Posts filed under 'Q&A'
Q: All the empire-waist dresses and tops advertised this season look lovely - however putting them on in the shop makes me look like the one thing I’m not: pregnant. Being tall and rather slim still won’t help. Any suggestions as to how to avoid the "she might just be" stares at work?
A: We know exactly what you mean about the might-be-pregnant empire waist styles. The pregnant look comes from stiff and/or blousy empire waist tops and dresses. Because of the elevated placement of the waistline, if the fabric beneath that waistline doesn’t skim the body, you end up looking like you might be expecting. After the jump, two tips to avoid the pregnant empire waistline look:
(1) Look for styles made of drapey fabric, such as a buttery cotton jersey or silk charmeuse.
(2) If you’ve fallen in love with a blousy empire waist top or dress, wear a belt to reign in the extra fabric.
Pictured: Belted Silk Macrame Woven Top | $78 at Banana Republic.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
May 15th, 2007
Q: Any suggestions for a cool handbag for women with a toddler? It has to have space for a diaper or two and can’t be carried in hand in case I need both hands to grab the little one. I carry a backpack, but my friends keep teasing me that its 70’s or 80’s style and that I am not moving on…
A: The ideal handbag for women with a toddler combines the style of a traditional handbag with the functionality (and pockets) of a diaper bag. Our favorite bag that bridges the two is Hayden Harnett’s Ibiza Tote.
Why is it perfect? A detachable strap allows this bag to be worn either crossbody (leaving both your hands free) or under your arm. Plus, we love the two large exterior pockets–perfect for stashing extra diapers.
Pictured: Ibiza Tote | $198 at Hayden Harnett.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
May 11th, 2007
A couple of weeks ago, the Omiru community provided some great style advice to another Omiru reader, Christina, who was looking for fashion ideas for her summer design internship in New York.
You did such a great job, in fact, that another reader, Teresa, is asking for your sage advice.
Says Teresa, "I’ve lucked into every college student’s dream - the office where I did my internship last summer has offered me a full time position after I graduate next month! In my new position I’ll be working with design firms, community-member boards, and local construction contractors, so it’s important that I look accessible but also respectable. My question about my new wardrobe is this. My identity and my style is quite butch; I’m not comfortable in feminine tops, curvy pants, or skirts. I’d like to retain the flavor of my personal style as I assemble a wardrobe for the working world. How do I do this without looking like I’m in drag?"
So, tell us, what do you think Teresa should wear to work? Please leave your advice in the comments of this post.
May 10th, 2007
Q: I love the look of knee length narrow coats, but I’m only 5′1". Is it against the fashion rules for me to wear such a long coat?
A: Don’t be afraid to sport a knee-length coat if it’s a narrow cut.
While long, floor-length coats will overwhelm your small frame, knee-length coats, if proportioned correctly, can be figure flattering. Here’s six things to look for in a knee-length coat for maximum figure flattery:
(1) Styles with simple lines,
(2) One or two button closures,
(3) Narrow lapels that end above the natural waistline,
(4) Empire-waist styles,
(5) High necklines, which create the illusion of height, and
(6) Belts, which (if any) should be placed above the natural waistline.
Pictured: Via Spiga Smoke Grey Wool Blend Graphico Coat | $183.99 (sale) at Bluefly.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
May 9th, 2007
Q: I am attending a wedding in South Carolina in May. The wedding is supposed to take place outside and it was requested that the dress be casual. Help!
A: Even though the requested dress is "casual," we’d still recommend wearing a dress or a skirt-blouse combination. We have three casual wedding style tips for you:
1. Because the wedding is both casual and outdoors, we’d recommend wearing a short dress–but no overtly sexy styles, since it is a wedding. Try strappy or halter styles instead.
2. Since the wedding is in May, bright colors are not only on-trend but also seasonally appropriate.
3. Lastly, since the South tends to be a bit more formal, we’d recommend bringing a cardigan for some extra coverage.
Here’s three dresses to get you started:
(Pictured) Playa Tank Dress | $250 at J Crew
A figure flattering empire-waist dress is dressed up with a seasonally appropriate bright yellow color.
BCBG Max Azria ‘Penny Dot’ Dress | $158 at Nordstrom
A bright graphic dotted print spices up a matte jersey babydoll dress.
Generra Tie Back Dress | $161 at Shopbop
This halter dress features figure flattering ruching at the (empire) waistline and a comfortable above-the-knee hemline.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
May 4th, 2007
Q: For a Christmas party this past December, I bought a beautiful black pencil skirt by Nanette Lepore. I’d really like to be able to wear this skirt at other times of the year. What sort of tops could I wear with it to make it more office and season appropriate?
A: Transform this party-appropriate skirt into a part of your work wardrobe by balancing the dressiness of the skirt with a more conservative top.
Try pairing the body-hugging skirt with a looser silhouette on top. And because the pencil skirt hugs your curves, look for a top with either short or long sleeves–a sleeveless blouse with the pencil skirt feels more party than office appropriate. Here’s three suggestions for you:
(Pictured) Silk Dot Print Blouse | $47.99 (sale) at Banana Republic
For a look that balances business and fashion, pair the silky skirt with a printed blouse.
Isabel Pleated Tuxedo Shirt | $64 at J Crew
For a coquettish look, play up the dressiness of the skirt with a cap-sleeved tuxedo-front blouse.
Cotton/Linen Embroidered Tunic | $68 at Banana Republic
For a more casual (but still office appropriate) vibe, try a relaxed fit cotton tunic.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
May 3rd, 2007
Q: I walked into the Gap because I saw one of their models on the display poster wearing a black skinny tie and white shirt combination. But as it turns out, Gap doesn’t sell the black skinny tie, the one thing that made me walk into the store. Where’s a good place to buy a skinny tie?
A: Chic and modern (and a Hollywood red carpet staple), skinny ties are surprisingly hard to find in mall-type stores. Luckily, they’re more readily accessible online. Here’s a few skinny ties to check out:
1.5" Woven Polyester Tie (Style 1523) | $15 at NarrowTies
A textured matte finish gives this uber-narrow tie it’s popularity. 56" long.
(Pictured) 2.75" Satin Finish Tie | $9.95 (sale) at Tieguys
With a widest width of 2.75" (one inch less than a standard tie) and a length of 57", this tie is narrow–but not too narrow.
1.5" Satin Finish Skinny Tie | $9.95 at Dancestore
Perfect for special occasions, this tie features a satin finish and a dramatically narrow width.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
May 2nd, 2007
Q: What can I wear with these bermuda shorts from the Gap? The pattern is very hard to match!
A: Yes, this tiny striped pattern is difficult to match exactly. Luckily, you don’t have to match it to create a stylish outfit. But, for the sake of completeness, the rules about matching patterns are as follows:
(1) If you’re matching different types of pattterns (e.g. plaids and paisley), keep the scale of the pattern the same. If you have a small paisley pattern, for instance, look for a small plaid print to match.
(2) If you’re matching the same type of pattern (e.g. stripes and stripes), vary the size of the pattern. While a small stripe and a big stripe work well, two types of small stripes will look too matchy-matchy.
For this particular pair of striped denim bermuda shorts, we have three suggestions for you:
Knit Striped Deep V-neck Camisole | $39.50 at Gap
For a nautical-inspired look, match the small stripes with a top with larger stripes.
(Pictured) Emmeline Blouse | $78 at J Crew
For a delicate, pretty look, try this slightly ruched button-front blouse with fabric belt.
Proenza Schouler Canary Tissue Tank | $9.09 at Target
For a casual look, pair the striped shorts with a brightly colored plain tank.
Pictured: Striped Denim Bermuda Shorts | $34.99 (sale) at the Gap.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
May 1st, 2007
Q: I am heading to East Africa this summer to volunteer. We’ve been advised to wear shirts that cover our shoulders and skirts that are at least mid-calf length, as well as closed-toed shoes. How can do this without looking awful?
A: Volunteering in East Africa–what a noble thing to do. But just because you need to cover yourself up doesn’t mean that you need to look dowdy. Here’s how to stay stylish this summer:
Short Sleeved Fitted Tops: Cover your shoulders with cute cap sleeved tops that contour your curves. Wear these with both long skirts and pants.
Tanks over Tees: If you can’t bear to go without your camisoles and tank tops, try layering them over fitted tissue-weight t-shirts for a playful look.
Bright Colors: Spice up a simple outfit with a burst of color. Bright yellow and cobalt blue, in particular, are favorites of Omiru readers.
Full Length Skirts: Mid-calf length skirts tend to be unflattering, as they make your legs look shorter. Wear full-length skirts in flowy fabrics instead.
Pants: Tired of skirts? Pants are also a functional option for your volunteer work. Look for breathable fabrics like cotton so as to not overheat. Tip: You can wear tunics and babydoll tops over pants.
Here’s a couple of outfit ideas to get you started:
Casual Chic: Tunic + Jeans + Sneakers.
Flirty and Feminine: Camisole + Tissue-Weight T-Shirt + Full Length Skirt + Flats.
Pictured: Love Squared Swiss Dot Babydoll Top | $26 at Nordstrom and Favorite-Fit Linen/Cotton Deck Pant | $79.50 at J Crew.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
April 26th, 2007
Q: What’s the best way to keep new clothes looking new? Whenever I buy something, it looks great the first time I wear it, but then after the first or second wash, it starts looking older and older.
A: Clothes start to look older after washing for three main reasons: (1) Color Fading, (2) Pilling, and (3) Wrinkling. Here’s how to combat each:
Problem: Color Fading
Solution: Wash your clothes in cold water. Many clothing dyes aren’t color fast to begin with, and the tendency to "bleed" increases with the temperature of the water. Colors tend to become permanent after a few washes–and the garments under high heat accelerates the color setting process. Note: Always wash denim inside-out to prevent color loss.
I’ve found that using gentler detergents (like Woolite) helps to extend the "new" look of my clothes. Oh, and if the garment says "Dry Clean Only," do just that.
Problem: Pilling
Solution: Buy a fabric shaver to quickly and safely remove the "pills" (balled up fuzz) and lint from your clothes. Fabric shavers, like the model pictured, are especially useful to give new life to sweaters.
Pilling happens when your clothes rub up against something else. In the washing machine, this can happen when clothes rub up against the sides of the machine–or when they rub up against each other.
To minimize pilling, we recommend (1) placing items prone to pilling inside garment bags, (2) using the delicate cycle, and (3) not overloading your washing machine full of clothes.
Problem: Wrinkling
Solution: Fold or hang your clothes as soon as the dryer cycle ends. The longer clothes sit in the dryer after the dryer cycle ends, the more wrinkled they will become.
If you can’t take clothes out of the dryer right away, try moistening a hand towel and adding it to the load and then run the dryer for 10 minutes. The heat and moisture combination works much like a steamer and will help reduce wrinkling.
You can use a fabric steamer to remove wrinkles in your clothes. Steamers are less harsh than irons on your clothes–and will help to preserve their usable life span.
Pictured: Surround Air XJ-350 Electric Fabric Shaver | $29.99 at Target.
Style question? We’ve got answers. E-mail us at tips at omiru dot com, or leave us a comment with your question.
April 25th, 2007
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