FabSugar

Things to Think About When Buying Athletic Shoes

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:30:00 PDT

So you need to buy a new pair of sneakers for running, or maybe for soccer. Regardless of what activity you need the shoes for, here are some things to think about for choosing the best pair of sneakers:

Wear the appropriate shoes for the appropriate activity. If you're going to be running, it's not in your best interests to wear tennis sneakers. Even if the tennis shoe is cuter.
Get your foot measured. Our shoe sizes change over time, so make sure to have your foot measured from time to time.
Due to normal swelling in your feet throughout the day, shop for your shoes in the afternoon.
Leave the idea that you need to break a shoe in at home. If your athletic shoe does not feel comfortable in the store, don't buy it.
Shop around. There are lots of shoes to choose from and the first one you try may not always be the best even if it feels OK.
Take your own socks, the ones that you would wear with those shoes on your own.
Unfortunately, when it comes to athletic shoes you pay for what you get. So don't be afraid to pay a little extra for a nice pair of shoes.

Source

Style for Style: Shoe Shopping Tip!

FabSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:02:33 PDT

I learned the hard way that when questioning whether or not to buy a pair of shoes that are a wee bit too small - resist! Even if they are totally on sale, I do not recommend it.

Here's my story: my first Marc Jacobs shoes were a lovely pair of baby pink round toe Minnie Mouse flats. I got them for 70% off and they were tight, but I ignored that. Needless to say, I couldn't wear them; they led to blisters that were unbearable and they ended up sitting in a corner.

So, to avoid a tragedy like mine, leave at least a centimeter between your toes and the end of the shoe, and enough space for them to lie flat. Aside from the potential abandonment of a favorite pair of shoes, squishing the toes can cause unsightly corns and lead to toe deformities (ew!).

Source

Fashion With a Soul: 10 Feel-Good Ways to Indulge and Give Back

Marisa Tom — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:59:23 PST

Fashion doesn't just concern itself with what or who you're wearing. The wide network of designers, models, retailers, photographers, and more that make up this stylish industry have banded together to draw attention to important world-impacted issues. It's feel-good fashion at its finest - these special collaborations, fair trade products, eco-friendly elements, and charitable exchanges take care to give back, remain ethical, and promote conscientious business practices, all with a chic-infused spin. TOMS Shoes donates a pair of shoes to a child-in-need for every pair you purchase, Project Paz works with a supercool lineup of designers to create exclusively unique pieces to benefit great organizations around the world, and Rogan partnered up with its sister brand Loomstate to create environ-conscious surf totes. We narrowed it down to 10 chic ways to give back, go green, and more - click through to see all of them.

Source: Foam Magazine

I Love Your ShopStyle: Schoolgirl Lace

FabSugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:31:23 PST

With only a few days left of New York Fashion Week to style for, ShopStylist pnklmnade whipped up a chic, lace-infused outfit that looks comfortable to boot. The Victorian-inspired Moschino dress gets a polished finish thanks to a super structured navy blazer and an embellished pair of slingback pumps. Add length with a long jet-beaded necklace, add dynamic with a pair of thick-framed schoolgirl glasses, and you're ready for a day at Lincoln Center.

Don't forget to style up your own Fashion Week-worthy ensemble - just submit here and include "Fashion Week" in the title. We may just feature you on FabSugar!

Blazers by Topshop
Evening Shoes by Townsend

Moschino Lace and silk-crepe dress - $1,495.00	Ponte Boyfriend Blazer - $80.00
Lulu Townsend Valissa Pump - New Navy - $49.95	Lulu Townsend Valissa Pump - New Navy - $49.95
Dillard ́s Sensitive Skin Long Jet-Beaded Station Necklace - $38.00	Elizabeth and James Chrystie - $215.00

Find the Perfect Pair of Running Shoes For Your Feet

Zelana Montminy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:46:11 PST

If you're looking to add running to your fitness routine, buying some new sneakers could be the motivation you need to get out the door. Since the shelves of colorful shoes lining the walls of your local sportswear store can be overwhelming, we talked to a running-shoe specialist to get the lowdown on finding your sole mate.

11 Things You Need to Throw Away

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:05:07 PST

The first step to taking care of yourself and de-stressing is to make sure that your environment is in order. Seeing your house full of clutter can affect your mood negatively and make your personal space seem like a place you want to escape from, rather than something to look forward to coming home to. Organize a "throwing out" day every month to make sure that you don't have clutter building up. Here are some things you should consider purging from your home:

Old magazines. Get rid of old magazines you have lying around because chances are, you aren't going to read them again. Find places where you can donate your magazines to such as child care centers, doctor's offices, nail salons, nursing homes, and libraries. If there's an article that really speaks to you, scan a digital image of it and keep it in your computer. Or keep a folder of magazine clippings if you like saving magazine articles.
Receipts, bills, and documents. Throw away receipts for items that you aren't planning on returning, and ones that you won't need to use come tax time. If you're wary of throwing away receipts, you can make a digital copy of them with a basic scanner, a pricey specialized receipt scanner ($174), or a smartphone app ($2). See here for a full list of documents you should keep forever or temporarily.
Clothes. Use the two-year-rule for clothes - get rid of apparel that you haven't worn in two years. Sell them to a thrift store (find a thrift store at thethriftshopper.com) or donate them to the needy.
Books. Go through your bookshelf and gather together books you haven't touched in months and ones that you aren't planning on rereading. Be realistic and make sure you're ruthless. If you haven't touched it in a year, you're most likely not going to read it again. Sell the books on Amazon, Craigslist, or eBay. You can even trade them for something else on swap.com. You can always donate them as well!
Medicine and vitamins. Take a look at your medicine closet and clear out drugs that have expired, medicine that has sat on your shelf for too long, or ones that you no longer use. First, check to see what the proper disposal methods are for the medication, and if you can't find any, check to see if your community has a drug take-back program. If there isn't a program near you, then the FDA advises mixing medicine with "used coffee grounds or kitty litter" in a container or sealable bag before throwing it away to make the drugs less appealing.

For more things to throw away, read on.

Shop It Out: Hart of Dixie

Lucky — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:54:26 PST

Lucky magazine is one of our favorite sources for great shopping tips. We're thrilled to share this fabulous story on getting Hart of Dixie's style from our friends at Lucky!

We started watching Hart of Dixie because of actress, style star and sometimes-rapper Rachel Bilson-as well as the promise of her character's Rag & Bone-filled “New York” wardrobe. But we ended up totally obsessing over Jaime King’s mean girl character Lemon Breeland. She constantly terrorizes short shorts-wearing Bilson, yet we still can’t help but like her-and her Southern Belle wardrobe.

King’s former career as a model probably helps her make the '50s happy housewife look come across as modernly hip, despite the fact that Lemon’s closet seems to only consist of pink flower hair clips, pastel cardigans, floral tea party dresses and flowy tie-front georgette blouses. While wearing the complete Lemon look every day of the week might be a bit much, it would be fun to mix a piece or two into your wardrobe.

Lemon Breeland never met a floral garden party dress she didn't like.

Bridget Circle Dress, $385, Milly, millyny.com

Click over to Lucky to see and shop the whole story.

For more fashion and style from Lucky, here are more Lucky stories.

7 Running Myths to Ignore

Susi May — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:03:16 PST

Running: it's one of the most popular forms of cardio around, but there are a few common misconceptions about it that we'd like to dispel. Shedding some light on these myths could help improve your training, shopping for sneakers, and tackling speed work.

If running is your game, be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2012 giveaway for a chance to win a year's worth of Asics running shoes.

Shop the Complete KARL by Karl Lagerfeld Collection

Marisa Tom — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:10:40 PST

Now, you can shop and check out the complete KARL by Karl Lagerfeld 70-piece collection; in fact, we even styled up some of our favorite items into one model-worthy look for your early bird perusal. But before you get right into the action, here's what you need to know. Lagerfeld's newest line, aptly titled "Karl" will be available exclusively on Net-A-Porter today at 10:30 a.m. EST. If that weren't exciting enough, you should know that this covetable lineup of goodies falls under "affordable luxury," with prices ranging from $35 to $1350. We spotted sleek leather moto-inspired jackets, silver-metallic infused blazers, athletic-minded vests, and ultra tailored silhouettes. Keep reading for our Karl highlights then click through to see the complete lookbook. Also, let us know what you think of our FabSugar-styled look!

No Karl line would be complete without Lagerfeld's distinctive touch. You'll find the designer's profile subtly emblazoned onto a metal jacket button or pant leg.
We're crushing on the chic assortment of accessories. You'll be treated to a plethora of must-have detachable collars, and for all our shoe lovers out there, Karl does not disappoint with his Spring '12 offerings.
Be on the lookout for a snakeskin-textured leather jacket. It's the perfect combination of biker chick-meets-sophisticated lady and we can already think of a handful of ways to pair it with feminine separates and edgier dresses.

Photos courtesy of KARL at NET-A-PORTER.COM

Runway to Reality: How to Pull Off Pleated Skirts For Spring - All Under $100

Brittney Stephens — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:30:32 PST

Pleats may come in a range of styles - box, accordion, and knife pleats are just a few - but no matter what size or shape you opt for, it's a remarkably stylish look for Spring. We saw pretty pleated skirts on the runways at Prada, Jil Sander, and more, proving just how easy it is to look pulled-together and feminine - with little effort required. Just throw on one of these floaty pieces with a simple tee or blouse, then add a chic topper like a knit cardigan or blazer (we especially love the look with a leather jacket to edge up an evening ensemble). When it comes to shoes, pleated skirts look just as great with pointy-toe heels as they do with a pair of round-toe flats; you can also throw a pair of lace-up brogues into the mix for a boy-meets-girl, totally on-trend daytime outfit. Click through the widget below to shop our picks, all under $100.

ASOS PETITE Pleated Maxi Skirt - $80.57	Forever 21 Accordion Pleat Maxi Skirt - $19.80
Knife-Pleated Skirt - $189.00	Pleat Calf Skirt - Sold Out
Juicy Couture Pleated jersey mini skirt - $98.00	A\|Wear Skirt With Heart Print - $44.76
Pleat Maxi Skirt - $60.00	Metallic Pleat Calf Skirt - $72.00
A\|Wear Maxi Skirt With Pleats - $62.67	Poet skirt - $98.00
Sparkle & Fade Maxi Pleated Chiffon Skirt - $59.00	Trouvé Pleated Maxi Skirt - $98.00
Pleats Be Red-y Skirt - $59.99	Tall Metallic Pleat Midi Skirt - $72.00
Love 21 Flared Pleated Skirt - $19.80