Looking Your Best, For Less!

We often underestimate affordable uniqueness. When it comes to fashion, it's reassuring to look great without literally emptying your pockets. Baby Phat, Prada, and Versace are among several labels that tempt us, make our eyes pop out, and give us reasons for wanting to look great. Aside from receiving compliments, there are several factors that come along with shopping to look your best. We find ourselves in bliss during shopping sprees but the end result leave us down once we realize how much money we’ve actually spent! So, with a little discipline and financial savvy, it is possible to look your best for less!

Compare and Contrast: Two skills that play a huge role in the process of bargain shopping. Setting your eyes on a particular item is expected, but give yourself time to compare the first item to the next so compromise can occur. Let us think back to the last time we went to the mall. Purchasing that cute blouse or those dark denim jeans made us happy but four hours later we stopped in Macy’s and saw a better bargain.

The first step to looking great is being satisfied with where your money is going. Keep in mind that the quality of clothing is a key component when it comes to shopping for less. Even though the more affordable item may be tempting, typically high-end products are assumed to have better quality material. No one wants to buy a shirt that will shrink or fade after one or two washes. Or, we may walk into a thrift store and see a t-shirt that is very affordable. What we fail to notice is having that shirt for an extended period of time may not be guaranteed. Ironically, the cheap thrift store t-shirt may outlive the high-end Gucci or Prada shirt.

Everyone wants to have the hottest name brands without paying attention to price. Setting yourself with a budget before shopping can help get you get the look for less and keep you from shopping on impulse. Shop for the best but do it for less.

This article was written by: Fatima Scott

Promoting Healthy Fashion !

Ladies of Fashion starve their happiness to feed their vanity, and their love to feed their pride.
-Charles Caleb Colton

Lights, Camera, Action: The models are ready to walk the runway. Behind that glow, those six inch heels, glistening skin, and dress rehearsals, lies an image that is like a mirage. From the birth of fashion until today, it’s evident to see that models have become the backbone to this industry. Constantly browsing through magazines, and glancing at billboards, our attention is automatically drawn to their figure, the clothing, hair, and makeup. But what stands out more than anything is their body type; ranging toward the width of their waist down to the curiosity of how much time was spent getting those Abs. As we dig deeper into this major issue, let’s ask ourselves, has fashion created a fixed image of what a model can and should look like?

Many health experts have come to the conclusion that some of the causes of anorexia are the fashion industry, thin models, and a passion for the runway. Understand that our models hold a bigger responsibility than just looking great. In fact, these individuals are the missing piece we found to the puzzle; they're able to promote healthy fashion in a desirable way. The objective is to inspire. The complexion of your skin, and your curves from head to toe, are factors that the industries have taken for granted. What we fail to notice is that models come in every figure, shape and form.

With further research on the lives of our famous models, twenty one year old Ana Carolina Reston was an interesting case. Beginning her career at the age of thirteen, the beautiful 5-foot-8-inch model weighing only 88 pounds, died of a global infection; anorexia nervosa. A disorder characterized by an abnormal fear of weight gain that is life threatening. In most cases, it leads to even bigger problems such as depression, trauma, and obsessive compulsive behaviors. This goes to show that, what goes on behind the scenes of ones life is pretty much unseen in reality. Being able to glance back at those magazines and billboards and instantly seeing the models inner beauty is enthralling. From this day forth let’s not draw ourselves to unhealthy fashion but become the trendsetters of healthy fashion!

This article was written by: Fatima Scott