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Ameleah asked:
Hello! I love your blog and when I saw that you were open to reader questions I jumped at the chance. I have a question about how to balance my desire to stay current when my body type doesn't lend itself well to the current trends. I am very much a "pear" shape. Small on top with a long torso and larger on the bottom with very very short legs. It is hard to find jeans that fit me at all. After lots of searching I finally found joes provocateur jeans. They are short in length and fit my curvy figure well, but lately when I pull them on I feel outdated. It seems like everywhere I look I see skinny jeans! I was fine with ignoring the trend last year and honestly thought it would pass rather quickly, but now it appears that skinny jeans are here to stay for awhile. My problem is that skinny jeans look terrible on me! Do you have any suggestions for updating my look that would work with my body type so that I don't look like I'm stuck in the past?
Thanks so much for your help with my dilemma!
Dear Ameleah,
Thanks for your question... it's a valid one that a lot of other readers have! I have two suggestions for you... the first is applicable to all readers that have "issues" with their body type or shape. Instead of focusing on the parts of your body that you don't like... play to the ones that you do! If necessary, make a mental list and remind yourself of them often. You may have a very small waist (not hips, waist!) or gorgeous neckline or shoulders. Accentuate these whenever possible and learn to love the other parts just as they are. The second suggestion is also one I will make for many other readers that always say "skinny jeans aren't for me". It is true that they may not be, but there are a lot of styles that fall between the skinny jean and a flare leg jean. Try a straight leg jean or a very slight boot leg to keep current with the trends while still honoring your body type. And ALWAYS check the tag in the jean for styles that have some stretch in them - this helps a ton.
Lastly, whenever you are trying to make the mental shift for a new trend (i.e. the mental hurdle of whether skinny jeans look good on you or not, may be harder than actually wearing them!) bring a friend along with you to try jeans on. Try styles you wouldn't usually try and keep a fresh and positive attitude! Thanks for your question!
Next up, Kristin asks:
Hi Jill,
I am in need of a pair of shoes to walk to work in. I walk a mile to and from work and right now I'm wearing my sneakers which look so sloppy. I work in an office that has a business casual dress code so I have on dress pants everyday. I really need something comfortable and cute. Any suggestions?
This is a tough one... but let me say right off the bat, I am not opposed to a shoe "change out" once you get to the office. I used to do it all the time with flip flops and Uggs (depending on the season) when I worked. I would just carry my heels in my purse or bag and then put them on when I got to the office after walking from the parking garage. This would work well at lunch for fetching sandwiches or getting a little fresh air. But if you don't like that look, I totally don't blame you either!
There are a lot of shoe companies that pride themselves on comfort and style. The one hiccup in this is that with extreme quality, comes a higher price. So these types of shoes, while offering you a lot of style and comfort, will also set you back a bit. An investment in the true sense of the word. I like the following brands... Sofft, Cole Haan (Air) and Dr. Scholl's.
(from left to right: Sofft Croco-Embossed Pumps, $79.99, Cole Haan Open Toed Genevieve Pump, $215.00, Dr. Scholl's Graduate Ballet Flat, $69.95)
MyLyn asks:
Hello there! I desperately need your help! With swimsuit season coming up I feel like I have NO options. I had a beautiful baby boy last April but unfortunately the 8 lb chunker took a HUGE toll on my petite frame. I fit in all my previous clothing but I have stretch marks EVERYWHERE. I've tried on some tankinis with the short bottoms and they just don't cover enough. Do you have any suggestions other than a tankini and board shorts? I could really use your help! Thanks in advance!
Dear MyLyn,
Unfortunately we can't swim fully clothed, bummer, huh? There is good news and bad news about stretch marks... I'll start with the bad news (that you probably already know)... stretch marks seem to be a hereditary thing, so often times there is no avoiding them with child bearing. But the good news is that very slowly over time they will recede a bit. You are only about 9 months out... so keep in mind, they will fade a bit. After both of my kids I had some nasty ones on my back and chest (uggghh!) and now I can hardly see them. Before the super warm months hit, I would recommend a Vitamin E regiment on them to help with healing. I am no skin expert, but I have taken Vitamin E capsules, poked a hole with a needle in them and squeezed out the oil directly on scars and have had good outcomes with that (for a scar from stitches on my face - broken nose - and on my scar from two c-sections - double uggghhh!). Then I would recommend a very modest swimsuit like the ones below.
(from left to right: Shirred Retro Swimsuit, Speigel $49, 2 Bamboo Swimsuit, Macy's $60, Shirred One Piece, Talbots $79)
Thank you for all of your emails! If you have asked a question and haven't heard back yet... I WILL answer! Email your questions to goodlifeforless @ gmail.com!
