Socks, Socks, Socks!

Style Tip of the Day #6: Socks, Socks, Socks!

Socks. They seem like a commonplace thing, everybody wears them… but few people actually maximize their stylish capacity. In grueling fashion wars where runways are the fuel of the fight, yet streets are the battleground, socks are an unknown and powerful weapon.

Don’t ever stuff your bulky pants into tight socks. Not even for biking. If you do want to tuck your pants into your socks, tuck skinny jeans (solid colored, with no rips) into below the knee, preferably black or gray, socks. Make sure there are no creases where the jeans fold. Then put on a pair of boots that are about an inch to two inches lower than your socks, like a pair of cute old rain boots.

If you just want socks you can slip on under tennis shoes, make sure that they end below your ankle and are not longer. Socks that end a little above your ankle make your legs look short. Try to minimize sock usage for tennis shoes and sneakers. Try not to wear socks with flats and never wear socks with sandals.

And lastly, my favorite type of socks: knee socks. Knee socks that end below the knee should be worn with preferably tight skirts or dresses that end 3/4 way down your thigh or higher. Above the knee socks should be worn with dresses and skirts that end 1/2 way down your thigh or higher. These should also be worn with tight garments. Knee socks are a must have, and are great for adding a little bit more style to your outfit. Preferably start out with either black or gray above or below the knee socks. I personally prefer above the knee socks, since they give your legs and outfit a longer look of unity and flow.

LBD: Not Only Must-Have Myth

Style Tip of the Day #5: LBD: Not Only Must-Have Myth

Of course, everyone knows that, according to numerous magazines, every girl must have a little black dress. And yet, here we are, with jeans, t-shirts, and a party dress, not even having a desire to base our outfits off of a small black garment. But with experience, i have found that an LBD is actually a great item to have. At first, i was planning on sewing and creating something with this little black dress i bought, but as it hung in my closet, i decided to wear it. Honestly, apart from belts, the LBD became my best friend this winter. 

A basic little black dress should be tight. Make sure that it is well fitted, for an ill fitting dress will distort the lines and smoothness of the overall look. It should be, as if this dress is part of you. A little black dress should also, in fact, be little. It should end at you’re mid thigh, yet can vary an inch or two depending on your leg length and preference. A little black dress should also have short to elbow length sleeves, depending on the fabric. If it is jersey, the sleeves can be up to elbow length, yet LBD’s out of hardier, more textured, fabric, it should be short. Try to avoid sleeveless dresses with high and tight necklines. If you do get a sleeveless dress, make sure it fits will and has a wide and relatively low neckline. 

An LBD is fashion canvas. Pair it with scarfs, accessories, jackets, belts, tights… it can be one style one day, and another style the next. Trust me, all you need is an LBD and you are style set!

When in Doubt: Belt It

Style Tip of the Day #4: When in Doubt: Belt it

Here’s how i got through the winter stylishly: I raided my mom’s closet and wore her skirts. I know what you might be thinking… knee length, usually worn to work kind of skirts can be extremely dull and not to mention too big for me. Well, i belted them. I wore them at my waist with a wide belt and and a tucked in top, creating new, unique looks. I folded the top of the skirt to the side so it comfortably fit my waist and now had a tulip shape. Then, i safety pinned the tulip shape and wore a belt over it all. This is a great option for tighter and smaller tops or blouses, yet can also be pulled off with looser tops. It  looks especially good with ruffled blouses. So when you don’t know what to wear, or have items that don’t fit so great… belt it, and you’ll get a stylish outfit!

Tuck It In!

Style Tip of the Day #3: Tuck It In!

No body tucks in their shirts anymore. And honestly, the layered look is really getting old. I have a friend who always tucks in her shirts, and they look really good like that. Although no body else does it, the few who tuck in their shirts stylishly stand out in a crowd and look great.

Of course, there are some things you shouldn’t tuck into other things. Avoid tucking things into long skirts that start at the hip. This makes you’re outfit too long. Also, super tight tees look best tucked into high waisted skirts, shorts or pants, and more questionable when tucked into low rise garments. When tucking things into jeans, try putting a belt on. This gives a finish to the tucked in outfit. One great tucked in look is a large polo or blouse (can be from the men’s department) tucked into tight, skinny jeans.

Be unique! Tuck it in… and you’ll set the trend everywhere you go.

Must Have: Blazers

Style Tip of the Day #2: Must Have: Blazers

“When you start to build a serious wardrobe, the navy blazer is the very first piece you should choose. It can be a building block for an entire work and casual wardrobe.”  -Darren Brown

Blazers are an extremely important must have in your wardrobe. They should be on the same level of importance as blue jeans, except they are more versatile.

A blazer should be well fitted and well made. The fitting seams in the back and the finishings on the inside should not be loose or messy. Make sure that your blazer looks smooth on the outside and no stitches are visible. 

If you want a basic blazer that works with any outfit, i recommend plain black, or, if you do not wear much black, navy. This can work with almost every color. A blazer can be applied to any outfit. Pair it with you’re jeans and a T-Shirt for a casual city look, or a pencil skirt and blouse for a day at work. Take your blazer out at night by slipping it on over your cute, bright colored, party dress to add a sleek dimension to the extravagant party chic. If you want to take your blazer somewhere new, put it on over your bikini and gladiator sandals and head to the beach! The masculine effect of the blazer looks great over feminine pieces!

Balance and Proportions

For the next two weeks,  i will post one style tip every day. Starting today!

STYLE TIP OF THE DAY #1…. BALANCE AND PROPORTIONS

“Fashion is architecture, it is a matter of proportions” -coco chanel

People always tell me that i can wear anything, pull off any outfit. Well, i’ll tell you why: it’s all about balance and proportions.

If you have an outrageous piece of clothing with wild patterns, pair it with something in a solid suttle color. If you have bright colored accessories pair them with simple pieces of clothing to make them the centerpiece of your outfit.If want to wear something with unique form, pair it with something tight. Pair loose, large, men’s shirts with tight short pencil skirts. The masculine of the men’s shirt and the feminine skirt contradict each other in a way that cancels out the radical aspect of the outfit, leaving the look totally wearable. 

The length of skirts should also be in proportion to the rest of the outfit. Unless the look revolves around the skirt, a skirt that is too long and too massive will degrade from the overall look. Think about how much of that color/pattern  is needed to accompany the rest of the outfit and then choose the appropriate length skirt. 

But of course, confidence is also a key ingredient to pulling off outrageous outfits