Outfit Formula: Summer Spice It Up

This outfit formula is not about spicy earth tones, but about spicing up a casual or dressy Summer look in some small or large way. I’ve chosen four outfits that do just that in fairly unexpected ways. Copycat the look, or feel inspired to create your version. What’s important here is to do your own thing. This is 2019 and almost anything goes. We can create any outfit juxtaposition, feel fab and empowered in it, and be as dressy or casual as we want.

When I’m walking our Yorkie Sam along the Seattle waterfront or in the hustle and bustle of Belltown, I see it all. People in formal business attire, and people in gear. People in basic shorts and flip-flops, and people in very trendy outfits. Hoodies and biz casual. Athleisure and costume. Dresses and jeans. It’s ALL good.

1. Sporty Spice

I like Sporty Luxe combinations because they’re versatile, practical, and a bit glitzy. Here a sporty dress is combined with crisp sneakers. It’s finished off with a playful yet dressy and very structured bag, a polished and made-up face, arm candy, and super fun hair. To my eye, the finishing touches spice up the look.

Slayboo Plus Size Side Striped Slit Hoodie Dress

2. Simple Spice

Do not underestimate the power of intricate design detailing at the back of a garment because you are a 360 degree walking work of art. Back detailing is unexpected and interesting, and I try to wear it as often as I can. It’s especially effective with short hair, or hair that is tied up and pulled back. Here, a tank top looks basic from the front, but there’s a party at the back. The model’s edgy haircut and gigantic earrings further spice things up.

Eloquii Bow Back Sleeveless Top

3. Seductive Spice

Wearing a fitted knee-length or midi dressy dress with heels and jewellery is a classic way to spice things up. The combination almost always looks pulled together, womanly, and impressive. Here I’m loving the ‘90s nod to the Versace-eque chain pattern, the midi length, the sleeves, and front knot detailing. But you can wear any style of fitted or fit-and-flare dress and create seductive spice YOUR way.

Slayboo Plus Size Chain Print Twist Front Dress

4. Party Spice

This is my favourite retail model photo of the year. It oozes verve, confidence, and busloads of fun. The model and outfit are beautiful and brimming with happiness from top to toe. It cannot help but lift my mood! Fringed pants are a party all over, and not just at the back. They move and are dramatic in an awfully festive way. The wrap top creates alluring structure. The blue hoops and striped sandals add an effectively colourful playful integrity, and the model’s hair is an intricate design of elegance and art. MEGA spicy.

Eloquii Drama Fringe Pant

Team Neutral or Team Non-Neutral

You bat for Team Neutral if you prefer wearing neutrals like black, white, all shades of grey, all shades of white, dark blue, blue denim, all shades of tan, olive and khaki, all shades of brown, metallics, and shades of toffee and taupe. You bat for Team Non-Neutral if you prefer wearing colours other than those. 

I LOVE wearing solid neutrals like shades of white, dark blue, gold and blue denim. I like wearing black, toffee, tan, cognac and olive in small doses. I LOVE wearing my favourite non-neutrals like tomato red, watermelon, citron, apple green, coral, Dutch orange, blush pink, light blue, turquoise, shocking pink and Tiffany blue.

At first I thought I couldn’t pick a side, since I have a wardrobe that is equally rich in neutrals and non-neutrals. I was going to sit this one out on the bench with a feast of magret de canard, sweet potato and carrot mash, broccoli, marmalade sauce, and homemade frozen yoghurt for dessert. But since Team Non-Neutrals will be a VERY small team, and wearing my favourite non-neutrals always lifts my mood, I’m batting for Team Non-Neutrals. I feel as calm, confident, serene and happy wearing brights from head to toe, as I do wearing blue and white.

Over to you. Do you bat for Team Neutrals or Team Non-Neutrals? Tell us why and no batting for both teams. Judging by what my clients, friends, family and our forum members wear, I think Team Neutrals is going to win this poll.

Wide Crops with Flats

A new outfit from Cori of Dress Cori Lynn, whom we introduced to YLF in December 2016.

Our 4’11” tall blogger is rocking wide crops — the bottom of the moment — with flats, proving that you don’t have to be tall to wear this silhouette. Cori has semi-tucked a fluid fit short-sleeved linen shirt which lengthens the leg line from the hips up. Pairing the pants in this fun shade of mid-brown with a shirt instead of a tee dresses up the look, and the white makes it look extra crisp. White leather slides with criss-cross straps bookend the shirt. The light wash denim jacket works well with the brown bottoms, and adds a cheeky touch when it gets breezy. The caramel tote adds to the earthy mix, as do Cori’s wavy locks. White nail polish that picks up the white in the outfit, and a simple pendant are the polished finishing touches.

Cori Lynn - 1

Cori Lynn - 2

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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Feeling Empowered at 49

I turn 49 today. To my 88 year old Dad I’m a spring chicken. To my 19 year old nephew I’m ancient. To me, I’m exactly the age that I’m supposed to be. I refuse to think of any age as anything but fabulous, because life is too short. I appreciate the good things in my life that make me happy, and the bad things in life that make me stronger, wiser and more empathetic. I’m grateful for good health, new adventures, comforting old habits and routines, affection and support from loved ones, and the companionship of doggies.

I want to find and celebrate the beauty and good around me, be surrounded by what is beautiful-to-me, make a meaningful difference to others, identify and enjoy the moments in life that count, create more of those important moments, remember that the little things make the biggest difference, create things from scratch, learn new things, have fun adventures, go to bed at night with a clear conscience, and wake up choosing joy. This is quite the ambitious list of wants! Hopefully, with each passing birthday I’m closer to achieving what I want out of life.

When it comes to fashion and style, I feel as empowered and relaxed as can be. As a 49-year-young fashion professional, I appreciate enormously that I don’t feel the pressure to look, say, do, or be a way that’s unnatural or inauthentic to who I am. This was not the case when I entered the rag trade 27 years ago. Back then I felt pressure to look, dress and be a certain way, because I was impressionable and self-conscious. I compared and despaired, and doubted my ability. Thankfully with age comes experience, confidence, self-respect, self-acceptance, the wisdom to separate what is important and what is not, an ease in one’s own skin, and an increased ability to laugh at oneself. I’ve enjoyed growing older and feeling this way because it’s made me a better and happier person.

I wear white when most wear black. I feel calm and serene in brights when most prefer neutrals. I love wearing high-contrast clothes, and don’t feel flat-footed in flats. I wear pearls when I walk our Yorkie Sam, and white in the pouring rain. I travel with a dressy satchel and happily check luggage into the hold. I am not a wardrobe minimalist, and I buy items at full price when they are within my budget. I’m not a big sale shopper, and prefer to shop early in the season. I wear fancy dresses and separates with pearls for an at-home workday, because why not! I sport short hair when most have long. I wear make-up and style my hair every single day. I don’t wear shorts, T-shirts, sleeveless items, leggings, nail polish, heels, dark lipstick, or jewellery other than a few custom-made pearl pieces. I don’t leave my pretty clothes for good because life is too short to not feel fab and dressy. I am extremely kind to my feet and have zero tolerance for shoe discomfort. I’m polished but not precious. I dress modestly but feel alluring. I look like I won’t rough it, but I do — and in my pretty clothes.

I have enormous fun with my style because it’s one of the least stressful aspects of my life. I rise above the thought that looking older is the enemy. I fully accept how I look and enjoy how I dress. I laugh at the ridiculousness of the fashion industry from time to time, and won’t let fashion or the aging process boss me around. Most of all, I enjoy lifting the spirits of others and helping them find their personal style so that they feel empowered about that part of their lives too.

My birthday message to you is to be the best version of yourself and not a less-than-fab version of someone else. Do your own thing, and rock the looks you love, your way. Be proud of your sartorial preferences, and don’t let anyone make you feel bad about them. Empower others to do the same.

Wide Crops: Four Years In

Wide crops are cropped pants or jeans that are wide or very wide on the leg, usually higher in the rise, and cropped two to ten inches above the ankle bone. They are flared at the hem to create an A-line shape. Fabrics can be soft or rigid, solid or patterned, and neutral or non-neutral. 

The lines blur between the descriptions used by different retailers, but I think culottes and shorter palazzo pants are a version of wide crops. Wide crops are NOT the same as cropped straights or cropped flares because wide crops are wide from thigh to hem. The collection below shows a good assortment of wide crops.

Boden
Hambledon Pants
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Top Pick
2
Nordstrom
Cargo Culottes
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Top Pick
5
Nordstrom
Easy Crop Pants
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Top Pick
1

Wide crops were a fringe trend about four years ago, and went mainstream over the last two years. I’ve seen many women across a range of ages and body types in wide crops on the street this year, which has been a fun change from skinnies, shorts and leggings. 

My clients, on the other hand, have been slower to adopt the trend. Some loved the look right away, because they abhor skinnies and tight bottoms. Interestingly, these clients spanned a range of body types and sizes. Some added a pair or two this year, and are thoroughly enjoying them. Others committed to a pair or two, left them hanging in their closets for years, but fell in love with them later when they were ready to sport them. Some tried them, but passed them on because they have a hard time breaking out of the “easy slim bottom + fluid top outfit formula” that makes them feel slim and comfortable. And some flatly refuse to try them because they are committed to keeping their bottoms narrow in silhouette.

My clients who don’t fancy wide crops, who span a range of body types and sizes,  generally felt the same way about them. Wide crops draw attention to their midsection and/or thighs, which are the areas of the body they want to keep streamlined and without bulk or constriction. Finding UNTUCKED tops to go with wide crops that were not too cropped or voluminous was another challenge. Occasionally, a very slight and small size client would feel that wide crops overwhelm her. Generally, wide crops made these clients feel wider than what they would like.

I like wide crops, and was an early adopter because I was desperate for something roomier than skinnies. I got my first pair four years ago and LOVE them. They’re denim crops that Greg spotted and bought for me because he thought they were super cute. He was dead right! They are wide and stiff, yet drape beautifully. I then got into wearing cropped flares and cropped straights, which took precedence over adding more wide crops to my wardrobe. This year, I got a little tired of my flared crops and straights, and added a second pair of wide crops in a micro check. The micro checks became instant workhorses. I’d have liked to add a pair of white wide crops but my Summer shopping is done for 2019.

Here are both pairs of my wide crops in the collection. The checked pair doesn’t look wide in the photo, but they are, although less wide than the denim.

I semi-tuck and tuck fluid tops, wear body-con tops, welted tops, and boxy cropped tops with my wide crops so I haven’t felt challenged styling them. And all with flats since I don’t wear heels. I do feel challenged wearing them in colder weather because the draft runs up my legs, so unless I find a solution for that, they are a mild and Summer weather look for me.

Over to you. How are you feeling about the wide crop pants and jeans trend after several seasons?