Let me make an attempt to explain this passion – one of which I share with many girls – old and young. Fashion is an experience.

It’s not just about clothes. It’s about who is wearing what, when, and where. It’s about what an outfit is made of, who created it, where it will stand out. It’s this wonderful little puzzle or game to play every week, every season. From sun up to sun down your own body gets to be a dynamic piece of art that’s saying something interesting about the world you are living in, right now.

When you realize the fun you could have with fashion it takes out the exhaustion of following trends. You need not “follow” fashion like a sheep in a flock, but rather let it guide you like a dance partner. Let it twirl you about and enjoy working up a sweat for it – snagging those bargains or hot of-the-moment-items before the magic of it evaporates. Or start your own trend by taking lead yourself with wonderful wild abandon!

So go out there and play! I am (so my dress form Bridget pictured above)!

Make sure to read the next Wearable Wednesday post where I’ll share with you how your Style is your own unique response to Fashion.

<3 Apryl

This my lovelies is the t-shirt appropriately titled “Lady Umbrella is away with the birds” which I thought was a perfectly “tweetable” fashion piece to purchase online at www.ladyumbrella.com. It was a snap to buy and a breeze to wear. For those of you who would also like to make fashionable online purchases here’s a few tips:

Fashion Tip 1: T-shirts are a low-risk, easy way to start purchasing clothes online. T-shirts are effortless to wear and usually found at an affordable price. Just make sure to get a color that compliments your skin tone & features. *I’m a brunette with pale skin so this bold true blue looks wonderful on me. Blondes would look stunning in the peachy pink “Lady Umbrella likes to strut” while dark and olive skinned girls would rock the cheeky yellow “What came first the chicken or the umbrella?”.

Fashion Tip 2: Check out the unique accessory options either from the same store or from another online store to add to the look. Scarves, bangles, & earrings can all be easily paired with your t-shirt and won’t cost a lot either. If you are really bold look at some hats or shoes! Or if you are really on a budget just look in your own closet for some fun accessories that can freshen up your look. *I choose pink instead of blue to add some punch as you’ll see below!

Fashion Tip 3: If available before you check out and put down payment information look at any reviews that are listed by other shoppers who have purchased the garment. You might save yourself some heartache or a wrong size choice. At Lady Umbrella though you can trust you’ll get a great garment since Rob & Elena have given all their shirts rigorous testing.

So are you ready to make your own awesome purchases online! Let me hear about it by commenting below. Also feel free to share your own tips for shopping online & off. And stay tuned for more fashion awesomeness next week ;)

Happy shopping!

Kennebunkport Dress for $62.99 at Modcloth

One of my new Twitter friends @Dinalisafraioli just introduced me to this lovely and stylish company @modcloth.

I fell instantly in love! You will too OMG! Here’s why:

Not only is their site a breeze to navigate but it gives you the same delightful pleasure of window shopping through fashionable city boulevard! What’s also the #awesomesauce about this online boutique is the innovative way their social media is managed: a quintet of lovely ladies called the “Social Butterflies” who all happily blog and tweet about the gorgeous goods they love.

They have sassy shoes that I’ve not seen anywhere else including a pair called Unicorn Princess. The dresses are to die for, including the one I’m drooling over at the top of the post. And what’s really awesome is how wonderfully affordable EVERYTHING they carry is!

Check them out!

And make sure to follow me on Twitter for more fashion goodness and tweet me your favorite fashion finds!

Keeping It REALLY real online and off :)

photo credit: Adam Foster | Codefor

Fashion, my dears is not just about wearing clothes. It’s a whole lot more.

Everyday you get dressed you are affecting how well you get stuff done in the world, what you are saying about yourself, and showing others how much of a truly interesting person you are. Let me explain:

1) The Function of The Fabric
Of course clothing first has it’s function: Swimming suits for swimming, windbreakers for keeping out the chill, and hats to keep the sun out of your face on a bright day. Since the human animal gave up most of it’s protective furriness a long time ago it needed to layer itself in the skins of the critters it hunted instead. Eons later we’re still gallivanting across the world doing a number of things in a number of climates and environments if not so much hunting. However it’s not all about covering our bits from the elements. The clothing we choose to wear day to day must not only protect us but also enhance our movements, activities, and even the roles we perform right? Ballerina’s don’t leap elegantly in jeans. Eskimo’s don’t hunt in their skivvies. Navy seals aren’t stealth in orange tulle.

Same goes for you whether you are a receptionist, stripper, or housewife. The first order of the day when you get dressed is – “will I be able to [chase after a two year old in these shoes?] [walk down to the file room in this skirt?] [grip that pole with this feather boa on?]“. Usually this is all automatic and subconscious, which brings me to the next point:

2) Communicating Your Message
Your clothing is talking about you. Are you doing a good job of putting words in it’s mouth? Or are you just letting your outfit babble on about you to everyone who lays eyes on you?

When you are a single girl and on the market you want to show some leg, a little (or a lot) of cleavage, and accentuate as much of your bodacious feminine bits as possible. You don’t dress in a suite and tie and you don’t wear a ring on your left hand. Why? Because it’s sooooo much easier to let your clothes speak for you instead of shouting out to the streets “ATTENTION MEN! I’M A HOT, SINGLE WOMAN! COME TALK TO ME!”. You also know that men are visual creatures and are looking for the female in her most feminine form.

Conversely when you return to the office the next morning your best professional bet is to tuck that man magnetizing cleavage away and lengthen that skirt for decidedly less leg. Otherwise instead of seriously discussing that business deal with you your male co-workers brains will be scrambled with sexy static as they stare at your halter top.

What you wear is going to say things about you even when you just want to stay mum and get your work done. So get the message right. Then you may ask: “What do I want my clothes to say about ME anyway?”. Well how awesome you are for a start, which leads us to the final point:

3) Expressing Yourself!
This is where you can leave the obsession to follow trends behind – You don’t have to keep up with the mad dash of who’s-wearing-what-now. Why not? Because YOU are your own person! YOU have your own style. I like to call it “signature style” since it’s how you stylishly leave your mark on the world. Sometimes people won’t remember your name, or what you said, but their vision of your style and charm will be emblazoned on their memory if you are genuinely dressing for yourself.

You get to be you and expressing that with fashion is genuinely fun and satisfying way to show the world. What this means is wearing your favorite colors, shapes, patterns, where you want and when you want in a stylish way. Cause you know your body and what makes it look great. It’s you showing off your sexy arms in tank tops while your best friend accentuates her long legs in shorts. Looking and feeling blithely fabulous in high heels when the IT shoe is ballet flats. Or vice versa! Whatever YOUR style happens to be.

So, what are you wearing today?
Why?
What does today’s outfit say about you?

Leave your fashionable comment!

Also feel free to follow me on Twitter (@365daygirl) for more fashion fun! :)

-Apryl keepin it really Real :)