Many of the questions I receive are about wedding-wear. This isn’t too surprising – weddings nowadays take many shapes and sizes and along with that comes an abundance of dress codes. A simple description of some of the popular wedding dress codes will hopefully make things easier. And remember: if you are still in doubt – it’s always safer to dress up then to dress down.

Casual beach wedding:

• Ladies – a cotton knee length dress, flat sandals that you can take of easily in the sand, small clutch bag and your sunglasses. Take along a cropped cardigan for when it starts to get chilly.
• Gents – a plain short sleeved cotton or linen shirt (un-tucked is perfectly acceptable), paired with cotton or linen casual flat front pants and leather slip on mules.  

Informal wedding:

• Ladies – a festive knee length dress and strappy sandals matched with a small bag.
• Gents – a plain or printed long sleeved shirt (un-tucked is again an option) paired with flat front cotton or linen pants and closed leather shoes.  

Jeans are still inappropriate for even the most casual wedding. Wedding casual is not the same as stay at home weekend casual.

Semi–formal / Dressy Casual:

Business Casual for both ladies and gents is the order of the day. Skirt and pant suits, a dress or separates with heels for her; and a long sleeved shirt (tucked in) with dress pants, belt and dressy shoes for him. This is the trickiest of all dress codes – ask the bride and groom if you are still unsure about the level of formality they have in mind.
 
Formal Daytime:

• Ladies – a smart knee length dress or dressy suit separates with heels and accessories.
• Gents – a dark or light suit with white or pastel shade of shirt and matching tie. Tuxedos are inappropriate for daytime formal weddings unless specified. 

Formal / Black-Tie (for evening weddings):

• Ladies – cocktail dresses, dressy evening separates, dressy suits or long dresses are options. Heels, wraps and accessories are a must and so is a small elegant evening bag.
• Gents – Tuxedos are optional unless specified. Dark suits with dark shirts and dark ties are best. Trendier versions of tuxedo jackets with black shirts and no tie are also acceptable. 

Ultra Formal / White-Tie (this is Oscar night!):

• Ladies – Glitz and glamour galore! Only your best long ball gown, accessories and highest heels will do. Hair is best up or left loose with structured curls.
• Gents – Three-piece full dress with waistcoat, white tie, shirt, cumber band and shiny shoes.

Congrats to the bride and groom, have fun at their joyous occasion and above all, arrive with style!

Happy Mother’s Day! It is to your mothers that I dedicate this blog entry. Convince your Mums that they too can ooze with style at their age – elegance and grace does not date.

In fact, you can consider giving your Mum the gift of style for Mother’s Day. Here are some suggestions:

• Hair – older women look best with shorter hair. Silver grey shades can be gorgeous, but only if her skin tone allows it. Treat Mum to a new hair colour and cut.
• Make-up – women over 50 often wear too much makeup. Liquid eyeliner from the 60’s, blue eye shadow from the 80’s and enough foundation to keep the cosmetic industry booming is not flattering. Update Mum’s makeup application by letting her know that “less is still more” – even at her age. A session with a professional make-up artist would make a lovely gift.
• Accessories – flat metallic shoes, a metallic bag, or long beaded necklace will instantly pop Mum into this season, and the ones to follow.
• Readers – buy a pair of funky yet elegant readers to replace Mum’s dowdy ones. Do the same with outdated specs and sunglasses.
• Dressy attire – our wardrobes should get dressier as we get older. Get Mum out of basic plain or printed t-shirts and into casual collared shirts, blouses, tunics and twin sets (sweater sets). Layer them with lightweight unlined jackets for comfort and extra chic. Match them up with structured (non elasticized at the waist) flat front pants and skirts. Take Mum shopping for this type of clothing, making sure that the silhouettes are form fitting yet comfortable. Selecting items with stretch is a good idea.
• Flattering jeans – if Mum likes to wear jeans, make sure that she’s wearing an updated pair that have a contoured waist (higher at the back and lower in the front) and are boot cut at the ankle. Take Mum shopping for a pair of dark blue denim jeans – darker is always smarter and therefore more age appropriate.
• No more Nikes – big white sneakers are only for working out in. Treat Mum to a comfortable pair of ladylike walking shoes (Clarks, Aerosloes, or smart fashion sneakers) available at any department store.
• Colour – introduce Mum to a bit of colour. Black is not always best. Treat her to a white item of clothing that she can mix and match with the black that she already has. Combine this with metallic accessories and she’ll look fabulous!
• Hands and feet – pretty hands and feet are timeless. A manicure and pedicure for Mum is always a perfect gift.
• Wearing a scent – there is nothing more feminine then smelling delicious. If Mum is not in the habit of wearing a scent every day, recommend that she does and buy her one that you know she’ll love.

Have fun treating your precious mothers and remind them of the fact that style is eternal.

Mum: I was blessed with an incredibly stylish mother. I often think back to how she encompassed immaculate style even at 59 years of age when she passed away. I have spent many years in the fashion game, but I learned some of my best lessons from her.  

No, it really doesn’t matter where women shop. As long as you are discerning about style, colour and quality, spend your fashion dollars where it works for you.

Shopping for merchandise from a variety of places works best for my style, my pocket, and my conscience. I shop anywhere and everywhere! There are reasons to shop in one particular place, and reasons not to shop at another. Where you choose to shop will depend on what you are comfortable spending, the time that you have available, and the items that you are looking for:

Designer boutiques (e.g. Chanel, Prada, Dior) – shopping for exorbitantly priced designer labels is purely a status symbol. You are not getting “better quality” purchasing items here then you would shopping at better end chain stores. In fact, chances are high that the merchandise was made in the same factory! You can expect a high level of exclusivity (although knock offs are rife), but certainly no value. “Investment shopping” does not necessarily yield the highest rate of return. Your body and lifestyle change, and few people are happy wearing the same black jacket for 10 years.

Smaller boutiques (e.g. Mercer, Zebra club, Sway & Cake) – items from boutiques tend to be more unique and fashion forward. Selections and sizes are limited and sales are always late into the season. But if you are lucky and happy to pay higher prices – you’ll probably love your boutique purchases.

Department stores (e.g. Nordstrom, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus) – the variety in department stores can not be beat. They house a wider assortment of designer labels and boutique merchandise with a better return policy. Better -end and mid-priced items, underwear, cosmetics, accessories and shoes for the entire family are available under one roof. Sales and specials are prolific and refunds are easy. Department stores are top on my list for convenience, customer service, and excessive choice. However, the abundance of product can be overwhelming and precisely the reason why many stay away.

Chain stores (e.g. Banana Republic, J Crew, Express, Lane Bryant) – both better-end and mid-priced chain stores are super places to shop for commercial fashion. However, the risk of “looking like everybody else” is a guarantee. What you gain in value you’ll loose in exclusivity.

Specialty stores (e.g. Victoria’s Secret, Sylvia’s Swimwear, Accessorize) – such stores make shopping simple and are therefore popular. Their narrow but in depth range of one product is appealing. You might find yourself becoming incredibly loyal because of this.

Budget shopping (e.g. H&M, Old Navy) – with women’s trends constantly moving, buying “fashion fads” from cheaper end stores is a brilliant idea. They’ll last you a season (hence the term “throw away fashion”) and won’t have cost you an arm and a leg.

On-line shopping (Zappos) – as convenient as this may sound, pictures are deceiving and disappointment is inevitable – unless you have bought the product before and know exactly what to expect.

Whether it’s trendy designer boutiques, better-end chain stores or “throw away fashion” lines that tickle your fancy; its how you put it all together and carry it off that will make or break your look.

Do you feel like you don’t know where to start when it comes to shopping for clothes? Do you feel bombarded by fashion trends? Is resorting to comfy sweats your only solution to discouraging shopping experiences?

Here are some tips that might make you a more effective shopper:

Shop seasonally: Fashion and trends are always moving. They move at a faster rate for women then they do for men. The fashion industry therefore focuses on women first and men a bit later. While women certainly don’t need to update the majority of their wardrobe every season, it’s not stylish to look dated. Ideally you’ll need to shop for a certain amount of clothing and accessories every season, not only because trends change, but also because you change.

Shop with a plan: Wondering aimlessly from shop to shop, getting overwhelmed by what is on offer and not knowing where to look or what to select is enough to put anybody off shopping. What is your current body type and how does clothing affect it? What the trends for the new season? How do the new season’s trends translate into updated looks that are best for your body type, your budget and your lifestyle? Answer these questions, make a list, and you can then set about shopping for a wardrobe that satisfies all aspects of your life.

Shop to your current body type: It’s very important to dress (and therefore shop) for the body that you are currently in. Waiting until you’ve lost or gained weight is not the best idea. Despite the fact that it’s good to have personal weight goals, looking good now will make you feel better. A short term quick fix can therefore have positive long term effects!

Shop with focus: Once you know what works for your body and lifestyle, focus on only those items when you shop. You’ll automatically bypass styles that aren’t right for you, which will prevent frustration and save time. Pear shaped ladies should know not to entertain tapered pants; small busted rectangular shaped ladies know to look for high necklines; while apple shaped women can select bias cut skirts with confidence.

You don’t need to follow every fashion trend to be stylish. Dressing correctly for your body and appropriately for an occasion is a lot more stylish then shopping at a swanky boutique for designer clothing that’s unflattering. Your personal style begins and ends with a strong sense of yourself!