Because I am your friend, I will be honest with you.  If you are a chick, and you have birthed a child, you most likely need to get yourself some shapewear. Whether you are a size 8 or 18, you've probably got some jiggle that you don't want putting on jell-o show for everyone when you are wearing your pretty new dress to your cousin's wedding,  your best friend's Christmas party, or that blog conference you've been excited about for months.

You can get it away with "letting it all hang out" if you are pregnant, or if you are this guy:

(Ahh, forgive me! Fat cats are funny!)

I've tried a few different types of shapewear over the past year, and ladies, these things are not your grandma's girdle.  Modern shapewear keeps everything tucked in and smooth and makes it as comfortable as possible. I SWA-AIR!  Last year, prior to BlissDom, when people asked me what I was wearing I always mentioned that I'd be wearing "so much under-armor I'll KLINK when you hug me!"  I need shapwear!  I'm not ashamed!  Shapewear will make you feel much more confident about yourself, and will make your clothes look and feel better. GETCHA SOME.  I'll even lay out some options for you!

I like this bottom by n-finishape, it's really comfy and freezes my jiggle as long as I have it on:

And I LOVE all the options for up-top that Slimpressions offers.  I tried three of them last year and loved them all.  And I know several reputable and very fashionable people who are big fans of Yummie Tummie.  (And may I say, that I *adore* the fact that Yummie Tummie has a nursing tank available! Shapewear for the nursing mama? Yes, please!)  OF course, there's also the original that inspired this decade's shapewear craze, Spanx.  Maidenform Shapeez is also a good one that I've tried, and I hear that Dr. Rey's, sold at Sears, is great also but I've never tried it.

So, what I am saying is, you have lots of options!  Invest in some shapewear!  It will become a beloved wardrobe staple and will go a looooong way in helping Fight the Frump!

Now it's your turn!  Tell us how YOU fight the frump!  Link up your fashion and beauty posts from this week, and link back to this post.  Mr. Linky (and the world) is waiting – link up!

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Photos: threefatcats on flickr, n-finishape

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It's about that time. It's getting colder. Your belly bump is getting bigger. And you need a coat. I remember I tried my hardest to fit into my "pre-pregnancy" winter coat when I was pregnant with Benjamin… but it just wouldn't button. There are some fabulous looking winter maternity coats out there right now, and this is the best time to shop for them – when every size and color is fully stocked. I (reluctantly) bought a white winter coat when I was pregnant with Benjamin. It was the only color available… and I just knew, I just knew it was going to be dirty – and fast. So I'm a big proponent of buying when styles/colors/sizes are in stock and ready to go!

So where to shop for maternity coats? Easy. Destination Maternity.

After devouring the many gorgeous styles, these are my (5) favorite maternity picks for winter coats (if I were pregnant, which I'm not – I don't want any rumors starting…):

Zip Front Nylon Blend Maternity Coat

Button Front Wool Maternity Coat

Toggle Closure Wool Maternity Coat

Zipper Pocket Boucle Maternity Jacket

Fleece Long Sleeve Maternity Jacket

So, my prego friends, go get yourself a nice maternity coat!  Winter's on it's way and you gotta keep that bump warm!

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A few weeks ago I bought myself a birthday present – a pair of  Audrey Leg cords from Lands' End.  (You can see them here, I couldn't grab a pic from Lands' Ends' website, sorry!)  They are pretty much the most amazingly cute and comfortable casual pants EVER! I loved them so much I decide to follow up that purchase with a pair of Lands' End bootcut cords. More amazing comfort and cuteness!  I love these pants so much I've decided that cords are the new jeans. As a SAHM, I pretty much wear  jeans EVERY DAY – it's nice to have something else in my wardrobe that's comfy, functional, and fashionable!

Since my new love of cords has now become borderline obsessive, and since I sadly, can't afford to order a new pair every week, I hit the local Goodwill last week to see what I could drum up.   And I SCORED!  I got a lovely pair  of chocolate-brown Gap bootcut cords like those pictured above for $3.99. And they are indeed, also super comfortable and cute. I see more thrifting – and more cords – in my future.

So, in my world, cords are the new jeans! What do you think?

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Start off with your tools.  All you need for a basic pluck job is a pair of awesome tweezers {Tweezerman are legendary} and some cuticle scissors, and for a more advanced grooming, the gathering you see below.

Step 1:

Pluck above your eyebrow.  There are plenty of people who will tell you never, ever to pluck above the eyebrow.  And they are all wrong.  Did you see how many stray hairs there are above my eyebrow in that first photo?  What if I were to just leave them up there for the whole world to see?  That's not called grooming, it's called denial.  Don't go too crazy but clean up the stragglers until you're nice and clean above your brow.

Step 2:

Use some eyeliner to draw in a little stencil for what you'd like your eyebrows to look like.  You probably have a pretty good idea of what they should look like when they're not in their natural caterpillar-like state.  If you don't, get a stencil from a beauty store or print one up online, they're really easy to find.  Once you've got an outline for where you need to pluck, get to work.

Pluck below your brow.  I know, that sounds pretty straight forward.  That's because it is.  You want to create a little bit of an arch straight up from the pupil in your eye, but follow your brow bone for the best curve.  Another thing to remember?  Your eyebrows should not match each other.  Ever.  Your eyes don't look exactly alike do they?  Neither should your eyebrows.  Set them free, let them do what they naturally do best, you're just here to shape them and keep them clean.

Step 3:

Trim off the crazy hairs. Use an eyebrow brush, or even a comb from your bathroom drawer to comb up all the really long hairs and trim them with some cuticle scissors.

Just cut 'em right off.  There's nothing worse than crazy mad professor eyebrows on a woman so do a good job getting those babies trimmed.

After you've trimmed with scissors flip that comb over and brush your eyebrows down to their rightful place, and you're done! Wasn't that easy?  Look at the results:

Ahhhhh,  much better.  You're welcome.

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Happy Friday everyone!  It's the last Friday in October which means I'd be remiss if I didn't mention – your BREASTS!! It's breast cancer awareness month!  So Fight the Frump by doing your self-exams and getting your mammograms if you are over 40 or have a family history! Because let's face it, breast cancer can lead to lots of tragic things, including frumpiness!   (I jest, but I'm serious about the self-exams part!! And the Mammograms!!)

Another important thing you can do for your breasts to Fight the Frump is put those babies in the CORRECT SIZE BRA.  Wearing the wrong size bra can lead to the dreaded "quadri-boob" – two boobs in your bra, and two that don't fit in there poking out the top – OR the dreaded "Boobs at your waist" when your bra is too big and your ta-tas are waaaaay lower than they should be. Neither of these looks are attractive in ANY WAY!  So get the right size bra!

How??? You ask?  I'd say, at least once, go to a nice departments store and let the nice lady that works in Lingerie measure you. She's a professional and will get you the right size!  If you're too skittish to go this route, try the method outlined below in this super-sweet video from Video Jug.

Underwear:
How To Measure Your Bra Size

Ok, now that your breasts are in the right place and lookin' good, tell me how YOU Fight the Frump!  Leave your linky below, all we ask is a link back to this post. Let's go Frump Fighters!  It's time to make the internet a prettier place!

____________________

Bra Photo by DOS82 on Flickr

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Last Thursday Oprah featured her "Favorite New Denim" on her show, and her pick for denim in the "Budget-Conscious"category was the Lee No-Gap waist collection - of course, since I have fabulous taste, this is something Oprah and I have in common!  As a Lee Fit Ambassador Blogger, I have tried several different styles of Lee Jeans. I've liked them all but the No-Gap waist is my favorite.  These jeans have a hidden Flex Waistband on the inside and they are so comfy.  And they are SLIMMING! My mid-section is my *ahem* problem area, and these jeans really camouflage it. They have a nice stretch, too.  I like the particular style and color pictured above because they look really dressy!

You can check out more of the great No-Gap waist styles here at Lee.com – look for the "Best Jean 2009" labels.  Today, Wednesday October 28th and tomorrow Thursday October 29th, you'll  automatically get 50% off your order at Lee.com! SO hurry!! And tell 'em Jenny and Oprah sent ya!

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I've got news for you ladies: belts are good for much more than holding your pants up! As a matter of fact, I can often be found wearing one belt to hold my pants up (hidden of course), and another belt for fashion's sake.  Wearing a belt at the smallest part of your body can make you look thinner and add some flair to your outfits.

Here are a few ways to wear a belt for for the love of fashion:

1) With a long shirt or tunic:

I LOVE tunics, but sometimes a little extra fabric at the waist can make you look shapeless.  Putting a belt at the waist can accentuate your curves and show off your figure. Or, if you prefer, a belt worn low-slung on the hips can add just the right trendy accent along with shape.  I have the tunic pictured above from Shade Clothing, and I like to wear it with a wide braided belted down on my hips.  It looks great, since I am um, not tall, I think belting is this way tricks they eye into thinking I have a little more length to my body.

2. With a cardigan:

Whether it's a long drape cardigan like this one, or your typical button-down, a belt can really add some flare to your favorite cardi.  It defines your waist and helps you look less like Mr. Rogers and more like Mrs. Vogue!

3) With a dress:

I love to see a cute dress with a cute belt.  Accentuate you curves and match a colored  belt with similar-colored shoes to tie an outfit together. You can make any neutral, daytime-dress into an eye-popping evening frock with a bright colorful belt or one that's accented with stones or metallics.

Those are some of my favorite ways to wear a belt!  What are yours?  If you're looking for more ideas, check out this article on Styleist.

____________

Photo credits: Gap, Shade Clothing (2 & 3), Sears

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It's Friday again!  Time to put on your satin-trimmed boxing gloves and Fight the Frump!  Today's topic: Under-eye circles. Perhaps when some of you roll out of bed in the morning you resemble this:

The picture of femininity and grace! (Ok, this is a dude, but you all know we ladies can look a lot like this after a long night up with the baby!) The puffiness around and the darkness under our eyes is NOT CUTE. Nothing will make you look more tired and run-down, and yes, FRUMPY than big ol' under-eye circles.  I mean, THIS GUY can get away with it, but you and I ladies, CANNOT rock this look:

So, what's a girl to do?  Well, the answer is: PRODUCT!  Lots of companies make  products today that actually DO help relieve puffiness and under-eye circles.  My favorite is this one:

Mary Kay Eye Revitalizer.  It's like a little roller-ball you roll under your eyes (or any on the lids if there's puffiness).  You just gently pat it into your skin and – voila!  Puffiness and circles are greatly reduced.  It has long-term repair benefits also.  I've been using this for two years and I now use approximately 1/4 of the amount of concealer under my eyes that I used to. I used to have to SPACKLE concealer on in layers!  This stuff really works!

Other under-eye circle fighting products I've heard are good but haven't tried are those marketed by Clinique  (All About Eyes) and Patricia Wexler, MD (available at Bath and Body Works).   Whatever product you use – make sure you USE it!  These under-eye circles are not a battle we can fight alone. And we gotsta Fight the Frump!

Ok, ladies, go get your product on!  And now it's your turn!  Link up and tell us how YOU Fight the Frump and stay fabulous! And while you're at it, pick up the code for our beautiful button!

<img title="Fight the frump friday at Blissfully Domestic" src="http://blissfullydomestic.com/wp-content/uploads/Fight-the-frump-friday-at-Blissfully-Domestic-247×300.png" alt="Fight the frump friday at Blissfully Domestic" width="247" height="300" />

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Photos: Photo Munki on Flickr, cj berry 2009 on Flickr

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I was skeptical because Taryn Rose are in a higher price range than I've ever even dared to consider before, and I wondered, "how can they be worth THIS much?"

Well, I found out.  This pair of shoes is truly the highest-quality pair I've ever touched, seen, or worn on my feet.  Not only are they super-fashionable, they are very finely made. Taryn Rose shoes are hand-stitched in Italy.   They are not only a soft leather suede on the outside, they are also soft leather on the inside!! And the foot bed is made of Poron, aka "memory foam" – that's right, imagine the comfort of your memory foam bed or mattress pad in your shoe!

When wearing my Barika flats, I feel fashionable, sassy, and comfortable!! I have flat feet that often kill me after a night out in cute shoes, but the memory foam inside the Barika really kept my feet from hurting at all. I was very impressed, and can now understand the price tag a little bit better.

Being a very frugal gal, I don't know if I could every actually bring myself to PAY that much for a pair of flats – but for a pair of their gorgeous knee-high boots that I'd wear all fall and winter for years?  I can definitely see that!  Taryn Rose is definitely the company to go to if you want to buy shoes that are a real investment in style and comfort and that will keep you fashionable for several seasons.

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It's that time of the year again! The weather has a distinct chill and, for many of us, the fall cold has come a bit too early. This season is full of fantastic sweater styles, but how do you keep them looking great all season long? Here are some must-do tips to keep your sweaters gorgeous.

1) If you're sweaters are machine washable, always use the gentle or hand-wash cycle. Even if the sweater is capable of withstanding the standard cycle, use a gentle cycle to prevent stretching out the yarn. I will even wash my hand-wash sweaters in my machine's hand-wash cycle and they do just fine.  Just avoid anything with a rigorous spin cycle.

2) Never wash your sweaters with any type of towel or fleece. Sweaters are magnets for lint, so putting them in the same cycle with materials that shed lint like crazy (for example your bath towels), is just asking for your gorgeous new sweater to be covered in little balls of lint. By the way, it's nearly impossible to get these off.

3) Always dry your sweater flat. The weight of the sweater itself will cause the yarn to stretch of you hang it. I usually dry mine on the top of my washer and dryer (just clean any dust or lint off first). If I need more space, I will place a sheet on my bed and just make sure to flip it every now and then to make sure it dries. There are racks you can purchase to help with sweater drying that are basically mesh hammocks.

4) Always store your sweaters folded on a shelf. This throws back to rule #3. Hangers are horrible for sweaters. The weight of the sweater pulls down, and you are left with knobby shoulder imprints from the hanger. Never a good thing.

5) You don't have to wash the sweater every time you wear it. I know this may sound kind gross, but, if you wear something under your sweater, there really isn't a need to wash it every time you wear it. Washing a sweater dulls the color and makes the yarn more fuzzy.

Sweaters are a great way to layer your clothes to keep warm. They are especially popular layered this year. Following these simple tips will help ensure your sweater looks great all season long.

Photo Credits: memyselfandkai

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