Alyson Seligman (38) lives in Palm Beach Gardens (FL) and is a personal style & personal growth blogger who also owns a PR/digital media agency. Her style is polished casual with a mix of Modern Classic and on-trend pieces. She loves feminine tops, statement earrings, and dressing up for special occasions.

“As I’ve become more comfortable and confident in myself, I’ve become less influenced by other women who have great taste… it’s just not true to me. My style is definitely a ‘casual chic’ vibe as I now run my blog and PR company from home. Think fab flats instead of sky-high heels (I’m a woman on the move!), great fitting denim instead of formal skirts, and tops with personality like fringe details or a fun floral print, for example. At the same time, who doesn’t love an excuse to get dressed up?!”

Alyson is all for wearing white bottoms year round. Here she’s sporting white skinny jeans with ankle zips. She’s paired the jeans with a navy sweater with fun design details — a high-low hemline, side buttons, and tasseled hem. An easy way to give an outfit extra visual interest. Adding patterned footwear, like these leopard print d’Orsay flats, is another way to add personality to a simple jeans-and-jumper look. Pattern-mixing the shoes with a darker brown satchel is a little unexpected. Navy nail polish, and a gold watch are the polished finishing touches.

A casual and comfy outfit for a day of running errands. Alyson is wearing camo print skinny jeans with contrasting tuxedo stripe and a white V-neck tee. She’s thrown over a black open cardigan that is longer in front for a nice draped effect. The white-with-black-stripes sneaks echo the colours in the outfit and pull the look together. The accessories of choice are a compact black shoulder bag and mirrored Aviator sunnies. A touch of subtle pink lipstick and our blogger is ready to go.

When asked which Fall/Winter trends she is enjoying the most in mild-weather Florida right now, Alyson said:

“It’s been unusually hot in Florida — I’m talking 86 degrees in October! — so instead of sweating to death in cozy cardigans (though I wear the in my house all the time!), I’m embracing statement colors like mustard, rich greens and a deep reds. The fall colors immediately ‘winter-ize’ your look, even if you’re wearing a tank!”

Alyson likes how lace tops can add polish to casual outfits. Here, her white sweatshirt with lace panel effectively dresses up a pair of ripped and distressed boyfriend jeans.The botanical lace detailing together with the charming red rose print on her white sneaks give the tomboy look a feminine vibe. The cognac zip-top crossbody bag is one of Alyson’s go-to daytime bags and complements her red locks beautifully.

Our 5’3” blogger is rocking the long cardigan! I also love that she’s paired it with a shorter skirt instead of a midi dress or jeans or pants. It’s a bit unexpected and very fun. Tucking the white top into the navy suede skirt provides structure and creates vertical integrity. The knee-length cardigan is also a great “lengthening tool” and an ideal lightweight topper for warm Florida Fall weather. Alyson has added split V-shaft booties in a darker grey for a non-matchy but complementary effect. Her trusted Vuitton bag comes out to play again, and the Y-necklace with subtle bling also emphasizes the vertical lines. Putting her hair up in a nonchalant ponytail works great with the casual vibe of this look.

Alyson likes to dress up for special occasions, and has worn this stunning black dress to holiday cocktail parties and weddings. The eye-catching transparent panel at the top of the fitted dress adds subtle allure and glam. The knee-length is flattering on our petite blogger. Silver ankle strap sandals with beautiful knot detailing lengthen the leg line and amp up the dressiness factor. Silver drop earrings, an heirloom bracelet that was once her grandmother’s and a black clutch are the festive finishing touches.

Our blogger is a fan of beautiful white blouses: “They can give an ethereal vibe that actually lightens up your face instead of darken your complexion.” The lace mock turtleneck blouse certainly is the star of the show here. It dresses up her skinny blue jeans like it’s nobody’s business. The neutral lining that evokes a see-through effect and sheer yoke are alluring, and create a fun juxtaposition with the buttoned-up, covered style. The blush suede stacked heel pumps with on-trend squared-off toe echo the lining of the blouse and further dress up the look. The white monogrammed chain wallet used as a clutch, and glam oversized pearl earrings complete the outfit.

Let us know what you think of Alyson’s wonderful polished casual style, and then hop on over to her blog, The Modern Savvy, to browse the rest of her outfits.

Button-fly jeans are a fringe trend. I think they are a throwback to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s original and unisex Levi’s 501 jeans. I can’t remember button flies before that, but will stand corrected if I’m mistaken. Those 501’s were the first time I wore button-fly jeans.

My clients, friends and family vary in their tolerance for button-fly jeans. Some prefer it, some have no preference, and some prefer a zipper fly. Some occasionally tolerate a button fly if it’s a visible feature of the jeans. Some like to have a mix of button fly and zipper fly. And some — like my Dad and brother — refuse to wear button-fly jeans.

There is no getting away from the fact that a zipper fly is fast, practical, smooth, and easy. A button fly takes more time to fasten and unfasten, and some find the buttons bulky and bulging on the tummy area. But a button fly can be fun, different, nostalgic, and a design feature of the jeans. Although an acquired taste, it’s an interesting vibe.

Personally, I have no preference. I wear a button fly as happily as a zipper fly, and don’t find them inconvenient, bulky or bothersome. I also find button flies a bit nostalgic. I have four pairs of button fly-jeans at the moment, and am not opposed to getting more. Two pairs have visible button flies, and two have concealed button flies. It’s fun to have the variety. Coincidently, my three pairs of new jeans have button flies, and I love them all.

I vote yay for button-fly jeans. What’s your verdict?

I should start by saying that 99.99% of my wardrobe items never see the inside of a tumble dryer. Not even panties, loungewear, yoga wear, sleepwear, and especially not bras. I tumble-dry my socks and camisoles, and that’s it. The rest is hung dry in an empty closet or sent to eco-friendly cleaners. That’s because I believe that tumble-drying ruins the fit of your clothes, tortures delicate fibres, wears out fabric, makes the colour fade, and takes the polished and crisp integrity out of them. So I go to the effort of hang drying and ironing as needed. It’s extra effort and time, but worth it to me.

That said, every once in a while I carefully use the tumble dryer to deliberately adjust the fit of my clothes. I don’t recommend this strategy unless you’re prepared to take a risk, but I haven’t had any disasters yet. Here are two recent examples.

The first is a pair of Carpenter Straight Leg Jeans (see them in action here). They are the perfect length for my white Western shooties, but a little long for short-shaft Chelsea boots. I thought about having them shortened about half an inch because I am that pedantic about the lengths of things. Instead of having them altered I decided to shrink the length with the dryer. First I washed the jeans and hung dried them in the closet till they were almost dry. I then popped them in the dryer for ten minutes on regular heat. Afterwards, I pressed them to look pristine. They successfully shrunk half an inch in the length, and not at all in the width. I thought this might happen because they are 100% cotton woven fabric and very thick, stiff denim. Stretchy, soft and thin denim tends to shrink all over (and bag out later). Now the length is perfect to wear with my shooties, low-shaft Chelsea booties AND my hi-top sneakers for that matter (see the exact boot styles below). 

I’ve worn the jeans several times post the tumble dry, and they’re currently my favourite jeans. I will NOT be putting them in the tumble dryer again.

The second example is a lovely oatmeal surface interest knit top that I bought in the Netherlands a few months ago. It fits very fluidly, and I semi-tuck for more structure. I thought I’d be a devil and tumble dry it to create a snugger fit. First I washed the top and hung dried it in the closet till it was almost dry. I popped it in the dryer for ten minutes on regular heat. There was no need to iron it since it’s a crease-resistant top. It shrunk all over to exactly the fit I wanted, which was more luck than wisdom. Knits shrink in the dryer when they have a high cotton content, but they can often shrink too much in one direction. I love that the fit across the armholes, shoulders and sleeve width is narrower after the tumble dry. The top is still quite fluid, but less so. It’s also shorter and a better match for my new capsule of jeans with high rises. The top has retained its new fit after a couple of wears. I will NOT be putting it in the tumble dryer again.

Over to you. Have you ever deliberately shrunk clothing items in the tumble dryer? And was it successful?

Jenna Lyons’ new venture, the theme for next year’s Met Gala, an H&M bra collection for breast cancer survivors, and other style news that made headlines in October.

• Stuart Weitzman is expanding its boot width sizes: Fall styles will be available in sizes 4–12 and in narrow, medium, and wide. 
• H&M launched a bra collection for breast cancer survivors.
• Next year’s Costume Institue exhibition and Met Gala will be framed around Susan Sontag’s seminal 1964 essay ‘Notes on ‘Camp’.
• Walmart has announced it will be acquiring plus-size brand Eloquii.
• Everlane is eliminating virgin plastic from its business, starting with a new outerwear collection.
• Here’s Alexander Wang’s intimates collection for Uniqlo.
• Coach is phasing out fur by their fall 2019 collection.
• Former executive creative director and president of J.Crew Jenna Lyons is partnering with Turner for a weekly unscripted television series that will bring together fashion, home, and lifestyle.
• J.Crew meanwhile is running its second annual coat drive (until 25 December). The gently used coats will go to people in need across the U.S. and in seven other countries.
• Gilberto Benetton, co-founder of the eponymous clothing brand, has died at the age of 77.
• The London Victoria & Albert Museum will be staging the UK’s largest ever Christian Dior exhibition.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that sneaker brand Keds, founded in 1916, “was originally supposed to be called Peds, after the Latin word for feet. When they realised that word had already been trademarked, the company decided on the name Keds” instead.