To Poncho or Not to Poncho

Every fall for the past.....however many years, has always left me with this query.  I always find a color or print on a poncho that I can't live without.  Post-It memo pink!  Taupe and black!  Lace!  Cotton-poly blend!  Who can decide?

Here's the thing; what body shape does a poncho actually flatter?  None.  Not a single one.  Whether you are a bean pole or voluptuous and curvy, it matters not.  There is never a shortage of choices when the Pre-fall selections pop up in and on your favorite stores and websites.

Now, i'm sure that if you decide to forgo my advice and wear a poncho you will look fabulous in it.  Just keep in mind that most of the people you pass on the street will contemplate if you were actually wearing a Snuggie or not.

Faking Longer Legs

Here it is.....some tricks to help elongate your stature!

If you're like me, I love a good heel.  It's just not always fitting to wear them, especially with many of your jobs requiring you to be on your feet most of the day.  Like most women, you crave a longer, leaner leg line.  A lot of how you dress requires the outfit you've made up to accentuate your favorite features.  It's an illusion made up of certain pieces you put together to make you look taller, thinner, curvier, etc...

Just look for certain details with flats or kitten heels that will deceive your peers in to thinking you've lost some weight!  

• Elect for a pointed toe.  Round and square toes appear to shorten the calf and thigh.
• Search for a lower vamp, the upper section of the shoe that covers the top front of your foot.  This will provide less coverage of the top your foot, therefore elongating the leg.  (This is also a plus during the summer months when less coverage keeps you cooler.)
• Avoid flats that have chunky or dark colored straps.  They break up the appearance of your foot and gives you a shorter appearance.
• Steer clear of a cap-toe.  I advise this with a grain of salt because I love a good oxford.  However, depending on the rest of your ensemble it can present a stubbier leg.

Now, if you feel clear on the guidelines above, there a few more tricks that apply to both flats and heels.

• Opt for a skin-toned shoe

• Wear a higher waistline in pants or skirts

• Try solids.  Putting together monotone pieces creates an uninterrupted visual line

• Try a wider hemline with stilettos.  

• Choose vertical lines

• If you happen to love your legs, elect for a shorter hemline

Now, sit back, relax and do some serious online shopping!  Enjoy!

Andrew Bolton

"Fashion, like the superhero, celebrates metamorphosis, providing unlimited opportunities to remake and reshape the flesh and the self.  It offers entrance into another world….the freedom to fantasize to escape the banal." ~Andrew Bolton

Where do I begin….Andrew Bolton is a genius.  Now a celebrated and renowned curator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art - The Costume Institute, his most recent triumph being 'PUNK: Chaos to Couture,' which open from now until August.  The exhibit displays how the era of punk has left it's mark on the world, and on fashion.  Obviously, this is not Bolton's first brush with fame.

Alexander Mcqueen: Savage Beauty came out in 2011.  It was Mr. Bolton's first curation at the Met.  Having seen it first hand, you get a sense that Andrew wants you to physically feel what the designer felt when thinking up and designing those pieces.  Every room has a theme; every theme a feeling.  Each of these feelings stay with you when walking through each room.  Whether it's wind blowing through your hair or growls coming through the wall, you will absolutely feel. "Every time I went past that long queue, it broke my heart because I knew McQueen would be so happy to see it."

Andrew Bolton grew up in Great Britain, he became the curator of Contemporary Chinese Art for the Victoria & Albert museum in London.  From there he went on to create a Fashion in Motion event featuring Jimmy Choo and Vivienne Tam.  He would eventually transform many other exhibits in to works of art.  Those of which would have books written about them, about him. 

(Books: The Supermodern Wardrobe, Sole Satisfaction and Men in Skirts.)

Until he started his employment, The Costume Institute was held in the bottom floor of the Met for over thirty years.  It was kept and used mostly to reference from and for "society matrons" mainly to raise money to keep the museum open.  Andrew chooses to find as much as he can, personal and otherwise about the designer whose work he's showing to be sure that the patrons can fully grasp what they're seeing, touching at least four out of the five senses.  

When it came to curating 'PUNK' he really had to do his homework.  When that generation came around, he was too young to foresee the affect it would have on fashion and music for decades to come.    "In small towns punk was very much about customization, going to thrift stores and army-surplus stores and mixing things together."  He turns every exhibit in to a full days experience; you wait in line with anxious anticipation, dying to see what all the fuss is about, only to leave you talking about it for the rest of the afternoon, if not longer.  

As a guest, you take on so many emotions one would never expect to feel from any inanimate object.  It will leave you breathless and wanting more, which I could never have thought would happen just by walking through the halls of any museum. It feels as though these pieces are walking in front of you, like an actual show, as opposed to you ogling at every single detail wondering what the designer was thinking at that precise moment when they decided to create such a masterpiece.  Do yourself a favor and check out his latest piece, 'Punk: Chaos to Couture' right now, at least once.  It will be one of the best things you ever did.

"If you're going to treat fashion as art, treat it as art……." ~ Andrew Bolton

Style Nemesis

Do you ever watch E! Fashion Police thinking the same thing I am…..how is Kelly Osbourne and Joan Rivers judging anyone about their appearance?!  So, I'm asking you for your opinion….we all have our best and worst dressed lists, of course.  Even when our favorite celebrities get it wrong from time to time, we still think they can pull off whatever crazy ensemble they've pulled together because they've done so well at every other event in the past.  I think the majority of the time, when a fad pops up, people try so hard to be the trend setter that everyone else follows that the whole thing is a bust.

When I refer to a "style nemesis" I'm talking about someone that constantly and consistently gets it wrong, when in their mind, they just know they're going to be the "belle of the ball."  They're all habitual offenders, absolutely confident that they look absolutely fabulous.  They genuinely believe that they have physical attributes strong enough to pull off anything.

I'm not talking about Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj.  Yes, they always look completely outlandish, but they are known for just that, it's part of their celebrity.  For example…..Rihanna, Fergie and Mischa Barton are three of mine.  All of these ladies are so sure that they can get away with anything, like white pumps or acid wash denim.  It's impossible, stop trying!  So I ask you, who is your style nemesis?

                                             

 

[nem-uh-sis] 

1. Something a person cannot conquer or achieve.

Socialbliss

Attention!  To all of my lovely followers and the like, I have just been appointed as a Fashion Ambassador for www.socialbliss.com

It's a web site devoted  to fashion that will benefit those are passionate about it.  It's beneficial to the people that are looking for inspiration, or just want to do some shopping!

You can create your own collections and share them with all of your friends.

I am addicted to this site.

Check, check, check it out!

*Please stay tuned for my next post!

Iris Apfel

Iris Apfel
August 29, 1921-Present

Iris Apfel, a native new yorker, born to an entrepreneurial father and fashion-forward mother.  After studying art history at NYU and marrying her husband Carl, the pair began Old World Weavers, creating textiles for furniture.  In the past few decades she has worked under nine presidents and been the subject of many museum exhibits.  At some point caught the eye of the press with her outlandish style.

You ask her a question and she'll freely give you her response and along with her signature owl-shaped glasses and endless amount of beads and bangles that's most likely why people can't forget her.  Case in point, I'm sure a good bit of people see Iris and think she's too eccentric, but she definitely catches your eye.  So, why not be different, why not try something new, instead of jumping the gun being completely positive that you won't look good in something you usually wouldn't even try on.  Do it anyway!

In my experience, all it takes is one person, a stranger of course, to give you a compliment on your appearance and it's a done deal.  I'm sure there's some very reasonable explanation of why it has to be a random persons admiration, maybe it's because your friends and family are partial and an unknown has no reason to lie.  So I encourage you to try it.  Find something of your own to make your signature piece.  Mrs. Apfel has her larger than life accessories, Anna Wintour has her stylish never changing bob…..  I guarantee that it will give you a boldness you never knew you had.  

 

Bohemia

"Bohemainism:  The practice of an unconventional lifestyle….involving music, artistic or literary pursuits."

A lesser known fact, some of these groups that were usually associated with being wanderers actually chose poverty for unknown reasons.  They were and still are very colorful people, blending bold ethnic prints with an attentiveness towards the ever popular "free love."  While they are still referred to as offbeat and bizarre, I believe this is what draws people to their culture.  And although bohemians didn't frequent hair salons years ago, these past few years have been a different story.

More and more often, women are coming in to salons asking for a "natural" look, the same look that bohemians used to be able to pull off free of charge.  Long gone are the days of lying around in fields of green braiding each others hair and weaving together necklaces made of daisies.  We no longer have the luxury of achieving the sun-kissed look simply by letting the sun "kiss" your hair and skin for hours on end.

Be Bold!

A lot of people associate the fall with dull, matte shades of everything….clothes, hair, skin, make-up, etc…And while a number of these things do look appealing in black and grey, it would be awesome to step up your hair color a bit to offset the monotone shades of winter.  Even though your skin might be lacking color you can still give your hair a nudge by brightening up what you've already got!

"In winter the sun becomes a bit bluer no matter what coast you're on."  This less intense version of the sun is what dulls out your skin and hair.  By maintaining a deep, intense shade of color, it will brighten up your skin tone and add a little life to your color-less wardrobe.

Statement Piece

Today we visit the topic of the statement piece.  What is the point of a statement piece, or better yet what exactly is a statement piece you ask?  Nine times out of ten I suggest wearing a statement piece when putting on an understated outfit that needs a little flare.  For example, if you're wearing a LBD (little black dress) which is a statement in itself, and need something bold to make the outfit pop, you need to add color to catch the eye.  

Anytime you wear something solid in color or made mostly of one fabric, you need something to break the outfit up so you don't look like a building block.  Now, if you're wearing an getup that has a bold print, stick to solid colors, such as silver or gold for your statement piece.  Often times it's the jewelry that brings together the outfit, but it can also be the jewelry that can likely be the newest trend out there.  That means that being able to wear it might only last one season.

If you want to make more of an investment, go for a great pair of heels or handbag that will definitely be an eye-catcher and will give you more bang for your buck!  Of course these things tend to be a bit pricier but to me, they become a collectors item.  It really all depends on what part of your ensemble you want to catch a persons eye.  So what's your decision?  Are statement pieces for you?  YES!

Winter Blond

Who says you have to go dark in the winter?  Not me! 

 If you have the right complexion, don't be afraid to keep your summer strands.  Depending on your skin tone, the only maintenance required could be a root touch-up.  However, if you tend to lose a little bit of your coloring during the fall months, have your colorist tweak your overall lightened tone with a more golden hue.  This way, it will save the integrity of your hair come summertime!

Model Call

Dear fellow Facebookers, Pinterest lovers, Twitter followers, Instagrammers and the like,

Beginning September 15th I will be looking for models; hair and make-up models......I am hoping to hone my craft and need your help to practice.  Whenever there is a new hair cut, hair color or make-up trend I want to try out, blog about or photograph for my portfolio I will need a willing participant to be my guinea pig, so to speak.  I will be taking appointments at my salon and all services will be free of charge of course, but will be accepting tips to purchase the actual product(s).

I will be posting a picture of the project I have in mind or something similar about a week before I ask for volunteers so you know what you're getting yourself in to.  And, of course, if that weeks pick doesn't seem as though it will compliment your complexion, face shape I will absolutely tweak it so that it does.  So without further ado, my first style is......reverse ombre!!!!
Who's interested?

Fashion's Night Out 2012

It's getting to be that time of year again! The fourth annual  Fashion's Night Out is about to take affect on September 6th!  What is Fashion's Night Out, you ask?  In 2009 a multitude of "editors, stars, models, fashionistas and designers" got together to celebrate fashion in its entirety.  It was initiated to boost sales during the recession and improve the the good faith that consumers had once upon a time, before everyone went broke!

In the United States an alliance was created to restore faith back in to purchasing non-essential items as a result of the average shopper having to pinch and save for everyday demands.  Once a year the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers), American Vogue, the City of New York and NYC & Co. unite to create a world-wide haute couture phenomenon to bring shoppers back to life!  So, on August 6th show some love for consumerism and spend a little bit of your hard earned money.  I guarantee, you'll be glad you did!

http://www.atlanta.net/Fashion/retailers.html

About Face

Question of the day:  What hairstyles flatter your face shape?  

It's time to answer the age old question with a few facts about what really creates the most stunning silhouette just for you.

Oval

• If your forehead and jawline are about the same width......
• Ideal for either short, medium or long cuts
• You can pull off fringe, depending on the thickness of your hair
• Add soft layers throughout to add volume
• Add lowlights around the face to accentuate bone structure
• Avoid blunt, heavy bangs and "forward-directing" styles

Round

• When the length is equal to the width
• Works well on those with more pronounced cheekbones
• Side-swept bangs works well
• Adding lowlights on the sides of the face and highlights at the crown creates the illusion of length
• Avoid short, blunt fringe, chin-length bobs, fullness at the sides near the ears and center parts

Heart

• Width at the forehead and cheekbones, narrow at the jawline
• Choppy, piece-y cuts are a plus
• Short bobs work well
• Wispy fringe is flattering
• Avoid blunt fringe and top-heavy styles.  It makes the jaw appear narrower.  
• Steer clear of any styles that are too "slicked" back away from hairline

Oblong

• Represented by a long cheek line, most likely longer than it is wide
• Unstructured, messy cuts are appealing
• Short razored cuts are more avant-garde
• Avoid shoulder-length styles, extreme length, center parts and too much height at the crown

Square

• Customarily known to have a prominent jawline and/or cheekbones
•  Try keeping your haircuts more on the round side
• Add height to the crown with layering 
• Curly hair with this face shape is a bonus, it tends to soften the stronger features
• Lighten the hair around the face to dissolve any harsh angles
• Avoid extra-long straight styles, straight fringe and a center part

It's always sensible to find a picture of someone with a similar face shape to take it to your hairstylist.  That way, when communicating to he or she what you're looking for you are more likely to be on the same page and will end up more a promising result.

No Guts, No Glory

When trying out a new trend, how do you know if you've taken it too far?  There aren't exactly do's and do nots to this question.  There is, however, a certain degree to which you know you might have just toppled a little too far over the edge. For those of you who tend to stick to the "all-american" clean cut affect, this is not something you will have to worry about.  This is for the folks who tend to disregard any kind of guideline about mixing polka-dots with stripes.

As long as I can remember i've always loved fashion.  Be that as it may, while growing up in a very rural town, no one ever pulled me aside and said, "You don't have to wear Abercrombie & Fitch or GAP to look good!" It wasn't until I made it to college that I stopped putting so much emphasis on my khakis matching my gingham button-down and started spending much more time on clothes themselves.  Without realizing it, I had begun to pull things from my closet that I wanted to wear that day, regardless of if the top matched the bottom or the bag matched the belt.

My case in point being, if you feel like wearing a tank top with a tutu....DO IT!!!  The only negative thing that could come out of this experiment is that you won't get any compliments from strangers.  After all, you might surprise yourself (and others around you) with how much this will build your confidence and inspire more creative ensembles in the future!

Don't

Belle (Billie Piper)
Secret Diary of a Call Girl

DO

Carrie (SJP)
Sex and the City 2

High and Tight Ponies

This fall the go-to hairstyle just happens to be one of the easiest things to pull off.  To achieve a version of this sleek off-the-face 'do just follow these simple guidelines.......

1) Tilt your head back so that the nape of your neck hits the base of your shoulders.

2) Collect all of your hair in your fist and, using a Mason Pearson brush smooth everything down from             your forehead back towards your nape.

3) Position the hair in your fist on your head where you'd like it to sit.

4) Wrap a hair tie around it at least two or more times, depending on how polished you want the style to be.

5) Spray it all down with a medium to firm hold hairspray.  Use the spine of a comb to push all remaining frizz down.

Baroque

Baroque : 

1. characteristic of a style in art and architecture developed in Europe from the early 17th to mid-18th century, emphasizing dramatic, often strained effect and typified by bold, curving forms, elaborate ornamentation, and overall balance of disparate parts. Baroque Period 1600-1750 This era is often linked to nobility, in which everything from paintings to clothing were characterized by great drama, rich, deep color and intense light and dark shadows.  Today, these characteristics are brought forward usually with brocade, detailed embroidery or heavy beading. Alexander McQueen J Brand Balmain "The term "Baroque" was initially used with a derogatory meaning, to underline the excesses of its emphasis. In particular, the term was used to describe its eccentric redundancy and noisy abundance of details."