Lace is a very tricky material to wear in professional settings. Anything that is see through is entirely inappropriate and anything that pretends to be see through (flesh colored) is inappropriate. So what is a girl to do who wants to stay on trend, be girly, yet remain office suitable? Well, I searched and searched and am confident I found some lace options that can stand up to most professional environments. Obviously you need to refer to your dress code first to make sure you’re in the clear. Also, use common sense; if you work in an extremely conservative industry, these may not fly.

The images belong to the retailers. Click on the image to explore further.

The end of April afforded Milwaukee the opportunity to view competitive ballroom dancing at the Wisconsin State Dancesport Competition. This isn’t some little local get together. This is a major competition that dancers from all over the country come to compete in. I got to interview Dawn Smart of Dore Designs, who creates some of the beautiful costumes the dancers wear. You can read my interview here: http://thirdcoastdaily.com/2013/05/threads-qa-with-dawn-smart-ballroom-dancewear-designer/

I’d like to share some of the pictures I didn’t have room for in the above article. As you’re looking at them, you’ll see Catherine, one of Dawn’s clients and a very successful competitive ballroom dancer. She had just finished all of her dances in the competition and had received a First in all of them! Catherine loves Dawn’s designs for her costumes and gets quite a bit of wear out of each one she buys. I’m all about the lowest CPW (cost per wear) as possible on every item in your closet, and dance costumes are no exception. Get the most from your money spent.

Enjoy the pictures.

Catherine and her beautiful gown by Dawn Smart

Hand painted dress

Coachella sounds really fun but you couldn’t attend this year? Well, you can still have fun dressing easy breezy for all of the summer festivals, farmer markets and flea markets that are coming up. I don’t know about you but these are some of my favorite events during summer. Music, people watching, fresh produce and bargains, how can it get any better? Since you will be in the public eye every time you attend one of these and you never know who you may run into or meet, you’ve got to look great.

Here are some examples of fun looks for you to wear while enjoying all that summer offers. All images come from the retailers mentioned. Click on image to explore further.

Fun outfit pieces at Kohls

Lightweight long sleeves for those really early mornings-Saks Fifth Avenue

H&M ombre tank & denim shorts

Nordstrom funky look

H&M+ easy breezy look

Saks Fifth Avenue look

Nordstrom festival offerings

I thought you may want to see what actual backstage badges from New York Fashion Week look like. These are some of the badges I received from the 20 fashion designers’ runway shows I worked at as a dressing consultant. As you can see, I worked at the biggest, most well known brands- Oscar de la Renta, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Altuzarra, Bellstaff, Joesph Abboud, Chado Ralph Rucci and Diesel Black Gold (to name a few). Check out the complete list on my LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlygomez/

Yes, a few days ago was the official start of Spring. And? Where I live it’s still in the 30s. Just between you and me, I think it’s going to snow more. So with winter still in full force, how can we start wearing our warmer weather clothes, and especially the new trends we can’t wait anymore to wear? Great question.

First the bad news, no matter how much I want to, sandals are still not an option. I try to start wearing my sandals as early as possible and wear them until it’s way past time to put them away. If you live in a hot climate, you probably don’t understand why it’s such a big deal but those of you that live in a colder climate like me do. You know we only have about 4 months to wear sandals comfortably and since we love the feel of warm air on our feet, we try to extend the season as long as possible.

     Now the good news, there are ways we can start to enjoy wearing the spring trends right now. The secret for our colder climate is wearing layers. Obviously you can’t wear just a pretty sheer printed top like we do when it’s in the 80s, but we can pair it with a knit top (cami, tank or silk t-shirt) underneath and a cardigan or jacket on top. The jacket shown is a modern take on a power suit jacket which is another spring trend. This way you can wear a 2013 spring trend when there is still snow on the ground.

This is a perfect example of a trendy spring outfit that you can wear now. Leather is a huge spring trend that is perfect for colder weather, especially in a bright, fun color. It does have 3/4 length sleeves so if you’re always cold, add a long sleeve blouse or top underneath. The skirt is tweed which is a heavier fabric so it will keep your legs warm. Add some tights and pumps or boots, and you’re set. Looking great, yet comfortably warm.

Ah yes, pieces that can be worn now and for the whole summer. The animal print top is short sleeve so it’s perfect for wearing a layer over it such as this cotton army jacket. The jacket has long sleeves so is a good item for warmth now, but since it’s cotton, it can be warm in much warmer weather as well. Of course you can also wear it into fall, so you get 3 seasons of wear from it. These pants are coated, which gives the sheen to them. It takes chinos to another level. The ones shown are short, almost capri length, so if you are 5’8 or less, I suggest you choose a pair of regular length pants because the shorter length cuts your legs off. This creates a stubby look and most of us want our legs to look long and lean.

So how do you start wearing your new spring clothing now when it’s still cold? The secret is layers. Use the looks above as ideas on how to get the most wear out of, and the highest ROI (return on investment) from your spring wardrobe.

All looks are from Nordstrom. Click on image to get a closer look.

Fashion weeks for Fall 2013 are finally concluded! I start off really strong with New York Fashion Week; I’m in the groove by London Fashion week; I’m starting to lose steam by Milan Fashion Week and then by Paris Fashion Week, I’m barely holding on. I try to keep my attention for all fashion weeks at the same level. Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week are more difficult to contend with because the technology is just not there like it is with NYFW. London is a distant second.

As a follow up to the top 10 runway shows for NYFW and LFW, here are the top 10 runway shows for Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week:

Milan Fashion Week

Frankie Morello-Entirely fabulous collection. My favorite element were the mirror like shards on handful of looks; no words. Gorge. I’ll take 1 of each. I also love the holographic dresses. Now this is the way to start out Milan fashion week!

Fendi-If you love fur, you’re going to lose it over this collection. The furs definitely outshone the clothes. There were all different colors and textures of fur-striped fur, neon fur, fur on shoes, fur bags, fur mohawks on heads. Crazy, fabulous.

Emilio Pucci-This collection definitely has a 1960s vibe which is always fun. The collection was fabulous. There was a blingy fringe dress that was a.ma.zing. I also loved the black and white studded cape and  dress; you can never have enough studs. There were pretty print silk tops. Gold lace (how can you go wrong?) and pretty pink fur.

Roberto Cavalli-Another great collection. If you’ve ever seen or heard about Roberto’s designs, you know he’s way over the top with bling and vibrant, fun prints, which I love. His chainmail-esque looks were beyond. On top of it all, he had fabulous colored furs.

Dolce & Gabbana-This collection was all about wonderful excess. Mosaic was the theme & quite a few dresses and tunics had stained glass saint and icon likenesses. With this theme came lots of bling-jewels, crystals, crowns, gold, huge jewelry. How can you not love that? They showcased cage wedges for footwear which added some edge.

Paris Fashion Week

Balmain-Is it any surprise I chose this collection? Not if you know Balmain. They’re over the top glitzy with a bit of humor. 1980s influence was seen in the oversize shoulders (love) and harem pants-so comfortable. And gold, gold everywhere! The diamond print was fabulous and jewelry was larger than life.

Issey Miyake-If you adore plaid, you’ll be thrilled with this collection. There were plenty of different colors and sizes for everyone’s taste. Also, something I can’t get enough of, pants under skirts and dresses-love! Do you know what my favorite thing about the show was? The models were actually smiling. They looked like they were having a good time, which made the clothes even more inviting.

Stella McCartney-If you don’t like Stella, you have issues. Her collection is the opposite of some of the other ones I’ve mentioned. It’s effortless, somewhat classic and even minimal. And so chic. Pinstripes lent to the menswear vibe. Everything was oversized which lends to being comfy while looking sophisticated. Love it all!

Miu Miu-I’ve had a love affair with Miu Miu since being introduced to their fun, colorful designs. I’ve heard them called “ugly pretty” but I don’t agree. I think they’re entirely pretty, albeit a bit out there sometimes. I love the long coats over colorful, printed even longer dresses and skirts. And of course the footwear and bags are luscious.

Jitrois-This is Jean-Claude Jitrois’ first Paris show and he did a bang up job. There was a 1950s vibe with fitted jackets and full skirts. I absolutely love the embroidered leather-beautifully detailed. My favorite was a leather skirt with fur bands or “ruffles”-gorgeous. I look forward to seeing more from him.

Whew, another fashion week season successfully navigated. Check back in September and October for next season’s top shows. They probably will be different than this season.

To see the collections look by look, click on this link, click on All Shows and choose the one you want to view. http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2013RTW

I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time since February 6th watching and analyzing the Fall 2013 fashion designer  runway shows. New York Fashion Week starts off the month of fashion weeks and London is next, which just ended. Here are my top ten runway shows from NYFW and LFW:

New York Fashion Week

Jason Wu-He’s the designer whose designs have been seen on the First Lady. No matter what your political lean, it’s cool to clothe the First Lady. Jason’s fall collection is beautifully done with fur and leather combined into jackets and skirts over pants. I love, love skirts over pants.

Monique Lhullier-What isn’t there to drool over? As my tweet said, the whole collection sang to me. Her red carpet gowns never disappoint.

Dennis Basso-He’s known for his furs and the fall collection provided many choices such as jackets, shrugs, vests and capes. Beautiful colors and designs. Of course Dennis’ gowns aren’t bad either.

Carolina Herrera-The whole collection is gorgeous. Not only does she have beautiful gowns including velvet ones, but Carolina also has beautiful furs in colors such as plum.

Ralph Rucci-This man can do no wrong. His collection is perfection; might I say impeccable? His tailoring is second to none. You can have great design but if the tailoring isn’t there, forget it. Ralph gets huge points from me for putting bras on models where there would otherwise be bare breasts.

London Fashion Week

L’Wren Scott-Absolutely gorgeous collection. How can U go wrong with bling, gold, beautiful prints and color? All elements I love.

Temperley London-Her collection is beautiful and could possibly be worn by the Duchess of Cambridge at some point. Who wouldn’t love that? Her collections are always feminine and well done.

Peter Pilotto-His fall collection is very obviously Spanish inspired with the intricate embroidery on many different pieces. I love puffy (puffer) jackets and Peter has very stylish ones.

Burberry Prorsum-This collection exceeded my expectations. Sometimes you think of Burberry being very heavily on the classic side but this one proved us all wrong. Yes, there is a definite classic vibe but there’s also some edgy, more urban designs going on as well. How can you not love grommet leather fringe? Fabulous.

Tom Ford-He is an entity onto himself. Sometimes you try to dislike him because it seems he can do no wrong, but that’s impossible to do since his designs are exquisite. This collection was colorful, funky, lush and over the top.

And there you have it, my top ten runway shows from the first two fashion weeks of Fall 2013. Look for my top ten of Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week in a couple of weeks.

To see the collections look by look, click on this link, click on All Shows and choose the one you want to view. http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2013RTW

STYLEMAX in Chicago was the last weekend in January. You know, the weekend with the crazy weather which included icy rain and snow. Yes, unfortunately that one. Regretfully, due to that, I had an abbreviated STYLEMAX visit. I didn’t spend anywhere near as much time as I would have liked to. But I did make the most of my time.

Do you love seeing styles for next season as much as I do? I understand not everyone is as freaky as I am about this, but there has to be a few of you out there. But I digress.

This show included some summer styles and some pre-fall styles, so in case you haven’t purchased your inventory for next summer, you can choose and order it now. And of course you should be thinking about inventory for pre-fall already. Yep, in the land of retail as a buyer and/or owner, you need to think seasons ahead, be in tune with what’s going to be hot (seasons ahead) and decide the quantity of each you will need for selling (seasons ahead). Overwhelmed? Yes, it’s easy to get there quickly.

STYLEMAX is a great place to find tons of vendors under one roof that offer all styles of clothing such as classic, bohemian, dramatic and gamine. A one stop shop for all of your boutique needs.

This show included Men’s Wear Collective which is only shown two times a year. They should definitely be included every time. I love perusing the men’s styles. I need to know what options my male clients will have in the coming seasons and start to plan accordingly. The only picture I took of the men’s collective was of Bacco Bucci shoes. Aren’t they fabulous? My favorite are the blue followed by the emerald. Gorge.

Even though my visit was shorter than desired, I enjoyed the show and look forward to STYLEMAX in April when hopefully the weather will be conducive for a 2 day visit.

Bacco Bucci men’s shoes

Are you ready to make some changes to your style in 2013? Here are some of my favorite style books, written for everyone to read, that will help you through the change process.

WORK IT! by Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo of Visual Therapy, is a wonderful resource for all of us working girls, no matter what your age. I recently attended an industry day where both of them spoke and they’re the real deal. They are true experts with fashion and style. Their clients are the crème de la crème of society and their privacy is kept at all costs.

This book is lush with pictures of ideas on how to dress for many different positions in many different industries. You can also use the ideas for different types of events you need to dress for.

CHANGE ONE THING by Anna Soo Wildermuth with Jodie Gould, is a valuable book for any human being who isn’t a hermit. Anna not only gives image advice but also etiquette tips, communication tips and even interview ideas. These ideas and tips can be used for both your personal and professional life.

This book doesn’t have pictures but does have activities to use for self improvement. This book is great for overall image refinement.

color me confident by Veronique Henderson and Pat Henshaw, is from the iconic Colour Me Beautiful group. As you can imagine, the book is all about using color to your advantage and incorporating it on a daily basis, into your look. Forget all of the black you usually wear! There are so many luscious colors and shades that make you look your best, it would be a crime not to incorporate them.

This book also goes into body shapes and how to dress them to their full advantage. The pictures are brilliant and very helpful.

THE SCIENCE OF SEXY by Bradley Bayou, is a book that truly breaks down in depth how to dress for your unique figure. You choose your figure type by height, shape and weight, so it really gets detailed (in a good way). Bradley shows you do’s and don’ts of exactly how to dress for you, not anyone else.

I love that there are different sets of suggestions for each plus size figure type instead of the usual ideas for just average figure types. No, a size 26 will not look the same in a certain garment as a size 8, and this book addresses this in a very helpful way.

Choose one or more of these books to show you how to make positive changes to your image in 2013. Or if you don’t have time to read and analyze books, give us a call and we’ll get your image to where you want and need it to be. Happy New Year!

So you probably now have a whole list of resolutions, goals, etc. to get done in 2013. Here are a few things you can leave off the list.

Wearing clothes with holes and/or stains– it’s time to toss them. Forget about the “mending” pile. It won’t happen. Toss them along with anything with stains even if you think you’re the only ones that can see them. Trust me, other people can.

Keeping clothes you have from other decades– unless you collect and successfully wear vintage clothing, let old clothes go. Hard fact: if you lived through a style decade  (80s big shoulders), you shouldn’t bring those clothes back out when that decade or time period becomes trendy again. You just look dated. Let them go!

Wearing colors that aren’t in your color season– I guarantee you that you will never look your best if you’re wearing colors that aren’t in your color season. What’s a color season? It’s your palette of colors that looks best with your skin tone, eye color and hair color (real). If you don’t know what it is, have a color analysis done. It’ll make a huge difference in how you look and feel when you’re wearing the best colors for you.

Following trends that don’t suit you– trends are exciting and fun but not all trends are for everyone. If the current or future trends don’t work with your personality, body type or lifestyle, buying them is a waste. There are ways to achieve a look similar to the latest trend while remaining true to yourself.

So take a load off and feel free not to accomplish these things this year. I’m happy to help you make sure they’re not achieved.