I love all the colorful street art around the city. So when I saw this beautiful mural in Soho, I thought it would go perfectly with my favorite casual little black dress that I got a couple years ago at Old Navy. Having always been one for extremes, I simply can’t get enough of neon on black.
Just like the bright details make the painting magnificent, I topped off what started as a very basic look with my signature Kendra Scott Naomi Two Finger Ring and my favorite summer sweater that I actually got at Cosco.
If you’re wondering about the iPhone photo, yes, I totally have a cell phone case with my chandelier logo. My boyfriend got it for me for Christmas and I love it!
The little black dress first appeared in American Vogue in 1926. However, it was Audrey Hepburn who made it iconic when she wore an LBD in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. I guess we can thank Holly Golightly for turning the simple and sophisticated little black dress into a timeless classic.
In the never ending battle between quantity and quality, fast fashion syndrome predominates our fashion experience. We are constantly bombarded by new trends of low priced clothes made of low quality materials. Because of the poor quality, consumers are bound to regularly buy new clothes. However, if you want to have a timeless LBD in your wardrobe, you need it to be timeless in the literal sense too. Opt for a high quality dress that you can wear for years to come.
If you’re about to spend money on the perfect LBD, here’s how to choose the right dress.
Body Type
The first thing you should take into consideration is your body shape. If you have a pear or apple shaped body, empire waist and A-line LBDs are ideal for you. Any kind of a belted dress or a dress that accentuates your waist is the right LBD for a rectangular figure. I think strapless LBDs are what women with an inverted triangle body shape need. Finally, you’re a lucky girl if you have an hourglass body shape as any kind of dress that accentuates your curves will suit you perfectly.
Fabric
The best fabrics for dresses are cotton voile, cotton lawn, rayon challis, double gauze, knit, silk, satin or wool. You have plenty of choices, but the trick is to find a fabric that suits both the season and the occasion. If you plan to wear a LBD during summer or spring, chiffon, satin or cotton are a good choices. On the other hand, choose wool, polyester or velvet during the colder months. For a formal occasion choose silk or satin which can be matched with various embellishments. For a semi-formal occasion, I think the best fabric is rayon challis or cotton. Choose cotton, wool, double gauze or knit for casual looks.
Occasion
Make sure that the shape of the dress suits the occasion. You could go for an elegant and sophisticated LBD for formal occasions and a more casual version for other events. However, I think that the best possible option is choosing a little black dress that can transition from formal to informal and back again. Simply change your make-up, accessories and shoes to best suit the occasion.
This guest post is by Peter Minkoff. Peter is a fashion stylist and a writer located in Brisbane, Australia. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Creative Design and has worked as a wardrobe assistant for many local fashion events. He plans to start a freelance styling business. Follow Peter on Twitter for more fab styling tips.
For many of us, the holidays mean a month filled with parties. Much of these festivities include office parties. While they many seem high pressure, holiday office parties are the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to something new and show your co-workers just how stylish you are. Here’s how to look polished and professional with a holiday spin.
1. Look the part with bold holiday colors
When putting together your perfect party outfit, think ruby reds and emerald greens. If you don’t want to be too seasonal, classic black is always a winning color. Plus it’s slimming and elegant. Men can pair black dress pants with a red shirt and black tie. Ladies can wear a red blouse with a black skirt or go for a little black dress complemented by ruby red accessories, such as a red clutch purse or red shoes. Don’t be afraid to go for other shades as well. Jewel toned shades such as deep purples and blues also look beautiful during the winter months.
2. When in doubt, dress to impress
If you’re not sure you should dress up or down for your holiday party, it’s better to dress up than to dress down. Chances are you’d rather show up dressed more formally than to show up in jeans when others are in dresses and suits. If you’d like to dress business casual, step it up a notch with accessories or a pair of heels.
3. Keep warm
You may be tempted to dress in that snazzy little dress with bare shoulders, but you could end up regretting it if the weather doesn’t permit it. Though you may want to push the envelope a bit, comfort still needs to be kept in mind. You should also avoid wearing uncomfortable shoes, since office Christmas parties may involve standing and mingling with others for hours.
4. Leave large handbags at home
While you may bring a large handbag to work every day, you won’t want to lug it around at your office Christmas party. Instead, carry your belongings in a small baguette handbag or a clutch. Money, lipstick, keys and your cell phone should be all you need.
5. Accessorize your ensemble
Spice up your little black dress with a bold statement necklace. Or you can complement your outfit with a silk tie in holiday colors. If you wear glasses, choose a beautiful frame. Online glasses offers an array of sophisticated and stylish options.
A couple days ago, I attended the beautiful wedding of my good friends Joan and Jonathan on a sunny beach in Cancun. As you might already know, it’s tough to find a tropical looking dress in the dead of winter. So I went with a classic little black dress by Cynthia Rowley and styled it with the brightest of accessories. I started with my favorite pair of Anne Klein yellow heels (similar) to match the sun and complimented them with gold accessories in the form of my vintage store find Just Cavalli bag and a Glass Layering Necklace (similar) from C.Wonder. Now, if only I could click my yellow heels together and immediately be transported out of chilly New York back to the beaches of Cancun…
I could get used to sunshine and yellow shoes
Before the ceremony, I couldn’t help but strike a pose
