Category: Styling Tips For Her

6 Ways To Wear Platform Sandals

According to Vogue US, platform sandals are the shoes for this summer. Well, I’m not going to be one of the people who are embracing this trend cause it is too high for the menopausal me, but for those ladies who are going for it, here are a few ways to rock it:

An easy way to do it is to pair the platform with wardrobe staples, like a jeans skirt and a chambray shirt. And yes, you could do the denim with denim combo or add some other color to your chambray shirt, like a light pink. The platform could be any color, but a brown one is always a sure bet. So, a brown bag. And yes, you can mismatch the bag and the sandals, wearing leather platforms and suede bag. Or vice-versa.

And your favorite sunnies could close the deal. Yep, I intentionally left the belt out. Cause you don’t have to wear one, if you don’t want to.

In this mid-skirt and sweater look you could go safe with a brown platform sandals or fun with a floral or printed one. A burgundy bag to add some color but still within the neutral palette.

And again, some sunnies to play along.

You can also take the boho lane and bet in a flowing top with long necklace or necklaces, a flare jeans, a statement stoned ring and your favorite sunnies. Here the staple brown platform and brown bag.

And yes, you can wear brown bags and/or shoes/sandals and go for a black sunnies. No problem at all.

You can also wear a dressier but not that much dress in white and a printed or in living color platforms. And a small bag in a neutral shade. Because you don’t need to mix and match shoes/sandals and bags. All you have to do is coordinate them. Make sure they complement each other.

Here a two dressed up looks: one with a cocktail dress and the other with a jumpsuit. Both red. But it could be in any color. Black, included. The platform is mix of silver and gold, the perfect match to any dressier look.

The bag is a small one, dressy but not all the way. To give a high-low vibe.

Style Rule 8: Let The Mirror Be Your Friend

How? Consulting with your mirror every time you go out of your home. Checking your look from front, sides and back. Head to toe. Still and moving. Checking if everything is fine, flowing properly. If there isn’t anything missing like a button or if there isn’t anything weird going on. And if the whole look suits you and the occasion you are heading to.

And you can have some fun doing it.

And you can also consult with it when you try something new, at a store. Obviously. And always check front, sides and back. Head to toe. Still and moving.

If you do it and listen to it, then the mirror will be your best friend on that.

Style Rule 7: Keep All The Clothes And Accessories For The Season At Your Sight

Photo: Instagram @stage_your_life

And yes, it is very important to keep all your clothes and accessories for that particularly season at your sight all the way through, so you can maximize your closet options and wear regularly everything you have there. Otherwise, you will not. Trust me on that!

In order to do that, every time a warm (Spring) or cold (Fall) season cycle starts to show up, organize your wardrobe accordingly. Especially if you don’t have much space. In this case, you can pack or store the clothes from the other season cycle and put them in a shelf at the top of your wardrobe or any where you can.

In any case, let the season’s clothes be more at reach, more in evidence so you can see all your options. Because if you don’t, you might waste good look opportunities and even ending up buying something you don’t need and/or already have just because you forgot about that piece hidden in the back of your closet.

It happens. Especially with accessories.

And yes, you should keep a few options for the other season at sight, but in a secondary sight level, like in the far ending of your closet or in the back of your drawer. Things like a cardigan, a sweater or a coat in the warm season just in case you need it. Pick your favorite pieces for that.

Style Rule 5: Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Details

Details are key to maximize your looks. In order to do that you have to understand that details can make (or break) a look, they can differentiate a look so you don’t get bored when repeating an outfit, they can communicate your style or who you are when you have no or little opportunity to do so. Or just don’t want to use words for that.

What do I mean by details? Details can be literally a detail on your top like something sparkling, it can be a message on your t-shirt, it can be how you wear your sweater, your belt, your scarf, your cuffs, your hem, your tucked shirt or even just an accessory per se.

To illustrate that, think about wearing your cuffs undone at its on place, a half tucked, half untucked shirt, a belt buckle a little off its place, a different scarf knot, a bracelet or any kind of so you jewelry,

If you master that you can easily wear to the most everything you have, you can pack lighter because you will get that you don’t need a lot of pieces to have something to wear, you just need the right pieces and the right details.

For inspiration on details you can check my boards on Pinterest Details For Her and Details For Him. I will update them frequently-ish.

Wardrobe Essentials For Her: Panties

This is a very important element in our wardrobe. First, because we need some kind of comfort when the subject is underwear. We need to feel good there. And for some women it is also a requirement to feel great, wearing nice, elegant or sexy underwear at all times. Those are things that will depend on each woman. Having said that, one thing that any women should consider is wearing the right underwear for the right clothes. Because sometimes, some outfits will demand invisible-ish underwear. Like white or light colored clothes, thin fabrics, even some see-through ones. All of them requires the right underwear. And here is a very general list for undies that you should have around to cover most of your bases. Take a note:

  • A nude thong. Photo: Spanx.com
  • A thong with a bit tummy control. Photo: Spanx.com
  • A boyshort with high waist. Photo: Spanx.com
  • A tummy and bum control. Photo: Spanx.com
  • A Longer version of boyshort with tummy control. Photo: Spanx.com
  • A Bum Enhancer Panties. Photo: Shape.com
  • Organic hip huggers cotton panties. Photo: Hesta.
  • A sexy lacey thong. Photo: Journelle.com
  • A lacey bikini. Photo: Journelle.com
  • A high waisted undie. Photo: Journelle.com
  • A sexy boyshort. Photo: Spanx.com
  • A lacey nude boyshort. Photo: Journelle.com
  • At least 9 daily panties. They can be sexy or just comfy, organic cotton or lace, briefs, thongs, boyshorts, hip huggers, bikinis, high waisted… They can be in neutral colors or colorful or printed. But it is a good idea to have at least 1 or 2 in nude, your shade of nude, just in case. If they are seamless or undetectable even better. You can obviously pick here underwear to match your bras or wear them in a mismatch vibe. Up to you. And your style.
  • At least 2 in your shade of nude, seamless, undetectable. It could be a thong or a boyshort or even one of those control shorts with or without highwaisted.
  • 1 or 2 shapewear. In nude and black. And this will totally depend on you and in what you want to. If you get one of those control shorts mentioned above and this will be enough for what kind of outfits you wear, then great. No need for anything more here. But here you can add special pants with high waist and tummy control or a thigh control or a bum enhancer panties, go for it.
  • 3 or 4 for a special dating occasion. Again, one beautiful nude panties is a good idea. The others could be black, red, white or in any other color.

Still About The Oscars: The Power Of Wearing The Right Shade Of Color

Julia Roberts in Elie Saab.
Photos: Getty Images.

When Julia Roberts showed up on stage to present the last award of the Oscar night she wowed everyone. She looked amazing, prettiest as ever, radiant, right? And looking at her, we can see she was quite simple: her dress, her make up, her hair, even her jewelry. All gorgeous but very understated. And yet she was glowing.

And the biggest trick here was simple: she was wearing the perfect shade of pink for her complexion. Of course that the perfect shade of hair color also helped a lot… Like a lot, but it is all about the right shades of colors. That is why she looked sensational, regardless.

And taking a cue from her styling… if you are gonna wear an one shoulder dress that is how you accessorize with jewelry: a bracelet and earrings. And yes, you could wear ring or rings as well but necklaces are usually not a good option in here. By the way, her set of gorgeous jewelry was from Taiwanese designer Cindy Chao.

Style Rule 1: Fit Is Paramount

If you want to be always well-dressed then you have to understand that perfect fit is paramount. And by fit, I mean:

  • Photo: @victoriabeckham
  • Photo: @vacinityreynolds
  • Photo: @sterlingkbrown
  • An outfit that is never too tight neither too loose, that just follows the body silhouette with no extra volume neither any bulkiness.
  • A shirt, coat or even a jacket that has the shoulder’s break at the person’s shoulder’s break and the cuff that never swallows the hand.
  • Trousers that have the proper length without adding any volume over the shoes and stays put at the waist (wherever the waist for that model is if low, mid or high rise) with no belt assistance.
  • The belt thing could be said to skirts as well.

Things like that.

Having said that, of course that from time to time trends will incite you into breaking this style rule. Baggy clothes, oversized pieces are all around to prove it, but yet, it is always a good idea to know how clothes should fit properly in you so when those “trendinites” show up you can break the rule with property. Because that is how you break the rules and get elegantly away with it.

And yes, I will post a guide to how clothes should fit for her and for him. And yes, this post is for both. Because both should mantra this rule. Fit is paramount to anyone.

The only difference here is that, usually man tends to make a mistake regarding fit because he bets in pieces that are bigger than he is, whereas woman get it wrong because she goes for pieces too tight for her.

Go figure.

And besides all that, a perfect fitted outfit looks expensive; one that is not looks cheap, regardless the price tag. So, it does worth invest on it.

Wardrobe Essentials For Her: Bras

If you want to have a good bra foundation in your wardrobe those are the bras you should have:

  • Bralette
  • RacerBack Bra
  • T-Shirt Bra
  • Silicone Lift Bra
  • Sexy Bra
  • Sexy Cami Bra
  • Strapeless Bra
  • Plunge Deep V Bra
  • Convertible Bra
  • Covertible Bra
  • Convertible Bra
  • Covertible Bra
  • 2 (or 3) comfortable bras to sleep and stay at home. A bralette with no underwire and enough support that doesn’t compress too much is a good option. Neutral colors are always welcome, especially the nude ones. And black.
  • 2 (or 3) everyday bra, like a t-shirt bra. Nude and black colors are a great option. You can also wear your bralette here. And have just one t-shirt bra and 1 more bralette or 2.
  • At least 1 racerback bra. That could be your daily bra or a stay at home or sleeping bra.
  • 2 (or 3) sexy bras. And there are a lot options here. It can be a lacey one, a satin one, a see-through one, it can be a demi cup, full cup, a cami… It will all depend on you and your style. Here you can even bet in color like red, purple, blue, green, yellow, pink… Or even black and gray. Or white.
  • Around 2 convertible bras or one with all the options. But here consider one with different options for your back, a strapless and also one with a plunge deep V-neck. Nude or black.
  • It is a good idea to have 1 stick or silicone lift bra, just in case you need a bra to wear with a bare back. Or prefer that option for a strapless outfit.

Those are pretty much the type of bras you will need to have a good bra wardrobe. Of course that if you are the type of person who never wears a strapless outfit or would never consider a deep v-neck dress an option, you don’t need to have a bra like that. Just get the ones that you might need to wear with the clothes you already have in your wardrobe. And you will know better than me which ones you will need in your wardrobe.

Got it?

It is always a good idea to have at least 1 nude bra in every category to be able to wear with clothes that demand an invisible-ish bra.

And one more thing regarding bras: it is very important to get your size right. And sometimes it will vary from different models. Even in the same store. Also, you can loose and gain weight and that can change your size as well. So, pay attention to it. Because it is very important to get it right and have the perfect support.

You Don’t Need To Have A Wardrobe Full Of Clothes

What you need to have is a wardrobe with key pieces that could be mix and match to multiply your options for every occasion you will have ahead from day to night, from week to weekends, from work to happy hour, from work out to vacation. And to accomplish that you will have to have a foundation wardrobe with essential pieces. Which pieces? Well, that will vary greatly for everyone because your lifestyle, your daily routine, your taste and personal style, all combined will dictate that.

What I can do is to give you an idea of which pieces they could be. But this will come in other posts later on, for ladies and dudes. So, stay tuned.