Wearing Navy and Black Together This Fall

Calling all people who wear black clothing day in and day out, this blog is for you. This season navy has pushed aside the ever so popular black for a shot in fashions spotlight. Now navy is being paired with not only black but also grey, red and white. A recent trip to New York City gave me the perfect opportunity to hit several boutiques in NYC’s most trendy pockets. Navy garments were often shown paired with black silk or leather trims around the collars, lapels, front seams and waistbands. Navy is also being shown in various tones from brilliant blue to midnight blue (which could be hard to distinguish unless placed side by side). The trick to wearing the two colors is to embrace the darkness and accessorize with a pop color. Be confident when wearing the two, but keep in mind this is another form of tonal dressing.

Use these tips as guidelines for wearing both navy and black together or just navy alone. Either way it’s hard to go wrong!

·    *  If you choose to wear all navy, don’t try to match the darkness of the garments.

o   Several shades will not only playoff one another but be more interesting

·    *  Try pairing at least one textured garments when wearing navies together.

·    *  Opt for choosing a color block navy sweater or blouse paired with a black bottom.

·    *  Keep an eye out for specific trims that stand out on the garment, such as leather, silk, suede or embellishments

·    *  Make a statement and choose chunky gold jewelry.

·     * Pick a red or grey colored shoe when wearing a navy or black piece.

·      * Make sure to choose a classic handbag no matter if its navy or black!

For all those nay- sayers that are having a challenging time wrapping their heads around the navy movement, give one quick thought to what you have just read. Navy has been around as long a black and provides the same vital protection to figure flaws, dirt and is also easily coordinated with other items. I was sold on navy as soon as I realized how dramatically softer my skin completion look, which hey doesn’t hurt as we age…

This fall I challenge you to buy one navy outfit to either wear alone or with a black garment.  I look forward to your comments!

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From my closet to yours,

Suzanne

Living In The Moment

As many of you know my daughter Kelsi is starting graduate school up North next week. This summer she came home for what I expect was her last substantial time home..(if not that’s ok). I’m not quite sure were the time went, but preparing for her move sure did keep us busy. Up fitting an apartment with furniture, kitchen-wares, bedding, pictures and nick knacks was quite the endeavor. We also spent hours going through garments, shoes and accessories, which she has plenty of! We prioritized in a few key ways: fit, style, and donation versus consignment. Somehow, it became a joy to do this with my daughter. Years ago we did something similar together before undergraduate school and saying it was not fun is putting it nicely. I attribute this to my daughter’s maturity and my mellowing (which I hope she would agree with). This time we both knew we had a job to do and realized that haggling over a simple garment would not be beneficial to either of us. Ready or not the cold weather climate was coming for her and she had to be prepared.

I’d like to share with you what this experience has taught me. Through dissecting her wardrobe, packing her up, unloading her belongings, and settling her into her new home I have added new qualifications and work experience to my resume.

1.  No garment is worth more than a 3 minutes conversation.

*I have always been able to judge very quickly on a client whether it works for their body or not.  The moment I begin to cock my head to the right (I’m a lefty) it is gone!

2.  If you haven’t worn it in 2 years then you will probably never wear it.

*If it’s a pair of jeans, then chances are they won’t be in style or you’ll fall out of love with them.

3. If it is not great quality it will show by peeling or the seams will begin to fray or open.

*Buy the best quality you can afford. I have been buying my daughter core pieces (coats, jackets and boots) for a few years now.

4. Try and stick to 5 colors in your wardrobe. Black, brown and navy are considered core colors.

*Choose 4 others and build a wardrobe around it as well as household knick -knacks. There is something to be said about consistency in our lives!

5. Most accessories such as necklaces, scarves, hats and quality bags don’t go out of style and have a longer shelf life, so keep em’!

*Many of the household items she took from our attic still worked and looked current. This included a ceramic set of colorful canisters that I broke while I was in the process of explaining to her how great they would look in her new kitchen! Crap!!

6. If your favorite item of clothing is looking too worn then don’t freak because you most likely can get it restored!

*If a heel of a shoe is worn down to its nub then it can be re-heeled. Make sure to think in terms of whether it is a trendy shoe or something similar to a classic. It wouldn’t make sense to spend money on just a one-season shoe.

*It also is not cost effective to clean up and repair shoes that are not leather.

7. Decide if it is worth your time and your effort to consign certain garments.

*If the garment is quality and current merchandise, then go for it! My daughter and I got a rude awakening when she brought over 4 bags to one trendy store and left with three full bags and only $20 cash…

In conclusion there are two points I want to make.

1) Going through your closet thoroughly should happen twice a year, regardless of where you are living.

~Keep only the items that work in your closet, it will make pulling together outfits easier!

2) Embrace your loved ones while you can.

~ I enjoyed my time with my daughter so much that it almost didn’t feel like work (although I almost left an invoice on her dresser).

I’m going to reflect on this time we shared together for many years to come. It makes me reminiscent of a similar, earlier journey we shared as we looked at more than a dozen colleges spread out all along the east coast together. I love a good memory, especially the ones that I still remember!

From my closet to yours-

Suzanne