Belts are a cinch

Just because it is winter doesn't mean you have to feel frumpy in your clothes.  Stay warm while keeping your shape by cinching your shirt or cardigan with a belt.  Wearing a belt over an outfit or a dress is an easy way to polish off your look.

Just look at this top without a belt, 

and the many ways you can finish this look with a belt:

Some ideas on choosing a belt for you:

1.  Try it on in the store as you intend to wear it.  Everyone has a different shape and so it is important to try it on in the store.  Furthermore, you may wear a skinny belt over a shirt and cardigan, but you'd probably wear a thick belt over something like a black dress.  Think about how you'll wear it and try it on right there in the store.

2.  Find the right belt position for your shape.   Here is a guide from YouLookFab.com:  Sometimes your sweet spot will be a little higher than your natural waistline and sometimes a little lower. When you’re regular bust size and carrying a little extra around the midriff, positioning a belt just above the waistline is usually the sweet spot. When you’re short-waisted and well endowed, positioning a belt lower than the waistline in front and at waist level in the back is often the solution. If you’re long wasited, wearing a belt high on the natural waist is usually most effective.
This is so true.  I'm short and of average weight, and I've always been afraid of belts over maxi dresses or tops because I thought they would draw attention to my waist or make me look shorter.  But with a little bit of practice, I found my "sweet spot" and a way to make it work for me.

3.  Think about proportion:  long-waisted=wider belt; short-waisted=thinner belt

4.  Use a belt for texture.  If you're afraid of wearing a belt, try layering a cardigan or open sweater over it.  It will not draw so much attention to your waist, but rather add texture and dimension to your outfit.

5.  Look for elastic.  Belts can be uncomfortable for some people, so try one that is adjustable or has elastic.

6.  Avoid knits and stick with woven fabrics under your belt.  Structured woven fabrics like button-down shirts will help you avoid that unsightly "spill-over" that you might get with a knit.  

7.  Experiment with fabrics, textures, and sizes.  Think outside the box-sometimes a pretty silk scarf works great as a belt.  As a matter of fact, the first lady fashioned a JCrew scarf into a belt and wore it over her coat at the recent inauguration.  Check your closet and see what you can do with your belts and scarves.  Or, pop in to Honeysuckle and try on some of ours!

Photographs from Honeysuckle Quality Consignment

Advice from youlookfab.com and lovelyish.com

5 Easy Tips: Caring for Designer Handbags

Walk into Honeysuckle and you'll notice the extensive collection of designer handbags in excellent condition.  You can tell that their previous owners gently cared for these investment pieces like jewelry.  Pick out your favorite one, take it home, care for it the right way, and you too will have a beautiful bag for years to come.  Here are 5 EASY (but too often forgotten) tips from the pros on how to care for your designer bags.

1.  Store your handbag in a dust cover.  If you can’t find the bag’s dust cover, a breathable pillowcase will work.

2.  When storing your bag, consider

-stuffing it with bubble wrap or plastic bags (paper can attract moths) to maintain its shape

-unbuckling any buckles; this prevents deep buckle marks on the straps

-storing metal or chain parts inside the bag to avoid scratching the leather

-keeping it out of the basement or attic.  These places tend to be damp and this moisture can mildew your bag.

3.  Try using a handbag organizer or a few small cases to avoid soiling the interior of your bag with makeup, pens, or lotions. 

4.  Be careful where you store your bag; the floor of your car, shopping carts, and office desk drawers may have dangers like water, tacks, or sharp metal edges.

5.  Pre-treat, clean, and condition your leather bags.  Remember that the bag is investment and the fine leather should be treated regularly to maintain quality.  Use leather cleaner and conditioners only; household cleaners will damage your leather.

Take care of your designer bags and you'll be rewarded with investment pieces that last a lifetime.

Photos from Honeysuckle Quality Consignment, Arnold MD
Tips courtesy of:    

http://dollsbags.wordpress.com

http://www.fashion-era.com

 ehow.com

Winter Whites

Gone are the days when you can't wear white after Labor Day.  Even for a stickler like me, wearing white during the cold months is now prettier than ever.  

To make white work in the winter, wear it in heavier fabrics.  The combination of fabrics in this silk dress and faux fur jacket is both luxurious and sophisticated.

These crystal and silver BCBG shoes are a cool ray of light in these dark winter months.

I love this zebra print Loft skirt!  The mix of textures gives your winter whites a "now" feel.

Go head to toe in white this season by adding a punch of color to the mix.  A cranberry necklace polishes off this look.

The exception to the rule?  Wearing white shoes, aside from white boots, is still difficult to pull off for even the savviest fashionista.  Instead, opt for a pop of color like these cranberry velvet pumps or

something like this creamy gold Nine West pair.  They will keep your look fresh and crisp.

 Come in and modernize your wardrobe with some sophisticated winter whites.

rustic touches

Maybe it is the firewood stacked at the fireplace or the changing leaves.  Maybe it is the ski cabin I’m visiting in January or the smell of the fresh greenery on my front door.  Something about fall and winter brings out the rustic side of me.  In the winter I let my hair go darker, eat bushels of harvest vegetables, and burn cinnamon candles in the kitchen.  I’ll never forget the time I received a gift literally wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string-it was so rustic and nostalgic.  This month, I find myself changing the house around with natural colors and textures like burlap, bronze, and natural wood finishes.  

What a peaceful space!
The juxtaposition of the natural with the shine in the frame and candles makes it so cozy yet polished.

I am also thinking about choosing just the rustic decorations for my holiday home.  Here are some fun finds that I saw at Honeysuckle that remind me that down-to-earth feel I long for this time of year.

I love how the lines on this hutch and buffet flow naturally with the wood grain.  Beautiful!

This rustic table would be perfect in so many spaces.  I would use it as a breakfast table, a work station, a kitchen island, a craft table, or a potter's bench.  

I found this heavy, natural teak chair.  Look at the details on the leg.  

This bronze platter is almost 2 feet wide and so perfect!  Display it on a wall, flat on a coffee table with white candles, or on this stand.  I can't describe how the light played off of its metal.

This iron fireplace screen is both simple and elaborate.  There are spokes on either end for a candle.

This bronze cuff would be so pretty with a simple black or brown dress.  

I like the layers of these rustic necklaces.

These natural elements bring a feeling of warmth through the colder months.  Plus, they're timeless and versatile.  Here's another inspiration room-I love the weathered look against the natural white linens.

Doesn't this make you want to put on an oversized sweater and spruce up your space?  Happy Shopping!

armoires and entertainment centers

Honeysuckle consignors often bring in entertainment centers and armoires that no longer fit their spaces or design concepts.  Isn't this one beautiful!?

Honeysuckle

I'm such a sucker for these big, beautiful pieces, but my home has mounted televisions so we don't have a use for them...or do we?  I looked to the web to find some design inspiration so that next time I see one I love, I'll know how I can repurpose it for my home!

bhg.com

This craft center makes me smile!  It is just perfect for hiding away those bits and pieces that can clutter up a guest room or craft space.  I like how they utilized the sliding drawers that you find in entertainment centers.  Plus, the chord cutouts in the back of most of these armoires make the lighting and sewing machine a perfect fit.

bhg.com

I need a mom-space like this!  I love how they added the pretty fabric and left the wood a natural finish.

bhg.com

So the tv is mounted on the wall-where is everything else?  Look at that little cubby on the left for the remotes!  Store game systems, movies, and magazines.

bhg.com

Hello laundry room!  This armoire tucks everything away for the 2.6 seconds of the week you're NOT doing the laundry.  Ha!  Again-what a great solution for de-cluttering a space and making the laundry room...well, clean!

bhg.com

Keep the kids' crafts tidy

bhg.com

and your accessories handy.

diydesignfanatic.com

This is perfect for a dorm room or apartment.  I like the trays and baskets for storage and especially love the mirror on the door. 

There are tons of possibilities.  What's possible in your space?

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

Easy as 1-2-3

As you're dusting off your end tables and mantels and making room for seasonal decor, try remembering the number 3 (and sometimes 5).  Odd numbers are visually appealing to the eye and can do wonders for the look of your home.  Be careful, though-having more than 5 accessories on a piece of furniture can become too cluttered and distracting.

 3 pieces of art on a wall or sofa table can create symmetry and balance.

Be sure to use varying sizes and textures with your accessories.

Remember our post on mixing and matching?  Look at how the pop of red with a simple clock and lamp warm up the space.

I love candlesticks!  Anchor them with a third heavier piece for balance.

Finally, just like with textures and sizes, vary the tones in your space with the number 3-in shades and colors.

All photos taken at Honeysuckle Home Quality Consignment Shop

mix and match

You can tell that a lot of love went into this space.

I love it when a room tells a story, when it isn’t thrown together in a 5 minute thought at a department store.  Fill your room with little finds that you love!  It will look fabulous and actually mean a lot more to you.  You’ll enjoy being able to pick up that little flower pillow you see on vacation, or that consignment tablecloth that just happens to match the yellow in your curtains.  I love this because when mixed with the right patterns and styles, the old becomes new!

I want to wake up here!  This is so eclectic!

And don’t be afraid to mix your fabrics and patterns.  Just keep a few things in mind when you do:

1.     Find a pattern you LOVE LOVE LOVE and then build the design or room around it.  Even if it something you already have-start with that.

Look how the blue carries through.  The quilt is the inspiration piece.

2.     Use 3 patterns.  3 is a great design number so try to remember it (more on 3 later).

3.     Try large, medium and then small patterns in your design.

Large:  Quilt    Medium:  Polka Dot Pillow    Small:  Paisley Euro Shams

Um, would you have EVER thought those paisley shams would match?  They are perfect!!!

4.     Vary these large, medium and small styles and patterns in the same color (obviously from your inspiration piece).  OR

5.     Unite those styles and patterns with one common color.

6.     Remember scale:  small scale-small room!  Think about the distance from which you’ll be viewing the patterns. 

This is so pretty I want to sink in for a nap!  Note the small patterns on the bed and window for a small cottage guest room.

Honeysuckle carries pillows, bedding, window treatments, linens, and rugs.  Stop in to your local consignment shop from time to time and begin to tell your story. 

Sources for photos and advice:  budgetdecorating.about.com and hgtv.com