Steel Pony Blog

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If you want to make a big impression on stage, then you have to treat yourself like a brand. Your goal should be to figure out what your customers want and then deliver it. Your customers, in this case, is the audience and what they want is to be entertained.

This means that simply playing your instrument probably won’t cut it. After all, if the audience simply wanted to hear you play, then they would have just listened to the recorded version of your songs. They obviously came to experience something more, and that’s what you’re supposed to give them. Of course, this doesn’t mean that your set has to be as wild as The Who’s controversial “My Generation” performance in 1967. The goal is to simply to make it as entertaining as you possibly can.

Start with the right gear

Needless to say, getting the right kind of guitar is one of the most important things you need to consider. After all, if your instrument prevents you from playing properly, then no amount of on-stage gimmicks could ever make up for it. Besides, string musicians are already prone to injuries anyway due to the way their instruments have to be played. The last thing you want is to get injured simply because you picked a guitar that you can’t play comfortably.

Next on the list are your secondary tools like your guitar strap, cables and effects. Of course, if you’re playing an unplugged or classical set, then you’ll need a reliable guitar chair or stool as well. The cool thing about these things is that they come in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes so you can use them as accessories to add to your overall vibe on stage. The only limit to the effect that you can create is your imagination (and budget).

Dress the part

What does Daft Punk, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley have in common? They all have strong personal branding, which makes them memorable to audiences. Aside from the type of songs that they put out, the way they dress and present themselves makes it immediately clear to people what they are all about.

What about you? Does the way you currently present yourself help you create the image that you are looking to portray? If the answer is no, then now’s a good time to start shopping for clothes and accessories that would help you do so. After all, if it worked for some of the biggest names in the industry, then it should work for you too.

Have fun

At the end of the day, however, the most important thing is still enjoying what you do. If playing on stage makes you genuinely happy, then you won’t even have to make a conscious effort to deliver an impactful performance. Everything will just flow naturally and your audience will surely love you for it.

We all have our favorite colors.  It is said that the color you wear says a lot about your personality.  I think it is important to look at that as it relates to our style.

  Black- Punk, Goth, and clubs kids are known to wear a lot of black, and almost every woman has that perfect black dress that’s flattering to her body in her closet. Black symbolizes extremes — all or nothing — and is a color of strength, power, sophistication, elegance, and authority.

Blue: Blue is a calming color.  When you wear blue, you’re telling people you are creative, positive, in peace and you’re saying that you’ve decided to live by your own rules, and by your own truth. Because blue wearers think for themselves, they’re smart, have a quick wit, and are independent.

Brown/Neutrals: Browns are a grounding color.  When wearing browns you are representing that you are solid and grounded.  These are also earth tones so we associate this color with people who are stable, smart and dependable

Red: If you want to stand out and grab the spotlight, wear red. It’s the color of energy and is the symbol of life. Wearing red is empowering and can give you confidence. Red is also the color of sensuality, aggression, passion, and boldness.

Orange: Orange is known as the color that makes new possibilities happen. It’s creative, enthusiastic, and is associated with good times, warmth, and ambition. If you wear orange, you like to be the life of the party, and are in a positive, energizing, and engaging mood.

Pink: This color is best know as a feminine color.  It shows you are sweet, you like to nurture and have an open heart. Wearing pink will make you seem more approachable. It helps you feel pretty.  Pretty in pink as they say.

Purple: Purple is a color that shows you like being noticed.  In the darker more Burgundy versions are associated with Royalty. The more Lavender tones help you feel more in touch with your spiritual side.  If you want the world to know that you are One of a Kind and you are a non conformist  then purple is a perfect choice for you.

White: This is a color of New Beginnings.  I guess that is why it is chosen for brides but it is also great to wear when you feel like you want to start the day fresh, with a clean slate.

Yellow: A happy color.  You need a pick me up?  Wear some yellow and brighten your day. It also shows the world that you have a sunny outlook.

What is your favorite color?  Do you think it represents you based on the above?

Share your thoughts.

There’s nothing that brings a garden together better at night than mood lighting. During warm summers, proper lighting allows you to sit on your porch with friends and family and enjoy the weather well into the evening.

When installing or replacing lighting at home, you should consider switching to eco-friendly lighting. There are more lighting options now than ever for the environmentally conscientious homeowner.

Going Green

In recent years, eco-friendly lighting has been a hot new trend for both interior designers and landscapers alike. There’s been a push for our society to cut emissions and preserve our environment for future generations, but each of us needs to play our part by reducing our carbon footprint.

One of the easiest ways to go green around the home is to replace your lighting system with something eco-friendlier. Most older houses weren’t built with energy preservation in mind and used inefficient bulbs such as incandescents to light indoor and outdoor spaces. By replacing these lights with low-energy alternatives, you can help to do your part to save the environment.

LED Lighting

LED lights are nothing like they used to be. Whereas LEDs used to be expensive and fragile, they’re now built to last. You can find LED lighting in just about any tone, including mood lamps that change colors. Outdoor LED lights are also made to be waterproof and weatherproof so that they’ll last you for years.

Perhaps the best thing about switching to LEDs is the cost. LEDs use significantly less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, not only helping you to save the environment but also to save on your monthly bills.

If you live in a dry environment, using LEDs is one of the safest options when installing outdoor lighting. They don’t produce heat like incandescent bulbs, and so you don’t have to worry about any accidental burns or backyard fires.

Solar Lanterns

While installing LED lighting can help to slash your energy bills, solar cuts the energy company out of the equation completely. Solar lighting collects energy during sunny days and shines at night, allowing you to enjoy soft illumination at no cost to yourself other than the initial investment.

As solar lighting has become more popular in gardens, you can find more and more options available to install. There are solar windchimes, ground stakes, string lights, and even fountains that you can use to light up and decorate your outdoor space.

Lighting your garden at night doesn’t have to be a drain on the environment, By switching to eco-friendly lighting such as LEDs, you can illuminate your garden without guilt.

Working our way down the body, let’s look at our hips this week.  Are your hips wide or straight?  Both types are beautiful but so often we want what we do not have.  With a little styling we can get closer to our desires.

If you have wide hips you have 2 choices - embrace them or style to minimize them.

Here are some style ideas to minimize:

• Focus attention upward with slimmer fitting tops, cardigans and v-necklines or button front tops
• Style with a statement necklace or detail on your top or dress
• Wear layers to help to balance out your top and bottom such as A-line tops and dresses. A-line emphasis the top of your body and drape nicely over your hips.
• Whether you are wearing pants, Skirts or Dresses, keep the bottom wider. It will visually balance your look. Our Pam Palazzo Pant is perfect for that.

Some suggestions are:

Tabitha Dress, Kimberly Jumper Dress and the Pam Palazzo Pant.

If you are the opposite and have straighter hips, then you want to dress to visually create more curves. Here are some style ideas for creating curves:

• Wear high waistlines to define a waist giving the illusion of shapely hips
• Skirts and dresses with peplum waists are perfect, giving you shapelier proportions
• Find fullness in dresses or skirts with pleats or gathers from the waist
• Try shaped jackets that flare out over the hips, making them look bigger
• Look for clothes with hip and bottom detailed embellishment or pockets to create gentle curves
• Wear tapered leg pants with draping at the hips

Style suggestions here are the Colette Pant, Diana Pant and the Catherine Dress, and my favorites the Kimberly tunic Dress.  The Kimberly Tunic Dress style works no matter what your hip size is.

I welcome any questions you might have and remember no matter what your size YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

As promised, today we talk tummies.  How do you feel about yours?  They come in all shapes and sizes and are beautiful.  For those of you with a flat or smaller tummy, you can choose to:

• Show it off
• Create extra shape
• Make your tummy appear flatter

It is all in how you wish to show yourself to the world.

Many of us do not fill into that category.  We have a rounder tummy.  That might be from age, lifestyle or Medications.  Something could have affected your metabolism, or you had an injury and can no longer workout like you used to.  I say embrace your body and use clothing to accentuate the positive.  So, for both categories I have suggestions below.

If you want to show off your tummy.

• Wear dresses and tops in Stretch fabrics and fitted waists.
• Wear Hipsters
• Crop the tops.

You may choose to wear the Fae Shrug over the Thelma Tube with the Pam Palazzo Pant shown here.

Want to create extra shape?

• Use belts that sit on your tummy to create that small waist effect.
• Wear Pants in soft fabrics with elastic waist bands.
• Flowing fabrics that can be pulled in to create the waistline are perfect.

One of my favorite pieces that multitasks is The Roxie Jacket.  It can be wrapped, belted or tied to get the definition you want but it can also function in many different ways. 

Want to make your tummy appear smaller?

• I prefer comfort so if I wear shapewear it has to be comfortable.  One of my customers told me about Yummy Camisoles and I am hooked.  Most of the shapewear out there is uncomfortable or rides up on your stomach even if it is not that big. 
• To avoid the whole shapewear thing, if you wear tops that skim your body rather then cling you will have found the perfect top. My favorite is the Taylor Tunic Top. It is not so A-line that it swings or so tight that it hugs and shows those small imperfections that only we can see.
• Longer tops and tunics that fall over your tummy. The Kimberly Stripe Tunic Dress is a great choice. Not to full and you can belt it if you want to add definition.

You have a rounder tummy and want to hide it in a flattering way.

Rather then drawing attention to it you want to draw attention away so:

• Wear A-line pieces that fall away from your body. Stick with soft fabrics that drape like our Modal.  Styles like the Ashley Top and Catherine Dress are perfect.
• Wear v-necklines to pull the eye up to your face showing off those beautiful eyes.
• Accentuate your good qualities. Do you have slender legs?  Leggings are perfect and so now.

No matter what your waistline, the most important thing to remember it to embrace yourself today and take the time to appreciate where you are.  That is the hardest thing as a woman for us to do.  I love the Dove commercials because they talk about embracing the body we have.  It is OK to want to change it but for the right reasons.

  I would love to hear your opinion and questions you might have.

Until the next installment.  Treat yourself to something new.

Use the coupon code STYLE at checkout for 10% off that treat!  Go Shopping

The most amazing thing about each of us is that we are unique and one-of-a-kind.  No one has the same shoulder measurement, waist or body length.  Some of us are short waisted or long waisted, etc.  You see where I am going with this.

There are 3 reasons your style is unique to you.

• Your unique body- Are you well endowed?  Short waisted? Tall?  Short?
• Your Personal taste- Is your style preppie or bohemian? Classic but edgy? Do you love color?  Do you like to only wear black?
• Your Lifestyle- Do you work in an office and dress professional? Are you a busy mom who wants to look good when running around but also want comfortable clothes that’s easy to take care of?

These factors make up your Style choices.

Let’s start with Your Unique Body. Within this category there is your body shape and your personal preferences. Some women like to cover their arms while others want to show off their defined arms.

It is always good to start from the top so let’s begin with our chest; that’s the Style Challenge for today.  We all have definite opinions depending on whether you have small, medium or large breast.  When I was young I remember not really having any.  I asked my mom to take me bra shopping and she said: “What for? You don’t need it.” I was devastated. I wanted so much to look like a woman.  Fast forward to today and I wish I was that small. 

You have 2 choices. You can embrace them, or you can visually minimize them. I have a few suggestions for each decision.

 Embrace them with

• V-necks or Scoop Necks because both are flattering
• Wrap dresses and tunics help to define your overall shape
• Stretch fabrics are great because they are more forgiving
• Fitted rather then clingy fabrics help to show off your assets
• Defining your waist help to add attention to your chest

Minimize them with

• A minimizer Bra with good support
• Soft fabrics and fine jersey like our Modal to reduce bulk
• Scarves to take the attention away for them
• A-line Tops, Tunic and Dresses to give you more of a contoured shape
• An open V-neck piece on top to draw your attention down which will make them seem smaller

Our SP Essentials Collection fits both scenarios.  You could wear the Roxie Jacket wrapped if you wanted to show off what you have verses open to minimize those bad boys.

Our next Style Challenge?  Our waistlines. In the meantime, tell us your style challenges.  We may feature you and give you a style makeover.

I hear this all the time- You look great in that but I can’t pull it off or other excuses like I am too short, too tall, too fat, too thin to pull that off.  It’s very easy to go down that self-depreciating rabbit hole.  However, when you learn how to become empowered over your clothes, you will reclaim your joy and confidence over your personal style. When you achieve this, you will find peace in your body and mind. To be successful at looking put together, first we need to feel confident in ourselves and our choices. There are no strict rules here.  It is what brings you the most joy.  It is also about your taste, preferences and desires. You really are your own best stylist. 

Your first assignment is to stand in front of a mirror and make some observations about yourself. 

• What do you think is your current style?
• What are your favorite colors? Are you wearing them?  I believe we have a natural affinity toward colors we look good in.
• Now look more critically about what you are wearing and how it makes you feel. Do you feel confident? If the answer is no, then what is it about how you are dressed that is not resonating with you.  Is what you are wearing too tight and the buttons are pulling?  Is it so big that you are swimming in it? With a little tweaking you can take what you are wearing to change the negative into a positive.

The science behind style is the reason why things look proportional, flattering, visually appealing and expensive. The way a garment or completed look is styled to show your personality is where the art of style comes into play.

Let’s start with the word style.  That word means so many things.  As it refers to Fashion, it is defined as

the state of being popular 

I was a bit shocked when I looked it up

I prefer this definition. It was used in reference to writing

a distinctive manner of expression

Yes, to me style is about expression.  That is how you show who you are without saying a word.  It is quite powerful.  For instance, if you are dressed in all leather head to toe, I would think you are not a vegan.  We make judgements about someone within the first 60 seconds of meeting them. 

The science of dressing with style is about proportion, color and how you put that together.  There are actual strategies here that take the guess work out of it for us.

I would love to hear the answers to your assignment.  Please share in the comments section.

Happy New Year. 

I wanted to start the year with a new series.  Let’s Talk Style.  Do you stand in front of your closet and just stare at the rack trying to figure out what combination will work for you? This series will give you the confidence to develop your own style.  We are all unique and we should dress that way.

When I was a young girl, I was one of those girly girls…Loved Barbie and started Hand knitting outfits for her.  It may sound corny but I feel like I was destined to create all things wearable.  By the time I was 13 I knew what my path was.  You might even say I was quite driven in my quest.

My style has evolved over the years with each stage.  As a teenager I was very shy and self-conscious about my body.  I think that is not so unusual, but it greatly influenced my style.  I focused on Oversized clothing.  I fell in love with fabrics and drape.  It was so much more fun to dress then the style of the times which was Less is best.  Those days really influenced my current style.

I remember being out with friends and this guy walking up to me, telling me how sexy my clothing was because it left so much to his imagination.  The funny thing about that was that I dressed like that so I would not get those kinds of compliments.  That taught me that the person I wanted to dress for was myself.

As an independent woman, I dress for myself.  I might look at trends but I prefer comfort and Uniqueness which means I create my own trends. As a designer, I like to create so that my customers can find their unique style. I love to see the transformation that empowering them does for them.

I did a lot of traveling and saw how people lived in 3^rd world countries and the working conditions that they endured.  When I started Steel Pony with my Partner Dennis Wolk we decided we would not work with people that refused to pay their employees a living wage.  We decided to keep it local so we could make sure the working conditions were fair.  It was a happy accident that today we own a sustainable, made in America artisan clothing and handbag business.

Talk Soon.