Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I guess you can say the northeast has gotten more than its fair share of rain this month and there is only one thing good about it (except the fact that we will all have lawns that look like Fenway Park!)……we get to wear cute rain boots! I recently got rain boots for Christmas and I think that I got them just in time due to the amount of rain we received this year already. They are super cute black high boots with big white polka dots all over. To tell you the truth, I even wear them when it’s not raining. It seems that these rain boots are every where, I see them in all the stores with crazy designs and colors, making it actually fun to wear them even though rain isn’t too fun! They also have really cute kid’s boots, my niece has a pair that looks like little frog faces and she also has the matching umbrella! All in all, even when it rains you want to look your best, so go grab a fun pair of rain galoshes and make a statement!

By Coco

Rain or Cool Shine!

I don't know about you, but I am tired of all these rainy weather days! It becomes old real fast especially when mother nature teases us all with a few nice days of sun and warm temperatures. Even when the sun does make an appearance, it's still days of driving through huge potholes filled with water and many days of pumping water from every place it can possibly get into. So, how can you keep yourself a little bit dryer and warmer when those damp and lately drowning days are upon you and you need to cover up? Like me, I'm sure you pull apart your closet looking for your best coat that may be water resistant or some other type of coat that keeps you somewhat dry and warm. Even when it's finally not raining anymore, sometimes it's still a little cool even with the sun when you just want to wear perhaps a shorter lightweight coat.

Chadwicks offers two great coats, a water resistant trench coat for those rainy days and a shorter casual trench coat for those slightly cooler days even when there is sun. These coats are for Spring, Summer and Fall seasons due to their versatility. Both coats are machine washable, comfortable, and stylish. Why not get one of each in your color choice so that mother nature doesn't catch you off guard.

I love them both !

Girly Tees

I just love it that there are so many different styles of tees now. When you need a quick and easy top to throw on, you don’t have to wear a boring old tee that has no style to it anymore. They come in all types of styles and Chadwicks has a great selection. Now when you put on a tee you can still feel a little girly instead of looking like you have your husband’s tee on. Here are a few of my favorites:

I like the covered bead trim detail on the Embellished Tee.

The empire waist and pleated style of the Surplice Goddess Tee is good for hiding a little bit of a belly.

The beautiful bright colors of the Braided Belted Tee gets me thinking of spring days.

Does anyone else have a favorite style of tee?

How to Hide a Large Tummy

Anyway you look at it; a Large Tummy can be a frustrating figure problem to deal with.

I know this from personal experience unfortunately. It is not impossible to dress in a way that will downplay this problem area however. Here are a few tips that I found on line:

1. Choose the right undergarments.

Shapewear is the best solution for over 40 tummy problems. It is supper stretchy, more lightweight and very thin, making it very comfy. It can make you look like you dropped 10 pounds. (I don’t know about you but that works for me).

2. Watch your Posture.

Learn to throw your shoulders back and pull your abdominal muscles in when you stand and walk. At first this may seem difficult, but over time it’ll become second nature. Abdominal toning exercises and aerobics can help to tighten your abdominal region so you won’t need to disguise it.

3. Dress to Hide a Prominent Tummy.

The way you dress can have a big impact on the appearance of your stomach. A wrap dress can hide the appearance of your stomach. Try a colorful patterned wrap dress. Add some chunky jewelry. Also, an empire style dress with a high waist can help to disguise a plump stomach. A V neck will draw the eye up towards your face and away from the problem area. Wear a supportive bra. Another strategy is to highlight one of your better figure features. Do you have great legs? Emphasize your legs with a shorter skirt and high heels. Here is a summertime tip: Use some baby oil on your legs to add a little shine for a healthy glow. Below are a couple of Chadwick’s dresses that fit the dress style mentioned above along with some of our body shapers.

Your Shopping Style

Last night after work I swung by the mall on my way home. I had seen some ads in my favorite magazines and wanted to check out the stores for some specific items. I cruised solo through the mall... a girl on a mission. That's how I shop, alone.

I am usually prompted by an advertisement or by one of my favorite websites, and if there is a store nearby, I want to check it out in person, by myself. Friends, family and boyfriends can't and don't want to keep up while I go store to store...and store to store. Shopping is a personal thing. I know some who won't shop without friends, who like to have a second opinion. Some people avoid malls (or busy shopping streets) like the plague and opt for catalog and online shopping.

I do make a lot of purchases online. I find something at a store and if they have a website, I take the night to think about it then go back and order it online. Same thing for catalogs. I get the catalog in the mail, if I see something I like then I go to the website to check it out then possibly buy it. So I'll throw the question out to you, how do you like to shop? Do you bring a friend or go solo? Do you prefer catalog, online or in-store shopping?

New Hairstyle...or clothes?

Just curious- when you are feeling like you need a change in your life- would you rather get a professional and expensive new hairstyle, or a completely different wardrobe?

Which one changes the way you feel more?

Get "Ruffled" Up this Season!

I'm not usually one to buy into one-season fashion trends, it's just too hard (and costly!) to buy tons of items in a trend and then have it go out of style in a few months. Enter, the trend I love (and it's sticking around)! RUFFLES! They're everywhere, accenting the hem of a trench coat, dolling up a cute pair of booties, and adding that special feminine flair to that "oh-so-tired" white button down shirt. I love this Ruffle-Front Shirt from Chadwicks, pair it with a pair of dark-denim skinny jeans and hot red booties or flats for a shopping day with the girls, or tuck it into a pair of great trousers and throw a sleek cardigan over it for work! So versatile and I love that it makes the outfit look unique.

The ruffle can show up anywhere and just between me and you, even if this trend fizzles in a few months, I think I'm still going to keep it in my clothing rotation -it just makes me feel pretty! :)

Put some spring into your step!

This spring think HAPPY! Forget the recession and dull, dark days of 2009 and start thinking bright, vibrant colors, eye-catching prints, and blooming shapes! The spring season is here and it’s time to burst out in style!

Dresses are all the rage these days and Chadwicks has some great looks to spruce up your wardrobe for spring! Dress them up with a pair of heels for an occasion or dress them down with your favorite flats for work. A great spring dress is a staple for any wardrobe and an affordable one that looks great is even better, like the Crisp Cotton Wrap Dress that was featured in the March issue of All You!

So make yourself smile by wearing clothes that make you shine. Bright colors and bold prints will make you feel optimistic and cheerful! Just looking through your closet and seeing a rainbow of colors will make you forget all about the cold, dark winter and think SPRING!

Maternity Fashion

You find out your pregnant and probably the last thing that comes to your mind is what you will wear but sooner or later you are faced with the ever growing belly and the ever dwindling choices for clothes in your closet. This leads to shopping and many women dread maternity shopping. I discovered while pregnant with my daughter that it doesn't have to be a chore but rather a fun and exciting experience. I've found that you do not need to give up your own personal style or sacrifice your fashion sense just because your waistline is expanding. You can still wear the current trends and still shop at your favorite fashion stores and websites. There is no need to run to the maternity store and spend money on clothes you will never wear again just because the style really isn't your own. With the current fashion trends you can buy fashion forward clothes that will work on a pregnant body without breaking the bank or sacrificing your sense of style . Leggings have long been a maternity staple and now more then ever you can find a wide assortment of fun prints and colors everywhere. Some leggings are even made with denim. This is an amazing breakthrough that has solved the crisis of wearing the trendy skinny jeans while pregnant. Baby doll styles in dresses and tops are a great way to show off your belly and the return of tunics are a flattering solution to the issue of the what to wear on top of your leggings. With leggings and tunics also comes the great footwear known as flats, they are perfect for the ever expanding feet and serve as a fashionable alternative to wearing sneakers. Giving up your heels is hard but nothing throws off your balance like a protruding belly not to mention the back pain you will experience. I'm a heel addict and love the way retailers have made flats just as fun and stylish as pumps. It's sometimes hard to feel fashionable while pregnant especially while your body changes sizes daily but with leggings and tunics you can still be comfortable and fashionable while you grow. The best part about buying clothes you love and not just clothes you settled on while pregnant is that after you have your bundle of joy you will be able to wear your new styles over and over again(we all know you just don't go back to the size you where over night.) I know after the arrival of my daughter I lived in roomy tunic tops and leggings I bought while I was pregnant. With fashion being the way it is today, its a great time to be pregnant !!! Now that I am 5 months pregnant with my son and showing I am looking forward to shopping at my favorite web site Chadwicks.com and buying the clothes I love and would have bought anyway regardless of my pregnancy! Shopping for great new clothes is now just another fun perk of being pregnant. If you are pregnant try your favorite stores or websites before you run to the maternity store or department you may just be surprised as to what you will find:)

Your Boyfriend's Back

And it will keep you out of fashion trouble! Ever wonder why there are so many boyfriend styles this year, and what it actually means? Well, it's cozy, cute, loose and flattering, almost as if you could cherry-pick your sized clothing out of his closet…what a concept! Doesn't your boyfriend always look so comfortable in his clothes? They fit more loosely and still look stylish.

And stealing your man's look is all the rage. Hollywood has grabbed hold and stars like Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel Bilson are going for comfort and pulling it off. And with this look, there’s no compromising style. Paired with a fitted tank top and boyfriend blazer this look is perfect for spring.

Shoes Galore!!
The other day someone asked me how many pairs of shoes I had, and when I told them about 100, he looked at me like I had ten heads. In my mind it is normal for women to have that many pairs of shoes, but after asking a few other co-workers, I came to the conclusion that it really isn’t that normal or should I say common to own that many shoes. Well actually if I asked my sister, she would agree that having a lot of shoes is a staple! She has way more shoes that I do, to the point where she has to hide them from her husband. She actually just bought a really cute pair of sandals from Chadwick’s that she had to intercept from the UPS man before her husband got home.
I love shoes, they are the one article of clothing that you can never look fat in and they always look good on you!! And I also think that shoes can make or break an outfit, for example you could be wearing the cutest black top with a nice pair of jeans and throw on funky pair of bright pink heels giving the outfit a totally new twist! Or you could put on a pair of shoes that you still have from high school and completely ruin the outfit! Whatever the case, you should always be conscience of your shoes and make sure they make a statement!

by Coco

Vote for your Favorite Swim Look

With it still being snowy, windy and freezing for us in New England it is hard for me to think of buying a bathing suit for my pale, out of shape body however, like all retail companies we have started to sell our spring and summer product and it does cheer me up to see these beach looks and remind me of the reasons why I do love New England in the summer time. This week we are offering 20% off all swimwear to you-our loyal blog follower! With new product always being higher priced at the beginning of the season this gives you a great opportunity to receive a discount on our NEWEST swim arrivals. Take our poll and tell us what swim look you like best and then use promo code CHSWIM to get your 20% off! (offer expires 03/16/10)

Hopping to Find a Dress for Easter!

Is it March already? That's what I've been sitting here thinking and where does the time go? What, Easter is April 4th this year, wow that's early (two weeks actually)! I'm not ready and I have nothing to wear. I've been looking at all these great clothes for Spring and suddenly realized I've got to find a dress soon for Easter! It sure would be nice to have a casual and yet comfortable dress that I could wear to my Mom's for Easter. It's so hard sometimes to find just the right dress or outfit and you want to look just right in it too. In my daily routine here at work, I'm always wrapped up in the compliance end of it with packaging, labeling, testing, etc. Then the samples arrive, you see the web updates and advanced copies of catalogs and the excitement about what I'm going to buy starts!

Well, I am so happy that I found the dress for me (and not just for Easter). It's Chadwicks new tie front shaper dress. It's going to provide me with that little extra for the shaping in those areas where needed and yet I can feel comfortable enough to wear it all day. The fabric and colors are great and I can wear it just about anywhere. It's easy to care for and easy on your wallet. Now, this is my kind of dress! I chose the royal blue floral, but they are all great colors, what will you choose?

Special Buys

Chadwicks is currently offering select items that all of us here love to call our “Special Buys”. These items are in limited quantity and are selling out fast as they are great essential items at even great prices. We currently offer a small selection in the latest catalog and on the web, but are adding a lot more web only items coming up. To check out our current collection click here , and keep checking back with us to see our new web only arrivals!

Swim Ready

Swim season is right around the corner! I know it’s hard to believe with the weather we are having in the Northeast. But, yes, summer will be here

before we know it and we are going to need some new swimwear. I personally will be going on a long weekend trip to Miami and I have been searching for some swimwear and most importantly some cover-ups! Whether you are going on vacation soon or looking for that perfect swim piece that will flatter you, yet is fashionable; there are so many options out there already. I know it takes me time to really determine what bathing suit I want to invest in, so start your search now, and be ready for summer.

Check out Chadwicks- we have some great Slimming Suits available!

Picture Perfect!

Do you remember having to buy camera film or even having to drop it off to the local Fotomat to have developed? If you do than, you have been granted a unique view of the advancement of digital camera technologies unlike the younger generation.
It was around 1994 when the first consumer digital camera was available to the general public. Since then, digital technologies have advanced faster than most of us can keep up with buying the newest cameras. No matter how many mega pixels you have or how big or small your camera is. There has been one question that no technologies can really answer well. How do I take a good picture? Seems like a point/shoot camera should be easy, just hold the camera up, press the button and I have a picture, but here are a few tips to help you avoid deleting bad photos.


1. Lighting: No matter how good your camera is. Light is essential to any great picture, putting the flash on is a good idea even if you think you have enough light. The flash can fill in some dark areas and put additional light onto your subject. Avoid placing your subject in front of a sunlit window.


2. What is that?: Look at your backgrounds in relationship to the person or object you are photographing. The pole sticking out of Uncle Freddy’s head is strange looking or maybe it is Uncle Freddy? Kidding aside, avoid background objects that look as if they are growing out of your subject. Try breaking up your pictures into thirds and placing your subject on the left third or the right third. Some cameras have grids you can see through the viewfinder or on the screen to help you with this.


3. Don’t be a wallflower: Don’t be afraid to get close to the subject. So many missed pictures are taken too far way. If you are photographing a flower you like, don’t include the entire garden. Physically get closer to your subject.


4. Tell a story with your camera: Take some surrounding shots, then move closer to the subject take a few more, then some close ups, this will give you the most images to work with and tell a story of where the objects are located.


5. Try unusually angles: When photographing children, try getting down at their level, or try standing on a chair to take picture of large crowds, the straight on eye level images are ok, but be adventurous, you will be amazed how better things look from a different angle.


6. Know your camera: Most point and shoot cameras have what is called an ISO setting (how sensitive the image sensor is to light.) when out in bright sunlight use an ISO of 100 - 200 this will give you the clearest pictures. Check your camera manual for instructions.


7. To zoom or not to zoom: Avoid using digital zoom at all cost. Digital zoom on even the most expensive cameras, does not work, instead approach your subject and only use optical zoom if you must.


8. Earthquake avoidance: If your camera is capable of shooting video, whether it is high definition or VGA, keep your hand steady. We all have seen videos that make us seasick. To avoid this prop yourself against a wall or rest your arm on a fence. Use the same technique (#4) taking some steady video of the entire scene, stop shooting, then walk closer to your subject and begin to shoot more video. Avoid using zoom or moving the camera too fast. Use a monopod or tripod for times where the camera needs to be absolutely still.


9. You aught to be in pictures: If you are on vacation, get some pictures of yourself too. Ask someone to take a picture of you and your travel companions. Also, take time to enjoy the scenery other than through your viewfinder or screen on your camera.

Digital photography can be a great way to capture moments in time and document special memories. Take the time to take great pictures and always have fun in the process.

-Sightseer