A Dress That Reveals Your Inner Self

I just can't help myself - when I see this dress, available at ShopBop for a whopping $372, I think "yes, I have two boobs and two ovaries in approximately the same position as these large medallions on my dress". I think this pattern would work much better as a skirt.

I feel like I am taking part in a Rorshach test. What do you see? My husband sees a giant rattlesnake. My 4 year old daughter just points and laughs.

Daylight Savings Give Away

Daylight Savings begins March 9th and we all need some extra daylight here in the North. So to celebrate, we are holding another give away and this time, we will announce THREE winners. All you need to do is leave a comment on any of our blog posts over the next two weeks. Each comment counts as one entry - so the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win:

1. The winner will get to choose any item(s) they want from our store until they reach a total of $75.

2. Second place gets a super soft tank top from Rebecca Beeson (your choice, black or white)

3. Third place wins a pair of earrings (our surprise choice).

So join the fun and thanks for visiting our blog! The winner will be announced right here, Sunday night, March 9th.

Friday Q&A - Cheap Handbags

Q: I bought the Silver City Handbag at your store and really love it. It's hard to find cheap, trendy purses that don't look gross but I get a ton of compliments on this one. I am anxiously awaiting your Spring arrivals and wonder if you will be carrying any similar styles or can recommend some other places to find these.

A: I really enjoyed the fact that the term "gross" was used by this customer because I feel that way about a lot of cheap or shall I say affordable handbags. We decided to carry a few last Fall to test the market and had a couple of successes including the Silver City Bag that sold out quickly. Truth is, I have a very difficult time choosing these bags because I am very picky about what I carry (not only in the store, but on my arm). Also, there are a ton of other handbag and accessory stores that focus entirely on this market and can offer you a better price because they buy larger quantities. We will have a few selections for Spring, but it may take some time to find the winners in a sea of "grossness".

I suggest you check out the following sites:
Shop Suey and Baghaus are two of my favorite stores carrying affordable, trendier pieces with a good selection. Several items mimic designer styles so be careful not to misrepresent (pass on the fake logos and imprints please).
Smart Bargains has great deals on affordable designs from Perlina, Adrienne Vittadini, and Sigrid Olsen - designers who are a step up from the cheap stuff but still under $100 on sale.
Coincidentally, Winona over at Daddy Likey beat me to the punch with a similar reader question this week.

Occasionally, I buy cheap handbags (usually if it's a trendier item), but I find that it is best to invest in a few good timeless bags. I have a post planned for next week about handbags that will allow me to elaborate a bit more on this subject. And, I know our readers will have something to say as they are smarter than your average purse buyer.

Have a wonderful weekend and come back Sunday night for our next blogger contest!

...and Stella McCartney should design an exclusive dress under $50 for our store

Our first blogging award E.V.E.R has been bestowed upon us by The Iron Chic. She is wicked smart (thinking blogger, duh) and her blog borders on addictive. If you haven't been there, you really ought to check it out. So without further delay, we must tell you some stuff about us:

What is the story behind the name of your blog and nickname??

Lady Language is our business name so it seemed appropriate for the blog. There are so many online stores and we wanted a name that stood out and meant something more than "shophereboutique". We started the blog to provide fashion and shopping tips for customers and try to provide a realistic spin on the fashion world.

What has been your best, and worst, blogging experience??
We have met so many brilliant bloggers and genuinely nice people through blogging and don't have any bad experiences to report.

What do you want to happen to your blog in 2008???
Literally sat here staring at the screen for twenty minutes and couldn't think of one thing.

So now we would like to nominate:

Quirky Jessi - Because she says what she means and there is no sugar coating. If she lived in WI, we would surely be best buds and I could keep giving her great fashion advice, like wearing nude slingback heels to make her look taller and she would say, no way, I would never wear NUDE colored shoes. But this post really sums up how she feels about us.

LouCeel: I met him during National Bloggers Month and he was kind enough to thank me for being a friend. It only takes a moment to give back to those around us and he continues to spread the light throughout the blogging community. I respect his writing and love of art as he is a painter and photographer.

I could go on and on, but it is late and I have orders to pack and questions to attend to. Ahh, the glamorous life of the fashionable. Catch ya later Dahlings....

We Love To Clown Around

Stephanie said they were too long and made her look like a circus clown, then laughed hysterically. Jessica is 8 months pregnant and cannot possibly fit into them. I tried them and they were too short and definitely not flattering to my hip area. I wondered why I would intentionally hike my pants into my armpits. I asked a few other friends if they would try them...no thanks.

The High Waisted pant dilemma. They seem so cool and trendy, almost reminiscent of better days when a dance and song blessed every feature film. Truth is, the average female cannot wear them easily. Large hips? Sorry. Short waist or torso? No way. Pouch belly or big butt? Keep walking. Tall, slender, long legged, long torso, slim hipped, defined waist? Bingo! If the latter describes your figure, run...go get yourself a pair of high waisted pants fast! The other 95% of us? They're okay paired with a higher neck blouse or top and a long cardigan sweater or jacket.

Anyone else have an opinion on this trend? I'd love to know what you think!

My Fascination With Love

Known as one of the most controversial women rockers, Courtney Love is a resilient woman. I find beauty in some of her lyrics and sadness in her life. I admire her persistence and "who gives a shit" attitude, but deplore her rudeness. Still, I enjoy her rebellious and invigorating grunge-pop music and am fascinated by her life.

She was a product of divorce and there is speculation of drug abuse within her family. Her Father was a "Deadhead" who gave her LSD at four years old. Most of her childhood was spent traveling and living in various hippie communities and her mother often left Courtney in the care of others. As a young adult, she worked as a stripper to make ends meet. Her anger and addictiveness obviously stem from this unstable environment.

Quite possibly, much of her "angry girl" music was birthed from these early experiences and tortured relationships. I wonder about the lyrics in "Petals"...Tear the petals off of you/Make you tell the truth. And "Dying"...You promised, you promised me/I'm dying, I'm dying please - a soft, haunting lullaby that may invoke childhood memories?

I confess to buying every album Hole and Courtney Love have produced yet I have not witnessed her in concert (I don't want to be spit on). I love screaming the lyrics to "Miss World" while I am cleaning the house - I'm Miss World/Watch Me Break and Watch Me Burn/Nobody's listening my friend. And "Violet" - And the sky was made of Amethyst/And all the stars look just like little fish...You should learn when to go/You should learn how to say no...Go on take everything, take everything, I want you to. It's very cathartic if not a bit deranged on my part.


Many musicians write lyrics that strike a cord within their soul or speak of their experiences. I believe Love's music is a hauntingly violent, artistic portrayal of her life. I wonder where she would be today without her music. I recently noticed that she has her own blog. Her drug abuse is still blatantly apparent in her writing.

*photos courtesy wireimage.com

Friday Q&A - Too Old For The Mini

Q: Can a 40 something woman in good shape wear a mini skirt or dress? I am afraid of looking like a teenager, but I see a ton of cute styles this season that I would really love to buy, so any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

A. A pressing question on the minds of many women over the age of 30 - the age in which most of us retire our legs to a life of hiding beneath knee length skirts and dresses. In my opinion, there are three questions to ask yourself to determine the answer. First, are your legs attractive? Saggy knees and cottage cheese thighs do not belong in a mini. Second, does the look fit your style, personality and the rest of your wardrobe? And third, are you comfortable wearing short skirts and dresses? If your answer is yes to all of these, keep reading for tips on the best way to wear a mini at your age. If you answered no to any of these, put the mini back on the rack.

How To Wear A Mini

1. Keep it Sophisticated

Shop for mini’s no less than two to three inches above the top of the knee (unless you have really great legs and want to show them off). Avoid tight fitting denim and leather. Please, no ruffles or sequined embellishments. Never wear a mini skirt to work!

2. Proportion is Key

Volume on top will counterbalance the shorter length to provide an appealing look. Billowy, sheer fabric, larger sleeved tops work well with mini skirts. A short shift dress looks great with tights and ballet flats as does a short skirt with a turtle neck and knee high flat boots. Never pair a tank top, low cut top or sexy stiletto heels with the mini at your age - you’ll just end up looking trampy.

3. Consider Wearability

The mini may look and feel great while standing in front of the mirror because it exudes a sense of liberation and youth. So move around and sit down before you make a decision. If you are not comfortable sitting or walking in it, then what’s the point? The trapeze and babydoll style mini dresses are feminine and cute, but can look too young - in a bad sort of way - on older women. I agree that some can pull it off nicely, but do you really want to look like you are trying to re-live your teens or twenties.

So what do our readers think about this dilemma? How do you feel about older women wearing short skirts? I am still trying to find an appropriate place to wear my electric blue tights and black mini dress. Some day, I tell you...some day I will.