NYFW: Lesson 2

Skirts and sweaters.  To be even more specific, pencil skirts and slightly oversized or chunky knit sweaters.  We all own them, we just don't have many ways to wear them.  It is hard to disassociate the pencil skirt from the corporate image and therefore they sit in our closet and get pulled out to wear to work... usually with the same blouse or jacket.  And I know those larger, bulkier sweaters tend to be saved for skinny jeans and snow boots.  So (straight from NYFW) a few new ways to put these underused pieces to work.

Remember that we are not going for Mad Men secretary look... i.e. the fitted sweater and skirt.  To keep this ensemble thoroughly modern, pair chunkier slightly larger sweaters with a fitted pencil skirt (*the bigger the sweater, the slimmer the skirt).  A model might be able to pull off baggy on top and bottom, but it doesn't always play out as well on the street. If you are feeling that you need a bit more shape, belt the sweater.  Do keep in mind that a chunkier sweaters may need a slightly heaver/wider belt.


For those of you with maxi skirts and dresses dying to be worn (especially when you get sick and tired of your jeans)... add a sweater and go.  With the longer length of the skirt, slimmer (i.e. not as wide) sweaters (they can still be long) work better.  Cropped sweaters or hip length also work well... it is all about experimenting until it pleases your eye.  The key with the maxi skirt is to make sure that the look skims your body (fitted on top, belted, etc)... you don't want to look like a blob.  Got it?!

Here are some looks straight from the runway to give you some ideas...

Theyskens' Theory

Rachel Comey

Tibi

Derek Lam

Timo Weiland

Carolina Hererra

I attempted my own skirt and sweater looks from what is already in my closet...

J.Crew black pencil skirt and platform pumps.  Forever 21 sweater.

Anthropologie skirt and Club Monaco sweater.

                                         - Allison

*Photos courtesy of nymag.com.

NYFW Fall 2012: Lesson 1

Instead of focusing on the new trends for fall (that we won't wear for 7 months), I wanted to use NY Fashion Week as inspiration for right now!  As we all know, the winter months can be pretty dismal as far as fashion is concerned.  At least for me, when it is cold I seem to lose my inspiration... I just want to stay warm.  So, let's take looks from Fall 2012 and apply them to our closet today.  We might even be able to make smart spring purchases that will carry us through the upcoming fall season too!

First lesson - Layering.  Layering is key any time of the year, but is not always present on the runway.  I love seeing different designers take on this very important part of dressing.  The varying points of view on the topic give us loads of looks to mimic over the next few months.

NYFW is not over yet, but already we have designers putting dresses over button-down shirts, sleeveless dresses over blouses, cropped over long tops and dresses over pants. After going over these looks, I promise you will find so many new looks in your closet... combinations that you never would have thought to put together until now.

10 Crosby Derek Lam

Rachel Zoe

Timo Weiland

Tibi

My spur of the moment layering this morning... very vintage J.Crew shirt, sweater dress and jeans.  My H&M fur vest, an A&F belt (yes, I did work there at one point in time) and my favorite Frye booties.

I will post more layering inspired looks as I experiment... I am very excited to go "play".

      

                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                 - Allison

The LWD (little white dress)

My LWD look was inspired by the fact that I was attending a toga party in February.  It's a long story.  

Back to my dress, I wasn't really feeling the toga vibe, so I wore my LWD instead.  First I have been dying to wear this Tibi Mod Shift Dress (I had to purchase it after my post on Shifts - thank you NM gift card!).  When spending more money on a dress, I hem and haw over it for weeks.  I think about all of the different ways that I can wear it... I have to have a bunch. Usually the deciding factor is if I can wear it all year, or at least for 3 seasons.  This shift definitely met and exceeded all of my criteria.  It is a-mah-zing!  The fabric, the fit and the fact that you feel like a million bucks... totally worth it!

Besides the obvious choice of black for shoes and accessories there is animal print, python print, pastels, brights, metallics... it is literally like wearing blank canvas.  The possibilities are endless!  I have already planned my next ensemble... my fur "collar" and my brown riding boots... c'est chic.  I just have to wait for the dress to come back from the cleaners.  Note to self - the LWD is not the best choice to wear to an Italian restaurant.

                                          - Allison