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.

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.

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.

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!

4 Prints (Other than Florals) to Wear this Summer

What’s the hottest print this summer? Florals! They work great for any personal style and body shape, they can easily pop an outfit and you can dress them up or down.

But as much as I love florals I have to admit, it’s a bit much this year. The last time I went shopping for a client I walked into a store (which shall remain unnamed) and I felt like I was about to have an allergy attack with the amount of flower prints I saw. Floral dresses, floral blouses, floral scarves- you get the picture. I had florals covered and I didn’t want to inundate my client’s closest with floral prints so I ventured out to find other prints. Low and behold, what do you know- I found fabulous “non-floral” prints!

Here are my top 4 prints that are not florals but are just as versatile, make a bold statement, can re-fresh an outfit, are trend right, and perfect for any personal style.  

GEOMETRIC PRINTS

If you’re looking to make a bold statement with your outfit choose a top, dress or pants with geometric prints. From triangles to squares to zig zags, these graphic prints can be found in soft muted colors and loud colors. But no matter the color these prints are eye-catching.

A-Line Dress from Modcloth

STRIPE PRINTS

I know- been there, done that … I agree, stripes are pretty much a staple now. So why is it on my list of different print ideas? Well, this year it’s not your same old horizontal, vertical, nautical stripe, instead rainbow and colorful stripes are the way to go for summer 2017. Pairing a rainbow stripe tee with a flare skirt gives an outfit fresh summer look.

Cross Over Stripe Top from Zara

FOOD PRINTS

Yup, you read that right- food prints. And pineapples are the food of choice. But if pineapples aren’t your thing don’t worry there are many other food prints to choose from- like veggies, ice cream, other fruits and so much more! These whimsical prints add fun to your outfit and hey, who doesn’t need a little fun in the summer. For summer Fridays at work pair a pineapple top with straight leg pants and pointy toe flats for a cool yet polished look.

Pineapple Top from J.Crew

GINGHAM PRINTS

Yes, you can wear gingham and not look like a picnic tablecloth because this year gingham is a little bit “grown up”. Designers have taken traditional silhouettes like straight pants, mid-length dresses or A-line skirts and incorporated a gingham print. Wear a gingham print skirt with a white button-down shirt for a classic look.

A-Line Skirt from Macy's

By adding in some items in these prints you'll be able to better diversify your closet and not feel like all you're wearing are florals...

What are your favorite non-floral prints?

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?

Pretty In Pink??

Pantone named Pale Dogwood (Color # 13-1404 ) one of the top fashion colors for Spring 2017.Pale Dogwood by any other name is a version of “pink”.

For those of you that love pink you’re in luck because in addition to Pale Dogwood many shades of pink are in stores now, so I say stock up!

For those of you who see anything pink and run, I’d advise you to get some really good running shoes. As mentioned above, pink is everywhere and this trend is not showing any signs of “moving on”.

For those of you who longingly look at pink from a distance, who may slowly approach a pink blouse, even pick it up but then break into a sweat, drop it and run- I say, I get it. You may be thinking, “Will I look like a toddler in a pink dress?”, “Will I look like a Pepto Bismol bottle?”, “Will I look like I just can’t get over the Betty Draper look with pink lipstick?” “Pink, you’re an interesting color and I want to wear you, but….” If you’re stuck between the love and fear of pink- this post is for you.

Here are some tips on how to wear pink, without being “Pinkalicious”.

Add a pink accessory- When your outfit needs a boost of color add a little pink. Pair a pink colored accessory, such as a handbag, earrings, shoes, sunglasses, or a scarf with a navy or black suit, jeans, or even a tan blazer. Pink is quite versatile and matches well with many colors.

Add a Layering Piece- Take it step further and add a pink layering piece such as a sweater, cardigan or jacket to your ensemble.

Something less Pink- Take it 10 steps back. If all this is not floating your boat but you really, really, really want to add pink to your look, add a pop of pink nail lacquer. There are lots of fun pink polish shades and go from pale pink to shocking pink.

So, how will you be wearing pink this spring?

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