Bethany Siggins Image Consulting | Personal Stylist | Dallas, Texas

Bethany Siggins | Personal Stylist | Dallas, Texas

dresses

Oscar de la Renta: Five Decades of Style

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I was fortunate enough to have recently viewed many works of the great fashion designer Mr. Oscar de la Renta at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas.  The exhibit, Oscar de la Renta: Five Decades of Style, was open to the public from July 19 – October 5, 2014.  Putting things off until the last moment is my modus operandi.  Thus, I waited until the last week and a half to see the exhibit! My goodness, I am thankful I made the time.  In fact, it was so nice I saw it twice!

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I was naturally fascinated by the designs Mr. de la Renta created for the first ladies Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, and I was dazzled by the wedding gown he designed for Jenna Bush, along with the gorgeous white ensemble he designed for Laura Bush for George W.’s second swearing in ceremony.  Of course splendid creations worn on various red carpets were in abundance, and there were several gorgeous caftans from early in Mr. de la Renta’s career.  In short, to pick a favorite piece is impossible.

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Sadly, Mr. de la Renta died last week at his home in Connecticut the age of 82 after battling cancer, which had been in remission for several years.  A private funeral is planned at a Manhattan church on November 3.  His departure leaves a gaping hole in the fashion community.  Mr. de la Renta’s talent, humility, humor and love of life and women made him inimitable. 

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He has had many imitators, but there will never be another Oscar.  Thank you, Mr. de la Renta, for sharing your enormous talent and vision with us.

The great thing about fashion is that it always looks forward.

Oscar de la Renta

Tory Burch “In Color”

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toryjessica - Tory Burch "In Color"Tory Burch, known as much for her love of the color orange as for her sporty flats and dreamy caftans, has released a gorgeous coffee table book today, “Tory Burch: In  Color” about her 11 favorite colors: orange, blue, green, purple, pink, red, yellow, white, black, natural and gold.

Tory Visited Dallas

I was blessed to meet Tory last week and have her sign the book, which is being released today.  Last Friday afternoon at the Nasher Sculpture Center in downtown Dallas, Tory was joined by her friend Jessica Alba (actress and founder of The Honest Company) to discuss the book and other topics of interest including how she balances motherhood and a career, and the roundabout path she took in starting her namesake company.

Tory’s Start

Tory considers herself a late bloomer having only started her wildly successful company 10 years ago.  Tory departed a career on the rise with LVMH to stay at home with her three young boys.  Four years later, she started her company because she felt there was a need for high-quality, affordable clothing and accessories.  She certainly hit the mark!  However, she said she was not an overnight success, spending many of her first two years on the phone with her Hong Kong operations until 3:00 a.m. her time.

Tory’s Beginnings

Tory was raised on a farm in Pennsylvania with three brothers.  Her parents Buddy and Reva (for whom Tory named her first flat) who would leave Tory and her brothers with family to take six-week worldly vacations, returning with various exotic souvenirs.  In addition, Tory’s childhood home entertained many “overnight” guests who invariably would stay long past their expected departure dates.  As as result of this unique upbringing, Tory’s aesthetic reflects an appreciation for diversity, one that is decidedly multicultural.

Get the Book!

I greatly enjoyed the event, hosted by American Express, and I am very appreciative to my dear friend Peg Baird for allowing me to be her plus one!  Pick up a copy of Tory Burch: In Color, even if you are not familiar with Tory or her company.  I think you will find the content, including many beautiful photographs, to be highly inspiring and a lovely addition to your library.  Tory sees the world in color, and I think we all should!

Fall Trends 2014

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orangedoor - Fall Trends 2014At the end of each summer I produce a card of fall trends, a reference of the biggest trends of the season, in anticipation of fall fashions which begin hitting the stores at about that time.  I simply love fall fashion, the rich colors, the textured fabrics and the beautiful leather goods.  To me, fall fashion is worthy of investment.  Trends come and go, but if you purchase wisely (read: not too trendy) and you take care of your things (yes, pay attention to care instructions), your investments will last you several years (at the least!). 

If you love something but cannot afford it, look for the best version of the knock off or scour vintage stores for something similar.  As you know in fashion, everything old is new again, so it is quite possible what you love has been done before in a previous decade.  One fall I really wanted a moto jacket, but I did not have the budget for a leather jacket.  So, I purchased a pleather version and wore the heck out of it.  A few years later, I got the real thing.

My fall 2014 trends card does not cover all the trends, so below is an extensive list .  If you would like a trends card and a couple of extras for friends, message me.  I would be delighted to send them to you!

Colors:  cobalt, steel, dark red, moss green, pastels, orange and jewel tones

To see a list of the Pantone fall 2014, click here.

Fabrics: shearling, leather, tweed, knits, fur, metallic and velvet

Prints/Patterns: plaid, abstract, color blocking, patchwork and diagonal lines

Oversized: coats, collars on coats, dresses, sweaters (including turtlenecks) and pants

Office:  midi skirts, pant suits, sharp blazers, pin stripes, menswear and neck tie blouses

Details: feathers, accordion pleats, fringe, sequins, western and puffy sleeves

Top layer: ponchos, capes, varsity jackets, bombers, blanket coats and fur-trimmed parkas

Bags: bucket, totes, jeweled clutches and fur top-handle handbags

Shoes: sneakers, flats, ankle boots, brogues and ankle-strap heels

Beauty: ponytails, braids, oversized buns, colorful cat eyes, nude and berry lips and nude and Bordeaux nails

Whew, I probably missed a few, but not many.  If you need assistance finding what suits you, call me.  I love making the shopping experience quick and easy.  I especially enjoy helping people find pieces they would have never considered if they had shopped on their own!  Happy Shopping!

The Classic Dresser & The Natural Dresser

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To avoid delaying this study of the 7 most common style personalities any further, I am going to cover the last two in one post: the classic dresser and the natural dresser.

The Classic Dresser is drawn towards neutral colors, traditional prints and simple styles.  She prefers semi-fitted and tailored clothing, quality fabrics and a coordinated appearance.  She does not generally follow trends, although she adopts trends once they become a classic.  She does not take unnecessary risk with her appearance and she prefers to be noticed for her elegant manner rather than for her wardrobe.  Her makeup is neutral and her hairstyle is well-managed, and she rarely makes changes to either.  She likes conservatively-styled bags, shoes and jewelry.  The Classic Dresser’s wardrobe is somewhat formal, as well as polished, timeless and sharp.

Here is a set I created on Polyvore which I believe captures the look of the Classic Dresser:

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The Natural Dresser keeps her look simple and organic.  She enjoys her own beauty to shine through with little embellishment.  She favors a relaxed fit and natural fabrics.  Comfort is very important to her.  If she wears pattern, it often replicates one found in nature.  She also prefers “nature” colors or neutrals.  She is not greatly concerned with her appearance, and she spends little time on her hair and makeup.  She likes easy care fabrics.  The Natural Dresser appears relaxed, and her wardrobe shuns complexity.

Here is the set I created on Polyvore to demonstrate the look of the Natural Dresser:

natural - The Classic Dresser & The Natural DresserAs I said in the first post, you can be a mixture of these personal styles or perhaps you give your style a completely different name from the ones I have featured.  For instance, my style recipe is feminine, dramatic, unexpected, artistic.  If you look across the personal styles I have featured, I believe my personal style most embodies a blend between the modern/chic dresser and the dramatic dresser, but I have chosen for now not to give my style the modern/chic title.  Maybe later.  We’ll see.  That’s the beauty of one’s personal style.  You can call it anything you like as long as you know what it looks like to you.

If you need help discovering your style recipe/personal style, call me.  I’d be delighted to help you solidify your brand.  Thanks for reading.  Have a wonderful weekend!

The Feminine/Romantic Dresser

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Oh, this category of dress is one that many women fall into, at least in small part.  Who doesn’t love a beautiful dress or a skirt now and again?  The true feminine/romantic loves to dress up and she enjoys softly-structured clothing.  She prefers light to medium color depth and low to medium color contrast.  She loves floral prints, as well as a ruffle, lace, appliqué and bows.  She is often drawn towards draped garments and/or semi-fitted styles, and she favors skirts and dresses over jeans and pants. Her hair is softly styled, tousled or curled.  Her makeup is soft and pretty, leaning towards rosy shades.  The Feminine/Romantic Dresser is drawn towards retro handbags and her shoes usually have a rounded or pointed toe box with dainty heels.  She appears graceful and refined, and her wardrobe is tasteful, while reflecting a celebration of the feminine form.

Here is a set I created on Polyvore which I think embodies this dresser.

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Do you spot something here you love?  I certainly do!  Let me know what you think of this set.  Have a great week!