Here Comes the Bride

Ann and Dave (center) on their wedding day

Getting married is fun!  And, if that ain’t so, why do so many people do it?

The wedding day is a rosy high-wattage day for everyone involved, especially for brides.  Perfection is in order--everyone wants to look fabulous.  Women often rely on the ancient adage, “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” to be at their bridal best.  My friend Ann covered most of those bases when she visited The Wardrobe Boutique to pick out a wedding outfit for her marriage to her longtime partner.

The Boutique has a sweet selection of formal wear including bridal gowns which span the continuum from confection to sophistication, elegant ball gowns, and slinky cocktail dresses. Ann found a pale silver cocktail dress featuring an elegant capelet that framed a sexy deep V-back (something old). We also found a pair of never-worn silver high-heeled sandals to pair with that gorgeous dress (something new).  Her daughter chose a pair of dangling earrings with blue stones for her (something blue).  She also found a stunning royal blue halter dress for herself.

Once again, Ann worked the cheap chic angle and came out absolutely gorgeous.  The Boutique can meet many of your special occasion wardrobe needs, so bring that party invitation with you next time you stop in. Surprises await!

By all accounts, the wedding was a lovely beginning to a lifetime of love and laughter.  Best wishes to her and Dave!

3 by Three

Went to an amazing trunk show by 3 by Three yesterday.  What a treat!  3 by Three is a collaboration between three talented textile designers--Melissa D’Agostino (tie-dye inspired design for a new mind), Rachel Sherman, (funky, sexy, chic) and Janell Wysack (beautiful cozy wovens and knitwear), who brought their beautiful and stylish stuff to a house full of women seeking their own style. 

I drooled over ruched T-shirts and appliquéd pencil skirts in saturated colors, elegant but modern black silk LBDs that tickled and skimmed the body, cotton knit shifts in desert colors, and adorable little shrugs. All of the available pieces can be glammed up or dressed down.  My favorite item was Melissa’s cream- and slate-colored body-conscious maxi dress featuring a pattern that reminds me of a ribcage (so I‘m a little silly).

Here's one of Rachel's denim pencil skirts.  It's gorgeous, flattering, and I can't wait to wear it!  Also ordered one of Melissa's jersey knit hoodies.  I'll show it to you when it arrives.  It'll be great for summer travel!

These beautiful one-of-a-kind wearables celebrate some of the best of local design.  As 3 by Three’s promotional piece says: “...artisan fashion is alive and well in cities such as Philadelphia and across the country.”  Check out the website and see for yourself.  Click through and swoon!

Having A Fit--Jackets!

Spring is in the air!  My neighborhood is greening, and flowers are popping out everywhere.  You’re probably shopping for a couple of cute spring jackets, and I’ve got some great tips to help you choose the most flattering ones. 

Whether you’re at Macy’s or your favorite consignment shop, always remember to check the fit in these critical areas:

Shoulder line.  The shoulder line of any jacket should meet the edge of your shoulders.  For the most accurate gauge of overall fit, wear a top of the same weight you’ll wear underneath most often.  Be sure to look for tailored features such as a nipped waist, vertical seams, or panels that shape the jacket and give a skimming fit.

Reach.  Can you raise your arms without tightness through the shoulders and back?  If not, go up a size.  If a jacket pitches forward or rolls back on your shoulders as you move, put it back on the rack.  The fit will never be right--you‘ll look like you‘re wearing a sack.

Stance.  Stance is a tailoring term for the meeting point of the lapel and buttons.  Most women of average height or taller look fabulous in a one or two-button jacket because it creates a longer line.  The deep “V” draws the eye up and down and flatters a full bustline.  Shorter women and petites appear taller in a higher stance--at mid-chest--with small or medium width lapels and with three- or four-button styles.

Length.  Universally flattering jacket lengths include cropped (not shrunken) at or just below the waist, at the high hip to hipbone, at an inch below your bottom, and at fingertip length, meaning where your fingertips rest on your thigh when you stand with your arms relaxed and straight at your side.  Any jacket that ends at the widest point of your hips should go back on the rack regardless how flattering the color or how much of a bargain.  The jacket hem will draw the eye to that point and visually expand the area.  

Now you've got the info you need to choose a jacket that will add to your chic-ness.  Go forth and pick a topper as pretty as the first blossoms of the season.  You'll look marvelous!

I Know You Got Soul

So, what IS soul?  Is it Curtis Mayfield’s soaring tenor?  Is it the tilt of your head, the cadence of your voice?  Is it a raucous, knowing laugh shared by others in the know?  An unspoken language, a fraternal handshake? 

It’s more than a piece of clothing or accessory.  It’s the rhythm, the soundtrack to our lives.  It’s awareness and pride--head held to the sky.  It’s native, it’s genuine.  A badge of honor.
    
This way cool necklace was made by a Brooklyn artisan and is available from Etsy.  It was my Christmas present to myself and I can’t wait to show it off!

And The Real Winner Is….

Viola Davis

Viola Davis is fierce. No discussion.  No dispute.  No doubt.  For the 2012 Academy Awards she took the extraordinary step of going for the glam while leaving the wig at home.  Ms. Davis was stunningly genuine.  She rocked her natural hair, looking vital, youthful, and incredibly gorgeous in the process.

She ignored the ridiculous beauty standard that prods black women to glue and sew hair they bought onto their scalps, damaging their natural locks in the process.  When are we going to reject a foreign beauty standard that is completely irrelevant to us?  When will we embrace our unique and often breathtaking beauty?  We don’t need lace front wigs to be pretty!

Celebrities are now the standard bearers for style and behavior, taking over the role that was traditionally our mothers’, aunties’, and grandmothers’.  So we need to see more Viola Davises strutting the red carpet wearing glorious Afros of every circumference, locs, springy coils and twists, and intricately-designed cornrows that rival aerial views of Midwestern farms.

Yes, black women are naturally beautiful.  There should be no further questions.  Thank you, Ms. Davis for making that statement.