Madison Avenue Salesgirl: Reinvents Fashion Staples
Need to give your style an instant face lift? Then do what your mother told you to do on cold winter days: put on a scarf before you go out. Wearing a scarf exudes confidence and demonstrates an elemental flare of chic while adding a fashion layer to an outfit. When layers are done properly they are a great touch on any woman, regardless of her size or shape. It says that she knows how to accessorize and will absolutely turn an average outfit into a true winner. A great scarf also says you’re hip.
I’m one of those women who loves to wear black. At Barneys New York – the place I’ve worked styling people for more than 14 years – black seems to be the standard uniform of choice for me and my colleagues. Black certainly makes any woman look thinner, but so much monochrome can sometimes look boring and dull. On those days when I wear black, which is nearly every day, I head straight to my closet where I have a hearty selection of cashmere as well as cotton scarves in a multitude of colors, patterns and fabrics. I love wearing creams, light blue tones, army green, navy and light grays. Although some women shy away from wearing navy with black, I say take a lesson from the French. It’s the best combination ever!
When the summer rolls around don’t think that your scarves should be stored away until the first cold day autumn. I love wearing scarves in the summer and have actually influenced the trend with my many clients. And they now have made my favorite accessory theirs. The summertime is also a great opportunity to buy this versatile accessory on sale. I often go to stores and find brand name pieces like Missoni at deeply discounted prices. And, when your friends are all freezing as they sit in an arctic movie theater, you will feel warm and cozy while looking your best.
Now that you’ve decided to add a little flair to your wardrobe, you need to know what to do with it. First, don’t be afraid of color. At this year’s runway shows we saw a plethora of bold color, so be a little outrageous. There’s no way to make this look bad, unless you go with a standard silk square scarf, which, more often than not causes the average woman to look like she should be serving coffee at 35,000 feet. Start with a traditionally medium length scarf. Fold it in half with the ends touching. Place the scarf around your neck and slip the loose ends through the fold, creating a loop. This makes the scarf short and close to the neck and looks very fashion forward.
Another look is to start with the scarf around the neck with the end at the back and keep looping around the neck. This gives a circle effect and looks casual and sexy. You can also wear your scarf close to the neck with a piece of costume jewelry or a chunky necklace or a pin on the outside so it is sitting on top of the scarf. This way you get two great looks at once and that’s a fashion knockout.
Am I teaching you something revolutionary about fashion? Of course not. But in today’s world of looking for the next new thing we often forget that the time-tested simple things are generally the chicest, provided we know how to use them and how make them work. Remember something that took me years to realize: Fashion is bought…style, is learned.
Loading ...More style advice from genConnect Experts:
Put Your Best ‘Fashion Foot’ Forward
Mom’s Guide to Chic Style
Do you wear an apron when you’re in the kitchen? (POLL)
For more fashion tips by Madison Avenue Salesgirl, click here.
Category: Beauty & Fashion, Lifestyle
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