Isn't this print beautiful?! I love the little swimmers. She has lots of cute stuff, you should check out her etsy shop.
 

After MUCH consideration, I have chosen the winners of the Reina Style Consulting model contest!! I was overwhelmed with all of the amazing women that were willing to share a bit about themselves, what great stories! I wish I could pick ALL of you. Anyway, on to the winners right?!?

CONGRATULATIONS to Emily Johnson, Jala Smith Huys, Cathrin Bruederle and Rachel Mejia. I look forward to meeting you and know this will be a fantastic experience.

So for those of you who did not win, I want you to know that you will not go away empty handed. Just for entering you're gonna get some pretty cool perks: 15% off any service with Reina Style Consulting and 20 "Mandy Bucks" good for your first cut or color with super-stylist Mandy Zelinka (Just give her a call, she has a list of all of the contestants). Thanks again for entering and keep in touch!

*To the WINNERS: Please drop me an email to let me know you got this and for me to get details to you.

Calling all real women!

We’re looking for women of all shapes and sizes for an upcoming photo shoot. Curvy or small, boyish or tall, we want to hear why you'd be perfect for the job. If you’re one of the four women selected, you’ll win full hair and makeup done by an on-set stylist, a photo shoot by Soulmates Photography, an hour of free shopping with Reina Style Consulting and 20% off your next purchase at Mabel and Zora.

To win, leave a comment on this post telling us why you should be one of the models. Winners will be notified by email, so be sure to leave contact information. All entries are due by April 1st, and winners will be notified by April 3rd.

Own your inner catwalk and show us how it's done.

I recently did some shopping for a client/friend of mine who was in dire need of some jeans. Yes, the dreaded jean shopping trip. She's a beautiful and strong and TALL gal who has some unique sizing needs…she needs a 35in inseam! It's hard because many men's jeans don't even come in that length. So we set out to find something that she would like and I would approve of (; We tried all of the stores we thought would have lengths (Nordstrom, Lucky, Gap) and didn't have much luck. Finally we parted ways not having bought anything, and she found something on her way out at Macy's…she didn't need me afterall (;

Anyway, there are a couple of things that came up during our trip that I wanted to talk about. First of all, I really don't buy into all of the fashion "rules". You know, like the "no white before labor day", or  "don't mix brown and black", etc., etc. Obviously there are some guidelines that are usually pretty sure bets (like the things I mention on my site) but there really are no absolutes. If it looks good on you, and you feel good in it…it works! Unfortunately it makes it harder if you don't go by rules because then you have to trust your gut to know if something looks good or not. One of those "rules" that my friend kept reminding me of was that only really skinny people can wear skinny jeans. Not so. She apparently learned that from What Not to Wear. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Stacey and Clinton but I think they go a bit far sometimes with their fashion rules.

Here are some photos of some curvy women that are lookin' hot in their skinny jeans!

Ok, the other thing that I need to throw out there is fit. Jeans are made with cotton, so they STRETCH. Thus, you need to buy your jeans tighter than you would wear them to compensate for this. We struggled with this the WHOLE time, because it's hard to believe that you need to buy them that tight…BUT YOU DO! Trust me, you need to get them snug or else when you wear them a few times they are gonna be baggy and look sloppy.

What are some of the style rules that you stick too???

Well I never turn down a request for a blog post topic, so for my good friend Megan…ROMPERS. Very cute for the spring, rompers can be tricky for some body types (pear and apple) but are fairly good on others (especially petite). The only thing is that they tend to be a bit short, so make sure you've got some stems to pull this off (or wear heels to make your legs appear longer)! Bring it into the fall with leggings, boots and a cardigan (I feel like that is my answer to EVERYTHING); or keep it spring/summery with bare legs and a light cardigan or bolero on top. Don't be afraid to scrap the belt that comes with it and use a fun belt of your own. If you do a "statement" belt, however, go easy on the other accessories.

Here are a few ideas…as always, I love to hear your thoughts and questions!

Well I know the grass is always greener on the other side, so I'm gonna cross over (again). I was born with straight straight hair and have always longed for nice voluminous wavy hair. I admit, I've gotten perms before…as an adult. Yikes, scary, huh! Well they haven't been THAT bad (at least I keep telling myself that). So this time I'm going to a salon that claims to have mastered the "WAVE" perm which is supposed to come out nice and wavy, rather than crazy curly. It's just hair, so if it turns out bad, I'll just go short. The appointment's this Friday, so there's still time to be convinced otherwise…what do you think??

…they are jeggings! Yes, jeggings, or leans if you prefer. Jean-Leggings. Don't hate, they are awesome and comfortable and look great (well, I think so anyway). I got a pair this weekend at H&M (for $17, mind you) and I might just live in them. They really do look like denim, but have the cotton stretch comfort factor of a legging. They are great paired with an oversized shirt or sweater and boots. What do you think?

P.S. The sweater is my awesome find from Norma Kamali for Wal-Mart.

Courtesy of Lucky Mag, this post is a little lesson on the best trouser shapes for those out there who have curves. Trousers are a great alternative to jeans even on the weekends. They can be dressed up (with a jacket, nice blouse) or casual with a fitted T. If you have a narrow waist and full hips, you may have a hard time finding pants that fit well all over. This is the cut that is the most flattering for you:

           FLAT IN FRONT: Avoid anything that adds volume (pleats or front pockets).

           STRAIGHT LEGS: Skip boot cut pants, they can make you appear big all over.

           STRETCH: Opt for a fabric that has a bit of stretch to it, which creates a clean line.

           TOP: For a top, pick a jacket or cardigan that hits right above the thigh (it conceals bulk without overwhelming your figure).

There are some great sites out there that offer a full range of sizes for curvy figures in a range of prices: Avenue, evans (sister to Top Shop), JCrew, and my personal favorite Norma Kamali for Wal-Mart. Don't be afraid to shop online! Most sites offer free returns and free shipping over $100. Just buy both sizes if you aren't sure and return the one that doesn't fit for free. Specifically, these are some great trousers to try (click on the pics for more details):

Last week I was looking online to spend my Christmas money. I wanted to get a pendant with Noah's name on it, kindof like a modern dog-tag. I was searching around Etsy and didn't find anyone that had this specifically, so I decided to browse the local Portland designers. On each person's store there is a button called "request custom item", so I found a designer that I liked their style and requested that they make this for me. IT IS SO COOL! You name your price, describe what you want and they make it for you! She did some sketches and we went back and forth a couple of times and after a week, it was done. She was so great and I am so happy with the end result. Check out Scrap Bin Design's store and if you want to have her make you something, she's happy to do it and does a great job. Here is a pic of my cute new Christmas present for ME.