Dressy Sandals with Hosiery: Yay or Nay

As the party season approaches I’ll be talking more about casual, smart casual, and dressy holiday attire. To kick things off, I’d like to hear your thoughts on a fringe trend that’s becoming more popular: Wearing hosiery with dressy sandals. 

Any colour of sheer or opaque hosiery can be worn with any colour sandal these days. You can wear fishnet hosiery too. The sandals are dressy and usually low or high-heeled. Here, dressy gold sandals create a high contrast with the black opaque tights. For a less jarring effect, black sandals could be worn with black opaques. Or light opaques could be worn with gold sandals. The gold sandals bookend the model’s hair, which creates cohesion, and I love the drama of the high contrast. Smashing outfit!

Me+Em Reversible Metallic Stripe Pleated Skirt

I doubt I’d wear the combination because I have a hard time finding sandals that fit me well. I find closed-toe dressy shoes much easier to fit, and will stick with those. But I like the combination, and vote yay. I think the effect is interesting, fun, Modern Retro, and has a divine ‘70s integrity, especially when the sandals are platformed. The look gained momentum back in the ‘90s too.

If you don’t have dressy closed-toe shoes, but you have dressy sandals, wearing them with hosiery can make them do double duty in cold weather. That way, you won’t need to buy another pair of dressy shoes.

Over to you. Do you like the trend? Would you prefer there to be a low contrast between the sandals and the hosiery instead of the high contrast shown here? Would you wear the vibe?

Dark Blondes and Taupe Footwear

This year I started to sport my natural hair colour, which is a dark honey blonde. No signs of grey yet. For the first time that I can remember, I’m drawn to taupe, beige, tan, toffee, and mushroom coloured footwear. It complements my darker hair and creates a bookended effect in outfits.

I’ve bought patent taupe boots and toffee Mary Janes this year, and am enjoying the new-to-me neutral on my feet. I’m saving up to get a Furla to match the capsule of footwear. I enjoy a matchy-matchy complement, because it helps pull an outfit together. The bag will be a welcome addition.

My first love is white and cream footwear. It doesn’t bookend my hair these days, but it does match my white pearl jewellery and the white watch that I wear daily. It also works seamlessly well with the sour brights, dark blue, light blue, and blush pinks in my wardrobe, and matches my white and cream bags too. White shoes and bags add a crisp touch to the earthier burgundies and toffees of my wardrobe.

Do you wear taupe and toffee footwear? Maybe you wear the neutral in a handbag too?

Fab Finds: Simple Solids

Here are some cosy solids that have been winners on my clients and friends this season. There are many rich neutrals, and some fabulous non-neutrals too. Some of the items are on sale. We also wish those who celebrate it, a festive Halloween. 

1. Autograph Pure Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater

For me this is THE perfect cashmere pullover. Fluidly tailored, neat and tidy high neckline, slim sleeves, versatile, easy to layer with, dressy, welted for structure, and most importantly – not too long. Super soft, very cosy, luxe, and lovely quality. I loved it and tried hard to make it work, but unfortunately the colours weren’t quite right. They are too cool-toned for my complexion. The red was best, but not perfect. Team Cool Colours, these are for you.

2. COS Cashmere Scarves

COS sells cashmere scarves across a range of colours every season. They are simple, luxurious, soft, warm, and chic. They aren’t bulky and overly long, yet they make a statement. Over the years I’ve bought a few – in citron and Dutch orange – and this year I’m looking at the bright green. I’ve had these scarves for years and they haven’t pilled or faded. They look brand new, and are workhorses with beanies to match. I create a Euro knot or Hoxton knot with them, which looks polished and pretty under a wool coat or puffer jacket. Sometimes I tuck the ends into the topper and leave the knot part exposed. These are my favourite scarves for good reason.

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3. Aquatalia Boots

Aquatalia boots are beautifully made, exceptional quality, and reasonably weatherproof. They are robust and go the distance, even when you wear them almost daily in a rainy Winter like some of my clients. Most of the styles come in black, but it’s good to see browns, tans, and shades of white come through too. I’ve had Aquatalias over the years, and can attest to their magic. That said, they tend to run narrow so several of my clients size up, or can’t wear them. They are pricey, but do go on sale. And last, I’ve walked around for hours in lots of snow and slush wearing tall Aquatalia riding boots, and it was disastrous. My socks and feet were absolutely soaked, and I got the worst blisters of my life. My bad. I thought they were weatherproof like my snow boots, but they aren’t made for that type of weather. But they are fabulous in rain and light snow.

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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Fashion News Roundup: October 2022

A new Karl Lagerfeld biopic, a law aiming to protect fashion workers from exploitation, and more style news that caught our attention this month.

Fun Fashion Quote

I like textile designer Liz Libre’s definition of style:

“At work, I do all my drawings with India ink which doesn’t come out of clothing, so I have to be careful. But to me, style is the way you wear your clothes — how you walk in them and how you interact with people in them. An old classmate of mine was raised by an eccentric aunt, who was unbelievably cool. She had purplish-black hair, carried crystals and wore tea rose perfume you could smell a mile away. In my young impressionable eyes, she was the most stylish woman because she was wholly herself.”

Outfit Formula: Casual Fall Olive

Olive green comes in many shades and tones. Some olives are more yellow, and others more brown or green. Some are cool-toned, and some warm-toned. Some are dark, and others light. Olive is thought of as a fashion neutral, and is popular across most wardrobe items. You might like to wear olive when you have green or hazel eyes. 

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RAILS Maple Dress
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Most of my clients enjoy olive in one way or another. For some, it’s their favourite colour and best neutral. Many clients have olive pants, knitwear, and utility jackets. Notably, I have green eyes, but have broken up with olive. I tend to have one to three olive items in my wardrobe, but am down to one. Now that I’m sporting my natural dark blonde hair instead of highlighting it a light platinum blonde, I feel un-fab in olive. I’m down to an old but gorgeous olive sweater dress, which is in a better light olive for my complexion. Oh, how I wish it was red, navy, citron, shocking pink or turquoise, instead of olive.

I love olive for those who enjoy wearing it! Here are some outfits that might inspire you.

1. Columned Olive

This outfit features olive from head to toe. Note the varying textures from leather and corduroy, to patterned jersey knit, faux fur, and weatherproof nylon – all of which add interest to the outfit. A pair of on-trend olive pleated straight leg pants is combined with a soft olive patterned knitted turtleneck. Olive combat boots elongate the long line of olive. The pants are rolled at the hems to showcase more of the boots. A long quilted puffer vest tops the outfit. The vest allows the patterned sleeves to peek through, which creates visual interest. But a sleeved puffer or olive coat would be just as fab. The toffee faux fur trim effectively picks up the colour of the model’s hair. I see a toffee, tan, red, light blue, teal, or citron bag to finish things off.

Columned Olive

2. Sweater Dress

Here’s an option for Team Dress. Throw on an olive sweater dress, a pair of animal print shoes, and a bag to match – and Bob’s your uncle. Feel free to throw in casual-lug soled boots or combat boots, instead. And choose a woven or jersey dress if sweater dresses aren’t for you. I have an olive sweater dress in this tone of olive, and wear it with cream boots and bag, and either a red, turquoise, navy, or citron coat.

Sweater Dress

3. Layered and Accessorized

This one is for Team Olive and Black. Create a column of black with bottoms and a top. Here a black pullover is matched with black faux leather joggers and on-trend lug-soled boots. An olive poncho tops the lot. The look is accessorized with black gloves that match the texture of the joggers, and an olive hat and scarf that perfectly match the palette. A black satchel would be a handy option to carry with the poncho.

Layered and Accessorized

4. Accented and Suited

And last, my favourite of the lot because it’s the dressiest and I LOVE pantsuits. An on-trend pair of navy wide leg pants is combined with a crisp white shirt that’s worn untucked. A cropped olive pullover is worn over the shirt like a sweater vest. White sneakers match the white of the shirt. Feel free to wear boots, loafers, or oxfords if that’s more your cup of tea. A navy pinstripe blazer tops the layers to create a dressy and chic finishing touch. The untucked layers and sneakers relax the dressiness of the suit. I see a white, navy, or light blue bag too. Add jewellery, watch, and eyewear as desired.

Accented and Suited