Posts filed under What to Wear When

How to Wear Your Holiday Party Outfits All Year Round

The holiday decorations are down, or in my case some of the holiday decorations are down... The parties and family get-togethers are now fond memories. The excitement for shopping for the perfect holiday outfit is over. It’s January, and well, that’s that… And my friends, that fabulous holiday outfit that you spent weeks searching for; that same holiday outfit that you went a “tad bit” over your budget on buying; and yes, that holiday outfit that you had tailored for the perfect fit is now just lying there. It’s wanting to be worn but it’s January and you can’t possibly step out wearing all that glitz and glamour. Well, you actually can! There are ways you can still wear that holiday outfit, or pieces of it, without looking like you didn’t the memo that that holidays are over. Here are some of my stylist tips on how you can take your favorite holiday outfit items and wear them throughout the year.

 

That Sequin Item

Want to hear something great? Sequin is a big trend for Spring 2018 so go ahead and continue to sparkle and shine. You might be thinking that sure sequin is great for a night out, but can I really wear my sequin top or skirt to work? And the answer is, yes. The key here is to let the sequin item be the focal point of the outfit and not overwhelm it with too many accessories or other glittery items. For example, pair your sequin skirt with a pastel spring sweater, muted handbag, minimal accessories and pumps. The sweater and lack of accessories help soften the boldness of the sequin skirt leaving you with a fun spring office look. You can carry this over into the summer with a light tank top and into fall and winter with a darker colored lightweight sweater.

Wearing Sequin after the holidays

 

That Red Item

The color red is synonymous with anything festive. Sometimes it’s hard to think of wearing red when there isn’t a party to go to. But if this past fall has taught us anything about the color red it’s that it is a very powerful color and it can most definitely be worn any time of the year. As luck would have it, red continues to be a big color for spring. My stylist tip would be to embrace the color! If your style and personality lend itself to wearing an all red pantsuit then go for it. If you’re in middle and want to wear your red dress into spring, I’d say layer it with work pants and pumps. And if all you're looking for is to hold onto that comfy holiday red sweater for a little bit longer you can wear it with black ankle pants, a trendy plaid blazer and kitten heels.

Wearing Red After the Holdays

 

That Velvet Item

Velvet is such a rich and luxurious fabric that it’s perfect for any special event. It can also be worn as an everyday outfit. Velvet is another item that continues into spring and beyond. With everyday silhouettes like velvet tees, pants and jumpsuits, incorporating this fabric into your outfit rotation just got a little bit easier. My stylist tip on wearing velvet for an everyday look is to keep it simple. Since velvet is such an opulent fabric you want to tone it down with the other pieces in your outfit. A velvet top could be paired with denim and flats. Or a velvet jumpsuit could be layered with a stripe tee or a white button-down shirt for work. Add just a few fun accessories for an easy look.

Wearing Velvet After the Holidays

And those are just some ways to get more mileage out of your holiday clothing items. Now I’d love to hear from you, what are your favorite ways to incorporate your holiday clothes into your everyday wardrobes?

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful new year!

What to Wear in Between Seasons

What do you wear when it's 20 days till Memorial Day, but it's freezing outside?! I recommend a lightweight cotton sweater - it's easy to wear, it's easy to layer and it's perfect for this transition time period when it's cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon...

Check out my video for how you can wear a lightweight cotton sweater in between seasons. 

What are some of your favorite transistion weather clothes?

What to Wear to a College Interview

On March 2nd, I had the honor to present a seminar on “What to Wear to a College Interview” to college bound girls and their Moms.

This was my first time presenting to a teen age group. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I wondered if they would be receptive or if I would cover exactly what they were looking for. But, as a former buyer of junior / contemporary footwear at Macy’s I spent a lot of time researching what makes this age group tick. I combined that with my expertise in assisting women on what to wear on job interviews and I headed off to the Ridgewood Public Library in Ridgewood, NJ.

Within minutes of the presentation the girls were focused, interested and following along. When it came time to showing examples of clothing they smiled and asked thoughtful questions. At the end of the seminar I got a lot of “I love that top” “That necklace is cool” followed by, “Can we do a seminar on what to wear to prom?” Love it!

While I’m beyond ecstatic that the girls enjoyed the presentation, I have to say I was more excited by their enthusiasm, their confidence and their willingness to take steps to better themselves and their lives. Let me tell you, if this is what the future looks like I can safely say we’re in good hands!

A passion of mine is to help young girls and women be empowered with a positive body image and use the clothes they wear to tell their stories. I want to thank Megan Murphy, Realtor Associate at Keller Williams, for sharing my passion and sponsoring this seminar. My hope is for all girls to always see the beauty within them and do everything to make sure the world sees it too.

For those of you who missed the seminar, but are interested in the topic here are some tips on “What to Wear to a College Interview”.

First Impressions Count- As much as we don’t want to admit it, first impressions really do matter. According to a US News and World Report 1 of the 7 things that interviewers notice first is attire. And it takes just 7 seconds to make a first impression. So, know your audience, know what type of interview you are dressing for and dress accordingly.

Personal Style Matters too- Now, when I say to make a good first impression that doesn’t mean that one should dress the way others are expecting you to dress. When you wear something that doesn’t represent who you are then you’ll feel uncomfortable and conscious about yourself. This in turn will lead to a not so great interview... Therefore, it’s important to know your audience and think about your first impression but also make sure you are incorporating your style in what you wear. Your clothes should help tell your story, not distract from it.

Dressing FOR your Body Shape- Dress for your body shape, not against it. There are so many rules out there on how not to dress for your shape. I’ve had clients say they’ve “heard” that they could never wear stripes or to only wear vertical stripes or to wear “this or that” to hide “this or that”. It can get really confusing. My rule of thumb is to first start with knowing your body shape and then wear clothes that flatter your body. Dress to enhance your best features, not hide them. If you dress FOR your shape you will feel more comfortable and with comfort comes confidence.

What to Wear to a College Interview-  Here are some general examples of what to wear. When choosing clothing items for yourself make sure to consider your personal style, your body shape and your audience.

Pairing black pants with clean cable sweater in a pop color allows you to have a classic look yet still let your personal style shine.

Pairing black pants with clean cable sweater in a pop color allows you to have a classic look yet still let your personal style shine.

A knee length skirt with a fine gauge sweater is perfect for an interview. Let your personality shine by adding a slightly embellished necklace and matching tote bag.

A knee length skirt with a fine gauge sweater is perfect for an interview. Let your personality shine by adding a slightly embellished necklace and matching tote bag.

What NOT to Wear to a College Interview-  What to avoid when choosing an outfit for a college interview. Denim, Poor fitting clothes, Wrinkled Clothes, Too much jewelry, Shoes you can’t walk in, See through clothing (wear a tank top under), Blouses that billow, Mini skirts, Ripped pants / tops, Sleeveless tops (or wear a sweater or jacket over)  

If you're preparing for a college interview I wish you the best of luck!

What to Wear to a Summer Event

Summer is filled with exciting events like graduations, outdoor parties, bridal showers and so much more! But, finding the right outfit for a summer event can sometimes be a little tricky because these events tend to have a mix of casual, semi-formal and formal elements. Fear not, to help with these style dilemmas, here are some ideas on what to wear to a summer event!

Posted on May 4, 2015 and filed under What to Wear When.

Winter Dressing Guide (Not just for cold weather climates)

Tips and tricks on how to maintain your style in winter no matter where you live. That’s right 344pm blog readers and clients I haven’t forgotten about you all that don’t live in cold weather climates!