Look what’s coming to Blueprint for Style in APRIL: Sequins during the day …. unheard of! Too Many Mags to Mention – In Style, Vogue, Details, Vanity Fair, Elle, More, Lucky, GQ … which ones do we read for what?! Spring Cleaning – when, what to get rid of, what to keep & what to add Packing Right – how to pack for the first big travel weekends Men & more … adding the ‘right‘ stuff Ladies & less … removing
Contest: simply post a comment to the Blueprint for Style site and follow Yazberry Fashion on twitter! Prize: copper-colored, Japanese-inspired umbrella leather cuff Value: $68 Winner: Katie Stime of Minnesota!! [Apologies for the multiple posts without the winner being announced…sometimes technology just moves too fast!]
From runway to runway, Cynthia Rowley is making tracks! Chicago-born designer Cynthia Rowleypresented her Spring 2010 runway collection to critics who sung her praises for feminine-but-not-too-girly dresses and digs. Her ladies spring 2010 collection was colorful and her menswear line won accolades from the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America. She’s done collaborations with Target (she was the first major designer to team up with the megastore) and Roxy, the surfwear brand. Now, she is teaming up with United
While Blueprint for Style does not particularly care for the gladiator shoe trend, there are many that have made a go of the Clash of the Titans toe tappers. If you are one, it makes sense to do it as inexpensively as possible because I guarantee (no…I pray) that this fashion romp-in-the-hay will end soon. These silvertone, 2-buckle gladiators seem apropos for maxi dresses or saggy jeans….and right now they are only $24.50!
What is vintage? Is it just old or is there something more to it? Well, “vintage” does have a slightly loftier connotation than old – it appears to denote something old that is of value or was, at some point, in demand. Fair enough….. If that’s the case and you like clothing with a vintage flair then you should bookmark this site that I happened upon recently- Chic&YouShallFind. The site is full of vintage and retro items from designers and
Does anyone remember when you used to go shopping with your mom for your Sunday Easter outfit? For the guys, the outfit was usually a camel colored suit or perhaps a suit jacket along with some lighter colored slacks…. And for the ladies, it was some pastel-colored dress with crinoline, bows or big ties, and some white or patent leather shoes! Well in spite of how crazy it may look to us now, I miss those days…..they “officially” kicked off spring
Question: A tailor has offered to make a silk suit for me but insists on a four-button styling. The price is right at $400 but, will I look crazy or am I wasting money? Answer: Hmmmm the price is definitely right but, your overall style scoring may be wrong. While you won’t look crazy because there are men that clearly wear these types of suits, you will lean more toward the off-duty football player who also believes in bling and
So you’re still in your funeral drab uniform of black….but waiting anxiously for spring to spring so you can switch to your neutral uniform, right? Well, what are you going to do about your shoes? Easy – opt for a print like this natural python platform from Chinese Laundry ( available at Piperlime for $50) that allows you to rock your darks and neutrals with the same pair of platforms!! Winter to spring pump — print python — problem solved!
As I was reading through a number of articles, I happened upon one about how to properly “grease a palm” and while it’s not a frequently practiced art today, it’s great information to have and only increases your “cool sophisticate” factor when you do it right. The Details article (August 2009) gives three pointers to doing it “without feeling sleazy.” Start Small – a $20 is the accepted denomination. Make your request as you’re presenting a Jackson. Practice The Handoff
Born Pierre Balmain in St. Jean de Maurienne, Savoie in 1914 Pierre received his early training from the two greatest designers of the time, Molyneux and Lucien Lelong Rue Francois 1er in Paris is where Balmain open his first Haute Couture house in 1945 Balmain early inspiration is owed to Gertrude Stein and the advent of “New French Style“….image of an active, irrepressible, perfectly groomed, elegant woman with a touch of independence in her nature took root and was embodied
Let’s do our part to force spring to come…and stay! In this case, it’s the acquisition of a pair of downright dapper shoes for the spring showers (although a trip to the cobbler first would be best)! Designer: Maldini Found at: Yoox Color: Cognac/whiskey Style Notes: laced shoes, aged effect, leather sole…perfect for camel suits as well as navy and charcoal grey! Price: $149
Whether you’re indoors and they’re blasting the A/C, or you’re on a plane on the fella next to you just keeps sneezing in your direction, or you just need a little splash of color with that cute white tee and jeans… a colorful scarf is the answer! They’re all over the place but this one can be found at Piperlime for $40, it comes in this beautiful shade of teal and a haute pink, is long and wide enough to wrap
Virginia’s Yazberry Fashion is edgy yet chic, and new and fresh yet with an eye toward vintage so, it makes perfect sense to partner! To help keep our readers stylish, we’re giving away this beautiful copper-colored Japanese umbrella leather cuff by Yazberry Fashion. To enter the giveaway, just (1) post a comment on the Blueprint for Style blog and (2) follow Yazberry Fashion on twitter. It’s that simple!! And because we’re not total ‘sticks in the mud’, you can get an additional
Contest: Post a comment on any Blueprint for Style article and follow FSL Cosmetics on twitter Dates: March 15th – 19th Prize: FSL lipgloss or lipstick Winner: Nicole O [twitter handle saucyfbaby] — Congrats!! Stay tuned for our next giveaway…starting Monday!
This lightweight private jacket from the Gap ($90) is easy to wear on the weekends, as business casual, to travel, etc, etc. The epaulets make it cool and the waterproof material keep you warm enough Trenchcoat — lose it! Military-inspired jacket — grab it! Ready for spring? Now you are…..
Ultra thin Dark dials Vintage inspired Nuts n bolts Time zones Neo-roman numbering Complicated faces Matte cases Style 411: note these are trends so, you don’t need to heed all of them simultaneously! Mixing trends #3and #6 are easy — and are likely to yield investment or heirloom pieces. Wear what’s comfortable and remember that what’s most stylish is usually the most simple!
J Crew has just kicked off a “20% off all women’s dresses” special — so let’s take advantage of it. There are tons of styles, shapes, colors, and textures but, one of my all-round favorites is this Crinkle dupioni dress ($118.40). Why you ask? the textureof the dupioni lends itself to the informal Saturday grocery run and the slightly more dressy Sunday brunch the drapey shift shape is ideal to cover up imperfections or, with a belt, highlight some assets
Sweaters make the transition from winter to spring easy — and if you choose a brighter color, it could actually improve your attitude about the current weather as well. This Michael Kors contrast-trim sweater ($95) comes in ash, lark (pictured) and black. Under a blazer, sportscoat or light jacket; or over a long-sleeve tee or button-down…ready for spring!
Every guy needs a pair of white sneakers….and here they are: Converse by John Varvatos ($95) Sneakers for spring — check!
We’ve said it many times before, but dresses are as easy as buying penny candy at the corner bodega! We like this Embroidered Peasant Dress from Forever 21 ($29.80). While you’ll have go up a size or two to account for your 20+ years on the teeny-boppers, it’s great for the slimmer set to wear as a stand along dress, for the full-figured to wear as a long shirt over a pair of slim fitting jeans or leggings, or for the pear-shaped
Tweed topcoat Sweaters Shadow-plaid suit Knit scarf Fedora…or trilby Versatile turtleneck Grey flannel suit Stay tuned for more….
Hidden knees. A slightly 70s, below-the-knee hemline is the New Length according to Ms Philo, and she is the style lawmaker right now. You might want to think about wearing it with a precise polished leather top to keep things the sharp side of dowdy, mind. Style 411: below the knee can look dowdy indeed so focus on keeping the top half fitted or funky!
Think small The life span of a bottle of cologne is one year. Even if you haven’t gone through the whole thing, after twelve months buy a fresh one; you don’t want to wear a stale fragrance. Test in increments When shopping for a fragrance, try two at a time at the most, one on each arm. Sniff your shirtsleeve between tests to clear your palate.
We at Blueprint for Style recognize when “we couldn’t have said it better ourselves” and Sam Saboura does just that! Take a look at the video and focus on the key takeaways: Prints and patterns — they can work no matter what size you are just ensure your prints are in line with the size of your frame Balance— if you’re heavier in the middle, look for items that provide balance and proportion so the eye isn’t drawn to that
Blueprint for Style is giving away makeup this week! A large part of being stylish is not just the way you feel on the inside but, frankly, how you look on the outside….and luscious lips always help!! To make this giveaway possible, Blueprint for Style is partnering with FSL Cosmetics. To win your own lipstick or lip gloss, simply (1) follow FSL Cosmetics on twitter and (2) add a comment to any post on the Blueprint for Style website. If you
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