So, I went on the hunt for truly affordable alternatives to the hottest trends in necklaces. (Hint: Forever 21 is a goldmine.)

Chainlink Necklaces on a Budget

Chainlink necklaces are bold and flashy and look fabulous with a classic tee or button-up. The Cast-Your-Net Necklace from Banana Republic is a reasonable $39.50 but the Forever 21 Chainlink Bib Necklace is even more affordable at $10.80!

Single, chunky strands of chainlink are also making a big impression. The gold plated Kenneth Jay Lane Chunky Chain Necklace at Saks is $340 while the Top Shop Metal Link Necklace is a dead-ringer for a mere £9 (approximately $18).

Fashion Staple Bib Necklaces

Similar to chainlink necklaces, bib necklaces make a serious statement. The big trends in bib necklaces have been flowers and felt with a handmade or vintage feel, but big bold jewels are starting to take over. The Adia Kibur Wrapped Stones Bib Necklace from ShopBop is $58 while the Black Faceted Bead Bib Ribbon Necklace from Torrid is on sale for $10.98!

Multistrand Necklaces are Hot Fashion Items

Multistrand necklaces have been big, but they are about to get bigger and more dramatic. The House of Harlow Gold Multistrand Necklace by Nicole Richie is available from Kitson Boutique for $195 but the Metallic Links Necklace from Forever 21 has a similar look and feel for just $6.80!

Ribbon Necklaces for Chic Beauty

The newest trend is beaded necklaces intertwined with grosgrain ribbon for a sophisticated but casual look. The Stella & Dot Jenna Pearl & Ribbon Necklace is $44 while the Old Navy Faux-Pearl Ribbon Necklace is almost identical for just $12.50!

Dainty Necklaces for Feminine Fashion

Dainty necklaces with thin chains and faceted beads are perfect for wrapping and add a feminine touch to any outfit. The Nadri Bezel Necklace available at Nordstrom is an investment at $178 but the Forever 21 Faceted 3-Strand Necklace is an impressive imitation at only $4.80!

Pendants are Classic Fashion

Pendants are timeless and classic and can be layered with other necklaces for a funky twist. Kitschy shapes, birds and other animals are especially popular. The House of Harlow Large Peacock Necklace is $110 from Kitson Boutique while the Feathers for All Weathers Necklace from ModCloth is only $17.99, and you can always ask your grandma for a peak in her jewelry box for great vintage pendants!

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Click here to view the embedded video.

Sandra Bullock – Number One Best Dressed at the Oscars

• Sandra Bullock mentioned her step-children in her Oscar acceptance speech, and reminded us that you can be motherly and fashionable.
• Sandra Bullock won the Oscar dressed in gold Marchesa gown!
• Sandra Bullock looked beautiful, classic and sophisticated

Meryl Streep's Oscar Dress Success

• Designed by Chris March from Project Runway Season Four
• Wasn't red! Meryl took the chance to wear white!
• As a mother of four, Meryl was a Hollywood icon in this stunning dress.

Other Oscar Fashion Fabs

• Tina Fey announced at the Oscars wearing a Micheal Kors chic black dress that looked much dressier than she has in the past.
• Mo'Nique's blue dress was designed by Tom and Linda Platt. These two designers worked with her so many years ago when Mo'Nique was up-and-coming and wanted to honor the designers who believed in her before she was a huge star.
• Mariska Hargitay – Gorgeous black Vera Wang dress that she accessorized perfectly.
• Sarah Jessica Parker – This pale yellow Chanel dress was perfect, and while the hair wasn't my favorite, the overall look was a stand-out dress that went along with her fashionista reputation.

Audrey's Top Oscar Fashion Don'ts

• Nicole Richie looked a little vampy for the overall night.
• Weird makeup choices like the bright pink lipstick and makeups that clashed with the chic looks of the dresses.
• The high empire waisted dresses made a couple of the women look pregnant so expect some celebrity gossip questions coming off the red carpet.

Did Audrey leave something out? Comment below what your favorite do's and dont's were!

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You can toss those ideas and go for fun, trendy and colorful clothing.  It's easy if you keep certain rules in mind.

1.  Garments that drape can create lines that flatter.  Wearing a long knit top or one of the fashionable draped cardigans like this one from Lane Bryant can give you clean long lines that give a slimmer look.

2. You don't have to avoid bright colors!  Be comfortable with your style and as long as the garment fits right, enjoy the fun, colorful fashions!  Work with accessories to bring attention good features and play down those less than fabulous areas.   A scarf or belt can be your best friends.

3. You may want to try larger accessories.  Proportion is key, and wearing chunky necklaces, scarves or pashminas, and carrying a large bag makes the styles proportions work better for your size.  They are so popular right now, and work for you perfectly!

4. Find jeans and slacks that fit right.  Again it's all about fit, and shops like Lane Bryant offer different fits for different body types.  You may need to try on a lot to find that right fit.  Take the extra time to do it right!

5. Find classic pieces and invest in some quality clothes.  You will find that fit and style last longer when you buy with quality in mind.  Keeping a few of those pieces in classic styles means your wardrobe will last from season to season.  Then it's easier to add less expensive trendy pieces and accessories.

I always say it's about feeling comfortable about your style that make your confidence show through!

I received a gift card to try some Lane Bryant looks for comfortable conference wear.  Thank you!

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RecentlyI had the pleasure and I DO mean the pleasure, of reviewing a pair of Marc Allison jeans.  I agreed to review the jeans because a) I loooove jeans and b) there was talk of revolutionary 4-way stretch involved. I had to see what was so revolutionary about it!  Plus, this fabric is also infused with Supima cotton – I was more than intrigued.

I got the Skinny style to review.  They arrived just before I left for BlissDom, so I threw them in my suitcase and decided to try them out there.  Nothing like wearing skinny jeans for the first time in front of 500 of your peers to test them out!

I am happy to say I *love* these jeans.  They are so comfortable!  I did not believe a skinny jean could be so comfy. I honestly felt like I was wearing comfy leggings all day.  The style is totally rockin', too.  The fabric, wash, and stitching were all extremely high-quality.  Here's how I wore them:

Marc Allison jeans were even worn by actress Julie Benz on an episode of Desperate Housewives, so they've totally gone Hollywood!  These jeans are available at select Theory stores.  If you're looking for a great investment pair of jeans to really flatter your body, these are it. There are many different styles available including bootcut, bell, and straight leg, and lots of gorgeous washes.  Check them out at their website or Facebook page, and follow them on twitter @MarcAllisonJean.

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Doing my friend Angie's makeup for her wedding day.  Captured by her photographer, Luke Eshelman Photography.  If you are looking for a great photographer in the Washington, DC area, he's your guy!

At BlissDom last weekend, I also got to make up my roommates, my co-blogger Emily and my good friend Cortney.  Mary Kay generously sent Emily and I makeup to wear at BlissDom and I had a great time using it to play up Emily's and Cortney's beautiful features, in addition to creating my own makeup looks.  Here's how our faces turned out!

Cortney is one of my best friends in "real life" and I see her usually at least once a week. I have been dying to get my makeup brushed on her beautiful face for awhile because I am weird like that! I started with Mary Kay concealer and mineral powder foundation in Ivory 2.  I used a lovely neutral pinky-beige blush, called Shy Blush on her cheeks, and just above that applied some mineral highlighting powder in Pink Stardust to add some shimmer.  Since we were doing a night time look, I went a little darker with her eyes.  I applied Mary Kay mineral eye color in the light shimmery cream color, Crystalline on her browbone and lid to highlight, then I used the gray-brown Granite in the crease of her eye to add depth.  For a little extra drama, I added Espresso a dark brown-gray in a "V" on her lashline and the outer edge of her crease.  Then I blend, blend, blended it all together.  Finally, I used Mary Kay lip liner in neutral (my favorite!) to line and fill in her lips, then topped that off with Frosted Rose lipstick and a little Nourishine lip gloss in Pink Diamonds in the center of her top and bottom lip.

Emily let me do her makeup this past summer at BlogHer, so I was pleased she let me give it another go!  For her look, I also used Mary Kay concealer and mineral powder foundation in Ivory 2.  Her blush is another one of my favorites, Sunny Spice.  It's a great color!  I also used mineral highlighting powder on her brow bone.  Emily had on a gorgeous blue dress and she has gorgeous blue eyes so I wanted to bring them out.  I used Crystalline mineral eye color on her browbone and lid to highlight, then used a rich, shimmery dark brown called Chocolate Kiss in the crease.  To really make her eyes pop, I used Mary Kay eyeliner in navy.  She wore Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara in deep brown to complete her eye makeup.  On her lips, I used two of my favorites, neutral lip liner with Mocha Freeze lipstick, and applied a dab of Cream & Sugar lip gloss to finish off her glamorous look.

Of course, I also did my own face.  And of course, since I am a makeup junkie, I used more product on myself that I did anyone else!  Here's a couple of shots of the colorful makeup look I did for Friday during the day.

I used Mary Kay concealer and mineral powder foundation in Ivory 1.  For my cheeks, I used a lighter, shimmery shade called Sparkling Cider.  I used mineral highligher in Pink Stardust above my cheekbones, and mineral bronzer in Desert Sands just below my blush to create some facial contour.  On my eyes, I highlighted my lid and browbone with Crystalline, then used Raisin in the crease of my eye.  To add some more drama, I used Navy Blue eye color and made a "V" in the outer part of my crease and my lashline.  I topped it off with navy eyeliner and deep brown Ultimate mascara.  For my lips, it was neutral liner, Frosted Rose lipstick, and Fancy Nancy lip gloss.  I wanted to go a little more subtle with the lip color and blush with this look because there was so much color on my eyes.

So there you have it!  All of these makeup looks would be great for YOU to try!  Thanks again to Mary Kay for helping us bring beauty to BlissDom!

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A couple of weeks before BlissDom, my blogging friend Cherie, the Queen of Free, won a ticket to the conference from Inexpensively.  She was *so* excited!  BUT her win immediately caused her to have a bit of a fashion panic.  Cherie stays at home with her girls, and like so many of us, doesn't have tons of occasions to dress up, and her wardrobe reflected that. So, she did the right thing – came to ME for help.   Cherie asked if I could pick out some outfits for her but do it on a dime – she is a frugal blogger after all!

Cherie and I actually went to college together but I hadn't seen her in over 10 years – so after checking out some photos of her to see if her body type was the same as I remembered, and asking her a few questions about her style, I went to work picking out some outfits.  Cherie likes comfy clothes – simple but fashionable. My first thought was to see what reasonably-priced outfits I could find her at Lands' End.  I LOVE Lands' End and I knew their fashions would keep Cherie comfortable during the conference as well as stylish! I picked out a few things on their website that I thought would work well for her body type, then I got Cherie's input and approval – THEN – I emailed the folks at Lands' End to see if they'd be willing to be Cherie's wardrobe sponsor for BlissDom, and they generously said YES!  So here is how Cherie rocked her Lands' End style at BlissDom:

The Lands' End layering tees are the BEST  – so soft, great quality, great fit, and so many colors! I knew this sapphire blue scoop neck tee would look great with Cherie's red hair, and it was gorgeous!  She wore a white layering tank underneath, these super-comfy boot-cut chinos in spice brown, and adorable patterned flats.  A great look for day 1 of the conference!

One of the questions I asked Cherie when I was giving her fashion advice was, "Do you have a nice pair of dark wash jeans?" The answer was NO – and I was all "That is a MUST-HAVE!" Dark wash jeans are great for an event like BlissDom, because they are dressy, comfortable, and casual all at the same time! Here's Cherie in her Day 2 outfit in the Lands' End Ultra Fit jeans that are a great addition to ANYONE'S wardrobe (I have a couple pair myself!!)

Rounding out this look – a beautiful fine gauge V-neck sweater, layering tee in fern green and matching scarf.  (The scarf is now sold out – sorry!) It is no secret that I looooove scarves, and this one totally dressed up the outfit and coordinated with the layering tee. Cherie looked so put together!

Finally, Cherie needed a great dress for cocktail hour and the Harry Connick, Jr. performance on Friday night.  Knowing Cherie's figure, I knew she'd look great in a wrap dress.  Lands' End has some of the prettiest dresses (I was also wearing a Lands' End dress that night!) and I thought Cherie looked gorgeous in this one:

It fit her figure perfectly, hugging her curves at the top and flowing beautifully from there.  I thought she was glowing!

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Ok, I am a little biased on this one – these are my GIRLS here. But don't they look amazing!?  Cortney, Andrea, Emily and Katie all looked fabulous all weekend.  Cortney's ruffled top, Andrea's distressed jeans, Emily's blazin' blue dress, and Katie's pin-up Lolita Girl frock all made a huge fashion statement!

Of course there were ALL manner of gorgeous shoes at BlissDom.  Boots, flats, heels – everything you can imagine!  I loooved Alli's (aka Mrs. Blissfully Domestic's) red boots:

And here are Amy's much-talked about heels, my pointy black boots, and Steph's cute pink flats:

My favorite cocktail-party attire was worn by the beautiful Robin, who rocked this vintage princess dress:

She was, for sure, the belle of the ball!

And finally – accessories!  There were many fabulous accessories at BlissDom, but my favorite by far was this bedazzled cane, belonging to the ever-sparkly Tanis, who just had back surgery.  Because if you're gonna have to use a cane, the cane had better be PRETTY, darnit!

Who did you think was the best dressed at BlissDom??

_____________________

Photo credits: Jenny Rapson (1), Mishelle Lane (2-4), Heather Durdil (5)

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It was extremely comfortable and extremely SLIMMING!  I adore it!

I wore this pink interlock dress on Thursday night for the opening cocktail party.  I forgot to be vain enough to have someone take a full-length photo, but you get the idea.  The dress fit GREAT, was soooo comfortable and cute!  I felt wonderful in it

Friday during the day I wore my favorite outfit of the weekend, Shade's striped tee underneath their one-button blazer. I loved the way the blazer was so fitted! I paired these items with my slim-leg jeans from Lands' End and a pair of tall black boots.

Saturday I wore Shade also, the pintuck bow top over a 3/4 length sleeve Shade tee. This top worked great with my oh-so-fabulous skinny jeans from Marc Allison and flats. I loooove the purple color too!

Finally, Saturday night (once again I forgot to have someone take a full-length pic! Oops!) I wore this black ruffle top, which I adore, it fit SO well, and the peacock color straight skirt. It was a beautiful combo!! (And doesn't my friend and roomie Cortney look awesome in her silk peacock top from Banana Republic? We totally matched!)

I also got to check out some of Shade's newest items right before I left for BlissDom!  They have some new lounge/workout clothes that are amazing! This funnel-neck zip top is sooo cute and casual:

As are these adorable lounge shorts! Love the twist on something comfy you can just hang out in with a little flair!

To celebrate these new fashion arrivals and my Shade BlissDom wardrobe, I've got a $25 Shade gift card to give away to one lucky reader!  Here's how to enter:

1) Go to Shade's website & pick out your favorite item.  Then come back here and leave me a comment telling me what it is!

2) Follow @shadeclothing on twitter and tweet a link to this giveaway.  Be sure to include @shadeclothing in your tweet!  Then leave me a comment with your tweet URL.

One winner will be chosen by random.org on Saturday, February 13th!  Good luck, and thanks so much to Shade Clothing!

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My beautiful stylist, Katie, is the mom of a little baby boy and she was so sweet!  She did a great job blowing out and flat ironing my hair.  I LOVE this style!!

Then, it was on to a luscious, relaxing, Chocolate-Cherry Pedicure!! (Girls, tell your hubbies this would make a GREAT Valentine's Day gift!)

Did I mention they have heated massage chairs during the pedi?  Soooooooo awesome!  Then, it was on to a wonderful and beautiful manicure, and a Jane Iredale makeup application.

All of this left Emily and I totally blissed out, relaxed, prettied up, and ready for our big weekend.  And? It was FUN!

If you live in the Dayton area, I cannot recommend Michael's enough!  They were also nice enough to give us a $5 off coupon to share with you all. You can click on the coupon to print it.  Just bring it in when you come into Michael's for your appointment!  Or leave it on your hubby's pillow to give him a hint for your Valentine's Day gift!

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Last week I showed you on video how to do a neutral makeup look. So today we'll talk about getting a makeup look with a punch of COLOR for those who are more brave, want to try something different, or stand out in the crowd. The audio on my webcam wasn't working today, so we're gonna have to go with photos.   Here's how to get this look!

1) Apply Mary Kay concealer and then Mineral Powder Foundation.

2) Apply Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color in Shy Blush onto cheeks and blend backward.  Shy Blush is a great neutral pink-beige matte color.  I suggest leaving your cheeks neutral and concentrating on eyes or lips for color.

3) Eyes!  You can just use two eye colors, or use a third to bump up your look for night-time. My basic colors for this look are Crystalline on the eyelid and brow bone, and Raisin (a nice plummy color) in the crease.

Blend those together and stop there for daytime.  For an evening look, I added an accent color, Navy Blue, to the outside of the eye, making a "V" on the lash line and the crease, and then blending like crazy!

I also used Mary Kay eyeliner in Navy Blue.  A Navy eyeliner is a GREAT way to make your eyes stand out! I finished off my eyes with Ultimate Mascara in Black-Brown.

4) Lips – I used Mary Kay lipliner in Raspberry.  This is a great dark-but-bright pink, perfect for adding a real pop of color to your lips!  Line your lips all the way around and fill them all the way in! This helps your lipstick stay on longer and look more uniform.  I topped the liner off with a great metal neutral – Frosted Rose, then added some shine with Nourishine Lip Gloss in Pink Diamonds.

5) Highlight & Contour – to really take my look up a notch, I added Mary Kay Mineral Highlighting powder in Pink Stardust right above my blush, on my nose, and forehead.  You apply it with a brush just like blush, and it gives you a glow and reflects light – helps camouflage any areas where you have darkness or shadows, too! I am *addicted* to it.  Then, to add contour to my cheekbones, I brushed on a tiny bit of Mary Kay Mineral bronzer in Desert Sun just below my blush. (I must also say this bronzer is great for all over your face! Especially if you don't have time to do your makeup but want to do something before you run out the door!)

So there you go!  A colorful makeup look you can take from day to evening!  Thanks to Mary Kay for providing me with some great products to take to BlissDom.  Can't wait to see all of you pretty faces in Nashville!

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