gasped as the beautiful Free People Sequin Slip was taken out of the box.  It was so….so pretty.  It was love at first sight.

Then my fellow stylists and I started brainstorming about all of the ways this little gem could be styled.  What do you wear underneath?  Easy.  A Cami!  What color, you ask?  White, black, or brown.  This piece can stand-alone for a night out.  Or it would look so cute with a cardigan for more casual events. 

Check out Vanessa, a fun, hot mama who stopped in yesterday afternoon.  She is wearing the Free People slip with the Love Stitch Motorcycle Jacket.  On the bottom she is wearing the tremendous James “Twiggy” Jean Leggings in black and finishes off the look with the Restricted “Ashlee” pump.  So fun, I can’t stand it!