Jammie Time!

I am pretty sure it goes something like this: wake up, scrutinize over your wardrobe for a milla-second, put on the most pulled together look you can muster, roll to work where you are inevitably complimented on some portion of your outfit (dress, skirt, shoes, jewelry etc) then go home and immediately change into your jammies (or some variation therein).

For the longest time I thought this practice was something that only existed in the all-female Muse household growing up. I'd watch shows like Lipstick Jungle and think no way Lindsay Price's character wears that around the house! But my secret fear was that she DID and I was the strange one. I can remember Mother Muse changing into some pretty choice jammie attire after school and the saddest truth was that Papa Muse kind of forgot what Mother Muse looked like in real clothes. Needless to say, the apple doesn't not fall far from the tree and these habits are deep seeded in me, and I had to know -- Does everyone have Jammie Time?

I began taking a sort of subtle poll of my friends and was beyond happy to find out that YES!!! everyone does Jammie Time!!! As if some release from the confines of your day, people change into sweatpants, jammies, yoga pants, brief cotton underwear...you name it! No wonder this is such a huge market for "loungewear". If you are looking for some cute loungewear check out lululemon and Target as nice alternatives to the Juicy Couture that swept the nation a few years ago!

Any Jammie habits or theories on Jammie time? Let the Muse know!

Who Needs Kitson!

As most everyone knows by this point -- celebrities and movies have taken over Boston! And of course, the Muse couldn't be happier! We have an influx of the best actors from Leonardo DiCaprio to Jennifer Garner. So it is no doubt that local shopkeepers are relishing the glamour stops these stars are making to our restaurants and boutiques.

As one comment mentioned our very own Crush Boutique made it into the rags as celebrities have been bopping-in including Miss Anne Hathaway! It is so nice to see Boston catching up with other cities in the fashion dept! And Crush is a great boutique aside from carrying trendy items, they know what looks good on their customers and are invested in making sure you look good for the BNO (big night out). I also think it is one of the least pretentious boutiques around.

It looks like soon enough it will be Robertson who? Baby's got a new boyfriend in town and his name is Charles ;)

Happy Earth Day

As you know, today is Earth Day!! And lucky for us it looks like we're getting better at recognizing the environment on a daily basis from the food we eat and the cars we drive.

For all you 'scuppies' (socially conscious and upwardly mobile) out there, today's Muse is for you!! With so many studies and the inundation of information -- use Nalgene, never mind the plastic is bad or the squiggle light-bulbs but watch out for the mercury!! -- It is tough to keep up!

But there is definitely something I can get behind -- eco-fashion! And there are several ways to partake. For example: if you shop from April 22-27 at Banana Republic 1% of sales go to Greener Cities. And BR has several initiatives in the queue to produce more eco-friendly lines.

Or try one of my favorite stores in NYC Te Casan which just launched a line of vegan shoes by Natalie Portman (and they're really cute, not just another celeb line).

I'm thrilled to try the new line of hair care products by Kate Hudson!

And for more ideas check out USA Today which had a great story today on Green Chic.

Add a Green Martini in eco-friendly glass (if that exists) and call me a Scuppy!!

While on the Subject of Men's Style

So I'm loving all the response from the men's style post! And it looks like it is on more than just the Style Muse's mind...Boston Globe online did a great piece, aptly named "Oh, no he didn't!".

How could I have missed my favorite faux pas of the pleated Khaki -- I can't tell you how many heated conversations I've had with guys about that one...and no, I don't care how much extra room they give you...

So needless to say there will be much more to come on Men's style!!! In the meantime I'm headed down-south for vacation...Hopefully my trip will be filled with inspiration!

[in honor of Gossip Girl's return] XOXO

All Things White

As the weather turns from what should be spring to full-on summer...my mind is on all things white!

This immediately makes me think of the never-ending question of “Can you wear white before memorial day or after labor-day??"

Regardless of what stylists have been saying, I was a strict supporter of the rule, must be the Puritan in me. But this year I've tossed my own rules to the wayside, because style is about marching to the beat of your own drummer (most of the time).

For those of you who thrive on rules and this still leaves you a bit befuddled -- my own drummer what? -- I'd stick to this: White can be worn year-round as long as you adhere to the appropriate fabric for the season -- like wool for winter, linen/cotton for summer and denim which is my idea of the 3-season suit. That said, try to use common sense, like, bright white top and bottom doesn't really work in early spring (I've tried it trust me) and in winter cooler "winter whites" seem to work best.

So what happens if you make a misstep with White? Nothing. As long as you bring a good dose of self-confidence you'll be fine.

Neiman Marcus for Up and Comers: CUSP

This is interesting...

Just came across Neiman Marcus' newest venture, CUSP.

They say, "the stores are designed for the current, hip affluent woman with a strong interest in fashion and trends. A highly edited selection of contemporary apparel, shoes, handbags, accessories and beauty is presented in a modern environment. Personal stylists service the customer by helping them select either the season "must have" accessory or an entire wardrobe."

Only a few stores are open now, but you can shop online and orders over $150 are free shipping.

For all the DC and LA muses (where they have shops now) have you been, thoughts?

Men's Style Part One

It has come to my attention that I need to devote more time and effort to men's fashion. I'll admit I find this task pretty daunting, where to start!!!

As I've said before, whether we like it or not style is how we present ourselves to the world. I've needed to remind myself of this on more bleary-eyed days than I can count. So I'm always a little bit in awe when I see a dapper-dressed man. Sure we see men that aren't afraid to be stylish in the media -- the era of grunge and hip-hop has given way to a slew of men that want to look good, just look at Justin Timberlake and Tom Brady. A tremendous example of the grown-up look was NKOTB (New Kids on the Block) on the Today show dressed in fashionable suits, quite the change from when they first came on the scene.

BUT what about the REAL world? In most cases this hasn't caught on to the masses quite yet! That being said, at my office we have the Scottish Style Invasion! As we all know, European men have never been afraid to show their style -- and I love it! Always work-appropriate but polished and fun at the same time, I think all men can take a page out of this book.

My hope is to get real men to share their secrets in the near future, but today It is just me! So here are a few things I think most women want to see...

Clothes that fit! Too big or Too small are Too much...

Just say NO to uber-designer jeans. We still want you to look like a man, Go Levis or even Diesel but leave the Sevens to the ladies...

But indulge in Luxe fabric...Let's face it, you're wardrobe is smaller and you most likely rotate more frequently, so invest in the coziest Cashmere and best qualities...

Aviators are just HOT...

Mix dressy and casual -- Jeans with tie and vest...

This may seem obvious, but no tank-tops ever...

And while we're at it, save the sweats for home...

Ladies what am I missing???? Would love to hear comments on this! There is oh-so-much more on this subject so To Be Continued...

Spring Clean Your Wardrobe

I've never been the most organized person. Add to that the number of items in my closet and lack of decision capabilities and my closet has been known to scare away friends and family. And I've tried, really I've tried to be clean the same way I try to be on time, and it just never seemed to work. Happily both of these things are changing with the help of SisterMuse2. After many reluctant attempts, I finally allowed her to go Oprah my ass! It was not pretty. Even when you think you've sent as many bags as humanly possible to the Salvation Army, I promise there is still more that will be ripped away.

It took a full weekend to get into working order, there were tears that led to therapeutic moments on the couch "what's wrong?" I was overwhelmed. All the disrespect I'd been showing my clothes was being thrown in front of my face -- and I've learned to never go back. As I enter another season it will be easier than ever to change over my wardrobe (something I'd never done before). Here are some of the difficult to learn things I've found the most useful -- And I hope that there is at least one person that can benefit from me showing my extreme naivete at clothes-caring.

1. Get the vacuum-sealed bags to put the majority of out-of-season clothes away. I never really understood the point of this, but having more room in your closet allows for easier access. I do tend to leave out a few items so that only colder evenings I can add in something unexpected like a turtleneck with shorts!

2. No matter how limited your storage space is, do not use the top shelf for stacked clothing. While obvious, it never really dawned on me how to solve the problem of the entire stack falling onto the ground. It is simple, find another place. Use the top shelf for clutches, headbands and other accessories.

3. And because I can't say it better myself look at this In Style article for tips on how to edit and rebuild your closet. It should be a fun experience, like shopping in your favorite boutique!

4. I cannot remember where I read this last tip (maybe Real Simple?), but I love it! Pull out 8 basic pieces, then 8 trendy pieces lay them out and mix/match outfits complete with jewelry, shoes etc. Here is the clincher -- snap photos of the outfits for easy reference when you are getting dressed.

Look fab in a flash!

Fabulous Finds for Skin

Call it the arrogance of the young, but like many things in my life, I'm just starting to get it. This also applies to the things I already knew like sunscreen, I am pretty sure I started taking that seriously when I turned 20; daily moisturizer with SPF when I turned 23. Now that I'm about to slam into 28, I've finally begun to understand the importance of a full skin care regime and have to wonder how much damage I've already done?

A few weeks ago I was at Trish McEvoy getting some new make-up. While I understand they try and peddle every serum under the sun, I knew she meant business after seeing her reaction after she asked if I used an eye cream (it reminded me of Mother Muse back in the day when I was frequently reminded that I "couldn't trick a tricker.") So I had to admit that my emphatic "yes" was more like occasionally dousing a little eye cream when I remember.

This woman was clearly seeing the bigger picture -- I wasn't getting it. So when she sent me on my way with a tote full of trial size products I became obsessed. When I'm looking through the magazines I actually read the skin care articles now and have found some great products for those of us that are just graduating into the "frig, I'm getting older" or "you want how much for an ounce?" groups of women (and men).

As a newbie the following are the most important additions to your skin care regimen -- eye cream, at-home peels, and moisturizer with SPF. With so many options it can be really easy to say the most expensive must be the best, but often that is not the case and is purely marketing.

For eye cream look for products that have collagen boosters like retinol, antioxidants like Vitamin C and peptides. The entire Muse family has been turned onto Dr. Wexler 3 in 1 eye cream as well as all her other products.

At-home peels and microdermabrasion, they sound a lot scarier than they actually are -- I hear it and think of Samantha in SATC, follow the directions and you won't notice a thing. Try Ole Henriksen, Murad or RoC from your local drugstore.

As for moisturizer -- I think this is a totally personal experience...Sister Muse1 likes La Mer but I'm allergic. I like L'Oreal Future E because it is light and easy on the wallet. In fact I like L'Oreal's products in general because they have the same owners and often use the same ingredients as Kiehl's and Lancome.

Oh and give it a few months, because if you are like me, there are years of damage control going down!

Transitional Clothing

I woke up this morning and went about my business getting ready when the most terrible thing happened! I opened my window to see snow gathering on my deck. It took my eyes a few moments to take in the scene because I dismissed winter at least two weeks ago and the first day of spring is tomorrow!!! HELLO, its EASTER!

This happens every year, I stubbornly decide its spring and Mother Nature laughs in my face. I put my frumpy puffer away in favor of a lighter suede trench only to freeze and catch a cold.

What's a muse to do???

Well coats and closed-toe shoes are still a necessity, but there are steps we can take to let Mother Nature know who's boss!

First, lose the dark nails, at least for a while. It is so LC (Lauren Conrad) anyway. Opt for a bright fun shade or neutral for those less daring.

Take baby steps towards letting go of some of the black that's been dominating your wardrobe by shifting to something gray then spice it up with a punch of color like a yellow cardigan or belt.

Probably the easiest way to achieve transition is with a scarf which will completely add life to a basic outfit. Old Navy has some great gauzy scarves (see above) that can be casually strewn on, looped, or put into a 1/2 knot. Or try out the new Boho trend with this great Forever 21 tie-dye scarf -- cheap and easy so when it is SO out next season you won't feel bad discarding.

Start small with accessories, jewelry and make-up and let the weather catch-up to you!