Archive for the ‘fashion’ Category

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Dress codes can be difficult to dissect, so here are some helpful tips for how to stay stylish at any occasion during the spring and summer. For fun, I decided to include some fashion advice for the guys as well!

White tie/ultra-formal

Men: a tailcoat and white vest, a shirt and bow tie.

Women: a long gown. Pale colours are really on trend this year, so choose a soft pastel shade or white.

Black tie/formal

Men: a  James Bond-style tuxedo will look amazing on the guys.

Women: knee-length and long dresses. Lace is one of the season’s biggest fabrics and will help to make a dress stand out from the crowd.

Semi-formal

Men: think a dark suit and a tie. Blue is set to be one of the summer’s most popular colours, so a semi-formal event is a great time to get away from boring dark suits and into something a little bit different. A slim tie will also update a look.

Women: a knee-length dress is a perfect choice. A peter-pan collar is a cute way to add detail to a semi-formal look. The 1920s style is also right on trend, so think drop-waist and flapper-style dresses.

Cocktail

Men: a dark suit works best.

Women: Cocktail dresses in a knee-length are fun because they are just so versatile. Tribal print is one of the key looks for summer 2012, so leave the little black dress behind and opt instead for something more adventurous. Even if you’re not brave enough to go the whole hog, you can still transform a plain dress with some print stilettos or tribal jewellery.

Business casual

Men: a collared shirt, trousers or men’s jeans. It varies from place to place, so double-check whether your company allows jeans to be paired with a shirt (think Steve Jobs). If in doubt, swap the jeans for a pair of tailored chinos.

Women: smart trousers or skirt. Pencil skirts are a great option and look fabulous in bright colours, so don’t worry about dressing down during the summer months. A sheer pussy-bow blouse will help to maintain the balance between smart and playful.

Dressy casual

Men: jacket or collared shirt and a pair of trousers.

Women: a skirt or smart trousers. Here’s a chance to get away from dresses and try something more edgy. Floral design is a catwalk favourite this season and so is vintage Americana: go for it if you suit a fifties-style shape with a nipped in waist and bright red lips.

Casual — anything goes!

Kara Laricks Fashion Star Winner

Were you watching NBC’s new hit Fashion Star on Tuesday night? I couldn’t help but feel immense admiration for Kara Laricks who is the first winner of the reality show. Laricks, who is a former fourth grade teacher, followed her dream of becoming a fashion designer and made it through the competition to earn the grand prize of Fashion Star- a $6 million deal for her collections with Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M.

The exclusive collections are available in stores now and online at Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Laricks stayed true to the menswear elements that helped win the attention of the buyers from the three retailers.

I love that all of  the pieces are very versatile, and will probably pair nicely with items you already have in your closet. My favorite piece is a long black skirt with sexy slits on both sides of the legs. It’s a cool look with a contemporary twist that can be dressed up or worn casually. It’s available at H&M now! I hope to see much more from the talented designer and a Fashion Star winner!

Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

Fashion maven Nicole Richie will design a capsule collection for Macy’s to debut in September, according to WWD. The line will consist of 24 to 30 pieces for her new project, Nicole Richie for Impulse. The collection for women will be available in about 100 Macy’s locations and at Macy’s.com.

I’m especially excited that the personal bohemian style of the Fashion Star mentor and judge will be reflected in her affordable line at Macy’s. I love her inspirations for her fashion labels Winter Kate and House of Harlow 1960. As a designer she knows how to incorporate the styles of the 1970′s, and she embraces the music, fashion and flavor of the era. Her enviable fashion sense is something that I look forward to every week on the NBC hit show Fashion Star.

Images of the Nicole Richie for Impulse collection will be posted later this summer. Will you be shopping for Nicole Richie’s line at Macy’s?