AdminSecret

Marie Claire rolled out a new column directed at plus-size women, written by Ashley Falcon, a 5-foot-2-inch, 220-lb. fashion stylist, and entitled "Big Girl in a Skinny World." Of her size 18 figure, Falcon says, "I'm relegated to the plus-size racks, where trendy usually translates into 'when's your due date' empire waists and cinch-sack drawstrings. It's not easy being chic, but ...

By now, Michelle Obama has firmly established her sartorial right to bare arms. But baring thighs may be another matter. Photographs of the first lady descending the steps of Air Force One in shorts have the media in a sweat. Some are saying Mrs. Obama — on her way to the Grand Canyon for a family vacation — may have revealed ...

We hate to admit it, because we personally feel that clothes shouldn't matter. In a perfect world, a person would be judged at their workplace based solely on the caliber of their work. Unfortunately, that's not how the world works. How you choose to dress each morning *reflects how you feel about your job* – that you take your position seriously, ...

Originally published on FashionForRealWomen.com What do your business accessories say about you? For most women (or men), they don't say much. Accessories are often an afterthought, thrown together without a plan. So when you do meet someone who's got her act together, it often leaves an impression ... a very favorable one at that. Most image experts agree that you should ...

Blog post originally appeared on savetheassistants.com. The British Trade Union Conference has suggested that stiletto heels should be banned at workplaces in the United Kingdom. While I’m not more on Team Ballet Flat than Team Stiletto, I’m not usually interested in creating office dress codes. This one, though, is kind of interesting - the proposal isn’t about telling women how to ...

AP Photo Recently, I happened to catch part of an E! Entertainment program called something like, "The 25 Hottest Red Carpet Stars." It showed some of the most beautiful women in the world as they counted down to number one. Uma Thurman, Selma Hayek, Nicole Kidman - all of the "usual suspects" were there. The youngest was Kiera Knightly, the ...

Business casual: What does it really mean? On a bright spring day several years ago, when the sky was bright blue, the tulips were in full bloom, and I was considering playing hooky as I walked into work, one of my accounting clerks sped by me in a flesh. Or was that flash? I still don't know. All I remember is ...

While a strapless dress may leave less to the imagination, there's no doubt that exposing just one shoulder has way more impact on the eye. Yes, in certain cases, your mum is right and less is definitely more. Asymmetrics were big news on the catwalks this summer, with Lanvin, Gucci and Jonathan Saunders all championing the trend. And with Chanel showing ...

Now that it's summer, the generation gap in the office is as obvious as the almost-bare feet flip-flopping down the hallway. Baby boomer bosses, in their Hillary pantsuits, eye entry-level Millennials with bemusement at best and disdain at worst: Why the tight tops and skinny jeans? Twentysomethings shrug off the scrutiny: It seems parents and bosses just don't understand. Sallie Gaines ...

What do your business accessories say about you? For most women (or men), they don't say much. Accessories are often an after thought, thrown together without a plan. So when you do meet someone who's got her act together, it often leaves an impression...a very favorable one at that. Most image experts agree that you should allocate 40% of your clothing ...

It's the great generational debate in Corporate America: What's O.K. to wear to the office? Tank tops and flip-flops? Or Hillary pantsuits? Must women blend in with the guys to be taken seriously? Or is it all right to show a little skin? Here are the dos and don’ts from a dozen Chicago women of all ages. Take a look, ...

For many women, a $1,000 dress is something they admire in the pages of a glossy magazine or see draped on the frame of a celebrity — not an item hanging in their closet. But an up-and-coming website called Rent the Runway is hoping to make high-end fashions much more accessible and almost as easy as renting a movie from Netflix. ...

Little black dresses--that was then. The ladies' wardrobes in the film are decidedly more designer-driven. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) reprises her socks-and-sandals look with over-the-knee argyles in the new film, while Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) has a newly chic wardrobe. [page] The giant flower is back! Carrie's signature pin on the TV show returns as an overgrown bloom on a slinky dress. ...

We're so addicted to text and email we're losing the delicate art of conversation. So do we need to learn to talk again? 'We must have a natter.' Only a few years ago, if any of my friends uttered those five urgent little words, I'd have scurried for my diary to fix a date so that whatever was so important could ...

The top story is from "The Times" UK on their choice maxi dresses of the summer. Although they are beautiful, I personally can't afford an Alexander McQueen for a dress I want to wear on a date or to a music festival. See "The Times" for inspiration, and AdminSecret's picks for a more reasonable (but still fashionable) option. [photo:1150] [photo:1153] Less ...

If you flip over flip-flops, you might end up walking funny and in pain, according to a study presented at last week's meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. My colleague Nanci Hellmich writes (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-06-01-flip-flops-study_N.htm) that researchers found that college students took shorter strides and their heels hit the ground with less vertical force when they wore flip-flops instead of ...

Take one... satin shift dress We take one distinctive item and then coordinate it to create three different outfits: one for the office, one for a weekend away and the other for a party. This week’s key item is a turquoise satin shift dress, £167.62, from Whistles, www.whistles.co.uk. From.. h3. WORK OUTFIT Conservative turtle neck and opaque tights under the dress ...

We created the Fashion IQ Quiz to test how much you know about all things fashionable. We listened to your feedback and are providing the answers so you can learn from the quiz. h4. Don't cheat! If you haven't taken the Fashion IQ Quiz yet, go take it first! See answers on the next page... [page] 1) You’ll get your Birkin ...

It is the look that turned the heads of millions of men but now seems to be the victim of social trends. The classic hourglass figure made famous by Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe appears to have had its day. And career women may be unwittingly responsible. The classic hourglass shape, made famous by Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe, is less ...

I know everyone's a bit cross with the Bank of England just now, what with the economy being a quivering wreck and everything. But I'm going to stick my neck out and say that the “leaked” memo from a seminar held by an image consultancy firm that the Bank hired to advise its female employees on how to dress for success ...