Get Glammed for Work!

One of my best friends, Erin, works for a well-known, Seattle-based coffee company, in marketing.  The reason that I'm writing about her today is that I truly admire her ambitious morning routine.  She wakes up at the crack of dawn to work out, then comes home to change into not just any professional black slacks and a twin set outfit for work, but an actual fashion-y, put together look.  She still manages to get to her office by 8:30am! Corporate Rock Star!

Here's an example of one of her very stylish outfits that she'll wear on any given weekday:

She has a way of making her very stylish look seem effortless.  She's not gone to great lengths to try to get it just right, she just does! Love the red pants and the leopard print belt accent!

With much more time on my hands, I have been known to go the extra mile to glam up a conventional work outfit, with some color, nifty shoes or great accessories.  Here's a recent cobalt skinnies, silk blouse and blazer look with a dash of fun, using a green leather belt instead of just black!

The moral of this story is, take a few extra minutes in the morning, and "joojsh" up your office look to still reflect some of the style you incorporate into your personal style, when you're not on the clock!

xoxo, WEWS

Turning Oscar Style into Reality

It's always amazed me how designers like Allen Schwartz (ABS) turn around knock-off Oscar dresses the day after the show! I LOVE watching how celebs and their stylists interpret fashion, form and accessorizing. Here's a look at a few of the winning dresses and my humble opinion on how to replicate the glamour.

While I don't love the way the top of this dress fits Sandra, the jeweled belt and black skirt can be workable. Find a short-sleeved silk blouse and a separate satin or velvet maxi skirt and then go down to the scarf department and find a jeweled silk scarf that you can wrap and tie to the side, mimicking this look.


The gown may not be my first choice, but what struck me is the blazer that goes with the dress. I think you can really get mileage out of wearing a black, satin, well-fitted blazer over most any dress, especially a gold, silver, red or royal blue color. H & M, Forever 21 and perhaps Banana Republic's evening line, Monogram, may sell black satin blazers that should have a little flare like Glenn Close's does below.  Look for double breasted or shawl collar and maybe a rhinestone buttons on the sleeve.



I feel very strongly that any woman with any figure can wear a swirly, sparkly, sequins pattern to an evening event. My thought on how to make this look "wearable" is to find  something with a bold, sequined pattern but with less fabric! I would tell Jen the same thing- making this into a strapless dress or hemming it to just below the knee would make this a beautiful, glamorous look for a special event.

All images from MSN Wonderwall

xoxo, WEWS

My Interview w/ Molly Mesnick!

I was lucky enough to get a few minutes with Molly Mesnick (contestant and now wife of The Bachelor's, Jason Mesnick) to find out how this do-it-all gal manages to always be stylish but sticks to what's true for her. Find out more about her fashion inspiration, personal style and more!

SF: How would you describe your own personal style?

MM: I would say that I dress “in the now”. I’ve never been the trend setter; rather I follow what is “hot right now”. I try to stay up to speed on what is relevant in the fashion community and bring new pieces into my wardrobe accordingly!

SF: Where do you find inspiration for your fashion preferences:

 MM: I am scouring the internet all day long! I love looking at fashion blogs, shopping sites, and even Pinterest for new fashion ideas. Then I’ll hop on my favorite shopping sites to re-create the look…at a more affordable price ;)

SF: What Spring trends are you looking forward to trying out?

MM: Brights!!!! I love bringing color into my wardrobe to offset all of the black and white, and this spring’s neon trend is my favorite!! I just got bright coral manicure this week…which I guess is my way of hoping the spring weather is coming soon! Here’s to hoping!

SF: How have you found fashion in Seattle vs. when you are/were working/living/filming in LA?

MM: Seattle“Fashion” is quite different from anywhere I’ve ever been. From what I’ve experienced, it’s a very casual city. I remember one of the first times I went out with friends here. I wore, what I considered, a cute & casual sundress. I was the most over-dressed person in the place by a long shot, but I’ll never let that stop me from dressing up.

SF: Where can we find more fashion insight from you? (your time to plug!!!) :)

MM: I have my own lifestyle blog, Reality Through My Eyes, where I feature my favorite “looks” as well as my favorite websites to pick up the latest trends! www.mollymesnick.com

Dedicated to Duds

Some of you may have seen the post I recently put on my facebook page about 95 year old Fashionista and Socialite, Zelda Kaplan, dying in the front row of a fashion show.  I think all of us, upon hearing about her death, sighed, but celebrated the inspiring irony that she was so dedicated to fashion, she literally was there until the very end.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46413570

While I am just as much of a fashion enthusiast as the next gal, I don't know that I'd have it in me to make it the front row just minutes before the lights went out for good.... or maybe I would...

Regardless of my continual devotion to the quest to always be stylish, I decided to consider those moments when I just can't make the effort to look fabulous.  Now that I've started a personal styling business, I admit that I feel more pressure to look great even when I'm just making a quick trip to the store. Sometimes I just don't have the energy to put make up on, or wear shoes with a heel, or accessorize from head-to-toe.  So I've put together a little list of short-cuts for those times I just can't muster fabulousness:

1) No matter how you feel, don't wear your 'grubby sweats' to do errands. If you really feel that crummy, don't go out! Instead put on your Juicy's and a scarf, or my go-to, leggings, Uggs and an oversized sweater:


2) Even if you can't bear to put on make-up to go out in public, slap on some lipstick while you're driving to your first errand!  I use bright red or pink, to maybe over-state the fact I have nothing else on my face, it's kind of like a big SO WHAT to our vain society!

3) Headwear: A beanie, a fedora or- in a real pinch- a baseball cap gives you some anonymity, while also keeping up with current trends.

These are my tips for keeping it together even when you don't feel like it! Here's to fashion, in all its shapes and forms and here's to Zelda Kaplan, who lived life to its fullest and left us as classily as she dressed.
XOXO, WEWS

Stud Finder

I hadn't really been out all week, so I was looking foward to making a splash with my Friday-night- dinner-and-drinks outfit last night.  I decided on a relatively simple, monochromatic look: high waisted skinnies, black blazer with sculpted shoulders and my go-to grey scarf.  I decided that since I was down playing colors, I would sass up my outfit with a bold accessory.  Taking a cue from New York Fashion Week's native-american inspired jewelry collections, I chose a pair of large hoop earrings with beaded fringe. PS they were $4.80 from F21. Oh yah. This was however, a slight departure for me, since I typically wear my diamond studs everywhere, with everything.  But as you can see below, I was feelin' it!

Not three minutes into my drive downtown, I noticed a strange pulling feeling at my ears, then a slight throbbing sensation began to emerge.  As I focused more and more on the isolated annoyance coming from both ear lobes, the more uncomfortable it became.  With a swift flicking motion, both earrings were off and tossed angrily onto the passenger side seat, seeing the light of day for but a brief twelve minutes.  It was a bittersweet moment as the annoying throbbing feeling immediately went away but the realization of my fashion faux-pas set in: I had NO earrings to complete my outfit, no punch of color or texture which characteristically marks my style.  I was effectively stylishly boring....gasp!

The moral of this story isn't to avoid taking fashion risks for the sake of being fashionably idle, but it DOES point to the importance of picking your accessorizing statements carefully!  Choose wisely when investing in unfamiliar fashion territory.  Ask yourself, will you be physically comfortable wearing this? Is there a better option that achieves the same look?  And finally- a lesson that I could certainly benefit from- just because it's $4.80, doesn't necessarily mean it's worth buying.

For this post, I've chosen to showcase some fashionable and functional jewelry:

First, these adorably quirky Turtle studs, $38 from JCrew

Also from JCrew, these Sparrow studs, $25, which give a little pop of color, without weighing down your ear lobes:

Finally, a necklace which uses ribbon or rope instead of a metal chain and flowers and adornments made from yarn or pieces of leather, like Marni has done so well for years:

Happy and healthy stud finding,

XOXO, WEWS

Valentine's Day style

Ladies...and dudes, too, if you're listening: unless you still carry a lunchbox to school, wearing red, pink or purple or any combination therein for your Valentine's day date, is just fashion heresy!!  You know I'm a HUGE fan of color; bright color blocking, bold prints, etc, but its just cheesy (and certainly NOT fashionable) to walk around on February 14th looking like a lifesize box of candy hearts.

Here are my fashion tips for those of you lucky enough to have a date on the big, frickin' day of love.  (I also have fashion tips for those of us who do not have a romantic evening planned, but they primarily consist of either 1) your pj's if you've decided to stay in for the night and have rented Bridget Jone's or something similar, or 2) something sassy- like skinny jeans and booties- but not too overdone to go out and get drinks with your girlfriends, which will inevitably result in making fun of the folks who are on dates and who are wearing a stupid red dress!).

So, if you want to look hot AND fashionable while dining out with your significant other, I recommend something simple and sophisticated.  I typically stay away from lots of black when giving fashion advice, but on this night, I feel like  its the perfect way to say, "I'm happy we're out on this special night, but I am chic and know I'm not supposed to be a Hallmark advertisement for Valentine's Day." 

Image from: bananarepublic.com

Now, I know I said no purple, but this zigzag print wrap dress $130, is the perfect choice for a fun and romantic night out on the town.

Another option is to add a sassy pair of knee-high or thigh-high boots with skinny jeans and a blazer:


Image from: www.byherinet.com

Now the one place where it is ok to go uber-red, pink or purple, is, you guessed it- the lingerie department! Go for it, ladies, afterall, it is Valentine's Day!!!
xoxo, WEWS

Game-time Chic

Now that I'm in my 30's, I feel a greater sense of sophistication with regards to my own, personal style than I did when I was in college.  The reason I make this comparison is that while my loyalty and enthusiasm to certain professional and college sports teams has never wavered, my willingness to dress the part, has.

The one sports team I'm willing to dig through my college t-shirt drawer for is the Michigan Wolverines (Go Blue!).  I will always show my support by donning my team's maize and blue colors and logo, while still making my outfit as chic as possible.  But when it comes to attending other sporting events or watching a game at a bar, the line between fashion and being a fan is drawn.

My take on dressing for a sporting event as a thirty-something is that you should no longer be wearing team jerseys or face tattoos...not cute:

 

This does not mean, however, that you can't incorporate your team's colors into a fabulous and fashionable outfit.  Choose the dominating color and work it into a casual, but chic outfit.  Here, this female fan wears yellow proud...and properly.



Go Team!!! xoxo, WEWS

Matchy-matchy, no more!

Does anyone else have a mother who taught you when you were growing up that you must match your shoe color with your purse and belt? Did somebody tell you once that you can't wear navy and black together (If they told you you couldn't wear red and pink together, they were right!)? Or, have you ever been asked if you're a "gold" or a "silver" person? If you are like me, than you may have answered yes to the above questions.  Growing up in the 80's and 90's, my mom always accessorized with gold jewelry, since her wedding ring was also gold.  She would also never miss an opportunity to wear her gold Anne Klein lion earrings when she wore her red Anne Klein blazer with the same gold, lion buttons.  This theme of matching your clothes and accessories continued when I went to college in the 90's.  Living in a sorority house-with 90 girls- you get to observe a ton of "getting ready", which by the way, is a phenomenon that my thirty-something girlfriends and I continue to love doing together.  But back then, square, nylon Kate Spade bags were all the rage; if you had a black one, you wore it with black shoes.  If you had the red one, you really only took it out if you had a "red" outfit on.

Nowadays, with all the color blocking, bright jeans, bold accessories and online exposure to a plethera of fashion inspiration, these hard and fast fashion rules no longer exist! Joy!!



Here's my take on mixing and matching:

1) It's totally ok to mix metals, when accessorizing with jewelry.  For example, I have a gold necklace that I never take off because of sentimental value (charms with the letters of my dogs, Lily and Owen).  However, I love silver and turquoise, chunky rings, and studded, beaded and braided bangles....all together!

As shown above, wearing your favorite items together can work really well.  If you're jewelry is funky, your outfit should be funky too.  Try wearing fabrics that look good with both gold and silver, such as denim, black or white- but throw a little splash of color in with a fun shoe or scarf.

2) Mixing navy and black is actually one of my favorite color schemes in the winter. It must be done correctly, otherwise you will look like a lifesized bruise, but it can be done. Find accessories that use navy and black in the pattern, like herringbone, plaid or striped. Also, finding a great dress that already has color blocks of both colors is an easy way to wear these classics together.

     
Image from: bellemel.com

3) Finally, gone are the days of needing to wear a black belt and black handbag if you've got your favorite black boots or heels on.  Mixing leathers is not just ok, but its encouraged! See below:

www.gap.com

xoxo, WEWS