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
Essentials for Travel Essentials for travel – what are they? They make the difference between ‘smooth sailing’ and rough seas! There are some key accessories and clothing items that will elevate your style and your experience. In 2010, researchers from the Netherlands found that the biggest boost in happiness around vacations comes from the simple act of planning one. Say less… I’m sharing all of the items I’ve found helpful, necessary, and/or life-changing during my almost two million miles in the air.
Men’s travel essentials are different than the ladies. Men are focused on comfort, ease, and simplicity; and if they’re traveling with ‘a better half‘ that means they are likely helping their partner lol! We’re sharing some key accessories and clothing items that will elevate your style without cluttering your suitcase. In 2010, researchers from the Netherlands found that the biggest boost in happiness around vacations comes from the simple act of planning one. Say less… So, here are the keys to the
Sneakers are Old School Sneakers are old school. In fact, they date back to 1917 when Henry Nelson McKinney invented the rubber-soled shoes. They became known as sneakers (because you could move around quietly or ‘sneak’ around). They’re also known as trainers or tennis shoes depending on where you’re from. You can find them anywhere. You can find just about any kind. Nowadays, you can wear them just about anywhere (think ‘Sneaker Ball’). Check it out – what did I miss? Sneakers
Essential Jeans for Women Jeans for every woman! They’re everywhere and you can have loads but there are a few essential pair you should own in your jeans wardrobe. But because I like for you to be education, let me share a few facts about jeans before you start looking AND so you know what you’re buying:
Best Men’s Jeans The best men’s jeans is subjective. However, there are jeans every man needs and depending on the occasion, there are better choices for certain situations. For my denim heads, these options are the essentials for dressing well and a few extras so you can level up at the right time… We’ve got the best men’s jeans for wherever you need to go!
These female leaders will broaden your take on post-pandemic wardrobe essentials and help connect the “need” for personal style with your everyday push to feel great.
Maternity Must-Haves Maternity must-haves are those clothing items that you will live in for months. You have bigger things to worry about than how you look so, we’re sharing the right pieces for wherever you are in the maternity lifecycle. Pregnancy – covered. Post Partum – covered. Nursing – covered. While maternity clothes can cost a pretty penny, I like to think about three things: Buy good stuff because it looks nicer – who wants to look in the mirror
Ultimate Wardrobe Basics The ultimate wardrobe basics don’t require a lot! In 2024, the style zeitgeist is easy, relaxed, versatile, and more subtle…think quiet luxury. Blueprint for Style has curated just 11 items that will work as the backbone to any great wardrobe for 2024. I double-dog dare you to find a piece in this collection that you cannot wear to at least three (3) different occasions. Any great wardrobe has to be versatile and it starts with these 11 GREAT
To Make NYE Stylish… Merry Christmas…and Happy New Year! This week’s Friday Night ‘Fits is different for a few reasons: You’re getting it on Saturday (technical difficulties) This is a combo for men and women (yes – there are normally two separate ones that go out…) This is the last one before 2024! Starting in 2024 – more specifically on January 5th, you’ll get a new Friday Night ‘Fits that will still be gender-specific but will have a link at the bottom so you can
Essential Men’s Outerwear Men’s outerwear represents just a small portion of the wardrobe but nonetheless essential Outerwear is anything you’d wear as your “outermost” layer when going “out” outside! So if you happen to live in Florida, outerwear might be a heavy shirt while those fellas from Montana require down + some, and the great Pacific northwest would require synthetic down or the like. Outerwear today does NOT have to be bulky and, in fact, should be more fitted and
A FEW FAB PIECES! Happy Friday and happy holidays! I often preach about excess and how to make better use of the pieces you already own so today I am sharing just 10 pieces! While all of the pieces might not move you or work for you, they are all very flexible! The purpose of some pieces isn’t about paying less but about maximizing its use… xx, mo ~ every week, something new to consider…(except next week) p.s.. – if you missed
Kitten Heels As it relates to kitten heels, let’s be clear: The concept surfaced around the 1950s TRUE kitten heels are a stiletto heel and is under 45mm-ish. Everything else is just a short heel, a block heel, a pump, shorter square heel, etc…it appears that ever piece of footwear with a short heel has co-opted the title! Most stores/brands today carry some ‘version’ because of the revolt against high heel post-pandemic To maintain a chicness and sophistication about the
Boots & Booties Boots and booties are winter essentials. A few considerations to remember: Consider your climate and weather – if you’re south, you don’t “have to” do leather so places like Zara won’t be bad Leather is always best! It lasts longer, can be refreshed, and looks good with a little patina Rain boots are cold! I love them but they require a pair of thick socks if you’re thinking of running out in the snow with them Consider the
Better Boots for Men Better boots for men is needed! Yo Fellas! You already have boots in your closet but, if you’re like the average American male then you’re ‘short’… Boots come in winter, rain, Chelsea, ankle, chukka, dress, etc. Which ones you own? Which do you need to get through the next few seasons? The most versatile men’s wardrobes have a dress boot, a winter boot (for my Northern dwellers!), a Chelsea, and then a toss-up. Now, what do
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