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Breaking Your Own Style Rules

March 22, 2013 by Bethany Siggins

What style rules have you imposed upon yourself? Perhaps you think you can’t wear a particular color or a certain shape or maybe you are still of the mind that one can’t wear white after Labor Day or before Easter. We all have rules we like to follow, but as the saying goes rules are made to be broken. I surprised myself this week by breaking two of my rules in one outfit.

I wore a “jean suit,” a fitted medium blue jean jacket with black skinny jeans. I told myself I would never wear two pieces of denim in an outfit, and here I’ve done it. And I sort of liked it. I never enjoyed the fact that my jean jackets could only be worn with a limited number of pieces. Sometimes I just wanted to throw on a jean jacket with my *gasp* jeans! So, I finally did it. Will I make a habit of it? Maybe not. But I’m glad I broke my rule, which frees me to break it again if I’m so inclined. The key to wearing a jean suit is to be sure the two pieces of denim are different colors, depths or tones, and if possible, it helps if the denims are different weights so that it does not look like you are trying to wear a denim suit.

The second rule I broke in this particular outfit was I wore skinny jeans, which I have always sworn are completely wrong for my body shape. I am a slender person, but I do not have slim “model” legs. My legs are the muscular sort, shaped by years of dance, weight lifting and running. A straight leg jean is better for me, but these jeans are black, which are slimming and are much more forgiving than a skinny jean in bright yellow or stark white. Now that I am a mom to adorable twin toddlers, skinny jeans make sense for the toddler-type activities in my life like playing on the floor, chasing them in two different directions or pushing them on the swings in the park. Skinny jeans look a heck of a lot better than yoga pants or gym shorts, which I strenuously believe belong in the gym. Skinny jeans are my stylish compromise.

How about you? What style rules are you ready to break? Give yourself permission to get out of your style box from time to time. It opens your eyes to greater opportunities to wear and enjoy your wardrobe in different ways you had not previously considered. If you need help seeing the possibilities, call me. Outfit making with my clients’ wardrobes is one of my favorite things to do. Have a fun, stylish weekend!

Fixes for Your All-black Wardrobe

October 13, 2010 by Bethany Siggins

Many of you know I love to get on my soapbox about wearing black. Don’t get me wrong. It isn’t that I am completely against wearing black. On the contrary, black can be quite chic. In fact, it would be remiss of me not to tell you I own quite a bit of black in my own wardrobe and several little black dresses (aka LBD). It’s just that in order to wear black well, you first need the right body coloring (dark hair is a good start), and black also requires some spicing up to communicate your style statement.

Since I know many of you wear a lot of black, I thought I would share with you a few things I generally do to add life to an all-black ensemble.

(1) Add color! Here I am wearing a black and gray ensemble. In order to stand out in a sea of black-clad fashionistas, I enjoy throwing on a statement necklace, often a colorful one. This way my style comes through and you can pick me out in the crowd. If black isn’t your best neutral, add a colorful accessory near your face in one of your colors to neutralize the stark effect of black. Not sure if black is a good neutral for you and want to know your best colors? See me for that!

(2) Add a metallic topper. To bring life to your LBD, add either a silver, gold or bronze jacket or sweater. Gold and bronze generally work best on most people, but if you really like to sparkle and stand out give silver a shot.

(3) Wear a fabulous shoe. If you prefer the clean, chic look of an all-black ensemble, why not throw on a drop dead shoe to snazz it up? I think a LBD with minimal accessories and a killer shoe is effortlessly chic. Wear a deep red lip color, as well, if you dare!

As you can see, this isn’t rocket science. Bottom line: fabulous accessories separate you from the next black-clad gal. As Clinton Kelly once said on an episode of “What Not To Wear”: Accessories explain who you are as a person. So true, Clinton. I could not have said it better myself. Before you step out in all black, add a bit of your personality to it. You’ll add intrigue and interest to an otherwise forgettable outfit.

You Can Learn A Lot About Yourself By Cleaning Out Your Closet!

July 15, 2010 by Bethany Siggins

Readers, please give a warm welcome to Ellen McKinney, Ph.D., guest writer to my blog this week. Ellen, take it away!

A few years back, I conducted a research study on the reasons women keep clothes in their closet that they cannot wear because the clothes don’t fit! Reasons were related to weight worries, garment worth, sentimental value, or aesthetic value of the garment. One conclusion of the study was that women should be allowed to keep these clothes. Just box them up, label them, and keep them somewhere besides your everyday closet.

Inspired by a talk Bethany gave to my fashion styling students, I recently cleaned out my closet. Anything that was not my color was out! Anything wrong for my body type was out! Anything that didn’t fit my current body was out!

I learned something in the process. The kicked-out clothes all had something in common. Each had a special detail on it—embroidery, appliqué, beading, pleating, interesting seams, or a ruffle. I bought each of these items because I LOVED something about that garment, while ignoring my education on what colors and styles are best for my body. The light dawned! These garments were bought because they express “me”. My fashion design education draws me to these types of details in garments.

Now, I buy only things that are my color, my style, AND have those special details that make my heart flutter. The great result has been that I have a much easier time mixing and matching the clothes in my closet—no more “wrong color”, “wrong style”, “don’t fit” wardrobe land mines.

I encourage you to be brave and clean out those clothes that are not productive members of your wardrobe. Here’s my helpful hint . . . you don’t have to get rid of them immediately or at all . . . just get them out of your current closet. Getting dressed will be so much easier and you’ll feel so much happier. You just might learn something about yourself!

Ellen McKinney, Ph.D.

Fashion Design Instructor, The Art Institute of Dallas

Your Shoes – They Matter

July 7, 2010 by Bethany Siggins

Some of you know about my love of shoes. Thus, it may surprise you to learn I have not always been into shoes. Up until about 8 years ago, I never paid them much attention (on myself). I thought no one noticed my shoes. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The Lightbulb Moment

I distinctly remember my oldest brother telling me when I was in my twenties how important shoes are and how telling they are about a person. This struck me. I was probably wearing a nondescript black or brown pair at the time, and I wondered what that said about me.

A Shoe-loving Friend Opened my Eyes

Several years later I was shopping with a friend who has great taste in shoes. She was contemplating a pair of pumps for around $200, not a bank-breaking number but far more than I’d ever dreamt of spending on a pair of shoes. She asked me, “Is that too much to spend on shoes?” I had to smile and laugh as I pointed to the $30 of sandals on my feet. She laughed, too, and bought the shoes. Great decision. They looked fab on her.

What I Know Now

So, why all the fuss about shoes? In short, shoes set the tone for your entire outfit. Imagine a woman in a black cocktail dress wearing tennis shoes. It’s a completely different vibe than if she were wearing a simple pair of black pumps. On the other hand, imagine ankle boots or a pair of leopard-print sandals with the dress. Each shoe choice changes the impression.

Your shoes tell us your personality.

“Accessories explain who you are as a person.” Clinton Kelly

Look at your shoes. Are they scuffed and worn out? If so, have them fixed or replace them. Run-down shoes ruin your look. You may not see them once they’re on your feet, but everyone else does.

Shoes are Dual Purpose

Everyone owns shoes that are purposeful. We have gym shoes, work shoes, evening shoes, etcetera. However, do you own a pair that communicates who you are? If not, it’s time to move beyond purpose to spice up your shoe wardrobe. Your assignment: find a few pairs that tell your story! Need help? Message me, and we will tackle it together!

A Little Mystery Goes a Long Way

June 11, 2010 by Bethany Siggins

I’ve been asked to give a talk to a group of teen girls next week. The topic: modest dress. While it remains to be seen how well this talk will go over with the young ladies, it struck me that it is important to remind women of all ages to always leave a little bit to the imagination. Great personal style always involves an air of mystery.

A good friend of mine recently said, “A little mystery goes a long way.” I could not agree with him more. Confession: when he and I see someone who is exposing a lot of skin, our response is always the same, “Oh, that poor thing.” Do you know why we say that? Because showing too much skin is a sign of low self esteem. Those who are secure in themselves don’t have to put it all out there to get attention.

Please note, I am not saying you should not flaunt what you have sometimes. What I am saying is to keep it balanced. If you are showing off ‘the girls,’ make sure your hemline is to your knee. When wearing a short skirt, on the other hand, wear more coverage on top. If your top is voluminous, your bottom half should be more fitted and vice versa. These ‘rules’ fall into what I like to call the Well-Balanced Outfit.

Always consider the occasion and add more or less mystery as needed. But always leave us guessing a little bit. For you single gals, remember there is a difference between the girl the guys look at and the girl the guys take home to meet mom. Which do you want to be?

You are not an object. Make sure the world doesn’t treat you like one by dressing in a way that demonstrates a high level of self-respect and self-confidence.

Who Cares? / Why Not?

June 7, 2010 by Bethany Siggins

I want to introduce you to my friends Who Cares and Why Not. One big key to forging your unique personal style is to stop obsessing over what you THINK other people are thinking about the way YOU look. Sorry to burst your bubble, but most of the time they are not thinking about you at all. So, stop obsessing!

I love this quote by Simon Doonan from his book Eccentric Glamour: “As you experiment with your appearance, you must remember that by feeling self-conscious you are merely indulging yourself. Nobody is judging you… People are much too busy worrying about their own lives to ask why you are dressed like Wolf Blitzer.”

Simon came to this sudden realization while dressed head to toe as Queen Elizabeth II, crown and all. His doorman approached him when Simon entered the lobby of his building dressed in aforementioned drag. The doorman, unfazed, asked Simon if he’d like his mail now or later. Simon could not believe the doorman hadn’t said anything to him about his ridiculous garb. The truth is, the doorman hardly noticed and Simon instantly understood “the utter pointlessness of ever being self-conscious…”

When I am working in a client’s closet, I am often asked, “Is this still in?” I like to respond to that question with two questions: “Who cares? Do you love it?” I have items in my closet that date from the 1950’s to the present. Clearly, you are asking the wrong person. I don’t give a lot of thought to whether or not an item is trendy or ‘in.’ If you love the piece in question, the two things I want you to focus on are: (a) does the item flatter you? and (b) is the item is representative of your style? If you can answer yes to both questions, keep it and wear it.

The next questions I am asked, many times after I assemble an outfit they would not have put together themselves, “Can I wear those together? Can I do that?” That’s when I like to introduce my clients to my friend Why Not. Of course you can! I wouldn’t have put it together if it didn’t work. Don’t worry, just try it. Your friends will wish they’d thought of it. I often encourage my clients to use creativity and to try things in combination that they haven’t before.

When you begin experimenting with your style, employing the help of your new friends Who Cares and Why Not, you may find yourself making a few mistakes. Don’t think of them as mistakes. You simply didn’t enjoy what you put together. That’s good. If you don’t make a few “mistakes,” you’ll never learn how to create a unique style that is perfectly and wholly your own. Now stop worrying and start playing for heaven’s sake!