Living in a tourist rich city in the North – which I love... come see me in NYC – my eyes have gazed at some folks in REALLY bad sweaters over the years. Sweaters, that look like afterthoughts, worn for function, certainly not fashion... but you don’t have to make that sacrifice!

It’s just as easy to CHOOSE shapely sweaters that flatter your figure as it is baggy, droopy sweaters that widen your middle, shorten your arms and legs, make you look slope shouldered and your boobies look saggy! You want to choose a sweater like you would a great top.

Sweaters should offer shape through the waist with a small elastin content, should not extend more than four fingers past your hipbone, the shoulder seam should end at your shoulder, they should have an open or flattering neckline, be in a color that highlights your skin and eyes and look like something a girl would wear... not something robbed off a fellah.

Avoid sweaters that are oversized, square through the waist, end at the fullest part of your hip, have horizontal patterns or details of any kind, have dropped shoulders, big floppy sleeves, and/or have a crew neck or have stretched out necks. All of these sweater issues make you look sloppy and manly!

Fall and winter are a time to showcase your fashion savvy with great layers and beautifully structured garments. Don’t get lost in your clothes and let them wear you. Choose your sweaters wisely and cozy up to fashion fabulousity! You can do it!

Let me just say that I have been a fan of "Wet-N-Wild" cosmetics for years. It seems they are always coming out with awesome products that mimic high-end cosmetic lines for pennies on the dollar - you know how I love that! So, I am always eager to try their latest creations.

Recently I tried the MegaEyes Wet-N-Wild Trios in Belgian Chocolates & Egyptian Sand. In the store, these looked like basic neutral tones that could work for an everyday "office" look. I plopped down my $2.99 and figured the gamble was cheaper than a Starbuck's Chiai Latte!

Well, these are a bodacious beauty buy! You can't beat it for under $3 darn dollars! They hold up remarkably well all day, don't crease and offer a pinky-beige-taupey-brown color that looks soft and natural. There is a bit of shimmer, but not enough to highlight fine lines or crepey-ness.

I also love the packaging. The case is small enough for your make-up bag and there is a pull out mirror that is great for touch-ups! Over all, I say these are awesome dirt cheap neutrals that give MAC a run for the money!

Just $2.99 at walgreens.com

One of the quickest and least expensive ways to modernize your skirts and dresses this season is to add black opaque tights! This look creates long, lean, beautiful, shapely legs and allows you to get away with shorter skirts than you would otherwise dare to wear.

Add black tights to dark business suits for a modern twist, party dresses for a youthful boost and longer tunics with black boots for an urban downtown vibe. Follow through with blackest black heeled shoes to add even more length to your wicked, willowy limbs. No matter your age, size, shape or shade, this thrifty chic fashion jolt is an easy fall update for under $10 bucks!

A whopping 77% of beloved Cents of Style readers invest less than $100 a month ($1200) a year on clothes! – Yeah!!!! Dames after my own heart! – Though some fashion sources would be appalled by this statistic, I find it totally refreshing and not surprising in the least. Most of us simply don't have the discretionary income to freely and haphazardly spend on our wardrobe; which is why strategic shopping and building a highly functional wardrobe is so very important.

It is easy to spend less on modernizing your wardrobe, once you have your basic, shapely anchor pieces hanging in your closet. Your anchor pieces should be considered five year purchases, allowing for inexpensive update items, like tops and accessories, to easily transition you through seasons and trends.

Your anchor pieces should be earth-toned shape makers, with little adornment, that showcase your waist, lengthen your legs and work to create both structure and femininity. Basic black, chocolate, gray & khaki straight leg trousers made of season-less fabrics, great fitting dark denim, A-line skirts hemmed to the knee and tailored jackets that create an hourglass silhouette are all items that will serve you well for years and never go out of style.

You should shop your sale rack, consignment stores and discount stores for your anchor pieces, always on the look out for well constructed garments that have good seaming, well placed zippers, buttons and pockets. Once your closet is armed with this wardrobe workforce, you can then change the look and feel of an outfit with colorful tops and trendy accessories that cost no more than $20 bucks... easily staying on budget from year to year!

I, just like many of you, am happily devoted to dressing for $100 or less everyday, and have a closet rich with bargain buys that visually imply high-end polish... yet where bagged for just a few "cents". Don't ever be ashamed to be thrifty my dear divas!...It just means we are smart enough to look like a million without spending a fortune!

We all know that Minoxidil (aka Rogaine) works magic when it comes to regrowing hair on your head, but truth is, it also works for regrowing thinning eyebrows. I read this a while ago in Allure Magazine and have recently discovered for myself, it really works!

After a bad bike accident, resulting in a broken arm and stitches, I had a bad (hairless) scar in my left eyebrow. I sought out help for regrowing the hair in my newly acquired bald spot and thought I would give the Minoxidil a try. I confess that the box emphatically states that you should only use it on your head, but I was desperate to regain my signature eyebrows, so I gave it a try. After six weeks, I have regrown all of the lost hair from my scar!

You have to BE VERY CAREFUL when applying the water-like substance to your eyebrows with a cotton swab, but with dedicated use, your brows will start to bud like petunias in the spring. Opt for the generic Minoxidil at less than half the price of actual Rogaine and you will get the same exact results.

$15.99 at walgreens.com

And The Winner Is... Our October Cents of Style® registration appreciation winner is Danielle Mahoney of South Bend, IN.
Danielle, thank you so much for your support of me and Cents of Style®. Your UPTOWN BROWN Accessory Suite will be shipped to you this week. I know you are going to love it!