My sister sent me a message saying that it’s been nearly four months since I last posted. And prior to that, someone questioned if I even had a right to blog since I hadn’t written in so long. I get the message.  So I’m writing now.

I don’t have a specific topic in mind. Rather, I’d like to just post on the stuff I love.

ITEM #1 I LOVE: the color navy blue.

I heart navy blue. It’s my new BF (best friend, for those who don’t spend much time in the IM/Text world).  It’s my fabulous alternative to black and gray. It’s my neutral to go with any pink, purple, cream, brown, stripe, dot, green or orange. It’s my dark for the days I want to look more lean. It’s my transient color for every season. Navy is my new black. I even wear it with black because I don’t fear dark on dark.

When you think black, think Navy Blue for:

Accessories: a wallet or hand bag

Trousers: they can be your new basic black pant

Coats: they go with every color in your closet – it’s your neutral coat for the chilliest of winters

Shoes: I mean, navy shoes with chocolate brown trousers or hot skinny jeans, does it get better? (PS – skinny jeans with super high heels means even us girls with thicker thighs look long and lean…and still girly-curvy)

ITEM #2 I LOVE: PONCHOS (AKA WRAPS, CAPES, AND ANY OF THESE WITH A HOOD)

Ponchos are a savvy alternative to a thick coat when the temps are mild. They come in so many colors, styles, and fabrics which make them a standout jewel in your closet.  Throw over a cotton turtleneck, a thin cashmere sweater or even a t-shirt (no one will know) and don’t even bother taking it off during the day. It acts as your top.

Here are some of my faves:

Big, thick stripes. Throw this berry colored number over your favorite pair of black pants, dark denim, or even light khakis and you’re comfortable, warm, and sporting an easy-peasy splash of color in your outfit

Embellished, ready for evening: This gorgeous, charcoal poncho with the lacy-loopy border is begging to be worn out on the town.  Put on a pencil skirt and knee-high boots or put on a tissue thin white tank (extra long) over sleek black pants with peep toe heels.  Think big hoop earrings and big silver rings.  And if you want to tone it down, put it over a simple shift dress as a point of interest for an office ensemble.

Poncho as a coat: This is great way to rid yourself of the wool coat in more milder climates or those lucky NY days when we hit 50+ in the winter.  Simple heather gray is fine, but put on a brightly-colored kerchief around your neck and a matching bangle and you’re toasty on your commute, in your office, or in that freezing meat-locker of a movie theatre.
ITEM #3 I LOVE: CROSS-STRAP BAGS

I’m thinking forget those gi-mundo hand bags with heavy leather and metal work fit for a high-rise welder (I love you Marc Jacobs, but sometimes your bags weigh me down). How about a sleek, flush-to-the-body messenger or envelope bag?  Throw a truncated version of a wallet (i.e. a zippy change purse with your ID, debit card, metro card, and a couple $20’s) your mobile of choice, lip gloss and your keys, secure it across your body and you’ve got hands free chic.

My personal picks are:

Envelope Bag: You don’t have to go designer, but you can go basic black and thin.

Envelope Bag #2: How about a little rock star in your life?

Flat, Messenger-type bag: Do it in color

Weave It and Go: Beaten-in brown goes with all

ITEM #4 I LOVE: DARK NAILS.

I’m over that pale, non-color, natural, white-ish look. Go dark. Go hot.  I like straight black. But there are a ton of classy, all-appropriate, dark and uber-Euro looking polishes to suit all needs.  It’s winter; go dark! (And a tip that’s obligatory–do not wear these colors on long nails. They must be short to avoid looking like a h…well you know what I’m getting at. Don’t say I didn’t warn you)

A little purple you like? Try OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark

Feeling a bit blue? OPI’s Russian Navy is subtlely sparkly and deep

Chocolate Addiction: It’s all about Essie’s Chocolate Kisses

Very, very vamp if you’re feeling seductive: MAC’s Vintage Vamp is your best bet

And those, dear sister, are the things I love.

Per special request, a word (or few) about tailoring.

The truth?  Most clothes aren’t made ready to fit perfectly to everyone woman’s body. The apparel industry has to rely on norms, estimates, and best guesses when creating clothing and their relative sizes. Dependant upon the designer or store, sizes can vary as much as….well, a lot.  A size 6 in some stores can be a size 10 in others or a size 2 in yet more. That said, it’s important to know that tailoring is crucial. So rarely does something fit perfectly right off the rack.

Examples:

PANTS

Petite women such as myself have to contend with a lifetime of shortening pants. The pants will fit wonderfully from the ankle up, but then I’m left with a pool of fabric flooding my feet.  If they’re good pants or jeans, never mind the length…just get them hemmed.  I sometimes hem my pants for heels and now, I’m shortening them for flats.  Since I don’t care for cuffs ( they interrupt the long line of a pant leg and create a cut-off at my ankles), I will have cuffs removed when I get them tailored.

Length isn’t the only thing that may need to be altered.  For women who are pear-shaped, they must buy the size that will accommodate their curvy hips. The downside is that this often leaves a gap in the waistband. Since they can’t go a size down (lest the pants be too tight), the waist is a simple fix with a nifty nip from your expert tailor.

SHIRTS/SLEEVES

I also often have a problem with sleeves – they’re too long for my arms!  Over the course of the last year, I’ve taken in many of my blazers to get sleeves shortened. You can have a fabulously fitted jacket but if the sleeves are too long, the look is ruined.  The cuffs should hit just above your first knuckles when your arms are at your sides (and to your wrists when your arms are held out in front of you). If they go past this point, they’re too long!

If it’s tops you have troubles with (i.e. you can’t get them to button around your chest…which is a good problem to have), buy a size up and have a nip/tuck in the back to get the shaping corrected. No one wants gaping button holes.  While I’m sure your lingerie is lovely, no one should be seeing it due to malfunctioning buttons.

………………….

Here are some other potential situations where some tailoring is needed.

–When getting your new jeans shortened, ask for the original hem (you paid good money for that fraying)

–Skirts should hit you at the knee or just above (that’s a good rule of thumb for 99% of women). If they hit below, you’ll look like a librarian (not the sexy kind). If they go above, depending on your age and your legs, they could run in the dangerous-non-flattering-miniskirt territory.

–If your new pencil skirt is riding up, that means it’s too tight around your hips.  Buy a size up and tailor the waist to fit.  It should be fitted but you shouldn’t look like a real-life Jessica Rabbit.

–If the arm holes in a sleeveless day dress are too big (as in, I can see the side band of your bra), but the rest of the dress fits like a glove, have the shoulder seams taken up to close up the hole.

–If you love the design/pattern/color of a pair of your cropped pants but they look more like high-waters (side note: cropped pants are dangerously unflattering because they make too many of us look cut off and stumpy), have them shortened to the knee for chic walking shorts.

–Likewise, some things need to be let out.  I have a dress that is perfectly fitted everywhere except for a slightly snug waist. If I bought the larger size, the entire dress looked like a potato sack.  So I bought my true size and had a fabulous tailor let out the back seams a couple inches, et voila! I was wearing it the next day.

Bottom line/Golden Rules:

Buy clothing to fit the largest part of your body…your hips or rear, your bust or waist and shape everything else around it.  If it’s a quality piece that’s part of your working wardrobe, it’s worth it. There’s nothing worse than a fabulous suit that looks sloppy.

OR…

If every part of the garment fits you well except one (like my dress), consider having that one piece altered to your body

This post was specially requested by my friend, Janai who feels that tailoring should be acknowledged and recognized as a consistent and necessary part of our wardrobes.

Whether you’re putting together an outfit for work or a party, or trying to construct a “look” for a special occasion, you can never forget the importance of balance. Again, dressing and wardrobe is all about following natural lines and direction that are provided by your body. Showcasing your best features, camouflaging the lesser favored parts. The key to creating this harmony and fluidity in your appearance is by using balance. Here are some examples:

Say you’re wearing a voluminous skirt complete with ruffles and lace. Super pretty! You may be tempted to follow the theme of that skirt with an equally ruffled blouse. Instead of highlighting the gorgeous skirt, the specialness is now lost because there is ruffle and texture and all kinds of things going on from top to bottom. Instead of looking chic, you run the risk of looking costume-y. Each piece (though both pretty) has lost its uniqueness. And your body is now carrying volume on top and bottom adding bulk and weight to your frame. Instead, try a simple t-shirt in a pretty color and a sweet ballet flat to balance and truly show off your skirt. The same rule applies if your top has texture and volume - wear a simple pencil or a-line skirt on the bottom.

Think about balancing different styles of dress as well. Perhaps you’ve dared to don the uber-chic slouchy pants/crops or (now that we’re in summer) slouchy shorts. These can be a little more industrial and casual in style. Instead of carrying that theme forward with a plain T or tank, you can balance out this industriousness with a silky blouse or rouched knit top. Keep this going with strappy sandals or even classic pumps and you’ve elevated the slouchy, comfy bottoms to a fashion forward, compliment-worthy ensemble.

Lastly, and most importantly, balance is the key to camouflaging and accentuating. If you’re a pear-shape, think about adding some dimension to your top half to draw the eye up. Do this with details like ruffles, pattern, or layers from a blazer or cardigan. Likewise, you can ensure that your pants are boot-cut or have a slight flair which will counterbalance your hips.

These are just a few examples but hopefully provide some insight into how to keep your body and your ensemble balanced and not overpowering your frame (and others’ eyes!). But if you still aren’t sure, just ask me

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