I recently shared my favorite non-black winter coats for those of you who love color. Today I share more inspirational looks – check out these examples and vote below on your favorite!
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As a personal stylist in Seattle, I see the benefit of bomber jackets! Earlier in the week, I wrote a post about the trendy bomber jackets in this season. They may remind you of the 80s but I’m here today to show how they can worn in a variety of ways: professional, oversized, casual, contrast sleeves, or leather. Vote your favorite below!
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The “it” jacket this year is the bomber. Bomber jackets hit at the waist or slightly shorter and have elasticized waists. They generally have zippers and elasticized sleeve cuffs as well. The collar can vary from moto style, crew neck w/band, funnel neck, or even folded over collars.
Here’s what you need to know about bombers:
1) Fabrics – Bombers come in a variety of fabrics. There’s something for everyone. Leather is typical, along with wool. We’re also seeing lightweight cotton and even silk!
2) Casual options – Bomber jackets are naturally associated with casual outfits. Easiest outfit is to throw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a bomber and you’re ready to go. You can also wear them with skirts and dresses. The shorter, sometimes cropped length, makes them incredibly versatile.
3) Professional options – Because bombers are available in a variety of fabrics, including higher quality like silk, they can be worn to the office! This is an exciting alternative to the typical blazer. I love the look of bombers with pencil skirts – they add bulk and balance out the form-fitting pencil skirt. Slim leg pants or slouchy pants can look fabulous with bombers as well. And of course, they can worn over dresses too!
4) Modern bombers – Bombers are not a new concept but this time around there’s a different take on them. You’ll see many have contrast sleeves, quilted leather versions are also popping up everywhere, and baseball bomber jackets are popular as well. If you want to make sure you’re choosing a modern bomber, look for these touches.
My verdict: I already purchase an office-ready bomber for the Fall. I’m looking forward to wearing skirts and dress pants with it instead of reaching for my blazers! What about you? Will you be on the look-out for a bomber jacket this Fall?
(L) H&M Boyfriend Jeans
At $39, here is your chance to try out boyfriend jeans. Love the light shade. (R) H&M Jean Shorts Offered in white, blue, black and grey flower pattern for $20. |
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(L) H&M Slouchy Pants
Slouchy pants are in – perfect for inverted triangles and pear shaped women. (R) H&M Dress Pants Simple, basic black pants with a slim leg. It’s surprisingly difficult to find dress pants that aren’t wide, these are worth checking out! |
This post is for those of you who love flats but need some variety. Maybe you find yourself reaching for the same ballet flats over and over? Even worse, the same black flats? Maybe it’s time to spice things up and look at alternative closed-toe flat shoes. Here are some ideas and in-store options to get you out of your style rut!
1. Athletic flats – These are a combination of ballet flat and sneakers. Puma, Nike, and other athletic shoe companies will have options. They create a more sleek look than running/athletic shoes and can be incredibly comfortable.
2. Oxfords – Oxfords have been in for a couple of years now and they’ll be around for years to come. Very practical, comfortable. Can be worn casually or formally depending on the style. Wear oxfords with a feminine pieces, such as a blouse or skirt, and you have a nice juxtaposition of masculine and feminine – very modern. You’ll find oxfords everywhere and in an assortment of colors.
3. Loafers – Loafers can be tricky to style because they are associated with a mature, older look. Consider a bright color loafer and wear with trendy pieces so as not to date yourself or look older than you are!
4. Fashion sneakers – Think Toms/Keds/Converse. Iconic casual sneakers, not clunky, heavy sneakers. Pair them with unexpected pieces: blazers, skirts, feminine blouses and you’ll create a sophisticated look.
This is the third post in my Summer Office-wear series. Learn how to dress for the heat and still look professional! Check out the other posts: Summer office-attire shopping guide and Lightweight blazers.
Skirts are perfect for the office and the heat. I suggest having at least one colorful option for the Summer that you can easily mix and match with neutrals. You’ll want to choose a solid color or pattern that has staying power – one you will not tire of quickly!
Here’s how you can make the most of your colorful skirt at work:
1. Pair it with neutral colored tops: Most colors go with black, white or grey so you can easily pair your neutral dress shirts and work-appropriate sleeveless tops. All of the pencil skirts shown below can be worn with black, grey, or white tops (One exception: I wouldn’t pair the pink with black).
2. Wear with a black and white graphic top. If you want to add a pattern to the mix but you’re nervous about making sure it matches, stick to black and white. Check out these examples for inspiration:
3. Choose a quality fabric– It may be tempting to buy a cheap, thin jersey skirt so you’re comfortable and cool, but they tend to look less professional. Stick to sturdier, well-made woven skirts or thicker knits like ponte.
4. Choose length carefully – It almost goes without saying that you’ll want to choose a work-appropriate length. A general rule of thumb is to not go higher than 2 inches above your knee, but I find that shorter women can get away with shorter skirts because they have less skin exposed compared to taller women. You’ll also want to make sure you can sit down without feeling uncomfortable – skirts often ride up when sitting.
5. Wear it with a denim shirt – Denim shirts act as a neutral and go with most colors. If you choose a well-fitting, wrinkle-free shirt, you can wear it to the office. I love the look of denim collared shirt in a business casual environment as it’s a nice mix of casual and formal. However, if you work in a conservative office a denim shirt may be too casual. Love the blue with yellow options below:
Outside of work: After hours, you can get more wear out of your skirt by throwing on a t-shirt or tank top. It’s a quick way to make a pencil skirt look more casual and comfortable. Add a necklace and sandals and you have an easy Summer outfit.
For those of you with small closets or mostly neutral wardrobes, buying a colorful skirt may seem too bold but with the right choice it can be an incredibly versatile item – worn at the office and after work. Keep an eye out for one!
Check out previous posts in the Dressing your Body Series: Intro to Body Types, Intro to Body Proportions. You’ll learn how to assess your body’s specific proportions and choose figure flattering clothes.
Neck length is one of the body proportions to take into consideration when creating an outfit. Specifically, neck length, clothing necklines, scarves, necklaces, earrings, and hairstyles all work together to create a look. Below I’ll outline how this works.
For the purpose of classifying neck length, I think in terms of long, regular and short. Most people have average sized necks so if you’ve never really thought about your neck or noticed it being short or long, it is probably regular length. There isn’t an exact science to determining your category. It’s a “know it when you see it” type measurement! I find it helpful to look from the side view at a person’s neck. At that angle you can more clearly determine if it’s long, short, or regular length.
Let’s look at each length and how necklines, hairstyles, and accessories are affected:
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Regular
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Long |
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High Necklines – Turtlenecks, high collared dresses/shirts | Can be difficult to pull off as it will make short necks look even shorter. | Go for it but be mindful of hairstyle and accessories. Might want to wear hair up. | Turtlenecks, collars, and sheaths with high cuts look gorgeous with long necks. Magazines have countless photos of models in these exaggerated styles because the effect is stunning. Why waste such a great silhouette? Stock up on high cut blouses, dresses, and jackets! |
Low Necklines | Low necklines are a great option. Look for v-neck and scoop tops/dresses. By showing more skin you’ll visually elongate your neck. | Just like women with shorter necks, you’ll look great in low necklines. | Be careful not to end up with an awkward, gawky look. You may not want to put your hair up as it will further elongate your neck. A statement necklace can balance out your proportions or dramatic earrings. |
Short hair or wearing hair up | By having short hair or pulling your hair back, you can expose more of your neck and potentially make it look longer. | Great idea! Consider wearing your hair up to show off your neck. | Short hair or pulled up hair will make your neck look longer because of the exposed skin. Be careful pairing short hair with a low neckline as it can over-accentuate a long neck. |
Scarves or large necklaces | When wearing large necklaces, choose ones with thin chains around the neck area. This will reduce bulk around your neck. Wear scarves at a lower stance so some of your neck is exposed. | Women with regular length necks will want follow similar guidelines as short necked woman, especially if you’re petite/small framed. Scarves and large necklaces can easily look overwhelming. | Women with long necks can pull off neck scarves and bulky scarves gracefully. No bunching around the collar, no feeling overwhelmed with the material. Make use of those scarves, long-necked ladies! |
Long necks are associated with sophistication and elegance but with the wrong neckline or accessories a long neck can look gawky and awkward. Below you’ll see Lisa Kudrow, blessed with a long neck, in varying necklines from very low (left), low (middle), high (right). The height of the neckline affects how her neck appears. Which do you prefer?
Women with regular length neck can wear an assortment of necklines, hairstyles and accessories in a flattering way by keeping in mind that short hair/hair worn up and low necklines elongated the neck while high necklines and scarves/large necklaces make it appear shorter.
Kim Kardashian is an example of a regularly sized neck. Here she is in different necklines. You’ll notice that she puts her hair up when wearing the very high neckline (left). Do you have preference among the 3 necklines?
If you have a shorter neck, low necklines will help make it look longer. You’ll see this below with examples of Rachael Ray in different shirts:
Can you see how accessories, hair, and neckline affect how long their neck appears? Which necklines do you prefer on Lisa, Kim, and Rachael?
This is my second post in a series on dressing your body. You’ll learn how to flatter your figure and assess your proportions. Check out my Intro to Body Types for an overview of the 4 main body types.
Today I will describe the 8 main additional body proportion considerations. Along with your body type, these considerations can help you choose clothing that best flatters your body. It will also inform whether petite, tall, or plus-size options may work for some or all of your clothing. The key is to even out disproportionate features as we find balanced, symmetrical features to be most appealing – I’ll go into detail in future posts but let’s start with an overview:
In upcoming posts I’ll dive into the details of each body feature listed above. You’ll learn how to determine your proportions and how to dress your shape in the most flattering ways!