Mad Hatter 11/10/2009
Yesterday I came across a list from Allure Magazine of 12 or so fashion "must-haves" that everyone apparently needs for winter. Number 1 on their list? This hat. That's right, folks. Someone at Allure thinks that if you don't have a giant fur trapper hat this winter you just won't be fit to be seen in public. I can think of a few people who would need a hat like this. Professional ice fishers. Arctic expeditionists. Ice road truckers. (If they frequently get flats or the heater in the cab breaks.) Anyone hunting in the Siberian wilderness. For the rest of us I'm just going to go ahead and call this overkill. Other than this hat, I really haven't seen any frozen tundra/Davy Crockett influences on fashion this winter. The 1940's however, are a different story. A lovely, classy, adorable story. Grab yourself one of these and live happily, timelessly, stylishly forever. I don't often find things I like at Dillards, but this one is adorable and only $35! A cloche hat is universally flattering. It can be edgy or cute, sleek or wildly adorned. I found fabulous options ranging from $15 at Avon to $300 plus at specialty boutiques. Simply google "cloche hat" and let the fun begin! This one is delicious... Red is fantastic... A little pricey but I found another adorable red cloche for $21 at Kohl's. Slip one of these on and you'll defy any drabness this winter. You'll be ravishing and radiant. And not the least bit furry. Fall Fashion = Spring Style 10/15/2009
I've said before that fall is a great time to find modest items that work for spring and I was recently asked for a few examples. So here are just a very few examples of what you can find. And remember, these clothes appeal to our frugal sides as well since you can wear them any season! ![]() Banana Republic Sheath dresses - with sleeves!! Sheath dresses are universally flattering. But shop for one in spring or summer and nearly all the styles have straps instead of sleeves.
![]() Gap White shirts - that you can't see through!! A white button-down shirt that fits you great is a wardrobe essential. Spring and summer options tend to be very thin "summer weight" cotton. Shop for one now and you'll score thicker material.
![]() Gap Lightweight tops - with sleeves!! Fall isn't all about heavier fabrics and thicker knits. You can find lightweight items and more styles with sleeves.
![]() Victoria's Secret Dresses - with longer hemlines!! Fall is the perfect time to find dresses that hit at the knee. This is a great wrap dress in a color that works with boots in fall and sandals in summer. Personally, I would shorten those sleeves to elbow length. Easy to do and more appropriate for all seasons.
![]() Victoria's Secret Another good dress option. All it needs is a camisole! ![]() Victoria's Secret And one more for good measure. Especially nice for showing off (or creating!) a small waist. Again, just add a camisole. I'd also shorten the sleeves to just above the elbow. Fall Style Series 2 10/13/2009
Welcome to the second installment of the Fall Style Series. To check out the Fall trends we translated in Series 1 click here. (jackets and boots and neon, oh my!) Today we have more great things for you to consider working into your wardrobe. And more things to avoid like the Swine Flu! The Lovelies - ![]() Ralph Lauren Metallic for day! Absolutely! This is a great way to defrump a modest wardrobe but can easily wander into costume territory if not done right. So make sure you do it right. Here are a couple good options for you. Option 1 - Tone-on-Tone. I love this silver metallic dress with the gray coat. If this were all black it would be perfect for a fancy night out but the light colors are appropriate for day. ![]() Derek Lam Option 2 - Paired with casual. A sparkly skirt like this one with a basic white tee is just the ticket to get you through a long Wednesday. If the metallic is on top, try trousers or jeans on the bottom. A little sparkle with a menswear tweed looks fabulous! Teeter-totter the metallic item with neutral, muted pieces to do the look right.
![]() White House Black Market Ruffles! Contrary to the opinion of one of this season's Project Runway designers, I like ruffles. They're feminine and sweet and can enhance or conceal depending on the design.
![]() Jason Wu Chartreuse or Sunny Yellow! So often fall gets bogged down in the burgundies, forest greens, grays, and blacks but pulling out a nice sunny color will brighten those shorter days. AND, lighter cuts like this dress work year round!
![]() Vera Wang Layering gray and black! This seems like a no-brainer since layering to keep warm in fall and winter happens anyway but I wanted to include it because the look that's cropping up is specifically monochromatic chic.
The Maybies -![]() Slit-, Slashed-, or Cut out Shoulders I apologize for the harsh picture. It was the best I could find showing this trend and how we're talking only exposed shoulders. The top still needs to have actual sleeves. I include this trend only because I saw it layered over a brightly colored piece making it appropriate for modest dressers.
![]() Banana Republic Leggings It's so rare to see leggings done right. Every year I find myself questioning what I think about them. They're much more feminine than sweatpants for around the house but once you go out?? This year, like almost every fall, they're popping up under mini-skirts and long tunic tops. You truly have to have a trim figure to pull off leggings in any sort of flattering way. They show every lump and bump. No, they are not slimming and for many people the fact that leggings are skin-tight goes against their definition of modesty.
The Nevers -![]() Matthew Williamson Cocoon coat Oh what a shapeless mess. As with any item of clothing, from size 8 to 18, concealing your shape under a bulky mass is NOT flattering. Even where outerwear is concerned. Bulky shapes like this don't mean more warmth. It's all just a little too "Snuggie walking down the street."
![]() Marc Jacobs Ultra-broad Shoulders This wasn't a good look in the 80's and it will never be a good look. What do we call this? Glitzy Linebacker? What woman worth her femininity wants to look like a linebacker? This look goes beyond simply shoulder-pads to massive poufy shoulders.
Fall Style Series 1 09/15/2009
Welcome to the first of our Fall/Winter Style Series! Since we figure the cycling of trends is here to stay (as discussed here) we might as well cover what's current, how to make it work and what to run from screaming! First... The Lovelies - ![]() Motorcycle Jacket! Leather jackets never really go out of style and the main point of this trend is that it's fitted and hip length. A nice simple blazer-style leather jacket fitting that description will work great. Do not pair with heavy leather boots. The jacket should be the only biker item in the ensemble.
![]() Nordstrom Bright Coats! Fall and winter coats are NOT something most people want to replace often. That's why we buy black, brown or tan. Neutral colors that will stand the test of time. But a bright coat will do the same - as long as it's cut in a very classic style. A brightly colored trench brings much needed vibrancy to fall and winter clothes and carries effortlessly through to spring.
![]() Nordstrom Long Gloves! Around my neck of the woods cooler temps can come early but nothing so frigid as to warrant carrying a coat around all day. A definite do is pairing long gloves and scarves with short-sleeved items. It's elegant and unexpected and they're easy to carry with you.
![]() Nordstrom Fun winter accessories! Have a black coat? Add color around your face with a bright scarf and hat. Dark coats beg for fun colors and patterns.
The "Maybies" - ![]() Nordstrom Tough call, these over-the-knee-boots. Personally, I think they look cool but you have to get skinny jeans that tuck into them easily. And I'm not a fan of skinny jeans. Thick leggings might also work, but that's a big might, and only with a longer tunic top. Tricky... very tricky.
![]() Essie Neon. I'm an 80's child. We did neon like never before and I agree with the sartorial mantra that if you were around the first time the trend hit, you can't wear it the same way the second time. Do a quick search for neon clothing and accessories and many tacky results will suddenly glare from your screen.
The Nevers - ![]() Zappos Harem Pants. DO NOT bother with the "boxy pant"/harem pant/baggy pant trend. It's unflattering on everyone and will be gone in the blink of an eye. Even if I have to gather every pair and bonfire them myself. Who wants their hips to look huge, their legs to look short, and their crotch to hang down to their knees? Run away from this one. Far away.
![]() Nordstrom Boyfriend Blazer/Boxy Blazer. Ladies, anything that hides your shape is a don't! This trend will make you look like... wait for it... A BOX! Not good. Check out this picture vs the one below it. Even on this tiny little model - she looks shapeless and heavier than she is.
![]() Nordstrom Ahhhh. Much better. Nice shape. Timeless, slimming, flattering. Hope this has helped excite you for the coming months! I love jacket season. Not so much "I-have-to-shovel-my-way-out-the-front-door" season, but jacket season is great. Stay tuned for Fall Style Series 2! So when does our future get here? 09/08/2009
![]() From practically the dawn of the cartoon and film world, our future selves have always worn a version of simple spandex unitards, or long flowing robes. Apparently, at some future point we universally declare "We're over it!" where fashion is concerned and opt for simple in the extreme. It also seems we have no weight problems at that point as well. Maybe perfect figures are worth the price of a fashion void. But when does our future get here? Or will it always be Trends vs Trek? ![]() The artists of two centuries ago drawing 100 years in the future certainly didn't depict what was actually worn in the late 18- and 1900's. And we obviously aren't wearing what the artists predicted for the new millennium. We keep having cycles of trends instead of Trek-like simplicity. The future of clothing may never arrive. Looking back at my school days I wish I'd had a uniform. It would have made dressing so much simpler. And I know, folks who had uniforms often tell me they wished they'd had "normal" clothes. The grass is always greener... The uniforms we may or may not wear in the "future" will certainly make dressing easy. But where's the fun in that? How do I express my love of retro nipped waistlines and full-skirts in an adult onesie? ![]() You must admit, if we were to walk the street like this (and this was from a fairly recent collection) the first public assumption would be that we were headed to a sci-fi convention. I don't mind cycling trends. Ones I like always come around again. (Harem pants are not one of them! Oy! How did those ever resurface?) And the near infinite variety of clothing lets us express our individuality as well as our common ground. And you guessed it, in the upcoming posts we will be discussing the fall trends. Which ones work, which ones to ignore or even run from. If, like me, the fall weather hasn't hit your area yet it's only a matter of weeks. And every new season is a reason to assess your style and tweak where necessary, even if you don't buy a single new item. ![]() SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS! Comment below with your answer to "Why do we have trends?" Summertime Snafu 06/16/2009
Ah, summertime. Undeniably the most difficult shopping and dressing time for the Modern Mormon Woman. Stores and streets abound with tank tops, mini skirts, short shorts, strappy dresses and bikinis. How do we find our place in this season? What did I find? Ann Taylor: 8 out of 71 dresses would be appropriate Ann Taylor Loft: 4 of 50 J. Crew: 3 of 89 (and that was excluding the wedding dress options, which, by the way were 0 of 32) Banana Republic: 8 of 41 Gap: 0 of 30 (that’s right – zero!) Anthropologie: 0 of 107 Brooks Brothers: 5 of 15 White House/Black Market: 0 of 50 Nordstrom had far too many dresses to count but a cursory search of the first few pages yielded many excellent options! I even searched Victoria’s Secret. 26 of 255 would be appropriate. Many of these stores are standard shopping suggestions from Image Interpreters. Goes to show the season’s aren’t all created equal! It certainly won’t be an easy search, but appropriate, summer weight dresses are out there. My personal favorite is the lightweight jersey wrap dress. Seasonless, with the addition of hosiery and boots, and one of the most flattering and smart wardrobe investments any woman can make. But what if you already have strappy or strapless items in your closet that you really want to keep wearing? The key is striking a more deliberate contrast! I’m a big fan of the new fitted undershirts that have hit the market in recent years. They lend a very helpful hand to anyone wanting to maintain modesty and avoid frumpy. But the look can be taken too far. (Am I bursting bubbles here?) I don’t believe they were ever meant to allow us to wear ANY dress or top out there. (Any undertee maker who says otherwise is just trying to sell more!) Are they perfect under slightly sheer tops and dresses? Absolutely! The best for covering gaping under-arm holes? You bet! Excellent for filling in low necklines and covering "flesh belts"? Sure thing! Good looking under tank or halter style tops? Um... negatory. So how does this translate?
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