January 2009 – The blog has a new year’s resolution – to write about fashion ideas.

So where do you start when you need to update your wardrobe? Most of us in the professional world need to start with the foundation suit – most likely in black, navy or a rich gray. Who wears a matched suit in today’s casual environment? Approximately 30% of our economy is based on financial businesses – banks, investment firms, credit unions, insurance, real estate, etc. Most people in these businesses still wear a traditional suit. In addition to the financial people, there are the attorneys and political people who wear suits. This varies by region; Los Angeles is less formal than New York City.

How do you decide what color to buy? If you are a woman over 40, be careful of a dark black suit unless you plan to wear a bright colored blouse or scarf with it. Dark black around the face of an older woman (don’t be offended – I am one) tends to be harsh, especially for medium to fair skinned women. Try it for yourself in front of a mirror – hold black fabric around your neck/face area, and then change it to your favorite color. If the black makes you look splotchy, your skin turns sallow, or your face looks washed out, don’t wear it as your primary color or around your face. Also, fair blonds should avoid gray; it will wash them out. Brown is a good additional suit but is a bit too casual for the foundation suit. If you are not in the financial industries, make sure that this foundation suit has good mix-and-match pieces.

Not knowing your coloring or industry, my all-round recommendation for a foundation suit is navy. Navy can be won by most people, in most environments. Happy suiting!

Happy December 2008. For a change of pace, I have blogged an e-mail from a friend. I think it will put a smile on your face. We have all had similar frustration, and she has some good suggestions.

Hi Mary! Congrats on the new store opening. I wish you much success in your endeavor. I've been doing a whole lot of trying on clothes lately, and the store opening e-mail hit at a 'clothing low' for me, so I thought I may as well pass on a few thoughts to you - perhaps they will help when you get around to your petite's section and offer some guidance into your women's section also - from a 'real' person viewpoint... but maybe you already knew all of this :)

All my best, Melanie

PANTS:

LENGTH - if you offer Capri pants in regular sizes, they often will work great for petites as regular size pants - but the inseam information is important. That way you can market to both women and petite sizes with the same product. Also, Capri pants are HARDLY offered in true petite sizes - so I usually buy two pair of trousers that fit well, and then have one hemmed down to Capri’s - which work well in the business world as suit bottoms in spring, summer and fall. Great with sling backs in warm weather, or boots for fall. Even flip flops for casual look, depending on fabric. NOTE: Petite's look HORRIBLE in cuffed pants - makes them look even smaller than they are. So if you do offer a cuff, make sure it is a small, thin one only.

WAIST - Rather than 'adjustable' waists - which are often bulky around the middle or difficult to pair with a tucked in shirt (because you can see the bunching of the fabric), LOW RISE work well for petites. Extra fabric is the last thing a petite lady needs around the middle. Our natural waist is so much lower than average, making low rise pants sit where pants are supposed to fit on real sized people. All too often I feel like I can tuck my boobs into the top of my pants they go up so high.

JACKETS:

ARMS - No one thinks of arms when you are chunky and petite. They are either too tight (i.e. you can't type with the jacket on because it pulls so much it cuts your circulation off), or the armpit section is so long (notice I said long, not wide - still tight) that it goes down to your waist adding to the pulling, making it impossible for you to comfortably steer the car because the top part of the arm seam is digging into your muscles driving you slowly insane as you are in traffic. LENGTH - chances are if you are petite, it does not mean that you only have short legs. You probably have shorter arms too. I know, I know, hard to believe, but petite people usually are petite throughout their whole body - little arms, little feet, little legs, little hands... well not a little butt but that's a whole other topic. Back to arms. 3/4 sleeves in a women's jacket often fit a petite like regular sleeves, so you can double your market their sometimes as well, depending on the overall cut of the jacket. Small/cap sleeves work well for gals with fatso arms - covers a hint of the flab but prevents overheating in long sleeves.

TOPS:

Boobs - Yes, we have them. And when you have big ones, having dangles and bangles and frills and pockets and beading and all the other types of garnishment on top of them, around them, covering them - it just makes them look bigger. Also, they are a cliché for heavy women. The most flattering is a simple V-neck top.

EMPIRE WAISTS - Done wrong = you look pregnant. Be careful. No fat chick wants to be asked, "when's the baby due?"

MATERIAL - STRETCH. Soft fabric, not hard. Buttons stink - they pull open and everyone sees your bra. Then the button falls off and you get arrested for indecent exposure. Bad.

DRESS SHIRTS - Collars on dress shirts (i.e. button up under suit wear) should MATCH the collars on the jacket. It looks really tacky to have round collars under square collars and vice versa.

SKIRTS:

SLITS - Up the back is dangerous. The smaller slit the better or a simple pleat.

WAIST - See waist by pants. Same stuff. Don't need to tuck my boobs in. Don't need extra fabric. Side zippers work better than back zippers for chunko ladies who can't reach around the back and pull up a zipper while holding down the back of the skirt so the back doesn't ride up further than the front and you look crooked walking around all day like your ass is so high it hoisted your skirt up and I hope it doesn't have a slit in it because then everyone sees your butt. Or, you play the zip it up in the front and scoot the skirt around to the back whilst getting your pantyhose in a bunch and your shirt is no longer aligned game. Put it on the side, where it can be reached.

POCKETS - BAD BAD BAD on skirts, unless again, you want to look pregnant or like small men have landed parachutes on the side of your skirt because the pockets are sticking out so far. That is why they made PURSES.

Thanks Melanie, I hope you were able to find some clothes that fit. Since she sent that article, Clothes For Us has started to carry petite tops.

November 2008 - It has been an intense and engaging month! November 2^nd, I was one of fourteen local designers to showcase a design on the runway based on Andy Warhol’s life. It was the greatest day of my life! I not only met new friends, but also was introduced to the man that is now my photographer. Check out clips from the show. Holly is wearing the original piece. She is the 11th model. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9105818165793715722&hl=en

Also, November saw me working with my largest image consulting class to date. It consisted for forty ladies in rehab, and I felt energized by their enthusiasm as they realized that change was possible, even for them. I hope to do this event twice annually. I also did free image consulting for the annual fundraiser at Elizabeth Blackwell Center. There’s one more holiday bazaar and another open house coming up this month. And lastly, I have another boutique - Charlesie’s in Columbus -carrying my line, and more to call on!

October 2008 - October has been amazing. October 2^nd, I was highlighted in the Columbus Alive newspaper, along with other local designers. Also, I flew to Hong Kong for business. My agent and I were able to find a number of items that were eluding us: leather belts and jade buttons to name a couple, and we also found some great fabrics. If that wasn’t enough, while there I received an e-mail asking if I would like to design an outfit and participate in a joint event with the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Wexner Center for the Arts. Later the same day, I received an e-mail from The Ohio State University MBA program, confirming that five MBA students would be working on a project that I had submitted in August. These students will be using their skills to help move the business further forward, and I couldn’t be more delighted!

Other great things that happened in October: I volunteered for the Women’s Economic Development Outreach, introducing small businesses to how to access resources; I took a leadership class; held an open house (largest single sales day); and Internet sales picked up.

September 2008 - My favorite small local festival - Hot Times Festival in Olde Towne East – took place this month, and I was one of the vendors. It was my best festival sales thus far! Plus, I met some great people. I also had my first sale to a boutique – Faze in Upper Arlington.

Good news - sales are starting an upward trend! The past twenty-two months, Clothes For Us has been laying the business foundation blocks, but now I can see the “building” taking shape – progress and growth! Thanks to those that have helped me come this far.

August 2008 - I flew back from Denver and Sedona just in time for the annual Dublin Irish Festival. Six years ago, I was asked to sit on the Marketplace Committee, which selects vendors for the festival via juried meeting. It is so much fun; I enjoy the committee and vendors very much. Also, August was a month of meeting new people and making new contacts. I had meetings with a number of boutique owners in town. In addition, I am negotiating with shops in Florida and Arizona, along with some large, up-scale department stores.