Christmas Cards

…and family pictures!

It’s that time of year. We start to get holiday cards in the mail from friends and family…near and far…and then…PANIC!  Thoughts of Family Holiday Pics and Christmas Cards bring on the stress!

Before the panic feeling hits hard, plan a family photo shoot this weekend for this year’s Holiday Greeting Card. Sound overwhelming and expensive? I promise, this will be the easiest part of your holiday season.

WHAT TO WEAR?

We’ve all seen the typical family pics where everyone is wearing the same color(s).  Why not embrace one of the biggest trends of this holiday season, and go Mad for Plaid? Trust me…

2018_plaidCHOOSING PLAID 

When choosing the right plaid for your Christmas Card, keep in mind:

1.  Size & Scale – the size of the plaid should match the size of the person.  In other words, babies should wear a smaller print than mom and dad.

2.  Color Choices – either keep all of the plaid worn in the photo the same color(s) (for example, all reds and blues), or make sure everyone is wearing something different.

3.  How Much plaid? Not everyone needs to wear a plaid shirt. As a matter of fact – it is best if you mix it up.  Goodwill is a great place to search a variety of plaid pieces all in one place. Look for a top, skirt, pants, shoes, scarf.

4. Props – maybe  add in some fun plaid “props” like a mug, blanket or pillow. Don’t forget to get your family pets involved too!

2018_PLAID PIC1

This is a display that is in the Niles, MI Goodwill Store, and is a great example of how mixing a lot of different plaids in one ‘family picture’ can look pretty amazing!

DIY FAMILY PICTURE TIPS for your Christmas Card

Professional photographers and wardrobe stylists offer these tips for a perfect Family Christmas Card picture:

  • Lighting – make sure you have lots of lights. Gather extra lights and brighten the space as much as possible. The lighting in your photograph should come from in front of the people in the picture (not from behind). Many times taking the picture outside on a partly cloudy day is the best.
  • Don’t overdo makeup – too much won’t look great in your family picture. What you may want to pay attention to is gloss on your lips and a dab of highlighter (or light eye makeup) in the corners of your eyes (near your nose).
  • Setting up your camera – this will probably be the hardest part of your family picture project.  If asking a neighbor to help isn’t an option, use a tripod. Using the portrait mode on your camera phone can create some amazing pics…however, using a tripod will save you from getting the perfect shot all set up and your phone shifting.
  • Post photo shoot editing – there are tons of great apps to help you edit your photo, but don’t sweat the small stuff.  It’s easy to get bogged down with time and detail in the editing process.   And honestly, aren’t some of your favorite holiday family pictures the ones that aren’t perfect?

2018_card_blog

With our Goodwill mannequin family from the Niles Goodwill Store, we spent less than 5 minutes editing to come up with something we’re sure this family will be thrilled to use for their Christmas cards this year!

Little Black Dress Fashion Show

DO YOU HAVE YOUR TICKETS?

We have just over a week until the big Little Black Dress Fashion Show & Boutique in Schererville, IN.  Tickets are quickly selling out – get yours NOW!

Show info and to purchase tickets: GoodwillFashionShow.com

https://kafriend.tumblr.com/post/178544721294/join-me-at-the-little-black-dress-fashion-show

Too many clothes and nothing to wear?

I hear ya…I look in my over-stuffed closet and think to myself “there is nothing here I want to wear”. That overwhelming feeling can send us straight to the store…to buy more of the same stuff our closet is already stuffed with.

Does this cycle sound familiar?

The easiest way to start to break this cycle is to simply clean out your closet. In the Sherina Style Makeover post, I promised to share some tips on how to get control of your wardrobe. What SHOULD you have in your wardrobe? What do you have too much of? How do you start to pair down all the clutter?  Use this #infographic to eliminate #wardrobestress!

Of course, with all of those pre-loved things you removed from your closet, I have a great idea what to do with that pile!  Put those clothes to good use – use them to provide employment – let the funds raised from the sale of those things help to provide programs that make our community a better place. Yes – what I am saying, is #donate those items to #Goodwill!  You can take your donations to a Donation Drive-thru at any of their Retail Store locations.

Got questions? Find me on Facebook – and I’d love to see your closet clean up before and after photos!

Goodwill’s Fashion Guru,

LBD Fashion Show Oct 12 – Schererville, IN

We are all busy getting ready for the Little Black Dress Fashion Show in Schererville, IN on October 12.  We’d like you to meet one of our models as part of this month’s Goodwill Style Makeover. Janelle was a model last year, and we’re thrilled to welcome her back to the runway this year!

Be sure to get your tickets NOW for the Little Black Dress Fashion Show!  Just click this link for all the details: http://goodwillfashionshow.com/

Fall 2018 Fashion Trends – Western

As we head into Fall, it’s hard to not look at all the sweaters, leggings and boots and want to wear them now…but the temps outside aren’t cooperating.  One Fall trend you can easily start to embrace now is the Western Wear influence. This #CowboyChic take on western wear is seen in details in clothing, but especially in footwear. Western ankle boots, granny style boots and traditional cowboy boots are going to be everywhere this fall and winter. Wear an ankle bootie style now with your summer rompers and white jeans!

Trend Alert! Prints Everywhere

I’m sure you’ve noticed all the prints that are in trend this season.  …and have you noticed all the mixing of prints?  Stripes with floral, polka dot with stripes. Here are some expert tips on how to master mixing prints:

  • Alike colors – make sure the colors in both prints are similar
  • Alike or opposite weight – the size of the pattern in both prints should be about the same (i.e. medium), or opposite (i.e. large floral with a pin stripe)

Give this print-mixing trend a try…and send us a photo of what you find at your local Goodwill Store to mix!

 

Trend Alert! Top Trends for Spring 2018

We know you love knowing what the current trends are…and you may have noticed the Trend information displayed on the TVs inside our stores. We thought we would give you a few of those images here to allow you to get a closer look.

This trend is the coverall, also known as the playsuit, also known as the romper.  The more utilitarian and industrial looking, the more on-trend!  This look isn’t just for the ladies!  Guys are getting in on this look too.  Goodwill is the place to hunt down the perfect coverall!  Add some kitschy patches and make it your own!