Mystery: Summer’s over and I have lots of shoes that have the toe out. When I click on certain sites, these are listed as “sandals”….I’m confused! Can I wear toe-out shoes into fall and winter, or am I breaking some fashion rule?! Solved: Ask (and answer) these three questions…(1) Do I get cold easily?, (2) What is the occasion, and (3) What is my mode of transportation? The easy answer is that you are not breaking any fashion rules by
To be or not to be — that is the question and Blueprint’s answer is “let it be”! Several shoemakers have some version of the wellie and, yeah, they’re kinda cute but in a time when we should be focusing on investment purchases and items that are most versatile in our wardrobe, it’s an item we won’t miss if we don’t have. If you live on a farm, or do fall/winter gardening, or you’re inner-child says you should run through
Men bring in winter with these dull camel or black scarves…why? I’m not suggesting that they wear pink but, just a little color keeps the winter blues away and the skin tone looking less-than-pale! This Ted Baker Phipp scarf (approx $65) in brown has the basics (navy, brown, taupe, maroon, black) but then provides a manly pop of color with the red, grey and fuchsia stripes. The added bonus — no matter what overcoat or trench you have, you’re sure
With these 4-inch Victorian-style leather boots by Michael Kors. Not traditionally one of my favorite designers, Michael Kors has done a terrific job of hitting all of fashion’s high points this season including this chunky yet retro boot that will work wonderfully with pants or skirts. [Available at Outnet.com, $119] .
Since it’s Halloween, why don’t you scare your friends with your almost unnatural ability to kick your outfit up a notch with a piece of jewelry…and here’s how! Grab one of these pieces and add it to that black suit-white shirt combo, or sprinkle some color on that monochromatic grey shift dress you’ve got, or just make your khakis and sweater set sing…. They all play double-duty because in addition to everyday, they are all great pieces for the impending
Technically, my birthday was yesterday but, so what — if you’re in Australia, it’s still my birthday. My item of lust is the ultimate bag – the Hermès Birkin bag. Yes, in 1984 actress Jane Birkin started sporting one of these bags and the rage was born…and lives on! This particular bag comes from my favorite pre-owned luxury goods website, Portero and this bag is in excellent condition which means it’s like new! This particular Birkin is 25cm • is finished with Matte
So, here are the two shoes I purchased during my time in Valencia — a wonderful hidden platform, flesh-colored peep toe heel and a beautiful, luxe suede grey heel with a natural contrast stitch at the top of the heel….cost me a whopping $150! The flesh-colored peep-toe is one every lady should have to wear during warm weather and when in doubt about matching. The grey suede heel is perfect for fall and will work wonderfully with everyone navy, black
To close our month-long focus on pink in tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Blueprint for Style wanted to remind folks that even though the month ends in 5 short days, there are those that do not faulter. Today’s tips on how to integrate pink into your wardrobe focus on sneaking with pink — doing it incognito (in a whispered tone……). Some may say ‘tsk, tsk’ because you’re not open about your pinkness but, for the incognito pinkies, theirs is a subversive
From Scottish tartans to 50s girlie designs, David Hart has covered the gamet so, his Spring 2010 collection was an open question mark — well, no more. The collection is made from Thomas Mason coton shirting instead of the typical wool or silk — the result? The ties are somewhat wrinkled; Hart says “You have the option of pressing your tie and having a crisp, neat look.” From a stylist’s perspective and spoken by a true Image Consultant,
And if you decide to take the plunge, consider this Missoni Osiride reversible striped coat ($1125); available at Outnet.com. The trend this fall is to be conservative with our spending but not with our fashion — this coat works after-hours with a pair of navy blue leggings, or at work with black or grey, wide-leg trousers with cuffs. Given the multicolored wool and mohair-blend stripes, it doesn’t require a lot of accessories other than a stunning black/graphite handbag. The self-tie belt
Or, better yet, why is it a surprise that celebrities and entertainers who make millions and spend even more “look stunning”? The next question to ask — what would they look like if they were me?! Two ladies come to mind — Rihanna and Katie Holmes because they are both in the news and rags often for being so ‘fashion forward’ and ‘looking stunning’ in their outfits. If you had millions at your disposal, time on your hands in the
That’s right — I’m off to Barcelona and Valencia, Spain for a birthday vacation so, in the interim, Blueprint for Style will be posting infrequently until next Wednesday, October 28th. WAIT – it doesn’t mean I won’t be posting, it just means I won’t be doing nearly as many daily posts…unless they’re related to my Spanish fashions so there will be plenty of posts to see! Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city; and Valencia is Spain’s third largest city, home
Ladies have Brian Atwood — see the boots posted on Tuesday — and now the men have their Bryan Atwood too! Bally designer Bryan Atwood says “Put on a pair of bad shoes and it doesn’t matter how nice your suit is.” And he says to start with brown “For dress shoes, I tend to stay away from black. I prefer colors like cognac or cigar; you can see the details of the shoe, and they go great with any
So the items in my closet typically fall into the category of extraordinary normal items or fabulous regular items. These items are typically made normally, have very few embellishments, are monchromatic or color-blocked but made special by the little details or the phenomenal fit or its pairing. These Brian Atwood Matrix leather boots are $1,170 at net-a-porter and I consider them to be an item to ogle over — the rich chocolate brown coloring, the 5.5 inch heel, the ruching running
Pink is worn best by those with cool (blue) undertones because the pink which is warmer works to balance the cool, blue undertone. If you have darker hair, you can do more vibrant colors but blondes and lighter-toned brunettes will see better results with lighter pinks! The easiest way to incorporate pink into your wardrobe this month or period is through accessories such as a belt. Below are a few options and suggestions: A thin pink belt works great in contrast to
Go through your closet and write down (1) what you have a lot of, (2) what you have none of, (3) what is the predominant color, and (4) what is the overwhelming style [If this is difficult, hire a Personal Stylist who can do it all for you in about 3 hours] Make a list of the top 5 items you LOVE (without regard for price or availability) Next to the Top 5 “I ♥” items, estimate price and availability Now
Code Name: Down to Business (DtB) Given Name: leather briefcase Alias’: briefcase, satchel, bag, brief, carryall, luggage Uses: to carry secrets; to trade war stories; to conduct worldwide transactions Mission: to complement the man about town Ideal Agent: savvy businessman….or mover-and-shaker Fallback: Trafalgar leather business case, $168 Deadline: set to disappear….very soon! .
Given Name: leggings Alias: tights, form-fitting pants Colors: every one imaginable, prints, stripes and the list goes on Styles: fabric, zipper (LnA), sequin (Sir Alistair Rai), printed (Diana von Furstenberg), leather (Helmut Lang), velvet (Members Only), snakeskin (BCBG), leather (Gareth Pugh) Fallback: black (Ann Taylor, $38) Last Seen: on the streets; on the runways in Milan, Paris, New York, London; on the everyday jane (or joe); on rock stars and celebrities Mission: travel the world in search of skin Ideal
Yep — I’m talking about Christian Loutboutin’s (the red bottoms) and while they are not on sale right now, he will be doing a special shoe signing on October 24th, 1 pm to 4 pm at Neiman Marcus in Tysons Galleria! WAIT — while you don’t have to, it’s recommended that you pre-order your shoes now (Tina can take your order but, won’t charge your card until October 23rd) and each customer can only have one pair signed no matter how many are
I have a few dresses by Emanuel Ungaro and I love them — I love them because they’re all simple with wonderful detailing and little extras, and are fabulously feminine without being to girly! Emanuel Ungaro was born in Aix-en-Provence, France to Italian parents in 1933 As a young boy, Emanuel loved to sew! (The design world is so twisted) Emanuel went to Paris at 22 and started designing for House of Cristol Balenciaga (those lovely bags) by age 25 Emanuel
…Or Silverado, as in the Chloe Large Silverado Handbag at Portero for a small penance of $785. Portero is an authenticated market for pre-owned luxury goods (read…used), and of all of the similar sites, Portero is far-and-away the best! Now, remember that my birthday is coming up in less than two weeks so, anyone who is feeling benevolent should feel free to send this my way….it’s in very good condition which means it has very few scratches or markings. I’m
Items from Michael Kors. I am not a huge Michael Kors fan but, I just got a peek at his Fall Autumn Leaves items and I’m officially a believer in Michael Kors….and he can stay on that tv show he has now! [nggallery id = 32]
Ladies (and gentlemen as well), summer is officially over as the winter weather reports from the west come through and brisk evenings have settled in. Fall and the inevitable winter mean we need a little extra meat on our bones to keep us warm but we don’t necessarily want to show that extra meat on our bones so CHEER FOR SPANX! Ladies, I’ve happened upon one must-have: the Slim Incognito Shape Suit ($98)! Now I have not tried it yet but,
Leather jackets come in all shapes and sizes, and colors, and styles but this one is a keeper! It’s $590 at net-a-porter and let me tell you why: The sand color is perfect for fall and spring The jacket is well-balanced: biker toughness of the jacket is offset by the femme cowlneck The cowlneck allows you to wear it when the weather isn’t ideal because you have some neck-protection It’s fairly embellishment-free except for the zippers It’s by Doma….a trusted
The use of feathers whether as part of a skirt or boots is ripe for ridicule this fall but, if you want to join in the feather-follies but do it with panache, let Blueprint recommend this pewter necklace with feather design. It’s got some weight and presence but isn’t too much as to overpower a simple shift dress or evening dress with a full faille skirt. At a mere $120 at Ted Baker, it’s perfect for this fleeting fall fashion
Washington, DC Metro Area
barnettm@blueprintforstyle.com
(209) STY-LISH
If you have general questions, feel free to use the form below to send us a quick message.
