Perfect Body Wash

I'm always on the hunt for an amazing body wash. I have found my favorite and GUESS WHAT? It's affordable. "What's that? $5? I think I can swing that." It is by Softsoap and it's called: Body Butter Scrub. My favorite is the Coconut scent. It's perfect for this time of year. The perfect combination of a fruity Pina Colada and that delicious cocoa butter tanning lotion you secretly want to wear as your perfume make it absolutely perfect leaving your skin soft and smelling yummy. Buy it online here or stop by CVS or Walmart to pick it up.

Harper's Bazaar A.K.A. Fashion Bible

Christianity is to the Bible ::as:: Fashion is to Harper's Bazaar. I mean really. Some people complain that Harper's Bazaar is just full of advertisements, but if you're into fashion, you look at these advertisements as if they were verses in the bible. They are full of high end fashion trends and perfectly constructed outfits that provide the readers with a template, a spring board, if you will, for all of us looking for some guidance. As I flipped through the pages of my Harper's Bazaar and then consequently surfed the pages of harpersbazaar.com, my eyes were drawn to the always incredible Bottega Veneta {right}. He drew his inspiration from a kids karate class. The end products are easy on the eyes hues and feminine lines. One thing to take away: "ladies, get a basket weave tote!" Burberry {left} brings to the runway Safari Chic, which is all the rage this Spring and my guess, Summer too. Grab a feminine, flowy top in taupe or light grey, pair it with a trendy gathered cargo skirt and be sure to bring it all together with a versatile and casual fabric belt in a neutral. Safari Chic calls for some killer neutral caged sandals too, but please skip the socks. Thank you Harper's Bazaar for always being there for me.

Sandals and Socks- "An Ali Rant"

{I just have to preface this: I am a very passionate person and when I feel a rant coming on, I have to go with it. And so we have it, my first rant on this blog.}

I wake up to sunshine, I walk in the sunshine, sunshine is all around with all its warmth. I see the green leaves, yellow, purple and pink flowers spanning the hills. It's gorgeous and it means one thing. . . Spring is in the air, at long last. I am so excited about the flowy girly dresses and cute caged sandals I'll be wearing. EEEEK! I'm giddy with excitement. One thing that makes me slightly cringe- no I have to correct that, the one thing that makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs and almost puts me in tears, is when people sport the white socks (any color socks actually, and I'm not talking cute tights) with sandals. WHAT IS THAT? WHY? With Spring just around the corner, I fear that I will see this terrible and seemingly invincible fashion faux pas resurface. Oh it drives me insane. When will it end? It truly makes me want to walk up to these people, tap them on the shoulder and let them know that they CAN look good; you don't have to look like such a clueless to fashion victim. Quite simply- just DON'T do it. Yes, designers such as Burberry (2009), for example have tried to make sandals and socks a fashion trend, but I am predicting now that we will look back on this trend and think the same thing we think now about slouchy aerobic socks of the 80's- 'What were we thinking!' Oh and if you're wearing socks because you have nasty un- pedicured feet, then put on some closed toed shoes and leave your sandals alone.

I'll be back later in the week with what TO DO as Winter turns to Spring and a few fashion musts! Stay tuned and keep the socks away from your sandals. Thanks.

Snuggies on the Runway

Holy Cow! Do you remember when you saw your first Snuggie infomercial? I am sure that half of us thought 'oh, what a brilliant idea,' while the other half of us thought 'are you serious, never in a million years.' I was part of the latter half. I mean cover yourself in a fuzzy blanket from Target and let's forget about the Snuggie.

Well, it sure turned into a phenomenon. Snuggie parties to Halloween costumes and people just buying them to say that they have a Snuggie. It really swept the nation and has become commonplace in living rooms all over. Despite all of its popularity and profound success, I could have never guessed it would take the spotlight in a fashion show. Yes, a Snuggie Fashion Show. In September 2009 the Snuggie Fashion Show debuted. Introduced to the line was the Zebra Snuggie, the Tye Dye Snuggie and others. I'm still shaking my head. Is this a surprise to anybody else? Oh fashion can be so surprising sometimes. Now when I see the Snuggie infomercial I pray that I see the small white dog wearing spectacles and reading a book. Watch it here. Maybe I'll be converted.

Defying Laws We Once Knew

I've heard it once, read it twice, seen it thrice (in three different magazines), so it must be true. Spring 2010 is bringing us fashion that is definitely a break from the norm and expected. Not skin tight? Mix and match patterns? Wear lots of metallics? YES! I've included a video from the Today show. It gives you a good idea of the up and coming trends for Spring 2010.

I really do love it all. Like I have said before, the flowing fabrics I am going to sport no problem. But to be honest, I don't know if I can rock the striped shirts paired with floral skirts look. I have to admit that I admired Punky Brewster when I was a child. I mean, she was cool, a rebel, had an attitude and a style all her own. She rocked the heck out of color blocked high tops (which I owned, sadly) and other mixed matched outfits that inspired my begging for clothes just like her to my mother, which must have driven her insane. Anybody else?

I spent the next decade and some years discovering what fashionable trends I loved and learning my own style. I have learned that I love black and rarely wear bright colors. Matching my wardrobe is a piece of cake. All of a sudden (and this is what is so fun about fashion) we are being told to forget what we've been told and mis-match it all. Let's not go hog wild here. There are some guidelines to wearing different patterns. Like staying with a color theme, or being more bold with the top and less kapow with the bottom half. But, I sit here and shake my head. Can I do that? I think it defies my personal style. No seriously. Wearing a floral skirt would be a giant leap for me, let alone a floral skirt with a loud top. That's not to say I can't appreciate it because I do. I know that I'll see plenty of it all season long and I can't wait. It just won't be on me. How about you, could you mix patterns?

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Staple This: Invest in a Trench

When you hear the word, investment, you probably picture some financial acquisition or exchange on Wall Street. But there are more ways in which we invest and there is no exception when it comes to our wardrobes, well there shouldn't be at least. I'll continue to share my take on wardrobe staples monthly, so stay tuned for more "Staple This" posts.

Staples should be investment pieces; these timeless pieces that you will wear for years to come deserve to have a little money spent on them so that they last you. Like your LBD (that's little black dress) or white button up Oxford shirt, some items of clothing will never go out of style. This season think about investing in a belted trench coat. The details this season are sophisticated and have transformed the classic trench coat just enough to make it feel modern yet not overworked. Look at Victoria Beckham's trench pictured left. The gathering of the fabric and the belt make it modern and sophisticated plus it maintains its classic look. Hint: Pick a trench that is a neutral so you can wear it with all your favorite outfits. Picture credits to www.people.com and Ditoj/Splash News Online.

A Lesson in High Heels

I love heels. I love wearing them. Fist of all, I'm on the short side so high heels allow me to wear some jeans and trousers that would otherwise drag on the ground. Yea, I could get them tailored for my flats, but why bother? Second of all, I feel sexy and confident in high heels. Granted, I do have the occasional, 'Oh my Goodness, I'm going to face plant while crossing this intersection in front of all of these cars,' moments, but (and a huge b-u-t) my desire to feel hot, sexy and confident outweighs such a risk. So who decided to start adding height to shoes? How did we get up to 4, 5, 6"? Why do I feel sexier in heels than flats? I hit the books to find out, (well wikipedia to be exact).

Shoes with height can be traced back to old Egypt circa 3500 B.C.- WOW- as a display of class! They took the shape of platforms (chopines) and were practical during the 1400's in Turkey as they kept your feet clean from mud and further from debris in the streets. {See right image} During the 1500s heels grew taller as a means for riders to slip into stirrups easier. It comes as no surprise that the the heel as a fashion statement was first worn (according to some reports) by the Italian wife of King Henry the II of France in 1533. {See left image} "Well-heeled" became a word to denote class and wealth in the French Court throughout the years thereafter. Over the next few centuries, heels were banned, then resurfaced, then sort of boycotted during war years as a way of saying "stick it to the man." Then in the 1800s resurfaced as a mainstay for women's fashion.

The high heel gives women the appearance of a longer leg, a smaller foot, a voluptuous chest, a more defined gluteus maximus, and toned calves. No wonder I feel sexier in heels. High heels have taken many forms over the years; from stiletto to kitten heels, from platforms to wedges, they are here to stay. I can't wait for the detailed shoes this season, I'm due for a new pair of sexy sandals anyway!! Look at these by Tory Burch. I found them on the Nordstrom website. The caged look is HUGE for Spring 2010.