We asked: Would you wear Plaid?
You said: Yes! A whopping 77% of you voted in favor of Plaid.
Style tip? Plaids can be loud–but they can also be quietly sophisticated. Try a glen plaid (pictured, left) for a whisper of plaid.
Next question: Despite how tough they are to wear, skinny jeans remain on the fashion radar. But would you wear skinny jeans? Cast your vote on the sidebar!
Pictured: Martin Glen Plaid Cuffed Wide-leg Trouser | $59.99 (sale) at Banana Republic.
Posted by Trisha on March 23rd, 2008 in Men, Trend, Trend Predictives, What's In and What's Out, Women |
Q: I just got a black fitted vest/waistcoat and I’m not sure how to integrate it with the rest of my wardrobe. I’m still a college student and I don’t want to necessarily look like I’m heading towards the office or anything. Is there a way I can wear this more formal piece while still looking young and casual?
by Tamiko Kelly, Fashion Expert and Style Maven at Margarite Elaine
A: Traditionally a men’s wardrobe staple, the fitted vest (aka the waistcoat) has migrated over to women’s wardrobes. This trend has been popularized over the last few seasons, and it still has a cult-like following. With this set, we wanted to show you how to give a young, hip/funky edge to a wardrobe staple.
The vest look on the left is based on a neutral palette. The result is at once sophisticated and youthful, right down to the silver-grey ankle boots. The vest look on the right, on the other hand, is all about personality. Note the use of color in this outfit: the reddish-purple color on the shirt is echoed in the shoes, clutch, and earrings.
Have a great tip about what to wear with a vest? Share it with us in the comments!
Posted by Trisha on March 20th, 2008 in How To, Q&A, Ready Made Outfits, Women, Women's, Women's |
There’s no better way to perk up a dreary day outfit (and stay warm) than a brightly colored sweater. It’ll brighten your outfit–and it’ll lift your mood. Here’s to cheery cloudy days–and the best of the Bright Sweaters out there:
Our $$ Picks:
Cotton Cashmere Primrose Cardigan | $98 at J Crew
The cotton lawn flowers adorning the front placket take this sweater from average to amazing.
Egyptian Cotton Short Sleeve Cardigan | $65 at J Crew
Isn’t this royal blue color to die for? Goes great with neutrals…and a splash of orange.
Ruched Sleeve Shawl Wrap Sweater | $57 (approx) at Topshop
We just can’t get enough of this gorgeous teal color.
Our $ Picks:
Elbow Sleeved Waffle Cardigan | $39.50 at Gap
The elbow sleeves on this cardigan let your button-down shirts shine for a perfect business casual ensemble.
Sweater Knit Drawstring Hoodie | $24.50 at Old Navy
Layer this hoodie over a striped shirt for a playful look.
Posted by Trisha on March 19th, 2008 in Shopping Guide, Trend, Trendscape, Trendscape, Women |
Q: I just got plaid pants (straight cut), but I don’t know what to wear them with! Here’s what the fabric looks like. Please give me ideas about what to wear with these pants.
A: We have good news and bad news about your plaid pants. The good news is that you won’t really have to spend a lot of time putting an outfit together when you wear these pants. The bad news is that it’s because you won’t have a lot of options. When pairing shirts with these pants, stick to solid, simple colors. As always, we would suggest a crisp, white shirt (tucked in). Shoes should be casual, but don’t wear sneakers with these pants. Try loafers or Tod’s drivers instead. Oh, and avoid patterned shirts or jackets, or else you’ll end up looking like an optical illusion.
Plaid like yours is bold, especially on a dressier piece of clothing. Last season, Tom Ford had a three-piece plaid suit that was particularly eye catching (shown bottom right). Then again, is there anything from Tom Ford that isn’t? He probably could find some way to make what amounts to a Hanes white undershirt fashionable, price it at $400, and it would sell out.
Wearing plaid pants with patterns can be done, as the gentleman in brown (pictured top left) proves, but it’s difficult to do, especially without a matching jacket.
Our advice for next time is to buy the entire suit, not just the pants. If you want one piece of the suit, buy the jacket, as it’s more versatile (you can wear it over jeans, chinos or wool trousers, if you’d like). When you have the whole suit, it can become a very chic piece; however, separating the jacket from the pants is much trickier.
Have a great tip about what to wear with plaid pants? Share it with us in the comments!
Pictured: Man in Brown Linen Suit by The Sartorialist and Tom Ford Suit by the New York Times.
Posted by Trisha on March 19th, 2008 in Men, Men's, Q&A |
We’ve been shopping more and more at Banana Republic lately. Maybe it’s their new signature line, maybe it’s their bold colors for spring, or maybe it’s their classic-with-a-twist details. Maybe it’s all three. Presenting our five favorite picks from Banana Republic’s current collection:
3/4 Sleeve Beaded Cardigan | $89 at Banana RepublicCheerfully yummy.
Silk Lace Top | $79 at Banana Republic
The beauty is in the details–scalloped lace and pin-tuck pleats.
Silk Ruffle Sleeve Top | $64 at Banana Republic
The layered ruffles lining the sleeves are an inspired touch to an already gorgeous silk blouse.
Flatiron Embossed Triangle Satchel | $248 at Banana Republic
Expensive, yes, but consider it an investment piece that’ll earn you dividends each time you tote it.
Three Stone Cabochon Bracelet | $34 at Banana Republic
The perfect accessory to finish off your statement outfit.
Posted by Trisha on March 17th, 2008 in Shopping Guide, Women |
We asked: Would you wear a Minidress?
You said: Maybe. For the second week in a row, both "Yes" and "No" each got 50% of the vote.
Style tip? If you have less-than-perfect legs, you can still pull off the minidress trend. Try wearing a minidress over (opaque) tights. Black tights are the most slimming, but you can also experiment with color here.
Next question: We’re seeing plaid everywhere–on the runway, in stores, and on the streets. But would you wear plaid yourself? Cast your vote on the sidebar!
Pictured: Kate Dress | $98 at J Crew.
Posted by Trisha on March 17th, 2008 in Trend, Trend Predictives, Trendscape, What's In and What's Out, Women |
Welcome to a Special Sampler Edition of the Friday Fashion Hotlist. This week, we present to you Our Favorite Goodies from the Sampler to show you the best of the best from independent crafters and artists.
Bees Knees Gocco Print | $3.50 each at Andy Pratt Design
Andy Pratt’s Location Collection features handmade letterpress visions of Brooklyn, Nice, and London.
Check out Mixtape’s Etsy Store.
Mixtape’s designer is a lover of all things quirky, kitsch and retro cool. Like these vintage shilling charms.
Poppy Bobbypins | $6 each at Foundling
Foundling’s Bobbypins are made of repurposed vintage fabrics. Absolutely lovely.
Are you a designer or crafter? Spread the word about yourself by sending your goods to The Sampler today!
Posted by Trisha on March 14th, 2008 in Friday Fashion Hotlist, Shopping Guide, Trend, Women |
Q: I will be turning 30 in April and have decided to celebrate by finding a signature scent to wear for the next decade. I do think perfume can add something special, but… a lot of places are becoming scent free, and I don’t want something that’s either overpowering or girly. How do I choose a scent, and is it considered rude to wear perfume these days?
by Colleen Geary, fashion stylist and image consultant
A: At thirty, you should be looking for a complex and sophisticated perfume that reflects your personality and life experience. Select a perfume that speaks to your own unique personality—and one that doesn’t overwhelm you.
When selecting a perfume, consider your climate. Some scents are too heavy for the summer, and others are too light for the winter. Beyond that, we can’t tell you which perfume to choose—choosing a scent is very personal as each perfume has a different chemical reaction (and thus, a different scent) on each individual. Like we said in our article on cologne last week, we recommend experimenting by (1) finding scents that appeal to your senses, and then (2) seeing how the scent smells on your skin. One trick for clearing your nose from all the different scents (cleansing the palate, so to speak) is to carry coffee beans with you. Sniffing coffee beans will clear your nose from the scent of the previous perfume.
Great classics are usually a good place to begin, so try Robert Piquet’s Fracas, Chanel No. 5 or Coco by Chanel. For a non-overpowering, non-girly scent, you may also want to try the lush tuberose scent of Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle. A couple of my personal favorites are Annick Goutal’s Petite Cherie (which has pear and peach notes) and Jil Sander #4 (which is a little spicy).
As for your last question, it’s not rude to wear perfume–it’s rude to wear too much of it. Rule of thumb? If you’re riding in an elevator, your fellow passengers should only smell a trace of the perfume. Try a dab here and a dab there–or spray the scent into the air and walk through it.
Have a great tip about how to pick a perfume Or would you like to share your favorite scents? Share it with us in the comments!
Pictured: Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal (left) and Coco by Chanel (right).
Posted by Trisha on March 13th, 2008 in How To, Q&A, Shopping Guide, Women, Women's, Women's |
Spring is around the corner, so welcome it in style with these seven investment-worthy wardrobe upgrades.
The Tom Ford Inspired Shirt
Tom Ford Suit and Shirt, photo courtesy of Men.Style.com.
It’s an understatement to say that Tom Ford does everything bold. (Have you seen his ads? And the ones in US magazines are the “toned down†ones; check out the UK GQ for the real deal) So it shouldn’t be a big surprise that his spring collection is particularly eye-catching. Unfortunately, not all of us can a) afford Mr. Ford’s clothing or b) pull it off. We love the shirt in this suit set. Wear it under a solid colored blazer, such as charcoal, grey—or white, if you have that certain je ne sais quoi. Two more affordable options: the Secret Wash Point Collar Shirt in Large Gingham ($64.50 at J Crew), and a shirt with the same pattern (albeit of a lower quality) for a little less than $100 at Club Monaco (not available online).
The Slim Fit Polo Shirt
Michael Kors Striped Polo | $175 at Neiman Marcus
Polos are a staple of any gentleman’s casually cool spring summer wardrobe. Some designers to watch: Ralph Lauren’s spring line always resonates with color, and their rugby pieces have been recently increasing in popularity. Lacoste is celebrating its 75th anniversary by putting an oversized alligator on their classic polo shirts. Burberry has done two things we’ve loved over the last couple of seasons: (1) they came out with a slim-fit line of shirts, and (2) they’ve toned down the pretentiousness factor (i.e. they’ve gotten rid of that signature Burberry check on the front button placket on some shirts).
Bloomingdales sells a great rugby-striped, slim-fit, ultra-soft cotton polo by Burberry, which unfortunately isn’t available online. If you find it in store, check it out in the white/gray colorway. But similar to this Burberry shirt is the Michael Kors shirt pictured above.
The Perfect Chino Pant
Mason’s Chinos, photo courtesy of Men.Style.com.
As it gets hotter, jeans become a little too heavy to wear. Instead, try these chinos from Mason’s. They’re slim, rich in color and are sans pleats and cuffs. Perfect for any event not held at a country club.
The Lightweight Blazer
Soft Blazer | $165 at Oak
When it gets chilly at night—or you need to dress up for that dinner date, you’ll want to wear a blazer. If you’re looking for a new one, we recommend this blazer by OakNYC, as it’s a great lightweight summer choice. Style tip? The trick to instantly casualizing anything, especially coats (even trenchcoats) or blazers, is to push up the sleeves. Note that pushing is not the same as rolling– rolling up the sleeves will wreak havoc on finer jackets.
The Low Top White Leather Sneaker
Common Projects Sneakers | $264 at Revolve Clothing
The perfect casual summer shoe is a low top white leather sneaker. I recommend a slip on by Common Projects (a style that is in fashion at the moment, but not in stores yet). The pictured sneaker, a low-top lace up, is a close substitution. Well made and comfortable, Common Projects shoes bear no logos. Instead, each shoe is individually numbered in subtle gold writing. Style tip? When wearing white sneakers and dark denim, beware: dark denim is often dark because of a powder coating. This powder will rub off onto your shoes (and shirt, for that matter).
The Trenchcoat
Modern Glen Plaid Straight Trenchcoat | $198 at Banana Republic
Springtime welcomes warmer weather—but it also brings rain. When storms hit, you’ll need to keep dry. This single breasted trench by Banana Republic will do that for you. Note the glen plaid design, which keeps things interesting.
Even though its spring, it can still get chilly at night. You’ll want to have a casual, lightweight jacket like this reasonably priced one by Banana Republic. It’s only available online in black - the picture doesn’t quite do it justice - but we suggest looking at the cream color, which you can see but not buy online.
Posted by Trisha on March 12th, 2008 in Men, Shopping Guide, Trend, Trendscape, Trendscape, What's In and What's Out |
Q: I work in a super chilly office, and I have to dress somewhere between business casual and business. Everyone has instructed me to wear jeans (since I wear skirts all the time). What is the proper way to dress up jeans?
A: The key to surviving the cold in a chilly office environment is layering, layering, layering. Because while your cube may be freezing, the conference room with southern exposure (and floor to ceiling windows) may be an oven. Layering your clothes allows you to add and remove layers as the temperature around you shifts.
It sounds like your personal style falls on the dressier side, since you’re big on skirts. Like skirts, dark jeans are the way to go for a dressier look. The darker the jean, the dressier the look it creates.
Here’s three basic fashion formulas to get you started:
(1) Blazer + Sweater + Tee + Jeans.
(2) Cardigan + Button-down Shirt + Tee + Jeans.
(3) Jacket + Sweater + Blouse + Jeans.
Finish the look off with a pair of low heels (or boots) and a killer bag.
P.S. If it’s unbearably chilly, you may also want to go hunting for the thermostat or call facilities to adjust the temperature. In a pinch, you can also cover up an air vent that’s blowing directly at you with a plastic trash bag and duct tape.
Have a great tip about how to wear jeans to work? Share it with us in the comments!
Posted by Trisha on March 10th, 2008 in Q&A, Ready Made Outfits, Women, Women's |
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