Fashion Q&A
By Lindsay Feeney
Q: What are the best staple pieces of clothing/accessories to
purchase for a new corporate/office job?
A: If your career path has led you into the corporate world, you
must remember that not every piece of your wardrobe will
be considered office appropriate. Therefore, as a fashionista, this
is your time to show off your chameleonic abilities.
Less will ultimately be more when you are planning your workday
outfit. This is because as a woman in the workforce, you will want
to make sure that the first thing colleagues and bosses see is your
face. Flashy accessories, low-cut necklines, and too-high hemlines
only take away from the respect that you deserve. That said, the
best approach to office attire could be summed up in two words:
uncluttered and tailored.
A great office piece that helps to accomplish this look is the blazer.
Sold in a variety of sizes and colors, the blazer is a sophisticated
touch that polishes your look. A fitted, neutral blazer is a great
starting point. If you have a slimmer body type, accompany the
blazer with cigarette trousers, and if you have a curvier figure,
pair the longer blazer with trousers that flare a bit. Both add
contemporary trends to your professional outfit.
An oversized pastel or white blazer is not only appropriate for
this spring’s palette but also looks great when worn over an office
dress: a dress no more than two inches above the knee.
Another corporate staple is the blouse. This broad category is
the working girl’s best friend; a plethora of blouse styles equals
more options. Since most of your outfit should be neutral in tone,
your blouse can add an accent color, texture, or pattern to your
ensemble. Spring is in the air, so opt for cotton or linen fabrics to
lighten up your outfit.
Q: How can I wear red carpet trends in my everyday
clothes?
A: Though I’m sure we would all love the opportunity
to wear a new designer gown every day, we know
it’s not practical. What is practical is to extract trends that
we see on the red carpet and incorporate them into our
daily wardrobe.
Rihanna, Mila Kunis, and Mandy Moore have all dabbled
in translucent materials during this year’s awards shows.
This trend is one to take on with caution, as you don’t
want to end up overexposed. Lace has become the
material most frequently used for a fashionable game of
peek-a-boo, whether in black or white. Some tops have
an all-lace back, while others are only lace, inviting a cute
camisole to be worn beneath them.
Melissa Leo and Gwenyth Paltrow showed up to separate
award shows looking incredibly chic in gowns that
appeared to be dripping metallic. Since the red carpet
is the only place suitable for that kind of head-to-toe
shimmer, try to incorporate metallic into your outfit in
more subtle ways. Bring attention to your neck and face
with a scarf that has metallic strands woven into the fiber,
or try a statement silver necklace. To spread the shimmer
out a bit, loop a skinny metallic belt into your pant loops
or even purchase flats with that touch of shine.
Q: I’ve seen in a lot of magazines that biker boots are
“in” this spring, but I have no idea what to wear
them with. Help?
A: Every spring season seems have an edgy trend that
offsets the season’s typical floral patterns and pastel
colors. Spring 2009 gave us hardware and suggestive zippers,
spring 2010 offered warrior-inspired sandals, and spring
2011 has arrived bearing biker boots. Biker boots, originally
practical footwear for motorcycle enthusiasts, have slowly
crept their way across the world of fashion, first taking on the
punk scene and then bleeding their way into the closets of
fashion-forward women everywhere.
How you choose to wear biker boots completely depends
on your personal style. A common way women with more
feminine styles are adapting this trend is by pairing the boots
with light, floral spring dresses. Together, the two styles create
an eye-catching contrast and appear effortlessly put together.
If your style is edgier to begin with, don’t be afraid to top off
your look with the leather jacket you bought last fall. Keep in
mind that two leather items usually look best in the same outfit
if they are the same color.
As spring becomes summer and the weather gets hot, try
the boots on with destroyed shorts or a bandage mini. The
shorts and mini can be topped off with a tasteful trapeze top
or oversized sweater to balance out the ensemble. Patterned
tights or socks that poke out of the top of your boots are great
leg accessories that will draw well-deserved attention to your
fashionable feet. |
