Style Stories: Daywear and Going Big
Style Story: Elevated Daywear
I don’t wear this dress, Marc Jacobs, often. When I bought it I knew it was a little too girlie for me but there was something about it and I knew I could make it work. I usually toughen it up with heavy boots and a motorcycle jacket or take it way down with sandals or ballet flats. When I saw it in my closet this morning, I really focused on its shape then the matte silk fabric with contrasting satin and it all came together… I pulled out my gold Opera coat, vintage, and hung it over the dress. Both pieces have a round neck and a similar shape to make them a great pair. Also the gold silk/satin combo coat like the dress has highs and lows within its fabric.
The coat’s white embroidery became the inspiration for choosing my white/metallic woven peep-toe sling-backs, Oh Dear. The peep-toe has a vintage feel but the shellacked cork heel and woven leather is all modern. Because my look is comprised of light coloured pieces, I want to use a structured handbag, vintage, to ground my look. The darker colour and square shape draws the eye’s attention and gives it a focal or starting point to then move outward onto the rest. With the help of a few well thought out pieces I was able to elevate a dress that I rarely wear into a look that is pulled together and chic.
style tip: spend the extra time and think about the total look and what you want it to say
Style Story: Go Big or…
Some days are all about baggy and oversized like today. I still need to work with a client and can’t be a total wreck so here’s what I’ve done…My big 501s, Levis, get some structure from the big folded up cuffs. They actually keeps the legs from moving around and definitely makes a statement. My white poplin blouse, H & M, is also structured and even though it’s oversized it looks crisp and neat. The unbuttoned shirt cuffs almost of mimic the cuffs on my jeans and create a balance. I brought in a nubby tweed frayed edge sweater, old sample that I made, for additional colour and texture and the jacket-like shape makes my look a bit more tidy.
My casual look gets elevated with a pair of red suede sling-backs, Sam Edelman, and a large peal/rhinestone drop evening earring, vintage. I could have gone full blown CHANEL but that’d be so predictable and quite frankly I don’t feel like layering up the pearls and chains. My little denim, vintage, clutch handbag works out so well, here. Again, the colour and shape are similar to the cuff on my jeans and sleeves and the coral and white beading work back to my sweater. I feel styled and put together but sooooo comfortable in my big baggy look.
style-tip: a balanced look comes when we consider shape dimension texture and colour
*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
