Mixing Prints Like a Boss

My friends Kate and Mike got married earlier this month and while it typically goes without saying that the bride looked gorgeous (she totally did), it's not often that the groom's outfit is anything special. A black tux, a grey tux, a brown suit, a grey suit... meh. Right? Well, Kate and Mike were not having that. They put together what I think it quite possibly the best groom's look I've ever seen, so even though Kate was positively radiant in her ivory lace Vera Wang gown, I'm going to focus on Mike for this post. And you will now see why:

Friends, this is how you mix prints. Just look at that shirt and tie combo! It's flawless. The scale of prints, the color combination, the way it works so well with the suit. Seriously, I've been raving about it since I saw it!

I stole all these photos from Facebook, but saved the best for last- and these are from the pros over at Rodeo and Co. Photography:

I'm proud to say I made Kate's veil and I think it came out pretty fabulous. Almost as fabulous as Mike's outfit. 

Seriously, how cute is this couple?!?!

So, gentlemen AND ladies, take note of how to mix prints like a boss. This is how it's done. End of story.

Enjoy the rest of your day, friends! And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Shoesday Tuesday: For the Guys

I realize that I tend to neglect the handful of male followers that I have on this blog, so in a small attempt to make it up to you, I've decided to do a Shoesday Tuesday blog post for GUYS!!! Ladies, keep on reading, you can always get some good ideas for shoes for your man. Enjoy!

Antonio Maurizi Naldo Double Monk Slip-On, DSW, $299.95

These bad boys are SLICK. 

Reef Men's Smoothy Sandal, DSW, $39.95

If you absolutely MUST wear a "man-dal," make it a simple, leather choice. 

Mike Konos Wallaby Oxford, DSW, $129.95

Rugged and cool. LOVE. 

On the whole, mens shoes can be quite dull, (at least in my opinion). Keep it interesting and look for something different the next time you're shopping for shoes! 

Have a great SHOESDAY TUESDAY, everyone! And as always, thanks for reading! 

Tim Gunn's Style

We're all so familiar with Tum Gunn's fabulous, tailored suit look, but over the last few years, he's branched out a bit. On the most recent episode of Project Runway, he sported a look that was more playful and even youthful. Rather than wear his standard suit with a patterned shirt and tie, he wore dark wash, fitted jeans with the hem rolled into cuffs, kind of reminiscent of the 50's. He was still polished and professional, not to mention impeccably tailored, but I just adore how he played with the whimsical feeling and added just a touch of nostalgia to an otherwise basic look.

I created a polyvore set inspired by this outfit. I hope my gentlemen readers will consider this look at some point:

Tim Gunn Style by rtboo featuring flat shoes

If not, maybe just the tailored jeans and blazer look? I'm a fan.

Men- Find the Perfect Fit for your Suits

I recently stumbled upon this video explaining how the perfect fit is achieved with a mens' suit. There are a lot of measurements involved and much like the average woman who wears the wrong bra size, there are many men out there wearing the wrong suit size. Whether it is too big in the chest, an incorrect length, or just ill-fitting in some way, this video can help you determine the correct size suit you should be wearing. When in doubt, go to a professional. Find a reputable suit store and have your measurements taken properly.



Once you have the proper measurements, you can play around with the style of the suit. Do you prefer one button or two? Flat front trousers or pleated? Notched or peak lapel? And of course the shirt fitting is a whole separate issue. But we'll cover that another day. Ladies, feel free to share this video with your men. Let's have them looking as fabulous and fitted as we do.

Shoesday Tuesday: My Brogue-mance

Guys, this Shoesday Tuesday is for you. I know I wax poetic about my obsession for lace-up oxfords and I do have a decent collection by now. But the truth about that style is that it's 100% menswear, made for women. So why not dedicate a post to the original shoe that inspired the trend? Gentlemen, may I present: the brogue.

Mens Vintage Harry Brogue, Super Shoes, $245

Air Colton Split Oxford, Zappos, $198

Bass Men's Barret Wingtip Oxford, Endless, $39.97

Allen Edwards 'New Orleans' Oxford, Nordstrom, $325

Wondering what made me want to write about these shoes? Well, I was sitting in the living room last night, watching The Shawshank Redepmtion. Great movie, right? Well, remember when Red is talking about how Andy escaped from prison- he was wearing the Warden's shoes, which he'd rubbed to a nice mirror shine. Remember Red's line, "After all, how often do you really look at a man's shoes?" It's true- mens shoes are not always something you think to look at, unless of course, they're really nice. Since brogues are so versatile- they look great with a suit, with dress pants, even with jeans and a nice shirt- they are a great shoe to invest in. A nice leather pair will last you years, especially if you take care of them. Have the soles repaired if they get worn out and spend a few minutes cleaning them off at the end of the day. A little care goes a long way. 

And don't be fooled into thinking brogues are for the boring, straight-laced (pun intended) type. There are funky oxfords out there for just about anyone. Like these: 

Two-tone Leather Steampunk Brogues, Bonanza, $180

You like? I do! Make a statement with your shoes, gentlemen- you won't regret it! And don't forget to tweet your shoe obsessions with the hashtag #ShoesdayTuesday 

For the guys: How to Tie a Tie

As usual, I've been neglecting the faithful male readers- I'm amazed they stick around at all. To make it up to them, I'm going to provide them with a fabulous tie-tying resource. Have you ever wondered what a Windsor knot is? How about a Four-in-hand? Or maybe you've struggled with tying a bow tie? Well, hop on over to ABC Neckties for their videos instructing you on 15 ways to tie a tie.



Also, the dude demonstrating is a bit of a cutie patootie.

Bonobos- Menswear, not monkeys

A friend of mine recently pointed out a great website for cool menswear, so I simply had to share it with all my (2) male readers. One of whom is the person who told me about this site, so really, this entire post is for the lone remaining male reader, Tim. Enjoy. Actually, that's not entirely true, since we know how much we ladies enjoy dressing our life-sized Ken dolls, a.k.a. our significant others. So, that being said, I'm not sure Bonobos is for everyone. Don't get me wrong- I think their stuff is fabulous, but it is clearly designed for the man who can pull off the slim-fit look. Slim pants, fitted shirts, skinny blazers- it's a hipster heaven, if you ask me.

One of the things I truly love about Bonobos is that they not only carry the basics- khaki pants, navy blazers, oxford shirts- but they also have quite a few "wild cards" in the mix. Things like these "Tannenbaum" cords:

Festive Green Midweight "Tannenbaums," $98

Benchwarmer Stripe Crew Sweater, $135

V-Neck Purple Sweater, $185

I know what you're thinking. "I understand the bright green pants and the stripe-y sweater, but what's so exciting about a purple v-neck?" I'll show you: 

Hello? Elbow pads! 

Bonobos seems to not only be a quality menswear company with competitive pricing, but they also seem to have fun and funky pieces that are SO difficult to find in modern menswear. If you are the type of guy who is sick of charcoal grey pants and blue oxford shirts, Bonobos might be the place for you. Even their accessories are fun: 

Morton Tartan Reversible Bowtie, $90

Berge Grey Suede Belt, $100

Sockeye Tie, $82

Finally, another reason I appreciate Bonobos is the descriptions of each of their products. Whether made by a husband/wife team in Minneapolis (Sockeye tie), or inspired by a 1914 Ukranian shirtmaker (Benchwarmer sweater), the story is there for you to read. It makes the clothes that much more special to me, knowing that they weren't simply churned out in some overseas factory and distributed to every Target and Walmart across the globe. And you don't have to purchase the super colorful items pictured above to have a special piece. Everything from their navy wool blazer to their khaki pants to their Drunken Uncle jacket has unique details and a story behind it. Check it out when you have a minute- even if you don't purchase something, I promise you'll enjoy perusing the site. 

Reader Question

Happy New Year, everyone! I am so excited for 2011- I feel like this year truly has some good things in store, not just for me, but for my family, friends, coworkers, etc. As I reflect back on 2010, I realize I definitely made the right decision to pack up and move out of PA and back to NH. Even though it has made the blog more difficult to maintain, I realize it was the right thing to do for my career, my personal life and even for my mental health. If you are the type to make New Year's resolutions (I'm SO not), then I encourage you to resolve to make change in your life where you need to. It is not always an easy decision to make a major change, but I promise you will not regret it. Whatever it is in your life that is causing you grief or pain, take steps to resolve the issues- it is the only way you will move forward in your life.

Ok, I'm stepping off my soap box now! I don't mean to get too preach-y here on the blog, but sometimes I really feel compelled to say what is on my mind, even if it is not fashion related. But speaking of fashion-related things, I received the following message from reader Miguel a few days ago and I wanted to take a moment to respond:

Hello from the internet! I just want to say I enjoy your blog, and that I appreciate some of the guy tips you have thrown out there. Especially the holiday outfit suggestions... so that brings me to a question I have... :-) What's the rule for wearing black dress pants with a not matching black jacket? It looks like a no-no to me, but is there a time when that would makes sense? Should you ever wear a blazer with anything other than light colored slacks or jeans? Thanks! Miguel :)


First of all, I want to thank Miguel for writing to me- I LOVE to hear from the people who read my blog and I truly want to know what questions you have about fashion, style, sewing, or anything else. I always encourage you to leave a comment and I hope you feel as though I respond to them when appropriate. Additionally, I try to avoid badgering people into "following" or "subscribing" to my blog- I don't want you to feel as though you have to be a follower in order to be appreciated. 


And now to address Miguel's question: Can you wear black slacks with a non-matching black blazer? My opinion is this: if you are choosing to wear two non-matching black items, make sure they are decidedly different. For example, wear a solid black jacket with a pair of black pin-stripe trousers or vice-versa. If you pair two very similar, but ever-so-slightly different pieces, you run the risk of looking as though you simply mis-matched your black suits at the dry cleaner. Other distinctions can be fabric/textile choices: a pair of woolen dress pants with a cotton sateen jacket- the contrast in texture will distinguish the two from each other, but it will still look put-together and polished as opposed to looking like a mistake. 


Here are some great combinations of black pants and black blazers: 

 Both items available at Banana Republic (jacket, pants). 

You can find the blazer at Gap and the pants at Express. 

You all know how much I love dark jeans with a nice, tailored jacket, right? Let's not exclude that option OR its opposite- a denim blazer with trousers: 

The jacket is from Zara and the jeans can be found at Neiman Marcus. 

Zappos sells the jacket and the pants are the same ones from Express that are pictured above. 

While this post is geared specifically towards men because of Miguel's request, it also has applications for women. Check back in a day or two for the womens edition of monochromatic black outfits. 

In conclusion, I want to address Miguel's last question about only wearing blazers with light-colored pants or jeans. The answer is no- you can wear a blazer with any pair of pants that work- dark, light, cotton, wool, heavy, light- if it looks good, you can wear it- ignore the rules of your grandfather's generation. I personally love black blazers with charcoal or even light grey pants- it's a polished look without being a matching suit. Pair a navy jacket with chocolate brown pants for a twist on the more classic khaki/navy combination. And don't be fooled into thinking white or blue button-front shirts are the only options, either. But that's another post for another day. 

Miguel, I hope this has answered your question! Feel free to submit any other fashion/style questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them! Happy New Year! 

NYFW Favorites- Menswear

Can we talk about Burberry for a minute? And how amazing their menswear show looked? I'm really only talking about the coats and jackets. I loved SO many of them!

The blazers, the bombers, the trenches- it was stunning:

The epaulettes, the military-style button details, the rich fabrics and trims- every one of these jackets is a winner. I'm pretty sure that short-sleeve look is a shirt, not a jacket, but it was too fabulous not to include. I guess Burberry is taking this military trend pretty seriously! The last trench just kills me with those buckle-style epaulettes and the details on the sleeves. I also fell in love with the ones that have contrast color epaulettes! I'm dying over here! Please, someone get me a handsome manly man to wear that last coat and escort me around town. Not one of the skinny little male model boy toys pictured, but a broad shouldered MAN, please. Side note: Look at the shape of the faces of each of the models pictured above. It's a little creepy how similar they all look, huh? Their sunken cheeks are creeping me out, but I don't care because the jackets are beautiful. BEAUTIFUL!!!

Top 5 Must-Haves for Fall

If you've been following my blog recently, you know I've been focusing on fall trends. And then this weeks episode of Project Runway did the exact same thing- the entire challenge was based around fall trends in both fashion and hair style. So, to break up my (very) long-winded posts about specific trends, I though I'd give you a couple of short lists to get your fall fashion wardrobe kick-started- My Top Five Must-Haves for Fall (mens and womens editions).

First up, ladies:

1.) Suede shoes: Pick your favorite style- booties, pumps, flats, tall boots- but find a pair in a luscious suede or faux-suede finish.

Suede Wedge Booties, Gap, $79.50

Chinese Laundry Women's Nixon, Shoes.com, $59

Bamboo by Journey Women's Platform Rosette Pumps,Overstock, $34.99

2.) A trench-inspired piece: Whether it's a skirt, a dress, or even a traditional jacket, the trench is hot this season. It's a part of the oh-so-popular military trend right now, so get on board!

Trench Dress, Ann Taylor Loft, $98

High Waist Belted Dress, YesStyle, $43.40

Christian Michaels Button Pencil Skirt, 6pm, $79.35

3.) A leather bag in olive: I am dying for bags in this color right now.

Rebecca Minkoff "Devote" Shoulder Bag, Bluefly, $254.99

MiMo "Anita" Handbag, eBags, $120

Fashion Express Distressed Bag, Buckle, $43.20

4.) Quirky tights: whether a fun pattern or a bold color, adorn your legs in fun and funky tights this fall.

Chevron Patterned Tights, Old Navy, $9.50

Diamond Pattern Tights, Jockey, $10

Super Sheer Spiral Tight, American Apparel, $14

5.) RED! Shoes, tops, pants, dresses, jackets- it's all hot if it's a bold red this fall.

Steve Madden Caryssa Pump, Nordstrom, $129.95

Worn Red Turtleneck Dress, Target, $24.99

Lennon Coat by O'Neill, Lulu, $83

And now for the gentlemen:

1.) A great 3-piece suit: Great on its own or broken up and used in a more casual way, the 3-piece suit is not just this seasons trend. It's also a great classic investment piece.

Tessori Milan Pinstripe 3-piece Suit, ShopNBC, $142.99

Jones New York Black Suit, Mens Wearhouse, $499

2.) Corduroy: Nothing says "fall" quite like corduroy. Go for classic, clean shapes like straight or boot-cut pants.

Straight-leg Pants, Old Navy, $29.50

Straight-fit Cords, Banana Republic, $55

Corduroy Blazer, Gap, $88

3.) Lace-up boots: "A dressy version of a hiking boot" is the best description I can come up with.

Aldo Umphrey Boots, Zappos, $150

Fitzwell Carson Leather Boot, Zappos, $92.12

4.) Plaid: Whether flannel or lined in fur, plaid is the "it" print this fall. (That's actually true for both men and women.)

No Retreat Men's Plaid Woven Shirt, Overstock, $13.99

Treemont Plaid Shirt, REI, $49.50

5.) Leather outerwear: An amazing leather jacket is never out of style, but this season, keep an eye out for sleek blazers and motorcycle styles.

French Connection Washed Leather Jacket, 6pm, $280.80

Pentagon Blazer, Undergear, $220

There you have it- my top five must-haves for fall for both men and women. Let me know what you think!