Dinner Dress codes

𝓕or my last blog post, I will be talking about the dress code to 2 different types of dinner events ! But before we start,

What do you like to wear when going out to dinner?

𝒻𝑜𝓇𝓂𝒶𝓁 

When it comes to a more formal dinner experience, Fressange mentions to, "Bank on your basics" (54). I agree with her, because even if you end up over dressing, if you stuck to basics, you'll still look presentable. For my dinner on the town outfit, I decided to go for a neutral color dress that still looks dressy, especially with the lace and simple bows on the back, and a neutral colorurse. But for shoes, while a light pink is still pretty neutral, the silver heel and lace up feature really pulls together the entire look, especially since Fressange mentions that shoes are accessory that can transform your ensemble (54).

𝒾𝓃𝒻𝑜𝓇𝓂𝒶𝓁

For a more casual setting, such as a dinner date to a non-fancy restaurant, it's good to dress without looking desperate and revealing a lot of skin. For example, instead of a tight mini skirt with a plunging v neck top, opt for a skirt that's at least a bit past mid thigh, and go for a top without such a low neck. For my outfit, I decided to go for a nice cashmere mock neck, which looks more luxurious compared to polyester, and then a simple pair of jeans and a nice pair of flats. While it's simple and doesn't show off too much skin, it still looks well put together and more elegant compared to a more skin showing outfit. 

𝑀𝑒𝓇𝒸𝒾 𝐵𝑒𝒶𝓊𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓅 !

  𝒥𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝒸𝒶 𝑀.

Fressange, Ines de la, et al. Parisian Chic: a Style Guide. Flammarion, 2011.

Seasons Style!

“Fashion is what you’re offered four times a year by designers. Style is what you choose” -Lauren Hutton

            Seasons can tremendously effect on how an individual dresses, prominently unveiling the way style changes over the entire year as well. There are always clothes that we label as favorites for each season. Those pieces are simple, timeless, and classic pieces that never go out of style and can be mixed and matched with each other likewise with other busier, complex items.

In all of the seasons, there are some basic clothing pieces that may come to use overall. Vasquez states “If you invest wisely in these pieces, they can-and should-last for a long time” (102). Some shirts that are worth investing in include a simple tank in black and white, white button-down, neutral-colored camisoles, thin black turtleneck, cardigan, heavy knit sweater, short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts in basic colors (Vazquez 103). Some pants and skirts include jeans, flat-front pants, white jeans, modest shorts, pencil skirts, maxi skirts, little black dress, A-line skirts, and various types of other dresses (Vazquez 104). Some jackets include fitted black blazer, leather jacket, pea coat, and a classic trench coat (Vazquez 105).

Regarding the seasons, Vasquez also states that the “majority of my list making happens at the start of a new season, when I’m reevaluating what I own and thinking about what I’d like to add with the latest styles in mind” (131). In the spring the three main pieces of clothing include the trench coat in any color, a maxi skirt which is great for any season overall (on chillier days you can just add tights and boots), an open-weave sweater, and sunglasses (Vazquez 131-132). In the summer, Vasquez recommends white jeans that look extremely crisp and new, nude flat sandals that can be worn with anything, bikini separates, and gold hoop earrings that are the go-to accessory for summer (132). In the fall, a tweed blazer to add sophistication to a wardrobe, boots in black or brown, printed scarf, and tights can create a great outfit (Vazquez 133). Lastly, in the winter a statement necklace can help with transforming a casual outfit to chic, sweaters in different colors, and something metallic to add a subtle sparkle to any outfit (Vazquez 134).

Taking some tips given by Vazquez, I decided to put together an outfit that she recommends for the winter. Focusing on just the upper part of the outfit, I chose a white sweater that I paired with a red statement necklace to further enhance the look. The two colors are extremely distinct which makes the mix and match look graceful.

Is there a specific season that you like to dress up more in than the other? What are some of your basic clothing pieces?

Vasquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style. New York: Penguin Group, 2013. Print.

Must-Haves!

"The joy of dressing is an art" -John Galliano

Everyone has their own favorites and “must-haves” when it comes to shoes and bags. A lot of them may be common within a lot of people already. “For the most part, style is a very personal thing, tailored to the individual. But there are a few key pieces that every woman must have in her wardrobe without exception-go to pieces that will get you through any occasion” (Vasquez 289). For any type of style that you may have there are some things you most likely will need of each of the must haves Lilliana Vazquez mentions.

            In the five must-have shoes, Vazquez suggests to have nude pumps which go with everything and can be worn at almost any occasion, dressy metallic high-heel sandals that are suitable to wear at formal events and parties, high-heel black knee boots are a necessity in wintertime and can be worn with almost any outfit, flat riding boots that are very practical and comfortable, and casual flats or flat sandals which would be the staple shoes to be worn with anything in your wardrobe (290-291). In the five must-have bags, she recommends having a weekender/overnight bag which comes in handy for an overnight trip, a clutch that is cool for a formal occasion or a just a night out, a tote that you can throw many of your things which is perfect for running errands, a cross-body which is a great choice for concerts, shopping, or whenever you do not prefer something to be in your hands and a top-handle satchel that is practical and sophisticated making it a good choice for an everyday bag (Vasquez 291-292).

           Reading the list of things that Vazquez suggests to have for sure, I realized I had some of the things already such as the flat riding boots and casual flats or sandals from the shoes section and a cross-body, from the bags section. I also use them for almost the same functions as she recommends to use them for. I plan on expanding my list to match hers over time!

What shoes or bags do you carry the most? Which of the things in the list Vasquez recommends to have would you buy first?

Vasquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style. New York: Penguin Group, 2013. Print.

Details

“Luxury is in each detail” –Hubert De Givenchy

People often overlook the details in an outfit that can take it from being so-so to stunning. The key to looking as best as possible is in the details. The biggest thing going into styling an outfit focuses on how the details can enhance it. Some details include the fit of pants, skirts, shoes, shirts, and coats.

Fit in general is considered to be the most important detail when dressing. Vasquez states “if something is too big, small, long, short, or baggy, you run the risk of looking heavier, shorter…” (279). She recommends tossing something that is not able to be altered by a tailor. Shoes should comfortably fit the length of your foot comfortably without improper fitting at the toes, or the back of your feet. If you can fit a finger between the back of your heel and the back of the shoe, the shoe is too large (279). For pants, there are a variety of options available such as wide-leg, boot-cut, flare, straight-leg, skinny, etc. Different shapes suit different type of bodies. “But a good universal cut is one that hugs the hips and then falls straight to the floor, offering a little legroom without creating an overly baggy look” (281). For skirts, there are many types also including mini, pencil, knee-length, maxi, and midi. Specific body types would extremely fit into all these categories. No matter the shape however, skirts should always be well-fitted and comfortable at the waist (284). When choosing shirts, you want to pay attention mostly how the fit is in relation to your arms and waist. “If your arms are short, get sleeves taken up so they don’t puddle; if your arms are extra-long, you may need to get shirts custom-made or roll up sleeves to disguise the length” (286). When choosing coats, you should always make sure there is enough space for the coat to be slightly loose, since you will be wearing layers underneath.

               Using these tips from the author, I decided to apply them how the way I wear my button up shirt as well as my shoes. Before, I used to wear this button up shirt without rolling my sleeves up which would not cover my arms completely making it seem ill-fitted, however using her advice to roll up the sleeves to minimize the length, it makes it seem more professional. As with the shoes, the brown flats look extremely tight on me, I sometimes wear tight-fitting shoes because I never paid attention to how they would really look, but with the same type of shoes that fit me well such as the gray ones, I can see the difference the details for the shoes make in enhancing the outfit.

Which part of your outfit would you most focus on considering details? How can you style something differently detail-wise to enhance your outfit?

Vasquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style. New York: Penguin Group, 2013. Print

Checks in Fashion

Hi guys! I hope your break is going great. I'm going to post two blogs today, but for the first one, I want to talk about checks. Check print was very popular in Christian Dior's day, and it still is now. In Christian Dior's, The Little Dictionary of Fashion, he states "I love checks. They can be fancy and simple; elegant and easy; young and always right." (21). When Dior wrote this book, checks were used in multiple ways, and were beloved by many women. In our current world of fashion, I think that checks aren't as popular, except for one specific piece of fashion; the checkered Vans ( as seen below).

Personally, I just got a pair of the checkered Vans for Christmas, and I love them. To me, they represent our generation, and the current style of the common teenager today. However, I am not saying anyone who has these shoes are just like everyone else, that's not true! Its all about what you wear the shoes with. In my case, I chose a pair of ripped black jeans (the rips are hard to see since they are on my knees), a fuzzy peach colored sweater, and a dark peach hat with the peach emoji on it. This is one of my most favorite outfits, and I think the Vans complete the look well. It's casual, and an easy look to wear going out with friends, or just a normal day.

Even though checks are not worn as much as they were in Dior's day, there are still a lot of different styles of them, suiting every age of people (Dior, 21). I've seen people mostly wear checkered shirts, or checkered shoes. Personally, I don't wear patterns, including checks, very often, except for my Vans. I think checks can be over worn, and worn in the wrong way. They can over power the person wearing the pattern, since if there is too much of the print, it creates a very busy outfit, which is never appealing to look at. However, if worn the right way, and not too much, the checkered print is a great go-to for a detailed and easy look. Even though most people probably won't love checks as much as Christian Dior did, it is still a great piece of fashion. In conclusion, do you agree that checks is still a popular style in today's fashion, or do you disagree? If so, why?