The Style Duo’s article in the July Issue of New City Magazine!

LOOK LIKE A MILLION BUCKS ON THE BEACH, WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK!

“Hair gets lighter. Skin gets darker. Water gets warmer. Drinks get colder. Music gets louder. Nights get longer. Life gets better.”

Yes, we are talking about good old Summertime here and who doesn’t love this season? Summer is what we wait for all year because it is so good for the mind, body and soul. So where is the first place the mind, body, and soul drag us to when the lazy hazy days of summer roll in? The beach of course! Now we all want to look good at the beach. Don’t we? We all want to be stylish and sensational but we don’t want to worry about spending too much. Right? So how can we look like a million bucks on the beach without breaking the bank? Ladies (and gents), we are here to tell you how you can put your best (bare) feet forward and look budget friendly fabulous on the beach.

Beachwear designers made a big splash last summer with the color trend. And once again, COLOR is back this season, even brighter, bolder, and better than ever! Inexpensive ways to add color to your ensemble is by finding the right accessories. Patterned scarves can be worn as sarongs and are an easy way to look totally fashionable on the beach. Check out your nearest JC Penney for a huge selection of lightweight, colorful scarves. Also, big, bold totes are all the rage this season. They can add a lot of drama and style without adding up too many dollar signs. Stores like The Gap and Old Navy are showing great floral, geometric and nautical versions.

Another way to accessorize in a cheap chic way is to layer lots of water friendly jewelry. Bracelets made with turquoise and coral look incredible in the warmer weather! Celebrities in every fashion magazine can be seen sporting this casual bohemian style trend. And don’t forget about finding a really great pair of comfy flip flops. Haviannas.com has an unbelievable selection starting at only $18. Black and white Haviannas go with every beachy look or opt for a really cool pair with an animal print or skull embellishment. They even have a whole category for men’s flip flops with just as many fun styles.

While adding bargain accessories is an easy way to look fabulous without breaking the bank, we have all seen designer swimsuits reach sky high prices. Upscale department stores have swimwear at prices in the hundreds and even thousands!!! However, true fashion followers know the secret places to buy really good affordable beachwear. Target is a great store for good quality, and on trend finds. Designers like Calypso are now creating less expensive lines for Target. And truthfully, you can barely tell the difference between their clothes at Target and their much more pricey line of beach wear only found at fancy boutiques. Whether you feel comfortable in one pieces, bikinis, monokinis, board-shorts, or speedos (not our favorite look), Target has the suit for you at the price you want.

And last, but not least, an easy way to look fabulous taking in the sun, is to slather on a really good self tanner with an SPF. Jergens Natural Glow for about $10 for a large tube gives you a nice summer tan without any harmful rays. A warm, rich, bronze glow and safe skin protection is an easy way to look and feel like a million bucks at the beach. Happy Stylish Summer to you!

Make-up Tips For The Beach

So you have the perfect swimsuit, sandals and tote but now you are wondering what make-up you should wear to the beach? You don’t want to have heavy foundation and eyeshadow melting off your face in the heat but you also don’t want to look pasty and pale in the bright sunlight. So what is a beach babe to do? Well the answer is to not pile on the make-up but wear just enough to make you look beach beautiful. Try a tinted moisterizer with built in sun protection. Many cosmetic companies offer sheer options that make you look luminous but very natural! Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer gives you that sun-kissed glow. Also, a little waterproof mascara goes a long way! Even drugstore brands like Maybelline and Covergirl work well. Swipe on a little lip balm with spf and you are ready to go!

What To Pack In Your Beach Tote

Getting ready to hit the sand and surf can be downright tiring especially if you are packing a beach bag full of beach toys, sun protection and other goodies for your whole family. Our advice is to keep it to a minimum. Sunblock is the most important item followed by a book and possibly a frisbee. Balls and larger toys should be carried by the child it belongs to or else it stays home! A change of clothes is always a good idea in case you want to go from the beach to a seaside dinner. Take a couple of plastic bags to store wet bathings suits. Do not bring makeup or food that melts in your bag or else you will be left with a messy situation. A comb & detangler are always useful for wind-blown tresses and blotting paper comes in handy as a skin refresher. And finally bring a sarong or coverup, a floppy beach hat and cool shades.

OUR BOYS! JEFF, KEVIN, RYAN, JOSH, & JEREMY

Dear Jeremy & Jeff,

In honor of Father’s Day and to all the great men out there who are supportive of their fashionista wive’s spending habits; today’s blog is going to be about sticking to a budget!

While we are the first to say that shopping can be a fun sport, and dressing to the nines can be a mood enhancer, we like to promote living within your means. That is why we often talk about “shopping in your own closet’. It costs you nothing and inspires you to put together looks you were missing before. Another great way to stay within your own budget is to come up with a reasonable spending allowance and stick to it! Stores like TJ Maxx and Target make this easy by carrying beautiful clothing at affordable prices that can make you look top notch. And sometimes the challenge of putting together fabulous looks without going bankrupt can be the most fun!

We love a sale and often if you wait just a few extra weeks, those fabulous shoes you were eyeing at the department store will go down by 30% or more. Just be patient! Also, become friendly with the salesgirls and have them update you about upcoming sales and promotions! We also love shopping the outlets and Woodbury Commons right here in our area has the best stores ever! Our faves are Diane Von Furstenburg, Jimmy Choo and Tory Burch. So what if some of the items are from last season? They still look great and are totally budget friendly!

Online websites are also great when sticking to a financial plan. Baublebar.com is a great one for trendy and affordable jewelry and Bluefly.com is a site that we go to often for deals on clothes,bags and shoes.

So there you go Jeremy and Jeff! We hope you liked this week’s blog. Until next week when we write a piece about Chanel, diamonds and couture! UH OH!

xoxo,
Mindy & Paula

With prom season behind us and school winding down, the next big event for many of us is Graduation Day. While the main focus, of course, is the great accomplishments the students have made, our fellow fashionistas out there will understand when we say that the graduation outfit you choose to wear as a spectator is extremely important too. One can’t forget that pictures commemorating such a milestone will be taken and forever be displayed in picture frames plastered on walls. Hence, a beautiful outfit is essential. Always keep in mind the venue of the event. Some graduations are held in school auditoriums where air conditioning is at a bare minimum if any at all. And then others are held outdoors where you are at the mercy of Mother Nature. We here at the Style Duo have a few recommendations for this graduation season. Why not try a fit and flare dress that we have been talking about like crazy lately. They are fun and feminine but appropriately tasteful for a school event. Buy one in one of this season’s hottest colors like coral or cobalt blue and you too will pass with flying colors! Another on trend look is the floral maxi dress. There are many great options to choose from out there and they are light and easy for hot and sticky situations. Sheath dresses, bright colored blazers, and jazzy jumpsuits are other great choices and will definitely score high points. Don’t forget, if rain is in the forecast take along a fun patterned umbrella. And if you are granted with sunny skies, make sure to wear your most glamorous shades.
From us, here at The Style Duo, we want to say a BIG Congratulations to all of the graduates out there. Always remember that reaching your goals never goes out of style!

GREAT GRADUATION OUTFITS AND ACCESSORIES ON ZAPPOS.COM…

Tahari fit and flare dress

Lily Pulitzer floral maxi dress

Badgley Mischka Sheath Dress

Catherine Malandrino Jumpsuit

Red Blazer by Parker

Vera Bradley umbrella

Tory Burch Sunglasses

Once upon a time there were identical twin sisters who studied hard and did very well in their high school classes. They loved learning Spanish, challenging themselves in Math and learning about history in Social Studies. But most of all they loved reading great literature like The Great Gatsby in English class!

Well who can blame these fair-haired sisters who were always obsessed with all things glamourous? The Great Gatsby opened up their imaginations to styles and glamour of an era past. The elaborate parties depicted in the book were thrilling to read about and made the young sisters dream of chic outfits they would wear to such parties.

Fast-foward 30 years and here we are watching The Great Gatsby brought to beautiful life on the big screen starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. Now the reviews may have only been mediocre, but no one can deny that the gorgeous styles aren’t to die for! So why not embrace your inner Gatsby-girl and dress like some of the greatest literary characters of all time!!

Sue Wong Feather Flapper Cocktail Dress

Nina Ricci Lace and Fringe Tierred Dress

Fuschia Flapper Dress by edressme

Aidan Mattox drop waist 20′s inspired dress

Asos hairband

Rachel Zoe art deco earrings