What to wear to be the Hostess with the Mostest!

So far this holiday season I've talked mostly about what to wear to all those fun parties and events you'll be attending.  But today I'm going to focus on something else...being the hostess!  For those of you who have hosted a holiday soiree, you know it can be stressful.  It's not just getting the food and drinks right and assuring that all your guests are being paid adequate attention;  it's also about what happens an hour or two into your party when you realize how uncomfortable you are and that you are wearing the wrong thing!

Your strapless bra is falling down, the spaghetti straps are too.  Your feet are dying in those killer heels, your tights have run, and that beautiful duchesse satin dress feels like a straight jacket!  Yikes!  All you want to do now is kick your gorgeous heels off, rip off that bra, and toss that dress off in favor of something you can actually breathe in!  Is it possible to wear something classy & wearable?  Sure it is...with a little planning!

I pulled together some examples of hostess outfits that are sexy, or artistic, bold or just fun (whichever you prefer!). What they aren't is restrictive or uncomfortable, allowing you to be the social butterfly all night long. Think of these basic rules as you view the looks:

• Don't go shorter than mid-thigh.
• Shift and A-line dresses are your friend, as is Lycra!
• Go for LDs that allow you to wear a bra with at least one strap.  Make sure your straps won't fall, and please ladies, make sure you're wearing the right size bra so that your boobs are actually in the right place!
• Wear sensible party shoes (yes, I did just say that!).  Try a squared off heel and a shallow pitch (that's the angle of the sole).
• If you're going to cover those gams, go for black opaque tights; they wear well, are flattering and cover.

 

Modern Velvet...

Velvet:  It's rich, it's sumptuous and unfortunately for many it's associated with their grandmother's drapes! Well guess what? Velvet is back with a vengeance, and I for one am more than happy about this! Though it comes and goes on the runways, velvet never really goes out of style.  I remember many years ago going to a very fancy event and wearing a gorgeous scarlet colored sweetheart neckline dress - I felt glamorous and sexy and received so many compliments.  I could totally wear that dress again today as it is timeless (unfortunately I wouldn't be able to fit into it anymore!), but my point is, velvet is one of those classic textures that never goes out of style.

Whether it's a girly fit-and-flare dress, a tailored vest, or a pair of ankle-length skinnies, let this year be the year you add velvet to your wardrobe.  You can make this fabric modern and chic very easily, so check out these inspiring velvet styles from the catwalk and starting adding velvet to your wardrobe now!

PJs are all the rage...

For those of you who love lounging in your pajamas, this trend is perfect for you!!  Pajamas have officially made the leap to acceptable fashion!!  Yes ladies, this fashion trend has been creeping into the mainstream and now it's official - it's okay to wear your pajamas out!!  But don't rush to do this trend unless you truly know how to make it work!  Rihanna has made this trend uber-trendy with her pajama-trendy look, but before you pull out your PJ's from your dresser drawer consider the following tips so you don't look like you literally just rolled out of bed!!


1.  Mix it up - Silky menswear pants look great when combined with a structured blazer or other sharply contrasting fabric.  Button down shirts, cable knit sweater, or an open-weave sweater are all options.  Wear bold jewelry and stylish shoes.  Steer clear of slouchy t-shirts and flip flops unless you want to look like you just fell out of bed!

2.  Au natural?  No!  Bed-head and a fresh face may be fine when wearing jeans, but if you are attempting a polished pajama look you will need to take a little more time with your hair and makeup.  Take enough time to create a deliberate look.  Something as simple as a slicked back pony and carefully applied lipstick can be enough to keep you from looking sloppy.

3.  Change your mind - the biggest step in pulling off pajamas in public is to stop thinking of your outfit as "just pajamas".  Even if you did purchase those silky pants in the lingerie department, you have to make up your mind to wear them as a stylish separate.

4.  Try a slip - an easy way to transition into wearing pajamas in public is to give a slip a try as a slinky dress.  Besides, printed drawstring pants are not for everyone.  Style a slip like you would a cocktail dress and suddenly your options are wide open.  The feminine embellishments make slips worthy of attention.  Try layering two slips and loads of jewelry, or wearing with a fitted denim vest and booties.

5.  Just add sparkles - sometimes all you need is something sparkly to change up the look of your pajamas.  A fully sequined top combined with silky solid pajama pants and patent leather flats can take you directly to a dinner party.  A sparkly pencil skirt can be the perfect layering piece for a camisole and heels.

So, now you've been given the tips of how to wear this look, go ahead and get your jammies on.....

Park & Madison Event...

Last night I attended the "Girls Night Out" event at Park &  Madison in McMurray.  It turned out to be a great night out, and a good time was had by all.

There was a great turn out of ladies, and I loved doing the styling and meeting lots of new people.  If you haven't been to Park & Madison yet, put it on your to-do list.  It's a great little boutique with a nice range of cool, edgy and unique pieces of clothing. They also have unusual pieces of jewelry too so you can easily accessorize your outfits.

We had wine and appetizers and a whole lot of fun!  I hope to be collaborating with the boutique in the future for more fun events and I'll keep you all posted on what will be coming up so that you can also attend events in the future.

In the meantime take a peek at some of the photos I took of the boutique and some of the lovely ladies who attended last night's event.

This is Jordan, the Manager of the boutique, getting ready for the event

Some of the ladies who attended the event are in the following pics.  They too had a fab time!

Park & Madison Photo Shoot

A while ago I had the pleasure of styling a fashion photo-shoot promoting a local clothing boutique.  The photo shoot had been in the works for a couple of months, and I was excited about seeing it finally come together.  The idea was to showcase fashions for women from every decade, from the twenties through to the seventies, showing how it doesn't matter what age, size or shape you are, you can always look fabulous.  I was excited at the prospect of showing how it is possible for women of every age to look chic, classy, edgy, and trendy - and that's exactly what we did!

All the women who participated in this project were amazing.  From the young 20 and 30-something girls who wore outfits both young & flirty, cool & edgy, to the more mature ladies who wore chic & classy to trendy & fun, they proved that age is just a number and you can have fun with your clothes no matter what your age!  This is proven when you see a 70+ woman rocking a pair of leather pants, or a 50+ woman looking fabulous in jeans and a tee with a studded belt and cute hat!  Or see how a 20-something girl can look oh so sophisticated in a green shift dress and black fascinator, looking like she's ready for a day at the races. My 30-something model looked stunning in a simple black fit and flare dress with lace detail, and multiple strings of pearls for that Coco Chanel look.

The night was a lot of work but a lot of fun!  All our models were patient and easy to work with, and were happy to try whatever I suggested, making my job much easier too!  What struck me, particularly with the more mature ladies, was how as the evening wore on and they were being photographed in their outfits, they sort of became more and more confident and I felt I was witnessing a transformation of sorts with a couple of the women.  It was great to witness, and I hope that the ladies continue to dress in a way that makes them feel better and more confident in themselves.

Please take a moment to look at the end result (please bear in mind these are my photos, not the professional ones!), and see how age really doesn't matter when it comes to looking and feeling great...