4 things to remember when wearing maxi skirts.

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This spring, a certain style of skirt has grabbed our collective attention- the maxi.

Equal parts laid-back and feminine, the maxi is easy to wear on the weekend with a wrist full of bangles or the morning school/coffee run with strappy (but appropriately and sensibly flat) sandals.

The maxi can also take you out somewhere just a little bit fancy (and yes, we mean even more fancy than Maccas for the more expensive burger range) with a simple shoe change.

No matter what you do with it, a fitted pencil skirt WILL make you look the business nine-to-five but pulling on a relaxed, floor-sweeping skirt: pays off in the fashion appeal, comfort and versatility stakes.

Better yet, this trend is one that refuses to date. Bless it. They’ll be looking back on us from their new-fangled hovercrafts in the year 2100 and thinking “Gosh, they just got it RIGHT in 2012 didn’t they? The look was so classic. So timeless.”

So you’re keen to try this trend out for yourself, are we right? OK. Here is how fashion’s A-list is styling their  maxi skirts and maxi dresses and a few easy ways to DIY:

Now that you’re feeling fashion inspired, here are four tips to keep in mind when shopping for longer hemlines:

1. Consider your height: I’ll let you in on a short girl’s secret: too-long hemlines will only make you look shorter. Maxi skirts and dresses should just graze the top of your ankles – any longer and said skirt will feel less like a fashionable clothing choice and more like a safety hazard.

2. Cheat your waist: When wearing maxi dresses, nip in your waist at its narrowest point by buckling up a belt just under your rib-cage. This will ensure your frame isn’t overwhelmed by a loose-fitting maxi and helps to highlight hourglass silhouettes while creating the illusion of longer legs.

3. Avoid the cling: Skip suffering in multiple pairs of spanx all throughout summer and look for loose shapes and airy fabrics – they go hand-in-hand. The fabric you choose should sweep over your skin. Look for skirts and dresses made from cotton, rayon crepe or silk chiffon.

4. Try a leg split: REALLY! Opt for a single or double leg split, and as long as the skirt is loosely-fitted and cut from a light fabric (see tip #4), you won’t look anything like Angelina Jolie’s awkward pose at the 2012 Oscars.

Want to try a maxi skirt or maxi dress out for yourself? Click Dress Barn Coupon Code Free Shipping to shop the trend on Mamamia Shoppping.

5 Tips for Buying and Styling Skirts

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These wardrobe staples can be surprisingly tricky. DC Style Factory's Rosana Vollmerhausen shares how to nail the fit.

For Washington’s professional women, skirts are a wardrobe essential. But according to DC Style Factory founder Rosana Vollmerhausen, who spends her days auditing and filling the closets of men and women in the District, skirts also tend to be “the redheaded stepchild of any woman’s wardrobe.” That’s why Vollmerhausen has teamed up withBetsy Garcete of Zophia, a handmade “power skirt” company based in DC, to offer a skirt styling workshop on March 12.

As Vollmerhausen prepares for the workshop, Shop Around checked in to get her tips on what women should look for when buying and styling skirts.

1. Have your bases covered. “The classic skirts I have been putting in my clients’ closets are a black power pencil skirt in a fun texture like leather or faux leather, a neutral knee-length A-line skirt in a ponte fabric that skims your curves instead of hugs them like the pencil, and a three-season wool-blend pencil skirt in a color or easy-to-match pattern.”

2. Professional doesn’t have to mean boring. “An animal-print pencil skirt with a silky cream blouse, black blazer, and pumps still maintains that classic look, but the animal print adds interest. I also always try to put in clients’ closets pencil skirts that are not black, but a rich red or teal or an interesting pattern to mix things up.”

3. You can make any skirt style work for your body type.

Petite frames: “You want your midi skirts to hit a bit below your knee but not go all the way to your calf, which will start to look a little sister-wife. You can wear maxis, but stick with a solid maxi instead of any bold prints that can overwhelm a petite frame, and always make sure the hemline is just so your toes peek out at the bottom.”

Curvier types: “You can wear pencil skirts. For wide hips, just wear with a top or jacket that hits at your hip, which will minimize and balance your curves. If you’re fuller around the middle, pair your pencil skirt with a wrap top, a cute jacket, or blouse that can be left untucked, and add a scarf or necklace to draw attention up.”

4. Stay on-trend. “Remember the statement necklace? Well, it’s all about the statement skirt this season. Whether wrapped, asymmetrical, embellished, or emblazoned with bold prints, these skirts are a great way to mix up your wardrobe.”

5. If you go big, go home. One of the biggest mistakes women make is buying skirts that are too large. “Nothing off the rack is going to fit your body exactly the way it should. My clients will most often leave pencil skirts hanging below their waistline, which throws off your proportions so that your torso looks longer than your legs.”

Top 5 Tips For Buying Jewelry

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It’s often said money can’t buy love, but that won’t stop Americans from spending an estimated $19 billion this year on Valentine’s Day and much of that holiday spending will go towards jewelry.

However, many find jewelry shopping to be daunting and overwhelming, which is why retail experts say before you buy you need to know some basics.

Here’s our Top 5 tips for jewelry-buying.

1. Know if the gemstones have been injected with glass
Almost all colored stones are enhanced. Heat treatments are common and expert say it doesn’t affect the stone’s value.
What you want to avoid are stones that have been injected with colored glass or silicon. So how can you tell? A good start is make sure the store will allow you to return the stone after having it appraised by an independent expert. Most reputable jewelry stores will have no issues with such a request.

2. Use a magnet to test gold and silver’s authenticity
An easy way to determine if what you are buying is real gold or silver is put it to the magnet test. There’s no such thing as magnetic gold or silver.
Plus, when buying gold, know your terminology. 24-karat gold is pure gold (100%), 18K is 75% gold, 14K is 58% gold, and 10K is 42% gold.
As for silver, “925” or “sterling silver” is real silver, while the terms “nickel silver” and “German silver” are named for their silvery appearance but do not contain real silver. “Nickel silver” is usually made up of copper alloy with nickel and zinc.

3. Don’t view diamonds with a black background
When viewing a diamond, never use a black background. Professional diamond buyers say black changes the eye’s perception of its color. Instead ask to view a diamond under magnification.

4. Call your insurance agent
Most homeowner policies place a limit on jewelry. A common maximum pay-out is around $2,500 for all of your jewelry. So when buying expensive jewelry, you may want to consider extra coverage. You can expect to pay around 85 cents per $100 of coverage.

5. Negotiate
It doesn’t matter if you’re shopping at a department store or high-end jewelry, always ask for the best price then offer less. If you’re willing to invest time, you’re more likely to get a better deal. You’ll be surprised how many will negotiate on the price.