Style Stories: The Little Black Dress & the Sweater Dress
Style Story: The Little Black Dress
We’ve all got one likely more but TLBD is one of the most important pieces to any fashionable woman’s wardrobe. My vintage sheath, St. John Knits, is very simple and basic and since I do fall into the “likely more” category of TLBD owners I thought I’d refresh it by adding black ostrich feathers, Amazon, to the hem. I ordered 2 running yards of feathers and had my tailor fold it in half then attach it at the hem so it would look full and luxurious. My long black gloves, Amazon, have a little bit of shine which looks great against the flatness of the fabric from my dress but stylistically works with the lux and whimsy of the feathers.
My stunning vintage raspberry cashmere coat with a dyed to match fox collar, Bre’-Mont, was my Mothers and it’s a total show stopper. It is what inspired me to add the feathers to my dress. I actually visualized how dreamy the movement would be of the bright pink coat, the pink fur over the black dress, the black feathers…I’ve gone with a classic mid-heel satin pump, Martinez Valero, because of it’s pure elegance. My look may be dramatic but I’m using restraint in my accessories with a chunky rhinestone bracelet, J Crew, some vintage pave’ rhinestone earrings, and a rhinestone ankle bracelet, Melinda Maria Jewelry. Happy New Year Tomatoes!
style-tip: before you buy another black dress have a look at what you have to see if you can reinvent and elevate it.
Style Story: Don’t Sweat It
A sweater dress is the perfect “go to” item for an easy comfortable look. My bright Navy blue sweater dress, Zara, has a relaxed and a somewhat oversized fit that without the help of a few good supporting pieces, I could look like a sloppy oompaloompa…not a good look. The first thing I want to do is create balance through weight distribution. My black lug sole boots, Gisele Tune, bring some heaviness and weight downward to my feet to balance the heaviness of the dress. Whether you’re tall medium height or short like me, having as few breaks in the line of sight is always the goal and if you’re small and or plus size creating the illusion of body length is key to a great look.
My black opaque tights, Hue, together with the slim leg of my boot trick the eye to see them as one long line. My cross body bag, vintage Hermes, plays right into my balancing act with its heavy leather and hardware as well as it being oversized. To complete and elevate my look I’ve taken a vintage silk scarf, Mondi, with a polo print in shades of blue and tied it into an ascot under the turtleneck part of my dress. It’s a little extra, something, that’s innocuous enough to not draw much attention but displays just enough of an effort that’s all, STYLE. My classic aviator sunglasses, Ray Ban, complete my easy comfortable look.
style-tip: a desire for comfort does not mean we have to look sloppy. We can look effortlessly put together and chic in spite of our desire to be comfortable.
*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
