Polishing It Off

When we talk and think about fashion (which is probably more often than not, right girls?), we are usually talking and thinking about clothes, but there is so much more to looking and feeling great.

For instance, how many of you work at a computer and spend all day looking down at your chipped, jagged, unpolished nails? (I do! I do!) A flattering nail shape and the latest, greatest shade on those fingertips is a quick, feminine and inexpensive way to finish off an outfit and keep up with the trends of the season , without worrying about how to keep up with your credit card payments.

Nail polish trends change just like shoes, belts and dresses, so keep reading to find out what should be on your fingers and toes this fall.

Just Plum-my 

Purple is one of this season's most popular colors for clothing, and nails are no different. Save your bright purples and lavendars for next Spring, and instead try a deeper shade like plum, aubergine or violet. Pair your dramatic nails with a classic black dress, or use them to help transition some of your summer favorites, like this dress, into fall.

More chocolate, please!

A few seasons past saw fashionistas from Hollywood to Houston to Hartford sporting edgy black nails. This year, put a twist on that trend with chocolate brown nails instead. Brown nails have a more classic look, and the earth tone is a great way to get into the fall spirit. For brown polish, rounded square nails that extend just past the finger, and a flirty fall frock, are best. 

Heavy Metal

Another big trend this autumn is metallics. Metallics can be broken into three shade families: champagne and bronze; pewter; and silver. You can never go wrong with the gold standard,but but we've all been there and seen that. Switch up your finger-game with a gutsy copper instead. Warm and darker skin tones should stick to champagne & bronze shades, while cooler skin tones are more suited to silver. And anyone can paint on a little pewter since it is a mix of copper and tin. Metallic shades are particularly good for those of us who have trouble maintaining a manicure (I do! I do!), because they adhere to nails better than their shimmerless counterparts. Use some precious metals (on your nails, that is) to complement a shiny party dress or vampy cocktail dress.

Going Grey

You might not want it in your hair, but grey was a major trend on this fall's runways, and it's made its way to nails as well. You can go anywhere from a soft grey to a bold gunmetal, and grey polish with a metallic twist is a great way to combine two trends into one. Short, well-manicured nails painted a soft grey are a perfect backdrop for a boldly patterned dress like this, or the perfect complement to a simply sophisticated dress as well.

Think you can nail it? 

What polish trend are you excited to try out this season?

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Lauren, who will soon be the proud owner of a little black dress, thanks to her generous donation of $165. (I know I said I would post this "bright and early" in the morning, but you need to understand that is a relative term for me.)

And thanks to everyone else for participating and helping out. There will be many more auctions, give-aways and contests right here, so stay tuned. And, if you are interested in staying up-to-date on the progress of Stephanie and Christian, visit this blog, or this Web site.

Shabby Apple and the Nielsons thank you for your generosity, and we'll see you next time around!

Going Once, Going Twice...

Just a friendly reminder that time is running out to bid on this stylish black dress!

I have been so impressed with your generosity so far, and I bet you still have some more in you.

The auction for Stephanie Nielson closes tomorrow night so open those hearts and wallets wide and show us what you've got. I will announce the winner on this here blog bright and early Thursday morning. 

All I'm saying is, it could be you.

Falling Into Autumn

Just the other day I was driving by the mall, getting nostalgic about those back-to-school shopping days. You know the ones. The big Saturday trip to all your favorite stores, bags of sweaters and new jeans and maybe a funky T-shirt or two, a stop by the Food Court with your mom for a slice of pizza. Those were the days, eh? (Who's with me?)

Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but those days (and Dad's deep pockets) are gone for me, and a brand-new fall wardrobe every year isn't an option anymore. Luckily, there are some easy ways to carry some of your summer favorites into fall, and some tricks for making old pieces seem new again. Read on!

Dressing Up

We all know how nice it is to throw on a fluttery dress and some ballet flats and head out for a walk or a bike ride on a warm summer's day. But, no need to pack that dress away until the snow melts. Take your favorite summer dress and throw it on over a pair of jeans. Just make sure your jeans are nice and tight and your dress is knee-length or shorter. Also avoid wearing dresses that are too formal either in style or fabric. Jersey knit and cotton dresses work the best.

Throw on a turtleneck or other long-sleeved shirt under the dress, or a long cardigan over it, (or both!) and complete the look with a wide belt, a must-add for fall that will make your summer staple look and feel brand new.

Longer dresses can also follow you into fall. Pair them with a kitten heel slingback, ballerina flat or even stylish, heeled boots.

A Leg Up

No need to kiss your mini-skirts (especially denims) good-bye. Instead, put them on with a pair of dark-colored leggings or tights, your favorite sweater and a colorful coat to carry you through the dreary winter. Finish off the look with a flat boot, ballet slipper or pointy-toed flat.

Or put on your favorite walking shorts or cotton capris over a pair of textured tights.

With a collared shirt and well-fitted jacket on top, you have the perfect autumn outfit for work or play.

And, if the right pair of leggings is hard to come by, cut off the feet of an old pair of tights and wear them as leggings. Cut them off so they hit approximately an inch below the knee. It's a perfect way to save some cash while cashing in on items you already have.

Layering it On

Layering your shirts is one of the best tricks you have up your sleeve. (Get it? Shirt? Sleeve? Joke!) It helps you get more mileage out of the pieces in your wardrobe and helps mix up any outfit.

Put that summer tube top over a slim turtleneck, or throw on your favorite graphic tee over a button-up. Your sheer summer shirt will look great under a sweater vest and that tank top you can't live without is the perfect thing to complement a winter cardigan.

Layering your light-weight summer sweaters with a tank top or camisole helps you bring two summer trends with you into the next season. Pull it on over a pair of jeans or wool pants and finish it off with a pair of boots for a fresh, autumn look.

It's all about the accessories, Baby!

Probably the simplest way to change the look of any outfit is to switch up your accessories. Add a scarf to your favorite short-sleeved shirt, or trade your bright, chunky summer beads for gemstone jewelry or thick cuff bracelets. And don't get rid of your gold link jewelry or stacks of gold bangles. Pair them with rich, fall colors like chocolate brown, plum or grey.

You can also use pieces you already have in a new way for a new season.

Take a long necklace and wrap it around your wrist as a bracelet instead. (This works especially well with pearls.) Use a spare piece of ribbon, or your favorite summer bandana, as a headband. And moving that chunky belt from your low-slung hips up to your ribcage can totally change the way an ensemble looks.

Now, someone pass the carmel apples.

And tell us, what favorite summer staple will you be bringing into fall, and how?

Couture with a Conscience

Some of you may have found your way to Shabby Apple through the delightful blog of Stephanie Nielson. So some of you may know that Stephanie and her husband, Christian, were involved in a private plane crash a few weeks ago that left them both in critical condition in an Arizona hospital, with months of recovery and mounting medical bills ahead. For more details and updates, go here.

In an impressive show of Interweb solidarity, friends, family and strangers have banded together with auctions, fundraisers, decorations for hospital rooms and more to help this little family. Check it out. Here at Shabby Apple, we are always interested in doing our part and so I proudly announce our own Nie Recovery Auction Extravaganza!

It goes a little something like this. There is a Nantucket dress up for grabs! And it can be yours if you follow these few, simple rules.

Leave your bids in the comment section below. Be sure to include your name and e-mail address so we can reach you if you are the winner.
Bids should be made in one dollar increments. (Or more!) Decimals make me cranky.

Bidding will close two weeks from today, on Sept. 24th th at 10 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
Once the bidding has closed, I will announce the winner right here on this here blog. You will be famous! And you will also be the proud owner of Nantucket. Not to mention a happy heart that knows you did something good to help someone in need.

The winner will simply use this button to donate the money directly to the Nie Recovery PayPal account.

Once you have your PayPal receipt, send it to me, and I will send you your dress! And every time you wear it, you will feel that special, warm glow that only comes from knowing you did something good for someone else. (Not to mention that you get a totally hot dress out of the whole deal!)

To read more about Nie's favorite Shabby Apple dress, go here. Now, start bidding and get a favorite dress of your own! And tell your friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors, the stranger who sits next to you on the bus and the person who bags your groceries to come here and bid, too!

I'll start the bidding at $30.

Going once, going twice...

Flatter Me

We all know that women come in many different shapes and sizes, and sometimes finding clothes that are "just right" can seem impossible (I'm looking at you, ever-elusive pair of perfect jeans).

Oftentimes our trouble comes, not from a lack of flattering clothes, but from a lack of understanding about what is most flattering on us. Just because it's trendy doesn't mean it will look good on everyone (skinny jeans, anyone?) and finding the right style of clothes can be a frustrating game of trial and error.

But, never fear! Shabby Apple has introduced Fit To Flatter, a quick and easy guide to what looks best on you. Hop on the Web site and check it out. Everyone has an asset to flaunt, and Fit To Flatter will help you make sure you're flaunting the right one(s).


You'll start off with a three-question quiz.


When you splurge and eat a bunch of chocolate cake, where does it go? (If you never splurge and eat a lot of chocolate cake I would like to stick my tongue out at you. Just once.)


What do you love about your body? (Don't be shy. We all have something.)


And how would you describe your body? (You might need a dictionary for this part. Rubenesque means "full figured," just for your information.)


Answer these three simple questions, and the mystery of what looks best on you will be unfolded! When I took the quiz, I came out as a "pencil" (seems sort of appropriate, since I am a journalist, after all), but I actually think pear is a little more accurate, given my "full, womanly hips." (Ooo-la-la!) Some good options for me include Tuxedo IV from the new fall line, Ballerina and, my all-time favorite, 16 Candles. (Thank goodness that made the list! I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't the right fit for me after all.)

More of an hourglass yourself? Look for dresses with fitted waists and straight skirts, like Buttoned Up or Antiquated. Or are you more athletic? Dresses like Daisy and Marseilles are the perfect way to show off your toned arms and legs. And the list goes on. No matter what you look like, Shabby Apple has a dress that will make you look, and feel, good.

Spill!

What is your favorite asset and why?