Worth Your Weight in...Karats?

It's almost impossible to turn on the television these days without being bombarded by about a dozen different wedding/bridal shows. From the anything-but-classy Bridezillas to the overdone Platinum Weddings, brides are everywhere and they're not going away any time soon.

Along with them, there has become an obsession placed on the importance of the engagement ring. I can't go anywhere without being reminded of this. Just this past weekend I worked out alongside what must have been either European princesses or Hollywood starlets because these two women were both wearing rocks the size of golf balls.

Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating. But come on, this is Wisconsin, not Beverly Hills. Why do so many people need the "wow" factor in their ring? No less than 50 years ago it was common to wear a simple band. My grandmother - an amazing woman - wore just that. She wasn't any less of a woman because of it.

My small, understated, but adored ring is currently out of commission being re-sized. In it's place for the week, my mom loaned me the wedding ring that my great Grandma wore. This thing has been through two world wars, a great depression, a women's rights movement - now THAT'S a symbol of strength. It has about the smallest chip of a diamond in it, but who cares? It's been through so much and I love it! Just try finding that kind of meaning at Tiffany's or Jared's.

All too much of our worth is placed on what diamond he gets us. It's almost a competition. Somehow we're fooled into thinking they are rare and invaluable. The truth is, diamonds aren't all that rare - our fiances are. Shouldn't that be what it's all about?

Size Matters

Numbers tend to rule our lives. Some are crucial. What time do we have to be to work? What was my GPA in college? How much is my mortgage? How many miles per gallon does my car get?

It's constant. We can't escape them. But there's one number that we should try to take with a grain of salt. It's our clothing size.

I saw first-hand this weekend just how consumed many women are about their size. One such lady came into Gap to find new jeans. She just had a baby and really didn't know what fit. I had her try on two different styles. Both looked great, but in one she wore a 10, the other, a 6.

Wouldn't you know? When she came to the checkout, she had one pair in her hand - the 6's. I asked her what helped with her decision. She told me "she liked being able to tell people she was a 6 and not a 10."

Wow. A perfect example of how fixated our country is on maintaining a new size. As a character in "The Devil Wears Prada" stated - "4 is the new 6 and 6 is the new 12."

The truth is - size really doesn't mean much in retail. I know that in one store I could be an 8, another a 4. They aren't consistent from store to store. At the Gap alone, I range from an XS/2 to a M/6.

Why do we torture ourselves about a silly little number sewn to the inside of our jeans? If we cut it off, will it make us slimmer? If we fudge the number, will we instantly drop 5 pounds? Yes, it's just as ridiculous a concept as it sounds.

We just have to dress our bodies in the most flattering ways. Ignore the numbers. Your body knows if it's at it's right size. You feel healthier, have more energy, can look in the mirror with confidence and smile. You don't need a tag to do that for you.

The next time you have to try something on in a different number than you're used to, just smile and shrug. Take it with that grain of salt. Stand up proud (after all, correcting your posture is the best way to instantly look smaller).

Hold your head up high and work it! We can be gorgeous at any size, 00 or 14. As long as we believe we are. A woman's confidence is something nobody can measure down to a number. It's priceless.

Jeans VS. Genes

I don't know about you, but I'm guessing that if you're anything like me, finding a great pair of jeans is one of the most difficult missions of the fashion war. In fact, I fight this battle pretty much every time I work a shift at the Gap.

If you fight every season or only once a year, you know what I'm talking about. How damn hard it is to find "the perfect jean." With no two women's bodies alike, how can any brand pinpoint everything you need - perfect fit, perfect length, perfect wash?

Sometimes you need to face this fight alone - with 20 different styles in multiple sizes in the ill-lit fitting rooms - or at other times, you need backup. Like a good friend or trustworthy sales person who you know will tell you like it is.

We have 8 different fits of jeans at the Gap and about 3 or 4 colors of each, so the possibilities are out there. I've seen petite women and long, leggy ones alike look awesome in the same styles. You just have to be patient and find what's right for you. Are you a classic, dark washed trouser type, or a rockin', distressed skinny fit kind of girl? The point is, you've got to get out there and try with patience an open mind about your style and body type.

Who knows, maybe after a bout in the fitting rooms you find that you're not at all who you thought you'd be - and sometimes that's the best victory of all.

Out of the Closet

I love to shop. I admit it. In fact, I might borderline as an addict. But these days, nobody can afford to endulge. It wasn't too difficult to avoid the mall during the long winter months (busy holiday shoppers, boring & drab styles), but now that Spring is here and it's brought along all it's pretty colors - it's pure torture!

There are so many cute spring dresses and fun patterns out there that I'm ready to add to my wardrobe. Unfortunately, all I can afford is reinvent with what I already have.

I dug through years of clothes (hey, I've worked retail since I was 18) to see what I had, what still fit, and what I forgot even existed. What I discovered surprised me. It was like shopping in a vintage boutique - for free! So many cute tanks and tops. Lots of bold costume jewelry (okay, so I raided my Mom's accessories too). A ton of ways to mix and match that I never tried before (it pays to be a little inventive).

What I didn't care for or didn't fit anymore even came to use. I packed it all up and brought it to a local resale shop. Hey, gotta make everything work for me. Now I'll have a little extra cash to pick up a cute dress or two!

So, if you're like me and are ready to make the shift into spring fashion - skip the mall and shop your own closet. What you find in there may surprise you!