Dressing for the Season doesn’t mean dressing like a Christmas Tree

 With the Holiday season upon us, my sister Megan had an idea for a timely blog:

“With the holidays you could talk about paying fashion tribute to the holidays without looking like a walking Christmas tree.  You know, a cute red top, or touch of whimsy with a Christmas pin. For your “Don’t” pictures, you could post any picture of me from Christmas from 1980- 2002. “

I cannot find a Christmas photo of her from 1980 – 2002, but am still trying.

Holiday Dressing is Not meant to be Holiday Stressing!  I get a lot of questions about what to wear during the holiday season…work parties, family parties, friend’s parties…party, party, party.    We all want to look our best, and not spend a ton doing so.  And it truly doesn’t have to involve the Holiday Sweater.

If you love your holiday sweaters, wear them, but I caution against wearing them to a holiday extravaganza.  You can feel just as festive wearing your lavish holiday sweater while shovelling the snow, or watching Frosty the Snowman on TV with your kids.

The Holidays are a  time to shine and bring sparkle into your wardrobe!

Glitz and Glamour

Think “old Hollywood” when dressing for the holidays. Bring back old-time glamour and elegance. Choose dresses  or cocktail attire (depending on the formality of your event) that accentuate your figure.  Sequined bolero jackets or satin skirts would be the perfect wardrobe essential for holiday dressing.  I think a pair of beautiful black pants, with a crisp white blouse, and rhinestone jewelry, with high heels, is a cannot miss look!  Your little black dress (LBD) is always a perfect choice .  I have one that I bought at Nordstrom.  It’s long sleeve, and off the shoulders.  I can belt it with a large gold coin belt, or a rhinestone belt, and it totally changes the look.  I also wear it without a belt, and pair it with a shawl (yup, my black cashmere one), or a colored velvet number.   I love it so much, I also bought the same one with shorter sleeves!  I always say, it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed…but you don’t want to go too overboard.  A long gown, where others are wearing nice jeans, high heels, and a black turtleneck, will be awkward.

The Bling

Dressing for the holidays calls for big and bold accent pieces. Look for elegant and modern cocktail rings, dangling earrings with unique design, necklaces that are bold and colorful and bracelets that call attention to your wrist. Don’t be afraid of color. And don’t be afraid to wear big. Just remember if you wear an oversized ring, go minimal somewhere else.  Check out Ann Taylor for great costume jewelry…and during the holidays many of these items are 40% off.

The Holiday Pin!

Adding a holiday pin to a sweater or coat, can add just the perfect amount of festivity to your outfit, without looking like a walking Christmas Tree (thank you Megan).  I have friend’s who have 50+ holiday pins, and rotate them daily.  I love wearing one on my winter coat.  Mine is a rhinestone snowflake I received from some girlfriends, and I feel sparkly and festive, all at the same time.

The Holiday Slipper

Let them sparkle. If you can’t afford those extremely expensive Manolo’s or Jimmy Choo’s (especially during gift giving holidays), be creative. Take a basic black sling back heel and add an appliqué to them. Get really creative by taking an old vintage pair of clip on earrings  and clip then on the front of your shoes. It instantly adds drama and intrigue to your basic black shoes.   Not to mention, you save a bundle on this hip trick.  Or, you could splurge and get this oh so fabulous pair of cheetah shoes!

These Stuart Weitzman’s are a Huge Extravagance, but I could Not resist posting them.  They’re so Fabulous!

The Pocketbook

This should be festive as well. You also don’t need to spend big bucks on this. Scour the outlets or discount retailers for beaded bags  in all different shapes and sizes.  Or see if your Mom or Grandmother has (had) any of these.  Or…borrow from a friend.   The more petite your handbag is (for holiday dressing), the better.  You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be getting lots of great use out of my Tiffany Bracelet bag (no need to post yet a 3rd picture).

The Frosting on your Face

Go for bolder than your usual natural look. Try a smoky eye or a red lip. The thing to remember is if you go for more makeup on the eye, go for a more natural shade for your lips and vice versa. Don’t forget the flushed cheeks. Try a peach shade of blush on the apples of your cheeks.  And don’t forget the old tried and true…you can pinch your cheeks to give it the just right blush…or, do as I do, and have a lovely little glass of chardonnay, and Voila…my cheeks are red.

Spending Habits

You don’t need to spend a fortune to look great at holiday parties. Mix vintage or flea market finds with designer labels. Many stores are always selling party dresses or party attire, so keep your eyes open year round for great deals on glamour wear.

When dressing for the holidays, remember it’s the time of year to shine. Be glamorous when attending your soirees. Take lots of photographs, so you may look back in retrospect and remember how great you really looked.  Plus, no doubt your photo will be plastered all over facebook, so  it will be remembered for eternity.   And, most of all – enjoy those joyful holiday seasons. A great outfit can help.

 

xoxo

T.

Top 5 Least Wanted Gifts for the Holidays

1.  Bubble Bath

2.  Bath Salts

3.  Socks

5.  Candles

5.  Belgium Chocolates

This was just noted on the news…and I admit, I am guilty of giving every one of these.  Sorry!

Hair today Gone tomorrow

Good looks can open doors…but good hair blows them off the hinges! (Thanks NKO!)

Who can forget Reese Witherspoon showing up at the Academy Awards, with these long locks…She made quite the entrance, and basically said, “Ryan who”..(Ryan  Phillipe is her husband who cheated on her, and she left him and filed for divorce). 

We all know what it’s like to have a bad hair day…nothing goes right.  When I was pregnant with Patrick, circa 1997, I cut my hair short.  I liked it.  Thought it was snappy.  My father, not so much…and I know this because he said, “why would you cut your hair, it’s your best feature”?  Hmmm…not really sure what else to say, except  my hair is longer now, and my father seems pleased.

My hair looked similar to this… but while I matched Meg Ryan in perkiness, I did not quite match her in cuteness…perhaps that’s the problem.  That short hair phase lasted all of 24 months.

I know there is a lot of opinions on whether women over 30, or 40 should have long hair.  I heard this bantered about on Hoda and Kathie Lee.  I think if the hairstyle  is well coiffed, clean, and combed, then why not?  When I was 28, a woman mentioned to me that it was time to cut my long hair, because long hair wasn’t “becoming” on a woman my age.  I was 28! And for my loyal readers of my log, we realize that was a mere 4 years ago.    I know Kathie Lee Gifford is in her mid 50′s, and I think her hair looks fantastic.  Michelle Pfeiffer, Demi Moore, Cher, Madonna, Sarah Palin, and the list goes on.  The same goes for super short hair.  I think Annette Bening looks as good as anyone I’ve ever seen, and she rocks the short hair!

I don’t think there are any hard and fast rules for hair length.  If you like it, and feel confident with your hair, Good for You!  Wear it, and show it off.   You are fabulous…Long hair or Short!

Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo

T.

It’s all in the Bag!

Handbags…Pocketbooks…Purses.  Love them all.  One may say I’m “obsessed”.   I’d prefer not to have the same pocketbook as everyone else.  I think the purse is the perfect fashion accessory.  It doesn’t matter if you are bloated, gained  or lost (god-willing) a few pounds…purses always fit!

I take great pride in finding just the right purse to go with my outfits.  And, yes, I have been known to change my purse every day.  It truly takes minutes, because this is what I carry:  small wallet, lipstick, pen, business cards, iPhone, Blackberry (yes, I carry both, and that’s a future blog), and that’s about it.  so, it doesn’t take long at all to switch them.  Purses make me happy, so why shouldn’t I change them to fit my mood, or fit my outfit.

I’ve already blogged about my new favorite, the Tiffany Bracelet purse, but I think it’s worthy of another mention.  Plus, I think it’s important to share that this is a small handbag.  Very Small.  My friend Kim thought it was Huge, based on this picture.  It is not.  It’s about 5×3 – like a  note card , but holds both of my cell phones, lipstick, credit cards, cash, and a small pen.   This is the Red handbag…mine is the black.  I didn’t want to repeat my same photo.

Glenda Gies…hands down, my favorite handbag designer.  Her motto..Bringing old hollywood style and glamour to a whole new generation.  It’s hard to find them, because they stopped carrying them at Von Maur.  I used to buy mine at Angelina’s in Barrington, but that boutique no longer carries them.  You can buy them on eBay, or google Glenda Gies, and find the stores that carry them.

Though I’m thinking this one should lose the bow…

I love the new cross body purses.  They are great to carry to a sporting event, shopping, and they keep your hands free!  Coach and Marc Jacobs have some great ones…and you can get some terrific ones at Target!

And since I am asked about purses and handbags, more than anything else…I thought I would share my Handbag Tips:

1.  If you cannot find the perfect color to match an outfit, go with a contrasting color.  With a red dress (and it’s really hard to match reds), go with a yellow, black, or turquoise bag.   With brown, go with a Tiffany blue.  With white, pop it with red, black, or metallic.

2.  Metallic handbags go with Everything.  I have a small shoulder bag in Gold, and another in Silver.  I match my jewelry to the handbag, so don’t  need to worry about matching the outfit.

3.  You can go with No Jewelry, and use your fabulous handbag as your only accessory…and it can be a show stopper!

4.  Go through your Mom’s or Grandmother’s closets, and see if you can borrow a vintage number.  I have many that were my Mom’s, and think of her every time I carry one.  They work great as little evening bags.

5.  Shop around.  Go to stores like TJ Maxx, Target, Nordstrom Rack, and small boutiques.   There is no need to have to spend a fortune on a great handbag.  I love sales, and find Nordstrom.com always has great handbags on sale!

This little number is available at Target for $26.99.  I love it!  (Sorry, the handbag is actually quite large, but this is as large as I could get the picture).

 

 

Have a fantastic weekend!

xo

T.

“T” Tips

Everyone is busy.  And I, like everyone else I know am always looking for ways to build on efficiencies, so I thought I’d share a few of my “time savers” and “style helpers” with my blogging friends. 

It is very difficult to narrow these down, and I’ve tried to narrow these down to my Top 10.  I’d like to reserve the right to expand upon this in the future, if you will all indulge me. 

So, here it goes.  These are my favorite  Tips…T’s Tips, if you will:

1.  Pin your socks together when washing and drying.  You never have to search and spend time matching them, and this will eliminate mismatched socks!

2.  Sunglasses!  I wear them All the Time.  Helps alleviate squinting, which wards off wrinkles!  It also helps keep my hair off my face, and out of my eyes.  But the real reason I always wear sunglasses, is I burned my eyes in 1988, and cannot be outside , even when it’s overcast, without sunglasses…otherwise my eyes swell like a creature from the black lagoon.  So, I’ve decided to turn it into a fashion statement. 

I posted the above picture to let everyone know, do NOT take pictures wearing your sunglasses.  I don’t know what I was thinking.  But I have to say, I have more pictures wearing sunglasses then not wearing sunglasses.  From this point onward, I shall make a concerted effort to remove the eyewear!

3.  To stop blisters on your feet, or hands, rub gel deodorant on the spot that sports blisters, and Voila…I love high heels.  Love boots.  Love cute flats…love shoes and footwear in general.  Nothing takes the bounce out of a step, more than blisters!  I have a Fabulous pair of Kate Spade high heel sling back sandals.

The shoes look terrific (if I may say so myself), however,  the shoes feel downright Painful.  The tops of my toes, and my heels tend to attract the worst blisters.  I have googled and researched for any remedy.  I’ve  used band aids, Dr. Scholl’s moleskin pads, kleenex, lotion, and nothing helps…until now.  Enter…the miracle blister cure…Rub Gel Deodorant on the area of your toes and heels that form blisters, and VOILA!  Success.  No blisters.  The gel and deodorant help stop wetness, rubbing, friction, and No blisters.  I wore those heels, in downtown Chicago, for 4 hours, walking all about, and my feet felt great!  In the past, those shoes lasted 4 minutes, before the blisters started. 

4.  When washing your clothes, using liquid detergent, fill the cup, and throw the cup in to the washer, with the clothes.  when the clothes are done being washed, take out the little plastic cup.  It’s clean, and not sticky!

5.  In my car, I always have handy, hairspray, lip gloss, band aids,  and tweezers!  That natural light is terrific!

6.  Log your outfits – I touched upon this briefly in an earlier blog.  This ensures you aren’t always wearing the same outfit with the same group of people.  I mention this again, because visiting my daughter for her birthday weekend at college, I ended up wearing the same outfit I wore back in July , when meeting her roommate.  I also need to follow some of my own tips.

6-B.  I drive a lot, and at times, am wearing high heels.  I put scotch tape on the back of my heels to stop the scuffing.  You can also put a small hand towel on the floor of the driver’s side, to help stop the scuffing on those heels.  When you arrive at your destination, pull the tape off.  Voila!  No scuff marks.  Warning…be careful doing this with suede. 

7.  Use baby wipes to remove deodorant stains from your dark clothes!    And I learned these from my sister, Megan. 
Did you know with most fabrics that you get deodorant on, you can simply rub the fabric together (against itself) and that takes off the deodorants too!  Also, you can use baby wipes to quickly remove dirt and other debris from clothes you are wearing.  

7-B.  When bringing in your seasonal clothes, and they smell musty, spritz VODKA on them, and that must smell dissipates!  And no, you shouldn’t spritz it in your mouth either…but according to my friend, Louise, she says it can eliminate bad breath…so, yes, a Win-Win…spritz on your clothes and spritz in your mouth.   I stand corrected.

8.  Match books double as nail files.  That little “swiper” part, can be used to tame a snagged nail.

9.  I cannot tell you how often I get asked “what color purse should I wear with this outfit”.  Unless it’s black, matching blues, reds, browns, etc..can be difficult.  Go with a metallic purse.  Gold or Silver.  Match your jewelry with the handbag, and it pulls the entire outfit together, and it will give it more of a “snap”.

10.  This is a hard one for me, but my “tip” does help me.  Reduce the stress in your life…and how does one do that you ask?  Have a “go-to” song, that cheers you up, makes you happy, and makes you smile.  Use it as your ringtone, put it on your iPod, play it in your house and car.  There’s nothing like your favorite song, to put you in a great mood, make you forget your problems, and put that Much-Needed bounce in your step.  Mine…Build me up Buttercup.

11.  Bonus extra – when your hem comes apart, or there is a rip in your pants, or jacket, use “Tear Mender”…it works as glue on the fabric to hold it.  No sewing required…and after 10 minutes, you can launder, and it will forever stay mended.   You can buy it on Amazon.com, JoAnn Fabrics, Ace Hardware, or any fabric or hardware store.  Costs about $6 for 2 oz.

xoxo

T.

Men like cars, women like clothes.  Women only like cars because they take them to the clothes. – Rita Rudner

Frugal is the new Black

Recessionista:  A person who is able to stick to a tight budget while still managing to dress stylishly.

There are many ways to look Fabulous on a Budget and I’d like to touch upon the ones that I use or ones that have been passed onto me. 

1.  E-clip coupons.   Great big discounts can be found online.  Coolsavings.com offers coupons on everything from clothes to groceries.  Simply print out the coupons you want and use them as you would the kind you used to clip.  Other great savings sites include (I put *** next to the sites that I use):

ideeli.com ***

giltgroup.com ***

ruelala.com ***

retailmenot.com ***

Froogle.com

Zappos.com

Smartbargains.com

Overstock.com ***

Coupon.com

Couponcabin.com ***

bluefly.com

Coolsavings.com

Samplesale.com

Thebudgetfashionista.com

Dailycandy.com

couponmom.com ***

2.  Eating out has never been so Stylish and Affordable.  Restaurant.com offers $25 restaurant certificates for $10.  But, wait, it gets getter.   Go to couponmom.com, and there is a code for savings from 40% – 90% off the $10…so, you can get a $25 restaurant gift card for $2-$6.  The “fine print” is usually no Saturdays, and you must spend $35.

3.  When I do online shopping, I go to ebates.com first.  I do a lot of online shopping at nordstrom.com, and by going to ebates.com first,  I earn  can get 3% – 6% Cash Back.  I literally get a check back from them.  Since 2006 I have received over $400 cash back, from using ebates.com as my portal.   Bloomingdale’s, Barnes and Noble, Sephora, Home Depot… many, many stores participate in this.  All you need to do is sign up.  You do not receive any Spam, any unwanted email, you just go to ebates.com first, and receive quarterly checks.  It’s that easy.  And no one is the wiser…except your pocketbook, which has more cash.

4.  Hit up sales.  Sign up for shopittome.com’s salemail.  They email you when brands you have chosen go on sale in your size and area.  it’s like your own personal shopper.  Dailycandy.com regularly lists designer sales in selected cities.

5.  Wear what you have.  Shop in your own closet.  I’ve been doing it for years.  Honestly, you probably have gems hiding in there that you haven’t seen in years, and they deserve to see the light of day!  You know that sparkly piece you wore on New Year’s Eve?  Give it everyday life by pairing it with a pair of jeans and great shoes.  Dress down a dress with a long boyfriend cardigan and tights, and pair a black dress with a jean jacket…like I did here on a night out with Mer Mer.  (Warning…this is a pic previously used, but it works for this blog).

6.  Before you start shopping, clean out your closet so you know what you have and what you need…and I mean Need, not Want.  Dont get sucked into impulse spending sprees…they just add to the clutter.  Or, you can shop in these gal’s closets.

and one last parting comment:

Not all men are irritating…some sell us new shoes.

xoxo

T.

The History of the Fashion Journal

It would appear my desire for journaling outfits, goes back farther than even I remembered.  At a recent reunion, a friend from high school reminded me that during math class, there was a guy in our class, (who shall remain nameless)  who (much to my amusement) only wore 3 shirts.  The concept of someone only having 3 shirts, baffled me, so I wrote which shirt he wore to class, Everyday…for the entire school year.  In the back of my notebook.   She said that was one of her fondest memories of me and that class.

Mon – rugby

Tue – light blue

Wed – short sleeve yellow

Thur – light blue

Fri – light blue

Yes, there were days when the same shirt was worn 2 days in a row.  Now, his sister had a plethora of clothes…cute clothes, and the family lived in a lovely home, with 2 cars, and went on nice vacations.  So, please don’t think I’m a mean, cruel person who is poking fun at those less fortunate than ourselves…it wasn’t (or at least didn’t appear to be) for lack of funds that he only wore 3 shirts.  I do believe he just didn’t care.

You know what?  Good for him…who cares?!  Of course, at the time I did, but that was back in the 80′s…now, it doesn’t matter.  I still find it amusing, and even now he may still only wear 3 shirts (though my sense is his wife may have put a stop to that), and funny enough,  there are indeed days when I may wear 3 shirts.  This is what makes the world go round…and you can bet your bottom dollar, that on those days that I choose to wear 3 shirts, they will be noted in my fashion journal, so they’re not seen by the same people, at least for a reasonable period of time.

SHOPPING SLANG:  Fashionality (n).  One’s personality expressed in their clothing.

xoxo,

T.

The One Fashion Item I cannot live without

You know when someone asks you…”if you were on a deserted island, what would you bring?”  Yeah, I dislike that question, immensely.  However, I do know the One Fashion item I cannot live without.  It’s my cashmere and wool, black shawl.  I wear it from September – May.   I use it as a shawl, blanket (on an airplane or sitting on the couch), and let’s face it…it’s so soft and comforting, it’s almost like a Security Blanket!  Almost.

I can wear it with any dress I own, jeans and a turtle-neck, over a suit, with dress pants and a blouse, to give it an extra little snap, or on top of a jean jacket.  I can use it as a “shawl”, or a scarf with my winter coat.  It goes with me to business meetings, my son’s baseball games , Bears games,  to visit Meredith and watch an IU football game, or to wrap myself in it while watching TV…No need for a snuggie for me (oh, yeah, that’s gonna be a future blog).  Mine is black, because it goes with everything I wear, and apparently I wear a lot of black…but if you are looking for this Fabulous Fashion Accessory, you can get it in Cream (though it will get dirty quickly, especially on a plane), Grey, Red, Pink…or any color that works within your wardrobe.  I’d have to say, aside from Skirts with Boots, it’s a Total Fashion Terry Do!

It’s September and the temperatures here in Chicago,  have already plunged!  Good news for me is I break out the shawl, and keep it with me till May.   A few years back I was wearing it in June (and in my defense it was a chilly June), and my husband , Kevin, asked, “When does that go back in the closet”?  I think to spite him I never put it back in the closet that year!  Here’s a lovely family photo of Me, Kevin, Patrick and Meredith in July 2008!

xoxo,

T.

Smile…and the world will wonder what you’re up to.

A smile if your best accessory.  You can be feeling lousy, actually look less than terrific, but if you have a dazzling smile on your face, no one is the  wiser.  A father from  my son’s baseball team  said to me this summer, “You are always so happy…it’s irritating”.  Now, I think, he was kidding, actually I’m pretty sure of that, but in his eyes, I was always  happy, and always smiling.  To the world of travel baseball, I was happy to attend my son’s games, and I truly enjoyed the comradery of the other parents, and did get to watch our boys greatly improve throughout the spring into the summer.  And, of course, who wouldn’t be happy watching your 13-year old son play 60+ games,  in the heat, rain, humidity, with  many double-headers on a Summer night or weekend afternoon, playing till the lights at the park district went off at 11PM.   I truly  loved every minute of it, and always had a smile on my face .    (Actually, I did end up with a nice little summer tan…and haven’t been this tan since my honeymoon in 1990…so I have that going for me).

Contrary to popular belief, or urban legend,  my life is not perfect, and I, like everyone else, have my own trials and tribulations.  I just choose to try to be happy, and hope the other “stuff” works itself out…and I do try to look on the bright side of most things ( not everything, but Most things), and try to surround myself with people and things that make me happy.  Life is about choice, and I choose to be happy.  Most of the time…and when I’m not happy, chances are pretty great that no one is going to know about it, because I’m going to run around with a smile on my face.

Of course, in my case, now that I’ve started this little blog, my 9 blogging followers, know I was not my happy self last week, after dropping my daughter off at school.   My smile may not have  masked my emotions. Not to my little blogging world.    But , you know what?  My daughter is so happy and loves it at Indiana.  Even told me last week was the best week of her life.  Now, as her mother, there was a small pang of hurt, since I wasn’t with her…but isn’t that what we want?  Our children to be happy?

If you walk into a room feeling fabulous and confident, that is Exactly how you are going to come off.
If I had a dime for every time someone said, “I wish I had your confidence”, well I’d at least have $1.40. I’m really not confident (but I do , at times, think I’m funny), I just try to do the best I can with what God has given me.  As I’ve mentioned before, I think I can pull off looking fairly decent, realistically,  probably twice a year, the other 363 days, I fake it.  I just try to dazzle people with my “wit” (yes, and I use that term loosely) hopefully while well-dressed (Dressed to a T) with snappy accessories…aka handbags, jewelery, footwear, and hopefully a smile.   The Power of Distraction.

One of my favorite fashion quotes:

“The expression a woman wears on her face is more important than the clothes she wears on her back.”
Dale Carnegie

That’s not going to help me sell clothes, but don’t we want to see everyone around us happy?

I was once told, “I bet those dimples have gotten you pretty far in life”.  Well, here’s hoping.

xoxo

T.

Hello (again) World

I’ve determined I will blog once a week. I think that is sufficient, and hopefully I won’t irritate the masses too much.  And let’s be honest, there really aren’t any “masses”…yet.   3 Followers does not a “mass” make…but I’m hoping.

I’d like to focus on a Friday “Fashion Fab”, but this week I am blogging on a Tuesday.  See, no hard and fast rules.  Of course, I may blog about things that are not always “fashion-related”, but I shall try to put a fashion or stylish twist on them. This should keep us all happy.  Or at least me happy and my 3 Blogging Followers.  :)
Today, I am going to dabble in Fashion Rules…and Fashion Do’s (Not Don’ts).  I personally like to focus on Fashion Do’s, rather than Don’ts,  especially when working with my Dressed to a T clients.  It’s like that book, Eat This, Not That… I prefer… Wear This, Not That.  I lean more towards, you can wear this with this, this and this… I typically don’t tell people What Not  to Wear…just lead them down the path of What To Wear (or what will look best on them).  Now, we all have our opinions of the Glamour Don’ts…and I am no exception…however I, unlike most other “fashionista’s” ( I use that term loosely)  feel if you like what you are wearing, and feel good in it, then Fabulous!…who are we to make you feel badly?  …Unless you happen to be  doing the following:
1. Wearing white to a wedding. Please don’t do that. It shows a great deal of disrespect to the bride, who may not even be wearing white to her own wedding (ahem). Everyone has their chance and day to shine in the sun, and let it be on your wedding day, not hers. 
2. Hose with sandals. I really , really  don’t think this a good look. However, if you choose to do this, again, your choice, it won’t ruin my day, but I think you’d look better without the hose. When wearing pants or skirts  with sandals, some women feel the need to still wear hose, to streamline their look.   You can achieve that in other ways. Spanx. (that’s gonna be its own blog). and hose, but cut them off above the ankle, so the pants fall below them,  so you can’t see them.  You obviously cannot do this “trick” with a dress or skirt (or ones that are above your ankle), but you can certainly wear Spanx, or other wonderful, powerful undergarments.   I think a bare leg (shaven and with a little of nature’s sun..real or fake), with a skirt or dress, looks terrific. And, unless you are in a very strict law office or bank, this is totally acceptable for business. Now, if you must wear hose, then wear a pump, or a closed toe shoe is another a great choice.  I know they make sandal-toed  hose, but they’re still hose, so don’t wear them with sandals or open toed shoes.  Skirts with boots are my favorite and most comfortable look, so look for that blog in an upcoming week.

***This above look (both of them actually) is guaranteed to Add 10+ years onto your look.  Funny how a picture can truly be worth a thousand words.
3. Wear clothes that fit.   Something that is too tight,  is not going to look good.  And, it’s not going to feel good.  Who hasn’t put on their favorite pair of jeans to find that they don’t fit…Well, you can put on another pair of jeans…try and wear them with spanx (though I cannot imagine this would feel comfortable), or if you must wear those jeans, wear a loose top with it, which covers up the top of the jeans…and may help cover  the muffin-top (if you happen to have a muffin top).  Oh, the same goes for clothes that are way too big.  You can bring them to a good tailor, and Voila, your clothes will fit properly.

4. Bra straps showing.  Blatantly.   Enough said on that subject.

That’s basically it… I think you can wear White after Labor Day, as well as before Memorial Day…and yes, there are indeed “purists” out there who won’t do it, and that’s fine. But it’s also fine if you choose to wear your favorite pair of white jeans to my birthday soire on Sept. 21st. I think you can wear black or red to a wedding (not white)…It’s whatever makes you feel good.    Now when my husband wears black socks with shorts and sandals or shoes, I really don’t like that either…but I’m not making a Fashion Stand against that, because I truly don’t think there is anyone else out there, other than my husband, who would dare try to pull off that look.  Now I’m sure I have friends who will say, “Hey, she’s the fashion police and has much stronger opinions than this”…true, but I really am about women and men feeling good about themselves, so if the “shoe (or garment) fits…wear it…and wear it with pride”.  Of course,  I would like to reserve the right, in future blogs, to touch upon other fashion don’ts (or Fashion Do’s)  that I happen to stumble upon on the streets, but for now, I feel good about this list.

Disclaimer…. Yes, there are going to be people out there, wearing something that makes all of us think “What in the world are they thinking”…and chances are it’s probably something that’s ill-fitting, been in their closet for eons, or, they left the house without looking in the mirror.  There are going to be people out there, who regardless of what society dictates,  think they look stunning in what they are wearing, and they are the Only person who thinks so.  You know what?  Good for them.  All the more power to them.   Plus, they’ll probably get tackled by Stacy and Clinton in an upcoming episode of What Not to Wear…and they’re gonna be $5000 richer in clothes, with new make-up, and a new hairstyle (and aren’t we glad that Nick is gone, as he gave basically Everyone that same hairstyle)?

That wasn’t so harsh, was it?  Thanks for checking in and have a Fabulous Week.

xoxo

T.