Wardrobe 911 ®

Finding the right bridesmaid dress that pleases everyone can be complicated.  Just remember that certain types of materials, such as sateen are going to show every lump and bump. So look for fabrics that are more forgiving so that your bridesmaids feel stylish and comfortable. Here are a couple of options that covers all body types.

Hourglass, Triangle and Inverted Triangle Body Types

• Maggy London Silk Chiffon Halter Dress – I was a bridesmaid and wore a similar Maggy London dress and everyone looked radiant. The color of this dress is coral and it also comes in crystal blue and plum pie. The a-line style and softness of the chiffon will help hide tummy and hip issues.

• Stuart Weitzman ‘Delovely’ Sandal – The extra investment for this shoe is worth it since bridesmaids are on their feet for several hours.

• Pearl Glam Beaded Bracelet – this freshwater pearl bracelet comes with  gold plated or Swarovski crystal accents and would make a lovely bridesmaid gift. Your bridesmaids don’t have to worry about carrying their purse since the inner side of this elasticized, multi-strand bracelet contains a hidden pouch for small personal belongings such as a credit card and lipstick.

Rectangle Body Type

• Maggy London Portrait Collar Chiffon Dress – the portrait collar and the inset waist  look flattering on rectangle body types. The silhouette gives an illusion of an hourglass figure.
• Donald J. Pliner JJJ in Pewter Metallic Mesh Elastic Open Top Pump – this shoe is also worth the investment!
• Sondra Roberts Pleated Box Clutch – the satin clutch has a tricolor pyramid gem which adds an elegant touch.

Comfy Feet Recommendation

• Foot Petals (not shown) – these cushioned insoles can be worn with open toe shoes or  sandals. I insert them in all my shoes and it will ensure that all bridesmaids have happy feet!

I wish all brides success in their quest for the perfect bridesmaid dress.

These are fantastic!  A client tipped me off to these cowl tops not only for the great deal (under $10) but she even mentioned how she felt it was like Old Navy used to be in the beginning:  great style at great prices.

These cute tops have ruched detail at the sleeves and look great under jackets or simply alone. They’re a must for any rectangle, inverted triangle or hourglass and come in black, green, gray, pink, deep blue and white.

For our 20-something readers, here’s a cute springtime outfit that works for meeting friends for coffee or venturing off to class. And it’s all within a college gal’s tight budget.

• White scoop neck tee — The u-neck is a super flattering neckline for hourglasses, rectangles and inverted triangles. This one is stretchy and comes in a variety of colors.
• White shorts — the length is just perfect because they’re not too long to be dowdy nor are they too short that you feel like everything is hanging out, which is never a good look.
• Yellow draped cardi — In a nice lightweight jersey, this adds a nice pop of sunshine and keeps you feeling pulled together.

For accessories, add a bit of turquoise with these hoop earrings from Forever 21 and a fun peacock ring like this one from House of Harlow.

Try a cute flat brown sandal by BCBGeneration or if you want some height but still need to be comfortable walking around campus, try these cute tan wedges from Lucky Brand (goes up to 11.)  Throw on some big Jackie O shades and you’re set.

For our over 30 readers, these clothes are junior fit which means they are cut for a straighter hip and smaller size. If you’re petite, you may have some luck but don’t dress exactly like your daughter — she will thank you!

Latin dance is hot! We have some expert advice from what to wear to how to manage your personal belongings on the dance floor from salsa dance lover Julia. She is also the creator and designer of wallets2wear, which features accessories that function as a small wallet for those times you just want to leave the house with a few important items (ID, credit card, key and cash) and don’t want to carry a purse. The idea was born from her love of salsa dancing and the eternal question of what to do with your purse while on the dance floor. But her designs function well for everything from exercise to everyday wear to dressy occasions like weddings.

Salsa Outfit Tips:

Good: Sexy, flouncy, sheer, straps, animal print, intense colors, open in the back, movable, real dance shoes
Bad: Pencil skirts, strapless dresses, heavy/thick fabrics, skirts too short, stuff that flips out and hits your partner in the face when you spin and non-dance shoes

Salsa Outfit:

• Rachel Pally Wrap Halter Top – Halter tops look fabulous on hourglass and inverted triangle body types. There is enough spandex to keep you loose for those dance moves. Rectangle body types would look great in the MM Couture Knit Top (not shown).

• Rachel Pally Wide Leg Trousers – this stylish wide leg pant also has plenty of stretch.

• Silver Leather with Sparkle by Go Go Dancer Line – these sandals are great for Latin, Salsa, Swing or any type of ballroom dancing.

• Starry Night or Midnight Moon Beaded Bracelets- These are my favorite designs from Julia’s line. They are stylish, lightweight and contain a small pouch to hold your personal belongings including lipstick. The midnight moon black metallic pleated wristband is soft and flexible and a bestseller amongst dancers.

• Gorjana Roosevelt Ring and Bloom Studs – The modern and lightweight designs and won’t get in the way of your dance partner.

• MAC Crush Metal Pigment Stacked1– Your eye make-up should be showy and this limited edition contains vibrant colors with highly reflective metallic sparkle.

I hope this article puts you in the mood for a little dancing.

Have you ever walked into a dressing room that had clothes strewn about and then have a frazzled sales clerk rush up behind you (or sometimes not) to grab the items, throw them over her arm and run out the door so you could change in peace?  How many times did you think that the sales clerk was slacking on the job?

I’ll admit, I used to think they were until I had my own clothing store and I realized something that is so super secret and hushed behind closed doors, something that they (the frazzled sales clerks) will never tell you:  you are slobs.

Yes, you heard me. <chuckle> Now, I know not all of you are slobs but sometimes we just don’t know what is appropriate or not or if there really is a ‘dressing room etiquette’ that we should abide by. So, here I give my top 4 do’s and don’ts for how to make your experience a better one for all involved and how to score brownie points with the associates who are helping you so that you can have a great fashion ally:

1. Brand-new clothes don’t get tossed to the ground. When you are changing, don’t throw all those beautiful, nice pieces to the ground after you tried them on.  It’s disrespectful — the sales associates will never tell you this, and you are probably a really great person, but you end up getting talked about because of this behavior.
2. Take your lipstick off before trying things on. I can’t tell you how many times I’d walk into a dressing room after the client left to find a beautiful silk blouse from my store ruined with bright pink lipstick.  Sometimes the dressing rooms will come equipped with the mesh head bags to put over your face to protect the garments, but no one uses them.  So, take off your lipstick and be careful putting it on.  And, if you get makeup on the garment, please let the store clerk know — it is so refreshing and thoughtful for you to do this, I can’t even express.
3. Don’t change your babies in the dressing room. There are bathrooms for this and the dressing room is not the place.  The dressing room is a place to try clothes on and if you walk into one that smells like diapers because someone felt it was their right to change their baby there, how would you feel?  It’s just not cool and if you do it, you will be remembered FOREVER.
4. Place your clothes on a chair or hang them back on the hanger.  Now, don’t go crazy and button everything up and fold them perfectly — they will be refolded the way the store wants them anyways.  But neatly hanging them just shows that you respect the sales help – and you don’t even have to button them, seriously.  It is so rare that this happens that you will end up having strong allies when it comes to being notified of a sale or given a special discount.

Reader Question

Looking for some advice on what to wear to a wedding in Walnut Creek, California in mid March. The wedding is at 3 followed by a cocktail party reception. I am 46, hourglass shape, 5′8″ with about 10 pounds to lose. My colors are warm tones.

Wardrobe 911’s Style Prescription

Spring  is a lovely season for weddings. You want to look your best without drawing attention away from the bride.  Nevertheless, the right colors and silhouette are vital components that you need to focus on. As an hourglass body type, you want to look for styles that follow the line of your curves and maintain balance on both top and bottom. The Recipe Box has additional silhouette recommendations so make sure you check it out.

This ensemble can transition effortlessly from the wedding ceremony to the reception.

• Adrianna Papell Tie Waist Sheath Dress – Violet is a beautiful hue for someone with warm tones. The tie belt on this knit dress shows off an hourglasses’ waist and the sweetheart neckline shows off your proportions.  The dress is lined which helps  smooth out any lumps in the tummy and hip areas.

• Kenneth Cole Reaction Know Way Sandal-  I am a fan of this label because you don’t have to give up style for comfort. From what I understand, this is a great dancing shoe!

• Stuart Weitzman ‘Tahoe’ Clutch Gold – Gold is the perfect accent color to violet and it is also looks great on someone with a warm color temperature.

• Juicy Couture Stone Cluster Drop Earring – these multicolored  glass stone chandelier earrings create an elegant statement.

It is the season for weddings and you may want to consider a style and color consultation. Please contact one of our personal stylists from the Find-A-Stylist Directory.

Enjoy the wedding!

If you’ve ever been rushed to get out the door and don’t have time to do your makeup, here are three must-do’s from our friend and favorite makeup pro, Robert Jones:

1. Curl your lashes + apply mascara – According to Robert, you MUST do this as they immediately open up your eyes and give them definition.  There are three basic eyelash curlers to choose from.  In Robert’s recent (and fabulous!) book, “Looking Younger,” he mentions the basic crimp curler (left), the precision detailed curler (middle) and the heated curler (right.)  The precision curler is great at getting all your lashes from left to right in one swoop — it also is great if you have short lashes.  The heated curler is meant to be used after you apply your mascara and is Robert’s “must have.”
2. Wear blush – It adds color to your face and makes you look alive. Robert recommends creme to powder blush and has created two great shades in collaboration with Three Custom Color.
3. Apply lip gloss – You don’t need to be exact with your application like lipstick so it’s really easy to do. Wearing a nude lip gloss with a bit of color is the most flattering.  Robert has created a great lip gloss that isn’t sticky — hurray!