jewelry

Street Style – Two Style Lessons

August 5, 2016 by Bethany Siggins

Here are a few more snaps from our evening at Casco Antiguo earlier this week. Style Lesson #1: If your top is long (longer than where your leg breaks when you lift it), you must wear a heel to create a longer leg. Otherwise, your body is cut in half (50% torso; 50% leg), which makes you look short regardless of your true height. Our lovely, leggy model Amanda here asked me about cuffing her jeans. If she had been wearing a top with a hem around her hip bone, I would have told her to go for it as she has plenty of leg to sacrifice. However, because her top is longer than the leg break, I advised her to keep her jeans un-cuffed. If you can visualize her in flats with a cuffed hem, she would have appeared overlong on her top half and, thus, out of proportion.

Style Lesson #2: The more leg you show, the more of your top half should be covered. I do wish I had a tan for this lesson – ha! Wearing shorts that hit at mid-thigh or shorter calls for a top that is either a half sleeve, 3/4-length or a long sleeve as I am wearing. Short shorts and a tank top is provocative and not very classy. Leave a little to the imagination, and keep it classy, ladies. It is what men prefer, actually.

Lastly, if you have silver and/or turquoise jewelry, now is the time to wear it. The cool tones of the silver has an overall cooling effect on your look, which is just right during our warmest season. Ditto for turquoise. The light, soft green/blue goes with all your spring/summer clothing without having to think about it. Don’t worry if you have none of this color in your outfit. Adding a new color to your look via accessories is totally okay and encouraged, actually. Happy Weekend!—Bethany

Dallas Street Style Heats Up

July 23, 2016 by Bethany Siggins

My hair stylist and best friend, Gary Walden, has been doing my hair for longer than I care to admit. Today the spotlight is on him as he heats up the Dallas streets with his playful yellow and blue ensemble and his perfectly imperfect bracelet stack. The bright yellow shorts play nicely off the darker blue shirt. Neither is vying for the focus. Perfect playmates. The bracelets are a cool mix of colors, textures and weights. Each one stands on its own; however, he has brought them together in one look which makes it unique and special.

Whatever your story and whatever your style, it is yours. Let it speak and do not stifle it. Have fun. Thank you, Gary, for showing us how to have fun with style!

How To Create a Wardrobe Shopping List

September 13, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

There are at least two approaches to creating a smart wardrobe shopping list. One way is to assess your wardrobe for basics versus personality pieces.

Why do you need a shopping list? For starters, most purchases are impulse buys. And let’s face it, it is difficult to have a wardrobe that works for you if it is full of impulse buys. Any guilty parties out there? Tags still on oodles of items in your closet? Yep, that’s what I thought. Stop it. Make a list and stick to it.

First, assess your wardrobe for basics. These are the foundational building blocks of your wardrobe. You might also think of wardrobe basics as classic pieces, the items which are always available (in some version) year after year.

Basics/Classics include:
a white cotton shirt
a blazer (or cardigans)
quality, well-fitting t-shirts
a few skirts (in lengths & shapes that flatter)
dark wash, straight leg jeans
flat-front pants
a few blouses
a day dress
a cocktail dress
a leather handbag
a leather pump
flats
quality bras (in the correct size) and
good underwear

How did you do? Write the missing classic pieces on your shopping list. Next, list them in order of priority. You cannot build a home with no foundation. The same is true for your wardrobe. These foundational pieces help to create well-balanced outfits. However, you may not need every item on this list. If you never attend cocktail events, skip the cocktail dress. If you are a skirt girl, skip the pants or vice versa. Tailor this list to your taste and your needs/lifestyle.

Of the classics/basics you own, are they in good condition, do they fit and are they representative of your taste and style? If not, toss them and purchase new ones.

Second, assess your wardrobe for personality pieces. Do you have any? What are personality pieces? Perhaps they are pieces you gravitate towards in the store that you are not sure you can pull off. Of course you can! Go for it! Often a personality piece is a twist on a basic or a classic. It has a slightly different design, color, texture or pattern to it.

Personality pieces may include drop earrings, cocktail rings, printed scarves, patterned tights, colorful handbags, over-sized sunglasses and so on. These pieces show others who you are. Personality pieces are mixed with classics to make interesting, well-balanced outfits.

If personality pieces are sorely lacking in your closet, write “personality pieces” at the top of your shopping list. The next time you shop, if you gravitate towards a basic/classic, but you know your highest priority is to find personality pieces, step away from the classic.

Some of us are classic girls, and some of us are personality piece girls. And some of us are both (guilty)! Too many classics makes for a lackluster wardrobe, but too many personality pieces make it difficult to create well-balanced outfits.

Happy Weekend, everyone, and thanks for reading. Make a smart wardrobe shopping list and stick to it! Most of all, stay fabulous.

Fall Trends 2014

August 19, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

At 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!

Amp Up Your Career Style

July 25, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

I was recently asked by Polished Dallas, an organization that connects young professional women to discuss career and faith, to write a blog post. Since my subscribers may not have seen it, I wanted to share the post with you here on my blog. Enjoy!

It has probably happened to you on countless mornings. You drag yourself to your closet, and you stare blankly into the abyss of clothes, uninspired and uncertain what to wear. Chances are when you started your career, you purchased the basic work wardrobe required for your job. The trouble is, that basic wardrobe does nothing to excite you, and it most certainly does not communicate your personal style.

My Best Tips

There is hope! Here are my top 5 tips for adding pizzazz to your hum-drum work look.

(1) Start with color. Admit it, your wardrobe is a sea of black, brown, navy and gray, isn’t it? Make a concerted effort to look for colorful tops to wear under jackets. A raspberry heel, a cobalt blue handbag or a turquoise necklace would also do the trick. Wearing something colorful to work brings a smile to your face and it makes those around you happy, as well.

(2 Look for pattern. This one goes hand-in-hand with color. An outfit that lacks pattern is a real snooze. Stop playing it safe by purchasing only solid colored pieces for your closet. Patterned tops and shells look outstanding under basic work jackets and cardigans.

(3) Add eye-catching “third” pieces. A third piece is my word for blazers, jackets and cardigans. No work look is complete without one. You may not wear it all day, but at least you have it on hand for meetings, luncheons and events where you wish to look smart and credible. When buying a blazer, steer clear of the banker look. Look for shapely cuts, an intriguing texture or creative details.

(4) Seek out interesting shapes and details. In other words, look for classic pieces that go beyond the classic formula: pick a leopard pump over a basic black pump, try a printed sheath dress if all of your work dresses are solid colors, or experiment with a-line skirts if you principally own pencil shapes.

(5) Let your accessories do the talking. Accessories are the “soul” of your outfit, and they tell your story. This is where your creativity and personal style is best expressed at work. Even if your closet is full of wardrobe basics, your image takes on new life with fabulous shoes, handbags and jewelry. So even if you would rather play it safe with your clothing selections, you can still look like a woman with a strong sense of her own style with the right accessories.

I can help!

So, get out there and start sprucing up your wardrobe with these tips in mind. If you need help, call me. I would love to assist you!

Wardrobe Cake & Icing

May 14, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

A well-balanced wardrobe includes what I call cake and icing. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? The cake of your wardrobe are the wardrobe classics. These are the pieces that are available in some version year after year. They include a white cotton shirt, a blazer, a cardigan, quality t-shirts, a pencil or an a-line skirt, dark wash jeans, a quality leather handbag, a pair of pumps and a pair of flats or loafers. The design and fabric of these pieces change over the years, but you can always find a version of them.

Wardrobe Cake

The collage below shows two types of dresses, one is a wrap style, which is fitted through the waist (great for hourglass shapes), and the other is a shift style, which flows over the waistline (great for apple shapes). Every woman regardless of her age and her lifestyle should have one dress that fits her well and makes her feel like a million bucks. Not to be overlooked in our list of classics, one should own either an overcoat or a trench coat. The coat below is a cross between a classic wool overcoat and a trench coat.

Wardrobe Icing

While wardrobe classics are great, they often lack personal flair. This is where the icing comes in. The “icing” in the collage below may not be your flavor, but they stand out in a way that classics do not: more pattern, color, texture and shine. The icing pieces of your wardrobe show others who you are. They communicate your personality and style. Icing pieces mixed with classics create interesting outfits that are well-balanced. An outfit heavy on classics is dull. Too much icing communicates “trying too hard.”

wardrobespice - Wardrobe Cake & Icing — Personality pieces of the wardrobe.

Where Does Your Wardrobe Stand?

Some of us are cake girls, and some of us are icing girls. And some of us like both! Guilty! Assess your wardrobe for cake and icing. If you are lacking basics and classics, it is difficult to create outfits. An outfit begins with a basic/classic. On the other hand, not having the icing to give your look its flair will leave you feeling bored with your look.

If you need help assessing your wardrobe, call me. Together, we will find your best pieces, create a shopping list and get you on the road to having the wardrobe of your dreams.