A Reminder to Start Workout

It was only a couple of weeks into the new year and already my yearly reminder to get my butt in gear was cropping up in stores... bikinis.
It is still jacket weather here in North Texas, yet every time you walk into a department store or even Target or Wal-Mart, they are there... Front and center... reminding you that all those extra calories you consumed during the holidays will be very visible in a few short months.
There are some cute ones out there already though... My personal fav: the ruffled top. It draws attention to the bust line, and if you are small chested, it creates an illusion that your not. BRING ON THE RUFFLES! But please, only on top... No woman wants ruffles on her rear. That is never a good thing.
photo courtesy: www.victoriassecret.com

Leggings... Love 'em or Hate 'em??

As a child of the 80's, I LOVED leggings growing up... You knew you looked hot if you were wearing an oversized sweater that hung off of one shoulder with leggings and a big belt.

I guess history repeats itself, at least when it comes to fashion trends.

Here's my rule on wearing leggings as pants. NEVER wear them if the shirt you are wearing does not cover your butt!

Wanna wear leggings under a skirt: cool. Under a sweater dress: awesome. Under a flowy shirt: it works.

But if you wear them as pants and your butt is exposed, two things can happen. 1) you run the risk of your butt and your undergarments LITERALLY being exposed due to the thin material that leggings are made of, and 2) you can actually look larger than you are, because every lump is on display for the world to see.

How much is too much?

Ever see one of those girls wearing a shirt cut down to her navel? Of course, we all have! But have you ever seen a girl sporting the look in grocery store, a church pew, a family reunion or the office?

When it comes to showing some skin, I think it can be incredibly sexy... WHEN APPROPRIATE.

In a corporate setting, a children's event, or when you're meeting your guy's parents, avoid the cleavage, and cover it up. Being conservative can go a long way in those situations.

However, if your sweetheart is taking you for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, take the plunge, and go for the deep V-neck halter. In a club setting, a little cleavage is also acceptable.

So my rule of thumb: the amount of cleavage should be directly proportional to how professional the setting.

All of this came about because someone saw a picture of me from Valentines night on Facebook and freaked out because I was wearing a low cut shirt! (see pic on left) I dress very conservative at work, so I understand this person is used to seeing me all buttoned up... but if there's one day of the year when sexy is appropriate, it is Valentine's Day.

I think there is a complete double standard. Celebrities expose (and often over-expose) all of the time, and no one even makes mention of it. I show what I believe was "classy cleavage" on the sexiest night of the year and get raked over the coals.

pictures courtesy of www.glamour.com and www.theinsider.com

Who says you're the expert?

Have you ever been flipping through a major fashion magazine and came across a photo (or in this case, a multitude of photos) that made you question exactly who decides something is "fashionable?" I may not be a fashion expert, but I'm not blind and unfortunately, after seeing this photo spread, I'm wishing I were. I can't really imagine what the creative mind behind this in cohesive debacle was going for, but if it was bold, chic, urban or boho-luxe, like the captions suggested, they missed the mark completely.

I'm all for making an aggressive statement or displaying a reflection of an "in your face" sort of confidence, but an age old and simple rule will always apply: Everything in moderation.

When I look at this photo, I can't help but think she looks like a human pack mule that a rainbow threw up on and I'm certainly glad that I am not an epileptic right now.

Your individual fashion choices are a direct representation of your inner personality and uniqueness. Use them wisely, because I highly doubt, as in this example, you would intentionally want to send the impression that you are a complete and utter train wreck.

This is me, take it or leave it

I'm assuming you've already been introduced to my sister Melissa. So, I suppose it's my turn. My name is Kristin and I am the complete polar opposite of my sister. Although, five days a week, I'm forced to abide by the mandatory dress code of a conservative financial institution, where I work as a corporate trainer; my rebellious free spirit is constantly pushing the envelope and trying to spice things up a bit. Not like a Pretty Woman prostitute kind of spice, but just a little something to give me an identity in the unyielding depths of black business suits.
I would define my style as a hybrid between Kristen Stewart and Mary Kate Olsen. I love the punk edginess Kristen embraces and the bohemian elegance that Mary Kate is fond of. I'm intrigued by the latest trends, but I also don't like to be defined by them. The last thing I want, is to look like I'm trying too hard. I can't decide which is worse, looking too young and people associating me with words like desperate or pathetic or looking too old and the words being more like "my mom has that exact same outfit!"
I'm excited about expressing my opinions about my most obsessive passion and I'm sure my husband will be glad that I'm sharing them with you and not him, as he is hopelessly clueless. I hope you enjoy my blogs and go to check out our website.

Winter Weather Wardrobe

My sister, Kristin, and I both live in Texas (although on different sides of the state), and right now we are seeing a rare sight... SNOW! Here's a look at my backyard. You may not be able to tell, but this is about 4 inches of snow and it's still falling. We are expecting about 7 inches by the time it is all said and done.

So that got me thinking about my winter weather wardrobe. I don't have a ton of really warm clothes, because that would be a waste of money since I live in Texas.

When it snows, or gets really cold, I dress in a bunch of layers. It may not be the most fashionable look, but it's all about staying warm. I wear leggings or tights, jeans, wool socks, boots, an under-shirt, a sweater, a puffy coat, gloves, a hat, a scarf, and finally, I put hand warmers in the gloves.

It may seem extreme, but if you've ever watched the news during a weather event, you know we REALLY play it up... "extended coverage", "team coverage", "extended team coverage". It is definitely important to keep people informed, because weather affects everybody, but it also means I am standing out on a bridge for 8 hours telling people to be careful on bridges.

So if it is snowing where you are, be careful and bundle up!!!

My style

Since we're blogging about fashion... I thought I would fill you in on my individual style.

As previously mentioned I work in television, so my 'look' is a large part of my job.
I wear a business suit, or something just as conservative nearly everyday.

Outside of work, I tend to lounge in jeans and a t-shirt, but I will admit, I am clueless when it comes to picking clothes to wear out on the town.

I guess that's why I originally came up with the idea for Outfitopinion.com.

I need just as much help as the next girl when it comes to picking out my clothing. I get really nervous and self-conscious when I am shopping for clothes for a Saturday night with the girls, a party, or a date.

I second guess my choices and try on 15 outfits before finally deciding on what to wear. Since I'm somewhat short (5'2" and a half) I don't know if I can pull off particular styles (like leggings or skinny jeans). And because I work in an industry where professionalism is key, I am somewhat out of touch with where other 20-somethings shop.

So you're probably asking yourself, why again is this girl creating a fashion website??? I am NOT claiming to be an expert, in fact, I am a hopeless fashionista-wannabe, but through this adventure, maybe I can avoid ending up on that TV show "What Not to Wear".

Who We Are

If you've stumbled upon this blog, I would first just like to say WELCOME!
I figure I should first tell you a little bit about us.

My name is Melissa. I am a TV reporter in my 20's, and one of two contributors to this blog. (that's me on the right, hard at work in the newsroom)
Some of the entries you will read on here will be written by me, others will be written by my sister, Kristin.
I will let her officially introduce herself in her first blog entry.
Anyway, we started this blog because we love fashion.

We are currently in the process of launching a website called Outfitopinion.com.
We hope to have it up and running in about a month, and once it is, this fashion blog will also link to the website.

So what is the concept of Outfitopinion.com?
It is basically a limited social networking site. Users will be able to upload pictures of outfits and get feedback from other women through the site.

In the weeks and months (and hopefully years) to come you will learn more about us, about our website, and about all things fashion.

Keep in mind, everything you read on this blog is just our opinions on the fashion trends, styles, clothing, etc... so take it or leave it, enjoy our blog and thanks for visiting!