On no…July 4th is upon us. What to expect? People dressed like flags, fireworks, roman candles, Betsy Ross, you name it! UFO’s Ahead – Unnecessary Frumpy Outfits. Who started this ridiculous practice anyway? Even the ugly Christmas sweater now has its own website, themed parties and networking groups. Don’t believe me, or want to be involved (seriously), Google ugly-Christmas-sweater and your life will be complete. What is this innate desire to be like each other? What ever happened to ‘independent’ thinking? (Good one Doreen!) As the calendar progresses, so does this ritual:
- Ordinary office workers don pumpkin sox on Halloween.
- Thanksgiving trussers’ wear anything that looks like it came straight from Sherwood Forest.
- New Years Eve revelers could light up Time Square without the dropping ball!
- Nurses and schoolteachers seem to have a special affection for Valentines Day, wearing anything with red hearts and passing out kisses.
- Let’s not assume this is an American affliction – take a look at St Patrick’s Day – green everywhere including in your beer mug! (Does it come out green?)
So here comes the 4th of July, complete with red, white & blue cakes, jello molds, tablecloths and aprons! I swear every advertisement email that has come in this week has had something about wearing red, white & blue as if it were a dire warning that you won’t be on trend and certainly won’t be invited to next years big barbecue if you come inappropriately dressed. Quick – grab the star hosiery, the red jellies, the white shorts, the navy tank top and the trio bottle of hair dye. Don’t forget to hang the flag on the back of the truck so you’ll get a preferred parking space at the bash. Reality check…going too crazy with the holiday theme is just a tad tacky. Embracing a color story for holiday-sake, now that could be perfectly acceptable! Here are some timeless ideas for your red, white and blue statement and these are NOT one-shot wonders! They just might be staples already living in your closet, or staples that should be living in your closet! Take a peek at some of these sophisticated combos and remember – this is not clown day, it’s Independence Day – show your independence by dressing with purpose – the purpose being to look fabulous and feel comfortable and not look like it is a costume!
The White Pant – This could be shorts, capri’s, skinnies, straight or bootcut! The only requirement – they must fit and flatter! No visible panty lines, no cellulite peeking through too tight a fit and certainly no muffin tops!
The Nautical Striped Shirt – The obvious choice would be navy & white, but this could be where you bring in red as an alternative. Just be careful of the stripes, the larger your frame, the larger the width of the stripe.
The Pop of Color Sandal – Red seems the obvious choice, however if Dorothy shoes are not your style then wear a neutral color and pop a red scarf, handbag or hat to finish the look. You don’t have to search out flag motifs or star graphics to look explosively festive.
Then there is always taking your style one step further…who said you can’t be the best dressed woman in the room?
Having trouble getting dressed with purpose? Let’s talk! Sign up here for a complimentary 30-minute Boost Your Image Breakthrough Session. We’ll chat about your style, your clothing, your image, your budget, your shopping savvy and whatever else comes up! I look forward to ‘meeting’ you on the phone!
Doreen Dove empowers women to use style as a tool to take strategic control of their image. She is an image consultant, personal stylist and professional speaker. Her extensive background in all aspects of retail has uniquely qualified her to work with women of all ages and professions, coaching them to personal style success. www.DoreenDove.com.
UFO’s Ahead – Unnecessary Frumpy Outfits
So here comes the 4th of July, complete with red, white & blue cakes, jello molds, tablecloths and aprons! I swear every advertisement email that has come in this week has had something about wearing red, white & blue as if it were a dire warning that you won’t be on trend and certainly won’t be invited to next years big barbecue if you come inappropriately dressed. Quick – grab the star hosiery, the red jellies, the white shorts, the navy tank top and the trio bottle of hair dye. Don’t forget to hang the flag on the back of the truck so you’ll get a preferred parking space at the bash. Reality check…going too crazy with the holiday theme is just a tad tacky. Embracing a color story for holiday-sake, now that could be perfectly acceptable! Here are some timeless ideas for your red, white and blue statement and these are NOT one-shot wonders! They just might be staples already living in your closet, or staples that should be living in your closet! Take a peek at some of these sophisticated combos and remember – this is not clown day, it’s Independence Day – show your independence by dressing with purpose – the purpose being to look fabulous and feel comfortable and not look like it is a costume!
The White Pant – This could be shorts, capri’s, skinnies, straight or bootcut! The only requirement – they must fit and flatter! No visible panty lines, no cellulite peeking through too tight a fit and certainly no muffin tops!
The Nautical Striped Shirt – The obvious choice would be navy & white, but this could be where you bring in red as an alternative. Just be careful of the stripes, the larger your frame, the larger the width of the stripe.
The Pop of Color Sandal – Red seems the obvious choice, however if Dorothy shoes are not your style then wear a neutral color and pop a red scarf, handbag or hat to finish the look. You don’t have to search out flag motifs or star graphics to look explosively festive.
Then there is always taking your style one step further…who said you can’t be the best dressed woman in the room?
Having trouble getting dressed with purpose? Let’s talk! Sign up here for a complimentary 30-minute Boost Your Image Breakthrough Session. We’ll chat about your style, your clothing, your image, your budget, your shopping savvy and whatever else comes up! I look forward to ‘meeting’ you on the phone!
Doreen Dove empowers women to use style as a tool to take strategic control of their image. She is an image consultant, personal stylist and professional speaker. Her extensive background in all aspects of retail has uniquely qualified her to work with women of all ages and professions, coaching them to personal style success. www.DoreenDove.com.