Would You be Fooled!

Did you hear the one about…actually this is a true story that happened last week.

Payless shoes opened a pop-up shop in a California mall and invited influencers to attend. They called the brand Palessi, gave the pop-up an upscale presentation, created a real website and put a high price tag on their very inexpensive shoes.

So what do you think happened?

Those suckers fell for it!

They thought that the shoes looked elegant and sophisticated and were happy to shell out hundreds of dollars for shoes that sell for $20.

Crazy right?!!!

What does this say about our culture? Our perception?

Do you really “get what you pay for”?

Well personally, I have a lot of thoughts on this topic…

Cnn.com

I am the queen of finding inexpensive items that look really expensive. And how do I know this? Because I get numerous compliments on these items and often chuckle to myself about my little secret; how affordable this piece was and yet, it stands out enough to be complimented.

Caution - for those without a keen eye, this kind of work is better left to the experts.

That is one side of the story. Sometimes you do get what you pay for in regard to quality and elegance.

I have seen the product that Payless generally carries and it is few and far between to find a gem that would stand out like this. So my thought here is, “shame on the influencers for being lured by a nicely branded store and the price tags that hang on it”.

But before I get too judgmental, I must add that I have not seen the specific items that were in this pop-up and if Payless has re-branded and up-leveled their look, well then see ya… gotta go shoe shopping now!

So what does this little experiment prove?

1) You don’t have to spend a lot of money to look good (and I could have told you that).

2) Branding and presentation can alter your perceived quality of an item.

3) Don’t get fooled by thinking something is better because the price tag is higher. Sometimes it is, but don’t just pay more for a brand or label.

For the full article and short video check it out HERE.

Oh No! Did You Ruin it?

I  hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving holiday and still fit into your clothes.

I was busy traveling and enjoying New Mexico, so I didn't have my usual time to sit down and write you some great new content. 

However, I realized that tv shows have re-runs all the time, why can't I?

Either, you enjoyed the show so much that you want to watch it again, you know you enjoyed it but can't remember exactly what happened or you missed that episode or are a new viewer. Same concept applies here, right?

I don't want you to forget about my "show" so I am popping in with a few helpful tips to keep your wardrobe sparkly for the holidays and fresh for 2019,

1) Clean your metals. Beer cleans gold, ketchup cleans silver.

2) Makeup stain on your clothes? Use baby wipes.

3) 409 removes stains from clothes like wine, makeup and grease.

4) Got salt stains on your boots? Remove with 1/2 water & 1/2 Vinegar solution.

5) Lingering odors - try vodka & water.

6) Nasty deodorant marks on your clothes - wipe with the foam of a hanger.

7) Got your leather stained with grease or oil? Try some baby powder.

What does the rest of your holiday season look like?
Need to shop your wardrobe for party attire?
Need to know how to take your outfit from office to holiday event?
Other wardrobe issues?

 Let STYLEMPOWER help you.
contact me today!

What are you afraid of?

I hear comments all the time like “you provide such a valuable service” and “I often struggle with what to wear for xxx”.

Sorry for your struggles, but that is exactly what I am here to help you with. So just ask for help. (Wait, isn’t struggling for asking for help a guy thing? LOL)

Although your concerns are valid, they are actually counter-intuitive and may be stopping you from achieving a stress-free and empowered relationship with your wardrobe.

 Concern #1

“My closet is a very personal space”, “It is a mess” or “I don’t have fancy labels”.

Whatever your exact reasoning, you feel like you will be judged.

 No judgment, I promise!

I have seen it all and whatever you have is probably not the worst thing I have seen.

If you go through my closet, it is not about fancy labels either.

And honestly, I am secretly happy when my clients aren’t totally organized, not only do I enjoy the organizational process, but the results for my clients are even more pronounced and their closet is transformed into it’s potential.

Concern #2

“Maybe Diane won’t get my style”. Whether it is because my personal style is very different than yours or because you are tall and I am short, or you have extra curves in a certain area – have no fear, I get you.

Let me remind you, or perhaps you didn’t know, I spent the bulk of my career as a clothing designer. Most of the product that I designed was for woman whose tastes were nothing like mine.

Understanding other women’s tastes is essential as a stylist. And that by the way, is why you may have a friend with very good tastes, but when you go shopping with them or ask them for wardrobe advise, they may be seeing it through the filter of their own personal tastes and not what is right for you.

Oh and by the way, did you notice my tagline? “Style for your lifestyle”.

Concern #3

And now we come to the money part…

Where you might wonder is it too much, is it necessary and/ or is it worth it?

Not only is it worth it, but you may end up actually saving money. 

What????

If you are one of those people who

• Buys items of clothing and never take the tags off

• Buys clothing that you like, but have no idea how to wear them, so you don’t

• Buys items that you decide later you don’t really like so you never wear them

Then investing in a stylist will definitely save you money.

If you are one of those people who

• Randomly goes out shopping with no clear vision of your wardrobe needs

• Buys things because they are a bargain (although it might have been cheaper to not buy it at all)

• Tends to buy multiple versions of the same items that serve the same purpose (totally unnecessary)

Then investing in a stylist will help you create a targeted shopping list so that you don’t waste money on these mistakes again. 

Finally, what about the values of your time and the feeling of confidence and empowerment with the right items that could help you succeed in other areas of your life?

 Isn’t that the best investment of all?

Stop making excuses. Contact me to make this the year where you wardrobe is finally working for YOU.

The other 1 %

We all know that there are some old-school fashion rules that no longer apply.

• White after Labor Day

• No suede in spring and summer

• Matching your bag to your shoes

• Not mixing metals (OK, I am still a fan of wearing 1 metal)

No more rules - What I prefer are guidelines

There are many guidelines I recommend to my clients (and I adhere to myself) for what I think is a more stylized look. They help keep proportions, don’t compete with other items you are wearing and can simply be the touches that make an outfit look substantially better.

Oh sorry, are you asking for those tips?  Because that is not really the focus of this piece. However, if I have whet your appetite, you may want to check out   How to Style a difficult item in 5 easy steps.

So what do we think of the picture below?

Image from The Zoe Report

Did I hear “Yuk” to a few things going on here? And yet she is a fashionista. All of the “Yuk” is intentional !!!

So who should go by these guidelines and who can break them and still look fabulous?

Sometimes I call this the “Kate Middleton” effect. So many people are enamored by her style, but if you saw some of those items on a hanger or even tried them on yourself, would they look great?

Probably not. So getting over the fact that she is “royalty,” the other helpful elements are that she is young and pretty with a good figure. She carries clothing well and can get away with a lot more than the rest of us.

I know another woman who fits under the young, pretty and good figure category and always seems to look great. On closer look, if I check out her outfit, I think “why would she ever choose to wear those shoes with that dress” and “her necklace is the wrong color and competing with her neckline” and yet I have to agree, she is someone who can just get away with it and looks great despite that.

Another example is a beautiful woman I used to know. One day she shows up wearing Timerlands - yes, those construction boots and somehow she still oozed sexy.

Don’t get me wrong. Do I think you need to be young, pretty and have a good figure to be able to pull off tricky outfit choices. Not necessarily, although it doesn’t hurt. Also, note I did not use the word tall in any of my examples (although Kate Middleton is indeed tall).

So here is the thing - these ladies are part of the other 1% (in fashion), Who knows, maybe it is 2 or 5%, but nonetheless, a very small percentage of people who ooze style and can get away with some things that would look pretty terrible on the rest of us :(

---

If you would like to find out more about my guidelines and what I would suggest for you personally, email me to discuss.

6 plus Stylist Tips for this falls trends

Last time, I presented you with the some of the top trends for fall. It is up to you to decide which ones will work for you and which ones you will take a pass on.

BUT THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
Maybe you like the trend but are not quite sure how to wear it or what to wear it with.

Or maybe you don’t like the trend. I am sure there are many of them that you might have said “I am too old or it is too bold”, “been there, done that” or simply “no thanks”.

And that is all fine.

However, I wanted to give you some more tips, information and suggestions for a few of them and then you might say “Oh, I never thought to wear it like that” or “that seems doable”. You may still say “no thanks” and that is okay too :)

WESTERN

Western details are great, you may want to invest in some cowboy boots that you can wear with jeans and can also be worn back to your new prairie skirt or dress.

Although one of my main style tips is to dress and accessorize with the theme in mind, in this case western, here is what I CAUTION you about.

Image from InStyle Magazine

Stylist Tip #1 -Going overboard on a theme. Too many western details can end up looking costume-y. But hey, you can wear it at the end of the month - LOL

ANIMAL

Stylist Tip #2 - Animal prints never really go out of style. Some years they are just more in then others and this year that is the case. So don’t give away animal printed items unless the styling is dated or they are in crappy shape.

Stylist Tip #3 -A leopard print always looks nice with a pop of bright color especially red or orange. So if the print is on your bag, try the colored accent in a shoe or vice versa. Got a leopard coat? Maybe wear the accent in a brightly colored sweater.

Stylist Tip #4 - Some consider leopard a neutral, although it can mix with other patterns quite well, if you are are not a master of mixing, proceed with caution.

‘80s

One of the overriding themes I see here is volume and frankly it scares me. Anybody experience trying on an old coat from the ‘80s and feeling like, “how did I ever wear this, it looks 3 sizes too big?” And the problem here is with all that volume one could look like they have put on 10 lbs without having the pleasure of indulging in that brownie a la mode.

The good news is that I think that there are new ways to wear some of it. So if you choose that big shouldered top, I am happy to say that currently the baggy pleated pants you may have worn with it are not trending now.

Stylist Tip #5 - Wear skinny bottoms back to the big shouldered top for better proportion.

Do Neons scare you? Is this is where you are saying “I am too old and it is too bold.?’ Let me suggest some more manageable ways to wear it.

Stylist Tip #6a -Wear it as a fun accessory like in a small leather good, even a coin purse or phone case.

Stylist Tip #6b -Perhaps it is an accent color in a print.

Stylist Tip #6c - Wear it as an underpinning to your outfit: peaking out at the neck, cuffs or hem of a jacket or sweater.

Stylist Tip #6d - Pair back to grey for a more sophisticated and toned down look.

Stylist Tip #6e - And finally, probably the easiest way to wear neon is in your workout wear. That energetic color may even energize you.

Not ready for fall yet? Let me help you with that.

Trending for Fall

Have you started Fall shopping yet?

The season is just at that point where warmer clothes are starting to look cozy. As your personal wardrobe consultant, I would be remiss if I did not point out to you some of the key trends for Fall.

No, this does not mean that you should go out and buy all the new trends; I don't believe in that and don’t plan to buy them all either.

This will make you aware of the latest trends and you decide if you like them. As I always say, “trends are suggestions and not mandates.”

So with that, I have to say that this season really came on strong with so many new trends.

This is also not to say that some of your things from past seasons are not still in style.

If you would like to find out when trends go out of style you can read about that HERE.

Now, what is new?

What has been interesting to me, in addition to what feels like a large number of new trends this season, is that many seem to fit into four main categories.

What are they?

WESTERN

We have been seeing fringe for a few seasons, and now we're adding prairie skirts, * prairie dresses and cowboy boots to the western look. We are seeing traditional style cowboy boots, ankle versions and new creative takes on the cowboy boot.

* Note the scarf print and handkerchief hem on this dress, which are two additional trends. Many of the other prairie skirts and dresses include lots of tiered skirts.

Altazurra on Net-a-porter

ANIMAL

Snakeskin looks are everywhere, especially on accessories like bags and boots.

The hottest animal print is the leopard. Be spot on with these fun prints on blouses, skirts, shoes, coats, scarves and more.

Furry coats, faux furs in an array of colors, “teddy bear” coats and shearlings.

Max Mara “Teddy Bear” style coat

THE '80s

This is a huge category. Oversized everything, big poufy sleeves (think Lady Di’s wedding dress), shiny bling, neon and even acid washed jeans.

Magda Butrym dress

CHECKS AND PLAIDS

So if you are more classic than some of the '80s trends or perhaps feel like “been there done that,” here is a category that may seem more manageable to you. We are talking glen plaids, checks and standard tartan plaids, but of course more unique versions and non-traditional colors are also added to the mix.

Simonetta Ravizza in Bergdorf catalog

As I mentioned before, many items from past seasons continue to trend. Here I would include many '70s trends such as bell bottoms, bold stripes, peasant blouses, prints and new this season slouchy boots.

No that is not even everything, but enough to put you in the know and decide from there, which trends you would like to incorporate into your personal style, if any…..

Need help? That's what I'm here for! Contact me to set up a consultation to discuss your personal needs.

Black

During fashion week, I went to 2  panel presentations put on by Women's Wear Daily about upcoming trends. As the moderators and panelists walked, out the first thing that struck me was that all were wearing black head-to-toe.  

As they started to show slides of the upcoming trends; bold stripes, tie-die and neon, to name just a few, the irony was really blatant.

The following week, I was a guest on a radio show where one of the hostesses was wearing head-to-toe black and the other was wearing a print which was black and grey. I showed up in a neon yellow top, which was well noted and the conversation started about why people, especially in New York, wear all black.

Coincidentally, Berdorf Goodman currently has a curated area (including the window displays on 5th avenue) dedicated to all things black and entitled NOIR.

So I decided to discuss dressing in black as the topic of this month's insider news.

What does black stand for?

Photo inside NOIR AT Bergdorf Goodman

 - Edgy

- Eternally stylish

- Sexy

- No-brainer chic

- Blending in

- Some may say it goes with everything, - my thoughts on that.

I do think that most of the New York obsession with black, especially in the fashion industry, has to do with the first two. And after visiting the NOIR curation at Bergdorf's, sexy should also be added to the list.

Well I am a fashion person, how come you will rarely ever see me wearing all black?

Although I admire the chicness when others wear it, for me it would be like a funeral for fashion. I so much enjoy deciding what my outfits will be everyday and get uplifted by color and print. Wearing head-to-toe black would be the no-brainer for me, which would suck the joy out of my love of styling.

So you won't find me as one of the fashion types in all black. I am the one following those trends that the panel reported on and joyfully strutting the ones that I choose to work for me.

But this is not an either/or choice. You may choose to wear a colorful outfit on one day and all black on another.

No commitment necessary.

Be you and do what works for you!

Finding Fall and Fall Finds

Well, I hope everyone had a nice Labor day weekend.

This is the time that kids go back to school and we mentally feel like it is Fall. However, there is a bit of a disconnect with the seasons these days and the cool weather may not come for 6-8 weeks. (And I have no doubt that it will fluctuate between hot and cold in between.)

Nonetheless, fall fashions are in store and every month has its opportunity for a deal. I know that you are aware of all the great Labor day sales, so I don't feel bad that I missed that. 

Each month there are special deals, so check out the best sales times and items that get special pricing during the fall months.

SEPTEMBER The stores these days will always find an excuse for the next sale. So the day after Labor Day I came home to a Lord & Taylor flyer that was promoting a "back to Fall sale" for Sept 5-10. Other than the general sale pricing backpacks are often over 30% off at this time.

If you missed out on these. See what is in store for the following months.

                  Image from freedigitalphotos.net by Stuart Miles

OCTOBER  is the time for friends and family sales, usually starting in the second half of the month. This is when resort collections are coming in, so if you have a trip planned later, get a start now. Also, jewelry is discounted at around 40%.

NOVEMBER is the time when fall clothes, start to go on sale leading up to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday blowouts. Key items to buy then are sweaters, boots, coats, evening dresses, and bags. And sandals, to go with your resort wear.

Happy deal shopping for fall!

Look for Stylempower's fall trend report to key into Fall 2018 trends.

9 Tips to Flatter Your Figure

If you are perfectly happy with how you look in clothes and don't have at least one area that is not your favorite, don't bother to read the rest.

Are you still there?

Great, most of us would like a little help in knowing how we can look and feel our best in clothes. So as summer winds down, take a re-stock of your summer wardrobe and see what works.

Then keep this on hand when you are ready for fall.

1) Large expanses of fabric can make you look large. Color Block and vertical panels will trick the eye to break up these large areas. Break up a higher neckline with a scarf or necklace.
 
2) Flared / bootcut pants will balance out wide hips (trending NOW!).
 
3) Shoes that match pants, are skin colored, have low cut toes, or cut out sides, will elongate legs.

       Image courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net by Ambro

4) Wrap dresses, loose, untucked, drapey tops will all help to hide a tummy.

5) If you have a long torso, wear empire or cropped tops or jacket. If you have a short torso, wear drop-waist items, low slung belts or tunics. These will help balance your proportions.

6)  With a tight bottom, wear a loose top. Two too tight pieces might be overtly sexy. Tight jeans and a tee are Ok, But totally clingy pieces like leggings, pair best with fuller tops. 

7) With loose bottoms, wear a tight top. There are many women who falsely believe that if they wear two baggy pieces they will camouflage the curves or rolls in their bodies. Here you may be doing yourself a disservice and actually making yourself look bigger. (Think tent-like).

8) To enlarge a small chest, wear a higher neckline like a crewneck. To minimize a larger chest wear a neckline like a v-neck or a scoop neck. Boatnecks are good for narrow shoulders and wide hips.                                                                                                                                    

9) Don't let items cut you at the largest part of your body. For instance, cropped pants look best at the ankle and not calf. If you have wide hips, don't wear a top that falls at the widest part of your hips. And finally, if you dare to wear short shorts, let them at least come to the hollowed out area of your leg.

Feel free to print this page as a quick tip sheet.

For additional more personalized help, I am always here for you.

Summer Soup

It sure has felt soupy lately!

As we come into muggy August and many people are taking a vacation, I thought I would just throw you a few light tidbits. 

3 Easy Ways to get dressed quickly AND feel great

1) Lay out your outfits the night before. (Ok, I know you knew this, but maybe you just needed to hear it again.)

2) Have go-to outfits that you know you love and in a pinch can throw on.

3) If you are wearing an outfit and decide that you really like it, take a picture of it. This can then become a great go-to outfit.

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So we have been talking about age and style and I always want to shout out to Bazaar Magazine "Sorry, you got this wrong".

 They have a section called "Fabulous at every age".

So far, so good.

Here is the thing. Sometimes, I look at the younger ages and I think "how matronly" or "I love it" and sometimes I  prefer pieces they have slotted in the much older age brackets. The truth is, what they are saying is very misleading and here is why.

                                                    Harper's Bazaar August 2018

So what they do is take a celebrity in each age category (which I think is great) and then they choose some pieces that are a similar style to what she is wearing.

The problem is that the style (in this case edgy/sexy for 20's and feminine/retro/ethereal for 30's) has nothing to do with their age nor would it necessarily be the style for everybody else in their twenties and thirties.  

So kudos to Bazaar for being age inclusive and showing celebrity at all ages. But how absolutely ludicrous to suggest that everyone in that 10 year age bracket should have even a remotely similar style.

A Right To Bare Arms

So last time I wrote that reaching a new age bracket is not a reason to automatically change your wardrobe or your style.

But don't get me wrong, there are various reasons why a woman as she ages may want to change the type of clothing she wears.

A big one might be a changing body. So if your arms start to wiggle a little more or your stomach bulges a little more, you may have more pouch in your tummy, or you have just expanded in general, you may very well choose alternate items for coverage or that are more flattering.

Now sometimes what you reveal, has nothing to do with your age. I will get a little personal here.

        This lady has personal style & she isn't afraid to show it!

My whole life, not in my twenties, not in my teens or any other time, did I think I looked good in short skirts. So I choose not to wear them.

On the flip side, I am fortunate to have inherited my mother's arms. She rocked a beautiful halter dress at my wedding. And I will continue with my "right to bare arms" for as long as I feel good about it.

One area where I thought, well maybe age does matter was in regard to ripped jeans. After all, I wear them on occasion, but would not want to see my mother owning them. But the more I thought about this "exception to my rule", I realized it was not all about age.

Ripped jeans are a trendy item. When put together well and when appropriate, can be a cute look, for those who know how and when to wear them. If you are not a trendy / well-styled person, ripped jeans can simply look sloppy and unsophisticated.

For the rare few fabulously stylish women (like the woman in my last post, or the lady pictured here) I bet they could pull off ripped jeans... if they choose.

Although, I could continue to go on with more thoughts on "age-appropriate", I will leave you with these thoughts for now.

And most of all, I hope you make chooses that empower you at any age.

What is the Only Age Where a Woman Should Change Her Style?

Recently I had a landmark birthday. FIFTY!

Will I change anything about how I dress now that I must check off the next box down? Absolutely NOT!

I recall that Michelle Obama cut bangs when she turned fifty. Great! This was done as a new entree into an era. She actually choose a style that is more often seen on younger women. So absolutely, welcome an age with a change, if you like.

But, if you are thinking "should I  cut my hair to be more age appropriate"?  My answer is "no". This is where women may actually inadvertently age their look.

There is only one age where I think a woman should change her style.

Actually, this statement is misleading. It is not a number that you reach, but an age range where most women are probably going through a metamorphosis.

               Be a Fashionista at any age, if you choose.

The age range I am referring to is early to mid-twenties. This is where a young woman really becomes a woman. She will start to shed her school attire and may have to wear more professional clothing. 

This is the only age where she may potentially be able to get by with some "borderline" clothing that may not seem appropriate for a woman older than she is. 

1) Because she is just making that transition and may not know better yet

2) Her less senior level job may not call for her to look like a boss yet.

3) She may not have the income to purchase some of the items her more senior co-workers have                                                                                                                                        

BTW - even if you work from home, it is still recommended to up-level your wardrobe to make some changes here, but they may not be as drastic or as important.

So that is it. That is where I draw the fuzzy grey line in regard to age. After that, if you are 30, 40, 50, 60 etc, I do not believe a woman should change her style solely to be age appropriate.

But of course, that is only the start of the conversation. There are other factors that go into a woman's choice of clothing and her age. Oh, there is so much more to tell you in regards to this. I think I will leave you waiting to hear more on this topic, So let's continue this conversation another time....

I just hope I leave you thinking, the next time you hit that landmark birthday, please don't do anything "age appropriate" .

Is Alexa Really A Good Stylist?

Perhaps you might have seen the below article in The Post a few weeks ago. If not, you are certainly aware of all of the Apps, platforms etc. that dish out style advice these days.

So if you read this article or heard about the apps, you might wonder, "is style advise as easy as asking an App"? 

Well, I can tell you, since this is what I do, that Alexa has a lot more to learn about fashion and style. Further, her rating outfits by number, gives very little insight into specifics of why she choose it, or advice to take to utilize toward other improved outfits.

If you look at Alexa's comment in the blue circle, she chooses the pants outfit because "colors look better together". Quite vague, merely an opinion and by the way, she is quoted as using the same exact qualifier for another outfit later on in the article.

Now if you asked me, I would also tell you

1) Why she looks so much slimmer in the pants outfit (and no, it is not a pant vs. skirt thing)
2) How you can take this slimming advice and utilize it for other outfits.
3) How to improve the outfit even more

                                         New York Post

So why is the pant outfit so much more flattering?

Three reasons.

1) The open jacket breaks up her body. A large expanse of fabric can make an area look large. Anything that breaks it up (color, fabrics, seams, accessories) will help the areas look smaller. Further, this is a vertical break which helps to elongate. The same effect can be achieved with an open cardigan.

2) Look at where her waist is across both pictures. Due to her proportions, she looks better bringing the top and bottom break lower by wearing an untucked piece. This can also be achieved by wearing, lower-rise pants or a belted dress or top on the hips. This works for her and her proportions. You have different proportions and how to wear things would be assessed by your proportions, curves etc.

3) The skirt outfit, although far from voluminous, has two fuller pieces. The skirt would look better with a more body-conscious top, like a knit.

Now let's talk about accessories.

Both outfits could use some help in this area. The huggable earrings feel a little serious and don't do much for either outfit.

The bright top on the skirt outfit is a really pretty color. But the neckline does nothing and all that plain fabric and no design detail really call for a great scarf or necklace. I would recommend a necklace with colored stones. Bonus - if she were to find a necklace or scarf that tied the colors of the top and bottom together, I wonder if Alexa would still say that the colors in the outfit don't look great together.

The earring for the pant outfit seems a little serious and more business-like. I would opt for a short necklace or a more casual dangling earring, probably a solid metal to go with the hardware on the jacket. 

So take that Alexa!

Next time you are looking for style advice. I believe you will get a lot more bang for your buck with a real live person.

Does White Go With Everything?

Last year I wrote a very popular blog called "Does Black Go With Everything".  The short answer was that although it would never be considered a fashion faux pas, there are many times I see women pairing black back to items and it is not the most styled or fabulous pairing.

Often it is because there is no black in the print they are wearing it with or pairing back to pastels, black can feel heavy. Even a print with a fine black outline can look heavy when paired back to black.

Now that summer is finally here,  let's get back to white. 

Does white go with everything?

Here, in most cases, I would say "yes"!

Well, let me clarify, I do not like white paired back to heavy wintery items. Talk about looking too heavy. No, what I am saying yes to here is based on other summer items.

For instance, I have this fun colorful skirt pictured above. What would you wear with it? You don't want to wear any of these bright colors back to it. First, they would be very difficult to match. Even if you could, it would look too matchy-matchy. Black with it, to my point, is too heavy looking.  Here is where a nice white top is a great neutral. 

Funny right? You would think the same guidelines would go for black as they do for white. I can't tell you why it is, but I can recommend that if you follow these guidelines, you may have better outfit combinations.

So as you continue to look through your summer wardrobe at items that you are not sure what to wear them back to, see if white might be a better option than black.

This brings me to another question that you also might be asking. 

Do jeans or denim go with everything? 

The answer here is pretty similar to my "yes" to white. I say yes to denim as a neutral. And no, you do not need any blue in the item to make it work.

Here are some additional guidelines when pairing pieces back with jeans/denim.

Dark denim is usually dressier. The lighter the wash, the more casual it generally is.

However, I do break out my most faded washes in the summer. They look great with pastels. Dark washes look great with brights.

I hope these tidbits were helpful for your summer styling. If you are still confused and overwhelmed, please feel free to reach out so I can help you with your specific items and needs.

Say Bye-Bye To The Impulse buy

A few weeks ago I made an impulse buy. It was a light blue motorcycle jacket.  Doesn't everyone need one? Well although it was not something I set out to purchase, it turns out that I did "need" one and here is why.

The seasons have changed forecasts. It used to be that many people would buy a spring raincoat for those April showers and that would be enough. Unfortunately, that lightweight coat just hasn't been warm enough for some of our spring weather.

The weather has been increasingly cold throughout May and this calls for a fall weight jacket. The problem is that we have just spent months of dark colors, furry trims, wooly fabrics and this is so NOT what we want to be wearing in May.

I had previously realized that I needed a warm jacket for the weather in the 50's, but that looked springy. A few years ago, I did do a targeted shop for this item and came up with an orange coat, perfect!

After bringing home the light blue motorcycle jacket, I did an assessment and realized that this was another useful spring jacket to have and here is why.

It was another warm spring jacket but was different enough from the orange one that there was room for both in my wardrobe.

1) Fabrication- one was fabric and the other was leather

2) Type of color - one was bright and one was pastel

3) Type of outwear - One was short and the other was long

4) One was very casual, the other a little nicer

No redundancies, my wardrobe had room for both.

Also of note is that you will need a neutral. I still wear my black leather jacket in the spring, when the outfit calls for something more neutral.

In order to avoid redundancies and unnecessary items in your wardrobe, you want to review if 

1 )They are different enough from the items you already own in that category

2) If it is also a color and/or style that you will have a use for in general

Go through the list above or similar, and say bye-bye to those purchases that are unnecessary, you won't wear or are redundant and hence a waste of money.

The Inside Scoop - When You Can Find The Best Deals

Well, it used to be that you would wait for the sales on Black Friday, Memorial day etc. to nab the best deals. The truth is, now many of the big department stores and chain stores are having constant promotions.

But you can still find out the best months to get that great deal on certain categories and even the best days.

So lucky for you, below I have outlined some inside scoop so that you can assure yourself that you got the best deal.

MAY

Coats, suits, cocktail dresses, bags and lingerie are ready for markdowns. Just in time...Swimwear, which has been out in the stores, probably before you could think about it, is now on sale. And yes, of course, Memorial day sales will be taking place, so you might want to hold out a little.

JUNE

Lucky for you, if you didn't get your spring wardrobe set yet, it is now on sale for wear-now. Blazers and shorts are key items to purchase at a discount this month.

JULY

Jeans are a hot ticket in July. Now the spring items that didn't sell on sale are at deep discounts. Some stores do not even get a new collection for July delivery as it is clearance time. Again, major deals for July 4th.

AUGUST

Fall pieces are arriving in stores. This is the time you can get the greatest deals on clearance if you have the patience to go through the picked through items and the fortune to find your size.

        Image courtesy of freedigitigalphotos.net by aechan

Now why, I don't know, but apparently, there is a secret system to getting bargains online.

Here is your list.

MONDAYS  - Sunglasses

TUESDAYS  -  Menswear

WEDNESDAYS - Shoes

THURSDAYS - Bags

FRIDAY - Jewelry

SATURDAY - Lingerie

SUNDAY - Swimsuits

Happy shopping!

And remember, it's not too late to up the ante on your Spring look.

The Foodie Guide to Style

Last week I sent my husband to trader Joes without me. I reminded him to pick up that truffle pizza we both liked and to get some frozen broccoli.

What happened?

He came back with 3 truffle pizzas, 2 of the same chickens and 2 boxes of a Mexican flavored quinoa burger we hadn’t even tried yet. Oh, and about 4 variations of fresh broccoli and cauliflower.

So far sounds good, right?

Well, after having had each item once and throwing much of the perishables in the freezer, I continued to open my totally stuffed freezer and had nothing to eat.

Are you getting where I am going with this? - Tons of stuff and no options. Does this sound like your closet?

The truffle pizza was like a dress. A one and done outfit. But it would have been so much better with an accompaniment like a salad to “accessorize” it.

Growing up, my mother always prepared meals with three components: a meat, a starch and a veggie. This made a complete meal or as your outfit is concerned it used the Three Piece rule to create a stylized look.

Unfortunately, the selection, I had in my freezer had a ton of redundancy and no variety. No wonder all week I was struggling with what to eat, got bored of what I had and had no side dishes to create new and better options.

           Does your closet look like your overstuffed freezer?

When going through many of my client’s closets, I find that they tend toward a certain look or color and sometimes this causes duplications and lack of variety.

Do you have redundancies in your wardrobe? Perhaps multiple pairs of black pants or boots that are quite similar to each other?

Oh and let’s get back to all that broccoli and cauliflower. Doesn’t he know that you can’t buy too much of these items or they will spoil? They have a shelf life. Sort of like all those trends you may purchase, don’t wear and then they look dated.

So take another look at your closet and see if it reminds you of my freezer. If so, it may be time to get rid of the redundancies and spoiled perishables and accessorize your truffle pizza.

Maybe the kitchen is not for you. You don’t know how to make great combinations or you don’t have time for it.  Only great chefs can combine unusual combinations and make delicious creations. The rest is best to stick to the tried and true recipes,

Maybe you need some help with your “meal prep”. Contact me to help and soon you will be your own “foodie”

What's In Store - Spring Trends

Before I begin by telling you what is in store for spring, I always start my trend reports with my favorite, coined term; "trends are suggestions and not mandates". My job is simply to inform you about what is going on in the fashion world. From there, it is up to you to extract which trends you like and will work for you. Or simply choose to ignore them.

So let's start with color. We had a moment of millennial pink and ultraviolet. These shades have morphed into soft lavender for spring. Sitting pretty with the lavender are other pastel shades. 

In the print world - Gingham, bold stripes and florals continue from last year. Polka dots and leopard/animal prints (which truly never really die) are hot patterns for spring. Colorful pop art prints are new.

Logos are rampant.

For your spring showers, trenches are hot. This year they are re-imagined in colors, fabrics and silhouettes so they don't always look like the classics.

I am seeing a lot of oversized jackets and pantsuits with big shoulders resembling the 80's. Frankly, these models who can usually carry clothes the best, seem to be swallowed up by them. Personally, I don't think this is a look for everyone and most women may just want to stay away from this. If you do decide to go-for-it, I recommend you only do a piece, for instance, the jacket and wear back to skinny bottoms, which will help balance the proportion.

Pant shapes have been becoming wider and more fluid. One of the key new trends is the paper-bag waist.

Athleisure continues strong. People just want to be comfortable and if they can get away with it as a trend, even better! Everything seems to have racing stripes on it these days. "Couture anoraks" and zip hoodie jackets are popping up everywhere. Many in patent or metallics that dress up the casual styles

Also in the casual vein - denim continues to explode both in styling and used as accessories. Jeans and many pant styles continue to be cropped exposing the ankles. Cropped flares are a fun option.

To wear with your athleisure, designers continue with the sneaker trend in satins, sequins, studs and this trend continues to blow-up.

The corded espadrilles heel or sole is on everything from flats to wedges to sneakers. Mules, slides and slingbacks are other great shoe options for spring.

The fanny pack isn't just for tourists anymore. Designers are showing cute new versions that you just may want.

Sheer panels show up in clothing and peek-a-boo clear plastic accents on accessories.

And don't forget the shades. Small kitten-eyed frames and large round glasses are a fun way to top off your outfit.

By the way - if you like any of the items in the pics, click for more details.

 I hope this was helpful to get you started on your spring shopping. Need additional help, just contact me and I will give you more personalized help.

6 Reasons You May Not Feel Aligned With Your Wardrobe?

April is here and we are all starting to get excited for spring weather, which of course means spring clothes.

Will you just put away your winter items and pull down your spring ones? BAD IDEA!

Was there anything in your winter wardrobe that you need to review? Did you wear it all? Do you like it all? Does it all fit?

What a waste of time to put it all away, just to take down next season, if it is not working for you.

Now let's dig a little deeper.

Do the clothes in your closet really reflect who you are today? What do I mean by this?

1) Do you have clothes from when you were still in school? 

2) Do you have clothes from when you used to be working outside your home (and don't anymore)?

3) Do you have clothes from when you worked inside your home (and don't anymore)?

4) Do you have clothes from a previous career that was quite corporately different?

5) Do you have clothes from when you were a different size?

6) Do you have clothes from a previous decade? (A piece or two might actually be OK, but if your wardrobe reads like you could pinpoint that decade, it's a don't)

Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net by Aleska D

If you answered yes to any one of these questions, you are clearly in need of a wardrobe intervention!

These are just some of the reasons, you might not have anything to wear and you might not feel in alignment with your wardrobe.

After all, you have grown and changed. Aren't you presenting yourself as a relic of your past life?

Step up and show up as who you want to be seen as NOW and all the changes and accomplishments you have been through.

Or perhaps these were not your issues, but you are still struggling. You need a course redirection on your wardrobe. You need to easily find and put on what you are going to wear every day. You need to feel confident and empowered on a regular basis.

Think about how you would carry yourself and what it could help you achieve in other areas of your life.

So now answer these questions?

1) How do you feel when you go to get dressed every day?

2) What is your biggest wardrobe struggle?

3) How do your clothes and wardrobe make you feel on a regular basis?

Hold that thought in your head for a moment and think about what that investment in you would mean to feel confident and empowered.

Now - have I got a SPECIAL PROMOTION for you, AND I have never done this before.  I am having a Spring deal, but grab it soon, because it is a limited time. From now through April 15, you can get 30% off of all Stylempower regular priced packages. (This does not include intro packages). I have never given this great of a promotion before. So grab your tax returns and set up a consultation with me. Packages must be paid for by April 15th for service at any time.

Ethical fashion...................Part 2

Last month I opened the conversation about ethical and sustainable fashion. That was just scratching the surface of how some brands are being more transparent. This has created the opportunity for many new brands to differentiate themselves to the market of consumers that truly care about how their clothes are made.

The luxury brand, Chloe will not use real fur in their high-end products. Many companies are now using faux or "vegan" fur and leather.

Jeans have been found to use excessive amounts of water to produce. Brands like Edun have created new production processes to reduce this wastage. Now in this month's Marie Claire magazine, I just read, that Edun has created a cruelty-free leather made from pineapple leaves. (Sounds like a Project Runway episode).

                                 Tamara Mellon Scarf shoes (Image from their website)

Other companies mentioned in the Marie Claire's article were Tamara Mellon shoes (founder of Jimmy Choo) who is repurposing vintage scarves into one-of-a-kind sandals and House of Fluff who is not only making faux fur coats, but all the labels and dyes are sustainable too.

For the creative out there, put on your thinking caps, this is an opportunity...

Now I thought I would give you a list of brands you might not have heard of who are doing their part. Check them out.

Amore Vert,  Sunad, Were mountains meet, Mayamiko,  Back Beat Rags,  Amur ,A peace treaty  All birds,  Reformation, Zady, Raven & Lily, Christy Dawn, Re/done,Tome,  Botanica workshop,  Aiayu,  Kowtow, Aday,  Harper Lange,  People tree,  Matt & Nat, Olsehaus, Beserange, Olin/D

Then there are the brands, that make donations when you make a purchase, such as Feed, Tom's and Warby Parker.

And that is just to get you started. There are so many more.

Thrift shops and consignment shops are great to give your old pieces a chance at a second life. Stores such as H&M, Uniqlo, & Other stories, and Northface have donations boxes. Here they will take any old fabrics (beyond clothing, think sheets, pillows, curtains etc) pulverize it and make recycled items. Many of these stores will give you a coupon or credit toward your purchase. Pretty cool!   

Closet rejuvenations are on the road to sustainability. After all, you are editing and donating, working with what you have and new investments in items are limited. If you would like to find out more about how a closet rejuvenation can help you, comment on this blog or shoot me an email.