Baby It's Cold Outside!

Growing up in "Minne-snow-ta" has given me an appreciation for all four seasons.  I must admit I am an "embrace and celebrate the season kinda girl".  Fall and winter are my favorite seasons when it comes to style because you can truly "Pile on the Style".  Lots of layers works for every woman and every shape!  Now that I live in Colorado, I can experience four seasons in one day! Layering is the key.  My favorite staple is a long sleeve cotton shirt. From there add a stylish vest, scarf, skirt, leggings, boots and a leather coat!  You are good to go for a long day on the run, either inside or out!

Pictured above is my dress shop BLOOM in The Village Merchants, Monument, CO.

Featuring my pick of the week...A Guess, European, Camel colored, Wool, Trench Coat.  

Simply Timeless!

                                    Grand Opening of Bloom Dress and Accessory Shop

Who knew opening a dress shop could be this much fun!  I was born for this new venture.  Over the years I have had women ask me if they could come shop in my closet or ask where and what are my favorite stores.  I would tell them: "I am no respecter of stores or name brands, I shop everywhere!"  It has been exciting to bring my style to you!
Just 2 weeks ago I opened my dress and accessory shop in Monument CO.  It is located in  The Village Merchants Store, 155 Jefferson St.  (The historic original Catholic Church, filled with lots of character and charm.) Pearl, our 1948 Chevy Truck, sits outside beckoning you to come on in.  The store is adorned with 15 boutique shops that showcase a variety of goods from boots, bath, wedding, furniture and the newest addition....Bloom Dress and Accessory Shop.  I promise you won't be disappointed. Almost everything in the shop is under $50.  One client told me this is "Affordable Athropologie" Style.

Stop in and check it out. M-Sat. 10-6.  See you there!

A Girl Needs A Little Fresh Inspiration Now and Then!

How often do we take the time to gather as women and share our personal interests and inspirations for style over brunch?  Whether you are the fashion savvy or the fashion needy, that's exactly what we did at our recent Freshen Your Fashion Workshop.  We crowded around the table with scissors, magazines and catalogs in hand to create our new inspiration boards for fall and winter.  Knowing what we already had in our closets, we combed over the pages for what would be good complements to add to it this season.  Then we went into my closet and, using my board, we were inspired to put new combinations of outfits together.  I love using my inspiration board to take the panic out of that old familiar feeling of desperation every morning:

 "What am I going to wear today"? 

Each woman brought a few favorites from her closet and talked about how she would wear each particular piece. Soon we were encouraging each other to wear our things in new ways .  Each beautiful woman was growing in her confidence to step out of her "clothing comfort zone" and into the possibilities of new fashion trends and techniques! 

Later that morning we took a field trip to a client of Bloom's closet that lives close by.  It was great to see what components made up ShawNa's wardrobe. She had organized it to accommodate great layering techniques:  long tunics, short sweaters or jackets, leggings/skinny jeans, skirts, boots, scarfs, and jewelry.  A lot of diversity, creating a lot of interest! 

The "cherry on top" for me was giving the women one last exercise, by having them create an outfit from ShawNa's closet that reflected their own style...imagine that! Each woman did an amazing job.  Not only did they assemble great outfits, but completed them with shoes and jewelry to match! I believe that every woman left with the confidence to return to her own closet and "Freshen her Fashion"

VOILA!!

       

                         

Cruising with Contrast

I recently met with Cindy, a beautiful woman both inside and out.  She is preparing for the vacation of a lifetime.  A 28 day cruise around the Hawaiian Islands including the exotic destination of Bora Bora. Cindy is a counselor by day and has an adventurer's heart for vacation...and she was ready to cruise!  

A scarf tied in the back for a shrug like feel.

As we quickly started to put outfits together, Cindy saw possibilities she had never seen before. Her wardrobe had the best structure I had ever seen, including a variety of colors, classic pieces and assorted fabrics. Every piece was bought with intention.  She had a theme in her color choices of Black, White, Taupe, Green and Blue.

We started building her wardrobe with a foundational piece, like pants, then paired them with many options of complementary tops.Cindy also mentioned she wanted to be prepared for the ships air conditioning or late night ocean breeze, and would like a little something for over her shoulders. By adding a contrasting 3rd layer it gave the outfit more interest. For example, if the pants were cream, with a taupe top we added a black shrug for more interest and contrast!  Soon we were calling it 3D dressing, referring to a third pop of color in her outfit. Just that little bit of whimsy and the unpredictable.  There is no doubt that Cindy will be one of the best dressed women on the cruise because of her strong clothing choices and playful combinations.

This is such a fun time in fashion!  So much freedom to be creative and express yourself in layers, contrast and color! As you're preparing for the holidays or a special time away, I would love to help inspire you to look and feel your best. 

6 New Trends for the Working Woman this Fall

I often meet women who like new fashion trends and want to update and incorporate them in their wardrobe. The problem is they are not completely confident they can wear them.  They may think they are not young enough, thin enough or even tall enough.  I encourage women to celebrate who they are today, start small and gain confidence. Instead of buying a dress in animal print, consider a belt, scarf or shoe in their favorite color of that print.  Also, I suggest that my clients concentrate on implementing one or two new colors into their wardrobe for the upcoming season.  For example, bold colors are a playful twist on the usual warm fall colors.  Pair a hot pink blouse and possibly a hot pink animal print purse with your standby classic pant or skirt.  Building a "closet of classics", then adding new colors, will give you more possibilities and updated trends.  Go ahead and jump into this fall with confidence!

1.  Houndstooth, Plaid or Tweed

2.  Boots

3.  Animal Prints

4.  Bold Colors

5. Classic Black and White

6. Blazers

It's Back 

Freshen Your Fashion Workshop!

By Popular Demand

This workshop consists of 3 sessions.  We start with appetizers and finish with desserts 

and have a whole lot of fun, inspiration and instruction in between!

Grab a Girlfriend and Join Us.

$10 off if you bring a friend.

Call the Village Merchants in Monument to reserve your spot

375-5438

Dates are Aug. 15, 22 and 29

6:30-8:30 pm

Cost is $75

Freshen Your Fashion Workshop

Bloom A Fresh You recently held a fun and interactive 3 session Workshop called Freshen Your Fashion.  Every week women personalized their wardrobe by adding new fashion inspirations, implementing practical organizing tips not only for their clothes but accessories too, and adding accessories to their outfits, to take their look to a new level...called "Pile on the Style".  

The last week each woman brought one of her favorite accessories from her closet then we went into my closet and made a completely new outfit, using new trends and ideas!  One woman commented: "We used to play in our friends closets when we were little, why did we stop"!  What fun we had as we encouraged each other to look their best!