Hey Readers.

We've not forgotten about you. However, we're all busy today so there probably won't be a post.

I have some good news. We've inducted a new Fashionista! Check out her profile.

Cheers, Las F

Twinklehooves writes:
“LasFashionistas, I need help! I will be graduating from high school this May. My class decided against caps and gowns, which is good in that I won't be trotting around in a royal blue pleated sack, but I cannot think of a suitable outfit! A suit would be too stiff and formal, and a skirt and t-shirt or button-up too casual. Also, this is a pretty conservative group, so it would be better to avoid sleeveless tops. I'm at my wit's end. Any ideas? Thanks!”

First off, big thumbs up to your class for going against tradition! Fun! (I keep holding on to my black college graduation gown just in case one of my future children wants to be a judge for Halloween…who am I kidding? What kid would want to be a judge? I should throw that thing away…)

Anyway, back to you, Twinklehooves. Graduation is a big deal. You will look back on this day with fondness (hopefully) for the rest of your life, and you will have your photo taken multiple times in this outfit.

What you need, my friend, is a dress. The dress you wear will depend on what suits your personality and body type as well as what fits your budget and the occasion, but here are a few ideas to point you in the right direction.

Since you don’t want anything sleeveless, I would recommend something with a short sleeve or a sleeveless dress with a light cardigan. Both options will satisfy the conservative folks while keeping you cool (graduations are notoriously warm; oftentimes, we’re talking about hundreds of people crammed into a small space in the middle of June, along with lots of hugging and crying). Much of what you will find in stores right now will be sleeveless, but you may be able to find some cap sleeved dresses as well. A dress that reaches the knee or just above it will also ensure no one gets flashed or needlessly provoked on your special day.

The color you choose is important to keep in mind: darker colors (like deep red, navy and black) are more mature and elegant while lighter shades (teal, white and pink) are more fun and carefree. Choose the color and design of the dress to reflect your mood and personality.

A springy cotton dress may work well in a warm climate, but a jersey knit will fancy your look up a little. This cap-sleeved pink dress is simple, but with elegant details. You could dress it up or down based on the jewelry and shoes you wear and the way you do your hair.

If the ceremony is a little less formal or during the daytime, you could go in a pretty dress like this with a matching cardigan.

On the other hand, if you want to go super elegant and mature, try a darker dress like this one:

Let us know what you end up wearing, and have fun shopping! (BTW, these dresses are all available at www.bluefly.com.)

I’m a big fan of inexpensive make-up. It’s fun to try a new look without breaking the bank, and it’s always smart to have a few kooky items around (lavender eye glitter, anybody?) for dates with friends and parties. And once in a blue moon, you find a bargain that becomes your all-time favorite, must-have-forever make-up product. (Many women swear by Maybelline Great Lash--a whopping $4.00 at your local drugstore.)

Like most women, I am always on the quest for a long-lasting, yet breathable foundation. It has to match skin tone and type perfectly. It needs to rinse off easily at the end of the day, but not smudge your last clean white button-down shirt on the way to work.

This week I tried Rimmel’s Stay Matte Compact Powder Foundation in my ongoing quest.

Advantages:
-Great texture: fine, but not too powdery or filmy
-Fairly long-lasting
-Light fragrance (when you’re wearing something that close to your nose, you don’t want it to be overpowering)
-Minimal packaging (for you eco-friendly fashionistas)
-Good-sized mirror for a compact

Disadvantages:
-I bought the True Ivory color (the shade just above the lightest tone available) and was shocked to see how dark it was. It was almost like a bronzer. You would think that make-up developed for fair girls in rainy London would work well on a pasty girl from Seattle, but I guess not. Many drugstores will now let you take back a color that doesn't work for you.
-The compact itself is somewhat unattractive; it’s purely functional, not pretty.

For the price (about $5.00-6.00), I was pretty pleased with it. Interested fashionistas can check it out at drugstore.com or Wal-mart.

Tegan recently asked for the official Las F opinion on the Galaxy dress. I can't speak for F. Cali, but I had never heard of it. A little sleuthing on the internet quickly informed me.

This dress has been all the rage, especially in Europe and Australia, since last fall. Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson, Rachel Weisz, Demi Moore, and Victoria Beckham have all been spotted wearing the gown.

This dress is flattering on a variety of figures and seems well-suited to the curvy among us. It is also liked because it is both sexy and modest. According to this article, the dress features "Powermesh, a French fabric from the Fifties used to reinforce underwear.... 'Once you're zipped in, your body moves with it. It means that whether you are a size 6 or 14 you will look fantastic in it....'

The article also conjectures that part of the dress' allure is that so few are being made. There are waiting lists (in the hundreds) for this dress at nearly every high class store in London.

I like the dress; it's seems of-the-moment and classic at the same time. Because it has a vintage feel to it, I think it would look best on a curvy, youngish woman. (Sometimes when older people wear vintage, it just makes them look old--like they were cleaning out the attic and found some of their old clothing from a few decades ago; but when a young person wears it, it gives the look fresh appeal.) I'm not a big fan of the flaps accentuating the hips (as seen on Rachel Weisz's dress above), but other than that, I think it's quite flattering.

If you can find it--and afford it--it could prove as versatile as a little black dress, especially in a neutral or signature (mine are pink and red) color.

The Dork writes:

Ok: I'm not normally one to find a pair of shoes and then buy an outfit to match, but I have fallen in shoe-love with these espadrilles
from Old Navy. But what sort of clothes (particularly in the pants/skirts department) does one wear with the whole wrap-around ribbon shoe thing? Thoughts? Thanks!










Welcome, Dork, to the proud legions of women who've accepted the ultimate shopping challenge: buying an outfit simply to match a prized pair of shoes.

Espadrilles are a great spring and summer item. They're feminine without being too girly, casual without looking sloppy, and chic without killing your tootsies. Just remember a few simple rules of thumb and you're in business, girl!

The main thing to remember is that espadrilles aren't replacements for dress sandals. They are probably not the shoes to wear to an evening wedding awash in champagne. They are, however, appropriate for that beach barbeque or patio party. The straw and hemp give away their true identity as in-between shoes--not as casual as flip-flops, but not quite as fancy as other shoes you might select.

Since espadrilles do wrap around your legs, you want your legs to show! This is the perfect time to show off the gorgeous gams you've been encasing in fabric for the past six months. Skirts and capris are great.

In addition, because espadrilles are color shoes, you need to make sure that whatever you wear with them coordinates with the shoes. This is even more important with espadrilles than with other shoes you wear. This makes them a little more limiting than your run-of-the-mill summer wedges, but the cuteness factor is totally worth it.





So, what should you wear with them? Here are a couple of ideas:
The Casual Look: These denim cutoffs (also from Old Navy) and a Tiny Tee to match. Finish it all off with a killer pair of shades and you're ready for the beach!

Note: if you've bought an item in a specific color at one store, chances are fairly high that you'll find other items to match at the same store. Places like Old Navy, Gap, Ann Taylor and the like tend to work from a set color palette for a given season. So navy blue at Gap may look completely different from navy blue at Ann Taylor.


Other casual possibilities: a demin skirt . I tried to find a skirt like this in a medium length (right below the knees), but I couldn't find one.














What about a fun patio party or luau? Some other ideas:



A Gap cami and a pintuck skirt. The fabrics are still light and cool, perfect for those hot July nights. The colors are crisp--and best of all? They match your shoes. Good luck!