Some Shopping Services

It seems new services for styling and shopping are popping up all the time. I am going to describe just three here: Stitch Fix, Trunk Club, and the one I most recently heard about, Lyon and Post. Full disclosure: I have not personally used any of these services.

Stitch Fix: This is one of the first services of its kind that I became aware of. Subscribers fill out a questionnaire about their style and taste, and a box of clothes (hopefully) matching the women's wish list appears when she schedules it. Subscribers only pay for the price of clothing they keep, along with a $20 styling fee each time which can be used toward purchasing clothing. Stitch Fix encourages you to: "Try on and discover styles hand-picked to fit you, your budget and your style."
Two of my friends have used this service. They liked being introduced to new brands and found a couple of items they liked in each box. Their complaints were that they did not always have the same stylist and, possibly because of this, they found the items overall did not suit them; they also said it took from 2-3 weeks to receive their Stitch Fix box.

Trunk Club: This service was originally offered for men, but is for women now as well. My friend Will tried it and loved the clothes he was sent right off the bat. Two of my female co-workers also recently tried Trunk Club. One liked most every item she was sent but found the price point to beyond her budget. My other co-worker complained about the clothing not really being "her" but appreciated the consistency of having the same stylist each time. She felt the stylist's grasp on her style grew with each trunk.  Trunk Club's encourages users to: "Take 10 days to try everything on, and then keep what you like and send the rest back. Shipping is free both ways, and you can request a new trunk any time you'd like." My criticism of Trunk Club is that its inventory is limited to Nordstrom's inventory, since it is operated by this store.

Lyon + Post: This service appeals to those who want clothing that is "curated by industry insiders.

Our fashion director has spent her career hand-selecting pieces for A-list celebs. Now she's doing it exclusively for you." It takes some patience to crack the site, and I do not know anyone who has used this service yet. Somehow, I think this will be a pricey option!

Each of these services is designed for people who want new clothes but don't want to shop. Remember that some stores, such as Nordstrom, have stylists on site. You are not charged for their service and are under no obligation to make purchases. You should also feel free to ask salespeople to keep an eye out for clothes that suit you. They will happily contact you when these items come in. Some will also gladly help you put together outfits. I did this all the time when I worked in boutiques. It was my favorite aspect of the job!

Super Site

I just discovered a terrific website for men's clothing and style advice: valetmag.com. Go here to learn how to iron a shirt, how pants should fit, what kinds of hangers work best, and about dozens of other topics. I just want to make a big pot of tea and read from this site all day!

Hope for Heels

Image Credit: Bodenusa.com

Why, oh why are heels so preposterously high these days? I hear this all the time from clients and friends who are looking for shoes--from pumps to boots. For the last few years heels have been sky-high: 3 1/2 inches and upward were the norm. And really, even though celebrities claim their Jimmy Choos are "super comfy," we regular folk know better.

So it was with great joy that I came across this news from whowhatwear.comhttp://www.whowhatwear.com: the new heel height is under 3 inches! Go here to read the entire piece and to see photos of the new styles. I, for one, am looking forward to shopping for shoes again.

Back on Top?

Sunday's Los Angeles Times' Image section contained a number of interesting and informative fashion articles. I was especially intrigued by the one titled "They're Back on Top." The "They" in the article refers to hats, which author Jenn Harris says are making quite a comeback. While I see a lot of fedoras in Santa Barbara, folks in this town seem slow to adopt this trend. But I am all for it!

I like what hat maker Azita Ariane Azarpira says: "To me, a modern milliner is not a slave to fashion. . . A modern milliner will encourage women to explore their inner beauty and share their individual beauty by wearing a hat that speaks to who they are." Sounds like she is the ideal person to help others figure out how to wear hats confidently.

Summer is a great time to test drive a hat since the styles are casual and you can find them everywhere. In Santa Barbara I recommend The Green and Yellow Basket, Goorin Brothers Hat Shop, and Nordstrom.

Our family cat, Woody, is pictured here in his Halloween hat. When we inherited him, his previous owners gave us a bag of cat costumes. My girls like to dress him up once in awhile, and he is resigned to humoring them. I am not suggesting that you put hats on your cats (or dogs).

Virtual Fittings

Is this a dream come true? Many shoppers think so. In the Los Angeles Times this month, I read an article about a machine similar to a body scanner. Once you step inside it and get scanned, you receive a printout that recommends styles to fit your frame and the stores that sell them. Talk about streamlining the shopping experience!

In my Wardrobe Wisdom work, I encounter a lot of men and women who detest shopping and hire me to do it for them (which I am delighted to do!).  They have spent countless hours in stores, ending up with nothing but frustration and despair at the end of the day. Now "new technology is making it easier than ever to find clothes that fit and flatter."

Naturally, retailers hope that these new machines will, in the end, mean more profits for them. What I  hope is that shoppers will learn what styles suit them best and where to find them. After determining what styles are most flattering for their body shape, they can venture away from the list of stores provided by the machine. Armed with self-knowledge, shopping can become more pleasurable, involving less time and energy.

Afraid to Commit?

Sometimes a new look comes along that we are not sure about. I took a long time to warm up to the bootie trend from a couple of years ago, but now I like it. Still, I am not ready to shell out big bucks for booties if I am not sure I will get my money's worth. Will I wear them all the time? Or will they languish in my closet?

This kind of situation calls for a trip to Payless Shoes. I went there yesterday with my girls and tried on some cute and very affordable ones (pictured) . For less than $40 I can experiment with this look and figure out if my wardrobe would benefit from a higher quality pair that would last awhile.

I recommend that you do the same when you are not sure about trying a new look. Purchase a version on the cheap before you invest in the same look for a lot more money. Some "trial look" stores I like, besides Payless, are Forever 21, Wet Seal, and Target.

Fall Trends

Here is a good round-up of fall trends. Which ones will you participate in? I am liking the plaid jumper from Boden (bottom) and this one from Garnet Hill (on top). I am sucker for dresses, though!

I Like a Blouse

It's that time of year for stores and magazines to tell us what the "must haves" are this season. Hmm. I think I'll hold off on the super pointy shoes but I am liking all of the pretty blouses.

It took me awhile to figure out that I am not a button down shirt person. Such closet staples seemed like something I would wear all the time with skirts and pants. But I never did and finally realized why: crisp, button down shirts feel uncomfortable and confining on me.

Once I had this epiphany, I found it easy to get rid of these shirts and steered clear of them when I shopped. However, now I am seeing a lot of softer blouses and am re-thinking my shirt aversion. What I like about this year's blouses is the soft drape, nice feeling against my skin, a dressier, more put together look than a knit top, and the fact they don't need ironing!

Is there a style from the past that you've avoided and may want to revisit? It's worth thinking about why you have not worn certain looks and if it's time to give them another chance.

Mixing Prints

There are women who mix prints boldly, who look chic and fun instead of merely daft. I know there is a science behind this and have marveled at those who master it. Now Anita Leclerc from the New York Times has provided guidelines for those who are a bit more challenged in the art of mixing and matching. I feel inspired by her article to take more chances when I get dressed. Hopefully I will not look demented.

Saying Yes or No to Trends

One of the many things I like about being in my forties is not feeling compelled to try every trend. It is not like when I was younger and felt frustrated and very left out for not being able to wear Dittos in the seventies. Trend disappointment memories came back to me while I was reading Style Bakery's excellent article: Spring 2009: Trends to Try + Trends to Trash.

Today I can easily laugh at some of the fads that do not suit me while embracing the ones that add some splash to my look: I know what works for me and what does not. I already wear black and white a lot so adopting that trend is no stretch, and I have always liked ruffles and floral prints so they will be appearing this spring on me as well. Safari jackets tend to come in colors that are terribly unflattering on me, and I have learned that I am never truly comfortable in jackets. So that is a hot new look I will skip. I will also pass on wearing jumpsuits and rompers. I don't really need to explain why, do I? The same goes for harem pants (see photo). HELP!

Snakeskin adds an interesting dimension to accessories and I find it adds a bit of edginess to my outfits. Since I don't like to invest a lot of money in trends, I am delighted with my $20 snakeskin sandals from a local surf shop and a very cool sash belt from Talbots last fall. Striped shirts and full skirts are looks I wear all the time, though I need to watch the proportions since I am petite. Now, as far as bright colors go, I think a pop of bright color here and there works for me. I will stick to bright blues and pinks but I will not veer into the neon range that is currently leeching into stores. Still, I've recently seen neon on several high school students and they looked great.

What about you? What trends are you looking forward to wearing this spring? Which ones do you know you will pass on? Tribal prints? Ripped and acid washed jeans? Long blazers?