Posts with tag 'Women\'s Fashions'

December 9, 2009
- Your Winter Coat: Pick the Perfect Wrapping!

Keep warm this winter by wrapping yourself in a stylish jacket. Just like wrapping paper on a present, the jacket you wear says a lot about what is inside! Make sure these messages are in sync. You wouldn't put Happy Birthday paper on a holiday present. A gift wrapped in newspaper looks like the giver either ran out of paper (not prepared) or the gift isn't quite that special.

Take a look around you and you will soon notice a miss-match of coats with outfits and people that don't work together. Are you wearing your nice skirt suit with your puffy parka? That's a mis-match. Is your jacket dirty or ready to fall apart at the seams? It could be making you look dated and disorganized.

The good news is that jackets will go on sale right after the holidays so be sure to take inventory of what you need and get yourself prepared for the rest of the season. Here are a few good types of coats that will get you through most of winter's cool occasions.

Wool Coat: This is the staple that goes with your suits and dresses. A 3/4 length version is most versitile because you can easily dress it up or down. If you are blessed with long legs then a floor length one can be fun and dramatic for your dressier occasions. Most people gravitate towards neutral colors like black, grey and tan. This is a safe bet, but if you want to spice it up, try rich dark colors like eggplant. Light colors like baby blue or pink aren't professional looking, so avoid these colors for your work wear. If you are on a budget and can't afford more than one coat this year, this is the one for you!

The Puffer or Parka: There aren't many people in cold weather states that don't own one of these. While these coats will definitely keep you warm in the coolest of conditions, they are meant for those more casual occasions. They are perfect for a day in the park, watching a football game or running errands, not for professional wear or special occasions.

The Jacket: A jacket is simply a shorter version of a coat. Almost all jackets are meant for more casual occasions. Made out of everything from cordoroy to wool to leather, your jacket is a great staple for most all your casual occasions. Cropped versions expose more of your outfit and can really add to it. Think of your jacket as an accessory and it can be a lot of fun!

Special Occasion Coat: A coat that perhaps has a finer fabric like the one in the picture above. I have one that has a timeless lace overlay that seems to work with most dresses. Many of these coats have fun details that almost make them an outfit on their own. These coats are fun and can really make you stand out in a crowd when everyone is wearing something more traditional. The downside is that they may not always keep you the warmest.

Faux Fur Jackets & Wraps: A fun additon for the person who wants to change it up! Faux fur can make you feel glamourous and work well with eveything from a pair of jeans to an evening dress. Wraps are a great option if you only need to hop from the valet to the the door.

November 18, 2009
- The Holiday Look: Affordable and Effortlessly Fabulous!

This holiday season you may have an assortment of different holiday parties to attend including office parties, get togethers with friends, charity events and the list goes on. In the past, many of us would go out and buy a whole new outfit from shoes to jewelry. However in today's economy, even those of us who can afford it, are cutting back. Money or not, I believe the best looks are the ones that look fabulous, yet effortless. Here's some tips for you to start putting together those holiday outfits without spending a whole lot or looking like you just spent your entire bonus in an effort to impress.

Keep It Classic This is a universal rule, no matter what the occasion. You can never go wrong with classic pieces. They are appealing to most people and you never risk being a fashion victim. No matter if you are headed to a conservative office party or a funky art gallery charity event, you'll fit in and be approachable. Men should wear dark ties in rich colors with a suit jacket for more formal events. A nice sport jacket in a solid color, subtle pattern or texture. Women should wear a tailored skirt and jacket or pretty blouse. Use jewelry like diamonds and pearls to add a little sparkle.

Rework What You Have Save your green for gifts and after holiday sales. It never makes sense to spend money on clothes that you are only going to wear a few times a year. Instead, shop in your closet. Men can do this pretty easily. Just use the same sport jacket and change the shirt and tie up. Contrary to our social belief, it's ok to wear the same dress twice. Take the dress you wore to the office party last week and wear it to the benefit party this week. Change up the accessories to make it feel new and different. I love black stone jewelry; it's different from your typical diamonds and still conveys a sleek elegance. It can also look edgy if done in the right way. Put the necklace from White House Black Market (above), with a simple black sheath dress (which you probably have in your closet) and you're instantly styled!

Keep It Simple Skip the Swarovski drenched dress and accessories. Use warm rich colors but keep it simple with the bling. I'm always a fan of a fun cocktail ring. It makes a good conversation piece and stands out without being obvious. Go for one standout piece. It could be a cool detail in your dress, bold earrings or a statement necklace. Limit yourself to one, otherwise you look like your trying too hard and your pieces start to compete for attention.

All men look more "manly" with a nice metal band watch. Skip the leather bands. A simple chain necklace works for men who naturally accessorize. If you do not normally wear a necklace, this is not the time to try it. You'll look uncomfortable.

Prioritize: Clothes, Shoes, Accessories If you feel like you have nothing in your closet that will work, then head to the stores. Based on your budget, spend the bulk of your money on the clothing, then the shoes, then the accessories. The clothing is going to be the largest, most noticeable piece on you. You not only want to have a quality piece that you can wear again and again, but you don't want to waste money on something that you don't love. Hopefully you can find shoes at home, but if not, then get a pair of shoes that will work for several special occasion outfits. Do not be matchy-matchy and get unique shoes that will only work with that particular outfit. You'll be wasting money.

Lastly, if you still have money left over in your budget, buy some accessories. If not, these are easy to borrow from a friend. You can pair inexpensive jewelry with a nice outfit. Some of the best jewelry I have is $10 from the B.P. department in Nordstrom. Target is a great source for some modern and fun pieces too!

Most importantly have fun and know that it isn't a fashion contest. It's about feeling good about the way you look and enjoying yourself at the party!

October 6, 2009
- Dress Like "You" for Halloween...Scary Thought?

Have you ever thought about being yourself for Halloween? If “you" were hanging on the rack of a costume shop would you want to be “you"? What would “you" look like?

Halloween is a time for us to experiment, have fun and even try out an alter ego! Think of the time and thought you put into a costume for one night, compared to the ones you wear every day. It could be scary. Like it or not, we live in a world where we are constantly judged on appearance. Even without being discriminating we have certain assumptions that we make about an individual. If you see someone who has a wrinkly shirt on you may assume that they are lazy or messy. If you see someone at an event wearing khakis when everyone else is wearing a suit, you might think they are at the wrong place or that they're part of the staff.

Think about the “costume" that you wear everyday. What does it say about you? If you are intelligent, organized, and creative on the inside then you want your clothes to say those same things on the outside. Take those words that you want people to associate with you and find ways to visualize them through your clothes. Here are a few tips and examples using men's shirts and women's suits:

Powerful/Ambitious– use striped patterns, angled or straight cut styles and dark colors to convey authority. Keep clothing tailored to fit your body and wear crisp and smooth fabrics.

Friendly/Caring– use rounded patterns, curved styles and soft, muted colors like mauve or brown to convey friendliness. Clothing can be a little looser and full of texture.

Creative/Modern– mix patterns, combine styles and use splashes of bold color over neutral colors like grey and black. Blend loose and tight clothing together in one outfit.

The key is to truly look like “you", whatever that is. We use the word "costume" in place of "outfit", only because of the holiday. Your outfit should never feel like a costume! For example, some women may feel like they are wearing a costume if they were outfitted in some of the clothes we’ve seen on Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City. While many of these are amazing couture pieces, for some women it would feel like they were playing dress up.

Your costume should be desirable. First ask yourself how you feel about it and then ask a close friend. Have them give you three things they like about your style and any constructive criticism on what they dislike. You can even be as direct to ask them if they would want to wear your costume. Finding out why or why not will let you if you need a little tweaking or a whole new fitting. If you have been wearing the wrong costume for years, you may just seek the expert advice of a stylist, like Milena. She’ll help you create a costume that represents you on the inside and fits just right on the outside!

August 13, 2009
- Wrap Up Your Summer in a Scarf! 2

One of summer’s hottest accessories makes a great transition into fall for both men and women! Literally, tie your look together with a scarf! A scarf can keep you warm as the temperatures drop and also double as a wrap for those cool summer nights. Men can add a scarf to a simple t-shirt and jeans and they’re ready for a night out with the boys of Entourage!

There are countless ways to wear your scarf and several different types of scarves. The most important thing to remember is that the current trend is a bit loose and effortless, so don’t get too caught up on perfecting the style.

Choose a style that you feel comfortable in. A simple wrap around the neck is easy and chic. Check out how Kardashian, Diaz, Hudson, Pitt, Bartha and Timberlake do this look (below).

Notice that each one used a long rectangular scarf, varying the looseness of the scarf to create different looks. They all paired their scarves with very basic, not flashy pieces. A scarf dresses up a simple outfit! Pairing printed scarves with solid pieces is an easy way to be sure you don’t have too much going on in your outfit. You don’t want your scarf competing for attention!

Another way to wear your scarf is the slip not. Fold your long rectangular scarf in half. Hold the looped end on one side of your neck while pulling both ends around to the other side. Slip both of the loose ends of the one side through the loop of the other. Pull and adjust the scarf for the desired fit. This style can keep you really warm in the cool months and works with both thin and thick fabrics! Beckham and Jackman have it right!

Another type of scarf is the square scarf. Rihanna does this perfectly! Simply fold your scarf in half. Wrap the scarf around your neck with the point of the triangle pointing down the front. Wrap the ends around your neck and slightly pull them back towards the front. Let your ends drape loosely. This style requires a bit of an edge for men and women to pull off, so don't be shy when wearing this scene stealer!

Lastly, try wearing your scarf more like a wrap or turtle neck. This can be done in a lot of variations too! For the basic wrap, start in the middle of the scarf and wrap one end around your neck. Then wrap the other end, securing the ends underneath the scarf so it doesn't come undone. See all the unique ways that Alba wears this look!