 It's October and it's cold... today... lovely tomorrow afternoon... then rainy and cold in the evening. October is predictably unpredictable when it comes to the weather. The key to being comfortably warm is to layer, take off a layer and you're comfortably cool. Aside from being comfortable in any type of weather, layering is a great way to create more looks from fewer clothes. If you know what you're doing, it doesn't take much to triple the looks in your wardrobe. There are two main guidelines for layering well. First, the outer layer needs to be cut slightly bigger than the one underneath. Second, the outer layer should be a heavier weight (or at least appear to be a heavier weight) than the layer underneath. Here are 3 ways to take basic pieces and create multiple looks with them. Be sure to watch the video at the end, where Budah and I show the do's and don'ts of layering. Start With...A button up collared shirt - blue chambray is my shirt of choice 1. Wear with a tank under and roll up the sleeves. 2. Layer under a buttoned up cardigan, or a cowl neck or turtleneck sweater and pop the collar to frame the face. 3. Add a blazer for even more polish. (Hint: every time you add a layer it’s instant street cred.) A straight, button up shirt dress 1. Wear as a sleeveless or short sleeved dress in warmer weather. 2. Change the belt. The dress often comes with a belt, lately we are seeing them in fabric. Swap this out for a nice leather belt and the effect is oh so rich. 3. Wear as a duster vest or jacket for a slimming effect. Now instead of following this longer belt line around the waist, the eye is drawn to this narrow vertical line in the center front for a taller, leaner affect. Blanket scarf 1. Some dresses are difficult to layer, a swing dress was made for a large scarf. Draper the scarf like a ruana, over the shoulders and draping in the front. Add a pin to hold it in place on the shoulder. 2. Bunch the scarf together so that it is narrow and long. Layer it under the lapels of your blazer or trench coat. 3. Tie it like a man's tie with a simple knot in the center. Layering is a great way to discover your own personal style and develop a look that is uniquely you. Searching for more ways to layer the basic pieces in your closet? Then you'll love a wardrobe evaluation. Get the details HERE.
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Take a walk on the wild side - which ANIMAL PRINT is best for your hair, eye color, and skin tone?9/17/2019  Photo credit nobasicgirlsallowed.com Animal prints are making their presence known in a big way this Fall. Most of my clients have a love/hate relationship with them. The hate may come from the element of drama they tend to communicate. Animal prints can be bold, daring, and exotic. Which doesn't resonate with everyone's personal style. But depending on the color scheme and animal being imitated, they can also become a subtle pattern that emphasizes your personal coloring well. If you’re ready to take a walk on the wild side, here’s how to wear these prints without looking like a wild thing. 1. Match your hair color to the a color in the pattern.
2. Repeat eye and blush colors in the pattern.
3. Keep the background color the same degree of warm or cool as your skin. This one is more complicated to navigate. Here are some examples of repetition of skin color done well and not so well.
Animal print patterns are a chic, classic print that also happen to be trending right now. When you keep in mind these three points, you’ll look like a class act instead of a wild hot mess. Not sure what your best hair, skin and eye colors are? Get your personalized color palette in my brilliant coloring session! For more INFO ON BRILLIANT COLORING click HERE or contact me below. Check out my latest Fox13 segment (below) with Amanda Jones to see more examples AND the best neutral colors to pair them with. Don't forget to hit the like button!  As your personal stylist, helping you navigate the trends is a responsibility I take very seriously. Knowing which trends to adopt and which to avoid will reduce your risk of becoming a fashion victim yourself. Here you have your 3 fashion myths debunked. Be sure to check out the video at the the end for examples. 1. Nude heels make your legs look longer & they go with everything. Not necessarily. According to Judith Rasband, Master Oogway of image consulting, "Light shoes are too delicate to support a dark outfit. Nude heels disappear when they match your skin. They can make you look like you forgot to put on any shoes. Others will say, 'Nude heels go with any brightly colored dress or suit for an elegant finish.' No they don’t. Nude is a subtle, dulled flesh color in opposition to bright fashion colors. They make you look like you don’t know how to coordinate your clothes." Before you go and toss them, try wearing them with light colors such as shell pink, nude, cream, and tan colored clothes. 2. Black is the most slimming color. Nope. According to classic art principles, dark, dull and/or cool colors appear to reduce, recede, and minimize making you look slimmer when you wear them. Black is not the only dark, dull color. Navy blue, olive green, charcoal gray, aubergine and others are also beautifully slimming colors. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to throw out all things black. Instead, know that you have many slimming options in addition to black. 3. Don't wear white after Labor Day Nah. The rule about not wearing white after Labor Day is more of a guideline anyway....cue Pirates of the Caribbean. What’s the logic behind the rule....er guideline? It’s not about the date, per se, it’s about the temperature change. In theory, it’s just after Memorial Day when temperatures get warmer and we opt for clothes in lighter colors that reflect instead of absorb the light. They also help us feel light and sunny, and put us in the mood for warm weather. One of the reasons why white is always in season in tropical climates. After Labor Day, we may naturally gravitate toward clothes in darker colors that absorb the light. They help us feel warmer. Continue to don the white after this weekend. Here are some ideas how: https://www.stylebydani.com/blog/can-i-wear-white-after-labor-day4063613 Ignorance is bliss, as the saying goes. You are no longer ignorant. You are liberated from the online fashionista faux pas. Enjoy your new found freedom! Do us all a favor and report any other fashion myths below in the comments to enlighten others who are confined to fashion victim status. Anyone else tired of trying to find shorts that make your legs look as long and toned as the model showing them off? The two most common options available for shorts just aren't cutting it for most women. Option one: shortie shorts, which can be lovely on a select few, but more often than not, they call attention to all kinds of cheesy, cheeky skin that's better left unseen. Need I expand? Admit it, you've all seen more than you want to under some of those cut-offs gone wrong. Option two: longer, bermuda style shorts, which may provide nice coverage and tall skinny legs look fabulous in them. But add some curvy hips or bootie and boom that's where the focus goes. Is it possible to find shorts that work for your figure? Maybe... but there are so many cool, comfy, and cute ways to replace shorts that your need for them may been reduced. Here are a few ideas. You can also see the complete catalog with more options here. 1. Light-weight joggers
2. Relaxed, wide leg pants
3. Casual skirts
4. Fun in the sun dresses
Looking for a unique and custom approach to adding some late summer cool? Let's chat!
 Ever had one of those days where you don’t want to get out of bed because that means you have to go to your closet? If you’re like my client and friend, Janice (name changed for privacy), the bed blues is an all to often occurrence and triggered by the overwhelming task of going to the closet to find clothes to wear that day. This is how Janice describes her journey from starting off her days completely overwhelmed to having a peaceful easy feeling….  A huge thank you to Janice for finding the courage to overcome the daily triggers of an overwhelming wardrobe and for putting words to the mental health issues so many struggle with on a daily basis. Keep up the good work my friend!
Feeling Like Ferris Bueller? How to embrace your spring fever without looking like a hot mess5/29/2019
 When is the last time you had a Ferris Bueller morning? The one where you wake up to blue skies and sunshine and say to yourself, “How could I possibly be expected to handle school (or work) on a day like this?” (Video to follow.) Despite your daily responsibilities, spring fever is calling! Here are 3 ways to embrace it and still mean business. 1. Simplify your hair routine. It’s finally warm! We want our free time to be spent outside instead of inside doing hair. Time for a spring hair cut or updo so you can just add some product and go. Here are a few ideas:
(For more hair inspiration, click on the image above to see my Pinterest board.) 2. Go with florals. The flowers are finally blooming after this long winter! Embrace it. Add some visual authority to the when the floral is in a silk or rayon for women or subtle for men.
(Click on any of the clothing images to purchase through my affiliate link.) 3. Tailored light-weight layers. Linen blazers are easy to find right now. Choose them in a textured pattern to wear over denim or trousers to dress up the tee or polo beneath. Cause you know you’ll want to take it off to soak up the sun at lunch.
Go ahead! Embrace the spring fever AND look calm, cool and collected...ready for a quality work experience instead of looking like you just rolled out of bed. Not sure how to customize this approach to fit your personal style, figure type and coloring? Let's talk!  There are many fashion myths professed to be the only right or wrong way to wear something. As your personal stylist, helping you navigate the trends is a responsibility I take very seriously. Knowing which trends to adopt and which to avoid will reduce your risk of becoming a fashion victim. Here's your top 3 most common fashion myths you may be falling for.
1. Nude heels go with everything. Not necessarily. According to Judith Rasband, Master Oogway of image consulting, "Light shoes are too delicate to support a dark outfit. Nude heels disappear when they match your skin. They can make you look like you forgot to put on any shoes. Others will say that 'nude heels go with any brightly colored dress or suit for an elegant finish.' No they don’t. Nude is a subtle, dulled flesh color in opposition to bright fashion colors. They make you look like you don’t know how to coordinate your clothes." Before you go and toss them, try wearing them with light colors such as shell pink, nude, cream, and tan colored clothes. 2. Black is the most slimming color. Wrong again. According to classic art principles, darker, duller and/or cooler colors appear to reduce, recede, and minimize making you look slimmer when you ear them. Black is not the only dark, dull color. Navy blue, olive green, charcoal gray, aubergine are among a number of other slimming colors. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to throw out all things black. Instead, know that you have a plethora of options in addition to the color black. 3. Don't wear white after Labor Day Nah. The rule about not wearing after Labor Day is more of a guideline anyway....cue Pirates of the Caribbean. What’s the logic behind the rule....er guideline? In theory, it’s just after Memorial Day when temperatures get warmer so we naturally gravitate towards warm weather clothes and lighter colors that reflect instead of absorb the light. They make us feel cooler. This is one reason why white is always in season in tropical climates. When it cools down after Labor Day, we naturally gravitate towards darker colors that absorb the light. They make us feel warmer. It’s not about the date, per se, it’s about the temperature change. So feel free to continue wearing white after this weekend. Check out how to do it here: https://www.stylebydani.com/blog/can-i-wear-white-after-labor-day4063613. Ignorance is bliss, as the saying goes. You are no longer ignorant to these fashion faux pas...enjoy your new found freedom! Are there any other fashion myths you're finding amongst the rigid rules of the online fashionista? Feel free to report them below in the comments.  My son is currently living in Central America. On his days off, he enjoys going to the corner market or "paca" and finding gently used t-shirts. Many are from the U.S. It was a real surprise to find a Pink Floyd tee in mint condition, Pink Floyd being his favorite band. It was an even bigger surprise to find a tee from his high school drill team. Just when he thought he couldn’t be further away from home, there he stood confronted with the reminder of a former life he and that lonely old drill team t-shirt both shared. That tee was one of the lucky survivors. Some estimates say that 21 billion pounds of clothes end up in US landfills every year. I know what you’re thinking, I donate my clothes so I’m not contributing to the 21 billion pounds. But guess how much of what you donate is actually resold in the second hand market? Only 10-15%! (I know, mind blown.) So most of what you donate doesn’t get resold. That doesn’t mean stop donating, it does mean to look twice before you buy. As your professional shopper and stylist, I’ve found you some earth friendly clothing options to look for next time you’re out shopping…you’re going to love the price as well. Fast fashion has gotten a bad wrap in the past for producing so many low cost, clothing options that people buy, wear for a few months and then throw away, where they eventually end up in the landfill. It's been called cheap chic in the past. Now, H&M has an entire line of “Earth Conscious” clothing. Look for clothing that has a green tag and this is what you’ll find: 1. Fabric containing some recycled material. H&M clothing is being highlighted below, but other brands including Ralph Lauren, Levi Strauss and Zella have found a way to incorporate plastic bottles into their fabrics. They use a minimum of 20 percent plastics recycled from drink bottles and food trays.  Skirt made from recycled polyester. Recycled polyester is a more sustainable option than conventional polyester, and is made from oil-based waste, such as PET bottles.  Tuxedo jacket made partly from recycled polyester.  Sandals made from recycled polyester. Knotted straps and long ties with decorative, recycled plastic stones. 2. Fabric containing sustainable sources such as cotton, silk, wood fibers, etc. These plants are grown in a controlled farm environment. When the clothes have served their purpose, they will decompose back into the earth because they're made of natural materials.  Tencel® lyocell blend, made from fast growing eucalyptus trees  Organic cotton oxford  Organic silk 3. Fabric from waste or cut-offs created during production or donated clothing. H&M has started a collection for unwanted used clothing that they recycle into new items. During the month of April, H&M stores has a drop box for unwanted clothing in any condition that they will turn into something new.  Coat made partly from recycled wool, it comes from the waste or cut-offs created during production, or from clothes gathered via H&M's Garment Collecting initiative. To find more earth friendly options from H&M, type "Conscious" in the search option at the top of the page. Looking for earth conscious clothing that fits your coloring, shape and personal style? Look no further! Contact me HERE for a free discovery call where we'll discuss the best fit for both you and the planet.
 It's summer and I'm heading north to get out of the heat. My sisters have just arrived after making the 10 hour drive from Phoenix. They walk into my bedroom and find my suitcase open and empty on the floor. I can tell one sister is slightly annoyed by her body language, tapping her toe on the ground, arms folded. My other sister says, well we could go shop at the outlets, I need a new dress....this packing stuff is bound to take a while. They continue to discuss their options on how to fill the next hour. As they're deliberating, I go to my closet, sandwich a group of clothes between my hands, lift them out of the closet and lay them in my suitcase. I grab my make-up case, throw in my swimsuit, shoes, hat, underwear and zip up the suitcase. I'm ready to go. The girls are still trying to settle on a store to shop at. When was the last time packing for a trip was a breeze for you? Packing efficiently is all about great planning. And this happens much earlier than the day of the trip. In fact, my closet is always organized with different groups or clusters of clothes for different occasions. Getting ready on a daily basis is quick and so is packing for a trip! It's also efficient. Who wants to lug around a heavy bag while on vacation? Or pay extra for bags at the airport? Below I give you the magic system for creating maximum looks with minimal amounts of clothing. You will have enough pieces for dressy or casual occasions, warm days, cool nights and 12-15 different outfit options. You may even be able to take that small bag–you know, the one that fits in the overhead on a flight. Which means you won’t have to wait and wait for your bag after you get to your destination. Which means you can start sipping piña coladas that much sooner! Check out the video from Fox 13's the Place or continue reading... 7 Pieces for 7 Days - the clustering system 1. Find a source of inspiration–a pattern of colors in a print, stripe or plaid–to inspire the color scheme of your cluster.  2. Plan for five to eight easy pieces of clothing, at least three top and two bottom pieces that coordinate with the inspiration piece. Ideally one of the tops is a third layer piece. Below, we have a cardigan sweater for chilly evenings and a chambray button up shirt that can be worn plain or as a shirt jacket when needed. Wear skirt to dress up a bit or stroll through a market and pants for casual and active occasions. 3. Select pieces that are basic/classics–simple in style lines and shape. This allows you to create more looks will less clothing.  4. Add on to the group, selecting pieces that go together–will work with at least three, four or more other pieces. Every piece in this group can be worn together. 5. Select pieces that are distinctly different from one another (no two pieces alike) for maximum versatility. 6. Select accessories to go with the clothes, beginning with essential basic accessories first. Comfortable shoes are a must on vacation.  7. Finally, throw in pjs, underwear, essential grooming items, a couple of books, sunscreen and you’re ready for piña coladas! Wondering how many looks you can get from this cluster? So glad you asked! Here are 12 different ways to wear your 7 pieces. Oh and there's only 7 days! How in the world will you choose?
 Oh Valentine's Day! For some, it's a magical day full of dancing unicorns spreading the energy of love like pixie dust. And for others, love magic is the last thing on their mind. Which one are you? Or are you somewhere in between? You've heard me say it before, "the way you dress, the colors you wear, affect the way you think, feel, act and then how others react or respond to you," according to Judith Rasband AICI CIM. Which means that color communicates first to you, the person wearing the color, then to others. So when Thursday rolls around, and you go to get dressed, because wearing clothes is a good idea, which color are you going to choose? The colors that say, (A) I'm not feeling the love and I don't want to feel the love, (B) Ooh la la magic is in the air, or (C) life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.
A - You’re not feeling the love and don’t wanna feel the love. It happens! When you're feeling kinda blue, wearing dark blue, dark purple and grays can reinforce the somber mood. Cool colors can make you feel, well cool. These colors may communicate the following messages:
B - On the other hand, if you are feeling the love, and want to show it in your clothes, warm colors will generally do the trick. This is what the “love” colors may be saying…
 C - “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get,” Forest Gump. If you want to tell yourself and others that you have a lovely outlook on life, but you’re not about to look like a cheesy Hallmark card try this:
Try these colors on a formal date, casual dinner out, an active date, or even breakfast in bed and notice how they influence your mood. To know your absolute best colors, the ones that make your eyes light up, hair shine, and give your skin a healthy pinkish hue, try my Couples Color Session - on sale the month of February.
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Dani SlaughImage consultant and personal stylist. Dani is happily married, the mother of 3 charming children, and an Aussie named Josie Wales. Archives
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