Designer Vs Cheap Chic: Can You Guess Which is Which?

By CountryDutchess.com

So...the recession has left you in a blue funk. No longer able to afford those pricey designer duds you're quite certain that those budget fashions you'll be forced to wear will make a significant dent in your social status.

Well cheer up bluebird, we're here to help. We at Country Dutchess do not believe for one tiny little minute that you cannot look more than your fabulous self - no matter the price tag! All you need do is stop being so pouty - and snooty - about those pricey designer labels! Because, you see, we happen to know that when you get right down to it, once you take away the label, most people have nooooo idea how much something costs.

What's that you say, you ABSOLUTELY do too know?

Okay, then take our challenge! Below are six sets of fashions at extreme price points. See if you can pick out the pricey ones! Answers at the bottom of the page. But DON'T PEEK! You'll ruin all the fun for heaven's sakes!

One of these shoes cost $13.99 - the other costs $495.00. Which is which?

One T-Shirt has a designer label and sells for $119. The other sells for $12.99 at a local department store. Which is which?















Two of these little black dresses cost more than your mortgage payment. Two sell for under $40. Which is which?














Two of these shoes sell for under $40. The other two sell for hundreds! Which is which?







One pair of these jeans is $155.00 . The other is $59.00. Which is which?

GIVE UP ? Okay, you can peek now! Here are the answers:

1. The shoe on the left (with bow) sells for $13.99 at Target; the shoe on the right is from Prada and it sells for $495.00 at Neiman Marcus.

2. The 100% black cotton T-shirt on the left is from JCPenny - it sells for $12.99. The 100% cotton T-shirt on the right is from Georgio Armani - it sells for $119.00.

3. Dress 1 is from Bloomingdales and sells for $265.00.
Dress 2 is from Target and sells for $39.99.
Dress 3 is from Bloomingdales and sells for $365.00.
Dress 4 is from Target and sells for $29.99.

4. The red slingback shoe on the left sells at Victoria's Secret for $36.00; the red pump on the right is by Christian Louboutin and sells for $595.00 at Neiman Marcus.

The pink reptile look shoe on the left sells in Target for $26.99; the shoe on the right is a Christian Louboutin and sells in Neiman Marcus for $1,295.00 . ( Yikes!)

5. The jeans on the left (back view) are from 7 For All Mankind and retail for $155.00; the jeans on the right are from Victoria Secret and sell for $59.00.

So, there you have it! Did you guess which ones cost more? We're guessing your friends won't either! Save your dough - shop cheap chic and you'll be the belle of the ball - and still have enough left to buy the castle!

For round-the-clock time & money saving beauty and style advice stop by any time at CheapChicDiary.com . For fabulous buys on fashion jewelry & accessories visit CountryDutchess.com - Your Source For Fabulous !

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this CheapChicDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All
Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

Chocolate: The New Botox?

By CountryDutchess.com

Could chocolate be the new botox? It just might be so!

We know that eating it makes us feel good, thanks to natural chemicals that work on receptors in the brain that, once stimulated can increase feelings of well being.

Now scientists have found that these same “feel good” receptors are also present in hair follicles and nerve cells in the skin - and when stimulated by natural chemicals found in chocolate not only improve our mood, but have a muscle relaxing effect that may be similar to Botox. In one study a cocoa-based skin cream was applied twice daily for 28 days to the skin around the eye area - with a relaxation of wrinkles observed in 95 % of the test subjects.

Expect to see chocolate – or more precisely cocoa – cropping up in everything from skin care to spa-quality body care relaxation products in 2009.

For read more money saving tips and tricks visit www.CheapChicDiary.com or CountryDutchess.com for fabulous savings!

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this CheapChicDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

Fragrance Do's and Don'ts - And Some Surprises!

by Colette Bouchez
for CountryDutchess.com

Put on too much and friends and co-workers may be slowly backing away. Don't use enough and the effect is totally lost. We're talking fragrance - which depending on how skilled you are at applying it, could either be a woman's best friend - or her enemy.

Indeed, thanks to a scientific concept known as acclimatization the more we smell something, the less we smell it - which basically means that after a while we don't smell our own perfume even when it's super strong. That's one reason why we can so easily "over do it" - and create the opposite effect we're going after. Instead of drawing people in it pushes them away.

Then again, if we don't use enough the effect is totally lost - we may as well not even spend the money.

To help keep you smelling lusciously alluring- and not overpoweringly strong - here are few tips to help strike a sweetly scented balance!

1. Since oil can help make a fragrance last longer if you have oily skin you need less fragrance to last you through the day or night. Likewise if skin is very dry, you can initially apply a little more and you probably won't offend anyone.

2. The colder the weather, the stronger your scent can be. That's because colder temperatures diminish the potency of a fragrance. If you use the same scent winter and summer try the perfume version in colder weather, the cologne or toilet water version in warm weather.

3. Don't use deodorant soap and perfume in the same places on your body. Chemicals in both can combine to irritate skin.

4. What you eat can impact how your fragrance smells - and how potent it is at any given time. If you eat a lot of high fat foods or lots of spicey foods your fragrance may seem stronger. When you're dieting your body chemistry can change - and that can also impact how a fragrance smells on your skin.

5. Hormones can slightly change the chemicals on your skin - and that can interact with your fragrance. If a perfume smells stronger, weaker or just different around your menstrual cycle, you might need to change the amount you use, or switch to a different fragrance.

How long can you expect your fragrances to last on your skin? It's different for every woman - but here's a general guide.

• Body spray - 1 to 2 hours
• Shower Gel: 30 minutes
• Cologne : 2 to 3 hours
• Eau de Toilette: 3 to 4 hours
• Eau de parfum - 4 hours
• Body Lotion - 3 to 4 hours
• Body cream - 4 hours
• Perfume - 6 to 8 hours

For read more money saving tips and tricks visit www.CheapChicDiary.com or CountryDutchess.com for fabulous savings!

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this CheapChicDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

Jeans Shopping: Getting The Perfect Fit!

By CountryDutchess.com

When it comes to finding a great pair of jeans - well, it seems solving the economic crisis might just be easier! As women everywhere can attest, it's often the "little things" that make the difference between an okay fitting pair of jeans - and jeans that make you look too fabulous for words!

To help iron the style wrinkles keeping you from looking great, the CountryDutchess design team asked some of their bonafide jeans mavens for the jeans fashion fixes that really work!

Perfect Jeans Problem Solving Guide
Problem: Short Waist
Qwik Fix: Look for a trouser style jean with a flat front, slash pockets and a low waist to elongate your look, says Marshalls jeans expert Amy Cafazzo.

Problem: Long Waist
Qwik Fix: Look for regular to high-rise with a straight leg to balance the body, says Lisa Sandel, creator of the Tummy Tuck Jean..

Problem: Short Legs
Qwik Fix: Seek out narrow legs and a low rise – and wear your jeans to the top of the instep, but no longer. Avoid "scrunchy" long lengths that bunch at the ankles and the "pencil leg" which tapers in at the foot. " And always wear your jeans with high heels for a long lean look," says Mjchelle Madhok, editor of SheFinds.com

Problem: Long Legs Qwik Fix: Can legs really be too long? We don't think so! But if you're self conscious about yours, avoid styles that are too short in the rise (you'll ALL legs!), as well as cropped pants, or very wide legs – they'll only make you look wider, not shorter. Instead, Sandel says seek out a narrow leg with a mid rise to create proportion between your top and bottom.
Problem: Bulging Tummy
Qwik Fix: Look for a jean with a 4% Lycra stretch to help hold in anything that jiggles including your tummy. Sandel says she's engineered her Tummy Tuck jeans to have less stretch in the front and more in the back so the pants act like a girdle with a fabric panel – holding you in but not pushing you up and out.

Problem: Large Thighs
Qwik Fix: Stay away from striated coloring that "sheds light" on your thighs! Experts say you should also avoid high waisted and tapered jeans which make thighs look larger. Instead, go for styles that offer a "relaxed fit", says Sandel, with a cut that sits slightly below your natural waist.

Problem: Boooty Issues Qwik Fix: It's all in the pockets! Remember these rules: Small pockets make any backside look larger; big pockets make any backside look smaller; no pockets make hips look wider; embroidered or detailed pockets make every bottom look curvier!

For more money saving super style and fashion advice visit the CountryDutchess Beauty Library! or www.CheapChicDiary.com

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this CheapChicDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

QwIk & Easy Eye Liner Tips- How To Make It Last!

From CountryDutchess.com

Tired of having your eye liner wear off halfway through the day - or night? Hate it when it eyeliner smudges and smears? Never get your eyeliner on straight? Here's some great tips from our friends at Allure Magazine on how to do it better!

To keep eye liner on longer:
1. Prime the lid first using either a lid primer or an eye shadow.
2. After you've lined your lid, dip a stiff eyeliner brush ( or a thin brow brush) in a powder eye shadow that matches your liner color and then run it gently along the edge of your lid. The powder in the shadow will set the liner so it lasts - plus it will keep the line from looking too harsh.

To make wide set eyes look close : Just line the outer corners.

To make close set eyes look wider: Start your line at the inner corner, but stop just past the middle of the eye, trailing off towards the end of the eye.

To make droopy eyes look more lively : Start your liner in the middle of your eye and thicken the line as you head outward.

For the softest most natural look: Line your eyes first - add shadow afterwards.

For more style tips and tricks visit CountryDutchess.com
Or www.CheapChicDiary.com

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this CheapChicDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

Eat Chocolate -Look Younger!

By Colette Bouchez

There are no studies to show that eating chocolate will help you look younger - exactly. But according to a new book by dermatologist Dr. Amy Wechsler there is at least some evidence to show that natural chemicals found in dark chocolate - namely, antioxidants - may actually help reduce cellular damage caused by stress.

Indeed, it seems that same protective effects that help your heart, may also help keep your skin looking younger as well.

But chocolate isn't the only food with the power to make you look better. Indeed, in her new book "The Mind -Beauty Connection" - Wechsler is a strong advocate of the many important links between diet and great looking skin.

"The right diet can help your skin - reducing inflammation and dryness and even preventing aging," says Wechsler.

What else besides chocolate does the trick? Here's 5 more foods Wechsler calls her "Beauty Buffet".

1.Berries - They counteract the effects of skin stress generated by environmental pollution.

2. Guacamole - The main ingredient here is avocados and their creaminess means they contain lots of healthy "good" monounsaturated fats. So much like olive oil, they can have an anti aging effect on skin. But don't eat too many - the calorie count can be high.

3. Nuts - The natural oils are good for all skin types but some nuts have specific properties for specific skin needs. Wechsler suggests Brazil nuts to calm dry, itchy skin (it's the minerals selenium and zinc that do it) and almonds for their vitamin E content which helps combat cellular damage the leads to premature skin aging. But remember, no more than an ounce is all
you need - again, calorie counts can be high.

4. Salmon and other fatty fish - The key nutrients here are omega 3 fatty acids which is not just good for skin, it may also help alleviate mild depression, and temper aggressiveness and hostility. (Who can be hostile when you know you're looking young and gorgeous! :)

5.Spinach - Dark greens -like spinach - are power packed with Vitamin A - which is practically skins' number one anti-aging nutrient. It also increases cell turnover, working much like an alpha hydroxy acid to keep skin looking fresher and younger!

For more money saving beauty and fashion tips and tricks visit CountryDutchess.com
or www.CheapChicDiary.com

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this CheapChicDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All
Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.