Fall 2007 Update
What's that bit of brightness skipping past? Oh my! It's 2007 going out with flair! Patent leather, electric colors, and fun-to-feel textures lead the parade, and, contrary to earlier trumpet calls, the 80's aren't back like the aftertaste of New Coke; they're back in disguises of all different kinds. (This aint your big sister's Duran Duran album!)
Yes, color is the big story here. Yellow is still around from the warmer months, but its friends are purple, bright blue, red, gray, metallics, and teal. As with earlier trends, combinations are creative and usually scoop up the traditional somber hues of the fall palette.
Of course, there's more to it than that. In a nutshell, here's the stuff you may wish to note:
The silhouette has flipped upside down. Now, the bottom is streamlined in straight leg trousers, sleek jeans, and shorter skirts with tights. (September 2007 issue of In Style Magazine has a great spread on body shapers to help along these styles.) Fortunately, real women can appreciate these styles, and take joy in the fact that the waistline has gone up just a little.
The top has greater volume in relation to the bottom. (Those with pear shape body types will love this!) Short waisted jackets (Jackie O style), Peter Pan collars, puffy sleeves, colorful tunics, textured vests, and large bows on pretty blouses reign supreme but require a bit of thought while pairing with bottoms. (Never pair a top of great volume and interest with a bottom of great volume and interest.)
Dresses make up the palette of fall fashion as well, and, as in months past, are either button-up and belted at the waist, or some sort of variation on the theme "baby doll." (clearly, a young-ish style)
Traditional blazers (cinched and short waisted), cozy cardigans, trench coats (double breasted - ouch! not the best for box body types), and dusters provide nice wraps to these treats and are only upstaged by this season's accessories.
So,that brings us to the bag (my favorite). The shape is unstructured (kind of lumpy, really) and the size is humongous. (The trick to keeping your back healthy with this style is to not stuff the bag with bricks and anvils.) Black is there as reliable as ever, but so is gray, silver, charcoal, red, teal, and brown. Patent leather comes in all garish hues, and zippers and buckles provide a nice "serious woman" kind of feel. Or, maybe it's "serious biker." I can't always decide.
Belts are back as both functional cinchers and as low-slung she-woman adornments. Women with box shape body types should resist the temptation to indulge and stick to the clean, lean silhouette that's offered so beautifully in tunics and sweaters this season.
Finally, the shoes provide for great times. Ballet flats are spruced up with more embellishment and pattern, and flats of all kinds are awaiting a great skinny jean or pair of tights to darken its vamp.
The news this fall is the Oxford Bootie. It's a hybrid of grandma's lace-ups and Aunt Roxanne's funky high heeled booties. This fashionista recommends not spending a fortune on this venture, but searching for a budget-friendly knock off.
The wise investment is still a great pair of to-the-knee boots with a traditional stacked heel. These wonders can grace the bottoms of jeans (straight leg or slight flare) long skirts, dresses, and even to-the-knee pencil skirts. Embellishments abound and work in tune to the season's fun-loving spirit.
So, take a pencil in hand and note some on-line ideas from retailers on my Resources Worth a Closer Look Page. If you are on a pretty strict budget, visit my 3 fashion "must haves" to learn which three things are the only things you really need to buy this season.
Enjoy!
1. Study what she loves. Does she have a hobby? Perhaps an upgrade or a special tool is best.
2. Jewelry? Take a cue from your gal. Does she wear bracelets or necklaces? Earrings? (pierced or clipped?) Purchase something you have seen her admire.
3. Go for cuddly: A soft and luxurious winter scarf in her best color.
2. Or, supper cuddly: A bathrobe - monogrammed with her initials.
3. Something for her work? How about an ergonomic mouse pad with built-in calculator and place to display her favorite photo of you.
4. Go Spa; A set of hand cream, body lotion, and bath salts packaged beautifully.
5. Take it a step up: A gift certificate to a spa for a facial and massage.
6. Is she a bit of a romantic? How about a classic set of stationary items? Cards embossed with her initials, a notepad for to-do lists, pen, mechanical pencil, and fancy letter opener.
9. Or, how about a personal consultation - or Power
Consultation with Mary Sheehan Warren?
10. The book, It's So You!
Fitting Fashion to Your LIfe. Order here!
The Top Ten Best Gift Ideas for the Woman You Love!
(Based upon scientific research here at marysheehanwarren.com.)
Help along the happiness of your wife or girlfriend (if that applies) or your mom, sister, or best friend (if you're anyone at all) with the ideas on this list. Although you want to give the most personalized and thoughtful gift possible, it's okay to be a bit stumped. Here goes:
Christmas 2007
I love Christmas. In fact, I couldn't wait to write about gift giving and getting into the spirit of the season.
It could be that I have such great memories of Christmas Eve: A warm fire, a beautiful tree, and the corresponding chaos which comes from ten children opening up a toy store's worth of presents. While I have been graced with only half as many children, the chaos can be there, although, admittedly, it's a chaos which results from putting pressure on myself to bake the "right things," give the "best things," and look good while doing it all.
That's not what Christmas is about. I've always understood that, but it's taken me years to figure out that all I need to do is the basics and avoid second guessing myself (or trying to prove something to others). If I take care of the essentials early on, I'll be able to enjoy the true gifts of Christmas: My family, our time together, and of course, the baby Jesus.
A wardrobe plan is one way to do this! (You were wondering how I would tie this all to fashion?) It's tied all right; And the following ideas will help turn the season stress-free.
1. First, don't worry about any fashion beyond what you plan to wear. If you're stressed about buying the bulk of your family's wardrobe items at Christmas, just forget about it. You'll reduce the disappointments which come from guessing wrong on someone (especially those little girls and teens), you won't be running back to exchange sizes or colors for anyone, and you can delay all that planning and kvetching for another time of year. So what? if there are sales. There are better sales at other times of the year.
2. On the other hand, accessories such as jewelry, scarves, gloves, and even sleepwear are perfect gifts for Christmas. Accessories such as shoes and handbags are not; There's just too much guesswork involved with it.
3. So, what do you wear at Christmas? What do you wear to all those concerts, parties, and family get-togethers? What do you wear to your church services? (Answer: You wear appropriate ensembles and look your best!)
Begin by shopping in your closet! See what two pretty blouses (perhaps a cashmere sweater and/or a dressy silk top) and what two pretty bottoms (perhaps a velvety-black pair of wide-leg pants and/or a flowy skirt) could mix and match into a mini wardrobe?
I know that I won't shop for a single fashion item for my Christmas events. If I remember correctly, those pearls I never wear will look elegant with my black sweater set. Also, there's a pink silk wrap top that I wear to my seminars which will work nicely with my black skirt.. I can step it up a notch with my ankle-strap stilettos.
4. Yes, you may need to shop. First see what accessories can change the look of a current garment. If that fails, plan out an outfit (or wardrobe) that can be used for other events throughout the year.
Holiday items are distinguished by their more luxurious fabrics, softer draping, and happy colors. Don't buy the felt-patch-Christmas tree sweater in red and green. We all know it's Christmas. Try a lovely piece in your best color that can be worn at other special times.
If you need to buy a dress, use the same reasoning. Just be sure that it fits beautifully and is accessorized just right. (Darker or metallic shoes with medium to higher heels and a small bag.)
Once that's done, you can go onto the real Christmas fun!
ARCHIVES
Almost...But Not Quite ...Spring 2008
True. It's not quite spring, but just thinking about it makes me warm all over.
Once February gets going, it's good to allow your wardrobe a breath of fresh color. As with any transitional season remember this rule: Weight of last season...Color of upcoming season. For me, this translated into buying a white parka!
No, really. I'm sort of sick of black right now. Although black hides salt and other gray things kicked off of the snow, it can also be oppressive after almost four months of darkness. Less expensive blasts of color include wrapping yourself in a fabulously flattering winter scarf or donning a sporty hat. Any way you choose it, most outerwear is marked down this time of year.
So, once you find that happy coat for the balance of winter, do some window shopping for spring. Then laugh as you realize that not everything is So You! (But you already knew that.) Here are some guidelines for navigating the bright and fruity world of 2008 fashions:
The colors are bright (and yes, fruity) and mixed up. (No, your snow-blinded eyes are not playing tricks on you!) I see pairings of colors which traditionally have been considered repellent to each other. What's really happening is that colors are placed adjacent only to other colors that work like neutrals. For example, pink and olive, yellow and olive, cobalt and olive, or purple and olive. (Bear with me here.) Then there's black and anything, chocolate and anything, or - here are some new ones - eggplant and anything or taupe and anything. It''s actually not as radical as it sounds, especially to those who are familiar with the eighties.
Pairings include structured snappy jackets over girlie blouses in fluid fabrics or flowy tunics over sleek bottoms. Skirts and trousers are fuller, and the sheath dress has made a return to the fashion world.
Belts are placed everywhere. This is very chic when the fabric or cut of the coat, blouse, or high waisted skirt cooperates and the color contrast flatters. For those who are only a few inches into the box body type, be sure to use black or another deep color for the belt so that the waist area appears streamlined. For those of us who are more than just a few inches into a box body type, it's probably best to invest in another accessory like a necklace or handbag.
Prints seem to be bigger and bolder than ever. It's a lot of fun to watch, but is best applied in moderation. If you are a client of mine, then you know exactly where you can and can't place a large print in your ensembles. Prints are wonderful for volumizing, but not for slimming, and mixing prints is tricky business best left for artists and those under 25. (But yes, to answer your question, it can be done quite beautifully.)
Mixing metals? That's a new thing too. Avoid going 50:50 or even 75:25. Keep the ratio closer to 90:10. In that way, the second metal (for example, gold) is only a surprise accent that pops up from well-chosen places.
Wedges, peep toe pumps, gladiator sandals, thongs, and sleek athletic shoes are in the mix for spring this year and are more embellished and colorful than ever. Choose according to your fashion personality and your "genre" for dressing but also stay faithful to what you know about about focal point: If they are ridiculously bright or busy, they will distract others from the rest of your ensemble or even your face. When in doubt about a shoe, try it on with the outfits in question, and err on the conservative side for professional wear.
Bag and shoe matching (unless it's simple black leather) is not necessarily the norm. Have a little fashion fun by placing a bit of color-shock into your bag choice. The oversized clutch, the oversized hobo, and classics reassembled into modern variations will update your look instantly.
This season's styles are a lot more about fun and fantasy than flattery and finesse. The trick is to strike the balance you need (and want) for your age and lifestyle.
Next time, let's talk swimsuits!
She may not have her helmet...but she certainly has her bag!
What I'm reading: Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster
by Dana Thomas
Great read!
I highly recommend:
Lucky, March '08 issue.Look for ideas on mixing and matching and combining colors.
Anne Rice of Whitefish Bay highly recommends: Smart Wool Socks - on sale at Stan's Fit For Your Feet. Or, search below for an on-line retailer:
I really lucked out at: Ann Taylor-
For both my clients and my television appearance on Channel 4's Morning Blend. Their trench coats were the most flattering and feminine of this year's crop.
I'm looking forward to wearing: My new pink top from Banana Republic. It's a wrap top with short puffy sleeves and a built-in belt.
I found online: the funniest commentary on shopping for fashion
I have ever seen! Someone give her my card! Read it and laugh.Click Here.
I'm wondering if it works:
It's certainly promising for a
rainy spring!
My favorite website at the moment: (Thanks Terri Hart-Ellis!)
