Spring forward ladies.....the clocks went forward last night and I awoke this morning to the beautiful sunshine, so I'm hoping that Spring is truly finally here.  And along with that comes all the things I love about this season....the great colors, bright patterns, flowy clothes - I just love it!  But the other thing that comes along with the change in weather is the thought of that dreaded word.....okay, I'm just going to say it - sleeveless!!!  UGH!!  I know many many ladies who love the sunny weather but absolutely hate the fact that everywhere they go to shop all they see is sleeveless.  The fact is that if your arms aren't slim and toned it's very hard to wear sleeveless fashions without feeling self conscious.  And especially as one gets older, even if your arms are slim, again it's hard to pull this look off.  But there are ways around this, so please do not despair, all is not lost....

And with this thought of possible despair in mind I want to share with you a story about a lovely girl I was working with just last week.  This girl was probably in her mid 20s and I could tell immediately that she had no self esteem.  She shared with me that she had recently gained weight and had not shopped for herself in a long time because she just couldn't face it. I also gathered that certain people in her life had berated her for her weight gain or made unkind comments.  As she was talking to me she started to get upset and my heart went out to this young girl.  I really wanted to help her and reassure her that it's possible to look great no matter what size you are.  Unfortunately we are surrounded by images and such in the media that we think if we're not all looking like the models in the magazines (who, by the way are all airbrushed!), we are not good enough.  I am so sick and tired of this myth!  The good news is that I worked with this young girl and put some outfits together for her and by the end of my time with her the look on her face and the smile I saw was priceless.  I saw the transformation in her that she actually finally thought she looked good!  And that in itself was amazing.  So the moral of this story is that no matter what size you are, no matter what put downs people have said to you, you can overcome all that and make the change if you really want it.  It's not about what size you are, it's about believing you can look beautiful no matter what!  And by the way, the people who usually make the unkind comments are usually people who are unhappy with themselves!  Just saying...

Anyway, back to the Spring weather and fashions.  There are an array of lightweight sweaters, shrugs, flyaways & wraps that you can wear if you are really not comfortable wearing sleeveless.  I have seen a wide range of different styles, colors and shapes that can look great!  From shrugs with a ruffle to silk ties, cool hardware buttons & embellishments like beading or sequins, or a cool graphic pattern, different textures like linen, silk or lace - they're all out there to help you overcome the trauma of the dreaded bat wings!!  So take a look at some of these images of different ways to cover up those arms!  But hey, if you're comfortable with showing them off, more power to you!!