Affordable Gift Ideas for Mom

With the holidays around the corner, here are nine affordable and thoughtful gift ideas for your mom. These were written with Christmas in mind but they can be adapted to suit any gift giving occasion.

First, think about your moms personality. What helps her relax and unwind? What does she do for fun? Is she an artistic person? Is she an outdoors person? Does she usually prefer to stay in and read a book or go out on a hike? What have been your best moments together - when have you seen her having the most fun? Once you've jotted down a few thoughts, consider some of the below ideas.

Class: Sign her up for a class on something she'd like to do. A sport? Cook a certain cuisine? A dance class? There are so many evening or weekend classes at local community colleges for less than $100.

Plant: A plant is another thoughtful gift that will last a while - longer than flowers or chocolates and longer than most other generic gifts. You can buy a nice orchid for less than $20.

Photobook: These can be handmade in scrapbook style or you can pay for it by ordering one from a book printing site like blurb.com. These can be fairly inexpensive. Include photos of you together if you have them! Write some stories in them if you can.

Relaxation Kit: Make her a relaxation kit of items from local shops around your childhood home such as soaps, bubble bath, bath beads, and lotions.

Music: Burn a CD with songs that bring back memories. Maybe songs that were played around your house as a child, favorite Christmas hymns, or even a special song for each year you want her to remember.

Cookies or Pie: If you like to cook, bake her some cookies or a pie. It's easy to buy one but making it makes it special.

Card: This is a good idea if you've recently moved away from home. Make a card telling her about all your fond Christmases or other memories growing up, or even write her a poem, rhyming or not, about how much you care about her.

Christmas Memories: Find photographs from all your Christmases together and make a collection, putting it into a scrapbook, photo book, or collage in a frame or shadowbox.

Time: Sometimes, just spending time with your mom is good enough - especially if you don't see her often. Surprise her and go home.

Some of the ideas above are simple enough for anyone to do while some may take more time and work - but these are all affordable and thoughtful. If none of the above work, you can always fall back upon traditional options like flowers, jewelry, fashion accessories or maybe a book. But she's your mom - she's going to love anything you give her. So try and make it as special as you can.

Accessorizing Tips for Plus Size Women

Here are some tips and tricks on how to use jewelry and shoes to give yourself a slimmer silhouette.

Medium Length Necklaces:
Wear a medium length necklace with medium sized beads or gemstones. A short necklace tends to give more attention to the neck, which is probably something you want to avoid. On the other hand, if the necklace is too long, it accentuates a large bustline. So stick with a medium length necklace with medium sized beads or gemstones.

Avoid wearing circular pendants. Circular shapes accentuate the shape of a round body, so square or rectangular shapes work better.

Long Earrings:
Wearing long dangly earrings tends to make your face appear slimmer by elongating the lines of your face. Remember that when you wear long statement earrings, you should wear a simple necklace. Wearing two bold pieces of jewelry generally tends to look busy.

Wear a Belt:
Wear a slim to medium-width belt. A belt instantly defines a waist line and gives the impression of an hour glass figure. Some say that a thin belt is best for a larger waist line, and others say that a medium-width belt high on the waist has the same effect.

If possible, wear a belt with a square buckle - as we mention above, circular shapes make you look rounder so square buckles tend to work better.

Heels:
Wear heels if you can. Similar to wearing long earrings, long heels instantly make you look taller, and hence slimmer. Like the age-old advice of wearing dark colors, wear dark colored shoes as well. It'll make your legs looks slimmer, especially if you're wearing a short dress. To take it a step further, wear shoes with thin long heels. Wearing chunky heels defeats the purpose.

But as always, whatever you wear should make you feel good. Dressing up is all about expressing yourself. Wearing what makes you feel good gives you confidence. No fashion advice or trend should suggest otherwise.

Feel free to comment with other tips...

Accessorize a Cocktail Dress

Looking for ways to glam up your cocktail dress?

A cocktail party is the perfect excuse to dress to the nines and bring out all your best jewelry. Here are a few suggestions to help get you started.

Necklaces: You could choose bold accessories like large geometric pendants or gemstone necklaces to glam up your look. These go well for a casual party with friends. A gemstone drop pendant is our favorite, and completely appropriate for the occasion. Or you could opt to be subtle; wear a simple necklace with a small diamond or gemstone pendant and let your dress take center stage. This is more appropriate for a formal party or a business gathering. Or if you want something versatile, a pearl necklace will always do the trick.

Earrings: If your necklace is simple, large hoops or chandelier earrings will balance the look. If your necklace is intricate, then choose simple earrings. Keep the focus on one piece of jewelry.

Bracelets: For a casual look, try a dark colored gemstone bracelet. For a more formal look, pearls go best.

Clutches: No cocktail dress is complete without the perfect clutch. Find one with straight, simple lines that complements your dress. Keep it small with just enough room for a drivers license, credit card, cash, and lipstick. A simple silk clutch for an afternoon party or an embossed leather clutch for an evening party would suffice. If your dress is a dark subtle color, try a bright colored clutch to spice it up. Pink clutch with a black dress? Purple clutch with a yellow dress? You get the idea.

Belts: To spice up a solid colored dress, try wearing a fun colored belt. Silk belts, ribbon belts or embossed leather belts are trendy and will flatter your figure. Since a cocktail dress is a one piece dress, the belt helps defines your waist and gives you a flattering shape.

Whatever you decide to wear, remember that a cocktail party is a fun event. Be creative. Have fun!