Fashion Week

Was the suspense just killing you all weekend? 
Probably not, but we are so excited to kick off our 
{trulie-scrumptious} 
FASHION WEEK!!!
We all know that summer is {almost} here! 

SOO Bring on the SUMMER FASHION! 

We decided as sisters that we needed wanted to do a 
Fashion week! 
{more for ourselves due to our errr slacking in the fashion area} 

 We are ECSTATIC for this weeks lineup because we have some super FASHIONISTA visitors. 


Stay tuned for our 
{trulie-scrumptious FASHION Transformation}  

It's gonna be intense... 


Today we have our FIRST FASHIONISTA and folks, she is all that and so much more. 
So everyone welcome,
JAYMIE
You can check our her FABULOUS blog here..
Take it away Jaymie...

Hello all you adorable Trulie-Scrumptious readers!  Im excited to be here for the Trulie-Scrumptious fashion week! I am a lover of all things girly… so when the cute girls of Trulie-Scrumptious asked me to write a guest post, (i was so honored..) I jumped at the chance! 

From age 16-19 I competed in pageants... (don’t judge me!!)  A big part of being in programs like Miss USA and Miss America is that  you have to know how to represent yourself, through your personality and (as superficial as it sounds) the way you look. I loved that part of my life, especially my CLOSET! It was filled with fun (and tiny!) dresses, skirts, jewels and high heels…  

Now- fast-forward to July of 2009, two months after I got married... Quite a few pounds heavier (27 to be exact), and not on my parents budget anymore,  I HATED that closet that I once loved!  Getting dressed in the mornings was  a horrible experience!! I didn’t love anything I owned. It was too tight, too formal, and just not “me” anymore. So over the course of a year I performed a complete clothing overhaul, and collected pieces of clothing that I adore, and am excited to put on every morning! 

Does this sound like you and your closet? Do you try on a million different outfits every morning and end up getting frustrated and leaving the house wearing one of the three shirts you own that you actually like? Do you lay on your bed and try and try to shimmy up those skinny jeans that you SWEAR weren't that small last week? Do you, like most women, have a love/hate relationship with your clothes? Then do something about it! Treat yourself, like I did, to a 

Total Closet Makeover. 

Whatever the reason is- you just aren't the size you used to be, you just got married, you just started a new job and want to dress like a "big girl" rather than a high school student...  Here are 5 tips to help you get rid of the frustration and LOVE every SINGLE PIECE of clothing in your closet. 

#1. Bring Out The Trash Bags

 Throw it all out! Take every single item out of your closet and go through them piece by piece. Before you put an item back in your closet ask yourself these questions:

Have you worn it in the past two months?

Can you alter it to make it new?

 Changing buttons, adding a great belt, shortening or lengthening hems, or REMIXING (pairing the item with something new) can help you fall in love with them again!

Does it fit?

 This is SUCH an important question, make sure you are wearing and keeping clothes that already fit, not that you WANT to fit! You know what Im talking about.. Im sure right now your thinking of a pair of jeans that you have in the back of your closet that don't fit anymore, but you just cant give up on them!! Let them go… You might be obsessed with that too small shirt, but no matter how much you love it, it cant love you back ;) Besides, getting rid of the old makes room for the new! 

Is it special?

Keep clothes that make you FEEL great. Try them on in front of a mirror, if you say "Dang... I look good in this!" then keep it! If it's just OK… get rid of it! Which brings us to  the next tip. 

#2. Be Original

 I think the way a woman dresses speaks volumes about who she is as a person. How you choose to dress yourself reflects your confidence, how you perceive yourself, and  how you want to be perceived by others. I can honestly say I don’t own anything from Hollister, American Eagle, ect. Not because those clothes aren't cute (they are!) but because I want to be original. I keep in mind that my clothes represent how I see myself, so I try and wear clothes that say “I am original, I am special! I am someone you should pay attention to!”  Shop Boutiques or Thrift Stores, and buy vintage. Make pieces your own by adding length, changing buttons, shortening hems, adding ruffles, or my personal favorite, adding rhinestones to old jewelry. When I got married I KNEW my dress had to be original and amazing I had dreams of a custom made one of a kind gown.... But I fell in love with the second dress I tried on, it was from a store in my hometown that EVERYONE buys their wedding dresses from. But, I loved it. So my mom and I went to work, we made a cute lacy/vintage jacket for the top, we added hundreds of Chocolate Brown and A.B. Rhinestones, we put alot of effort into making that dress an original, and I loved the end result. (thanks mom!) 

#3. Love EVERYTHING you put in your closet

            When I shop for a specific item, I can NEVER FIND IT! and I usually end up coming home with things I dont love and never wear. I have made it a rule that I only buy clothes that "speak" to me.. Does that ever happen to you? Your walking past a window and you see a shirt that screams out to you "Please wear me! We would look so good together!" (thats how i feel about the skirt in the picture above.. we were meant to be together ;) ) You just cleaned out your closet, take care to fill it with things that you LOVE. (some things I fall in love with are super pricey... um hi... Im on a Newlywed/College budget over here!) Learn to love the sales rack, and always be on the look out for good deals! You can find great pieces at secondhand stores and boutiques, just be willing to look through a-lot of clothes to find little treasures, and get creative!  Pick out pieces that have an awesome price tag, and that you find interesting. Never get something just because it "works". This will save you time in the mornings, if you love the way you feel in everything you own, you can throw on anything you own with confidence!! 

#4. "MAKE A STATEMENT!!"

This is my favorite tip... After you get your strong foundation full of pieces you love, make sure you have a statement piece with EVERY outfit. Try and wear things that people will notice, something that has that "WOW!" factor. 

Whether its an outrageous pair of shoes... 

           

Or adding a Bow to an old skirt... 

Add fun accessories to your outfits that make you feel like your stretching yourself... If peacock feathers on your shoes are a little too much for you, start with some really great earrings, (the one's I have on in the picture below are my favorite!)  or a fun hair piece and work your way from there! 

Or try and make your own pieces!  When someone asks, "I love your headband! where did you get it?" it feels so good to say "O thanks I made it!" rather than  "Thanks I got it at Nordstroms.."

#5. "Dress for You" 

Every woman should love her clothes. My motto is that we should be able to dress up, not to feel superior or better than anyone else, but so that we can have total confidence in ourselves. When we feel good about the way we look, we dont have to be self conscious, shy or reserved, we can forget ourselves and focus on others, because THAT is what makes a beautiful person! As women we often put others before ourselves, let this be one area you treat yourself in! Stay inspired, find fashion icons that you love through blogs (like Trulie Scrumptious!!) , or other sights like PINTEREST, (follow me on pinterest here!)  Wear things that make you feel great, its amazing what the right size, cut, color,  and a little pizazz can do for your outlook on life! Dont dress to cover up or hide something, find your assets and show  them off! (my grandma always used to say.. if you got it flaunt it!)  You deserve to feel like a million bucks! 

 Thanks so much for reading what I have to say, if you need a buddy to join you in  your closet intervention, I'd be more than happy to help! :) You can find me over at my family blog -  jaymieandmark.blogspot.com. Happy Trulie-Scrumptious Fashion Week !! 

(all photos via Pinterest... or my computer)