Packing Smart

One suitcase, one heck of a well-dressed vacation! A dozen pieces and one is not an iron.

Three fabrications beg to be packed:

• Cotton
• light to carry
• stylishly wrinkled for interesting texture

• The Matte Jersey Group - 95% polyester/5% spandex
• colors and prints mix and match with each other and many other items

• Ponte Knit - 95%poly/5% spandex
• great anchor pieces

1. Print Halter Dress (02287)

2. Casual Crinkle Blouse (82408) – Watermelon

3. Matte Jersey Pants (02635) – Navy

4. Matte Jersey Angel Sleeve Jacket (02571) – Navy or Blue Print

5. Matte Jersey Tank Top (94568) – Navy

6. Matte Jersey Essential Dress (12233) – Blue Print

7. Ponte Knit Suit Jacket (11566) – Black

8. Ponte Knit Suit pants (11635) – Black

9. Graffiti Print Tank (12538)

10. Baby Doll Embroidered Blouse (12437)

11. Pintuck Stretch Blouse (91432) – White

12. Gathered Neck Tank (12550) - Pacific

Twelve pieces, well over 12 outfits, how many combos can you make?

Babe

Feel good in what you wear!

Love your Ulla!

According to one of our very smart customers, who commented recently…"I love Ulla Tops, Tops, Tops!! …Pair them with black, white, navy slacks--even JEANS -- and you're GORGEOUS!!"

A few customer-favorite tops and why they love them:

• Star Dolman Tee (11583) Love this t-shirt. Just the right amount of room in the fit, and this is after washing. Sleeves are comfortable. I’d recommend this to a friend. (Raven from Juneau, AK)

• Baby Doll Embroidered Blouse (12437) This top is everything you want it to be. It’s comfortable, attractive and flattering. Well made, washes up well. I only wish it came in a couple of other colors, I’d recommend it for anyone looking for casual hot weather tops. (Mary from St. Augustine, FL)

• Sequin Burnout Tunic Jacket (11441) This is a very comfortable duster and with a little shimmer in it and very light and could be worn with dress or tank top and pants. A must have for something special. (Diane from Orleans, Ontario)

When I hear words like, “Love, just the right amount, I’d recommend, A must have” …I know our shopping dollar is well-respected.

Please share your Ulla-favorites!

Babe

Feel good in what you wear!

A Tale of Three Dresses

Dresses are the way to go to make the quickest and biggest impact on your spring wardrobe ... especially with this 15% Off Ulla Dresses offer!

Dresses ...

• are one-stop-shopping. Add a shrug or a sweater (or not,) a fresh pair of sandals and some great jewelry and go!

• offer the longest vertical line possible, top to bottom in the same color palette, solid or print, creating a flattering, sleek line on every woman.

• are cost-effective - you get a whole outfit with one piece of clothing.

• show skin, neckline, arms and legs, which is fresh and open and says “I’m ready for spring!”

Each of these dresses can be worn to casual, career and special occasions, because the quality, fabric and coloration make these items highly transitional. A quick change of accessories and out-the-door.

• Lace Trimmed Tiered Dress (12235)
• Matte Jersey Essential Print Dress (12233)
• Chiffon and Lace Dress (12234)
• Andiamo Buckle Sling Sandals (12933).

All Ulla dresses are 15% off when you use the code: Babe15, March 28-April 3, 2011!

(Offer excludes Outlet.)

Please share "wardrobe impact" ideas!

Babe

Fade and Focus

“To thine own self be true.” Yup, Shakespeare got it over 400 years ago and some of us still struggle with it today. My concept of Fade and Focus is about knowing yourself, heart and body, and pretty-partying accordingly.

Heart: it’s all about selecting styles that reflect your life style, comfort zone, aesthetic sensibilities as well as that which you aspire to become.

Body: it’s about minimizing and distracting from your larger, puffier areas (fade) and identifying your most attractive areas and putting the spotlight there (focus).

Some women find it difficult to acknowledge their most attractive areas. It isn’t their fault it is the result of a lifetime of media, with the help of Mattel, lauding the virtues of Barbie-doll-proportioned women. Academics from the University of South Australia suggest the likelihood of a woman having Barbie's body shape is one in 100,000. Other reports make Barbie even more unrealistic.

Here’s an exercise I want you to try:

Privately, stand in front of a full-length mirror (dressed is fine.) Emotionally, step outside yourself, stand off to the side and become your best girlfriend, or someone specific, who loves you. From their perspective, tell the person standing in front of the mirror, what her most attractive features are and remind her that she is lovely and you love her. Those are the attributes (face, hair, eyes, skin tone, shoulders, neck, décolletage, arms, hands, legs, etc.) you must trust and highlight!

Here’s a glimpse of Fade and Focus for me in this video. I love my face, hair, décolletage, forearms, hands, legs, ankles and my height. I choose to “fade” my tummy, hips, thighs and upper arms.

Please post - share the attributes that you will be focusing on (spotlighting.) If you’re stuck, post a clear photo and I’ll show you the love you can’t give yourself – yet!

Girlfriends, it is foundational to build your wardrobe by accentuating the positive!

Babe

Vertical Storylines

What do 6 foot, size 2 models and real women like us have in common? We both hang our prettiest silhouette on the longest looking body line possible, the former are born with it and we must create it. And that’s okay, because we can.

Your tallest silhouette hangs on two things.

The line of the outfit:

Keep the silhouette narrow and worn close to the body. Choose soft fabrics that drape. Select tone on tone or monochromatic palettes, and vertically designed details like, seaming, single breasted jackets and zip-front jackets.

The fit of the clothing:

Choose intimates that smooth but don’t restrict. A perennial favorite are the Ulla-la! short panties. They do just that and are a great deal starting at $14. Pick fabrics that are fluid but have enough body to glide and not cling. Ulla’s best selling matte jerseys accomplish this beautifully. Two styles I particularly like are the essential dress starting at only $39 #12233 and angel sleeve jacket #02571 at only $44. Too big or too tight equally compromise your vertical storyline.

You’ve succeeded in creating a vertical storyline if…

• The lines and illusions of this outfit go up and down.
• All items float closely and gently on the body.

Want to telegraph your vertical storyline? Stand up straight, roll your shoulders back, focus your eyes and chin on the subject ahead, smile and think, “Hello world!”

Please share other ways that you telegraph confidence and walk tall!

Babe

Wardrobe Building: A Foundation of Physical and Emotional Comfort

“To be a fashionable woman is to know yourself, know what you represent, and know what works for you. To be ‘in fashion’ could be a disaster on 90% of women. You are not a page out of Vogue.”-Author Unknown

Shopping for plus size women can be either exhausting or exhilarating – the choice is yours. To make it fun and productive, I suggest three things:

• Develop a Pretty Party Portfolio
• Inventory your closet ruthlessly
• Develop a shopping plan

A Pretty Party Portfolio is a plastic accordion envelope with 12 compartments. This becomes the place where you identify and organize your wish list. Each time you come across something that intrigues you from a magazine or catalog, cut it out and put it in the correct section (tops, bottoms, dresses, jackets, footwear, jewelry, handbags, etc.). While you may not purchase the specific item you’ve identified, often you can replicate the style or feature that is appealing in an item that is appropriate for you. This is how you inform and inspire yourself before shopping, and get real bang for your buck!

Next, inventory your closet. If you haven’t worn it in a year or more, repair, donate or trash it. If an item is attractive but not right for you for any reason, physical or emotional, let it go, make room for the things you love and will wear. I’ve heard it said that women do NOT wear between 70-80% of what’s in their closet.

From what remains in your closet, put together several outfits, carefully identify a shopping plan based on what is missing to make the outfit complete and in ready-to-walk-out-the-door condition. Start a list or use the Essential Inventory Card, shown here and referred to in my book, Pretty Plus. You need at least two go-to outfits for every occasion of your lifestyle. This is the beginning of developing a shopping plan and building a wardrobe that works for YOU!

Please help me start a conversation here by commenting on:

My fashion wants and needs are…

Babe