Buying Button Downs that Fit!

Ever notice that womens' button downs never seem to fit quite right? Well the reason may be that you are buying one not fitted for your body shape. Did you know that all clothes are actually designed to fit a specific body shape?

Banana Republic can be a great place to look for button downs as they carry both regular sizes as well as petites. Two Nordstroms brands, Vallette and Classiques, also offer really great fits. The Classiques are especially good for women who have larger chests and need something to fit well through the torso. Nordstroms also carries a brand called Foxcroft which are wrinkle resistant, fit well with women who have full body shapes, and come in every color of the rainbow. Pink, Ted Baker, and Theory are other brands that make fun shirts that fit petite women very well.

What to watch for:

Does the shirt fit in the shoulders?
Does the end of the shirt line up with the end of my shoulder?
Do the buttons bulge across my bust and chest?
Can I move freely without feeling constricted?
If I tuck this in will it stay tucked in all day?

Shoes: Comfort versus Sassy.

It used to be that if you wanted to wear a drop dead hot pair of shoes, you prepared yourself for ending up in near tears at the end of the day from the pain and discomfort of walking in your gorgeous shoes. This, thank goodness, is no longer the case. With the emergence of some new brands over the last couple of years, you can look hot all day long and not sacrifice that much needed comfort.

The great new brands on the scene include: Corso Como, DKNY, Soft Souls by Kenneth Cole, and now Ecco. A great way to check out these shoes is to use Zappos (www.zappos.com). With free overnight shipping and free return shipping there is no harm in trying. A rule of thumb is to always walk around your home in your new shoes. If they hurt or pinch anywhere when you put them on, think twice about the purchase since this discomfort will likely never go away.