Guest Post: Spring Fashion: How to Save on Seven Trends

by

Kendal Perez

The first official day of spring has finally arrived, creating the desire to overhaul our wardrobes with the latest looks. Sadly, most of us don't have celebrity-sized bank accounts to accompany our star-worthy fashion sense. But that doesn't mean we have to miss out on the latest trends. Consider the following ways to update your spring wardrobe without falling into debt.

1. Pastels

Just in time for Easter, pastels are making a name for themselves on New York runways. Embracing this trend requires the purchase of one versatile piece - like a blazer or pencil skirt - to be paired with other basics already available in your wardrobe. Channel your inner Chanel and pair pastel pink with black accessories, or keep it light with nude accents.

2. Colorful Denim

Leftover from fall, the colorful denim trend is spreading faster than wildfire and offers a refreshing pop of color to any outfit. Since this look is definitely a fad, avoid spending too much on your first (or third) pair by shopping inexpensive retailers like Kohl's. Shop online for even more inventory and savings, and look for Kohl's free shipping codes from FreeShipping.org to dodge delivery costs.

3. Sporty

You might say Sporty Spice was ahead of her time in her choice of athletic-inspired ensembles. Or not. Regardless of your attitude about the "Wannabe" star, active wear and sports-inspired looks are definitely in. That means you can enjoy your off-the-shoulder fleece for at least one more season, and incorporate your gym go-tos into everyday outfits.

4. Color Blocking

Color blocking is one of the easier trends to embrace and offers an opportunity to incorporate other trends. For example, you can pair bright denim pants with a neon shirt or blouse to easily achieve the look. Bisect the top from the bottom with a neutral belt -- think black, navy or white -- and accessorize with equally neutral jewelry.

5. Tangerine Tango

I'm enamored by the color orange and publicly display my affection with a bright leather purse I purchased a couple years ago. Tangerine Tango has a decidedly redder hue but can be incorporated easily with accessories. You can also find inexpensive tees or blouses to embrace the official color of 2012 without going overboard. If you want to balance the brightness, pair with white or gray. If you're more daring, go for hot pink or teal.

6. Metallic

Shiny dresses are great for the red carpet -- Jennifer Lawrence is clearly a fan -- but avoid this trend during the nine-to-five. Depending on your workplace environment, you might pull off metallic pants with a white blouse and black blazer. Alternatively, embrace the trend with footwear and find shiny heels for work and metallic, strappy espadrilles for weekends. Endless.com offers a great selection of well-priced foot candy, and free shipping both ways allows you to return whatever doesn't fit.

7. Bold Prints

As if neon and color-blocking weren't bold enough this season, runways everywhere featured bold prints with nods to art deco and the great outdoors. Since this look will likely go the way of last season's Navajo-inspired patterns, opt for one or two pieces that you can pair with basics from your closet. Shop discount retailers like TJMaxx and Ross to find this trend on the cheap. 

Kendal Perez is a frugal fashionista and bargain shopper who helps fellow shopaholics find hassle-free ways to save money. As the marketing coordinator for Kinoli Inc., she has the resources to be an extreme couponer but prefers a less complicated approach to staying in-budget. Kendal has been quoted in such media outlets as CNN Money, TIME Moneyland, FOX, ABC, NPR and Kiplinger Personal Finance. For savings tips and more information, visit HassleFreeSavings.com. 

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Getting to Know (and Like) the Social Mom

Nielsen’s recent Women of Tomorrow study highlighted not only the growing influence women have on purchasing decisions, but also provided insight into their behavior across social media. A key finding from this research illustrates that “social moms” (defined as females with at least one child who actively participate in social networking) are quite influential. A new study by NM Incite and Nielsen provides additional context on social mom’s content trends, shopping tendencies and overall social media engagement.

How Social Moms Access Content
The social mom is highly active in accessing social networks via mobile devices. Fifty percent of all moms actively participating in social media access platforms via mobile devices, in comparison to 39 percent of females overall, and 37 percent of the overall population in general.

How Social Moms Shop
Social moms tend to be cost-conscious, being 56 percent more likely to download coupons than the general population. They are also more likely to shop online for CPG products than other product categories, with the research showing that 86 percent are more likely to shop online for cosmetics than the general public, as well as skincare products (85%), hair care goods (74%) and fragrances (68%).

Social Moms: Likes and Dislikes
The growing influence of women and moms is increasingly apparent, and so too is their level of activity in social media. Moms who actively participate in social media are 81 percent more likely to become a fan of or follow a brand online, 86 percent more likely to post a status update, and 84 percent more likely to comment or post content than the general population. The research also shows that social moms definitely aren’t shy in sharing their advice and reviews of products with others. This segment is 85 percent more likely than the general population to share frequent advice about beauty and cosmetic products, 28 percent more likely to provide frequent advice about online shopping/e-commerce and 6% more likely to post a product review online.

Source: Link:  http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/getting-to-know-and-like-the-social-mom/

Call For Speakers Issued For 2012 International CES

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^® today issued its “Call for Speakers” for the 2012 International CES^®, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, which returns to Las Vegas January 10-13, 2012.


The International CES conference program features the CE industry’s top experts who address the latest trends, strategies and profit opportunities. More than 200 conference sessions are planned for the 2012 CES, covering a diverse array of industry topics. More than 140,000 professionals in the content, home theater, in-vehicle and wireless industries attend the International CES, accompanied by corporate buyers and retailers, media, analysts, venture capitalists and consumer technology manufacturers from 140 countries.
Speaker proposals will be accepted through 5 p.m. EDT, July 6, 2011. Proposals should be submitted online at: cesweb.org/cfs.

Topics for the 2012 International CES conference program include:

Home Entertainment and Lifestyle Technologies 3D at Home: Here to Stay? 3D on the Go Cameras and Camcorders: Adapting in the Age of Smartphones Defining the Smart Home Market Game On Making Smart TV Smarter Navigating the Connected Home Tablets: Where Do We Go from Here? Subscription Wars Innovative Technology Beyond The Flat Screen Bringing the Cloud Down to Earth CE Innovation: Going Where No One Has Gone Before Portable Power: The Quest for Longer Lasting Batteries Smart Appliances: Ready for Prime Time? The Evolving User Interface: What’s Next?

In-Vehicle Technology Cars Online Business Insights Electronics Retailing in the 21st Century The Consumerization of IT: How Consumer Innovation Is Influencing Business Wireless Communications Mobile Payment Basics: How the Business Works Mobile Payment Basics: How the Technology Works Planet of the Apps Smartphones: Hot Features and Trends  To 4G or Not to 4G

All speaker candidate proposals are considered based on industry representation, professionalism, prior public speaking experience and relevance to session topics. Due to the number of sessions offered and the need for a balanced program, only a limited number of presenters will be accepted. Product specific sessions and sales pitches will not be considered. Proposed presenters will be notified of their acceptance status at the end of September.
Show management will work with selected speakers on all logistical, operational and promotional aspects of the session. Speakers are required to prepare and reproduce presentation materials, including handouts or related materials and topic outlines. All hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the presenter.
For more news on CES before, during and after the show, visit www.CESweb.org, the interactive source for CES information.
About CEA
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services.  Find CEA online at CE.org and Innovation-Movement.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• CE Week
  June 20-24, 2011, New York, NY
• CEO Summit and Board Retreat
  October 1-3, 2011, Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy
• CEA TechHome Mediterraneo Summit
  October 3-5, 2011, Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy
• Digital Hollywood Fall
  October 17-20, 2011, Marina Del Ray, CA
• CEA Industry Forum
  October 23-28, 2011, San Diego, CA

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