The older I get, the more I enjoy the holiday season because I’ve come to understand there’s a reason for this season. Yes, I enjoy it more now because business slows down and the frenetic pace comes to a halt. But it also means that smiles and good cheer turn up even if for a day or week. We get to show up as our best selves in loving each other just a touch more! The widely held belief is
After having one made, I now realize every woman should own a tuxedo. It doesn’t have to be custom but, a tuxedo is such a great way to do elevated and chic while keeping it somewhat low-key. An evening gown can’t go as many places as a tuxedo can. My tuxedo works… Consider a tuxedo first as an alternative to a formal gown that can be mixed-and-matched. Mine is midnight navy (my favorite color!) and fashioned after an old blazer
Color psychology is the study of how colors affect our moods, behaviors, and interactions with others and ourselves. Since I can remember, my two favorite colors were navy blue and camel. More recently, I have added hot pink or cerise and vibrant/kelly green (see my specs!) to that list. Now, I am a wardrobe stylist and personal branding expert so I am aware that colors affect moods and, more specifically, how we show up and move throughout the day. In
Did you know there’s a formula that can help you layer properly?! We are officially cold on the East Coast so, no better time than the present to learn how to layer right. Layering is the smart choice for a few reasons: Take a peek at my pictures above: I’m rocking a sleeveless crewneck tee, an oversized white button-down (WBD), a short trench with a lining, and a multicolored scarf. I have color using my scarf, the tee is thin,
Hosiery – in this case, patterned tights – can elevate your style and outfit! We are in the perfect season to talk about tights and, more specifically, patterned tights! They are an easy way to get a little warmth – DC temps have dropped! – and add a bit of zhush! And this applies to men too – fun socks are a way to inject a little personality into any outfit. The real beauty of hosiery is that they are
Tchotchke’s Edition While I think I’m a great gift-giver, I also think it takes a lot of time and energy! But don’t worry, here are a bunch of small treats all under $50 that will bring joy to the recipients! This Tchotchke’s Edition is for anyone who has a girl’s Xmas party, a White Elephant Exchange (where did that name even come from??), gives out gifts to the mailwoman or mailman (I do!), has people that drop by and bring
Shoe clips give your shoes a new lease on life! they are meant to provide instant zhush and create something new with visual interest. In this case, I needed to attend a holiday awards dinner and while regular heels would have worked, the customized feather shoe clips added just a little extra in recognition of the occasion and season. You do NOT have to go as feathery as I did but even small ones can change the trajectory of your
You frame your face because it’s the first thing people see when they look at you! Besides having a wonderful smile, glowing skin, and hair ‘on fleek’, one of the easiest ways to frame your face is using accessories, namely earrings (and eyeglasses…but that’s for another post)! The goal (of all of it) is to draw the eye of the onlooker in. I have a few favorites including these super edgy studs by Erickson Beamon, and a vintage pair of
What I & 3 Fashion Editors Scooped For four years or so, we’ve gotten together [ir]regularly to discuss issues, trends, events, solutions, and whatever else people in style and fashion do. And most recently, one had a novel idea of talking about what each other bought and why. That quickly blew up into, “Show me what you got!”, “Did you see this?”, and “OMG if you want X then you need Y!” So thanks to our collective consumption habits, you
What does your everyday outerwear look like? Is it cozy, long, short, colorful, worn out, “ordinary”, statement, or elegant? Think about the words you’d use to describe the outerwear you rock most days because outerwear is one of the first elements people see when they create a ‘first impression’ of you. So, what are you wearing? If we move from the premise that you don’t need a lot to look great then as an executive or entrepreneur, you really need
Take some pressure off yourself trying to find the perfect “holiday” outfit – keep it simple with this ONE trick: add something metallic or sparkly! And one of the easiest ways is with accessories like earrings, belts, scarves, ties, socks, hosiery, and headwear. 💥 Done! Sparkly stuff and metallics elevate any look. You can even pair them with neutrals and you’re still ready to rock. We found a couple of photos showing sparkles + an everyday, neutral piece but still
What signals fun and festive more than a pair of sequin pants?! Especially during the holiday season, we should all be looking for ways to add a little ‘festivity’ to our everyday looks. Sequins and metallics are an easy way to level up your everyday during the holiday season. The ones pictured above are from many seasons ago but the style still exists. The sequin palazzo pants are available in wine or black sequins (I would favor the wine color!).
Black Friday & Holiday Attire The crazy thing is when I grew up – I’m dating myself! – Black Friday and the sales didn’t start until AFTER Thanksgiving. This year they started at least a week beforehand… go figure! Enjoy the Black Friday Shopping List and here’s what you’ll find: It’s for men and women alike – because you may see something for someone else I’m sharing some unusual suspects to elevate your “festive ‘fits” for holiday parties The list has a few fun gift recommendations to
For the entire month of December, please expect to see me dressed festively! That can mean different things to different folks but, for me, I will be channeling everyday looks with a festive slant. Expect to see, in varying degrees, feathers, metallics, whimsical earrings, Christmas-themed attire, holiday colors of red, green, and hot pink, and sparkles. Take a moment to decide what festive will look like for you and dig in! As a proponent of choosing wisely and being intentional,
I have terrible vision, so I wear eyeglasses frequently and, yes, eyeglasses are accessories! The beauty of eyeglasses is that you can choose a pair that channels whatever you want and then wear them every day! Imagine wearing your favorite pair of jeans every day. They will start to go downhill after about six or so wears and depending on where you wear them, people will start to talk. BUT, with eyeglass frames, you can rock them as often as
This blazer is 16 years old and after having worn it to pieces, literally, I have to let it go! Have you ever had that item that you loved so much and just kept wearing because it was soooo perfect even though it was worn out? This is that! After finding this at a consignment store in Paris just over 16 years ago, I took it to my tailor and she gave me the hard truth – I’ve got to let
Add these 3️⃣ pieces to your fall wardrobe (and I’m digging into my closet to share examples) if you want a better Visual Resume™️: While the list can be longer, these are three easy ways to improve your Visual Resume™ and elevate any overall outfit. 1️⃣ > A scarf or pocket square is unexpected so the ‘element of surprise’ gives you automatic points. A colorful accessory allows you to bridge two solid colors together and add a little personality to
Monica Barnett, Founder & CEO of Blueprint for Style, is an energetic woman of many talents with a deep passion for empowering people and elevating their style by harnessing the power of the first impression. But, her business acumen doesn’t stop there; she also conducts professional seminars and trainings around the world to provide teams and organizations with the know-how to curate their Visual Resume™ and its intersectionality with DEI.
Ask and answer the question of TSA Precheck vs Global Entry with a picture: in my one million plus miles of travel, I’ve never found it stylish to wait in an airport security line that wound endless and, in the end, prevented me from getting to my gate with time to spare! A recent Travel & Leisure article discussed the features, benefits, and costs of TSA Precheck. TSA Precheck is a great way to get into a shorter, often quicker
Socks & Hosiery Always at the bottom, socks and hosiery are unsung heroes! They offer support, they are prone to ripping spontaneously, and they are rarely used other than in cold weather or special occasions, but they can do so much! There are three reasons to rock hosiery: for fashion, warmth, or coverage, and until recently, most people used them simply for warmth. Well, no more! The sheer ones can look awesome with heels. The mid-calf socks add a new dimension
Shop Until You See Red With this list, you can shop until you see red! This is a fun list with some great items to consider. Red is a popular color so the selection is vast but given several friends who are members of Delta Sigma Theta were in my town for the week, I thought this would be cool. Check it out – including this shiny, lollipop pop shell clutch that is ready to set-it-off!
Weekly Shopping Guide You need a weekly shopping guide for inspiration! This is 16 curated items. They range from a white button down (WBD) that is so not regular to colorful sneakers that are equal parts trendy, comfy, and versatile to t-shirt dress that goes into party mode without missing a beat. Harper’s Bazaar does it, so I decided I would too. Only my weekly shopping guide is better because it’s for the professional woman who wants a little spice and
White Button Downs Talking about white button downs is my love language! In my first book, Without Saying A Word, I dedicated an entire chapter to this item… it’s that life-changing! I’ve heard a few ladies even mention that, “I don’t do white shirts because they just don’t work for me.” Ok – I hear you and I’m not listening! Seriously, there are a few [aka 0.01% of the population] for which a white button down does not work but, for
Men’s Sneakers Men’s sneakers are everywhere! A few weeks ago we featured a selection of women’s sneakers, so it’s the fellas turn. When sneakers surfaced in 1917, who knew that they would become a $78B global market?! You can find sneakers at work, at play, in the airports, for date night, and literally everywhere in between, s the choices are endless. The goal isn’t to show you everything but to show you a curated selection of favorites from the most
Scarves You’ll Love These are the scarves you’ll love to wear regardless of season or occasion. Think square, lightweight, heavy, colorful, hijab, infinity, snood, sarong, poncho, headwrap… Scarves can change your outfit and your attitude! If I’m being 100% honest, scarves are a backbone of my closet because throwing one on can change your look, and dare I say, change your attitude. I mean – have you ever wrapped a scarf around your head and swooped it around your neck, jumped into
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