Earlier this month, we advised one of our male readers (Phil) about what to wear to his casual wedding.  In the comments, Ria chimed in about her own casual wedding, held this past summer.  Said Ria, "We had a casual wedding, no ties! Well, no ties for the guests. My husband wore a tie but no jacket, same with the groomsmen. Just putting it out there as an alternative. It was hot so no jackets or vests worked for us, but the ties added to the wedding party style."

A: 
Obi belts do wonders to define your waist, so you can pair them with larger, more shapeless garments. Obis are a wonderful accessory for calf-length dresses, long tops, tunics and loose blouses. 

Most necklines will look good with an obi belt. Just be careful with turtlenecks/mock-turtlenecks if your top doesn’t have sleeves. Depending on how wide the obi belt is, the overall affect may or may not be slimming. 

Obi belts are worn higher up than a normal belt, and they should cinch you a little above the waist. The belt should be cinched around you, but it shouldn’t be too tight. If you can’t move freely and sit comfortably in your outfit, it’ll be obvious, and the outfit won’t look right.

Because the obi belt makes a bold statement, pair it with solid colors to heighten its appeal. Bonus points for choosing a bright solid color to pair the obi belt with—the resulting look is very modern. 

A:  Too bad the temperature will be that cool, but in the spirit of the cruise I would pack some fun and flirty outfits.  A cruise is a time to play, so I would recommend a couple of fun dresses to throw into the mix with your jeans.  As for what to wear with your jeans, you can always take your outfit up a notch by throwing a wrap around yourself or adding a cute short sleeved jacket to coordinate with your jeans–and the dresses. 

Here are a few dresses to get you started:
Free People ‘La Isla’ Embroidered Voile Dress | $118 at Nordstrom
Twisted Heart ‘Bianca’ Hooded Terry Dress | $143 at Nordstrom
BCBGMAXAZRIA Flutter Sleeve Knit Dress | $178 at Nordstrom
(Pictured) Diane von Furstenberg ‘Reno’ Silk Damask Shift Dress | $325 at Nordstrom
Theory ‘Azuri - Acute’ Printed Dress | $455 at Nordstrom

And a few separates you might find cruise-worthy:
BB Dakota ‘Evie’ Jacket (in White) | $44 at Nordstrom
Free People ‘Indian Princess’ Racerback Top | $98 at Nordstrom

The dresses I am recommending would look pretty with heels or flats, and the white Free People blouse with jeans would show off any tan you may get.  During the day, jeans or walking shorts with a cute tee or blouse would serve you well.  And if you invest in a short sleeve jacket (like the BB Dakota one), you’ll be covered–even in 60 degree temperatures.   Have a fun filled three days in Mexico!

We asked: Is Bright Yellow In or Out?

My girlfriends and I have very different definitions of timeliness.  While I’m the supreme planner and book our dinner reservations weeks (sometimes months) in advance; many of my girlfriends either forget to RSVP or show up moments after its fashionable.  As my party slowly trickles in, I ALWAYS receive a call from someone running ridiculously late.  (My favorite excuse is “Where are we eating again?”)

During our most recent holiday dinner, I had an “ah-ha” moment in the middle of a very heated discussion about Gossip Girl.   One of my girlfriends threw her hands up in excitement.  As her thumb knocked over a glass of red wine, I noticed that she wasn’t wearing a watch.  I quickly scanned the table and noticed that all our wrists were bare (well, actually I was wearing enough bangles to score a starring roll in Yash Chopra’s next Bollywood flick)—and ah-ha!  I realized that I had to get all of us in the same time zone!  Read on for 5 watches (one for each of my best girlfriends) to invest in.  No matter what your personal style, you’ll come out stylishly on time.

A:  How you dress is critically important to making a great impression. You don’t want to send him the wrong signals about you by how you dress—or how you act, or your date may just think you are looking for something other than a significant other.  How to put your best foot forward every time?  Dress for yourself first and foremost.  Here’s what you need to know:
 
How Much to Reveal:
Women know men like to see a little skin, but how much is too much? You want to show enough to get his mind thinking about what is underneath. But suggesting and showing are two very different things.

How do you balance suggesting and showing off your assets?  Two examples: wear a crisp white button-down shirt by Ralph Lauren and leave the top couple of buttons open to hint at some cleavage. Or try a deep scoop neck top with three quarter sleeves.  The arm-thinning three quarter sleeves balance out the suggestive scoop neckline. 

Dress to reveal your strengths.  What’s your favorite part of your body?  Wear clothes that highlight that.  Are you in love with your long, long legs?  Wear a more revealing skirt to show them off.  Do you have an elegant swanlike neck?  Wear a statement necklace to draw attention to it.
 
What to Wear:
If you’re a dress kind of gal, you’re in luck.  Fashion’s fascination with dresses translates into a wide variety of styles for you to choose from.  For a day date, try a cotton sundress or a silk jersey wrap dress (extra points for bright colors or bold patterns), a statement accessory, and the appropriate outerwear.  For an evening date, venture into cocktail dress territory—or, if the occasion calls for it, slip on an evening gown.
 
What about pants—or is a skirt better?  Either can work, but when in doubt, go with a skirt. Skirts are, by nature, more feminine and their inherent sexiness can unleash your natural confidence.
 
If you’re feeling brave, try an above-the-knee length skirt with a sleeved top.  The more your reveal of your legs, the more you should cover up on top—and vice versa.   If you’re more comfortable with conservative skirts, go for an ankle-length skirt (not one that hits at mid-calf—that length is almost universally unflattering) dressed up with sexy heels.
 
As for footwear, high heels add extra shape to your legs—and they’re a real leg lengthener (especially in styles without an ankle strap).  But if you’re not comfortable in high heels, try a lower heel height or a thicker heel, both of which are easier to walk in.

Lastly, you come to the coat.  If it’s cooler outside, then a snug peacoat or three-quarter length coat is an attractive way to finish off your outfit.  If you’re blessed with warmer weather, then a simple shawl or button up sweater would do the trick nicely.

The next time you’re getting ready for a date, dress for the occasion (no evening gowns at Sunday brunch!), but more importantly, dress to make yourself happy so you’ll make the great impression that will get him asking for that next date.

A: 
Headbands are stylish, easy to wear, and versatile. And the great news is that they’ve been re-embraced recently. No matter how long or short your hair is, there’s a headband out there that’s right for you. How do you know what kind of headband will work for you?  Here’s a good rule of thumb: the shorter your hair is, the thinner the band should probably be.

Headband Types:
Not only can you choose the color of your headband, but you can also choose patterns, materials and widths. A solid colored headband can look proper and polished if worn in a classic or neutral color that shows nicely against the color of your hair. Then again, a solid colored headband can also look trendy and fun if worn in a bright hot pink.

What’s hot right now?  The skinny headband is on the rise—probably to suit the ever-so-popular bob hairstyles.  But choose your headband to flatter your own hair and head. Any width can look nice.

How to Wear a Headband: Three Easy Ways
The easiest way to wear a headband is to just slide it on - it’s even simpler than programming a TiVo! But if you’re short on time and want a different look, you can mix up this simple look by changing your part, or wearing the headband with no part.

My newest favorite way to wear a headband is to pull the top half of my hair up and back into a clip. (I usually leave some shorter layers out to frame my face, using pomade to help define the pieces.) Then I put a headband on. For thinner headbands, wear as is. But the thicker the band is, or for a more dramatic look, I suggest putting your hair up so that it has some height (a light and quick application of both holding gel and hairspray will help) and then putting the headband on so that it’s very low and angled a bit forward.

We asked: Is Light Blue Denim In or Out?

A: 
It sounds like your company is being unreasonably strict in its dress policy, but perhaps "business casual" has been wrongly interpreted by some of your co-workers.  By deeming that womens’ blouses should have necklines to the collar bone, they are ruling out the risk of any visible cleavage. 

Unfortunately for you, the v-neck is by far the most flattering cut for a large bust.  Furthermore, to find shells or camisoles that reach the collar bone would be very difficult.  You could try crew neck light weight cotton t-shirts as the underpinning and then let the lines of v-neck blouses or sweaters work to your advantage.  However, this is still not a graceful, figure flattering look for you.

Some blouses the have a higher neck but a loose silhouette (like the example below), which would be pretty with a long, dark wide legged pant  for work (and jeans on the weekend). The key here is to balance the proportions of tops to bottoms to create an overall long line.  Finish off the outfit with big earrings or bracelets to help draw the eye away from the bust.

Long story short, you’ll have to submit to crewnecks and boatnecks to comply with company policy, but you can work within these guidelines to create moderately flattering looks.  Final style tip?  To look your best in these cuts, be sure to invest in very good bras.

We asked: Is Roaring 20s Fashion In or Out?