So I was hanging out with Tim Gunn the other night…yes, that Tim Gunn, and yes, I was really hanging out with him!  Tim Gunn was in Cincinnati to kick off the SmartTalk Connected Conversation Series at the Aronoff.  Tim packed the house with the VIP reception party prior to the event.  Gracious as ever, he really took the time to meet people, ask them questions, sign portfolios, and even encourage some design students that were hanging on his every word (understandably).  I envision those young fashion design students to be dedicating their early influencers to Mr. Gunn.  Tim was everything a star should be…kind, gracious to his fans, and engaging.

Tim’s speech was equally engaging, as he shared his experiences at Parsons, Fashion Runway, Tim Gunn’s Guide To Style, and Hollywood.  Tim’s style is to “make it work” for your particular body style.  He isn’t trying to push a near-skeletal frame to women, insisting that it’s the only way fashion will work on a woman’s body.  Instead, he personalizes style more to the individual.  And he delivers it all with his unmistakable “Tim Gunn” charm.   He has a confidence that just oozes from him.  Classy, yet not stuffy.  Kind to the core.  Kudos to SmartTalk on thinking out of the box with January’s speaker (first male celebrity ever!)  Join us in February as SmartTalk welcomes Arianna Huffington to the Aronoff in Cincinnati.  Click here for tickets and information.

Looking for the perfect gift for the fashionista in your life?  SmartTalk will bring the sensational Tim Gunn to Cincinnati on January 14th, and there’s no time like the present to get tickets…and save.  Shop SmartTalk’s Holiday sale for 20% off tickets – starting Tuesday November 18^th.    Simply use “SANTA” to get the discount.  Shop now and save big!

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are the epitome of hippie-chic, and are known as the modern day pioneers of the throw-back style.  Long beachy hair, flowy tops, lots of bracelets, and cut off short-shorts are the makings of hippie-chic style.  It’s one of my favorite looks!  Here’s how to achieve it:

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To achieve beachy hair, wash, then only partially dry your hair with a high watt blow dryer.   Spray your hair with a texturizer (try Beach by Supernatural Botanicals), and scrunch with hands, then air dry.  It creates long, loose waves.  A center part (if you can do it) is ultra-hippie style.

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Loose fitting and flowy tops create an earthy, cool style.  Try Forever21.

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Everyone has tons of jeans.  Turn some of them into jean shorts.  While cutting them, cut longer than you think you need at first.  You can keep cutting them off until you acquire the right cut on you.  After cutting, pull the strings and fray them out a bit.  After several washes, they’ll be perfect.

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Accessories…and lots of them!  Wear lots and lots of bracelets.  Mix colors and textures together.  Scarves are a hippie staple as well.

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The dreaded bridesmaid’s dress doesn’t have to be the dreaded bridesmaid dress anymore.  Brides are taking more chances now, doing what works for them and their likes, and moreover, their budgets.  If you are a good girlfriend to your friends, chances are, you have a closet full of disgarded southern belle dresses from their weddings.  But now that brides are adding their own unique twist, and realizing that no one likes the southern bell dress, and not even your BFF really wants to wear it. 

If you are getting married, you are strongly encouraged to (A) Be unique!  (B) Give your wedding your own personal flare of bling.  Let your freak flag fly, sister.  and (C)  Avoid the dreaded traditional bridesmaid dress at all cost. 

This is how a few beautiful brides injected a flare of their own personalities at their weddings. 

Do you know a peep toe pump from a platform shoe?  Do you know a stiletto from a sling back?

Shoe Terminology 101:

The Stiletto:  Stilettos are long, thin, and super-high heels  found on boots and shoes.  Stiletto heels may vary in length, from 1 inch to  10 inches or more if a platform sole is used…however, we’ve come to think of stilettos as being extremely high, with a pencil-thin heel.

Peep toe:  Not quite an open toe, and not quite a closed toe heel, the peep toe offers just a glimpse of your toes and your pedicure (make sure to have one if you opt for the peep toe).    Since it’s not quite an open toe, many times you can pull the peep toe off in the corporate world.  It can be professional when done properly.

Sling backs, an ultra classic.  What makes them a sling backs?   It’s the strap around the heel that makes it a sling back.  Otherwise, this would be a platform pump.  The sling back is a super sexy option, and makes your legs look long and shapely.

The platform:  Almost no heel has gained as much popularity in the last five years as the platform heel.  Once a choice of exotic dancers everywhere, platforms hit the Hollywood scene, and crossed over into the luxury set.  Platforms are actually more comfortable than you might think.  The front base of the heel creates the illusion that your foot is arched far more than it is.

The Wedge:  So the 70s called and demanded to be relevant again.  And that’s exactly what happened.  We embraced the wedge heel again as if were were tree-hugging-hippies in 1976 and added our new millennium chic twist.  The results have been phenomenal, and the wedge is relevant again.

Shapewear is certainly enjoying its time in the spotlight these days.

Shapewear is a different name for a girdle, the same kind of undergarment your mom and grandma wore.  It’s the elastic garment that cinches in  your body girth to give you a skinnier appearance, albeit, “about to pop” and “I can’t breathe” appearance.

Somehow, women seem to be embracing the new-school girdle and seem to be okay with it, as evidenced by its multimillion dollar sales in the US last year…although I can’t think of one man who would be okay with this look, with one exception, (and that exception being Dr. Rey).

Wouldn’t getting into shape be far more rewarding than squeezing your back fat or thighs into an apparatus that literally almost squeezes the breath out of you?  Didn’t Rob Lowe’s character in St. Elmo’s Fire (as he openly laughed at Mare Winningham’s character for wearing a girdle) steer you clear of even the consideration of wearing a girdle, er, shapewear?

Does the thought of having to eventually take your dress off for your significant other, or even worse, God-forbid, emergency medical staff, make you want to hit the treadmill instead of face the wrath of public humiliation?

Or does it?  The upside, after all, is having an appearance that divulges no bulges or flaws.  And if we look good on the outside of the dress, is that good enough for us to strap ourselves into elastic apparatus’ to conceal the real story?

What are your thoughts?  Shapewear…Love it or lose it?

If there’s one thing Ivanka Trump knows, it’s business.  Ivanka’s book, The Trump Card, is far more than stories from a spoiled little rich girl.  Her parents have groomed her into the successful businesswoman she is today.

Surprisingly far more than a story of nepotism at its finest, Ivanka is a credentialed and intelligent woman following in her father, Donald Trump’s, footsteps.

Ivanka, a former runway model, also has an eye for stunning business attire as well.  She is a perfect balance of business meets femininity.  If you want to emulate a businesswoman with fabulous style…Ivanka’s your girl.

We’ve all been there before, standing in front of the bathroom mirror when we decide to chop off our lovely locks of hair and create bangs.  That’s sometimes followed by tears, sometimes a whole new outlook on life.  You have to find what truly looks good on you, and go with it…without exception.  Don’t cut bangs on a whim if you know that every other time, it looked bad.

The hard and fast rule on bangs is if you have a short forehead, bangs aren’t for you.  If you have a large forehead, bangs are your friend.  There are shortcuts around the rules…if you have a short forehead and still want bangs, opt for a very long, side swept bang.  These examples are bangs done right.