Fashion Stylist's Tips On How To Dress For Work

Dressing for work can be daunting. So we went to Manhattan’s most sought after image consultant, Lori Silverstein for her advice on how to power dress. Lori offers her exclusive roster of private clients, many of which are high power executives advice on their personal appearance, image, grooming and wardrobe. “I believe the best strategy for women dressing in today’s work environment is to embrace a tailored silhouette which is feminine, classic and clean and modeled on the European approach to dressing,” says Lori. We sat down with her to get her fabulous tips on how to dress for work in style.

What are some of the essential items a woman should own in her work wardrobe?

strongly encourage my clients to invest in classic but stylish pieces. Basic items in the fall wardrobe should include: streamlined cashmere coats which fall right at the knee and are perfect for skirts, dresses and trousers; pencil skirts in beautiful wools and cashmere or cashmere blends; fitted blazers with narrow shoulders with a cinched or defined waist; cashmere sweaters; beautifully tailored trousers and pantsuits with a well proportioned leg, paired with a beautiful silk blouse; and tailored shiftfashion dresses (both sleeveless and with sleeves) that follow the contours but are not “too” form fitting. Good fabrics are key and contribute to a rich, elegant and timeless look.

What types of accessories should a woman opt for when dressing for the office?

I believe accessories complete and enhance a look, and a good shoe, handbag, belt, scarf and jewelry are essential.

Shoes

For the work environment, I love kitten heels or a 2-3 inch fashion heels, and prefer a good classic pump with a bit of twist, as well as a sling back. My favorite shoe designers who have the perfect pump and sling are Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin. The shoes are beautiful, sleek, classic and subtly sexy. They are absolutely worth every penny of the investment. A good suede or leather boot with a narrow toe box and a 2-3 inch heel is also beautiful and classic.

Handbags

Handbags you can never go wrong with the Prada leather tote which comes in a few basic colors such as black, brown and tan, and holds enough items without being oversized and cumbersome. I also love the Chanel classic handbag and tote.

Belts and Scarves

For belts, I steer my clients towards a black, chocolate brown or rich tan belt, preferably in leather or skin and for scarves I favor Hermes. They have so many wonderful designs and colors to choose from, and there are so many flattering ways to tie the scarves that will make every woman look chic, stylish and pulled together.

Jewlery

When it comes to jewelry, I emphasize that simple is best. For earrings, diamond studs or larger classic pearl studs look beautiful and there are some great copies out there that could fool anyone! Depending on the neckline, a scarf could look great, or perhaps a nice pendant or a pearl and gold necklace which is long enough to wrap a few times around the neck and sits up by the collar bone. I do like enamel bracelets (my favorites are designed by Hermes and come in different widths, design motifs and colors) and gold or silver link bracelets with a fob closure. I do stress that one thing to avoid at all costs is wearing large dangling earrings as well as glittery and over-sized pieces. Simplicity is key and contributes to a very polished and stylish look.

When it comes to hair and makeup, what works?

Regarding hair and makeup, the overall look should be neat, polished, well groomed and not overdone. I favor a soft palette for makeup. The first step is to ensure that one takes good care of their skin by using good products diligently (I love Biologique Recherche, La Prairie and Clarks Botanicals) and visiting an excellent facialist. My favorite facialist is Natalie at Yasmine Djerradine. A good, light foundation is important (such as Armani Face Fabric or the Fluid Sheer Foundation, or the new Guerlain Fundation) and a soft, neutral eye (mascara and lightly lined upper lid) combined with a soft cheek blush (the best colors are by Chanel) and a soft lip (Chanel lipsticks and glosses have the prettiest colors). Hair should be worn loose either straight or in soft waves, or held back in chic low ponytail or soft chignon. I strongly discourage hairstyles which are very exaggerated or messy. Everything should be soft and feminine…no overpowering colors or heavy makeup application.

What are some things to keep in mind in terms of dress code for work?

Overall, when dressing for work, I advise my clients to dress in a clean, tailored and polished fashion that is very stylish and flattering. I discourage them from dressing in fashion trends that will detract from a polished look, and look inappropriate for the office. It is important not to wear anything that does not fit well and having access to a good tailor is essential to ensure that each piece fits perfectly. Another item to bear in mind is not to wear anything that is too short, too tight, too low cut, too clingy or too bright, glittery or overly patterned. Femininity is key. Lastly, it’s extremely important to be respected at work by clients and colleagues and a beautifully polished look will keep you on the right track!

Whats Your Style of Vintage Wedding Dress?

Vintage style wedding dresses are more popular than ever with Irish brides and dress designers in Ireland as well as across the seas have all created vintage style and vintage inspired wedding dresses collections in recent times.

Vintage Style Wedding Dresses from different eras

But vintage conjures up different images for different people. For some style could be as recent as the 60 or 70 while others look back to the 20 and 30 or the golden era of Hollywood fashion in the 40 and 50.

Style fashion dresses of 1920 were characterised by dropped waists and those famous flapper dresses remember the film The Great Gatsby?

1930 and 40 style dresses featured slinky designs and silks while the 50 shouted out femininity with 3 by 4 length a-line skirts and nipped in waists.

For many of us we take our style inspiration from fashion magazines or maybe a favourite film or icon of fashion who could not be inspired by Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly or Marilyn?

The main thing is not to get too hung up on a specific vintage era since vintage styles are very individualistic. The wonderful thing about styles is there will be a style to suit you.

Vintage Inspired Wedding Dresses by Edel

When brides come to Edel Tuite Bridal Designs for the first time Edel will take the time to listen to their likes and dislikes, look through vintage dress designs, highlight particular design features and offer helpful advice before trying on a selection of dress designs.

The beauty of working with vintage wedding collections and a designer is you can create whatever you want. In fact once you have chosen your style you can still consider different fabrics, necklines, applique embellishments and other design elements to create that vintage inspired wedding collection.

Every vintage dress that Edel creates is unique Edel is famed for her hand crafted embroidered details and no one will ever have your vintage design!

Edel has created her very own vintage inspired dress collection the Classic Glamour Collection. Edel sexy dresses are influenced by Hollywood stars from a golden era and the Classic Glamour dress collection includes sharp tailoring with flowing fabrics and eye catching embellishments.

So whatever style of dresses you are considering why not take a quick browse through Edel vintage dress collection and then make an appointment to come and meet with Edel, talk through your ideas and try a few different vintage styles you will be amazed by the variety of Edel vintage collection and how we create stunning vintage wedding dresses as unique as You.

Dress with Confidence – How Dressing Affects Your Attitude and Confidence

Dressing with confidence is more than wearing the latest fashion trend, it’s about feeling good about what you’re wearing, looking poised and feeling self-assured in all situations.

Would you believe that something as simple as how you dress could affect your attitude and self-confidence? The truth is, how people dress is related in some way to how they feel. They feel first and dress later. Forget the sexy dresses you like best, just think of a time when you didn't feel well, did you want to pull out all the stops and dress smart? Not likely. You probably pulled on whatever was closest to you and dressed the way you felt – not that well.

If we change the way we dress the way we feel will change. When we are dressed well and look good we automatically feel better. When we feel good we are more likely to feel good inside, have more energy and treat others better.

You can boost your attitude, self-confidence and feel good about what you’re wearing if you:

1. Knowing the occasion

2. Know your audience

3. Know your personal style

4. Know the effects of color

Know the Occasion

While you are standing in front of your closet give some consideration to the occasion. What you wear will depend on the event. Whether you are going to a business meeting, shopping, to church or to a gala event, what you wear should be tailored to the occasion.

A business setting can be traditional (banking, law etc.) or softly tailored (advertising,public relations, etc). The dress code for traditional business is structured, tailored clothes with straight lines and firm fabrics (suits). For softy tailored business setting, use softer lines, structured blazers and jackets, matched or unmatched tailored pants

Social occasions can include anything from a lunch with a friend to a formal event. To feel comfortable at an informal social event opt for unmatched suits, denim skirts, khaki pants and turtlenecks. Black tie means formal and white tie means ultra formal. At a black tie event men wear tuxedos and women wear cocktail  dresses or long fashion dresses.

Know Your Audience

Your audience is the people with whom you come in contact. They can be your clients, boss and colleagues (in business) or your peers (social situations). Dress to fit the image of a person in your role. We don’t expect to see bankers dressed in jeans and a t-shirt; farmers dressed in suits or formal dresses; clean mechanics; or cleaners wearing delicate fabrics. When you are dressed out of your role your competence comes into question.

When you dress to suit your role you feel more confident. For example, if you work in an environment where you create artistic products your audience will expect you to dress a little artistic. If you are dressed conservatively not only will you feel uncomfortable your audience will feel something is astray.

People want to interact with people with whom they feel comfortable or who they feel are like them. That means knowing what is expected in particular roles and dressing to fit that role.

Know Your Personal Style

Your personal style is expressed in everything you do. When it comes to fashion your style is evident in the patterns and texture of fabrics you like to wear as well as your accent pieces such as jewelry, handbags and high heels shoes. When you are aware of your style and feel comfortable with it then you can express yourself with confidence.

Take a moment to decide which one of the four style preferences best suits you - classic, romantic, sporty or dramatic? The classic style has an elegant traditional look and wears timeless garments. The romantic style has a soft feminine look and prefers to wear dresses and skirts rather than pants. The sporty style likes casual comfortable clothes and prefers natural fabrics. The dramatic style is sophisticated, turns heads and likes to wear the latest trends.

You may be thinking, what if my personal style is sporty and I am attending a gala event or my style is dramatic and I am attending a ball game? How can I feel confident, express my style and still fit the occasion? All occasions will not fit our personal style but if we know our style well enough we can make accommodations. The sporty style would feel comfortable at a gala event wearing long, flowing pants, and simple top and low (but elegant) fashion heels. The dramatic style can feel comfortable at a ball game wearing a leather jacket, a bold print top and angular jewelry.

Know The Effect of Colors

Colour is the magic that brings interest to our world. We are instinctively drawn to certain colours and respond to them with feeling. When used in garments and laid against our skin they produce either positive or negative results. The right colors will make your eyes sparkle and your skin glow; while the wrong colors will make you look tired and your skin drab. This is why it is important to know the colours that look best on you. You can do this yourself by sitting in front of a mirror, placing different colours next to your face and notice which colours make your skin come alive and which ones wash it out.

Colors are divided into two categories –warm and cool. When you discover which colours look best on you and wear them consistently you will notice that you look better, feel better and have more confidence.

Colors produce specific emotions and it affects how you feel and how others respond to you. For example, blue is a soothing, calming color and red is an exciting, energetic, attention-grabbing color. Knowing the affects of these colors which would you wear in a potentially argumentative situation?

Knowing the emotional effect of colors and their symbolic links allows us to choose colors that will give us our desired effects.

When you dress with confidence you know you have made the best choices for you and you feel comfortable in any situation. It means feeling attractive and completely you. Our confidence is enhanced when we know that we are dressed appropriately for the situation and our style, we are wearing colors that brighten us on the inside as well as outside and we feel attractive and authentic.

Fashion Blog and its Importance

Fashion is a popular style or practice or an often habitual trend in a look and dress. This is the new creation made by designers. Fashion helps in keeping the people updated with the current trends in the fashion world. Fashion tips are becoming more popular these days and the aim of fashion tip is to help you appear a notch above then the regular people around. Fashion is a general term for a popular style or practice, especially in sexy dresses, cute rompers, high heels shoes, sexy swimwear, accessories, makeup, body piercing or furniture. This also refers to the newest creations of textile designers.

Fashion blogs are blogs that help to cover the fashion industry, personal and clothing style, they include many things such as specific items of clothing and other additional accessories; they also consist of fashions in levels from the biggest ones to the smallest designers. 

Importance of fashion blog:

• This is considered as one of the best way to advertise the trends in the fashion world

• Fashion blog helps the online fashion retailers in promoting the latest trends 

• For increasing the SEO ranking fashion blogs play an important role in providing information and increasing the sales

• Fashion blog increases the reliability of the website by bringing up changes in the fashion industry 

• Provides an easy way for communication with the customers and clients

• Fashion blog encourages the young people to know more about the modern fashion technology

•  They make to point to come up with the most updates information 

• The fashion blog includes the most interesting contents 

• This will also help the bloggers have a firm grip on the latest styles and fashions

• The main goal of the blog is to share the trends in terms of garment or accessory or street fashion

• The use of fashion blogs is to check out the new trends and to know what people on the streets are wearing. 

• This provide a path for the online retailers to display their products and services 

• Help in creating more traffic which finally converts those traffic into sales 

What is Fashion?

We often talk about fashion, fashion heels, fashion dresses,fashion bikinis and something else. But do you really know what is fashion? 

Fashion is a term commonly used to describe a style of clothing worn by most of people of a country. A fashion usually remains popular for about 1-3 years and then is replaced by yet another fashion.Even though there are a lot of changes in fashion,most people do not easily except the changes.

A clothing style may be introduced as a fashion, but its use becomes a custom after being handed down from generation to generation.A fashion that comes and goes is called a Fad.

During the mid-1800's,a mass production of clothing was made fashionable and available to more people for lower prices.This encouraged more people to wear more stylish clothes which is why we are wearing what we are today.

Clothing is made out of all types of material such as cotton,rayon,spandex,and polyester,and they are just a few used.Some clothing may even be made of 2 or more different types,this is known as " Blending."

Clothing can be decorated or designed with all types of images and colors. The designs can either be embroidered onto the fabric, woven on to the fabric, silk screened,or ironed onto the fabric to create a desired look.Some images that have been used to enhance an article of clothing range from a simple design on front of a T shirt to a famous printing that has been woven into fabric creating a colorful piece of art that one can wear.