A $300 gift voucher from TJ Maxx is up for grabs! All you have to do to participate in the competition is show your Maxxinista style. According to TJ Maxx “a Maxxinista is a confident, savvy woman, who knows that she doesn’t have to break the bank to wear designer labels and look fabulous”.

Here’s how to enter:

• Find a fabulous outfit that represents your best Maxxinista style. Note that the items you wear in the outfit don’t need to come from TJ Maxx.
• Upload a picture of yourself in this outfit to Flikr or Photobucket. You can shoot a photo especially for the competition, or use an existing one. Be sure to post a good quality photograph because it will make your outfit shine.
• Tag your photo “Maxxinista”.
• Link to the photo in the comments below and be sure to tell us why you think it epitomizes Maxxinista style.

We’ll accept entries until midnight Friday 6th November. You may enter as many times as you like, but each outfit must be different.

I’ve asked Dianna, the super stylish Budget Babe to pick the winner of the competition. I had the pleasure of meeting penny-wise, ultra lovely and well put together Dianna at the TJ Maxx event in Boston last year and I trust her style sense implicitly. Good luck lasses! We can’t wait to see your outfits.

Update: Thank you for the fantastic entries! The judging is underway and the winner will be announced on Tuesday morning.

The Perfect Pieces event at Ann Taylor is offering many items that were previously between $45 and $90 for $39.50. Here are my favourites:

• The merino wool boyfriend cardigan is stunning! Soft, well fitting and perfect for both casual and dressy occasions. They have turquoise and purple colour options available in stores so be sure to take a look.
• This long sleeved lean fit turtle neck rayon spandex pullover is a fantastic layering piece. And it doesn’t itch!
• The luxurious silk cashmere blend wrap scarf will not disappoint. I’m especially drawn to the Lapis shade of blue but all the colours are pretty.

Happy shopping!

We’re seeing several styles of boyfriend jeans this season. The item started out looking baggy and distressed, which has its appeal on preteens and teenyboppers. But as the season unfolded, sleeker, more refined and “grown up” boyfriend jeans appeared in retail stores.

I’m not wearing boyfriend jeans, nor am I advocating the look because, for the most part, I don’t think it’s flattering. Occasionally I see someone pull it off to perfection, but they are few and far between. I’m still hyper sensitive to pant lengths that end somewhere below the calf and above the ankle bone because it’s leg shortening style suicide. The horizontal rolled-up cuff at this odd length on your lower leg cuts your long lean line.

I’ll admit that boyfriend jeans look better when the jeans are tapered and rolled to just below the knee. And further, matching the look with a super-high heels is a must. But other than that, I’m still not sold. Are you?

The boyfriend jeans on the far left work because they look like clamdiggers. But I have a hard time with the two boyfriend jeans styles in the middle because they shorten the leg line, even on these super tall and whippet thin models with heels! By way of comparison, the scrunched, un-rolled skinny jeans on the far right look infinitely more flattering to my eye.

The Budget Babe asked a great question regarding last week’s post on loafers:

“Do you think you could explain the difference between loafers, brogues and oxfords? I get these styles mixed up a lot”.

Descriptions vary across the globe and around the Internet, but here is the way I would define these three styles and the differences between them.

Loafers

Loafers are lace-less, slip on shoes with a moccasin type construction. For the most part they’re casual shoes especially when the soles are chunky and rubberized. But they can look smarter when the styles are more refined and the leather is dressy. The vamps and the heels of the shoe can be either high or low.

Above are three styles of loafer: casual and flat, dressy and flat, dressy and heeled.

Oxfords

Oxfords are high vamped shoes with enclosed lace-up detailing. They can either be casual or dressy depending on the style.

Above are three styles of oxford: casual and flat, dressy and low heeled, dressy and high heeled.

Brogues

Brogues (or “wing tips”) are oxfords with brogue design detailing. “Broguing” refers to perforated patterns along the seams and outer layers of the shoe uppers. Brogues often have a distinctive “W” shape on the toe cap of the shoe (the “W” looks like a bird spreading it’s wings, hence the name). There is a difference between “a brogue” and “brogue detailing” (broguing). Brogues are oxfords with brogue detailing, but brogue detailing needn’t be restricted to the style of an oxford shoe. You’ll find loafers, boots and pumps with brogue detailing too.

The style above left is an oxford brogue, while the other two styles are actually pumps with brogue detailing.

One significant common denominator of loafers, oxfords and brogues is that all three styles are available in versions for both men and women. You’ll find loafers, oxfords and brogues in the lasses and gents footwear selections. I hope that clears up the confusion.