Style'n tips from Today Show Style Editor Bobbie Thomas

On Saturday I attended Burlington Mall's Runway Fashion Event and I had the pleasure of chatting with Bobbie Thomas.  Bobbie is the Style Editor on NBC's Today Show, author of the TodayShow.com Style Buzz column, and founder of Bobbie.com.  She was so approachable, outgoing, and of course she was style'n and she looked beautiful.

When I asked Bobbie about sharing her top 5 Fall must have items, Bobbie said she really doesn't  have a top "must have" list for the fall but instead she believes every woman should have confidence.  She also said fashion these days is so accessible and you can be frugal and practical while still maintaining a stylish and polished look. Bobbie shared these additional beneficial tips and pointers with me about personal style.

 Top 5 Fashion Tips for Women 
1. Have confidence in your fashion and personal style.
2. Know your body type.
3. Learn your color category and what colors and hues work well for you.
4. Have signature accents in your wardrobe.
5. Make sure your wardrobe welcomes you.   Bobbie used the example of how retail stores do an excellent job of merchandising items and creating looks that are appealing and welcoming.  She says we should also make sure our wardrobes are maintained and organized. 

During Bobbie's Color Class, Bobbie explains what hues are best for you as well as what colors make you stand out.  Did you know you can determine your skin tones by looking at the color of your veins on your wrist? If your veins have blue tones this means you have a cool complexion (think of wearing colors such as blue, green, and purple) and a green color to the veins indicates you are a warm skin type (think of wearing brown, golden yellow, oranges).

Check out Bobbie's fabulous statement platform pumps by Gianfranco Ferre. (Of course I had to include a picture of these!)

Bobbie demonstrating the power of color with the use of scarves.

Bobbie swithes the scarves on the models and it is immediately evident that these colors compliment each of these model's skin tones and complexions much better than the first demonstration. And speaking of scarves, Bobbie is a huge fan of accessorizing with colorful scarves because scarves can help create a look that is effortlessly chic with instant drama.

Here Bobbie was showing two different shades of pink on Lucy Lu. Both shades look great but the fuscia color works so much better for Lucy's skin tones. Do you know your color tone? Are you warm  or cool?

I attended three great Fashion Shows at the event.  The first show was by Macy's,  second one was the Runway Fashion Show featuring Lululemon, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Cole Haan, and others.  And the third show was the Nordstrom Fashion Show and this was my favorite show. (stay tuned later this week for the Nordstrom Fashion Show pictures)  What I love most about attending these types of Fashion Shows is that you can walk into any of these stores, buy the pieces, and achieve these looks or even better create your own personal look.



Bobbie is wearing a  Twinkle by Wenlan  dress and Gianfranco Ferre platform pumps. I am wearing a blouse by Megan Park, J Brand jean leggings, and Stuart Weitzman 50/50 over the knee boots. (And if I have not convinced you yet to get these amazing boots Bobbie has a pair too and she loves them!)

 Lastly, a few of my friends have asked me to do a post on clothes that transition from day to night.  (I promise I will get around to doing more of these posts!)  I think many of us feel like we have a wardrobe for work and an entirely separate wardrobe for evenings and weekends.  I thought I would ask Bobbie to give us some of her ideas on creative ways to transition your wardrobe from day to night.
 
Bobbie's tips for transitioning your look from day to night.
1. Consider wearing accessories like broaches, cocktail rings, and statement necklaces.
2. Get a manicure and go for some fun colors on your nails like a rich purple. 
3. Layer pieces so you have options to create different looks with the same outfit.
4. Consider adding a belt to a boxy blazer .
5. Maintain your beauty especially your skin and hair.  Make the effort to put on make up.  She  says creating a smoky eye is a great way to update the work look for an evening out.  Also, try a ponytail to create an easy and different look. 
6. Roll up your sleeves to change up the look of the outfit.
7. Taper your pants to show off your heels.

Thank you Bobbie for sharing your personal style tips with all of us.

Style Trend: Over the Knee Boots

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I love my Stuart Weitzman 50/50 black over the knee flat boots I purchased last fall/winter. They were by far my best purchase of the season.  I wore them with skinny pants and slim fitting trousers, leggings, skirts and dresses. 

Now I am on the search for  tall brown boots and I really like these ones.

1. Frye shirley $447.95
2. Via Spaga georgia $298
3. Tory Burch jack $550
4. Michael Kors bromley  $197.90 on sale 

Over the knee boots can be intimidating but done right they create a stylish and chic look.

style'n tips on wearing over the knee boots:

1. If you wear these boots with short skirts the best length is 1-3 inches above the top of the boots.

2. For skirts and dresses, match up your leggings or tights to the boot to create an elongated look with out breaking up the colors.  Unless you are trying to copy Julia Roberts in Pretty women, avoid tight skirts and bright colored leggings.

3. Ok but if you do wear your boots with a tight skirt then go for a tailored look. Add a well cut shirt,  a mid thigh length tailored coat, and an oversized bag.

4. One of my favorite looks is to pair up over the knee boots with leggings and long tunics

5. Beware they do not look good with loose fitting pants, flared pants, boot cut, and boyfriend jeans. They do look amazing with skinny jeans.

6. Taller women can get away with these but if you are shorter and have the confidence you can still wear them.  And the tall flat boots will be more flattering and classy than the stiletto over the knee boots.

7. And stiletto vs. flat? I think flat is better and more practical. Definitely not as edgy and provocative as the stiletto but you get more of an equestrian and casual look. 

8. It is best to avoid shiny materials, patent, and too many details like lace and studs.

What do you think about wearing over the knee boots? What outfits do you wear them with?

White wouldn't you?

Well it is officially fall (even though it is going to be a hot and sunny day in Boston today) so the question today is would you wear white after Labor Day?  My friend Aleena and I were discussing this issue and I said I typically do not wear white jeans, cropped pants, or linen pants in the fall/winter.  Although, I continue to wear white blouses and cardigans and I still carry my winter white handbags in the fall and winter.   However, after seeing some of these great 2010 fall looks featuring white and ivory pants by Thakoon Panichgul, Gucci, Jill Stewart, Reed Krakoff, and Isabel Marant I would definitely reconsider.  I love the looks so much that I think having a pair of white pants is now a fall/winter wardrobe essential!

What are your thoughts on wearing white pants in the fall and winter?



Araks





Emporio Armani





Gucci





Jill Stewart





Isabel Marant





Maison Martin Margiela





Emilio Pucci





Reed Krakoff





Thakoon





The Row

Five Fall Mommy Essentials: Guest Post at CoolKids

Happy Friday everyone!  Yesterday I had the great opportunity to guest blog over at CoolKids about my top Five Fall Mommy Essentials.   Betsy is a stylish working mom of two kids and she blogs about all kinds of cool finds for kids including funky shoes, great deals on cute clothes for kids, and fun crafts and recipes. Check out her blog for some great deals and other fabulous ideas for kids. 

My post from yesterday

Here are my Fall 5 Essentials for the stylish mom who desires uptown chic with downtown comfort.  One of our favorite things to do on a beautiful fall Sunday morning in Boston is having Brunch in the South End and then taking a leisurely stroll down Newbury Street and the Charles River. So here are my five essentials for stylish moms who want to eat and stroll in style.

1.   A super chic and modern stroller. I am partial to the Bugaboo frog stroller because it adjustable, looks trendy, and is great for all the uneven and bumpy sidewalks in the city.  But these days there so many great options for stylish strollers.

2.   A great pair of flat boots.  I already have a pair of over the knee black boots but I am on the search for a nice pair of brown tall boots.  I like these Tory Burch over the knee flat boots because they are stylish yet extremely functional and comfortable for long walks. 

      3.  A Statement necklace.  Jewelry can really dress up a casual and simple outfit and sometimes just wearing one bold necklace can make all the difference. Here is a necklace from Banana Republic I am going to buy.  I think this necklace is versatile enough to wear year round with lots of outfits.

4.   A carry all bag is essential.  It is always great to select a bag you can fit all your stuff in along with the kids toys, snacks, diapers, and other essentials.  I have a couple of cute diaper bags I use. But sometimes I prefer to carry one of my larger handbags instead. I like this Michael Kors Uptown Astor Shoulder Bag in Indigo. 

 

5.   Ok last but not least every stylish mom needs a chic leather jacket. I ended up getting one by BCBG on sale back in April but it is no longer available. This black leather jacket by boutique is available at Topshop and it comes in a variety of colors.  I would wear a leather jacket with a floral dress or skinny jeans and a long top.  Add some tall boots and the look is complete.

 

There you have it. These are my Top 5 Mommy Essentials for stylish moms who enjoy going to brunch and taking a stroll on a crisp autumn day.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

 

Style'n tips: Get the Skinny

When it comes to jeans I am a big fan of investing in high quality and comfortable ones.
The J Brand 901 Legging (seen here on Kate Beckinsale)  is an ultra light weight denim legging and is a must have and staple item.  I literally wear mine all the time!

I also love the Citizen of Humanity Avedon Slick Skinny Legging Jeans. (as seen on Rachel Bilson) I love these so much I have a pair in dark blue denim and black.  (See, I told you when I love something I end up buying two of them. )  These jeans are truly top quality and super comfortable.

But I have to say that I just discovered these C & C California stretch denim leggings and I am a huge fan.  These have the comfy fit of leggings with the detailing of jeans.

I got a pair in Midnight blue (as seen below )but some of the other colors are on sale right now.  I  thought I would share a few additional pictures taken from our first day in Nantucket.  We took so many pictures so I will probably end up posting more later in the week.  We had a beautiful and relaxing Anniversary weekend and thank goodness I did not end up needing my trench or rain boots.