Tunic Sweaters and Leggings -The Best Budget-Friendly Fashion Trend for 2009

This season’s trendy look is comfortable, easy and best of all, very affordable. Pair some opaque cotton leggings with a tunic sweater and some boots and you have “the look” of the season. This fashion trend is a revived 80’s look that has been updated to flatter almost any size or shape. You don’t have to worry about the pieces going out of style soon because they are so versatile that you can wear them with other things. The leggings easily double as dance or workout bottoms. The tunic sweater can be worn with jeans and of course the boots can be worn with just about anything including; skirts, dresses or a pair of skinny jeans.

Photo by: Lupzduts Flickr Creative Commons

How to get the tunic sweater dress look:

Tunic Sweater Dress
Cost: $15-$40
Where to get it: Ross, Marshals, T.J. Max, Kohls, Old Navy, Sears, JC Penny

If you are truly a renegade bargain fashion hunter, discount stores like Ross can be rewarding when looking for this season’s tunic knit top. I have some friends who do not have the patience to hunt for items at these types of discount stores. While I do love to browse these stores, I have to admit it is hit or miss. You may find the perfect tunic sweater top for example, but you may not find it in your size and you have to sort through a lot of crap. Kohls and Old Navy also carry a nice selection of trendy tunic sweater dresses, but don’t forget to check out the “softer side of Sears “or JC Penny. These retail stores have come a long way with fashion and both have young and hip clothing lines that are privy to the tunic-style sweater dress.

Leggings
Cost: $5-$20
Where to get them: Walmart, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Burlington Coat Factory

If you shop wisely, you shouldn’t have to pay more than 20 dollars for a pair of leggings. To get the most out of your leggings, it’s best to go with dark neutral colors such as brown, black and gray. However, if you are really bold, don’t hold yourself back. While I have never been able to pull it off personally, I’ve seen good use of royal blue, mustard and even wild patterned leggings on fashion-forward women this year. Look for leggings that have a good blend of spandex and cotton for a smooth look. If you go too cheap, leggings may bunch up at your knee making you look like a little kid.

Boots
Cost: $50-$150
Where to get them: DSW, Shoe Carnival, Rack Room Shoes

They’re not “pleather”, they’re “Vegan.” Saving money on boots is easy when you don’t buy real leather. In recent years, there have been some great advances in vinyl materials previously mocked as “pleather”. Today, real leather is actually passé. In fact, some of my favorite shoe designers such as Blow Fish and Steve Madden mostly design vegan shoes and they look and feel great.  For the tunic sweater dress look this year, I personally think it’s best to have knee length boots. However, I have seen it done with ankle boots as well. It really depends on how long your legs are and your weight distribution to decide what works best for you.

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The Bright Side of Working on Holidays

Most people have had to do it at least once. Whether you are in retail, you are an independent contractor making up hours or you just got unlucky this year, you may find yourself at work on a holiday.  Here is how to look on the bright side while you are stuck at work during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays.

Photo by: LittleDan77 (Flickr Creative Commons)

There are as many reasons as there are jobs as to why people have to work or perhaps even choose to work during the holidays. While you may feel like you are the only one, you are certainly not alone. And, believe it or not, there are some rare advantages to working during the holidays. Learn how to embrace this time of workplace solitude and take advantage of its many benefits.

Getting ahead at work

If you work in an office, you will have none of the normal interruptions working on a holiday that you normally have when the office is full of people. No ringing phones, no meetings and no extra work to sidetrack you means that you may actually get something useful accomplished. Make life easier on yourself in the weeks to come and take care of those tasks that you normally do not have time for. Or, if you have the kind of job that just requires you to be present and answer phones, you can get some minor personal things accomplished while sitting at your desk, such as balancing your checkbook.

Avoiding holiday traffic

If you are bummed you didn’t take time off to visit out-of-state family, think of all the traffic hassles you’ve conveniently avoided. Let the masses deal with flight delays and traffic jams in the mad rush to fulfill holiday plans. On the other hand, your commute to work will be a breeze on the actual day of the holiday. Enjoy your smooth ride to work and don’t look back.

Receiving comp days

Most people will be reimbursed for time spent working during the holidays. Why not choose your day(s) wisely and make this work to your advantage? You can take a day in the middle of the week after Christmas (when everyone else is back to work) to go shopping and catch the after-Christmas sales. During the weekday after a busy holiday, the mall is all yours. Or, take advantage of off-season airfare and use your comp day to jet set out of town for a long weekend in an exotic island. Going against the grain and doing the opposite of the general population does have its perks.

Remember, it’s just another day

Holidays can be overrated. Some holidays can be downright boring. The anticipation leading up to the holiday is what is most exciting, such as the shopping, baking and planning. But the actual day can be, well, uninteresting. What do you do with a house full of people after you stuff yourself with food and open all the gifts? Evident from the high Christmas Day movie sales, most people go to the movie theater, where they avoid interacting with family.

So if you really think about it, you really aren’t missing out on much by working during the holidays. At least you aren’t missing anything that you can’t have any other day of the year. Hopefully, good food, family, friends and movies are available to you any time you want. Real holidays are a frame of mind, and when you learn to change your perspective and see through the hype, working on a holiday may not seem so bad.

April Lentini writes for Apartmentguide.com

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Turn Your Home into a Banquet Hall for the Holidays

Large crowds require space and various accommodations. Whether you are using the community banquet hall at your apartment complex, or you are turning your rental house into a buffet restaurant for holiday guests, here are some tips to make your holiday meal go smoothly.

photo by: wili_hybrid Flickr Creative Commons

The holidays may be the only time of year when you see so many of your friends and family together in one place. Sure, you read all the home decorating blogs, no one has ever complained about your fabulous cooking and everyone loves your choice in music. But while you may consider yourself a seasoned entertainer, you may have not thought of everything about hosting a large gathering at your apartment clubhouse or rental home.  Check out the tips below to make sure you have everything covered.

Make space

Even if you do not have much to work with, you can alter your rooms or clubhouse to use space in a smart way. For example, in your living room, get rid of your coffee table so that people have room to stand, mix and mingle. If you have no place to store your coffee table, move it over to the side and put some cushions on it, repurposing it as additional seating.

If your home or clubhouse has a patio, use it. If it is cold, you can rent portable gas lamps and put folding tables outside for a cozy gathering al fresco. If it is comfortable, most people prefer to hang out outside.  Set up a buffet-style meal, where the kitchen counters become the food zone. Let guests fill up their plates, and then plop down in the adjacent room or patio.

Don’t hide your trash can

If you normally hide your trash can discreetly in a clever kitchen cupboard, now is the time to let it hang out in plain sight. No one should have to ask; “Where you put your trash?”  Depending on how large your group is, you may need to have more than one trash bin. Clearly mark your trash cans, and for recycle bins, indicate what items go where.

Accommodate all guests

If you don’t want smokers flicking their cigarette butts on your rental property or depositing their ashes in drinking cans, you will need to make sure that they have ash trays. Use make-shift ashtrays if you have to, but make sure that they have something to use when they grab their smokes. If you know anyone else with special needs that will be attending your holiday party think ahead and plan accordingly.

Get restrooms ready

Restrooms can get crowded at large events in a house. If you are using your apartment community’s clubhouse, you will probably have adequate restrooms to accommodate your guests.  If you are entertaining a large group of people in your rental house, you may consider opening up your personal bathroom, the one connected to your bedroom which no one usually sees. To avoid embarrassing situations, stock plenty of spare rolls of toilet paper in your restrooms. You’d be surprised how much toilet paper guests can tear through.

Keep kids entertained

The best way to fully enjoy the company of your adult friends and family is to keep the kids at bay. Provide the little ones with plenty of things to do. If you think well enough in advance, you could stage a somewhat elaborate treasure hunt in the courtyard with maps, puzzles and clues to keep them busy. You can also designate a “kid” room, complete with movies and games.

If you keep everyone’s basic comfort in mind, you can easily transform your home into a holiday banquet hall that is fit to accommodate your large crowd.

April Lentini writes for Apartmentguide.com

Posted via web from Apartment Living