Shopping on line can be a great time saver when you follow these guidelines:

• Always buy two sizes if in doubt, especially if you’re thinking about a new label or designer
• Know the different sizes outside of the US: UK and European
• Keep the colors simple and coordinate with the current colors in your wardrobe
• Buy with the whole outfit or be sure your wardrobe contains coordinating items
• Always know the return policy guidelines (free returns are a must)
• Shop only at stores that offer free shipping and returns
• Read reviews before purchasing

On a personal note, I followed the above guidelines when I purchased of Taryn Rose shoes. I kept the right size and returned the one that was too big.

How many times do we forget what is in our closets? Recently, I commented to a friend that I liked her jacket. She said she found it in her closet. The best way to remember what is in our closets is to reorganize and / or clean it out at least once a year.

Remove the clothes you don’t normally wear anymore. Consider donating the items that are in good shape and repairing the items you want to keep. The changing of the seasons is a good time to revisit the closet to rediscover items that to wear.

Recently, I was a victim of wedding dress party guest nightmare after going through ten dresses along with multiple pairs of evening shoes. However, the reality is that going to a wedding as a guest and not as a member of the wedding party, what to wear is not dictated by pictures, which is good. Also not having to wear a long dress makes it easy to pull something from my wardrobe.

These are the following tips I learned to help avoid having the wedding dress party guest nightmare:

• Many stores do not have all their dresses in stock…order on line.
• Dresses that look great on the hanger…chances are that they won’t look good on you.
• Be sensitive to your body shape…buy a dress that will enhance it.
• The dress must be comfortable…no matter how great it looks on.
• Long dresses are really long…be prepared to spend upwards of $75.00 for alterations.
• Be sure you have a pair of shoes to wear for alterations.

If you follow these six guidelines, I guarantee that shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding will not be a nightmare. It even might be fun.

Boots are here to stay, short, long and mid, throughout the year for women. We see them with high, mid and low heels. They are being worn not only in the winter but in the spring and summer. It is important for them to keep their shape and be fresh to preserve the leather or suede.

The cost of good boots, even on sale, range from $75.00 up to $1600.00 for Valentino boots. First of all, before you even wear them, leather needs to be polished and a preservative spray needs to be applied on suede and cloth boots. When not wearing them, have a cedar shoe tree inserted in each one along with boot shapers for the knee length ones. If you follow these tips, your boots will be walking for a long time.

For women:

• Jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings, that appear too big or too small.

• Purses that are too small for a larger women or too large for a petite women.

For men:

• Ties that are too wide or too skinny.

• Skinny pants that belong on slender men worn by men with ample builds.

• Tee shirts that show bellies.

There are some proportion mistakes folks make because they want to make a fashion statement. If that’s the case, just be sure your audience understands that.

With everyone’s very busy schedule, I am often asked what are good sites to go on for on-line shopping. The best sites are the ones that offer free shipping and returns with no minimum purchases. Sites such as Nordstrom.com, Zappo.com and Amazon Prime (with membership) are a few of the sites that make purchases and returns hassle free.

You need to be cautious about discount sites because they have often have clauses about time limits for returns.

It is not recommended to purchase online for a designer or label where you are not familiar with the fit, color or style, especially the ones with limited return policies. Otherwise, online shopping is a blessing for those who work 24/7.

A great example is when I was at Nordstrom’s Anniversary sale on the first day. It was a madhouse in the shoe department. There was an hour wait to get help with a sales person. So, I took a look at boot I wanted. Then I went home, looked at the reviews and ordered. The boots came in within 2 days! The fit was perfect. On line shopping can take away your stress as it did mine in that instance.