LA Style Stores: Break It Up; Uptown Girl
Break It Up
How often do you, break up, your suits and wear them as separates? Not very much, huh? As someone who spent a long career in the garment industry, I can assure you that it was and still is the master plan. Manufacturers and retailers have been training us forever to purchase and wear garments the way they are merchandised on the sales floor. Back in the day, 2pc sets, was a huge classification, at retail and sold in the dress department as, one unit. It included a printed top or a jacket that could be worn as a top and a bottom, (think Carol Little), in a soft fabric like rayon and silk. Nobody would ever think of breaking it up or wearing just one of the pieces, on its own.
To a degree, the same can be said for, suits. You may wear the jacket with other things but the bottom…not so much. As of late, I’m seeing a lot more 2pc sets then I’ve seen in a while and I fear that it’s a result of a, lazy, consumer. Are we turning into sheep? Are we allowing retail to dictate to us how to dress? With that in mind, I’m wearing only the flowy trousers, zara, from my French blue suit. I wanted to play with the high shine of the fabric which would read as, dressy, so I’ve added a rhinestone ankle-bracelet, Melinda Maria jewelry, a lady-like beaded bag, vintage, and a pin-on flower, Chanel. My t-shirt, Zara, sneakers, Blowfish, bucket hat, Kangol and rapper chains, Amazon, tone it all down for a funky streetwear vibe.
*style-tip: on the whole suits and sets are not that interesting. Find ways to, break-it-up, and individualize your look.
She’s an Uptown Girl
I love the dichotomy of wearing my dressy and casual pieces together, it results in a very interesting and beautiful look. Women will always ask if they can look closer to see how I put it all together and then say they’re going to give a try. What I appreciate most about this kind of look is the opportunity to wear my dressy pieces rather than look at them on the hanger, hoping for the right event to wear them again. My casual late afternoon look includes an apricot sequin skirt, Amazon, a basic crew neck T, Zara, and a pair of flat leather sandals, Sam Edelman.
My utility jacket, Forever 21, creates shape and dimension against the straightness of my skirt and T.-shit. I’m staying consistent in my jewelry with a mixed grouping of pearl and gold short necklaces, Gorjana, and a long matte gold, vintage, pendant. My high shine rhinestone ankle-bracelet, Melinda Maria Jewelry, paired with a gold mariners chain, Gucci, and my, Cartier, three-colour, Trinity bangle bracelet complete this, Uptown Girl’s, look. With that said, I’m ready for a glass of gorgeous wine, that comes out of a spout on a truck. Can you hear Billy Joel singing my song?
*please treat your wardrobe well. many people worked very hard to get it to you.
The tomato behind The Three Tomatoes.
Cheryl Benton, aka the “head tomato” is founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes, a digital lifestyle magazine for “women who aren’t kids”. Having lived and worked for many years in New York City, the land of size zero twenty-somethings, she was truly starting to feel like an invisible woman. She created The Three Tomatoes just for the fun of it as the antidote for invisibility and sent it to 60 friends. Today she has thousands of friends and is chief cheerleader for smart, savvy women who want to live their lives fully at every age and every stage. She is the author of the novel, "Can You See Us Now?" and co-author of a humorous books of quips, "Martini Wisdom." Because she's lived a long time, her full bio won't fit here. If you want the "blah, blah, blah", read more. www.thethreetomatoes.com/about-the-head-tomato
