How to…look like a Victoria’s Secret Angel.

Photo Credit: Examiner.com

Fans  of  Victoria’s  Secret  have  been  talking  about  the  fashion  show  this  week.  The  annual  Victoria’s  Secret  Fashion  Show  airs  every  December  where  models  proudly  march  down  the  a  V  shaped  platform  proudly  displaying  their  Angel  wings  and  a  look at  some  of  the  latest collections that  the  store  has  to  offer.

But  once  Heidi  Klum,  Chanel  Iman,  and  Miranda  Kerr  walk,  it’s  hard  not  to  admire  their  goddess  bodies  that  they  worked  so  hard  for.  Although  we  all  know  there’s  no  such  thing  as  the  perfect  body, viewers  are  suddenly  motivated  to  step  up their  fitness  in  the  gym. You  can  google  all  you  want.  Actually,  I  did  that  job  for  you.  But,  you  can’t  find  the  official  fitness  regimen  of  a  Victoria’s  Secret  ”Angel.”  But,  you  can  come  close  to  it.  It’s  about  developing an  effective  diet and  fitness  regimen.  And  no  diet  and  fitness  regimen  is  alike  simply  because  no  body  is  alike.

First and Foremost…

Consult  your  doctor  before  you  start  any  diet  or  exercise  regimen,  especially  if  you’re  under  doctor’s  orders.  Conduct  your  research  thoroughly  to plan  an  effective  diet  and  fitness  regimen.  But,  why  is  diet  primal  when  we  should  be  talking  about  abs?  Well,  you  can  strength  train  up  to  six  times  a  week  but  if  you’re  still  eating  processed  foods  and  taking spins  through  the  drive-thru,  all  of  the  cardio  and  the  strength-training  in  the  world  won’t  melt  that  flab  for  you.   Victoria’s  Secret  models  avoid  processed  foods  and  fast  foods.  A  lot  of  processed  foods  are  often  made  of  chemicals  that  are  even  hard  to  pronounce,  so  if  you  don’t  know  what  it  is  or  can’t  pronounce  it,  why  would  you eat  it?

Victoria’s  Secret  models  often  stick  to  organic  fruits  and  vegetables  and  eat  foods  that  are  high  in  protein  so  they  can  maintain  the  muscle  they  work  so  hard  for  through  strength  training. This diet  is  very  wise,  but  it  won’t  work  for  everyone  so  it’s  important  to  consult  your  doctor  if  you  are  under  doctor’s  orders.  Other  than  that,  a  diet  where  everything  in  moderation  (and  as  little  processed  foods  as  possible)  may be  the  key  for  you.

The  exercise  regimen  of a  Victoria’s  Secret  model  is…fierce. Gisele  Bundchen  loves  horseback  riding  and  yoga, but  most  of  the  models  will  do  strength  training  and  cardio  for  two  to  three  hours  as  much  as  six  times  per  week. Cardiovascular  activity  like  running  and  walking  is  added  because  it  helps  melt  fat  even  faster.  If  you  have  a naturally  high  metabolism,  you  might  not  have  to  as  much  cardio  and  can  focus  more  on  strength  training.  If  you  cannot  devote  this  much  time  to  your  regimen,  thirty  to  sixty  minutes  of  strength  is  great  too. Begin  with  a  five  minute  warm-up  and  concentrate  on  plie  squats,  lunges,  reverse  lunges,  push-ups, calf raises, tricep kick-backs, and  a  series  of  cross-over  and  upper-cut  punches  for  one-two  minutes  each. Work  with  weights  and  a  medicine  ball  for  extra  resistance.

Bottom Line

This  doesn’t  reflect  the  true  regimen  of a  Victoria’s  Secret  model,  but  if  you  want  to  sculpt  some  nice  curves,  I’d  advise  sticking  to this  plan.  The  key  is  to  find a  diet  and  exercise  regimen  that  works  for  you  so  you  can  ultimately  find  comfort  being  in  your  skin  and  prancing  around  like  the  Angel  that  can  be  too.

 

How to…jazz up a button down shirt.

Solid  Kelly  shirt.  Photo Credit: omniru.com

How  can  one  of  the  most  universal  closet  staples  of  a  women’s  wardrobe  become  so  dismissed,  so  dressed  down,  and  almost  boring? Who  likes  boring!?  But,  for  some  reason,  the  women’s  button  down  shirt  remains  a  go-to  staple  as  it’s  invested  by  many  professional  women  and  students  in  bulk.

I  was  always  bored  by  the  button  down  shirt.  Fashion  has  been  so  experimental  lately  that  I  feel  that  this  classic  staple  can  use  an  update. I’m  certainly  not  saying  that  you  should  get  rid  of  your  beloved  button  down  shirts,  but  if  you  have  ever  grown  bored,  perhaps  you  may  just  need  an  update  to  spruce  up  your  look.

Observe  my  picks  for  an  update  on  a  classic  staple,  while  still  remaining  professional  yet  chic  in  the  workplace.

Ruffle Trim Cardigan, $28. “Twelve by Twelve” from Forever 21

I  love the  ruffles  on  this  cardigan,  because  without  them,  this  cardigan  worn  with  a  button  down  can  make  you  look  like  the  next  Mr.  Rogers  (And  there  could  only  be  one  of  him!).  Cardigans,  especially  with  lace  and  ruffles,  can  add a  feminine  touch  to  a boyish  button  down.   I  like  the  color  in  this  one  and  I  think  it  would  look  rather chic  with a  pencil  skirt  or  a smart  pair  of  dress  trousers.  Plus,  the  brooch  is removable  so  you  can  wear  it  with  some  of  your  other  favorite  outfits.

Cable Knit V-Neck in Light Purple Heather, $29.50. American Eagle

Meet  a  pulled  together  look  that’s  easy  to  slip  into  for  a  full  Monday.  Just  layer  this  sweater  (there’s a  rainbow  of  colors  to  choose  from)  and  have  the  collar  of  your  favorite  button  down  pop  out.  After  you  come  home  from  that  long  work  day,  you  can  just  slip  right  out  of  your  trousers  and  into  your  favorite  pair  of  jeans.  That’s  the  beauty  of  this  versatile,  comfortable,  and  toasty  sweater.

Monogram Silk Embroidered Blouse, $88. Banana Republic

Do  you  like  to  wear  these  shirts  just  as  they are? That’s  fine.  But,  the  trick  is  to  look  less  boyish  and  more  you by  scouting  out  feminine  details  like  ruffles,  ribbons,  and  embroidery  like  the  Victorian-inspired  top  from  Banana  Republic  above.  Scout  out  Banana  Republic  and  also  J.Crew  sales.

 

Brief hiatus? Sort of. But, I’m back – and in black!

Firstly, I would like to apologize for my lack of posts lately. I recently just started a new job that I love. I’m still getting adjusted, but in the meantime, I do promise more posts to my loyal readers.

This post will be a how to devoted on how to wear a very ordinary that we all have in our closets. If it’s not white, it’s black. Black is special. Everybody stops playing games when black makes it’s appearance. The color black is a no nonsense shade that make outfits look elegant and polished.  But, it can also  come off as severe and almost medieval.

Here are some points to remember:

Sateen Lace Party Dress, $22.80, Forever 21.

Black can appear less severe when the fabric is transparent – such as the lace in this dress. The transparent parts will act like another color which will break up all of the black.  Select in good taste and you will have a slightly more elegant and classier look.

Megan Satin-Wrapped Suede Heels, $150. J.Crew

Avoid dressing in all black by combining it with another color in good taste. Some good selections are grey, ink blue, or cobalt.  What about brown, another color that seems to pop up in a lot of wardrobes?  I think that you should go for it, especially if you like the way a certain item pops on you. But, if you’re still nervous about brown and black, I would go with cream.  The cream and black pumps above are adorable.

Flutter Scoopneck Dress, $78. J.Crew

Going out in black? Combine a slightly lower neckline with with a contrasting necklace.  The neckline will distance the black from your face, drawing attention to the necklace. You can’t go wrong with mother’s pearls, or any elegant and feminine necklace.

Makeup

Audrey Hepburn was an elegant actress who often liked to wear a lot of black too. She also wasn’t afraid to draw attention to her face by experimenting with make-up.  Watch the video below to perfect one of her signature makeup looks that you can wear for Halloween or for your next night out even!

Thoughts?

How do you like to wear black?  Share your personal tips with us in the comments!

 

How to…find your ideal colors.

Photo Credit: Cali369 on Flickr

What’s the hottest shade?  What new shade should you try to incorporate into your wardrobe?  That’s what fashion magazines will try to answer for quite some time.  But, these “It” colors are often unaffordable for realistic stylish girls to keep up with.  Another thing I also noticed is that a lot of fashion magazines don’t always mention how to find your perfect colors that will best compliment your own look.

This is because finding someone’s colors can take on a broad approach. It has a lot to do with your overall coloring: the color of your hair, your eyes, and the color of your skin. All of these features are taken into scrutiny under seasonal color analysis. Based on your features, you can find out what type of make-up colors, clothing, and accessories will compliment your look best so you can look and feel confident year-round.

So, are you an Winter, Spring, Summer, or Autumn?

Types of Winters

1. Deep Winter

Anyone who is considered a deep winter would usually have black, black-brown, or hazel eyes. Their hair would usually be black-brown, medium brown, steel grey, or salt and pepper. The skin tone would be black, medium-beige, black-brown, or olive with no peach undertones.

Deep Winters would look very good in black, charcoal, black-brown, red-brown, icy-grey, grey, hot pink, red, aubergine, mint, yellow, lime green, emerald green, olive, purple, clear teal, periwinkle, blue, and navy.

2. Clear Winter

Clear Winters have bright blue, violet, or green eyes. They have black, chestnut, medium brown, or dark brown hair. Their skin is black, deep brown, neutral beige, pale olive, or milky white.

Clear Winters look good in charcoal grey, black, navy to an bright golden yellow, icy pink, clear red, or a raspberry pink.

3. Cool Winter

Cool Winters have charcoal grey, blue, dark brown, or violet eyes. They have blue-black, silver, or salt and pepper hair with no red tones. They have cool brown, olive, or neutral beige skin tones.

Cool Winters look best in all shades of grey, taupe, rose pink, hot pink, navy, royal blue, purple, and navy.

Types of Springs

1. Light Spring

Light Springs have blue, green, turquoise, or light hazel eyes. They have light to medium golden blonde hair, ash blonde or light to medium brown hair. Their skin tone is often ivory with peach undertones.

Light Springs often look best in camel, khaki, charcoal, taupe, warm pastel pink, coral, watermelon, fuchsia, light green, clear aqua, and powder blue.

2. Clear Spring

Clear Spring have turquoise, blue, green, golden brown, or topaz eyes. They have medium to dark brown hair or brown-black hair that may be streaked with red highlights. Their skin is bronze, deep warm brown, brown-black, light ivory, light peach, or porcelain.

Clear Springs look best in navy, charcoal, black, light grey, turquoise, yellow, green, dark green, mint green, clear teal, light turquoise, red, pastel pink, and hot pink.

3. Warm Spring

Warm Springs have topaz, olive green, light hazel, or warm turquoise eyes. They have light golden brown, red, strawberry blonde, or deep golden blonde hair. They have bronze, golden beige, ivory, or porcelain skin tones which may be dotted with freckles.

Warm Springs look best in camel, bronze, golden brown, dark brown, stone, grey green, peach, light orange, coral, red, green, emerald turquoise, evergreen, and deep periwinkle.

Types of Summers

1. Light Summer

Light Summers have blue, grey, or green eyes. They have light to medium ash blonde or light to medium ash brown hair. They have pale beige, porcelain, or pink beige skin tones that are usually have pink undertones.

Light Summers look best in light grey, powder pink, cocoa, rose pink, coral pink, clear salmon, light lemon yellow, light aqua, blue green, spruce, light navy, sky blue, medium blue, lavender, and violent.

2. Soft Summer

Soft Summers often have gray-blue, hazel, or turquoise eyes. They have light to medium ash brown or mousy brown that may have some blonde in it. They have light to medium neutral beige or ivory skin tones.

Soft Summers look best in medium grey, light grey, taupe, rose, raspberry, baby pink, soft fuchsia, burgundy, light lemon yellow, light green, turquoise, navy, lavender, and teal.

3. Cool Summer

Cool Summers have gray, blue, or slate eyes. They have medium to deep ash brown hair with little or no red tones. They have ivory, pink beige, gray beige, or neutral beige skin tones.

Cool Summers tend to look best in light grey, grey blue, cocoa, light brown, ice pink, burgundy, turquoise, aqua, lavender, navy.

Types of Autumns

1. Deep Autumn

Deep Autumns have dark brown, dark hazel, black, or dark green eyes. They have medium brown, medium to deep auburn, dark brown deep chestnut or black hair. They also have warm beige, neutral beige, golden brown, dark brown, or olive skin tones.

Deep Autumns look best in black brown, black, marigold, peach, salmon pink, deep red, red, cerulean, evergreen, dark purple, and purple.

2. Soft Autumn

Soft Autumns have light brown, soft hazel, blue, or gray-green eyes. They have golden blonde to medium or mousy brown hair which may be streaked with blonde or red highlights. They also have ivory, neutral or warm beige, or golden brown skin tones.

Soft Autumns look best in brown, medium grey, camel, khaki, light pink, deep rose, light coral, dusty pink, coral, mint green, emerald turquoise, evergreen, purple, and dark purple.

3. Warm Autumn

Warm Autumns have brown, olive green, hazel, or topaz eyes. They have medium golden brown, red, auburn, strawberry blonde, or golden blonde hair. They also have bronze, golden brown, golden beige, ivory, or warm beige skin tones.

Warm Autumns look best in camel, khaki, coffee brown, cream, medium brown, dark brown, light salmon, dark peach, salmon, pumpkin, light yellow, evergreen, emerald turquoise, teal, forest green, deep periwinkle, and purple.

Bottom Line

You may fit into a few different categories – and that’s okay. Seasonal color analysis is meant to give you a general analysis of what color suggestions would make you look and feel at your most confident.  When you try on these suggestions, you (or anyone else) may agree that these might be your best colors. Invest in these colors when you spot them in your favorite shops and even print out this handy dandy guide so you can reflect back on. There’s a lot to look over!

Thoughts?

What do you think of shopping by seasonal color analysis? Do you find it helpful? Which season are you?  Is this guide a fit for what you already have in your wardrobe or do you need to buy a completely new wardrobe?

Let us know in the comments!

 

How to…make the most of your gym membership.

Photo Credit: Google

STEP ONE

Search Google for gyms nearby your home, work, or campus. Pick five that are close to you and seem to intrigue you the most.  Does it have an indoor swimming  pool for those that like to swim laps and train for triathlons?  Does it have an adequate amount of machines to meet your strength training + cardio regimen goals?  Does it have a variety of aerobics classes?

Don’t let the cost get you down! Do this preferably on a free day where you can started on the next step immediately.

STEP TWO

Most gyms offer a one day free guest trial for those interested in members. Call the above list and ask to speak with someone in membership, and be honest that you’re interested in joining. Ask if you could work out there for free one day to gain an overall feel of how you’ll like it there. If they don’t offer a free trial, thank them and move on to the next person on your list.

This option will help you gain valid insight on the overall feel of where you’ll be working out and how much you’ll like it. I tried out Curves when I was in the market for gyms awhile back. They offered a free  monthly trial before I signed a contract with them.  I didn’t know much of what Curves had to offer.  Although I appreciated the regimen for their members, I would have preferred a gym with cardio machines and the Curves I went to didn’t seem to have…well, any!   Needless to say, I thanked them and didn’t sign the contract.

STEP THREE

Narrow your list down to your all-time favorite gym. Call the sales rep you spoke to before, and let them know you’re interested in signing up. If you’re still a bit dubious, ask them if you can participate in a trial membership to gain valid insight of the gym options.

Make sure you are perfectly clear of what you’re getting into before you sign a contract. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  What is the cancellation fee if you must cancel? What if you move? What if you have a medical issue? Are you able to freeze your account for a few months?  Any student/military discounts?    If you cannot afford a full membership but really like the gym itself, ask about daily passes. This doesn’t mean you’ll be responsible for a membership, but you’ll have to pay a small fee to use the gym when you go. Great for those on the budget who don’t go very often!

That’s it!  Now you’re ready to take full advantage of your gym membership.  Slip into your cute workout outfit and hit the treadmill!

 

How to..safely tone your tummy.

I know fitness isn’t a usual target on style blogs, but as I figure as most of us are concerned with what goes on our body, we should be just as concerned with treating our bodies right.  Now thanks to my training to become a CMT, I know a bit about anatomy and physiology…so I’m going to give this a shot.

Crunches.  It seems like the only way to tone your tummy, nowadays.  Fitness magazines always feature two or three simple to complex moves to work the mid-section. It’s even how Britney got them, right?

But, what if standard floor crunches are really hurting you – instead of helping you?

“Never do another floor crunch again!” Boy, I sound like an infomercial during your  last 3am bad food combination decision. Don’t worry, we all have those weaknesses – that we tend to hide by doing those floor crunches or more crunches.  But, do we really know if it’s even helping us?  How much is enough?

Crunches have taken over the term “sit-ups” because a full sit-up can be bad for the spine. Crunches work better without putting too much compression on the joints of the lumbar spine. But, they aren’t too great because they utilize limited range of motion of the spine, which can put anyone with a previous back injury, lower back pain, or weak abs at a higher risk of injury.

You may have a toned tummy, but you can risk serious spinal misalignments in the future.  In order to maximize functional strench of your abs, you should strive to exercise your joints through as much range of motion as possible while keeping good form and avoiding pain. I would recommend tucking your abs in during all cardiovascular activity and consider doing yoga, pilates,  stability ball crunches, or abwork in a plank position.

Plank Position, as seen here:

Stability ball exercises, as seen here:

A recent article in the New York Times mentioned that standing crunches can also be better than floor crunches. Yes, I tried these and yes, I felt as if I can do more standing crunches than floor crunches with ease. But, what they don’t realize is that standing crunches can also be bad if your posture is bad.

Strengthening your core region doesn’t make them automatically support. It is a voluntary movement. When you don’t use your abs to strengthen your spine when doing a standing crunch, the ribs can lift up and the hip may drop down in front. Your upper body may lean forward, and your upper back may increase more swayed or curved (leading to a spinal misalignment.)

Here is an example of a standing crunch:

By considering these techniques (plank position, standing crunches), you will be able to safely tone your tummy without overworking your spine. You may also want to consider all-over toning workouts such as yoga and pilates and don’t forget to take your diet into stride too. A healthy diet will keep you lean and fit. Otherwise:  “order mocha lattes, you gotta do pilates!”

 

Introducing….the Guide to Etiquette.

What to do, what to do.  You should always know what you want to do. And in the event that you’re stuck, now isn’t the time to refrain from class and etiquette.  Treat others well and you can expect the same to come back to you.  The modern girls guide to etiquette will serve as a crash course on etiquette for the old-fashioned person in today’s modern society.

Our first question has to do with something we should all be familiar with it before: Dining out and the rules of tipping.

Dear Miss Manners,

I love to dine out with my friends at Cheesecake Factory!  But, when the bill comes, I almost never know how to tip someone. What if I’m overtipping or if I’m undertipping?  How can I properly tip someone?”

Signed –

Confused

Dear Confused,

This is a perfectly natural question, because most of us have probably become accustomed to this situation while dining out. Let me just say, nobody will complain if you overtip. However, untipping is a different story and what people fear.

Servers generally make less than five dollars an hour. This means that most of their take-home pay relies on tips from restaurants, so that is why most customers fear “undertipping” the serving staff. The amount that you decide to tip depends on the accuracy, politeness, and speediness of the service that you receive.  If the service was exceptional, that would be about 30%.   If the service was very good, leave about 20%.   If the service was good, 15-20% is fair. If the service was below average, 12% is fine. Anything below 12% means that you weren’t satisfied at all.

Of course, you must also factor in what you can budget into your meal and the cost of living in the area. If you’re dining out in a small town, you might be able to get away with leaving 15-20% for exceptional service. But, if you’re dining in a bigger city, 15-20% might be considered chunk change due to the high cost of living.

The same applies to salons and spas, where you might not always receive treatments from the same person. You must tip these people individually that worked on you.

A good rule of thumb to remember is to always strive to go above and beyond, especially if you intend on becoming a regular at the restaurant.  Otherwise, if you can’t afford to eat out, save some money until you can afford to eat out again.  Servers need to eat too!

Do you have a question or comment for Miss Manners regarding this post or etiquette, in general? Post it in the Comments selection below!

 

How to…dress for your body type.

Credit: Google Images

Take a page out of your favorite fashion magazine. You’ve probably noticed the fit and style of what the models were wearing: those proportions, the style, and the colors.  Everything seemed so precise and you might feel as if you could never look like that if you tried. That’s not necessarily true. The proportions were tailored endlessly to the model’s fit, and the style was often produced by the creator’s imagination to create something pretty to look at.

The clothes look so effortlessly put together. But, we often claim that we don’t have the stylists, the clothes, or the body from making ourselves look so chic. But, that isn’t necessarily true.  You are your own personal stylist. Nobody is more welcome to add something or take something off than yourself. You know what works and what doesn’t for yourself. And most importantly, you can wear whatever you want with the right blend of your personal style and confidence.

Some people begin to hesitate right there. By “wearing whatever you want”, some people claim they don’t have the right body so they have to hide behind something else and end up feeling worse. I don’t believe that anyone should be afraid to wear anything based on the body they were born with. This isn’t to say that you should flaunt your “trouble areas”, but to find the fine line of dressing proportionally and well for your body type.

Dressing for Your Body Type (An Overview)

1. The Right Fit.

This is the number one deal breaker.  If your clothes don’t fit right, you won’t look or feel your best.

2. Find a tailor or learn how to sew.

Remember that time when you saw something on sale you really liked but it wasn’t in your size?  You wanted it so bad so you bought it anyway, even if you were going to make yourself fit into it!   Nine times out of ten, you ended up altering it.

There should be no shame in altering your clothes. Everybody shops for a sale, but as we all know, sales don’t necessarily guarantee that everyone’s size will be there. Nowadays, that’s what most girls find themselves doing with their work clothes or jeans.  And you can always unpin it if you notice any changes later on.  Imagine how good you might feel if it’s a positive change.

3. Black minimizes and white maximizes

After remaining faithful to your workout regimen, you might probably want to show off one of your hard-earned assets. Try wearing white, pastel colors, or patterns  in this area, or any area where you want to be seen. Darker colors take the attention away.

4. Proportions.

Have you ever wondered why an outfit looked great on someone, yet you were not  too crazy about their style? It was probably all in the proportions.  Given the right proportions, the outfit is symmetrical – or balanced.

No matter what shape your body is, a good rule of thumb is to pair outfits that are in proportion with each other.  Peasant skirts are really popular now, but so are tunics. Peasant skirts would look better with a fitted top to balance it out.  Many tunic tops come in an array of beautiful patterns, so they can look just fine alone with a pair of jeans or bermuda shorts.

5. Always be Body-Confident.

By now,  you might have the right proportions, but don’t walk out the door with a fresh crop of confidence in tow. Otherwise, something will not seem right. You can’t feel and look your best without it, and without it, you can’t perform your best.

What do you Think?

Now that you’ve read my thought on body tips, I want to know your thoughts on body types and fashion. Do you swear by the old-school body style definitions or do you just go with the flow?  What do you wear that makes you feel confident?   Let us know in the comments!  Thank you.

 

How to…select the right credit card.

Credit: Flickr

Credit cards. Nine times out of ten, you were tempted to apply for one (or a few) during your escapades at KoP. But, you’ve may have heard stories about how some people love them and how some people aren’t too fond of them.

Many people don’t like credit cards because they tend to overuse them somewhere down the line. There’s a few sales here and there, or they just end up getting into the habit of using their credit card for everything – even when they don’t have cash on hand.

But, a credit card can benefit you much further than buying those pair of Manolos at Neiman Marcus. If used properly, the use of a credit card can help you earn and build your credit score towards much loftier investments (such as a cool house or a car.)

What kind of credit card should I look for?

Store cards (Banana Republic, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s) seem fun, and what’s not to love about carrying a card from your favorite store? But, store cards usually tend to carry very high APR ratings and if you’re used to paying off the mininum balance off, you’ll only be paying off interest and not much else.

The ideal credit card for most people would be a bank card (Visa or Mastercard) with a low APR rating.  And don’t even think about applying for an American Express (Amex) card unless you have flawless credit and can make the payment in full every time you use it.

When in Doubt,  Ask Questions!

These are more primal questions to keep in mind when you’re applying for your credit card.

1)  What is the annual fee, if any? (Be wary of credit cards that claim “no annual fees!”)

2) What is the annual percentage rate, or APR? (You can find the APR on your monthly bills. A decent APR constitutes to anywhere from 5 and 13%.  If you have a higher APR, try to get your interest rate lowered or pay off more than the mininum payment every month, otherwise you’ll only be putting interest down.)

3) What is the mininum payment required for each month? (This is usually 2-3% of the outstanding balance. If you can’t meet the full amount, aim for more than the mininum balance every time.)

4) Are there any other fees? (Finance charges, etc)

5) What is the credit limit? What happens if I exceed it? (Oh, but I wanted the Louboutins instead of those Manolos…)

6) What are the penalities for late or missed payments?

7) Is there a fee if I cancel my card?

What is my credit score/how is it determined?

A credit score is determined by your current financial activity with your credit cards.  This is broken down by the record of paying your bills in a timely manner (35%), the total balance on your credit cards compared to your total limit (30%), length of credit history (15%), new accounts and recent applications for credit (10%), mix of credit cards and loans (10%)

Credit Score Ranges

720-820 (BEST),  719-700, 675-699, 674-620, 619-560, 559-500 (Worst), 499-399 (Financial Risk)

Your credit score will be used by lenders to help determine if you are  good/bad credit risk.  There is a possibility to raise your credit score over time, which will promise better deals and save you more money.

I am not satisified with my APR rating. How can I lower it?

Use this script: “Hi, my name is ____. I am a good customer, but I have recently received several offers in the mail from other credit cards with lower APRS.  Will you please lower the rating on my card or I will be forced to cancel my card and switch companies.”

How can an increased credit limit raise my credit score?

Don’t get too happy.  This isn’t an incentive to prance into Bloomingdale’s.

When your credit limit increases, your credit utilization lowers, and you can see a boost in your credit score. Most credit cards will raise your limit after a certain time once your card has been in good standing.  Otherwise, you’ll have to raise your credit limit increase yourself.

I wish I had another payment due date!

If you have other bills due on the same date, it might make things seem very challenging or nearly impossible for you to accomplish everything at once. Call up the company and try to get them to switch your due date to a more convenient due date for you.

Uh oh! My bill was moved to collections!

Debt collection agencies can be frustrating to deal with. My advice is to pay off as much as you can and as soon as you can.  The good news is that you can get your debt erased from your credit card after it’s paid off in full. Just make sure you contact the agency about this, and get it in writing that it’s erased.

Overall…

A credit card can predict how responsible and mature you are with your finances. Shop wisely for your credit card.  Don’t buy things you don’t absolutely need – even if it’s a fantastic sale!  It won’t be such a fantastic deal at all once you factor in all of the interest payments over time.

 

How to…find the swimsuit for your body shape.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pappyv

Whether you’re full-figured or stick thin, top-heavy, bottom-heavy, or somewhere in between, this guide will help you find your most flattering swimsuit this year.

Finding Your Body Type

When you go swimsuit shopping, you might hear people talking about rulers and cones and apples and pears when they go swimsuit shopping.  Surely, apples and pears make for good summertime fruits and rulers and cones pay off a dear reminder from geometry class. But, what does this have to do with swimsuit shopping, you ask?

It’s because swimsuits are often constructed to fit a certain body shape, and it’s primal to know what yours is to get your perfect suit. You should pay special attention to this because the right swimsuit can reveal body symmetry and, where necessary, emphasize your curves.

There are four body shapes that we are going to discuss today: The Hourglass, The Ruler, The Spoon, and the Cone (or Triangle) Body Shape.

The hourglass figure is characterized by your bust being equal or much likely in size in measurement to your hips. Women with hourglass figures also can have very small waistlines. Celebrities with your body shape: Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Kate Winslet.

When you have even proportions or curves, you can get away with a variety of different swimsuit styles. However, it’s best to stick to solid color swimsuits, because wearing different colors on top may make your body look disportional. Stick to colors that match.  Shops to scout out at KoP: American Eagle Outfitters (The Plaza),  Bloomingdale’s (The Court), Nordstrom (The Plaza), and J.Crew (The Plaza)

Rulers are the same size from top to bottom, and can often be described as “boyish.” One reason you might enjoy looking at fashion models is because you share the same body type. You can get away with nearly every style, but if you prefer not to look “boyish”, stick to ruffles and/or some floral patterns to avoid this. Celebrities with your body type: Fashion models.  Shop to scout out at KoP: Abercrombie and Fitch (The Plaza), American Eagle Outfitters (The Plaza), J.Crew (The Plaza)

Spoon body shapes tend to be heavier in their bottoms than in in their top halves. Your hips would be larger than your bust and you have a somewhat defined waistline. While you may gain more weight in your hips, your lower legs and arms are shapely and your best assets. You’ll want to draw attention to your shoulders and arms while deemphasizing your tummy and hips to create more balance. Celebrities with your body shape: Rihanna, Eva Mendes Shops to scout out at KoP: Old Navy (The Plaza), Nordstrom (The Plaza), Macy’s (The Court), and Victoria’s Secret  (The Court)

The Cone shape is a triangular shape that is more of an athletic build with broad shoulders. You may also have smaller hip measurements. Shoot for halter tops, underwire tops, and anything that provides enough coverage for your top. Try string bikinis because your frame will look fabulous. Also, try mixing and matching patterns which can draw attention to your bottom half. Celebrities with your body shape: Angelina Jolie. Stores to scout out at KoP: Victoria’s Secret (The Court), Macy’s (The Court), Nordstrom (The Plaza), and Old Navy (The Plaza)