Diane Parente, AICI, CIP

Spring and Summer Events, What to Wear? ….. Weddings, Graduations, Outdoor Parties?
By Image Development & Management, Inc.

Is there a big event coming up in the next couple of months that you want to look great for? How do you choose what to wear? Well, here are some considerations to begin with:

• Time of day: Does it take place during the afternoon or in the evening ? An afternoon event can be a bit more casual than an evening affair, which is almost always a dressy occasion.
• Location: Will it be held inside or outside, at the beach, on a lawn, or in a marble hall? This will affect your shoe choice and the kind of cover-up you’ll need to coordinate your ensemble.
• Weather: Will it be chilly or will you be in direct sun for an extended time? Will you need a wrap, or perhaps a fabulous wide-brimmed hat?
• Your body: What should you cover; what should you expose? This is the hardest part for most people. Do you need something with long sleeves, covered legs, or a high neckline?
• Comfort: Should your outfit allow for movement or provide structure?

What challenges have you had in finding the best look for you?

Do you have any suggestions for our readers?

WEDDINGS:

Weddings are generally a dressier affair, but depending on the particularities, it could mean the difference between taffeta or a knit jersey. Think in terms of color, or light or dark neutrals.

J Renee Show	Pearl Necklace	Adrianna Papell

• The traditional style can wear a tafetta shirtdress for a wedding. It’s classic, stylish, and doesn’t reveal too much body. It is also VERY flattering. The shirtdress has so much style that a simple strand of pearls and pumps will complete the look.
• If you have a sporty style, you probably want to focus on comfort and ease. Color is great, then, think in jersey. There are some wonderful dresses out there now that are easily dressed up with mid-heel metallic sandals and a playful necklace. You will not only be appropriately attired for the occasion, but comfortable too!

Donna Ricco Jersey Dress	Naturalizer Sandal	Drop Necklace

• It’s easy for an alluring style to dress up, but remember that this day is all about the bride, so tone down the glamour. Go for a one-shoulder dress instead of the plunging neckline, metallic shoes, and perhaps chandelier earrings instead of a necklace.

Joshua Sandal	Chandelier Earrings	Tadashi

GRADUATIONS:

Graduations are academic occasions and almost always take place during the day. Color is in for any springtime event, but your dress should also reflect respect for the institution. The level of dressiness should fall somewhere between cocktail and business.

Ralph Lauren Skirt	Eileen Fisher	Low Sandal

• It is easy for the feminine style to go overboard with pinks and florals, but this may not work for the academic environment of a graduation. Tone it down a bit with solids or subtle prints in a fabric that moves. You might consider a sweater set with a tiered skirt and classic shoes with a bow or flower detail.
• The dramatic style should keep the graduation look simple but soft. Try a chic sheath dress with some pattern, black pumps, and a statement necklace. If the event is outdoors, a statement hat may also be appropriate.

Stripe Dress	Big Hats and Black Shoes	Statement Necklace

• Staying conservative enough for a graduation may also be tough on the creative style. Think suit with a twist. A really unusual jacket paired with dress trousers and a simple shirt may be perfect. Then the creativity can be expressed in the accessories!

Nanette Lepore	Christian Louboutin	Akris Punto

OUTDOOR PARTIES:

Think florals and separates. The garden party is a more casual, but an occasion still worthy of giving some thought about what to wear. Generally outdoors, some consideration should be put into protection from the elements, and if heels should be avoided because of the lawn?

• A person with an elegant style may have some trouble dressing down for the outdoor party. Try a simple cotton/spandex sheath dress in a light neutral. Pair it with some espadrilles; they are casual enough for an outdoor party, but still look put together. For the sun, add a hat; for a breeze, wear a matching cardigan.

Beige Dress	Jimmy Cho	Woven Hat

• The outdoor party is a relaxed, fun affair. The traditional style needs to stay true to your comfort level without being too stuffy. Traditional styles might consider wearing a color or a floral pattern. A floral patterned top with tan Capri pants, or a colorful cardigan over a simple T-shirt with a khaki skirt and ballet flats are a perfect look for the traditional style at a garden party.

Corsage Cardigan	Nick and Zoe	Adrienne Vittadini
	Prada

• A high-contrast color scheme such as black and white is the right choice for the dramatic style, especially if you use floral or a pop of surprise color somewhere else like the shoe. Be careful not to come off as too severe and over-the-top with a dramatic flair. An oversized top with Capri leggings is a fun, current look.

Embroidered Cardigan	Waterfall Cardigan	Skinny Capri
	Red Bow Shoe

What challenges do you have in finding the best look for you?

Do you have any suggestions for our readers

How to Select the Right Printed Skirt for You?

By Image Development & Management, Inc.

Feminine

The printed skirt is very popular now and is a wonderful ways to freshen up a tired wardrobe, making basic pieces look current. The right printed skirt can brighten up your ensemble when paired with a smart jacket or blouse; it’s perfect for the office or an afternoon garden party.

Picking the right printed skirt for your spring wardrobe begins with knowing the type of print that suits your style. The same skirt in different prints can create completely different statements.

Dramatic

• Floral is a very big motif this spring. Typically, floras are considered feminine or elegant. This season, however, we see the floral motif used in rather unconventional ways and can be quite vivid, and even a bit edgy, appealing to sporty or dramatic personalities.
• Animal prints are still big and always a favorite with the alluring personality type.
• Painterly motifs and ethnic prints, which are also popular now, are mostly creative in flavor but can also work for a dramatic look if they have bold lines and high contrast.
• Both nautical and traditional graphics, such as stripes, plaid, and polka dots, tend to appeal to the more traditional or sporty styles.

When considering prints, it is also important to keep in mind the scale of the graphic because it can strongly influence how the proportions of the entire outfit will appear. A petite person should work with smaller prints and a person of grander size will want something larger. A print can actually be a useful tool for creating illusion and

Elegant

tweaking disproportions. The way the design lies across the skirt will also influence how the eye follows the pattern, thus affecting proportions: horizontal lines will widen, vertical lines lengthen, and diagonal lines add movement. An easy way to change the appearance of your lower half is to find a print that is closer to the scale you want and moves the eye in the desired direction. The nice thing about having a print on the bottom half of an outfit is that you don’t have to be so concerned about how it works with your facial features, but rather the proportion of your entire body, which allows more flexibility. So go ahead — find a great printed skirt that you love and don’t be afraid to wear it!

Now let’s talk about the silhouette of the skirt.

Alluring

Two popular silhouettes right now are the pencil skirt, which can create a chic business look when paired with an attractive sweater or blouse, and the pleated skirt, which can soften and punch up a stuffy suit jacket. The tiered skirt is also another popular style in prints. Although generally used for more formal occasions, it can be stunning with the right business look and works well when you go from business to an evening function. A skirt length below or just above the knee is recommended for business. A shorter skirt is too revealing for business, appropriate only for personal events, while a skirt that falls past the mid-calf can look heavy and matronly unless combined with a fitted top and heels.

A great printed skirt can add pizzazz to your existing wardrobe for this spring and summer! If you are having trouble finding the right skirt to match you style, you might consider getting some professional advice.

What types of printed skirts have you seen this season that really caught your eye?

Traditional

Sporty

Creative