She's an icon.  Without question.

Helen Mirren will be 66 this summer.  You'd never know it.
She looks better than many women in their 40's.

Even on a casual day, snapped unexpectedly exiting her hotel, she looks pulled together and chic.  One of the things I love most is her hair style.
"Age appropriate" but totally age defying!

She says her red-carpet secret is platform stripper shoes she buys in Los Angeles. They give her the height and stability to confidently pull of the gowns and the walk. Genius!

Looking this good at any age, let alone her age, is something every woman should strive for.  Let's all channel Helen when we can!

Happy Friday! Let's translate some more Spring 2011 Trends, shall we?
There are a lot of trends right now, you can pretty much choose from any decade and find something fun to work into your wardrobe right now.
30's - bias cut dresses and strong shoulders
40's - tailored dresses and lovely waved hairstyles
50's - full skirts or wiggle dresses
60's - mod anything and dark-lined eyes
70's - tunics, high-waist flare jeans, wedge sandals
80's - color blocking and touches of neon

I definitely suggest adding a piece to your wardrobe.  It's especially easy if you have a Chinatown near you.

A few designer inspirations from Style.com.

A few housekeeping items:
1. I'm still hoping the perfect buyer(s) comes along for the wedding dress and crib bedding (see previous post).
2. My L.L. Bean items arrived and are great! I'll profile them later this week.

Before I launch into a study of more spring styles, I'd like to start this week with a little inspiration to dress better. The main goal of this site, as evidenced by it's name, is to interpret what is out there by way of fashion and translate it into real style for real women, most specifically modest dressers.  But I subtitled the blog section "Fight The Frump" to serve as a reminder that frumpy is never stylish.
As further inspiration this lovely Monday, I am showcasing one of my favorite ad campaigns: Piperlime's "Let's Get Dressed" series. Enjoy!

I believe the sweats ad above and "OK, IT'S TIME" ad below were the first to hit the streets. Apparently some women were not happy about being called out, publishing blog posts along the lines of, "Forget you. I love my sweats!" I for one, sat up and took notice.  These ads hit at a time that I was getting really tired of my really casual baby-mommy wardrobe. 

As with the Dockers ad for the men, this ad really resonated with me. It IS time to dress like we respect ourselves and our fellow humans. To embrace the joy that is looking chic; whether you're dressed to the 9's or simply dressed for the park. To remember we're worth the effort and it is absolutely true "you get what you dress for."
I so love the line, "It's time to give up lazy dressing altogether because it's time to LOOK FABULOUS again." Hear! Hear!
And I'd like to make one small edit.  "Let's put Saturday-night effort into Sunday Best!"

How about, "Let's try harder than modesty t-shirts!"

I own a hoodie. It's packed in my 72-hour emergency kit with our camping gear.

I told you! Shoes make the outfit!

Review this post if your actual heels & feet need help.

I hope you heed all this good advice.

I often hear the excuse, "It takes too much effort to create actual outfits."
Baloney! It takes less actual physical effort to put on a dress than to pull on sweat pants and a t-shirt. And it takes the same effort to pull on a skirt and shirt. 10 seconds to grab a couple accessories and put them on. Next excuse?

"Why bother? I just stay home with the kids."
Bother for YOU.  Bother for your kids who will remember what you were like growing up.  Bother for your husband who will come home at some point that afternoon and see you. You're worth the effort. You're worth the fun that clothing and accessories can be.

"My friends will think I'm weird."
Why? You're not naked at the park. What will most likely happen is half of them will think and acknowledge that you look great. The other half will be jealous. Either way, you'll inspire someone to dress better. Good style, just like a smile and happiness, is contagious. Infect everyone you know!

No, this isn't a style post, but the right owners for these two items might be readers. 
I'm in spring cleaning mode and ready to purge the house of "I'll never use them again" items.  The first one is my wedding dress.

This gorgeous dress did for me exactly what I needed it to on my wedding day.  It made me look beautiful.  And a lot skinnier than I was!  I initially hunted for a flowy gown with straight lines but they were not at all flattering on my plus size frame.  And voluminous gowns just made me look like a huge cupcake.  I finally found this one and instantly knew it was right. The clean lines I wanted, the unique detail and sparkle to make it special, and just enough volume to camouflage and flatter my figure. My husband just reminded me that as we were getting our pictures taken, three other brides passed us and all commented on how gorgeous and "cool" the dress was.
You might be asking why I'm selling it instead of saving it for my three girls? 
Because I hope my daughters aren't this size when they get married.
If they are, so be it, we'll find their perfect dress.  But I still hope they don't have to battle the bulge like I did. Keeping it for years "just in case" seems like an awfully negative self-fulfilling prophecy. And I know there are plenty other plus-sized brides out there who could benefit now from the magic this dress offers.

Here are the details:
Eternity Gowns wedding dress. $400 or best offer. Unique and truly stunning.

White satin a-line dress with beaded and embroidered white sheer lace overcoat. Elbow-length sleeves. Dress looks like a two-piece but is actually one. Sheer overcoat forms the train and can be bustled for dancing. (I suggest holding it out to the side a 'la Eliza Doolittle for your first dance! It looked so beautiful!)
Small pearls along square neckline. Zipper back with button detail. Temple ready.

Used only once. Size 16 but is the perfect style to be let out or taken in.

Includes a matching beaded length of lace meant to be either a wrap or become the veil but I didn’t use it. Dress has been professionally cleaned. I will also include the BodyBeautiful corselet ($75 value). A corselet is like a corset but more comfortable and not confining. You can view the corselet at:
http://eternitygowns.com/accessories.php?c=Accessories&i=C203.

Unfortunately, the company no longer has an official photo of the dress on their site so I've posted a couple of pictures to show you the detail and style as best I can. Click the pics for larger images.
Feel free to come view the dress if you’re local. I'm willing to ship and the sale will be considered final.

The second item is my deliciously cute Glenna Jean Sticky Rice baby bedding. 
It's unique, it's Asian!, it won't make your nursery look like a cupcake exploded.
(I must have cupcakes on the brain.)  We're done with the baby phase of life so it needs a happy new home. It was only used with one baby and is in pristine condition. I intended to use it with all our babies but when we got the surprise that we were having twins I couldn't find a second set for less than $450. My "holy-crap-twins-are-going-to-be-expensive!" side just couldn't pay that much. So my "twin-girls-must-have-matching-bedding" side searched for months and scored really cute pink Pottery Barn sets for less than $50.
Still wish I'd had two of these, though. 

Here are the details:
Glenna Jean Sticky Rice crib bedding set. This Asian pattern has been retired and is now impossible to find for under $400. Used with only one baby and is in perfect condition.  

Gender neutral and so classic.  My set includes the bumper, crib skirt, matching brushed cotton crib sheet (slightly fuzzy and really soft!), panda mobile, blanket (that we used as decoration on a chair) and I'll throw in the cute panda stuffed animal also used as decoration (mine doesn't have a little coat like those pictured but is the same size).
 
Truly looks perfectly brand new. Matched our black crib set great but the multiple patterns allow it to match dark or light wood cribs as well. Probably won't look good with white cribs.

I had a personal Pride & Prejudice moment a few days ago.  The L.L. Bean catalog arrived in the mail.  I've only mentioned L.L. Bean on this blog one other time, in this Top 5 Banned Wardrobe Items post. And I used them simply as an example of style-assassinating mom jeans. Even though I have never ordered anything from them, the catalog has continued to arrive. And the other night as Mr. Darcy and I lay snuggling in bed, I pulled it off my nightstand to have a good snark-session and chuckle at the unflattering pants and boxy shirts.
Until I got to page 9 and saw this.

Now, this may not be earth shattering to you. You might be thinking, "What in the world would make her pause on this?" Well let me tell you. A v-neck shirt with elbow length sleeves is extremely flattering on my particular shape. I think it's extremely flattering on many women, if not most. The v-neck draws the eye up to the face and opens the neck space to lengthen and slim much better than a scoop or crew neck tee.
But the sleeves are the real kicker. I greatly dislike t-shirts with short sleeves that cut across the widest part of my upper arm. That would be nearly ALL t-shirts that aren't long sleeve. It's infuriating. And yes, with all my recent weight loss my upper arms are much slimmer than they were a few months ago but there is still some under-arm waddle I'd like to keep under wraps.
So I stalk elbow-sleeve v-neck tees with great vengeance. If you also prefer these tees, then you know how difficult they can be to find! Hence, catalog pg. 9 stopping me in my tracks.
The next morning, I went to the LL Bean site to order one of these tees.
And lo and behold, I found a few other cute things.

Maybe the key is to shop in the Signature section, though the pink blazer is from the regular side.  One thing that L.L. Bean is known for, and I'll be putting it to the test shortly, is their quality. At my old company when we were choosing company logo-embroidered shirts for conferences, several people wanted to get L.L. Bean Double L polos instead of the generic corporate versions. That didn't get approved but they raved about the quality of them and I do need a good polo shirt. I've shrunk out of all of mine.
So I put aside my prejudice against the Bean and placed an order. (They offer free shipping, no minimum order. That's nice!)
If the t-shirt fits the way I'm hoping, I'll be getting it in multiple colors. I'll let you know as soon as my things arrive. Keep your fingers crossed!

We're closing out our study of coverage tees today with Darks and Fall/Winter looks.
If you need to catch up, you can check out Part 1- Spring/Summer
and Part 2- Lace/Sheer.

Darks can swing to the tricky or easy side. Let's analyze.

1. #'s 2 and 4 above are pretty easy. One is lacy, the other slightly sheer, so a black coverage tee underneath is a safe bet. White or nude tees that don't exactly follow the outline of the shirt would create odd shadowing under the shirt, so you're better off with black. 
   
2. #3 above can be tough. The coverage tee will be front and center at the neckline so if the black of the dress and the black of the tee don't match, it will jump out in a bad way.  Compare them in both natural and indoor light. If they don't match, choose a contrasting color. Anything you like! Red, white, blue, etc. And since the sleeves are already modest, consider a beaded or sparkly tank instead of a coverage tee to dress it up more. A plain layer in a contrasting color will dress down this dress. A matching black or embellished layer will dress it up. As will the choice of shoes & accessories.
   
3. #1 was chosen to discuss necklines. Just a little bit of coverage is needed under this top. Personally, I think a flash of red or baby blue under this top would be great. White or black obviously work as well. But you can easily see that if the neckline of the coverage tee comes way up to the collar bone, the entire look will be thrown off. You'll look at it and think, "There's something not quite right but I just can't pinpoint it." Again, since the sleeves work, a tank or cami with a lower neckline will work better.
4. #5 is a good example of choosing color.  You could choose a coverage layer from any of the colors in this dress. A nude or white under this dress would just look wrong.
   

Fall/Winter layers are when coverage tees are at their most useful. They become the extra layer you need without adding bulk. A couple things to remember:

1. As shown in all the examples above, TUCK that tee in if it's going to hang below your outer layer. No need to make yourself look shorter and wider.
2. With the short-sleeved example (2 from L) you could also wear a long sleeve coverage tee. Short sleeves on an outer layer can look cute and casual with long sleeves underneath.
3. Don't forget that coverage tees are extremely casual. To elevate your sweater, don't forget the smart look of a button down as the under layer. If you haven't seen them already, check out The Skinny Shirt (pictured below). I think this is a brilliant idea. It's a normal button down collar and cuffs, but the body of the shirt is slim and stretchy. It'll stay smooth under your sweater! Genius. Wish I'd thought of it. (SkinnyShirt has no idea who I am.)
4. For extra warmth, layer them under shirts that don't "need" the tee.  Choose coordinating colors (much better than matchy-matchy) and leave the shirt unbottoned a bit. The fitted nature of the coverage tee will provide a sleek look under the shirt.

- Part 2 -
We're continuing our look at how one can stylishly employ coverage tees.  We started last week with some Spring looks and major Do's and Do Not's. 
Today's it's Sheer and Lace!

I've been getting emails from folks asking, "What are you talking about with these shirts? Are people seriously wearing them like that?" While modesty tees can be found most anywhere, I don't think anyone can deny that the looks I showcased in How NOT to Wear Coverage Tees are mostly a "Utah thing" or a "Mormon thing." I love that Utah is the hotbed of modest dressing. The Mormon community definitely carries the torch for modesty high. But admittedly, it can be a challenge to inject variety into a wardrobe with some pretty defined rules. It seems that when these coverage tees hit the big time, more than a few folks figured they could be used to wear anything and everything. And that's where we ran into some serious style trouble.
But no more! We're getting the coverage tees back on track!

Lace and chiffon are big for spring! I've always loved both! They're so feminine and romantic. Coverage tees work perfect under these items and you can make them work best with a few simple tips.

Yesterday's post was getting long so I saved this tip for today. 
FASHION TAPE!
Get it. Use it. Love it.
There's no need to wear an entire coverage tee just to help with the tiniest of gaps that might happen at a neckline. A little strip of double-sided fashion tape at the underwear/bra line will keep that top/dress in place all day.  You can find it at most sewing supply stores and online. I like the pre-cut strips as opposed to the rolls.  They're much easier to remove from the backing and you can take along a couple extra strips.
A few tips for expert taping:

• Make sure the skin where you'll be sticking is dry and cream free.
  
• If you've never used it before, practice once or twice. The placement can be tricky. You want your top to lay flat, not pull or pucker. Stand up straight, position your top then slip the tape under. Remove the other backing and stick down your top. Press firmly.
• You can stick cloth-to-cloth, if that will look better than cloth-to-skin. This works well with wrap or crossover style tops, even button down blouses that gap at the bust.
• Don't mummify yourself! If more than a small strip or two of tape is required, move on to layering or forget the top entirely.
  

She was truly stunningly beautiful.  But also a great actress. I love the original "Father of the Bride" and "Father's Little Dividend" movies.  "Giant" was fantastic. Love her, and her dresses!, in "A Place In The Sun."

She definitely lived the life of a superstar and left a lot of beauty behind.

- PART 1 -
Alrighty - let's get to it!  As I mentioned in "How NOT to wear coverage tees," I'm on a mission to eradicate the crimes against good style that some folks are committing with these useful, but often misused, fitted t-shirts.
For anyone just joining us, a "coverage tee" or "modesty t-shirt" is a very fitted tee with a higher neckline, longer length and sleeves ranging from small cap to long.

First off, CONGRATULATIONS! This sounds like such an honor and the opportunity for a fun, unique event. I wanted a little extra information from J. and didn't get to post this before the luncheon but I'm going to address it anyway, in case the information is useful for anyone else.
1. Don't dress down. A luncheon of any type calls for "dressy casual." An AWARD luncheon calls for a step up from that.  For an event like this, I'd go with a dress, although the trousers and blouse combo would also work. Just no denim. Period.

Formal wear - be it Cocktail level or Black Tie level - is especially tricky for modest dressers. If a dress is long enough, it tends to show too much skin up top. If the top is covered, it often goes no lower than mid thigh. If the front is covered, it's backless.  If the back is covered, it has a plunging V-neckline! It's quite a conundrum.  If you ever find a formal dress that's timeless, flattering, and modest without modification - BUY IT!
You'll wear it someday, I promise, and it'll be worth every penny. 

J. purchased the dress you see at the top.  She might want something different for next year, so we're going to address the options.

The formal skirt/white button down shirt combo has been hitting the red carpet for a while. And I really like it because it's versatile. The skirt can be paired with different button downs, a brocade tank and shrug as shown above, or a cashmere twinset for less formal occasions. But it has it's own set of rules.

1. It must be truly formal. That means in both shape and material. A simple straight black skirt that you would wear to church is not a formal skirt. Satin works here, a fit/flare shape, something with a train, fancy beading, full with a crinoline, etc. It has to carry the full weight of the formal requirement.
   
2. You have to tuck.  Leaving the shirt untucked kills the look. You don't have to tuck a twinset, but it should be form fitting to balance the fullness of the bottom. Teeter-totter!!
3. Formal skirts can be hard to find outside the holiday party time of year, so start looking this fall and tuck it away if you find one.

Accessories

J. says she's "not a fancy person" so I don't want to overwhelm her with jewelry options she might not be comfortable with but I still want her to have fun with it. And choose things she could use again and again.
For J.'s dress, I suggest long, sparkly earrings and a tennis bracelet or slim bangles.  Maybe a fun cocktail ring.  She has short hair, which will play nicely with the earrings. Chandelier earrings would be lovely. They'll also leave the neckline open and long, which will draw nice attention to the face.

I've also suggested she kick her shoes up a notch. The lower heel with this dress pitches toward frumpy. A higher heel in black or a neutral metallic will be a better option.

If she's not sure how to do evening-event appropriate makeup, I suggest booking an appointment at a makeup counter (Sephora or Nordstrom?) on your way to the event. Or at the very least, a few days before so they can give you a tutorial.

J. sent me a few pictures of last years gala.  There was some sparkle, lots of under-dressed shirt/skirt combo's, several frumpy "Sunday Suits", even a few pants.
I'd have loved to fix up the whole group in a makeover suite!

I think the dress she chose will be appropriate for the room as well as for the occasion.  We don't want her in floor-length sequins with a sweeping train if the rest of the room is in Sunday dress but we also don't want her dressing down just because others don't know the meaning of "Formal Gala Event."  Under-dressed people should never dictate what's appropriate, but too often, it's the properly dressed folks who feel silly. Always dress for the occasion and then wear it with confidence! You'll own the room! And hopefully inspire someone else to dress better next time.

Good luck, J.! We're excited to hear when you win!