Photo Courtesy of 9tailors.com

When you think of custom made dress shirts, what comes to mind?  Lots of money?  Time consuming?  Unattainable, unaffordable, unattractive?  Getting great custom made dress shirts at a good deal without being inconvenient is easier than you think thanks to Boston based company, 9 Tailors.  You don’t even need to live on the East Coast to get one of their shirts!  Crazy huh?  All you need is a webcam, tape measure, and a skype or google talk username (both are free).

Sounds easy huh?  Well that’s because it is.  9 Tailors has recently launched their new virtual appointment service where you can connect directly to a 9 Tailors consultant who will help you take your own measurements (with a good friend’s help) and instruct you if you are doing it wrong.  They will plug the information into their system and you can then design your own shirt!  You pick the collar, the placket (where the buttons go), the cuffs, if you want pockets or not, and the fabric!  They have a lot of choices so don’t be surprised if you end up with more than one shirt.

The best part about it?!  Wait for it…. wait for it… shirts start at ONLY… $60!  Sure is affordable.  So now you’re going to tell me – “Yeah right Lauren… so what, I’ll get it in 3 months.”  NOPE!  You will actually get it faster than most other custom dress shirt companies can deliver.  In 2 weeks!

And you have to check out their look book online!!  I am not a huge fan of plain button up shirts, but they have so much more than that!  They have ruffled tops for women, tuxedo shirts for men, mandarin collars, tabbed button-up cuffs, and more.

So play around.  Make an appointment.  Try it out.  You’ll be pretty stylish telling all your friends about your custom made shirt that YOU designed.  They’ll think you got a HUGE raise this year.  :)

Good Luck & Good Style,

L.

There’s nothing that I hate more than getting an ingrown hair.  I hate them even more than getting a pimple!!  Ingrown hairs are ugly, painful, and just irritating.  Now that it’s starting to warm up you will be showing more skin and want to make sure that you don’t get any ingrown hairs now that you may be shaving more.  Men, this still applies to you – men can get ingrown hairs on their face!  Here are a few simple tips to keeping ingrown hairs at bay:

1.  Shave with a sharp blade every other day.  Make sure that you always use a sharp razor because dull blades are one cause of ingrown hairs.  Try to replace your razor every 2 weeks.

2.  Use a calming shave gel such as Aveno’s Therapeutic Shave Gel.

Tend Skin can be found at your local Sephora or in Tend Skin's website. Apply after shaving! Photo Courtesy of Tendskin.com

3.  Exfoliate on a regular basis to get rid of dry skin which can also cause ingrown hairs.

4.  Treat ingrown hairs like a pimple.  Don’t pick them out with your nails or a pin.  Simple apply a salicylic acid scrub or topical antibiotic on a daily basis until they wriggle out.  My favorite products to use are Tend Skin and Relax & Wax’s Get the Bump Outta Here.

Relax & Wax's Get the Bump Outta here is so easy to use; you simple roll it on after shaving!

Want more tips like these?  Simply sign up for our FREE weekly email newsletter at IMAGEine U.!

Good Luck & Good Style,

L.

Photo courtesy of Wacoalbras.com

We thought it ended after the 60s and 70s when women burned their bras as an act of liberation. But once again they’re being burned, and this time it has to do with the Green Movement. Wacoal, which is one of the largest Japanese intimates manufacturer, is turning old bras into… wait for it… wait for it… solid FUEL!?! Crazy huh?

A survey done recently showed that 61% of women were hesitant to throw away their old undergarments. Mainly because, let’s face it, we don’t want anyone going through our trash to find those granny panties. Or, could you imagine your trash can falling over in the wind with your old faded black lace bra hanging out? Not attractive. So Wacol has come up with a great solution that not only keeps you feeling more secure about throwing out your old undergarments, but keeps your bras and panties out of landfills.

The company has handed out bags to retail stores, which they then pass to their customers who, in turn, fill the bags, bring the, back, and voila! They’re recycled!

Find out if you can do the same by asking your intimates retails to start carrying the bags. Why not save the environment… one burnt bra at a time.

I’m guilty of this… I buy things without trying them on.  I know, I know… I really should practice what I preach, but sometimes it’s hard.  I go to a store, it’s crowded, I find a few things that I REALLY have to have so I grab them and run out of the store before being crushed (or driven crazy) by the overwhelming amount of people that are there (probably because there are such great sales!).

Not only that, but I think to myself, “I’ve already bought something similar to this before,” or “I purchase things from this brand all the time, this has to look good on me,” or even, “It’s my size, so it fits.”   But many times, this is not always true for a few reasons that I will tell you about below:

Color by lauren.wuscher featuring Arden B dresses

1.  All brands fit differently.  The reason this occurs is because no matter what store you shop in, the clothing that they sell is based upon a real, live person called a fit model.  And as you know, not everybody has the same body shape.  This is why you can buy the same size 3 different places and each one fits differently.  This is why it is so important to try things on before buying them because you really don’t know how they will fit unless you do so.  The fit model might have a small butt and wide thighs where as you are the opposite and, in reality, this brand is just not right for you and you should keep looking.

2.  Most clothing is cut in bulk.  Meaning that the factory piles up several pieces of fabric at the same time and then just cuts them all at once.  The problem with this is that the top layer may get cut smaller than the bottom layer because the bottom layer will be flattened more, it can shift, it can stretch out a bit.. and so forth.  So even if you have tried on the same exact brand time and time again and it fits, there is still that chance that one item you buy is cut incorrectly.

3.  The buyers and designers are only human.  And humans make mistakes.  Before a garment hits the floor, buyers, designers, and technical designers try it on the fit model, make sure that it fits properly, and then approve it for production.  They can make mistakes.  They can accidentally make a shirt too short, pants too long, or sleeves uneven.  This doesn’t happen often, but it can happen.  There can be pressure from factories that they are not going to meet shipping deadlines and they might rush a garment, or outside factors can take place.  A garment can look fine on the hanger and then be lopsided on the body.

So the only thing I can tell you is to try, try, try.  Try everything on!  And ESPECIALLY try things on that you normally wouldn’t wear.  You’re never going to know if you look great in it if you don’t try.

Good Luck & Good Style,

L.

So I have a confession to make…. my own MOM didn’t always dress so fashionably.  Yes, she’d probably kill me if she found out that I was telling you this (shh … I love you mom!), but yes, she once wore a large cowl neck sweater and turtleneck out with me to dinner and drinks.  Wait.. let me add that it had this crazy print.  Now, she’d REALLY kill me if I showed you the picture, so just think about it in your head.  Or, no, wait… it looked a little like this:

Okay, okay.. I admit.. I’m going a little overboard.  No, her sweater didn’t look like this, but it was pretty bad.  I think it’s okay for me to talk about it now because even she looks back on what she wears and laughs.  So yes, I gave my mom a makeover.  Not one of those makeovers where I redo her hair and makeup and go overboard, because that’s not what she needed.  She just needed a little pushing to get her to add some new updated things to her wardrobe that she would look good in.  Now she will even admit to you that she has more confidence, buys things that she NEVER thought she would be able to wear (and gets SO MANY compliments on it), and looks 10 years younger (if not more).

Why am I telling you this?  Because at one point in time, I HAD to go shopping with my mom.  I had to make sure she didn’t buy anything similar to the above, uh, sweater and teach her what to wear to look best on her body shape and would go best with her personality.  But Friday, (for probably the 700th time) my mom is coming to visit and we’re going shopping… where for the past several years she will pick out clothes I approve.  She will even pick out clothing for ME that I would approve of.  I know, it’s a big change, but I’m proud.  And I’m OH SO EXCITED!  Day out with mom is the best.  We’re going to eat lunch outside, drink wine, get our nails done, hit up DSW (the heaven of shoes), and visit the mall.  Woo hoo!

Anyway… the whole point of this story is that it’s okay to be scared.  My mom didn’t always dress so fashionably because she was scared it wouldn’t look good on her.  She wore a crazy cowl neck sweater and turtleneck, not only because she was cold and it was winter, but because it was comfortable.  Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone and not only just try something new on, but actually BUY it.  I can’t tell you the amount of times I MADE my mom buy something that she later came back to tell me.. “Thank you so much for making me buy that shirt.”

So this weekend, step out of your comfort zone and try something new.  If you need some help, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email.  We can work something out over the phone or via webcam if you’re not in the area.

My mom and I always have fun. p.s. I don't always wear a hat... it just happened to be my birthday!

Good Luck & Good Style,

L.

Are you signed up to receive my weekly email newsletter?  If not, you’re COMPLETELY missing out on some great FREE style tips!  This week I was so down about the rainy, gross weather that we’ve been experiencing in Philadelphia that I actually changed around the entire article I was writing about so that I could tell you the great secrets to brightening up your wardrobe on these gross days!

Not to mention, I have lots of great giveaways (including the Flip & Tumble this week – see below).

I love Flip & Tumble Eco-friendly bags!

So if you haven’t, sign up TODAY at www.imageineu.com!

Good Luck & Good Style,

L.

Hello!

I’m pretty excited this week (I know, that’s a rarity for me in this weather – it’s been raining here in Philadelphia for the last, hmm, 4 or so days)!  Well, raining is putting it nicely because it’s been POURING the last few days.  But needless to say I put on my hot pink short trench coat today and skipped through the puddles.  Why you may ask?  Because my new article in Lehigh Valley Family Magazine is out!  If you’re in the Lehigh Valley area I suggest you pick one up at your local grocery store, school, community center, or church and take a good look!

I don’t mean to brag, but you should definitely turn to page 20 for a great article on how to keep your style updated and fresh this upcoming spring .  No need to worry if you aren’t going to be in the area in the next few months, or, well, ever because you can get an e-version right HERE:

Step Up Your Spring Style (PDF version – you’ll need to scroll to page 20, but I suggest this one because you’ll get the full magazine effect)

Step Up Your Spring Style (web-version, no scrolling needed)

Let me know what you think about the article!  I hope you enjoy.  And as always, if you have any style questions, feel free to ask and they might make an appearance in my next weekly newsletter (sign up on my site www.imageineu.com).

The cover of the magazine!!

I know… it’s been awhile since I’ve blogged, and I’m sorry.  I’ve recently gotten into decorating my apartment and, well, I’m a little obsessed.  Adam and I rearranged our spare bedroom and organized a few things.  Now I want to paint the walls and get a few new pieces of furniture, but I’m having a hard time finding things I want for a reasonable price.  Plus, I have a new rule that I refuse to bring anything home to my apartment unless I absolutely LOVE it (which is hard because my style is a little mix matched.  I love antique-looking mixed with bright colors and fun prints).  I don’t want to have clutter around the house and furniture that I purchase just to have it and fill space.

The reason I’m telling you all of this because well, I may be a designer, but I’ve never been a home decorator or interior designer – though who knows where my path will take me and it does sound fun, anyway, sorry off topic… the REASON that I tell you this is that not only does this rule apply to home goods, but everyone should follow the rule when they are shopping for clothing.  So many times I have gone to shopping and bought a piece of clothing or an accessory just because it was on sale or because impulsively I really, really wanted it.  After doing this, it sat in my closet for months, or even years, until I either deemed it appropriate for an outfit or gave it to charity or straight to a friend’s closet.

Excess clothing, accessories, beauty products… they all just lead to excess clutter not only in your closet, but in your life.  When you make sure to buy things you love then it keeps your closet full of items down to a minimum and you can easily find outfits (because you will always remember and know what’s in your closet since you love it and you have less).

This leads me to the conclusion of my “Rule Series” that one of the most important rules of fashion, of keeping yourself organized, of keeping yourself and your closet SANE is Rule #1:  Don’t bring anything home unless you LOVE it…

Hint:  This can also apply to significant others, pets, and relatives

Good Luck & Good Style,

L.

I love it! I love my Klimt painting, my floral chair, and especially my pretty pepper lights!!

Women control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending and the figure could climb to $28 trillion in the next five years according to Harvard Business review.  Well who can help us when I was just out shopping today and stores full of bright, fun, happy colors made me want to buy everything in sight!

I don’t even know where to begin – almost every store in the mall looked fabulous.  Here are some of my favorites:

1.  J. Crew – do they ever, ever miss a beat?  I loved everything, but I just couldn’t get enough of this adorable coral skinny belt.   They also had it in magenta (love it!):

Photo courtesy of Jcrew.com

Their store had other happy colors in shirts, dresses, skirts, and accessories (yay!):

2. Victoria’s Secret.  With all their neon I didn’t know just where to look:

3.  Arden B. – They were pick and choose, but I absolutely LOVE this top.  I swear it looks 100x better in person.  Beautiful!

Photo courtesy of Photo courtesy of ArdenB.com

Ooh I just love spring shopping after all of that winter blah (Winter is just NOT my season).

Good Luck & Good Style,

Lauren

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Good Luck & Good Style,

Lauren.