Get the look: How to wear leggings

In my opinion, leggings are the best fashion trend to make a comeback. Every woman should own a pair. I know I own about four pairs, myself. If I could wear them everyday I would. (Although, I guess there isn’t really anything stopping me). They’re comfy, breathable, figure flattering, and look good on every shape. Yes, even on plus-size women. Heck, especially plus-size women! So, stop being scared of this frame hugging trend and find out how to wear it instead.

With the cornucopia of choices available, you want to make sure you pick a fabric that is going to flatter your figure. Your core group consists of leather, poly-blend, nylon, and cotton.

While there are really only four fabrics, the color choices are endless, especially if you opt for nylon leggings. You can find them in vibrant colors like teal and fuchsia. But keep in mind, that brightly painted gams can be a dangerous look. And I mean dangerous is in bad-bad, not good-bad. Unless you’re a teenaged girl or a college coed, you need to stay away from colors that can make you look dated  and your legs seem the size of tree trunks.

Poly-blend leggings, are being worn in metallics, like gold and silver. While I love the look, it is a little difficult to pull off. Who can wear it? In my opinion, the only women who can wear it well are those who are leggy and thin. Think model types. However, worn with a sky high heels, the vertically challenged can definitely pull this look off. Why do I suggest that the average woman stay away from metallic leggings? Well, they shimmer and shine. Translation: they show off every single cellulite dimple. However, you’re always safe in black and they are very rocker-esque.

If you really want to be cutting edge, pour yourself into a pair of leather leggings. However, be aware that these leggings carry a much heavier price tag. Our favorite designers are jumping onto the leggings 2.0 bandwagon. You can wear designer leather leggings with the same ease as the any other legging. Or, go for leggings with leather accents, like knee pads. I advise that this legging look is way to fierce to wear with ballet flats. Really accentuate them with boots, or funky booties, or really great pumps.

For you plus size women, I say stick with black leggings. They’re super slimming and still flatter your curves. No matter what shoes you pair them with; ballet flats, boots, or high heels; the key to wearing them is pairing it with the right top, which most women don’t realize. It’s all about finding a top that is long enough to cover your bumm, which applies no matter what size you are.  A longer top gives the illusion of a longer leaner body by elongating your torso. Go for long layering tanks, boyfriend blazers, and boyfriend cardigans.

Another thing to keep in mind when wearing this trend is to stay away from sheerness. No one needs to see all your goodies. Make sure your nylon leggings are a thicker consistancy, which will also have an added “shaping” bonus.

Get the look: Sephora’s fall 09 beauty trends

Straight off the runway to your laptop, we are giving you the fiercest makeup looks to try. Because we at COVERINGS don’t believe you should ever leave your house bare faced,  see how to get these looks, with a little help from Sephora’s.

The Cat Eye is back with a vengeance. However, unlike last years trend of rocking it in bold hues like fuchsia, it’s back to basic black. The Cat Eye is a great way to play up your eyes in one makeup step. You can create a look that is exotic and bold with just black liner (or black eyeshadow and a liner brush) and a flick of the wrist.

One of the biggest surprises this fall is the carrying over of candy colors. Make up your lids in a candy colored palette. This look should be reserved for the younger crowd, like under 30. Think about it. Would you take someone with an assortment of candy color eye lids seriously? No? Then, you see my point. However, don’t deny yourself these fabulous colors. Pick one and play it up on your eyes.

The smokey eye is one of my favorite beauty looks. This fall the look is even edgier. The Extreme Smokey Eye is for those who are a little more daring with their beauty look and will leave you with smoldering eyes, but beware. While dark makeup can really make your eyes pop, it can also make them look smaller.

For the more demure beauty addicts, why not do up your eyes in gray? Fall is giving us a softer side of beauty by offering an alternative to the Extreme Smokey Eye. Add this color to your beauty bag. It’s an easy color to wear and still delivers a smoldery look without the harshness that a smokey eye sometimes gives.

The beauty phrase of the season is big and bold, as in big hair and bold eyebrows.  Vamp up your hair this fall and give the illusion of a head full of thick hair. As for your brows, no one is going to believe you have all that hair if you have thin little eyebrows. So, fill them in ladies! Check out Sephora’s makeup tips on how to make your brows bold.

Speaking of vamp, falls lip colors seem to be vampire inspired. Stain your lips in dark plums, deep reds, and blackish burgundies.  However, keep in mind it is a delicate balancing act to play up your lips and eyes without coming off like a circus clown. If you’re going heavy on the lip color, then do something a little lighter for the eyes. Also, remember that these colors have a tendency to show any and all flaws. So, make sure you moisturize and exfoliate your lips prior to application, and prep your lips with a matching liner to keep your lipstick in place and fend off bleeding.

Check out the Sephora makeup tutorials on the Sephora Blog.

12 Things that are wrong with “Fashion’s Night Out”

Every now and then I like to pop over to Shine and read up on what’s new. While doing some research on the Anna Wintour spearheaded “Fashion’s Night Out,” I came across this article. I don’t see the point in trying to fix something that’s already perfect so, why not give this article from Staff Writer Joanna Douglas a read. It’s a complete list, 12 things that seem wrong about Fashion’s Night Out.

However, I can’t turn you away without giving you  my thoughts. I would never do anything so cruel. So, what do I think about this Thursday night’s fashion extravaganza? I am all about doing charitable things. Donating money to a good cause like the National September 11 Memorial & Museum…kudos. Other than that one high note, this event seems like a bit of a hot mess. I love shopping and designers, fashion, and a good bargain as much as the next gal, but spending money I don’t have just because Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker told me I should? Umm…no thank you. Anyway, judge for yourself, if you’re in New York. At the very least, you’ll have some great celeb sightings.

Enjoy!

Michael Kors’ leather bubble skirt outfit

Michael Kors is so…well words can’t describe him. He has the ability to take the most basic pieces and make them interesting, exciting, and fresh. Take, for instance, the basic black outfit pictured above; a black mock turtleneck, black skirt, and black Mary Jane shoes. Yet, when Michael Kors gets through with this ensemble it absolutely faboosh! The mock turtleneck manages to be edgy thanks to its visible zipper. Paired with a knee length bubble skirt made of leather, it takes the look to a whole other level! Seriously, a leather bubble skirt…just saying it makes me want to kidnap it, runaway with it, and marry it.

He makes the outfit a complete statement with accessories. The one of a kind Chain Link Necklace and platform Runway Mary Jane Pumps give the whole look a “goth” flair. It’s  buckles and chains meets Hamptons chic. Leave it to Michael Kors to take these two unlikely looks and turn them into something we love. Actually, scratch that…”love” is too soft a word. We’re absolutely mad about this look!

Get this head to toe look from NeimanMarcus.com or MichaelKors.com.

Hair do: Clip in bangs

Want bangs without the long term commitment? Try clipping them in. Yes, clip in bangs exist. Whether you want to avoid cutting your own hair or thicken your fringe, these hair extensions are the perfect way to give your hairstyle a new look. Get your hands on these bangs at your local hair supply store or get them online at Hairextensions.com.

My fitness journey: 15lbs down…10lbs to go

As you all know, I am on a personal mission to slim down. Somehow, I managed to gain 20+ lbs over the past two years. The weight just kind of snuck up on me and the “meatier” I got the more compliments my boyfriend at the time gave me. Now I’ve never been stick thin, but I’ve never been a big girl either. I always teetered around a size 6. But with the extra weight, I crept up to a size 8/9. Thankfully, I am on my way to a more svelte version of myself. I have managed to knock off 10 lbs. in the past few months and my weight is holding steady. I am the woman who hates to workout and loves chocolate. So, how did I do it?

Honestly, I did it one pound at a time. It may seem cliche but it’s true. The best thing I ever did for myself was get a dog; a very large dog who needs to be walked two times a day and played with in the backyard so he stays happy and healthy. Fifteen minutes of chasing my beloved Genesis around the backyard playing keep away with his favorite rope followed by a 15-30 minute post breakfast stroll through the neighborhood starts my day. After some morning exercise I am starving! I have a cup of coffee and a huge bowl of fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, and grapes), and I eat until I’m full. I chug obscene amounts of water throughout the day.

For lunch, I pretty much eat whatever is convenient. However, I only eat until I’m full. I have to attribute the majority of my weight loss to listening to my body. I made myself stop eating just because I’m bored. If I get that urge, I go find something to occupy myself until the feeling passes. Since I work from home it’s a blessing and a bit of a handicap. I can easily toss the ball around with Genesis, indoors, or give him a good rub down. But it’s so easy to just walk over to the pantry and pull out a bag of fat laden snacks and gorge myself.

One of the biggest helps, I’ve found, is treating myself to peppermint tea to curb my sweet tooth. I stay away from excess sugar. That means, substituting Splenda for sugar. I grab my favorite mug and make myself a cup of peppermint tea, with milk and Splenda, whenever I start itching for something sweet. Sometimes, I go for pomegranate flavored green tea. It definitely helps take the edge off.

I make it a point to try and get most of my calories early in the, that way I have more time to burn them off before bedtime. So I try to eat dinner between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. I keep the menu pretty simple. I love fish, chicken, salad, asparagus, greens…things that are good for me anyway, so I try to incorporate those things into my meal. I finish my evening by walking Genesis for 30-45 minutes and we get some more playtime in before it gets dark out. Sometimes we just lie out in the grass and read.

I don’t believe in depriving myself. If I want some spaghetti, then I make it using whole wheat pasta and I go ahead and have some garlic bread. I’m starting to realize that it’s all about balance. Now that I’m older, with the slower metabolisms that goes with age, I can’t just eat whatever I want whenever I want. But I can eat whatever I want within reason. I splurge and have Sonic (my fave fast food joint) but only if I really feel that I’ve earned it. I know you may be thinking, that going up on dress size isn’t a big deal, but it has been for me. I was literally uncomfortable in my own skin for the first time in my whole life. Don’t get me wrong I have those days when I hate how I look but I’ve always thought my body was beautiful. Feeling disdain towards your body is not fun. This is the only body I get, and I want to enjoy it for as long as I can.

So what’s next? Well, I plan on knocking off these last 10 lbs. in time for my birthday, which is around the end of October. I also want to start training for the L.A. Marathon. With a good sports bra in tow, to keep the twins in check, and an open mind I think I can make it to the finish line come this spring. In the meantime, I hope this helps you inch a little bit closer to your weight loss goal.

Boyfriend inspired fashions

What is it about your boyfriend’s clothes that make you look so good? You know what I mean. I for one love to “borrow” my boyfriend’s clothes and make them part of my wardrobe. The fact that his clothes are entirely too big for me doesn’t seem to matter because somehow his clothes hang on me just right. Well, fashion designers have finally caught up to what us fashion-forward thinking women have been doing for years…raiding our boyfriend’s/husband’s closets. Boyfriend inspired fashion is all the rage. Jeans, blazers, tees, and accessories…if your boyfriend wears it, now you can too. Best of all, some of our favorite brands are on this bandwagon. Designers from C&C California, ASOS, and even eco-friendly J Brand are all offering great pieces inspired by our boyfriends but made for women. Check out our boyfriend wardrobe gallery to see our favorite pieces and how to wear them.