Role Models

When I work with a new Wardrobe Wisdom client, I ask if she has any style role models. Most of the time a name or two quickly rolls off her tongue. Then I try to find out what it is she admires about the person's style: the clothing, the outfits, the accessories, how it all goes together, the overall look?

Sofia Coppola is one of my style role models. I like how she looks put together and polished in an understated, not fussy way. I pay attention to what she wears and what clothes flatter her and why. When I am shopping, I think about what Sofia would like and try to see the clothes through her eyes as well as mine.

Whose style to you admire? Give this some thought and then take some time to consider what you like about their look. This is a way to identify and stretch the boundaries of your own style.

Patience, Patience

Image Credit: enwikipedia.org

Would it have killed me to wait a week for a belt in my proper size? No, of course not. But I rushed in and out of a nearby store recently, thrilled about my new belt (reversible! blue and gray!), and ignoring the fact that it was a bit big. "Are you sure this is your size?" the saleswoman asked as she was preparing to cut off the tags. "Yes. I tried it on," I answered. I had, but I was using the last hole and a big flap was left over at the end. Nonetheless, I put the belt on, walked out of the store on a buyer's high. Only later, when I got home and tried the belt on with other pants, did I realize I needed a different size. Had I taken my time in the store, I am sure I would have realized this and could have placed an order for it here and then. The lesson here is to take your time before you make a purchase. 

One of the Good Guys

Image Credit: astertailor.com

I sure enjoyed reading about Mario Gonzales, a Beverly Hills tailor, in Sunday's Los Angeles Times. He sounds like a calm, down to earth presence in the celebrity world, expertly altering women and men's clothing to make them look pretty darn perfect "when they're under the scrutiny of the world." Go here to read about this skilled craftsman who seems to consider ill-fitting garments "a personal insult."

Early Spring Cleaning

Image Credit: simplysquaredaway.com

I just love this list from the Huffington Post about things to purge from your home. A good clean out always makes me feel lighter. And it is almost spring, right?

Nifty Tips from Ablitt's

Photo Credit: justjared.com


This month I received a newsletter from Ablitt's Fine Cleaners and Launderers in Santa Barbara. It included useful guidelines on how a suit should fit. Go here to read the newsletter. (I think Ryan Reynolds looks smashing in his suit.)

Men's Pants--an Update

This week a very nice gentleman from Bonobos contacted me regarding a past post about men's pants. He let me know there is a link to Bonobos's current site that needed updating, so here it is: http://www.bonobos.com/b/mens-pants. The company's philosophy speaks to me:

The foundation of any great wardrobe is fit. It doesn’t matter how great the clothes look if they don’t fit well. And at Bonobos, we take fit seriously. From suits and shirts to pants and denim, we’ve spent years developing a range of fit options for every type of guy and every item you need in your wardrobe.

Seems it's new pants time for my husband, so this contact is a good impetus for making some purchases.

Warm and Cool

This title describes the weather and the subject of my column in this month's Coastal View News. I wrote about warm and cool color tones and how to determine which are most flattering on you. Go here to read it by clicking the arrows to page 26. Then you can enlarge the column (if your eyesight is like mine!).

Tim Gunn--an Exceptional Man

I've been a huge fan of Tim Gunn for years. I admire his positive attitude, his excellent fashion advice, his ability to laugh at himself, and what appears to be a very kind nature. After listening to a recent interview on Fresh Air, my admiration increased. His life has been a great deal more traumatic than I had previously known, and his ability to get past it to become who is today is remarkable.

Here is what he says about dressing his best, everyday: "I have respect for myself, I have respect for you, I'm taking the world seriously, and let's navigate the world with some style." I have read Gunn's books and highly recommend them.

Purple Takes Over France, Too

Photo Credit: David Lebovitz

I've already expressed my joy over this year's official color, Radiant Orchid. Reading one of my favorite blogs, David Levovitz' "Living the Sweet Life in Paris," informed me that the beautiful purple shade is apparent all over Paris as well. Go here to read about this color infusion in the City of Light.

Thank You Chic 8th Grader

Photo Credit: Forever21

I complimented a student the other day on her very cute leather jacket. It was just the simple, stylish kind I had been seeking for a long time. Imagine my surprise when she told me it was from Forever 21, a store that likes embellishments. Then imagine my dismay when she told me it was from a few years ago. Darn it! 

Over the years, I have gone back and forth about leather jackets. Yes, they can look so chic and complete myriad ensembles. Yet the ones I like tend to be out of my price range. I also must remember that when I finally purchased "the perfect" jacket a number of years ago, I quickly tired of it and ended up giving it to a friend. 

However, talking to this student opened my eyes. Maybe I needed to find a good-looking, inexpensive jacket to fill a cool void in my closet without blowing my budget. I went to Forever 21 and perused the teen sections of local department stores. And I scored! Now I wear my simple, soft, gray faux leather jacket at least twice a week. It looks great and was less than $100. 

A Little Advice

This good advice is from InStyle: "Before you buy, try to gauge how a piece might hold up after a few washings. And don't shell out for clothes you can't, or won't, take care of. If you know you'll never hand-wash that embellished sweater or fancy bra, walk away."

Career Dressing

The other day I was talking to a UCSB student about an upcoming campus career fair. She wondered if she needed to wear nice pants or a skirt instead of jeans to the fair. She also wanted to know if sneakers would be okay. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and slip into my lecture mode. Instead, I suggested she treat the day as an excellent opportunity to don some career-appropriate clothing. I have heard from more than one student that dressing professionally at the fair helped them secure a job or internship.

To read more of my advice along these lines, go here. This link will lead you to an article written about my "Dress for Success" talk at UCSB.