Monday, September 27, 2010

Runway To Reality - Making Fall Fashion Trends Work For Your Body

This segment aired on Sept 28, 2010 on Great Day Houston (KHOU, Channel 11 Houston).



The fashion trends for Fall 2010 are filled with ruffles, jewel tones, animal print, gold, feathers and faux fur, mixed prints, leather jackets and chunky knits.

On The Runway, designers show you how to wear the trends if you are model thin. These options often add volume to your body and make you look bigger. You don't have to sacrifice your body for fashion. Everybody can wear every trend; however, the way you can wear it depends on your body type. Here are ways to them if you petite, plus size, or anything in between.


Animal Print – Animal prints have multiple personalities. You can use it as an accents, neutrals, or use them to make a major statement.
• Mannequin – Petite – We mixed leopard and tortoise accents with black to give the outfit a little personality without overpowering a petite frame.
• Mannequin – Missy – Use the print to highlight the face and hips. We used the black cardigan to create a color block effect than narrows the waist.
• Mannequin – Women – Full figured women can make a bold statement. Layers create the illusion of a narrower figure.



Ruffles – On the runway, ruffles come in all sizes, shapes and materials. These work for models, but not so well if you have curves. Here’s how to make ruffles work:
• Model Amy - Petite (ladies less than 5’4” tall) – Keep the ruffles flat and small to they are in proportion with your frame. Ruffles work as trim or accents on necklines, sleeves and hems.
• Model Anicea - Missy (ladies size 0-16 and more than 5’5” tall) – use big ruffles to accent your assets and flat or small ruffles on areas where you don’t want to add much volume.
• Mannequin - Women (ladies size 14 – 28+) – choose flat and stream-line ruffles to high-light your assets. Structured clothing works best to keep the body looking smooth.


Jewel Tones – This is one of the easiest trends to wear. Add one jewel tone piece to a neutral outfit for a pop of color or mix several together for a bolder look.
• Mannequin - Petite – Voluminous clothing will make you look smaller and shorter. Choose clothing that is fitted and skims your body without gaping or pulling on a roll/bulge. Mix jewel tones with dark neutrals for a taller, leaner look.
• Model Molly - Missy – Use jewel tones as a pop of color to direct attention to your assets and away from any flaws.
• Model Stephanie – Women – Black is slimming and so are all deep colors. Here we created a warmer monochromatic look with eggplant instead of black. Monochromatic outfits make you look taller which automatically makes you look slimmer. For example: a 150 pound woman who is 5-feet tall looks different than one who is 6-feet tall.

Thank you Talbots for providing all the clothing, accessories, and shoes for the segment!

What's Sarah Wearing? Dolce Cabo cardigan with faux fur, feathers, and leather ruffles (Dillard's Post Oak store, $195), Alberto Makali trousers, Via Spiga metallic platform pumps.

Audience Give-Away – 2 copies of Dress Yourself Skinny. For more info, please visit www.DressYourselfSkinny.com

Click here for behind-the-scenes pics.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Preserve Your Favorite Clothes

This TV segment began airing on Mirror/Mirror on the LivewellHD network in August 2010 in 11 cities (NY, LA, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Fresno, Raleigh/Durham, Flint, and Toledo. To watch the story, click on the video below or this link









Why not keep your favorite clothes and accessories looking great for as long as you can? Here are some tips for extending the life of clothes and shoes.

1. Underarm stains can make a beautiful blouse unwearable. Take a tip from the guys and wear a short-sleeve T under dresses, blouses and sweaters. The t-shirt will absorb perspiration and deoderant stains. Or use disposable underarm shields inside the armpit of your clothes. The shield will block sweat and deodorant from penetrating the fabric of your garments.

2. Extend the life of your bras by letting them rest for a day between wearings. The rest period allows the elastic in the bra to spring back so it doesn’t get permanently stretched out.

3. Unzipped zippers can snag other clothing in the washing machine and dryer. Before washing anything with a zipper, zip it all the way up. You can even put it in a lingerie bag to keep the zippers away from other clothing.

4. Wash whites immediately after every wearing. Perspiration, body oils, perfumes may not be visible, but they will turn whites to yellows or grays over time if they stay on the clothing. Wash clothes in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric. Use bleach or borax for extra whitening. For best results, dry for a few minutes in the dryer and finish by hang-drying in the sunshine. The sun will gently whiten and brighten your whites.

5. Frequent washings can fade dark clothes. Minimize washings and wash darks with clothing turned inside out in cold water on a short wash cycle. For best results, dry darks in the dryer for a few minutes to get the wrinkles out and finish drying on a rack.

6. Regular detergent and detergents made for wool break down the elastic in delicate clothing and lingerie. Wash delicates by hand in the sink with a little Ivory Snow or Lingerie Wash. If you have to wash them in the washing machine, place your lingerie in a lingerie bag and wash in cold water on delicate cycle. Taking extra care with your delicates will keep them in great condition and make them last longer.

7. The dryer is very hard on delicates, spandex and elastic. For best results, dry lingerie on a drying screen to maintain their shape. For delicate clothing and athletic wear, dry them in the dryer on low heat for a few minutes to remove any wrinkles and finish drying on a rack.

8. To keep your athletic shoes smelling sweet, switch to wool socks. Wool absorbs moisture and wicks it away. This makes it harder for the stinky bacteria to grow.

9. Protect your pretty shoes, don’t wear them to drive. Driving damages the backs and heels of your shoes. When your foot is on the accelerator, the back of your shoe is in contact with the floor mat and gets scuffed. For driving, change into moccasins that are specially made for driving. These mocs have protective rubber grommets on the soles and backs of the shoes to protect the finish (Minnetonka Driving Mocs from ShoeBuy.com, $63) . And they are sturdy enough to wear when you get out of your car at a gas station to pump gas. Keep your pretty shoes in a protective bag in your car and put them on when you arrive at your destination.

10. Store your favorite shoes with wooden shoe trees. The trees absorb perspiration and keep your shoes in shape. Take the shoes you wear regularly to a cobbler every 6-months for a check up. The cobbler will replace heels and soles, clean up scuffs and marks, and polish them so they resist stains and water spots. This preventative care will keep them looking like new.

This TV segment was inspired by Real Simple Magazine

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

As Seen On TV


This segment appeared on Great Day Houston on June 23, 2010 on KHOU, Channel 11. Thank you Bumpits, Spanx and Tweakerz for the awesome giveaways! The audience went wild for them after the show!!



Ever wonder if those products you see advertised on tv really work? We tried some of them to see and here's how it went...

Bumpits
Have you seen the Bumpit on TV? The infomercial is so crazy I had to try it! Bumpits are hair inserts that look like headmands. You place them on your scalp at your crown and smooth hair over it to give the appearance of lift. They actually work for shoulder-length and longer hair! The package contains 3 sizes of bumpits – tiny is for bangs, small for loose hairstyles and large for updos. $9.99 at Sally Beauty Supply or www.LoveMyBumpits.com. Thank you Jaclyn for being the Bumpit model! Thank you Samuel G. of Michaellynden for helping get Jaclyn's hair ready for the Bumpit!





Kymaro New Body Shaper
Here is another item that is on late night TV. The Kymaro New Body Shaper claims to smooth out tummy, love handles and back flab. The shaper works - the fabric is cool and breaths well, this style allows you to wear your own bra so you get the fit you want in the bust area, and it does smooth out the tummy and muffin tops. However, the fabric is very inflexible and uncomfortable. $39.95 at Bed, Bath & Beyond











Spanx Skinny Britches
This is a new product from Spanx that’s been on a lot of morning TV shows. Traditional shapers give you a lot of control. Skinny britches are layerable, so you can customize the level of compression that you want. You can target the areas you want to control by combining styles. Use one for a little smoothing or layer two or three for shaping and control. The hipster targets the lower belly and the shorts target hips and thighs. If you carry your weight around your waist, these styles aren’t for you. Hipster $32, Shorts $42 at department and specialty stores, www.Spanx.com



Tweakerz
This is a fantastic little product! This is an adjustable clasp that keeps your bra straps in place or converts a regular bra to a racer back style. Most bra clasps are just one size, this one is completely adjustable so you can customize it so it’s perfect for you. $9.99 at www.Tweakerz.com





M’Chic Jeans
These jeans were on Good Morning America. The waistband is replaced by a tummy control panel to combat muffin tops. The jeans are made from stretch denim and the panel has just the right amount of control. You can fold the panel so it works for your body. And the nice thing…if you shirt slips up a little and shows the panel, it just looks like a cami. $49, at www.mchicfashions.com (on sale for $29).



What's Sarah Wearing? M'Chic Jeans (love them!), Alberto Makali embellished T-shirt, Coach platform peep-toe pumps.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Tech-cessories

Today we carry so many personal electronic devices – laptop computers, cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, iPods, ear buds, digital cameras, video cameras, flash drives and the list goes on and on. These devices have become necessities in our daily lives and we can’t leave the house without them.

When these gadgets first appeared, they were only available in black. Now there are so many fashionable options, you can personalize your devices so they work with your personal style and become an integral part of your outfit. Your electronics can actually become fashion accessories that complete our look. There’s no need to be a fashionable women carrying a discordant and distracting collection of ugly items. Image Coach Sarah Shah shows you how you can be stylish from the tip of your ear buds to the tip of your toes.









This TV segment began airing on Mirror/Mirror on the LivewellHD network on March 22, 2010 in 11 cities (NY, LA, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Fresno, Raleigh/Durham, Flint, and Toledo. To watch the story, click on the video below or this link. The story begins at the 19 minute mark.










All Business
If your look is all business, choose streamlined tech-sessories in subtle or bold solid colors. Flash drives come hidden inside accessories and jewelry so they are easy to carry. Colorful cases style-up laptops. Cell phone colors can match your outfit or company logo. Here are the items in the story:




- PNY Micro Swivel Attache flash drive necklace, $14.95, Microcenter (threaded on a silver chain)

- Incase Hardshell case, $49.95, www.incase.com

- iFrogz iPhone case, $29.95, www.iFrogz.com

- Atomic9 BT Wristband Speaker Phone, $99.99, www.atomic9.com













Fashionista
Fashion designers have finally entered the electronics market and are making a beautiful impact. If you are all about fashion and the latest trends, choose tech-sessories designed by fashion designers, in fun colors and patterns or even covered in crystals. Here are the items that are in the story:

- HP Vivienne Tam digital clutch, coming in spring 2010, www.hp.com/viviennetam
A companion PC was unveiled on the catwalk of designer Vivienne Tam’s Spring 2010 fashion show during New York’s Fashion Week at Bryant Park. The design inspired by the classic Chinese love story Butterfly Lovers. The design uses HP’s imprint technology, so the design is part of the cover and very durable.

- ChicBoom Keychain “pink tooth” Speaker, $24.95, www.chicbuds.com

- ChicBuds crystal iPod cover, $69.95, www.chicbuds.com

- Hello Kitty USB drive, $125, Zales Jewelry stores



Ecco Chic
You can even find eco chic tech-cessories – gadgets that combine cutting edge tech with a message of conservation and sustainability If you live green and want to express that throughout your look, choose tech-cessories that incorporate natural materials, reflect nature and a connection with outdoors. Phone accessories can be made of wood and protective covers for all your gadgets come with photographs of nature. Here are the items in the story:


- Uncommon iPhone cases, $39.95, www.getuncommon.com

- Ear Pollution Timbre ear buds with microphone, $49.99, www.iFrogz.com

- Designer Laptop Sleeves, $34.90, www.designersleeves.com

- Ativa Flash Drive, $17.99, Office Depot (hanging on leather cord)





Rocker Chic
Artists are also making an impact on the tech-cessory market. If rocker chic is more your style, you can find electronic gadgets that fit your aesthetic too. Tattoo art, leather and Anime are all options. Look for tech-sessories with a tough feel like a video camera with the look of black leather, tire tread iPod covers, ear buds decorated with skulls, and tattoo flash drives.


- Atomic9 Grunge Buds, $40, www.atomic9.com

- Ear Pollution Plugz, $19.95, www.ifrogz.com

- Treadz iPod Nano cover, $9.95, www.ifrogz.com

- DXG Luxe camcorder, $149, www.dxgusa.com












Sponsors: Thank you HP for sponsoring our segment!!

What's Sarah Wearing? Tahari long sleeve sheath dress (Dillard's) and Antonio Melani woven pumps (Dillard's).

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Favorite Things For Great Day Houston

This segment aired on Great Day Houston on December 9 and will reair on December 15, 2009. I usually present fashion and beauty items on TV. This time, I shared some of my favorite things.




1. Need a vacation? JetBlue is such a fun airline. They fly out of Hobby airport and have DirectTV in each seat. And your first checked bag is FREE! You’ll see WiiFii on flights in 2010. www.JetBlue.com

2. Speaking of wiifii, HP Mini Netbook computers are the latest thing! They are perfect for staying connected when you’re away from home – check email, update facebook, watch YouTube videos, share pictures, or browse online. They weigh about 3 pounds and start at $299. There’s one to match your personality and style - a beautiful eco design by Tord Boontje (tort BONE-cheh), Sparkly Diva pink, or all biz black swirl. Check them out at www.HP.com.

3. The Flip digital video cameras - While you’re on vacation, here’s a great way to make the fun last. Make digital videos with The Flip in regular or HD. They hold up to 2 hours of video and come with their own editing software built right in. When you get home, just flip out the USB connector, down load your videos and software, edit it and upload it to facebook or YouTube to share with family and friends. From $149. Check them out at www.TheFlip.com.

4. IPEVO Kaliedo R7 Digital Frame – This is the most stylish digital frame! The IPEVO Kaliedo R7 switches from landscape to portrait and takes all kinds of input – flash drive, standard sizes of digital memory cards, USB connection from your computer. The coolest feature is that it’s also wireless, so you can stream images from your rss feeds, flickr, or your friends facebook pages wirelessly to your frame. $149 at www.IPEVO.com

5. ViewSonic Widescreen LCD HD TV – The Viewsonic VT2645 is ideal for fast action in movies, sports and games. It has multiple connectivity ports for all your multimedia connections and game consoles. $479. All viewers can save $130 on this tv and get it for $349! Go to www.ViewSonic.com/greatday for details.

What's Sarah Wearing - I.N.Studio sweater dress (style 0383D34, color Teal, $59, www.Dillards.com) and Frye Harness boots (color chocolate, $238, www.dillards.com)

Monday, September 14, 2009

Fashion First Aid

How do those perfectly-put-together women do it? Every hair in place, clothing that fit’s like a glove, and picture perfect from head to toe. What does she know that you don’t know? She knows the stylists’ secrets. Image Coach Sarah Shah gives you the secret remedies to recover from any fashion emergency.

This TV segment begins airing on Mirror/Mirror on the LivewellHD network on September 14, 2009 in 10 cities (NY, LA, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Fresno, Raleigh/Durham, Flint, and Toledo. To watch the story, click on the video below or this link http://livewellhd.com/video?id=7012180.



Gaping Waist-Bands - It’s rare to find a pair of pants that fits our hips and waist at the same time. Buy pants to fit your hips and use the isABelt transparent invisible belt ($16.95 – $19.95, http://www.isabelt.com/) to make the waist of your pants fit perfectly. The belt is adjustable and invisible so you get the fit you need at your waist without adding bulk to your tummy. This belt is also great to keep your pants looking great when you're loosing weight.

Heel- Wedgies – Do your pants get stuck under your heels when you wear sling-back shoes or mules? Attach Kix by Katie pant’s stays ($12.95, http://www.kixbykatie.com/) to the inside back seam of your pant’s leg. It works just like a "collar stay" to keep the pants straight and away from your heel.

Popping Buttons - Have you ever popped a button off your jeans? That’s a problem if you’re wearing tight jeans! Those specialized buttons are hard to find and replace. The Instant Button ($15, http://www.instantbuttonforjeans.com/) is a replacement button you can keep in your purse. You can also use the button to tighten/loosen the waistband of your jeans for a perfect fit.

Panty Lines – How do you avoid panty lines? Thongs and boy shorts are great for reducing panty lines. "Stick on" panties like Commando cotton patches ($10-$18, GoCommandos.com) are another option. It’s a cotton panel you can stick on to the inside of your jeans or pants so you have all the protection you need without any panty line at all.

Revealing Necklines - It's difficult to keep underwear underwraps with all the unusual necklines this season. Many tops and dresses don’t come with a built-in bra, so it can be hard to keep your bra straps hidden. Lingerie or Body tape such as isAStrips invisible fashion tape ($6.95, http://www.isabelt.com/) will keep your necklines in place. You can also use it to repair torn hems or keep button-down tops from pulling across the bustline.

Visible Bra Straps – Ask your tailor add tiny straps to revealing tops to hold bra straps in place. Or use a tiny clips like Strap Tamers clips ($9, http://www.straptamers.com/) to keep bra straps hidden inside the shirt. Another way to keep bra straps covered is to wear a bra like the Infinite Options convertible bra ($30, http://www.fashionforms.com/) with straps that can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of necklines.

Slipping Spaghetti Straps – Spaghetti straps on evening gowns and camis can slip and drive you nuts. Use a or hair barrette pretty clip like the Bra Barette (from $3.99, http://www.brabarrette.com/) to keep straps up.

Visible Tags – Tags can be annoying, itchy and pop-up unexpectedly.You don’t want to cut tags out of clothing because they they have care instructions or designer labels. Use tag covers such as Tag Tamers adhesive tag covers ($8.99, http://www.hollywoodfashiontape.com/) to keep tags in place and protect your skin from itchy seams.

Underarm Stains – Arm-pit stains are never flattering! If you sweat excessively, you can use hyperhydrosis control wipessuch as Med-E-Tate hyperhydrosis control wipes ($48, http://www.dermadoctor.com/) on your underarm area or attach protective adhesive sheets such as Behind The Seams Apparel Sheilds ($10.99, http://www.hollywoodfashiontape.com/) the underarms of your clothing.

Slipping Mules – Mules are comfy and easy to wear. And it’s easy to loose them when walking on uneven surfaces or up stairs. Use an invisible clear strap like HeelStraps clear strap ($11.99, http://www.heelstraps.com/) to keep them in place.

Sponsors

Thank you isABelt for sponsoring our segment!

What's Sarah Wearing?

Massimo tank and Merona shrug from Target (these looked great in person but didn't translate in HD very well!), Isabel trouser jeans from Dillard's, Coach platform peep-toes from Macy's.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Weight-Loss Wardrobe Essentials

As you loose weight, there’s a transition period when the clothes in your closet get too big, but you’re not ready to invest in a whole new wardrobe. What do you do? Image Coach Sarah Shah shows you 6 pieces to add to your wardrobe to bridge the gap until you reach your goal.

These pieces will look great at each size you travel through on your journey to your goal and flatter your new body as it appears.






This TV segment aired in two parts on KTRK, Channel 13 News at 4:00 & 6:00 on July 28, 2009. Here are links to watch Part 1 and Part 2.

1. Wrap Dress – The wrap dress is versatile and can work for work, evening, or casual occasions depending on how you accessorize it. Buy the dress slightly on the small side and wear it with a cami underneath. As you shrink, the dress will adjust to accommodate your body. The reversible wrap dress shown in the story is super practical because it’s 2 dresses in one.
Cibeline reversible wrap dress (http://www.cibeline.com/ $488)

2. Camisole – A camisole will stretch your wardrobe by giving you coverage under tops, jackets, and sweaters. It's an inexpensive versatile layering piece. Camis come in lots of different colors and styles, so choose your favorite colors in a style that flatters your figure.

3. "Shrinky Dink" Blouse – Blouses with pleats, rouching, or ruffles can stretch to fit your figure and shrink as you do. Because it expands and contracts, it will look good at your largest state and shrink with you so it never looks too big and is always flattering. Most Shrinky Dink blouses should be dry-cleaned to retain the "bounce." The examples used in the story were made by Alberto Makali (stye #266218), Peter Nygard, and IQ Paris and can be found at Dillard's department stores (http://www.dillards.com/).

4. Wrap Sweater – This cardigan can be wrapped to flatter your figure, no matter what size you are. You can weap it more than 20 different ways, so it can be worn all week and never look the same. The sweater works for day, evening, casual, and formal ocassions. Wear it as a top over the wrap dress to make the dress look like a skirt, as a sweater over the skrinky dink blouse, or over the cami for day or a sexy look for evening.

For even more ways to wrap it, check out http://www.dkny.com/womens/cozy_video.html. The cashmere wrap sweaters used in the story are from Victoria’s Secret (http://www.victoriassecret.com/, $50).

5. Trousers – This style of pants gives you lots of room in the hips and thighs so the pants always look stylish no matter your size. The waiste of these pants is really easy to tailor, so you can make them fit as you shrink. You can also use the isABelt transparent belt to discretely cinch in the waist as your waist gets smaller. The trousers in the TV story can be found at Dillard's department stores (http://www.dillards.com/). The isABelt is available at http://www.isabelt.com/ ($16 - $20)

6. Smocked Strapless Dress - The smocked dress can be worn as a strapless dress or as a maxi skirt. It has elastic stitching in the top so it will adjust to fit your figure. If you are uncomfortable wearing a strapless dress, wear it over a cami or t-shirt to give you more coverage and security. The dresses in the TV story can be found at Dillard's department stores (http://www.dillards.com/).

You can wear these pieces transitionally as you change your size, or you could even create your entire wardrobe from just these six pieces – 1 wrap dress (actually two dresses in one), 4 camis in different colors, 3 shrinky dink blouses, 2 draped cardigan, 3 pairs of trousers, and 1 smocked dress. Add a couple pairs of shoes, a belt, and a few pieces of jewelry and you’ve got the perfect mix and match wardrobe!

What's Sarah Wearing?

Alberto Makali embellished top style #141580 (http://www.albertomakali.com/) from Dillard's, Isabel trouser jeans from Dillard's, Coach platform peep-toes from Macy's.