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Dear Shopaholic:

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Sea-friendly wear, stylish gym bags, fall coats...

GOT A QUESTION? Having a wardrobe malfunction? Can't seem to let go of those 1979 go-go boots? If you have a pressing fashion dilemma, e-mail our resident Shopaholic at help@happygrrls.com. Don't worry, she won't laugh at you - at least not to your face.

Dear Shopaholic,
I’ve been invited to spend a day on a friend’s yacht, and I’m baffled as to what I should wear over my bikini. I’ve got tanks and shorts aplenty, but apparently my long-life crush will be attending and I’m looking to dress to impress. I’m also looking for something that won’t look too awkward under a life jacket. Any suggestions?
Barely Floating Fashionista

Dear Barely Floating Fashionista,
My suggestion would be to go out and buy a sarong. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours so that way you can go with a more sexy style or stay a little more conservative. Also, a sarong is perfect since you can keep your bottom half covered and it won’t interfere with your life jacket.

Dear Shopaholic,
I’m tired of my old, worn out gym bag but I’m not sure what to pick up next. I need something that will fit all of my gym stuff (tank, shorts, socks, towels, running shoes) but I don’t want to use something that makes it look like I’m going to the gym, if you know what I mean. Any suggestions on styles I could try instead of the usual gym bag look?
Stylin’ Gym Rat

Dear Stylin’ Gym Rat,

Dear Shopaholic says: For a stylish gym bag, check out Lululemon.

The best suggestion I can give you is to check out the bags from Lululemon. They have a bowling bag style so it is nice and big but it’s stylish enough that it does not look like a gym bag.

Dear Shopaholic,
I’ve spilled nail polish all over the hem of my favourite jeans and I’m at a loss for what to do! I’m still too sentimental to toss them, but the offending nail polish on the jeans is too obvious and too garish for me to play it off like it’s some kind of fashion statement. Can I declare this a lost cause? I thought about turning the jeans into shorts, but I’m afraid it’s not going to come out they way they’re intended to look like, especially since I’ve usually all thumbs. Any tips on how to make the perfect jean shorts?
Lori

Dear Lori,
How about keeping your favourite jeans as full-length jeans? Stores sell all kinds of really cool patches or beadwork. Go find something you like and take it to a seamstress, and she can sew it right over your nail polish stain. If you are still thinking jean shorts, then definitely take the jeans to a tailor. Show the tailor how short you want the jeans cut and they will finish them properly. There are all kinds of issues that you can run into if you aren’t a professional seamstress.

Dear Shopaholic,
I’m looking for a fall jacket that will just make me pop and stand out from the crowd. Any word on what the fall outerwear styles are going to be like? What would you recommend?
H. C.

Dear H. C.,
This fall season outerwear is really classic and conservative but has a twist. The fabrics are wool or wool cashmere, but they have a fur collar, or the neckline of the coat is really ornate. In order to stand out, choose a coat that you are going to enjoy wearing for a couple of years as it is an investment, but choose a strong colour like plum, or charcoal grey, and then accent it with turquoise, black, or chocolate. Finally, if you really want to stand out this fall season, find a coat with fur trim on the sleeves or neckline, or perhaps a trapeze- or swing-type coat.

Dear Shopaholic says: Keep the sun off your face with a playful cowboy hat or a cute conductor hat.

Dear Shopaholic,
I’m going to be spending a lot of time outdoors and want to protect my face from the sun. I don’t have anything that will do the trick, and visors don’t really appeal to me. What’s hot in hats right now?
C. W.

Dear C. W.,
I am the queen of keeping the sun off my face as I have really sensitive skin. You can do a couple of things: First off (and my personal favourite), go out and buy a cowboy hat, the straw or rattan version. It keeps the sun off your face but also looks really cute paired with a bikini. The other choice for hats is what is called a conductor hat. It has a long peak in the front so it also blocks the sun off your face.

Dear Shopaholic,
I have unusually large feet for someone my size, and I’m very self-conscious of this fact. I’ve had trouble finding shoes in the past because I feel that they make my feet look even more elongated than they already are. Is there any way to camouflage this?
Big Foot

Dear Big Foot,
As a fellow large footer, I totally understand where you are coming from. A trick that I have found that works is wearing wide leg pants. When a pant drapes over your foot, it creates a wider silhouette and distracts from what is underneath the pant. As well, if you feel your feet are large stay, away from pointy toe shoes they will only elongate your feet. Stay with a round or square toe. ¤ Erin