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Credit goes to our consultant, Paris Roussos. Thanks, Paris!

Weed, Then Shop!

Weeding a garden is one thing; weeding through closets is another! If the owner of the closet is a tween or teen girl, the collection can be especially daunting. Items that no longer fit. Items that were her favorites. Items that are no longer in fashion. Items that have spots, tears or missing buttons. Items that look good on a hanger but hang oddly on her. Items that fit but make her look too fat or too thin, too tall or too short, too old or too young. Items that she loves but you find too revealing or too childish. Plus, the items that she wears every day!

Before school resumes again, take time to weed. Invite your daughter to join you. Explain that money is tight everywhere right now and before you finance further clothes purchases, it would help you both to see what she has. It may even free up space for your daughter to store other treasures. Besides, making order from chaos is satisfying for its own sake. You can sweeten the deal by offering to help wash or iron your discoveries. Suggest that once she has finished, you will take her shopping.

First discuss destinations for the items you plan to sort.


* Items to keep: Acknowledge and validate your daughters taste. She has pretty, serviceable clothes. She also has sentiment, like all of us, and ought to be permitted to keep some useless (to adults!) items if she loves them.

* Items to share: Clothes in good condition that can be given to a sister, cousin, neighbor or friend.
* Items to repair/wash/iron: Clothes she likes and wishes to fix up.

* Items to donate: Clothes that are still wearable can be given to a second-hand store or advertised on craigslist (or similar site.)

* Items to throw away or put in the scrap basket: Even your daughter may admit that some things are beyond hope.

Second, weed! This can be a fun time to try things on, laugh about what used to look good, and discover how much she has grown. It is also an opportunity to muse with her about how much the clothes cost and how many resources--water, heat, energy-- were consumed to produce them.

Third, talk about what she still needs and what she wants. This tight economy makes us all aware of our budgets, and this process makes your daughter part of the family's planning. Having completed the weeding process, you both can see what she has and what she needs.

Finally, go shopping. The preceding steps inspire girls to make careful and deliberate purchases, behavior appropriate for our current economic climate-and a life skill.

For ideas, try zelaz.com

New Perspectives on a Pop Icon

I had the wonderful opportunity to take my daughter to the Beyonce concert when she was in town last week. It was truly a memorable, thought-provoking experience!

First, Beyonce is incredibly talented. She writes much of the music she sings, and has a voice that is truly stunning. She's also beautiful. But beautiful in an impressive way. While the lights and make-up artists can enhance anyone's beauty, she strikes an athletic, healthy frame on stage that clearly declares - I'm talented, successful and I have a positive message for girls and women! I wasn't familiar with her music, save for one or two hits, but I was wholly impressed at the content of her music: girls can stand on their own, you don't need a man to be whole, and beauty comes in many forms and figures.

While there was far too much crotch waving and "booty" shaking for my taste, and the back-up singers had cleavage like nobody's business, there was a lot to celebrate about this concert that was filled with teen and preteen fans.

We fall for the tabloids so easily these days, looking to exploit the flaws of the famous. I'm sure Beyonce has her own set of skeletons, like we all do, yet, on stage I saw an engaging, focused singer who is taking her fame seriously. Her concert tour gives a portion of its proceeds to hunger, and ticket holders were encouraged to donate canned food at the entrance.

Her outfits were stylish and indeed refreshing. How she successfully managed eight costume changes WHILE singing the entire time left me wondering. Yet, each outfit was tasteful, well-fitting, and not suggestive or sultry.

To top it off, her band was ALL women. Sure there was a fair share of men running the mixers and lighting on the floor, but on stage, save for four male dancers who appeared occasionally, she touted 13 female musicians, all accomplished and at the top of their game: a drummer and bongo player, two keyboard players, three back-up singers, a lead guitarist who could twang with the best of them, a bass player, and four instrumentalists who clearly loved the work they were lucky enough to do.

My personal favorite was when she donned a floor length sequined gown and sang "At Last" in front of 1960s video clips from the Montgomery bus boycott, Freedom Ride buses and black protesters being arrested for claiming their equal rights. I think much of the footage was lost on the audience, but when she showed a clip of our President dancing at the inauguration with his wife, Michelle, the entire Target Center erupted in cheers of joy and encouragement.

Yes, indeed, Beyonce in concert was an amazing, lasting experience. She has found a way to subliminally connect with young and growing minds in a positive, uplifting way.

I left the concert with my daughter smiling ear to ear and with a new-found appreciation for this pop icon. She's taken her gifts seriously and graciously and is helping make the world a better place. Thanks!

Job-Hunt Advice from the Virtual World

Career Builder.com offers some terrific advise for Facebook/text immersed teens and young adults as they are looking for their first jobs.

Texting - Avoid it altogether - There is a time and place for text message lingo and emoticons, and potential employer correspondence is not one of them. Even if the communication is done via email, use your basic writing tools--grammar, punctuation, capital letters when appropriate--with any current or future work-related contacts.

Don't treat recruiters like friends - No matter how nice or encouraging they are, at the end of the day, recruiters are recruiters, not your friends. Save the "LOLs" and happy faces for someone who is.

Play it safe - You have no idea what hiring managers find charming and what they find annoying. In the job search, keep a constant eye on your home page/Facebook, making sure they represent you as a fun, but stable individual who can make good judgements.

If you have to ask yourself, 'Should I?'...then you probably shouldn't.

Actions speak louder -- and more professionally -- than emoticons - If you want to convey a happy and upbeat personality, use words and actions instead of font colors and symbols.

Layering with Style

Layers, layers. They've been around now for years. But how does one get just that right look?

Start with the basics. Tanks are must-haves for every teen and tween girl. They provide added warmth in the winter and important coverage in the front all year round. Find well made tanks in cottons or nylons that include at least 5% spandex to hold their shape!

Add color. Wear more than one tank and make sure they can both be seen at the neck or hem. Add a contrasting colored t-shirt or sweater. Be bold! The sky's the limit with the combinations you can create.


Add shape. Avoid clothing that fits snugly all over. Add a baby doll top that flows at the bottom or an unstructured sweater with full sleeves. Create interest while maintaining good taste.

Add a scarf. Scarves go with every outfit. Since too much layering can add bulk, not to mention warmth on these changeable spring days, scarves are a nice alternative. Accent your tops with colors from your scarf. Use scarves to express your personal style. Feel free to go wild. Have fun!

Have fun with layers. Experiment! Your friends will tell you if you've come up with something that does not work for you or for that day's occasion. Change out the combinations for a different look each outing.

Remember: buy well made clothing so it lasts over time. Not only is it economical and earth friendly, combining the clothing you have into new outfits brings out your own creativity.

Layers are your ticket to color, shape and personal style in every outfit you wear. Find layering options at Zelaz.

Grab some Color for Spring! Check out the 2009 spring palette

Spring is on its way. Rising hemlines, bare legs, and uncovered shoulders all usher in this season of renewal and excitement. My grandfather once said to me, “It would be a shame to die in the Spring… you made it through the doldrums of winter and then don’t get to enjoy the buds on the trees and the returning robins.” He was right; Spring is terrific. Maybe it’s the color: we move away from blacks, browns and neutrals, into greens, yellows and pinks.

We just returned from market and color is everywhere. Pantone, Inc., the fashion industry’s expert on color, annually defines the emerging color palette for Spring. This year it suggests shades that are lively and a bit quirky. A few favorites that will show up at Zelaz:

Bright Yellow (thank you Michelle Obama!) is hot and in terrific shades this season: yellow grass, lemon, sunlight, all evoking the earth and its exuberance.
Fuchsia Red has deep blue undertones. It exudes warmth and vibrancy. An easy color to overdue, use it to splash up one of last year’s favorites.
Dark Citron is citrus-inspired soft green that is heavy on the yellow. It is calm and earthy and works well on nearly everyone.
Lavender is back. It’s lighter and softer than last year’s purples, but is less violet than its friend periwinkle. Be careful with lavender; not everyone can wear it. If you are one of them, rather than using lavender as a primary color, accent with lavender or find it in a print.
Lucite Green hasn’t shown up in several years, and it’s back in full force this Spring. It represents renewal and vibrancy and compliments subdued neutral tones. Not quite turquoise and not quite aqua, it pairs well with Salmon Rose, another great color on Pantone’s list.

Not used to wearing color? Some of us dive into color in the spring, but that’s not for everyone. Try it in a scarf or add a jacket to offset your naturals. Have fun and enjoy what Spring offers.

Help Teen Girls Dress Tastefully for Spring

Spring is nearly here! Even though it may be 10 degrees below zero today, spring is nearly here. The robins will soon return, the tulips will soon emerge, and clothing will soon cover less. Spring is wonderful, and at the same time can cause mothers everywhere to question their daughters’ judgment. Does that scooped neck top scoop too much? Do those shorts climb up the bum? Wouldn’t that skirt be just as fashionable if it were two inches longer? Are those jeans too tight?

While this seasonal change can be stressful, it can also be a time for girls to stretch their personal confidence and individual style. They can do this without stretching their clothes too far. A few tips to make the transition a breeze:

Love the layers. Layers don’t have to mean turtlenecks or heavy sweaters. Layers for Spring include multiple camisoles in more than one color. Find different cuts based on body curves to cover cleavage while still looking healthy and fit.

Go with 3-inch inseams. A 3-inch inseam is a reasonable standard for shorts. Measure the inside of the leg, and insist the inseam (from crotch seam to hem) is at least three inches in length. Anything less rides up the bum.

Add leggings. Leggings give versatility to a favorite shift. If a shift or top has become too short due to growth, add leggings for interest and modesty. Plus, leggings cover a portion of the upper leg that doesn’t always need to be seen, particularly as protected skin emerges from the long winter months.

Add a sweater or bolero. Summer styles in early spring can seem shocking. We just aren’t in the habit of seeing all that skin. Yes, we get comfortable with it as temperatures rise, so in the short-term, add a sweater or jacket to balance the look.

Add a scarf. Scarves continue to add interest and creativity to any outfit. When wrapped loosely around the neck, they fall across the front, covering cleavage that isn’t covered by a cami. Have fun! Go with color. Scarves even start great conversations.

As always, have a conversation with your daughter about what is suitable and what isn’t. Refrain from judging her style – you simply won’t agree on what is attractive and what is not! You can, however, agree on what parts of the body should be covered and with how much fabric. Spring is just around the corner, and the fun starts now.

For more spring styles, and styles for all year round, visit zelaz.com