What's New for Spring

Little White Dress (zappos.com) 

Bright Floral Blouse (Arden B.)

Bangle Bracelets (maxandchloe.com)

Beige Basics (True Kiss Clothing) - Be sure to pair them with bright colors like turquoise, pink or coral

Teal Accessories (shopstyle.com) - It's the in color for spring!

Statement Necklace (Banana Republic) - They're back for yet another season

Bright, colorful bags (Nordstrom)

Basic Trench (Net-a-Porter.com) - Again, pair a basic like gray with any bright color. I'm partial to wearing it with yellow!

The Rules of Appearance for Men

In the working world, understanding the subtle art of a properly put together appearance can help you get hired, fit in, and move ahead. Everyone knows that one fashion faux pas is all it takes to take you out of the running for that job or promotion.

That’s why there are rules. Understanding and implementing the rules of grooming, clothing, and accessories will increase your chances of making a great first impression and will make you known for your high standard of personal excellence.            

Your professional appearance is your most powerful business tool. It signals to the world your character, success level, income, and level of sophistication.

Here is a list of what every well-dressed professional should know:

- There is no such thing as a short-sleeve dress shirt. Never, ever wear one with a tie. Unless you are Dwight Schrute.

- On a single-breasted suit or sport coat, always leave the bottom button unbuttoned, though it’s becoming more common to button only the middle button on a 3-button coat.

- The tip of your tie should reach the middle of your belt buckle.

- Collar stays are those little pieces of plastic (or they can be gold or brass-plated) that keep your shirt collar pointy. They get lost easily, so keep a stash of them around.

- Don’t wear a button-down collar shirt with a suit. They clash with the formality of a suit – save them for sport coats or days where you don’t wear a coat.

- Most men choose to steer clear of pocket squares - they’re those little pieces of linen or satin peeking out of the chest pocket of a suit or sport coat. They may be seen as a little pretentious, but if you’re comfortable with them, by all means go for it!

- Always match your shoes and belt.

- Your sock color should tie your pant leg and shoe together. For dark pants, typically match the pant leg. For lighter pants, match your shoe color.

- Your work clothes should only be for work, your evening and weekend clothes should only be used outside the office. 

- Your whole appearance will fail without impeccable grooming. Fingernails. Hair. No scruff on your face. Watch the cologne usage.

The Underwear Drawer Revitalization Project

I have been through a lot of women's underwear drawers. I have also been in the dressing room with a lot of women. Needless to say, I have seen more than my fair share of ratty old panties and bras.

One of the hazards of my job, I guess.

In my estimation, almost all of the women I have been around keep their basic day-to-day undies around for far too long. At least 85% of them are wearing the wrong size bra. Many are also wearing the wrong size and/or style of panties as well.

One of my clients, I will call her "B." actually said, "I'm the only one who knows my bra is probably too small, and no one else cares about my underwear anyway."

Not quite, B. First of all, poorly-fitting underwear IS noticeable. And it's precisely what we don't want to see! People don't notice properly-fitting undergarments, but they can't help but take note when they're not quite right.

From pantylines cutting into your backside to "spillage" in front, underwear that fits properly is our greatest ally. Underwear can also be our worst enemy when we disregard its importance.

It is a sign of respect for yourself and your body when you choose to wear the right size and style of underwear that not only flatters your shape, but is also comfortable. And yes, it IS possible to have both!

Underwear is indeed a very important facet of a woman's wardrobe. It can make a distinct difference in the way your clothes fit, in your perceived body proportion, and even in the sizes you wear! It can also make you look 10, 15, even 20 pounds lighter! Imagine that!

Contrary to popular belief, undies don't have to be boring or binding. And you don't have to be built like a lingerie model to wear underwear that looks beautiful on you and that makes you feel good about yourself every single day.

I would like to cordially invite you to join me in the Underwear Drawer Revitalization Project!
Here's what to do:

STEP 1: Throw out your underwear! 
 
If you spill out over the top or sides

If they have faded or turned gray from washing

If the elastic is loose

If the underwire is sticking out and poking you (owwie!)

If any of the straps or elastic cuts into your skin

If they are uncomfortable in any way

If they cause any unsightly bumps or rolls under your clothes

STEP 2: Buy new Stuff! 

Bras!

Fit is everything, ladies. Go to a lingerie boutique for a professional fitting! (Nordstrom is a good bet – they have professional bra fitters on staff)

For a smaller bust - choose a padded bra (okay, this seems elementary, but it will help balance and create proportion and your clothes WILL FIT BETTER!)

For a larger bust - wearing a full-cup underwire or a minimizer will again create balance and make your clothes fit better. Also be aware that you will have to spend more on your bras. Having two bras that really fit well instead of ten mediocre ones is clearly the way to go.

My famous "path of least resistance"? Only buy black or nude-colored bras for day-to-day. White works too, but is more detectable under certain colors. Nude fades into your skintone, which creates the desired effect.

Be sure to have an unseamed "t-shirt bra" for wearing under clingy knits.

Panties!

If you have a flabby midsection, the worst kind of panties you can wear are ones where the waistband cuts right across your stomach. The answer? Wear high-rise shaping panties that end around the ribcage. (Bridget Jones did get it right, but wore the unsexy undies at the worst possible time.)

Somewhere, a smarmy Hugh Grant is saying "Hello, Mummy!"

If you are wearing tight or light-colored pants, beware of the dreaded VPL (visible panty line). This is why thongs were invented. Seriously. Try a silk one for comfort.

Boy shorts accomplish the same as above.

Keep in mind, "the flatter, the better". Rouched and ruffly, even lace panties, can create strange ripples and patterns under your pants and skirts. Wear fabrics that are matte and unembellished. Save the fun stuff for other occasions.

If you find a style of underwear that is wonderfully comfy and flattering, don't be afraid to buy a lot of it. Maintaining a stash of safe pieces sure beats hit-or-miss underwear buying!

As with bras, life is easiest if you keep your everyday undies to a minimum of colors - again, try black and nude here as well. Easier to wash, easier to organize. Just easy. Gotta love that!

Spanx. Use them. Love them. (Also try Assets from Target, made by the Spanx people and costing just a fraction of the original product.)

***

Get inspired to create the lingerie drawer you deserve, ladies! It's magical when you can feel beautiful and comfortable with the knowledge that you look totally fabulous in your clothes.

Underneath it all, you know that you are dressing your unique body to look its best.

Now banish those rogue underwires and that stretched out elastic to the trash!!!

Clothe Your Personality

Have you ever been in a dressing room trying something on that looked great on the hanger, but when you put it on your body, you literally felt like literally leaping out of your skin? 

Maybe it was a frilly dress you wanted to wear to a wedding, when you’re really a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. Or you may have tried on a classic suit - because everyone is "supposed" to have one, even though you are naturally more of a fun and trendy dresser. 

Perhaps it felt so wrong on you that your body was completely rejecting it!

Now think about your closet for a second. Is every article of clothing, every accessory, every single item in there a true reflection of YOU - not only does it flatter the way you look - your coloring and body shape - but does it also honor who you are on the inside? 

Does it feel right when you put it on, or do you feel like you are wearing someone else's clothes? Is your style consistent every day?  And does it reflect who you truly are?

Make no mistake about it, discovering your own personal style is empowering. It will save you time and money and will make every day a pleasure to get dressed. It turns simply wearing clothes into a true expression of who you are now and the person you want to be.

Fashion personality is what separates the style icons like Jackie O., Princess Di, and Audrey Hepburn and even fictional characters Annie Hall and Carrie Bradshaw - from the wannabes.

These are people and characters who understood themselves and found their true style.  It became a manifestation of who they were. Whether through simplicity or creativity, they knew themselves and how to express their personality traits on the outside. In other words, they were comfortable in their own skin.

I know, for instance, that when I go into a department store, there may be ten clothing items in the entire place that will truly clothe both my body and my personality. When I'm not wearing what I feel my best in, I don't feel quite as "me."

That's what the concept of fashion personality is all about. Once you figure out the colors that harmonize with your unique coloring and after you learn to respect your body - the good, the not-so-good and the stuff you cannot change without a major investment in cosmetic surgery, the next logical step is to understand how to buy what expresses you.

Think about it this way - rebellious teenagers do this naturally."I'm gonna wear what I want, and if you don't like it, tough!"

So why is it that as we get older, we become more afraid to be unique? We are all individuals, so why not celebrate those differences in the way we dress? There isn’t anyone telling you that you cannot wear a colorful or funky pair of shoes that you love or a fun top or earrings. If it feels right, doesn’t offend anyone and maintains your dignity, who says you can't go for it? 

So what is YOUR unique fashion personality? Most of us are a combination of at least two of them.  

Alluring - Love to wear body-conscious shapes, low necklines, sexy shoes, etc.

Classic – Gravitate toward tailored lines, are conservative and polished

Dramatic - Like bold clothing, like to draw attention to themselves!

Romantic - Soft and feminine, they love how fabrics feel!

Natural - Minimal in approach, they tend like functionality and tend to gravitate toward texture

Creative - Anything goes, mix and match – they value creative expression

How do you determine your own personality?  Well, you probably know yourself pretty well already! But ask yourself these questions:

1. How would you describe your current fashion style?

2. Who is your style icon?

3. If you could have only two things in your closet, what would they be

4. How would someone describe you in terms of your clothes?

5. What would you never be caught wearing?

6. If you had unlimited store credit, where would you shop?

7. What do you wish you could wear, but can't seem to pull it off?

Perhaps the easiest way to figure out your own fashion personality is to take a look at your accessories. 

Dramatics like accessories that make a big statement. Classics love traditional pieces like simple pumps and a pearl necklace. Naturals like to keep it simple – maybe a pair of hoops and a functional shoe. Romantics love soft textures, feminine swirls and sparkle. Creative personalities tend to wear whatever they feel like wearing, and Alluring women wear accessories with sex appeal – whether showing off sexy red toenails or a Y-shaped necklace worn with a plunging neckline. 

Can you figure out what fashion personality would wear each of these shoes?

Remember, your fashion life is an adventure. Celebrate it!  Nothing is right or wrong if it expresses your personality and makes you feel amazing! 

Answers     

a) Classic d) Romantic b) Alluring e) Creative c) Natural f) Dramatic

 

5 Fail-Proof Colors to Add to Your Wardrobe

I have found repeatedly that both men and women are prone to color ruts. I see it in nearly every closet I enter. The most common color offender is the ubiquitous black, of course, but I also see gray and the beige/oatmeal family catching up these days. And do you know what people tell me? "Well, at least I'm not wearing black all the time." True. And what do I tell them? "You're color choice is probably even less flattering than basic black!"

People in my industry aren't going to love this post. Where I was trained, in the image consulting world, there is only one way to wear the right colors - and that is by having your undertone, hair color and eye color analyzed and obtaining a palette of your own personal best colors to choose from.

While I still believe this is the right remedy because of the results I have seen over the years, the truth is that not everyone is going to invest in color analysis. Sometimes they invite me into their closet and out to shop with them and that is the extent of our work together.

I felt like unless I was the one hand-picking colors for them in the store and choosing from colors they already owned, they would go right back to their 'safe' choices.

Regardless of people's coloring, I have found myself recommending the same five colors to them year after year. I picked these colors because wearing a pop of color is better than dreary black, gray or beige. At least three of them can be found in the stores regardless of the season's trends.

These colors are better for the workplace and interpersonal interactions as well as better for the spirit. Wearing color is an immediate shot of energy for you and makes you visually more attractive to others.

These colors work on brunettes, blondes and redheads for different reasons. But they work.

So if you are stuck in a color rut, the first way to climb out is by adding some new "safe" colors to your closet. If you already own some of these colors but aren't wearing them, you will get extra points if you dig them out and add them to your clothing rotation. You will feel a difference!

 

 

 

Warm Up & Look Hot

Winter has hit the Midwest with a vengeance. While some of us are lucky enough to live in warmer climates, frosty temps and gray skies are a bleak reality for a lot of us.     

I live in a cold climate. Cleveland, Ohio, to be exact. I hate winter and all that comes along with it. Snow, ice, dirty slush, biting cold, frozen hands, runny nose, chapped lips, chapped face, melting icicles impaling me when I enter a building (am I the only one terrified of this?).   

 

Hey, I could probably write a song based on all the things I don’t enjoy about winter. It just know it would become an instant classic!   

But there is a little good news at least! Having the essentials to look great during the cold weather will undoubtedly make you feel more confident, uplifted, and ready to take on the world, even if you would rather stay toasty warm at home in your comfy sweats. 

Grab Your Coat

If you are only going to have one coat, the most versatile is knee-length, single-breasted, and made from a natural fiber like wool or cashmere. This basic style can work for the most casual of outfits like jeans and boots, but you can also wear it on more dressy occasions. 

Make sure it is a color that you commonly wear so it fits in with the rest of your wardrobe. Black is what most women would usually select, but beware - black coats attract copious amounts of lint and animal hair.  It’s never attractive to be seen picking stray fibers off yourself like a monkey (although I still find that I do it to myself and others – eek!).

I recommend in lieu of black, going with a dark, heathered charcoal. It will be much less forgiving with lint. 

Let it skim your body. Extra points if it tapers at the waist or has a belt. This will help to define your waist and make you look slimmer. 

When selecting a coat, make sure it’s large enough to fit a bulky sweater or a jacket underneath in case you need to stay extra warm!

 

 

Tahari Asymmetrical Ruffle Trench

Top it Off

This is my favorite part of winter style! Accessorize your outerwear just as you would the rest of your wardrobe. 

Do you have a favorite color or a color you receive a lot of compliments in? (Ladies, I do not mean black.)  Buy five accessories in that color – a turtleneck, long-sleeve T-shirt, gloves, a scarf, and a purse or boots.  Wear three matching pieces – maximum – at one time.  The idea is that having pieces that match and work together makes you look like you put a lot of thought into what you’re wearing - even though you really didn’t!

At the minimum, when I buy a turtleneck, I am in the habit of buying a pair of gloves to match it.

My fabulous friend Dee, modeling for a Fox 8 shoot with me

If you wear a few key colors a lot of the time, look for winter scarves that incorporate those colors.  I love bright colors, and my favorite scarf this year is teal, rust, lime and orange. It looks great with my brown coat and many of my brightly-colored turtlenecks. Plus, if I take my coat off, I can leave the scarf on as an accessory!

Add a cute pair of boots and trust me - you will find that trudging through winter is not quite such a chore! 

For me, two things are guaranteed every holiday season:

One, I will buy a ton of pretty wrapping paper and ribbons, even though I already have enough in the basement to wrap Christmas gifts from now until I am 80.

And two, I will gain a sleighful of new clients who call or email me in the midst of a major party-related wardrobe meltdown.

Inexplicably, average women who otherwise have their closets in order, who know how to shop and put outfits together, seem to be the ones most prone to this seasonal phenomenon.

Holiday fashion freakouts can reveal themselves in many forms. Time and again, I see women panicking from a year’s worth of weight gain and the discovery that their standard go-to party clothes no longer fit. Others feel puzzled about unusual (and sometimes downright bizarre) dress code recommendations for holiday parties. And some need an overwhelming number of different outfits to attend a variety of events, from their kids’ Christmas pageants to their own and their spouse’s work parties, plus casual clothing for home parties and a glitzy New Years Eve out.

Indeed, holiday parties can be the gift that keeps on giving, and sometimes not in a good way.

Anytime a client of mine has a wardrobe meltdown – whether related to the holidays or not - it is my goal to make sure it never happens again. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (Although I wonder if old Ben could have imagined his advice would one day relate to a battery-powered light-up cowboy Santa lassoing a cactus sweater.)

And you thought I was joking

As we’re getting ready for the year’s biggest party season, here are a few ways that we can all avoid celebration-induced trauma in our own closets.

1. Know what you have

There is no time like the present (ooh, presents! ok, I need to focus here) to take stock of what you already own. Try on each piece of your holiday wardrobe. A few questions to ask yourself:

Does each piece fit?

Is the outfit appropriate for the event?

And most importantly, is it consistent with my current style?

If you answered “no” to any of the above, you may want to re-evaluate that item of clothing or the outfit as a whole.

Additional questions include:

Who is going to see me in it?

Who has already seen me in it?

Some women are highly sensitive to being seen in the same outfit twice or more. Others are not. You will have to answer that question for yourself. While some women focus on having a lot of different clothing options, others prefer to have a few quality pieces. It’s a matter of preference.

2. Resist the temptation to take the easy way out

I have been to many Christmas parties that are filled with women wearing a festive red sweater and black pants. Sometimes the path of least resistance ends in Boringtown, ladies. Even if the sweater is sparkly and embellished, it can still be considered a “uniform.” Change it up a little – even if you pair that same sweater with a black skirt and patterned tights.

3. Be like Santa – Make a List

If you are very social or have a lot of activities happening around the holidays, make a list of all the events you will be attending. Next to each event, make a general note about what you plan to wear. This can mean anything from a sweater and jeans for a party at a friend’s house to an evening gown for New Years. And then put a check next to any event that you are entirely prepared to attend. As you prepare outfits, hang them together in your closet. You may even want to hang your accessories in a freezer bag over the hanger, so all the elements of your outfit are in one spot when you need them.

4. Learn to decipher the dress code

I get an unbelievable number of calls, emails and even tweets from people all year long asking what various dress codes mean. I will give you my secret for knowing what to tell everyone: If the dress code is new to me, I google it. At least it gives me an idea of what is intended. And if that doesn’t work (I am still wondering what “warehouse chic” is), simply call the party’s host or hostess and ask. That way, you will never feel uncomfortable at an event because you are over- or underdressed.

5. Don’t run out and buy something new!

This is the ultimate fashion freakout, and trust me, we’ve all been there. If you know what you have and what you need early enough, you won’t have any reason to panic. Some of the basics I keep on hand are a black cocktail dress, a navy cocktail dress, long black tiered skirt and a new skirt (top left) I bought the other day at Target, of all places!

I was imagining all the different ways I can wear it:

With a red cardigan or a black tuxedo jacket, or a ruffled white shirt or a blazer if I am attending a business function. I know it’s a piece I will be able to wear for years and I can’t wait to have fun with it!

If you have a number of basic pieces, sometimes all you need are chandelier earrings or a fabulous necklace or brooch to look both festive AND fashionable! And isn’t that more sensible and far less expensive than buying a whole new ensemble?

*

And finally, I know all of you know this, but please leave the tacky Santa, reindeer and snowman sweaters to people attending kitschy ugly sweater parties. We all have far too much self-respect to wear them in the real world!

Unless, of course, your name is Mark Darcy. In that case, you have my permission to wear them all you want.

*swoon*

Fishnets: Not just for Dr. Frank-N-Furter

When it's chilly outside, I tend to wear skirts with tall boots quite a bit. I'm not a huge fan of tights. If it were up to me, I would just run around with bare legs all fall and winter (and flip-flops too!). But that would be silly and I would get sick.

Over the last few years, the unexpected solution to this dilemma has been fishnet stockings.

In the past, if I couldn't find a pair of tights that matched a skirt or boots perfectly, I wouldn't wear the outfit. For instance, I have a plum corduroy skirt that I love and wanted desperately to wear. Good luck finding a matching shade of tights though. I hunted all over the U.S. and part of Canada and found none. The other usual go-to shades, black or brown, also weren't quite right. Neither were 'just a little off' colors like purple or burgundy. The only answer that made sense was nude-colored fishnets and tan boots.

They worked so perfectly that I had an epiphany: When nothing else works, fishnets are sometimes the answer. They increase one's cold weather dressing options immensely.

I know that they have a questionable past. Most people think of ladies of the evening. To me, they have always brought to mind misfits from midnight showings of Rocky Horror.

Just a sweet transvestite...

But that has all changed as they've become so readily available in so many shapes, colors, styles and sizes. Fishnet stockings don’t have to match your skirt or boot precisely, but they should work to blend the two together so that your legs are covered and they don’t attract unwanted attention. Think of them more as a finishing point (working in unison with the other pieces you’re wearing to complete your outfit) than as focal point to draw the eye down to your legs. Unless you want that, of course ;)

Here are a few pointers:
1. They work best with a skirt that ends just at or right above the knee. They are also fine with long skirts. Wear fishnets with a miniskirt at your own risk.

2. I prefer to wear them with knee-high boots - pairing with pumps is okay too. I'm not a big fan of wearing fishnets with sandals for dressy occasions, but with peeptoes, they are fine.

3. If your outfit is “busy”, go for plain tights. If you want to wear fishnets, the more basic the outfit, the better. If you want to wear them with a print, see #4.

4. The tighter the fishnet weave , the more they look like a solid from far away. Smaller patterns are also dressier.

5. Try to match either your hemline color or boot as well as possible for a seamless transition

And a few words of warning:
* Make sure they don’t have a seam up the back for obvious reasons.
* Medium or small sized patterns work best.
* If they get a hole in them, they must be discarded. No holey fishnets.
* Don’t opt for thigh-highs.
* And NEVER buy your fishnets in a Halloween store!

Lessons from Dwight

We still love The Office. Let's take a close up look at why Dwight K. Schrute
is such a fashion nightmare.

However, he can improve in the following ways (but would he still be as funny??)

1. Don’t forget that your hair matters and it says a lot about you! This may require a change in stylist (if you’ve been going to the same barber for the last 20 years). Be sure to learn the right products to use to care for it (Dwight was voted “worst hair on TV” in one of the online mags recently!)

2. Lose the outdated sideburns – pronto!

3. Long-sleeve shirts belong with a tie – short sleeves are just too casual. Yet some guys dress this way for work every day.

4. Try flat-front pants – they are so much more flattering on most people’s bodies – even a single pleat is better than the double-pleated pants he’s wearing! They make his body look pear-shaped.

5. Grow up and buy an analog watch with a metal band! Gold and silver together give the most options

6. Upgrade your eyeglasses at least every 2-3 years or you’ll look like you’re stuck in a time warp (or like you live in Scranton, PA!).

(Dwight IS doing one thing right – he usually wears the right colors for his skin tone – warm colors - he's an Autumn and that is very intentional on the NBC wardrobe department’s part!)