The Basics: Tops

Ello Youvies!

Today we'd like to discuss tops, more specifically, how they should fit. The fit of all the pieces you're rockin' is perhaps the most important part of your outfit. So before you go out and buy that paisley button up (don't do that),  let's explore some basic tips for fitting a top. 

1. Shoulders:The most fundamental part about fitting a top is making sure that the shoulder seam sits right at the corner of your shoulder. 

H&M: $7.95

2. Length: Make sure that the length of your shirt (excluding dress shirts) covers at least half of your belt and doesn't drop any farther than halfway down the zipper. 

H&M: $29.95

3. Short sleeves: When wearing short sleeves make sure that they length of the sleeve stops at about the midpoint of your upper arm. If you have smaller arms, the length can be brought up.

Forever 21: $9.80

4. Long sleeves: When wearing long sleeves, make sure that they cover all of your wrist and stop right at the base of the hand.

H&M: $39.95

Looking for more? Some of these tips we learned from other articles that feature an extensive look at the tips we just discussed here. Check them out!

http://menfashionadvice.com/clothes/t-shirt-fitting-guide/

http://www.youbeauty.com/body-fitness/dressing-for-your-body-type

There you have it, Youvies! Try out these tips and let us know how they work for you and tag your photos with the hashtag #dejayou for a chance to be featured.

Do have a fashion conundrum? Ask us by emailing at teamdejayou@gmail.com or in the comments below.

Hey DeJa You! 

AYUDAME! Help Me, DeJa You!

Happy Tuesday, Youvies!  

We hope all is well for you! Today we will introduce a new segment of our blog titled “ ¡AYUDAME!”. In this section, we will answer questions submitted by you, our readers! Whether it is a general fashion tip, a general confidence tip or you’ve just impulsively bought an item and have NO idea how to wear it (we’ve been there!) We’re here to help! This week, we will feature a question submitted by an anonymous reader:

Q: How do I make my chest appear smaller?

A: As many of you know, a bigger chest isn’t exactly always an ‘asset’. Sometimes, the gals have a way of making top-shopping difficult. Luckily, there are several illusions you can utilize to make the girls a little more ‘manageable’ ;)

*The Right Bra Size: The importance of wearing the correct bra size cannot be stressed enough!

*V-Necks: V necks have a wonderful way of drawing the eyes downward and opening up space that can actually minimize the size and appearance of your boobies!

*Patterns: Patterns can be your worst enemy or your best friend depending on how you wear them. In this case, it’s best to find shirts that guide the eyes downwards PAST your chest (not stopping at) or find tops that have a pattern at the bottom half so that the eyes are drawn downwards and away from your chest. Also, if the patter must be on your chest, larger patterns will lessen the perceived size of your breasts while a smaller pattern (may) increase the size.

*Jewelry: Necklaces that hang below the breasts will guide eyes in that direction. Also, avoid necklaces that are too short as they may ‘frame’ the chest area and bring more attention to it. Keep the focus of the necklace either above the breasts or below them.

*Loose Clothing: A flowy top (as long as it flows in all the right ways) can work wonders with your difficult gals. It can make you feel elegant as well!

*Fashion Belt: Invest in a nice fashion belt as they can bring emphasize and attention from your breasts and to your waist. Not to mention they are incredibly versatile!

*Dark Colors: Dark colors, especially black, are universally flattering and universally slimming.

I understand how frustrating it can be to dress the girls and how they can make (or break) an outfit, but the bottom line is it’s all about dressing yourself and loving yourself!! Do not curse your breasts, but celebrate them! It’s all about loving yourself and knowing how to dress them!

I hope this helped, Youvie!

Strut Song of the Week: Aloe Blacc- "The Man"

Happy Tuesday, Youvies! 

This week's Strut Song is "The Man" by Aloe Blacc. This song will have you feeling good all week long with its powerful, confident message. Here's our favorite lyric: 

"I'm a soldier standing on my feet

 No surrender and I won't retreat (this is my world)". 

Keep up the confidence this week, Youvies and let everyone know you're the man/woman because this IS your world.  

Check out the video below! 

Is there a song that helps you conquer your day? Let us know! Also, use the hashtag #dejayou on Instagram for a chance to be featured. 

Hey DeJa You! 

Strut Song of the Week: Jennifer Lopez- "Booty"

Hello Youvies! 

Every week we will be featuring what we like to call our "Strut Song". Basically these are songs we're listening to while we're out and about that help get us through the day and also, perhaps more importantly, help us strut it out! 

This week's Strut Song is "Booty" by the infamous Jennifer Lopez (but seriously though, does this woman age?!). Check out the teaser video below and strut with us all week! 

Is there a song that helps get you feeling confident and ready to take on the day? Let us know what you're struttin' to! And be sure to show us your looks with the hashtag #heydejayou for the chance to be featured! 

Hey Deja You!

Looks We Dig From: 2014 BET Awards

Sunday night was the annual BET awards. A night of fashion, amazing performances, and perhaps a little shade (Oh, Nicki!). Let's take a look at some of the looks we're diggin' from the 2014 BET Awards along with a little breakdown about why they work. Don't feel intimidated just yet. We'll be sure to show you how to get these looks yourself without turning your wallet into a deep, dark black hole. Stick with us, Youvies. 

These days floral prints are absolutely everywhere, but Ms. Kerry gave us life in this floral dress by Dolce and Gabbana. Why it works: The mid thigh length shows off her beautiful legs while simultaneously elongating them. The colors in the pattern work flawlessly with her skin which is beautifully accented by simple makeup and a plain white shoe. 

Kerry Washington 

Sportswear is a quickly growing trend and Zendaya has managed to capture all the best parts of it in her ensemble. Why it works: To put it simply, proportions. Each piece Zendaya is wearing not only fits her, but the length of the skirt juxtaposed to the jacket is spot on. The bandeau allows the skirt to be the main focus without it becoming overwhelming. 

Zendaya 

White was a very popular color on this year's red carpet and Amber Rose really hit the mark with this simple, elegant dress. Why it works: One word-simplicity. This dress fits her body perfectly and in this case, less really is more. 

Amber Rose 

Yet another star rocking a clean white look on the red carpet.This is a perfect example of casual chic. Why it works: Depending on his accessories, this outfit can go from daytime brunch to the red carpet. It is a classic, yet modern outfit that can give any man a more timeless look. 

Stephen Bishop

In sea of fabulous white ensembles John Legend certainly stood out in his all black affair. Why it works: It's common knowledge that black flatters most everyone and this outfit is no exception. This outfit not only flatters, but stays on trend with the varsity jacket and slim cut pants. 

John Legend 

                       

This is another monochromatic look that makes a completely different statement. This look is more for the fashion daring and August Alsina is rockin' it. Why it works: He's owning it. Whether right or wrong he looks confident in this suit and that alone has a big impact. Also, it fits. One way to ensure that a more daring outfit like this is a fashion win is to make sure everything fits properly. 

August Alsina 

That concludes our best dressed list for the 2014 BET Awards. What did you think? Was there a look you fell in love with or one you wanted to burn with the intensity of a thousand suns?  Let us know! 

Heart to Heart: Our Mission

"Confidence is your outfit; Fashion the accessory”?

Just what do we mean by this? This statement here is the very essence of DeJa You. Team DeJa you believes that fashion is not what makes or breaks your appearance. It’s your confidence! Have you ever heard the saying “do it with conviction?” That applies to your appearance. How can you ‘own’ an outfit without the belief that you can? Truth be told, you can’t. It’s hard to do many things without the inner believe that you’re capable. Fashion is merely your accessory; an accessory to enhance your overall appearance.

Now, no one can hand you confidence nor can it be bought or grown overnight (now wouldn’t that be convenient!). Everything has to come from within. You have to actively tell yourself how incredible you are. Leave yourself notes in random places, put on power music, talk to yourself in the mirror (“Are you talkin’ to me? Are YOU talkin’ to Me?”) Do whatever it takes! Although the confidence has to come from within you, that hardly means you’ll go about it alone. Team DeJa you is dedicated to three things:

1) To assist you in understanding the basic concepts of fashion to build a wardrobe that is YOU

2) To assist you in building said wardrobe on a budget (We’re college students, not millionaires here! Haha)

3) Most importantly, to encourage you to love yourself just as you are!

We understand it’s hard to decipher much of the fashion world when most of the representatives are paragons of flawless skin, perfect tresses, godly bone structures and bodies of roman statues. At DeJa You, we embrace all body types from our lovely skinny folk to our fuller-sized guys and gals. There’s no rules saying you MUST look a certain way to look good. Everyone is capable of looking good and we believe it all comes with FEELING good!

We encourage you to take this journey with us! We’ll supply you with many links and the basic ‘rules’ to dressing different body types as well as exercises and heart-to-hearts regarding your confidence; as well as any neat deals for affordable clothes (yippy!) Please feel free to send us images of your favorite outfit or something about your journey to owning your confidence at teamdejayou@gmail.com. We’re here for you, Youvies!

Hey DeJa You!

Allow Us to Introduce Ourselves

Why hello there, Youvies!

My name is Derrick, or Caramel Delight for the right price, but we can talk about that later. ;) I grew up in the small town of Tehachapi, California. A town of trains, majestic mountains, and…well, I guess that’s it. Growing up I always had a love for fashion, but it wasn’t until college, when I had my own money, that I was really able to explore what it means to be a ‘fashionista’. Prior to that, though, I had my own struggles. Throughout my entire life I had no confidence and I had issues with self-esteem. As a result I had troubles making friends and spent a lot of time alone…surfing fashion blogs of course. Then I began to experiment; I would try to mimic the different looks I saw and attempted to find a style that suited me. I can remember shopping at Forever 21 and thinking “I read that stripes were trending, so I’ll look for something with stripes”.  But, something was missing. Sure I looked like the people in magazines and blogs, but it wasn’t right. Something was definitely missing and I wasn’t happy. This is when I started to experiment further and put together outfits that were fashionable AND made me feel amazing. The latter was the missing element and also the most important.

Fashion to me is an outlet; I am able to let people know who I am without having to say anything. When I put on my favorite blazer and oxfords I’m ready to conquer the world. That’s what I believe fashion is all about. To quote Mother Monster “Fashion—looking good and feeling fine”. 

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Hello, hello, my lovelies!

I’m Jasmine, the second half of DeJa You! As with Derrick, I also grew up in the microscopic town of Tehachapi (Where?? It exists! I swear!). Growing up, I never thought of myself as a fashionista. I did not enjoy trying on clothes. I didn’t care what I wore and I feel now that was part of the reason for my lack of confidence. In a town where racial and cultural diversity were almost non-existent, I felt like the odd girl out. There was no one else who ‘looked’ like me. I was not the girl all the guys clamored over. I was not the girl adored by everyone. In fact, I almost felt like a ghost; and it didn’t help that ‘I suffered through the merciless nemesis known as ACNE (I heard that collective groan! We all know that pain don’t we?). In college, I finally began to wrap my mind around the idea to ‘love myself’. Once I embraced that I was my own kind of beautiful (and that I felt good when I looked good) everything else began to fall into place. Now, I accept that I am fierce, I am beautiful and I am fabulous! I want you all to feel exactly what I feel; not to only LOOK good but to FEEL good! Confidence can pull together most (!) outfits, but can destroy any! We’ll teach you how to wield this almighty weapon most effectively!