This Isn't Your Granny's Cardigan

Cardigans have a bad rep. They make us think of little old ladies, 50’s freshmen, and that stuck-up girl from Legally Blonde.

Fortunately, times have changed. Cardigans are no longer reserved for the super-academic with a high pony. Cardis can be cute, professional, and even stylish.

Here is everything you need to know to make a cardigan your go-to piece for fall.

Length

Make sure that whichever cardi you’re eyeing is the right length for your body. Something too long or too short will make your body look disproportionate.

For petite women, a cardigan should land at the hip. This keeps your top half in proportion with your legs.

If you’re taller, a longer cardigan does the same job. Look for something that reaches a couple inches below your backside.

To Do Up, or Not to Do Up?

The answer to this question depends on your body type.

For curvy women, I suggest a cardigan with an open front. This style provides a stream-lined look as the open front creates a panel that is very slimming.

For thinner women, try a cardigan that buttons up for a cozy yet professional style.

Whether you do up your cardigan or not, try adding a thin scarf or long necklace to dress it up.

Fabric

Cardigans now come in all sorts of textures. A light knit can be worn in early fall as a light jacket, and layered under heavier outerwear when the weather gets really cold.

Bulkier fabrics are best reserved for cardis that have a looser, more open structure.

 Any body type instantly looks larger with a thick fabric.

Pattern

There are so many options for patterns it’s almost impossible to choose. A solid colour will go with anything, so it’s a great idea to have one solid colour cardi in a neutral tone in your closet.

As a general rule of thumb, the busier the pattern is, the simpler the rest of your outfit should be.

For example, if the pattern has five different colours in it, choose one of those colours to wear under the cardi and add neutral-coloured bottoms such as jeans.

Have a favourite style of cardi? Let us know!

Sort Out Your Closet in 5 Simple Steps

We’ve received our first batch of inventory, and it’s been a blast counting, organizing, and stocking. All this unpacking made me think about my closet at home, and how to organize it to make getting ready in the morning a breeze.

Getting dressed for anything is a lot easier when your closet is organized, instead of piled up with everything jumbled together. Keeping your clothes in order is easy to do, and only takes a few minutes.

Here are our top 5 tips for organizing your closet.

1 – Sort Your Stuff

The first step to an organized closet is to sort out what you have. Make a section for each kind of item, such as work tops, blazers, dresses, and pants. Once you can see what you have, get rid of any items that you haven’t worn in the last two years. Anything that you don’t actually wear is just cluttering up the space you have.

Donate or sell anything that you don't wear or that doesn't fit. Items that are damaged should be thrown away.

Now that you have your categories, you could just stuff everything back in the closet. However, it is much easier to see what you have if you keep similar items together. Try hanging the pants next to the capris, which would be next to skirts, and then dresses. This way, if the kind of item you planned to wear isn’t working that day you can try something similar without digging through everything.

2 - Colour Block

To make the most of the space you have, hang each category up by colour. For example, put all the black blazers together next to all the grey blazers, next to the blue blazers, etc.  

By keeping the colours together you can easily see all the options and find what you want.

This also makes it easier to put together an outfit. Once you pick one colour, you can see what colours or patterns will go with it - minus the struggle to find something.

3 – Use Baskets or Bins

I’m a huge fan of putting baskets on the shelf on top of the hanging items. Small items such as tanks for layering can easily be folded and stacked, leaving extra room in both your closet and your dresser. If you don’t have a dresser, using baskets for things like socks and underwear prevents clutter.

Stores like Bowring, Jysk, Winners, and Pipers have carts with basket drawers. These are perfect for storing undies, socks, tanks, bras, and shorts. Since these carts are decorative, you can use them around your bedroom for both storage and design. 

4 – Add a Second Hanging Rack

For those of us who hang the majority of our items, one hanging bar isn’t always enough. Add a second bar by installing a tension rod about halfway between the first bar and the floor. Long items such as dresses can still go on the top bar, and now you have two bars to place everything else.

Tension rods are the best option since you won’t need tools to install them, they can easily be moved, and you won’t damage the walls of your closet if you take it down.

Pro tip: Put dresses and shirts on the top rack, and pants on the bottom. Since we're used to seeing clothing this way, you'll be able to see outfits before you take anything out. 

5 – Use an Over-the-Door Hanger

Placing an over-the-door hanger on the closet door gives you a place to store your necklaces, bracelets, scarves, or belts. Choose one that has multiple hooks so you can hang several items. Storing them in your closet not only keeps your room from becoming overrun with accessories, it also makes dressing up your outfit super easy.  

Have a suggestion for organizing your space? Share with us in the comments.

Makeovers Made Easy

If you’ve been stuck in a style rut, it may be time to mix things up a bit. Simple changes can make a big difference. The term 'makeover' conjures memories of Clueless, with Cher creating new outfits and hairstyles for everyone from her friends to her teachers. 

Makeovers don't have to be a massive overhaul of your entire style - a few small changes can make you feel like you have a whole new look without spending a ton of money.

Follow these tips for an easy makeover. Use one or two for tweaking your style, or if you're feeling adventurous, try them all. 

Switch up your manicure

Something as simple as nail polish can make a huge difference to your overall look.

For example, pastel pink polish and white lace say feminine, while navy blue polish and white lace say classic chic. Now switch out the blue for a matte black and you’ve got an edgy modern style.

Playing with the colours on your fingers and toes is a great option for dipping into a style switch-up. It’s non-permanent and easily reversible.

For those of us with acrylic nails, consider changing the shape and the colour. Instead of a classic sporty square, try a slightly longer almond shape. If you’re feeling super brave, try a coffin or stiletto shape.

Before you begin, have cotton balls, polish remover, and several orange sticks on hand. Putting down a layer of paper towel never hurt, either.

For tips and tricks for the perfect manicure, see the article "Top Six Tips for At-Home Manicures".

Try a new makeup trend

It’s easy to stick to the same makeup routine day in and day out. Trying a new makeup trend is the next step up from practicing your polish.

On a day when you have some extra time (such as a weekend), pick a makeup trend you haven’t tried and give it a shot. The day I discovered pastel purple lipstick was a wonderful day. It’s now my go-to light lip shade.

If you’ve never tried a smoky eye, now is your chance. On the other hand, if you usually put on a full face, try a simple mascara and lipstick look.

Take a look at your favourite fashion mags for ideas, then make sure you have remover wipes and cotton swabs at the ready and give it a go. You may not love it, but you won’t know until you try.

Change your hair colour

As someone who regularly changes her mind about what colour hair to have, I can promise you that going lighter or darker will have a drastic impact on your look. I’ve tried everything from blonde to blue and back again, and each time is a new experience.

If you choose a lighter shade, it’s a good idea to go to a salon. While darkening your hair is difficult to mess up, lightening usually requires a professional. Save yourself the grief of accidentally becoming a pumpkin and find a stylist.

Also keep in mind that if you want to go back to your original colour, it’s a lot easier to cover something too light than to lighten something too dark.

Not sure what colour you want? Peruse Pinterest for inspiration.

Tell us about your style changes in the comments!

          

Top Six Tips for At-Home Manicures

Getting a salon-perfect manicure can be done at home at a significantly lower price and tons more fun.

These tips and tricks will help you create a DIY manicure that screams professional job. Grab a mimosa, a magazine, and your favourite colour for a spa-quality manicure in your pj’s.

Prep Your Nails

A nail buffer is your new best friend. Use the grainy side to even out bumps, and then the smooth side to create a perfectly buffed surface.

Whatever you do, don’t cut your cuticles. This little bit of skin is what stops bacteria from entering your nail beds, and cutting it off is an invitation for an infection. 

Soak your fingers in warm water for up to 10 minutes, then use an orange stick to gently push them back. For a super-relaxing soak, add a few drops of vitamin E oil and some Epsom salts.

Make sure your nails and fingers are completely dry before applying polish.

Use Base and Top Coats

A base coat provides a smooth bottom layer for your polish to sit on by filling in any dents or grooves in your nails. It also prevents dark polish from staining your nails.

Apply a thin layer of any clear base coat before adding any polish. Once all your layers of colour are on, apply a clear top coat. The top coat will seal the polish, and prevent your colour from rubbing off on any surface your nails may scratch (such as paper, walls, etc.).

Use a High-Quality Polish

The quality of the polish you use makes a world of difference to how well your manicure turns out.

Cheaper polishes tend to dry out more quickly, and this makes them gloopy and hard to apply properly. Once a polish loses its slick texture, it is more trouble than it’s worth.

A good nail varnish doesn’t need to be expensive, however; take a look at Sephora’s Formula X, which starts at $6 and comes in more than 70 shades.

Be Patient

This has always been the hardest part of anything for me. When it comes to doing a manicure, I somehow manage to smudge the polish before it’s dry.

Turns out, patience is crucial for smooth mani. It’s essential to let each coat of polish dry completely before adding the next one. If the underlying layers aren’t dry, the whole thing becomes thicker and takes longer to dry, making it more likely you will dent or smudge the polish.

After applying each layer of polish set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes. Use this time to read a magazine or catch up on your social media pages (as long as you can do it without touching your nails on anything!).

Once the time is up, apply the next coat and repeat. Apply up to three coats of colour. 

To speed drying time, turn a fan on and aim it at your nails. A high speed can cause the polish to ripple, so keep the setting on low. Cold is your friend when it comes to setting nail polish.

Have Remover Tools Close By

Some tools are essential in order to achieve a great manicure. Here are the ones you'll be sure to need:

 Polish remover

When you’re picking up your supplies, choose a remover that’s acetone-free. This variety is less harsh on the skin and doesn’t have as strong a smell.

Unfortunately, gel polish won’t come off with acetone-free remover.

Orange sticks

While not orange, having a handful of these nearby will make your manicure super easy. Whether you need to work on your cuticles, add a design, or wipe off a dot of polish, these sticks are there for you.

 Cotton swabs

When combined with the polish remover, these little swabs are like an eraser for colouring outside the lines. Soak one end of the swab in remover, and wipe off any errant polish.  

 Paper towel

Spilled something? Not to worry, you’ve got paper towels standing at the ready. Put down a piece before you start to make a surface to work on.

Nail buffer

This tool is great for prepping your nails for colour, and for adding shine once the colour is completely set. 

Try Gel Polish

For a guaranteed smudge-proof manicure with minimal drying time, invest in a gel kit. These kits contain an LED lamp, base coat, one colour, cleanser pads, and instructions.

While they are more expensive than just buying one bottle of polish, you only need to buy the kit once, and the LED lamp will work with any brand of gel polish that requires curing.

Gel polish lasts much longer than regular polish – about ten days, for the most part. Also, there’s no drying time, so the process is quicker than applying regular polish.

My favourite is the Sally Hansen Gel Nail Colour Starter Kit. It's reasonably priced, comes with enough supplies to do several manicures, and you can see which shade comes with the kit so you can choose your favourite. 

Do you have pro tips for your manis? Let us know!