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Ensemble: Casual Summer Dress & On Trend Footwear

— by Angie

on July 11, 2014

Casual Summer dresses are a joy to wear in the heat because they’re breezy, feminine, and an easy pull-on-and-go option. Add a bag, pair of shoes, and off you go. No topper required.

An effective way of refreshing last year’s Summer dress is by wearing it with trendier footwear options. Casual high-heeled strappy wedge sandals and espadrilles are classic, and by no means dated. But flat and lower-heeled shoe options, in closed and open styles, seem more current at the moment.

Choose neutrals or colours across patterns and solids. Here are the components of the ensemble:

Dress: Think simple Summer dresses in tailored, flared or sack silhouettes. Silk, linen and cotton fabrications are extra ventilating, but blends work well too. I’ve shown a jersey fit-and-flare, a sleeveless watermelon shift, a waistless shirtdress, a fitted V-neck Grecian style, and a high-low T-shirt dress. High-low maxi dresses and strappy sundresses are other options. Remember to maintain structure by wearing voluminous dresses that do not taper back at the hem above the knee.

Footwear: This is the crucial part. Think on trend Summer footwear like sneakers, Birkenstocks, pointy toe flats, slipper flats, loafers, ankle strap wedges, dainty thong sandals or gladiators. Sandal booties, ankle strap flats, d’Orsay flats, laceless flat oxfords, and cut-out booties are further options. Choose a colour that works with the dress.

Accessories: Finish off the outfit with a casual tote, satchel, crossbody or upscale backpack. I chose a cognac tote because it’s extra casual, a nice break from metallic, and quite rich with just about any Summer dress. Add jewellery, watch, eyewear and hat as desired.

I wore this outfit formula last weekend in gorgeous warm weather and loved it. I combined a boxy dark denim shirtdress sans belt with sporty white loafers and fashionable backpack. I scrunched the sleeves and added sunnies, silver watch and wedding ring. Next time I’ll wear the same look with white sneakers.

Ensembles

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Link Love: Summer Lipstick Trends

— by Inge

on July 10, 2014

All of a sudden my feed reader and email inbox are filled with articles and tips about lipstick, so I thought I’d share the most interesting ones with you today:

Refinery29’s Amber Katz shares her experiences with getting a permanent lip tint.
J.Crew is teaming up with Bite Beauty for a trio of matte lip colours.
Popsugar rounds up 10 matte lip glosses with great staying power.
Here’s a how-to video on how to create your own custom lip colour.
Feel like matching your lipstick to your sunnies? Here are some fun examples.
Fashionista picked their 10 best lip products of the Summer.
Trying Michelle Phan’s ombré lip tutorial.
Happy, and some unusual, Summer colours with Nyx Cosmetics Macaron lippies.

Fab Links from Our Members

Ummlila loved this interview with Kim France, founding editor of Lucky magazine, in which she discusses her ongoing interest in fashion for women in their forties and what it takes to succeed in the industry.

MsMary recommends this profile of Nina McLemore — the most powerful designer you’ve never heard of: she dresses Hillary Clinton and other leaders. MsMary thinks the clothes are a little grandmotherly, but found the article fascinating.

Laurinda applauds Free The Girls, a non-profit initiative that helps women rescued from sex trafficking to earn income from selling donated bras.

“With a rucksack you’ve never arrived, and at any moment might decide to leave.” Vildy tremendously enjoyed this Guardian article about the reinvention of the backpack.

Angie had fun checking out the 7 dresses that have defined the last century, and enjoyed browsing these street style pics taken during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris.

Angie also directs us to Sally’s post on closet organization for a large and varied wardrobe, which is helpful and spot on.

Geargirl found this video about how to use Google Image Search to match unmatchable clothing very helpful.

Neel thought that “10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Something Expensive” might come in handy for the many forum members trying to minimize their purchases to keep their wardrobes from overflowing.

In light of recent forum discussions about wardrobe building and investment pieces, Joy thought Une femme d’un certain âge’s post about Mastering the Basics might be interesting.

Annagybe had fun reading this analysis of couture shoes, and thinks Angie and many others will love the pointy toe white go-go boots.

Link Love

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Finding Comfy Sneakers: Harder Than I Thought

— by Angie

on July 10, 2014

Thanks to the sporty luxe trend sneakers are making a bigger fashion statement than ever. Both non-athletic and athletic sneakers are being worn with just about any outfit — with skirts and dresses too — and the fashionably intentional combination is au courant and very 2014.

This is great news for those of us who have fussy feet because sneakers are normally very comfortable. For my Mum-on-the-go clients, this was especially great news because fashionable slip-on sneakers, retro styles and refined athletic sneakers are easy to fit, affordable and brilliantly comfy. Others have embraced the wedge sneaker and high-top as a way to dress down outfits and aren’t looking back.

But for me, finding comfortable sneakers has been more difficult than I thought it would be.

The saddest part of the sneaker trend for my own style has been saying goodbye to Chuck Taylor Converse. I adore the retro and timeless vibe of Chucks and used to wear them very regularly. Unfortunately my feet have grown fussier and Chucks don’t work for me anymore. Next.

I thought I’d give those fabulous slip-on sneakers a bash, because sporty flat oxfords are just up my alley. I tried many styles across an assortment of price points — from Vans to Givenchy — and no luck. The style was too wide, the footbed too stiff, the fabrication too hard, or all three. Wearing my own low-heeled leather booties with socks and buttery soft loafers sans socks was much more comfortable than the slip-on sneaker.

Then I tried athletic sneakers, both refined and chunky, from Nike and New Balance. I didn’t find the Nikes all that cushioning to start off with, and the chunkier styles really hurt my arches. The New Balance sneakers killed my feet when I took them on a long walk because my arches do not like arch support. Luckily, Zappos allowed me to return the used New Balance sneaks for which I was very grateful. Also, I generally found athletic sneaker styles overly wide and heavy, and ironically not comfortable at all.

I spoke to Greg and a few of my very athletic friends about my sneaker challenges. Running shoes are supposed to be very comfortable, so what was going on? They recommended I try ASICS and in a narrow size. So that’s what I did, and finally I had a shoe that fit well and felt more comfortable. My feet weren’t swimming around inside the shoe and the arch support was a lot less severe. I’ve road tested my ASICS GT-2000 on power walks many times over and I’m pleased to report happy feet.

I was also on the lookout for white athletic sneakers with a retro touch that I could wear instead of Converse. Again, I tried style after style across all price points and no luck until I looked for narrow sizes and found Propet’s Washable Walker. The shoe fits like a dream, is super cushioning, lacks excessive arch support and is as light as a feather.

At last, I am sneaker sorted. My fussy feet really keep me on my toes.

My lesson here was that you can’t assume that sneakers are a slam-dunk comfortable walking shoe option. At least, not for someone with fussy feet like mine. I had to put in a lot of effort to find styles that suit my feet and go the distance. Also, you need to find the brand that suits your feet. Yes, each brand has a variety of styles, but they definitely each start out with a different set of priorities. ASICS sneakers seem to work well for me, but Nike or New Balance might be best on your feet.

How about you? Was it easy to find a comfortable pair of walking or running sneakers? Which brands work for you, and why?

Footwear

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Birthday White-Out

— by Angie

on July 9, 2014

I turn 44 today and am fabulously blessed. My laughter lines represent my love for life. I have wonderful friends, amazing parents-in-law, an incredible Papa, and a husband who is my soulmate and the best of everything. Plus, 2014 fashion is sublime. I’m having so much fun with my personal style and working with clients.

One of my favourite things to do around my birthday is shop with Greg, my in-house fashion stylist. I look forward to it all year because Greg does not enjoy shopping, but he has a brilliant eye and I so enjoy his perspective on fashion. He rolls out the red carpet for me as we shop from store to store, and we have an amazing time together. This makes my birthday gift extra special.

I’m spoiled rotten with a few new additions to my wardrobe courtesy of this birthday treat. And I love them even more because of how they were purchased and who gave them to me. Of course, I have to wear my new lovelies as soon as possible, so if it isn’t too hot I’ll be wearing this outfit tonight when we head out to dinner with friends.

Jacket Bag Full

This outfit combines several trends that are current favourites. White-out, knitwear, fluid fits, pointy toes and blush. It also pairs brand new pieces with older ones, which I love to do. The trousers and pullover are brand new. The blush bag is this season but not new, the pumps are last season, and the jacket is six years old (and coincidentally a previous birthday present from Greg).

I mentioned recently that I want to wear the colours that run through my hair — like tan, bone, cream and oatmeal — head to toe and more frequently for Fall. It’s a very low contrast look that really appeals to me because the effect is subtle, yet rich and quite dramatic. Well, this is the look I had in mind. We didn’t set out to find items in these colours, but things fell into place when Greg and I hit Club Monaco. It’s fun to see your vision come together unexpectedly a lot sooner than you thought it would.

The Meryl Sweater in heathered oatmeal was one of my top picks at the start of Spring. I loved it right away, but did not purchase it then because it was far too breezy for always-cold me to wear in February. On the sale racks in my size at exactly the right time, it was meant to be. I love the quality of the wool and silk fabrication, the mixed media integrity, the high neckline, and the tailored sleeves. Gorgeously fluid and in the right light neutral. The sweater looks great in motion because the longer back layers swing in a romantic way. I wear it over a white tank top with built-up shoulders because it’s extra sheer.

The Rachel Pants were another exciting find because although I’m over sausage casing skinnies, I do love to wear dressy cigarette pants. They are skinny, but not overly tight. And hallelujah, on me they’re full length, which is a tall order these days. They’re made of a lovely cotton viscose blend with a touch of sheen and are extremely comfortable. Although the top covers the black pleather welt pocket detailing, it’s another design detail I was drawn to. The pants work just as well with a gauzy black golf shirt that was also among my birthday gifts.

My old bone leather jacket finishes off the tonal palette. Its shorter length and high-low hemline create interesting layers from all angles, especially the side and back. The sleeves of this jacket are supposed to be extra long because they’re slit and can be turned back. I like to wear the sleeves extra long sometimes because it looks luxurious.

The textured gold pumps accentuate the vertical integrity of the outfit. The blush bag breaks up the white-out, which to my in-house fashion stylist was a better match than my white Rosie satchel. Gold watch and wedding ring are all I need in the jewellery department. Apple green specs and brighter lipstick brighten the oatmeal hues against my pale complexion.

The happiness-factor of this outfit is through the roof. First, Greg chose several of the pieces and I’m sentimental about that. Second, the outfit looks Modern, Simple, Dressy, Clean and Bold, which are my style descriptors. Third, the fabrications are refined. Fourth, the outfit moves when I stride, which adds a spring to my step. And fifth, it has a “soft and pretty” aspect to it, which I strive to create in all my outfits these days. I’m a happy camper.

Angie's Outfits

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Four Comfy Shoes for High Volume Fussy Feet

— by Angie

on July 8, 2014

Here’s a selection of shoes that worked well for one of my clients last week. She doesn’t typically need a wide size, but she does have high volume feet with a high arch and instep. The leather on all these shoes is super soft and they mould to your foot like play-dough. They aren’t completely flat, so there is some support. All of them are beautifully made.

Pedro Garcia Vicky Sandal: Fashion forward, unique and hard-edged. Don’t be put off by the toe strap if the rest of the style is your cup of tea. They are that comfortable.
Paul Green Vince Flat: Refined and fashionable. The tan and navy options are marbled and look extra rich. Surprisingly, this shoe worked just as well for my low volume feet. Read the rave reviews.
Attilio Giusti Leombruni Jeans Denim Oxford: The striped heel and back tab detail is subtle and fun. A refined and feminine flat oxford in denim. I love the dainty width of the laces.
Attilio Giusti Leombruni Sequin Oxford: We called these oxfords “mermaid shoes”. The sequins switch direction and create an extremely unique texture. You can also brush the sequins so that they shine in the same direction for a less shiny look. Interestingly, these shoes worked as well for my feet as they did for my client.

Yes, these shoes are pricey, and that’s the downside. Sometimes it’s worth purchasing one pair of killer shoes that are beautifully made and kind to your feet instead of several pairs that just aren’t as nice or comfortable.