Shoes

Glamour Girl's Must-Haves: Booties

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I think I'm addicted to booties. I can't remember a fall or winter without a pair of my own. That just sounds like love right? I realized it was more than love after I fell down a flight of stairs in my favorite pair and still wore them when I got better. image

Ridiculous but true story. I was at a friend's house when I attempted to go down their narrow, carpeted stairs to the basement. My booties had no grip at the bottom so when I got to the third step my foot slid off the edge and my body followed. Embarrassing! All I remembered was that I screamed and landed about 5 steps farther with my legs in the air. You better believe it was time to chuck those bad boys and get a new pair. This fall I'm getting rubber soles or adding grips.

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Can you see why I couldn't let them go? Suede, black, peep toe, wedge booties with fringes on the side plus a gold accent lining at the bottom. And! They were comfortable. Surprisingly, they're from Forever 21. Seems like they've been stepping their game up. (No pun intended).

Nevertheless, don't let my klutz moment deter you because booties are a must have. Here's why...

1. Booties For All Babes

One problem I always hear women complain about is finding a tall boot that fits their calves. I have some beautiful friends who have inherited calves that would benefit them greatly as a football player but unfortunately they're not interested in starting a women's league. Wearing booties with dark tights this fall will create an illusion of a sleeker leg. And a heeled bootie, a longer leg line. Be careful not to choose one that gives you a narrowing effect at the foot since it will only accentuate your calves. These tips are also great for women with thick ankles. In addition, remember not to get the trendy booties with ankle straps as they will draw attention in that direction. While the winter might be the prime time to cover up our flaws, I think it's important to embrace and find comfortable ways of exposing them (i.e. creating illusions). Here are some quality pantyhose by Spanx to last you throughout the colder season.

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If your concern is the very opposite, thin legs that manage to have many boots drooping at their feet like wrinkled skin, shop for a sleeker bootie. Stay away from the chunky, wide toe boots that give you clown feet and make your legs look like a chicken's. Also, consider wearing your skinny jeans inside the bootie and patterned or colored tights with a skirt or dress. If you've found a pair that you absolutely cannot leave the store but your feet are swimming in them, wear boot cuff socks that you can scrunch down at the ankle to fill in the space and create a cute style. Once the winter gear gets into stores, you can even get faux fur detachable cuffs like these and you'll have a whole new bootie! In fact here's a site I found called PSC Outdoors selling just that. Let me know what you think.

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2. Booties Go With Everything

From skirts to pants, school to dinner dates, work and weekend fun, booties fit almost any outfit and occasion. Here are two outfits with one bootie.

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In my mind, look one is a glam girl who's the new teacher in school. She's wearing a fun black and white polka dot blouse (From Modcloth) with a black circle skirt (from Bebe.com)to keep the corporate effect but adds a pop of color with her yellow blazer (outfitmade.com)and deep coral necklace. The necklace matches her leather cognac booties (by Isola) and a pair of dark pantyhose connects the entire look to finish. Dark tights can be the difference between wearing a skirt or not because they act as a continuation to a shorter skirt.

image Look two is the glam girl who's hanging out on the weekend with friends. While her peers might be in relaxation mode, she's always ready to shine. This casual green dress goes perfectly with the cognac boots and leather jacket (found on Amazon). The gold necklace adds finesse to the overall edgy look but the bootie takes the cake.

Below, I also have some a mixture of casual and dressy booties for an evening out or special occasion. Check out the slide show.

3. Booties Bring Balance

Ironically enough, booties bring balance. Just as basketball players are encouraged to wear hightop sneakers to protect their ankles, booties provide ankle support. A regular pump will not have the same effect. How many times have we walked into a tiny crevice with our heels and our shoe comes off or gets stuck. With a bootie, the chances of that happening are rare so you can strut with confidence wherever you are.

Shop!

Shop booties below. I pulled them just for you.

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Love,

Your Glam Stylist Luxe LeBlanc

Luxe's Wedding Wednesdays: Anniversary Bride

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I thought it befitting to start off our new segment "Luxe's Wedding Wednesdays" as my first wedding anniversary approaches this Friday. I cannot believe it's been a year already! What was I doing this time last year? Counting down, with only two days remaining, I was freaking out with excitement and couldn't wait for my big day. Aside from marrying the love of my life, as a stylist, I wanted to see how the entire look would come together. Everyone looked gorgeous but not to toot my own horn, I took the cake. My vision of being a romantic-vintage glamorous bride came to life. Here's how I styled myself. image

My Gown

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My gown was by Oleg Cassini of David's Bridal. I am pear-shaped, smaller on top and bigger on the bottom, (or as I like to say "my hips don't lie") so I chose a trumpet/ mermaid gown to show off my curves. I always thought I would wear a sweetheart neckline but I loved this simple strapless. The lace overlay helped achieve my vintage look and I loved that it was subtle. Flowers were never really my favorite but the delicate crystal floral details on my gown were perfect.

My Shoes

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These babies were by Enzo Angiolini. I know gray is not a traditional bridal color for a shoe but it's one of my favorite colors. I'm petite, so the extra inches were just right for my gown plus these shoes were very comfortable! Sold! Oh yeah, and don't forget the glitz from the crystals that looked like broken glass. Simply amazing combo for this glamour girl.

My Jewelry

image My jewels were hand picked from the Luxe LeBlanc Boutique, (currently available by appointment only and will be online in 2015). I chose a pearl and Swarovski crystal combination to go with the vintage glam theme. The crystals were clear to match the crystals on the gown as opposed to my favorite iridescent crystals that capture different rays of color.

Shop my look below. I've pulled some romantic trumpet/mermaid wedding gowns for the brides-to-be or lovers of wedding gowns. Various designers are included but Oleg Cassini is featured in case you were looking for a similar design to my dress. I know I never get tired of surfing through bridal gowns. Enjoy.

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Whose Nude Is It Anyway?

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When competing in pageants your wardrobe plays a major role in your presentation. Before you open your mouth, your attire speaks for you. Most pageants don't tell you how to dress but a select few will actually prepare you. I remember when my pageant directors at Miss Westchester Pageants (one of the few) taught us about proper attire for the national level. I made a list and was excited because that meant an opportunity to go SHOPPING! So, I got to the mall and while revising my list I saw "nude shoes" to elongate legs and avoid distraction during interview. I chuckled a little at the thought of naked shoes. What does that even mean? I asked the sales woman in the shoe department and she pointed to several beige looking pumps. They were pretty but I thought to myself, that's not what I look like naked. I'm more of a caramel complexion. I searched some more but the darker the shoes got, the less dressy-formal they were. It was frustrating. I bought a beautiful pair of Steve Madden "nude" pumps but I wasn't satisfied. Whose nude is it anyway? Not mine.   image The situation I've described is a common challenge among women of color but fortunately for us, fashion and beauty companies are realizing this and catering to us. Here's what I found:

1. Nudevotion

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Nudevotion is a website that gathers nude clothing and shoes from various retailers/brands and displays them on their site making it easier for women to find their own shade of nude. Their fairly new section called "Dark Nude" caters to women of a darker complexion. I love it.

2. Nude Barre

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I discovered Nude Barre while admiring Wendy Williams' wardrobe and realized that her stylist dresses her in their stockings almost every day. Nude Barre features nude hosiery in all complexions, from the lightest to the deepest. They are reversible for an opaque option and have a hole at the bottom to make footless tights. A great buy for the fall and winter!

3. Christian Louboutin: The Nudes Collection

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You may have already heard about this but I thought it was definitely worth repeating; Louboutin launched a line called "The Nudes Collection" with pumps that suit various skin tones. This means we all can rock our own truly nude red bottoms. Yay! I've pulled some shoes in many shades of "nude" to help you find your match. See the slide show below. Show me your nudes on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest by tagging #luxeleblanc #MyNudes. Remember to comment, subscribe and share.

Love,

Luxe LeBlanc [rev_slider WhosNude]