Game Day Fashion

How can a girl not just LOVE football season?! Even if you care nothing for the sport, the sport of tailgating is fun enough. Being outside, seeing new and old friends, the common bond of rooting for the good guys and, my personal favorite, finding the perfect outfit for showcasing your team's colors.

Now, I know it's more of a confusing southern thing to those outsiders as to why girls and guys get all dressed up for football games - but as I explained to a Yankee transplant recently, a lot of people round these parts consider college football a religion, and like church, we like to get all dolled up for the festivities.

But, for those who still dread each Saturday with a certain fear of the unknown, here's some great options from Labels for the first few hot day games, cooling off into night:

I'm sure you're saying to yourself, yep - easy peasy if you're team's got black as a color, right? But, not to worry I found some great options for those of you with a "brighter" hue that you'll want to wear everyday, not just Saturdays:

Ladylike looks for Lulu

Fall Trends 2010

Let’s talk about fall. I love the new styles…did I say love? I mean LOVE! Here’s a rundown of my top picks for fall:

Fifties Inspires:
Hello Mrs. Cleaver…the fifties are back. I love this full skirt paired with a wide waist accentuating belt like this one. If you are daring, pair a fifties style skirt with a sexy bustier for a night on the town. Whatever you choose, show off your hour glass figure to make a great fall fashion statement.

Fur and Feathers:

What can make you feel more feminine than a touch of fur? Faux or real, fur is high profile this fall. Since I received my first fur jacket at age 8, I have been obsessed with fur. I’d be neglectful if I didn’t mention feathers too. But caution…do not wear fur and feathers together. Mother nature doesn’t…nor should you.

Gold:
Gold is HUGE this fall. Find a touch of metallic and go with it. Whether it’s a metallic design on a jacket or a full gold skirt, feel rich with this glam inspired trend.

Clean Chic:
How about the clean chic look of tailored suits like this one by Calvin Klein. This is especially great for me since I have to wear a suit everyday. Often I feel stuffy and buttoned up…but this fall, I am going to look like I just strutted off of the pages of Vogue. I have my eye on this ultra feminine suit by Sara Campbell…this will certainly make a statement in the board room.

Tone on Tone:
Matchy, Matchy. Tone on tone. No you are not dreaming. I never thought I’d see this trend make a come back but hello dolly…here it is. This trend is sure to make getting dressed in the morning rush a bit easier. I like this cute xyz top paired with these insert color pants. Finish off the look with a similar tone purse. And ladies remember…the right pair of slacks can be so feminine when paired with the right top and of course fab accessories!

Long is back:
And one more GREAT fall trend to round out the list…LONG…everything is long. Pack away your mini skirts and daisy dukes. Trade them in for long pants with a long jacket like this one by insert designer. The runway designers are pairing these looks with kitten heels and flats…but I tend to need the extra height given by a good pair of heels like these black pumps by Jimmy Choos. I think I’ll pass on the flats…but if you are into flats, here is a really cute pair by Cochini….

I couldn’t have created a better fall line-up even if I were a trendsetter in Milan. The fall fashions are so great for this working girl. I’m just going to pretend it’s not 90 degrees and push through to try out some of the new fall trends now.

Cheers fashionistas!
Lou Lou

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A little something for now and later!

A little something for now and later!

Shop til ya drop. Did I mention shopping? And with a little break from Uncle Sam, why wouldn’t you head out to do a little damage. That’s right girls Tax Free shopping this weekend. So what if you’re not heading back to school. We all deserve a little break every now and then.

Fall is fast approaching…but it’s not here quite yet so I have developed some strategies to bring a little perk to your wardrobe NOW and LATER.

NOW- How about this cute jersey dress. Cool enough for the 90 degree days and flat sandals.
LATER- Pair this dress with a cute cardigan, throw on some tights and don’t forget a pair of cute little ankle boots.

NOW-This Marc Jacobs top looks great paired with a fresh khacki pleated skirt like this one by J. Crew. LATER- Combine this cute top with a suit and don’t forget a great Fall handbag like this one by Eitenne Aiger.

NOW- Knee-length shorts with a bit of shimmer like this J. Crew pair- topped with a fun light flirty top and gladiator sandals.
LATER- Pair the shorts with a classic jean jacket and slingbacks to get the chicest new Fall look.

NOW- Nothing is better than a good summer sun dress like this one by Theory. It’s perfect for those late summer cook outs.
LATER- Pair it with a turtle neck, layer it with a boyfriend sweater or a long cardigan and belt to accentuate your waist. Don’t forget a great pair of knee high boots. You’re set for a fall football game!

Lucky for us girls most of those old rules like no white after Labor Day are remnants of the past. There aren’t too many “don’ts” left on the list. Just think in terms of fabric and print when you are shopping for now and later. Obviously no linen, lilly-esque prints or light weight cotton.

Don’t forget….there are some great sales on summer styles. Of course you can shop for NOW and LATER…but keep an open mind and think about summer 2011 as well. Don’t forgo the great Lilly dress at the incredible sale price. Won’t it be fun to pull out a new wardrobe next spring with all the sale finds you bring home on tax free shopping weekend.

Make room for these new finds by beginning to pull out fall items for consignment. Labels will begin accepting fall consignments August 7.

Cheers Fashionistas!

Lulu

Back to School... Shop Resale for A+ Savings

Back to School... Shop Resale for A+ Savings
St. Clair Shores, MI — The back-to-school shopping season is the 2nd largest consumer spending time of the year. Total back-to-school spending for Kindergarten through 12th grade this year is estimated to reach $21.35 billion according to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2010 Back to School Survey, conducted by BIGresearch. According to the survey, families with school-aged children plan to spend an average of $606.40 on back-to-school purchases of clothes, shoes, supplies and electronics, compared to $548.72 last year.

Clothing and accessories remains the largest spending category. Average back-to-school spending by category per family is estimated to be:

• Clothing and Accessories: $225.47
• Electronics/Computers: $181.60
• Shoes: $102.93
• School Supplies: $96.39

While spending for school-age children in grades K-12 is expected to increase this year, per person sales on back to college merchandise is expected to remain similiar to last year. The survey showed that the average student will spend $616.13 on new apparel, furniture for dorms or apartments, school supplies and electronics—compard to $618.12 spent last year. Total back-to-college spending is expected to reach $33.77 billion. 2010 back-to-college and back-to-school spending combined will total $55.12 billion.

Back-to-school shopping is big business for merchants, but it does NOT have to break the bank account. From Kindergarten to College... students can be outfitted at resale, consignment and thrift stores for a fraction of the original price. Parents who understand value do not let back-to-school shopping sabotage their budget. Resale shops are a great source for clothing. They stock good quality, current style apparel at great prices—especially appreciated since children outgrow their clothes so quickly.

The appeal of resale continues to grow as the economy struggles to recover. Parents who remain cautious in how and where they spend their back-to-school dollars this year are recognizing resale as the solution to their budget concerns. NARTS President, Kitty Boyce, owner of Remarkable Resale in Rochester, IL says, "Outfitting your children for the first day of school doesn’t have to break the bank this year. Resale, consignment and thrift shops offer a wealth of reasonably priced, trendy clothes. The affordability of resale shopping helps parents send their children back to school in style."

NARTS knows resale has been an important back-to-school shopping choice for decades, but the industry was not included in the National Retail Federation survey until last year. "We have arrived!" said Gail Siegel, NARTS Director of Membership Services. "Inclusion in the NRF survey proves how notable the resale industry has become in retailing." According to the survey, 18.9% of people will shop in resale and thrift stores this back-to-school shopping season. The figure rises to 24.3% when surveying women, who do the majority of back-to-school shopping.

Send your kids back to school in style by shopping smart... which means shopping resale! Here are a few tips on how to shop sensibly:

• Make a list before you go shopping. It will keep you on track and save you from impulse buying.
• Do an inventory of what you have so you can build on it by looking for coordinating pieces. This is also a good time to recycle the clothing your child has outgrown.
• Involve your children in the back-to-school budget and teach them to comparison shop. Help them identify their "wants and needs" then ask which items they consider "essential."
• Get started early and visit your favorite resale shops often as new things come in every day.
• Shop during the state sales tax holiday—if your state has one. In some state's, the tax holiday coincides with back to school shopping time.
• You do not have to buy everything at once. A few new outfits will get your children started and gives them time to access the trends. You can add during the year as you discover great new bargains at your favorite resale shop.
• Shop at resale, thrift and consignment stores for clothes and accessories. Remember... always look for the NARTS decal. It is Your Assurance of Resale Professionalism.

“It is not unusual to see price tags of $100 or more on an outfit at a department store. Why spend $100 when you can spend $25 or less for the same or higher quality goods?,” asks Adele Meyer, Executive Director of NARTS. “Resale offers a practical way to outfit your children while watching those savings add up.”

Clothes are only the beginning of the back-to-school shopping list. Other things you can save money on by shopping resale include computers, musical instruments, dance wear and sports equipment for extra curricular activities.

Trendy teens have discovered resale shopping in a big way! Whether they are looking for name brands in good condition or the popular vintage accessories, there is a resale, consignment or thrift shop to meet their taste. Teens are savvy shoppers who realize the importance of value and quality. A lot of young people these days want to take something old and make it theirs, so resale and thrift shops can really cater to them.

Teenagers plan to spend an average of $31.74 of their own money for apparel, accessories and supplies this year, while preteens plan to spend $18.27. Since many pre-teens and teens will be pulling out their own wallets for back-to-school shopping this year, they have also become suppliers to the industry, selling their clothes to local resale shops for cash. And even if they're not spending most of their own money, they have quite a say in what is bought. According to the survey 61..1% of adults say their children influence at least at least fifty percent of back-to-school purchases.

Dorm decorating has taken on a new life as college students become very ingenious at making use of their dorm room space. They have an eye for getting the most out of their limited space, while creating a place to call home. The basic and necessary items for dorm rooms include stackable crates, boxes and baskets, which provide storage that is visually appealing.

Equipping a college student does not have to be a wallet-draining ordeal. Resale stores specializing in furniture, small appliances, bedding and accessories are brimming with treasures to furnish dorm rooms on an affordable budget. Here are a few tips to make dorm decorating personal:

Look around and shop early. Keep an eye out for deals the summer before heading to school.

• Use floor to ceiling storage—make all the space usable.
• Don't be afraid to try something different than everyone else is doing.
• Make your room comfortable—it's where you will be living for nine months.
• Distinguish a study area from the living space by using a bed or curtains as a visual divider.
• Make sure nothing is permanent. Then, you can rearrange as the spirit moves you.
• Shop at resale, thrift and consignment stores for furniture and accessories. Paint or refurbish your bargains with fabric if necessary.

I know we're feeling the extreme heat of summer, but the new season is just around the corner. Labels will start accepting Fall Consignments starting August 7th!

Hot Trends to Cool the Summer Sizzle or Cool Styles to Beat the Heat

Baby it’s hot. Sizzling hot. The dog days of summer are here. I hardly can bring myself to do anything other than lounge by the pool and sip cool cocktails. And have you noticed how hard it is to feel “cute” when it’s so hot you can fry an egg on your car seat? And the humidity….I won’t even go there.

Feeling a little like a lazy dog (perhaps that’s why they call it the dog days of summer), I knew I needed a little pick-me -up to make it until Fall. So I did what any smart girl would do…I went shopping. After all we still have at least two full months of HOT weather. No need to think about Fall yet.

Here’s what I found to take the sizzle out of the temperature and redirect that sizzle to me!

Flirty sun dresses: Summer is meant for sundresses. Obvious-right? Whether it’s a maxi, a strapless or a flirty spaghetti strap number, a cute sundress can make you feel like a cute girl regardless of the heat or humidity. Ladies…sundresses are meant to be loose and flowly. Leave your spanks in the drawer! I found this David Meister polka dot sundress. It’ll be so fab with flip flops for a stroll to the Saturday market or paired with a little cardigan for work.

White Hot! That’s right…Anything white. A minimalist look to add instant cool to your style. But we're not talking about fussy, Wimbledon “white”. Add a little gold and bit of glitze to go from your mother's white to fresh, young white hot. White jeans, white skirts, white shirts look fantastic paired with a little gold like this little dress/long top. And don't forget to add a little touch of gold to your accessessories like this little handbag .

Sheer Lightweight Tops- These little darlings keep me cool in and out of the car all day on sales meetings. With a breezy silk blouse or top, I can take it from day with a pencil skirt and belt, and into night, paired with a short pair of shorts or white jeans and big earrings. Plus there's nothing like an easy silk top to transform you to feeling your sexiest self by revealing just a hint of skin without giving away anything you wouldn't want a client to see!

Show off those suntanned legs- Let's face it - we all would kill for longer legs, no matter how short or tall, there is something about a long stem to help every gals overall look. And, my secret weapon for that is definitely a NUDE shoe. There is nothing like 'em, whether in a sandal, wedge, heel or peep toe, a shoe in a neutral shade of tan or cream will only lengthen the leg and draw the eye up and over making me feel irresistably airy no matter what the humidity is doing to my hair!

Summer Sandals- I’m not talking about those hard to wear heels- Flats my dear. It’s too hot to hobble around in uncomfortable shoes. These sandals by Lilly Pulitzer are perfect for the pool, running errands and even a summer concert.

Bigger is not better- Get rid of that HUGE handbag- Carrying around that load is enough to make you HOT. Lighten up. Opt for a smaller size. Fall's "it" bag is bringing back sophisticated ease with the messenger-style. But, before we conform to the fall work-savvy style - live it up for the rest of summer with a feminine clutch in fun, punchy fabrics and colors!

We’re headed up to Lake Keowee for the weekend with a few other couples. Can’t wait to get away and float in that cool mountain lake! Bags are packed. I am so happy to have added a little pick me up to my summer styles. I feel certain I’ll be the cutest girl there…well at least the coolest!

Cheers fashionistas!
Lulu LaBelle