Summer Fashion Trends

“I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet. “
– Carrie from Sex and the City

SUMMER 2011

Postcards from Summer. Wish you were Here.  The Weather is Here…Wish you were Beautiful.  Everything’s trendier, tastier, brighter. We’re all set to take-off, go barefoot, don fresh prints, dip into fruit-punchy colors, glitter by day and do balmy nights right.

1.   GLAM-TO-GO

Time to take off. Travel light. Pack a lot of style into one small suitcase (See, I’m learning)!  With go-to looks that couldn’t be trendier, tastier, brighter.  Tweedy suiting, downtown denim, easy shifts, breezy shirtwaists, pretty skirts and the sexiest floral sheath on the planet.

2.   NEARLY BAREFOOT

Drifts of fabric. Delicate prints. Drapey cardis, mini sarongs, white shirtwaists, ruffle-necked shifts, ankle-grazing columns of baby-fine mesh and flowered cotton toile. Everything you love about summer. Light, airy, like running barefoot on the beach.

3.   FRUIT PUNCH

Drink deep from delicious summer coolers. Colors of sunshine over crushed ice. Sweet cantaloupe, ripened pomegranate, splashes of hot pink, hot shots of chrome yellow, the bright icy green of a melon martini. Done singly or in zesty combo.

4.   HOT FLASH

Glitter by day is an absolute must. Sequins on animal print netting, the shine of barely there satin. Gold threading through knits, jacquards, basketweaves; the guilty pleasure of a gold lamé motocross jacket, metallic twins, skinny ankle pants.

5.   FRESH PRINTS

Tie-dyes, washes and watercolors. To live in and love. Pick up the must-have maxi dress in bare-backed cotton toile; skirts gathered, smocked, faux-saronged, nailhead-trimmed; and a tie-dyed cardi to toss on anytime, anywhere, over anything.

Now, I do find the above shorts, Quite short…but I do love the top, and paired with a pair of vintage jeans, or white shorts, would be a fabulous summer look!

Color:

Delicious summer coolers, hot flashes of bright, some guilty pleasures and lots of black and white.

Standouts:

spa blue côte basque aqua

café au lait sweet milk chocolate

pomegranate hot reddish-pink

black everyday, everywhere

white city, witty, sexy, wow

Source:  Etcetera

And, in keeping with my equal opportunity blog, Here is what Nordstrom forecasts as the 2011 Summer Fashion Trends:

1.  Make it Maxi – talking about longer skirts, ladies.   Pair it with a simple white t-shirt, tank top, or white blouse with the sleeves rolled up to your elbows.

2.  Colorful Carryalls – Bring a Pop of color to your look, with a colorful handbag.  I love this Red Patent Leather Handbag.  And the yellow wicker handbag is a must-have!

3.  Embellished Sandals!  Love these – bring bling to your feet.   In my case, hopefully this will detract from my unfortunate-looking feet, while focusing on the jeweled sandals.

4.  70′s tops – the 70′s trend is not going away.  I just choose to keep it away from me, however.  ;)

5.  Bold Bangles – I’ve been talking about these for months.    And my friend “D” gave me a set of these bangles 2 years ago…always leaps and bounds ahead of the trend.

6.   Vintage denim – comfortable, worn out jeans.  Never leave home without ‘em.  No need to post a pic, as we all know what these are.

7.  The On-Edge Wedge - The Wedge shoe really does help distribute your weight, and helps save your feet.  And with Any summer sandal, break them in around the house, on carpeting for a few days before venturing out.  When your feet sweat, this can cause blisters.  Remember my tip about putting Gel deodorant where the straps on your sandals hit your feet.   For trendy sandals, check out Target or TJ Maxx.  The Nordstrom Women and Children’s sale is going on now…I buy most of my shoes, On Sale, from Nordstrom.  No need to break the bank in order to wear stylish, trendy shoes!

8.  Aviators – These sunglasses, reminiscent of Tom Cruise in Top Gun have made a Huge Comeback.  They look good on everyone.  And look especially great on Meredith!  (I apologize now to her, as I’ll hear about it when she wakes up at noon and reads my blog).

9.  Beach to Bar Cover-ups.  Been doing this for years.  Wear a casual, cotton dress to the pool or beach, then head out for apres-sun cocktails.  And my friend Carol suggested,  wearing a Men’s White Dress shirt, works perfect as well!  Pair them with a great pair or wedges or blinged-out sandals!  Leave the pumps at home!!

10.  Sun-Kissed Skin.  My personal favorite powder is Benefit Dallas Pressed Powder.   This Rose-Bronze powder is $24. 

Summer is Almost here, weather (pun intended) or not Mother Nature is aware of it.

Thank you Bulls for a Great Season!  Go Mavs!!

Have a Happy and Safe Memorial Day!

xoxo,

T.

We don’t need to be like her…we have lots of options to dress stylishly and comfortably this summer!

Rebuttal to my Savvy Packing Blog

Due to being Dissed by friends and family re: the lack that NO ONE appears to think I am a “savvy packer”, I feel the need, to, once again, write a Rebuttal to my previous blog…Overpacking at its’ worst…Guilty as Charged!

As I mentioned in a comment on my previous blog…”Note to File…Never Publish a blog, on a Girl’s Weekend Trip, surrounded by your friends…who have basically indicated, I am the LEAST savvy packer ever“  Truly.  I was a bit “lambasted” by my friends in regards to my Savvy Packing blog. 

These are some of the comments I’ve received:

“I’m not trying to dethrone the fashion blogger, but I think you need an intervention!! When packing for a 3 or 4 day trip, why does one need “2 pairs of boots” and “more boots”?  As you said, if you stick with the color scheme of black, you shouldn’t need multiple pairs of boots!  And “handbags”, (plural)?  For a quick trip you can certainly pick one neutral purse that will go with all outfits.  No one is going to “out” you if you don’t change your purse every day on a trip, as we know you love to do.  And if you’re like me, you pack about 4 outfits per day, because you just never know if you will fall in a mud puddle, or get caught in the rain, or end up going to 3 or 4 different events that require different looks.  Cut back on half of the clothes. There, I believe I’ve removed about 25 pounds of your luggage! Your back can thank me later!” – and this was from my sister Megan… For someone who has known me Her entire life, I think we know that I always change my handbags…and which, yes, carrying 1 handbag in a neutral color on a trip is very efficient and savvy, sometimes I like to have a few different ones. 

“Where do you pack your tennis racket”?  Well, truth be told, when I travel on a girl’s tennis trip to FL, I do put my tennis racket in my friend Linda’s luggage…because her suitcase is large enough to carry my tennis racket, while mine is not.

“T, it’s because of You, that we have to check luggage on our trip, and not carry on, because you have a bag too large to carry on”.   I’m pretty sure the rest of the group is not the Packing Gestapo that you are, C.

“I finally got a chance to actually read the blog that I was dissing you about.  You do confess your sins well.  Bottom line is anyone who actually checks bags for a 3-4 day trip is not a savvy packer.  On the other hand, when you reach your destination T, you will look and dress much better than I will!”  I wouldn’t say that I will look better than you, Cinda, but I do try my best!  And…Plenty of other ladies also pack more than one outfit per day… Plus it’s healthy to wear different shoes.  It’s important to keep changing shoes and boots, to give your feet a break.  I like to give my feet many breaks throughout the day!

“How many pair of shoes do you actually have“?  I really have no idea, and have no intention of starting to count at this point in my life.

So, my pledge is, I shall acquiesce to the masses, and promise to do a better job at packing more efficiently…and, gasp, try not to bring 4 pairs of boots and 5 purses on a 3-day trip.  And, I shall take  note of some of those packing trips…because they truly are helpful…and had I followed my own “packing” advice, wouldn’t have to write this rebuttal…and wouldn’t have Overpacked to begin with!

xoxo.

T.

“I’m very strict with my packing and have everything in its right place. I never change a rule. I hardly use anything in the hotel room. I wheel my own wardrobe in and that’s it“.   Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones.

Overpacking at its’ Worst…Guilty as Charged

I fancy myself a savvy traveler, and an even savvier packer.  I can color-coordinate with the best of  ’em, and thought I was a Master of packing for a trip.  Well, not so much.  My luggage weighed in at a whopping 85 Pounds  for a  recent trip to Vegas from Sat –  Wed.  I’m not a total buffoon, as this was spread out amongst 2 bags, but it’s still “weigh too excessive” (pun intended).    Not sure where I went so horribly wrong, but I became the poster child for Over Packing.  And just because I know you can get more in a suitcase by rolling your clothes, doesn’t mean you need to roll an entire wardrobe into one suitcase.

My main roller bagged weighed it just below the heavyweight division at 47.5 pounds.  My smaller bag, which I also check, tipped the scales at 33 pounds.  What in the world was I thinking?  The larger roller bag holds my clothes, workout shoes, 2 pair of boots, and additional work materials if needed.  The small bag is supposed to hold my shoes, more boots, handbags, hairbrushes, chargers and toiletry bag.  Something went terribly awry, and my sore back, shoulders and hips, from dragging the luggage from only the luggage carousel to my limo was a tell-tale sign that I need a packing intervention.  Have I mentioned that I have an additional “laptop” bag, which in and of itself, probably weighs 10 LBs.  Ugh!

I know better and was negligent in taking my own packing advice.  Here are some great tips, though I caution reading these or taking these tips, as I clearly didn’t follow them myself, but shall on my next trip!  And thank you to my friend Mickey with Doncaster, for sharing some of these helpful tips!

1.  Go over your itinerary carefully and determine the different types of event you need clothes for

2.  Plan to wear the same outfit on travel days.  I always wear my heavier clothes as well, and always have my shawl and jacket with me on the plane.

3.  Check the weather forecast before you pack.  I remember going to FL, thinking I was good with skirts, t-shirts and sandals, only to arrive and find out it was a “breezy” 40 degrees… Should have checked the forecast.  I also keep a small umbrella in my luggage, which stays put.  And hopefully, stays put in the luggage during the entire trip!

4.  Plan a color scheme and stick to it…I stick with black (I know shocking)…that way my boots, shoes and handbags go with everything.  You can mix things up with accessories, scarves and jewelery.

5.  Wear the clothes that make your feel best…If you don’t wear it at home, you will Not wear it when you are away. And if you don’t fit into it at home, trust me, you will NOT fit into it when you are away.

6.  Use a packing system or “packing “…small bags that are for undergarments, shoes, toiletries.  It keeps everything clean and organized.  This also minimizes the need to unpack if moving from place to place, and lessens disruption if your bag is opened and searched at the airport.

7.  I always keep my toiletry bag stocked at all times.  When I return from a trip, I ensure I have everything I need, so that bag is always ready to go, and the small bottles are filled.  I also have an extra phone chargers, which I keep in my toiletry bag, so never to be on the road, and unable to charge my phone(s).

Happy Travels…and may you travel safely and lightly!

xoxo,

T.

Dress your Age Survey…Seriously?

So, there is a little “survey” of 1000 women making the rounds that indicates:

“THE AGE WOMEN BELIEVE YOU SHOULD STOP WEARING”…

• Bikini, 47
• Miniskirt, 35
• Tube Top, 33
• Stilettos, 51
• Belly button piercing, 35
• Knee high boots, 47
• Trainers, 44
• Leather trousers, 34
• Leggings, 45
• Ugg boots, 45
• Swimsuit, 61
• Tight vest, 44
• See-through chiffon blouse, 40
• Long hair, 53
• Ponytail, 51

Ok, all I can say is Poppycock!  That’s total Bunk!  I don’t buy a word of this…and, I, myself, have broken many of these rules, or shall do so in the next few years.    I live in knee-high boots, Uggs, and Leggings.  Belly Button Pierce?  not saying.  I don’t wear leather trousers, but love my leather skirt.  And, looking into the future, I will choose to still wear my hair in a pony tail when I sleep, wear a bathing suit, so I don’t have to swim “au naturale”, and basically wear what I please…as long as I do not offend the masses.  As we know, most fashion rules, in my opinion,  should be thrown out the window.  My rule, if you love it, and love you in it…go for it.

This survey has caused Quite the outrage.  Names like Jane Fonda, Helen Mirren, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Jennifer Aniston  have all been mentioned.   I think these women look pretty sensational breaking these rules:

In this picture of Nicolette Sheridan…is she dressing too young?  Maybe…but you cannot deny she is rocking this look.  She’s in her mid 40′s and looks like this?  We should all be so lucky.  It’s not like most women over 35 are wearing Hello Kitty Flip Flops, Glitter Hot Pants, or are shopping at Limited Too.  Ugg boots are extremely warm and comfortable, and what else are you supposed to wear to a Bears game in mid December?  High heel boots with skirts are a wardrobe staple for many women I know  in the winter.  Plus,  if you can wear a bikini at 47 and look good in it (this is key), why not?

Remember 50 is the new 30, 40 is the new 25, and women of any age can Rock a look.  This is an area where self policing is best.  We all know when something doesn’t look great on us (or at least we should).  Life is short.  Wear what you want, but hopefully love what you wear and love yourself  in it.

Again, I have to say…I never followed the rules anyway…and here’s to me breaking Most of these rules this summer…sans the tube top.  Yeah, never.  And the “trainers”…not sure what those are anyway… Probably wouldn’t wear a tight vest either.  Well here’s to me wearing what I like…and being happy doing so, and hopefully not offending the public…or at the very least my children!

xoxo,

T.

Chicago…My Kind of Town!

I love Chicago!   I live in the best city in the world.  Every time I meet someone while traveling, and they find out I’m from Chicago, they Always say…”I love Chicago…it’s one of my favorite cities”.  And if you live in Chicago, you know what I mean…Chicagoans have a strong sense of pride for our city.  The Museums, Millenium Park, the Bean, Oprah, Michael Jordan, the beauty of the city, the Lake, you can’t beat it.   Here are  some of my favorite things about our fair city…and this list could go on and on, but I’ve limited it to my Top 10!

1.  The skyline.  Driving into the city, when it’s nighttime…and looking at the skyline, literally gives me goosebumps.  The skyline, from the lake, will take your breath away.

2.  The People.  Some of the most famous American’s are from Chicago, or have spent a majority of their life here:  President Obama; Oprah; Michael Jordan; and any person you meet.  Everyone says that Chicagoans are the friendliest people you will ever meet.   And they would Not be wrong!

3.  Wrigley Field and the Cubs.  The lovable losers.  Plus, Chicago Bears; Black Hawks; Bulls (Derrick Rose, MVP!), you name the sport, we got it!

4.  At Soldier Field when the F-16′s fly overhead at the start of a Bears Game.  Again, goosebumps.

5.  Hearing  Jim Cornelison sing the national anthem at the start of a Blackhawk game…and the crowd goes Wild at the start of the song, throughout the entire song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od7JFRLI9pc

6.  The Pride of the city, rallying around a cause or a team…be it the lights in downtown sporting the color of our team, or the color green for St. Patrick’s Day, or having the lights in a building spell out our favorite sport team!

7.  Dying the river Green for St. Patrick’s Day.  I mean, how fabulous is that?

8.  Shopping.  Bar none, no one has it better than we do.  Michigan Ave. is jam-packed, even in blustery winter days, or in 94 degrees in the summer.  It’s not called the Magnificent Mile for nothing!

9. Carriage rides in downtown.  My kids are mortified when we insist on them.  But Kevin and I love them!

10.  The Food.  No article or blog on Chicago would be complete without talking about Food.  Pizza (deep dish, which I do not care for, but I’m in the minority here), Hotdogs (with celery salt), Garrett’s Popcorn (and the lines out the door just to buy popcorn), Frango Mints, and world-class restaurants…Joes’ Stone Crab (I like it better than the one in Miami); Gibson’s; Hugo’s Frog Bar; N9NE; Bandera; Shaw’s Crab House; and any Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant!  Of course this list could also go on and on.

11.  Oh, and a Bonus Extra…How could I forget about Buckingham Fountain?!  It was the last thing my mother wanted to see before she passed away.  Unfortunately, we did not make that happen…and that will not be a future blog.  But she loved Chicago as well.

To Mayor Daley – you did a wonderful job, and brought the city to life,  Well Done, you will be missed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sdbPU52ADc&feature=youtu.be

(Thanks Rose for sharing this You Tube link).

And to Oprah, sorry my only chance to see you didn’t pan out…and like Cinda, I have now lost my chance.  Onward and upward!

xoxo,

T.

 I’m called Little Buttercup – dear Little Buttercup, / Though I could never tell why.”

Yes, You Can Wear White after Labor Day…

And other Fashion Rules debunked…

It used to be considered the biggest Fashion Faux Pas to wear white after Labor Day.  Today, however, winter white and other off-white colors are gradually gaining acceptance as a fall and winter fashion staple. Not wearing white after Labor Day is an outdated fashion trend.  But I caution as to wearing cotton pants, or eyelet patterns in the winter.   Curious about some other fashion trends that may be outdated?  I googled fashion myths, and while these all came up as myths, I have to stand by my original statement, in previous blogs, and say that I actually agree with Myth #9…it is Not acceptable.  Read on to break your curiousity…And here is a list of the top ten fashion myths people still wonder about today.

Myth 1 – You can’t wear sandals after Labor Day. Reality: This is just as outdated as not wearing white after Labor Day. You can wear sandals fashionably any time of year, as long as the weather is appropriate for them.  And I’ve actually worn high heel sandals, with a LBD  (little black dress) to fancy occasions in February, with snow on the ground…that’s what husbands who drop their wives off at the door are for.

These are the sandals I wore with a black dress and velvet-black shawl with light pink accents,  to a school fundraiser, in February:

Myth 2 – You should wear suede shoes Only in the fall and winter. Reality: Yes, suede shoes look good with most Fall and Winter fashions, but there is nothing stopping you from wearing a fine pair of fabulous suede shoes any time of year.  And, I will take it a step further…I will indeed wear boots with summer skirts!  These red suede peep toe pumps, would look Smashing with a black pencil skirt, and white blouse.  Or pair them with your summer LBD.

Myth 3 – You have to cut your hair after 40 because middle age women shouldn’t have long hair. Reality: This is just false. In fact, long hair can look great on older women, even making them look younger. Look at Demi Moore. Her hair is incredibly long and she looks great! You should always select a style you like because it looks good, not because someone tells you that you have to wear your hair a certain length.  And I am continuing to grow my locks out longer.  Check out my previous blog,  “Hair today Gone tomorrow”, for more of my opinion on this subject.  http://dressedtoat.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/hair-today-gone-tomorrow/?preview=true&preview_id=522&preview_nonce=6752d256af

Myth 4 – You shouldn’t wear black in the spring and summer. Reality: While bright summery colors are fun, black works well any time of year including spring and summer. There is no reason not to wear black any time you want if you think it looks good.  If I couldn’t wear black in the summer, I would have nothing to wear!

Myth 5 – You should only wear diamonds in the evening. Reality: In “times of old”, it was considered a faux pas to wear diamonds during the day. This is not the case today, you can wear tasteful diamonds any way and any time you like!   I have a tennis bracelet that I wear everyday.  I received it for our 15^th wedding anniversary, and while I told Kevin I didn’t think I could wear it everyday…he thought that was nonsense, and he didn’t buy it for me so I could put it in the safe (not that we have a safe…or not that we don’t have a safe, but not divulging that )…so I wear it everyday…not as much as Marilyn, but no one can pull off what she can.

Myth 6 – You can’t mix jewelry made from different colors of metal, like yellow and white gold. Reality: This is also ridiculous! You can mix any different colors you like as long as the combination is tasteful. You can even mix different metals like sterling silver, gold, platinum and more!  I love to mix and match, and thing that too “matchy-matchy” ages you.  I love to wear a rhinestone chunky necklace with jeans, white blouse, and cardigan.  And I love this, according to Urban Dictionary:  MATCHY MATCHY:  “Often used in fashion blogs. Used to describe an outfit that is too coordinated and consists of too many of the same types of colours, patterns, fabrics, accessories, designer pieces, thematic elements, etc. Can also be used in reference to interior design.”

Myth 7 – Wearing black at a wedding is bad luck or taboo. Reality: Today you can wear any color you like to a wedding. In fact, black is very appropriate for an evening wedding. The only color not encouraged during a wedding is white. You don’t want to outshine the bride after all!  Talk about bad luck!  Of course Pippa Middleton through caution to the wind, and just about outshined the bride.

 

Myth 8 – Your shoe color needs to match your outfit. Reality: You can actually find shoes in several complementary colors that will likely look better than a shoe in the exact same color as your outfit.  Taupe and beige shoes for example go with almost any color.  I love the patterned boot with this outfit…It pops!  And while the Eva Longoria outfit is rather extreme for South Barrington, I think it looks terrific, and love a totally contrasting colored shoe to the outfit.

Myth 9 – You can’t wear nylons if you plan to wear open toed shoes. Reality: I have to say, I agree that you cannot wear nylons with open toed shoes.  I know they say for very sheer, sandal-toed hose, it would be “acceptable”…but we are better than “acceptable”, aren’t we?  Here is a picture of sandals with hose, and without.  You be the judge.

Sandals with hose:

And these are sandals Without hose:

Myth 10 – You can only wear velvet during fall and winter months. Reality: Today you can wear velvet any time of year. Velvet is more often seen in the fall and winter because it is a warmer fabric. However when worn during a formal occasion, velvet works well ay time of the year.  I have a black velvet shawl, that I use year-round for special occasions.  I could see wearing this little navy velvet bolero jacket with a white t-shirt, jeans, and black patent leather high heels!  Or swap out the jeans, for a black or white pencil skirt, with funky metallic belt.

Bonus extra:  Myth 11: Black and brown don’t match. Reality: Black and brown do match, and look quite sophisticated, too. Pair rich brown wool trousers with a black turtleneck, or wear black shoes and hose with your brown skirt. For evening, try a brown cocktail dress instead of a black one, and dress it up with this season’s black beaded necklaces or bracelets. One combo to avoid: Brown shoes with black pants.

There you have it, your Top Ten (make that 11) fashion myths uncovered. When it comes to fashion, it is more important that you look and feel good than you follow the rules of fashion ‘etiquette.’  Unless you are a celebrity or other public figure, most people would not dare comment on your outfit anyway, except to tell you how great you look. :)   To say anything else would be extremely disrespectful and indicative of poor judgment.  And that would not be being fabulous!  And face it, You are fabulous.

I was never a rule follower anyway!

xoxo,

T.

Happy Spring…the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming and Mer Mer comes home today for the summer!

Dressy After 6 – MANic Monday

Dressy After Six

My last blog about uncoding the dress code didn’t address the specifics of Men’s formal dressing…at least not as much as some wanted.  So, for MANic Monday for May, I thought I’d briefly elaborate on a few more Men’s dressy after six tips.

The “after six” refers to dressing up for dinner or cocktails. Either wool or cotton trousers can be worn. A nice dark shirt with a bolder pattern is always appropriate. Designer jeans also play a large role in rounding out the fun side of a wardrobe.  This is a great place for contrasting cuff and collar options as well as fun collars like the two button cutaway.

Tuxedo

Sorry, can’t resist posting a George Clooney pic!

Generally tuxedos come in three major styles; single breasted peak lapel, single breastednotch lapel and double breasted peak lapel. Even though the styles are distinctly different, the different style tuxedo shirts can be worn with any of the tuxedo styles.

The tuxedo shirt comes in two different styles, the classic point and the wing tip collar. The front two panels are chosen to meet the customer tastes and the rest of the shirt is made from a standard white broad cloth.  Unlike the regular dress shirt, the tuxedo comes with a strip so the top four buttons can be removed and replaced with studs.

Simple.  Easy.  Elegant.

xoxo

T.

The difference between style and fashion is quality.
Giorgio Armani

And I can see if it was Stella Artois!  I mean, world’s most Fabulous Beer!  Bar none..