What Makes Me Beautiful

Fall Pieces

Hello everybody!! I have posted new fall pieces on my store www.claudiagilldesigns.com. Fall is a great time to wear beautiful jewelry. it is a great time of the year to be daring with fashion, and to try new things. This fall season, when it comes to jewelry, the chunkier and the bolder the better. Mixed metals, vintage components, and bright colors, should all be part of your fall jewelry ensemble.

Shoe Heaven

    Besides loving jewelry, I also absolutely love shoes. My excuse for my husband is that everyone has something they like to collect. Some people collect dolls, others collect toy cars, I collect shoes (and I will stick to that story as long as I live).  Shoe Metro, which I happen to call shoe heaven, is an Ebay store with hundreds of shoes listed. I discovered Shoe Metro a year and a half ago, and I have been hooked ever since. Shoe Metro specializes in brands ranging from Steve Madden to Coach. Their prices are anywhere from 50% to 85% off MSRP. I have found shoes there for as low as $12.00!! I am a budget shopper, therefore, I am always looking for sales, that is why Shoe Metro is so perfect for me.

 Most shoes on their website are new, but they have occasional listings of shoes that have been lightly worn. Since their prices are so great, they may have certain shoes that have a minor defect, so always take your time to read the descriptions, and to look at the pictures. If you do not have an ebay account, and are not interested in opening one, they also have a website, www.shoemetro.com. The difference between the website and their Ebay store is pricing. On their Ebay store, prices are lower, and you also have the choice of bidding, they also have combined shipping. On the website, they offer free shipping on orders that are $25.00 or more, but the prices are higher.

I personally prefer their Ebay store, but you can see both and make your own choice.

80's Inspired

I was born in the 80's, so I have to confess I am excited to see that there is so much of 80's inspired Fashion for Fall. Who can forget the opulence of Dynasty, Madonna, and for all of us that were little girls in the 80's, who can possibly forget Jem and the Holograms!! The 80's is known for  innovations in both Fashion and Music.

The picture to the left is from Michael Kors Fall 2009 RTW. The model has three 80's inspired looks. The fingerless gloves, the bright orange, and the over sized glasses.

So, for Fall, invest in an 80's inspired statement piece, like a yellow coat, and ditch the dark colors for brighter ones like electric blue or fuchsia sweaters.

Combine a chunky sweater with a pair of leggings or skinny jeans or pants, and remember, Girls just wanna have fun!!

Fall Trend: The Shrunken Blazer

It is that time of the year again, when we look in our closets and take inventory of our Fall pieces. A great versatile piece that we can add to our fall wardrobe is the shrunken blazer. You can wear it with everything from a pair of jeans and a tank to a pair of slacks and an accordion pleat top (another great fall fashion trend). Don't forget to Accessorize the look with long layered necklaces.

Claudia Gill Designs

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am a Jewelry Designer. So visit my Etsy store www.cgilldesigns.etsy.com.  I am working on a wonderful fall collection, which will be out Sept. 22nd, so stay tuned!!

Back Again

My last post was a year and four months ago. Ironically, my last post was about self- esteem, and having a positive attitude. Why ironic, you might ask? Well, I moved to New York (from South Florida) January of 2008, with who is now my husband. I left my home, my friends, my family, my comfort zone. To me, at the moment it felt that I left everything that made me who I am. Therefore, I stopped being me. And that is why I stopped blogging.

Today, a year and eight months later, I am married to my longtime partner, have a wonderful six month old baby, and became a Jewelry Designer. I am sharing this with you because I want you to know that no matter how much of a positive attitude we may have, we all have the right to fall sometimes, and it's ok. But it is up to us to get up again and continue the journey to our happiness. It does not matter where  life takes you, never stop being you. You are not where you find yourself physically. Everything in life happens for a reason, no matter how bad it seems at the moment. It's the attitude that we see situations with that will determine how bad or how good each situation or experience will be.

So, I am back doing something that I love to do, which is blog about fashion, beauty, and the very important topic of self-esteem.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK

Hello Everybody!! I received a wonderful email from a friend, and I want to share it with you. It is about Self-Esteem, and the importance of being positive. It is a fact that we are what we think, we will carry ourselves based on our self image. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Positive thinking is closely connected with our level of
self-esteem. All of our beliefs, feelings and actions are based on
our thoughts. The only difference between people who have high
self-esteem and achieve more in life and people who view themselves
as "failures" is their attitude.

Whether we are aware of it or not, every second we make a choice to
be positive or negative, excited or depressed, active or passive,
happy or offended. The choices we make largely depend on our
previous experience and feedback that we've received from our
parents, friends, society and, most importantly, from ourselves.

The way we perceive ourselves affects our reality. If we don't
believe that we are capable of accomplishing something, we won't;
even if we have all the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve it.

When you replace negative thoughts and beliefs with the positive
ones, you'll notice that your self-esteem will grow as well. You'll
finally let yourself feel that sweet feeling of winning. In fact
this feeling is so addicting that you'll become driven to
experience it again and again, by becoming more daring in your
desires and setting higher goals for yourself.

YELLOW: SPRING'S "IT" COLOR

Anything yellow is really hot and popular this spring. A yellow trench coat, yellow sandals, or a yellow handbag should make it into your closet this spring as a compliment to your wardrobe. A yellow trench will make an old pair of jeans look trendy and fresh. A yellow handbag or pair of sandals will give any outfit a muted sexiness. But you have to hurry!! "Yellow" is flying off the racks this season. Shown here, Gain Medium Satchel, www.ninewest.com $89.00

SPRING'S GLADIATOR SANDAL

Gladiator Sandals are everywhere this spring. They are sexy and versatile, and they are perfect for skirts as well as shorts and long pants. I personally love Nine West's Gaulla gladiator sandal. You can find the Gaulla sandal in Nine West stores, Macy's, and www.ninewest.com, for about $89.00.

TIPS FOR SHOPPING ON EBAY

Due to technological advances and our hectic lives, online shopping has become a great choice to avoid department store crowds, and also to take advantage of specific sales only offered online. Websites such as Ebay are a first choice for many people looking for a bargain. Ebay is a very legitimate site where you can find basically everything that you are looking for. However, not everybody that sales on Ebay is honest, therefore, there are tips that you need to follow in order to ensure a secure and safe purchase.

1) Check the seller's feedback. If a seller has 95% or higher, chances are they are are a seller that can be trusted. Also, check if their negative feedback has been recent and constant.

2) Make sure that the seller is either Paypal verified or a powerseller. If a seller if Paypal verified, then you know that you will have a secure transaction.

3) Make sure that you read and understand the description of the item. For example, there are many cases where a buyer purchases a beauty product without realizing that the comes in a trial size.

4) Do not purchase a product that does not have a picture, even if the product is not of a high price.

5) Research on the net for the original price of the item that is being sold on Ebay. If you see a Coach handbag being sold for $50.00 and featured as a new product, but the original price is $600, chances are the handbag being sold on Ebay is not real.

MACYS ONE DAY SALE

For those of you (actually us) that love a great sale, Macy's has their now famous one day sale tomorrow Wednesday the 19th, with a preview today. Their One Day Sale is usually great, and if you have patience and perseverance, you will find shoes, clothing, handbags and even pieces for your home for a very good price. I advise you to go as early as possible. Happy Shopping!!!