Wear This Now: Your Style Solution for Every Season and Any Occasion

240 Pages·2012·5.21 MB·English

by  Michelle Madhok

YOUR STYLE SOLUTION FOR EVERY SEASON AND ANY OCCASION
MICHELLE MADHOK MADHOK
WITH EILEEN CONLAN
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ABIGAIL SMITH
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: Say Goodbye to the Closet Stare
: SHOPPING PREP
PART I
1
TAKE A GOOD, HARD LOOK AT YOUR CLOSET
Wake Up and Smell the Khaki
Cash in Your Castoffs
Create Your Shopping Hit List
Record What You Love
Know Thyself: Take a Look in the Mirror—and Let’s Talk
Body Balancing Acts: What to Wear for Your Shape
How to Buy a Bra That Fits, or Consider This Your Bra-tervention
How to Wear…A Belt So You Look Like a Lady, Not a Pro Wrestler
Jewelry to Flatter Your Body Type. Seriously.
2
SHOP LIKE A PRO
A Note about Online Shopping Safety
Our Insider Shopping Secrets: Yes, You Can Get Paid to Shop
Work the Seasons to Get a Deal: Ten Percent Off Is Not a Sale—It’s a Tax Credit
Our Favorite Hunting Grounds
If the Shoe Fits…Put It in Your Cart
Be Knockoff Savvy
: THE ESSENTIALS
PART II
HOW TO LOOK STYLISH EVERY SEASON
3
YOUR ULTIMATE WINTER WARDROBE
The Strategy: What You Need for Winter
What’s on Sale Now
How to Organize Your Closet for Hibernation Winter
Finding the Perfect Winter Coat
How to Wear…Tweed, without Looking Like Granny
Fashion Math: Is a Fur Trapper Hat Worth the Cost?
How to Wear…Thigh-High Boots, without Looking Like a Hooker
Buy Boots That Flatter Your Body
Fashion Math: Are High-End Boots Worth the Splurge?
Seasonal SOS
Winter Style Conundrums: What to Wear…
When the Invite Calls for Festive Attire
To a Holiday Party
To Beat the Midwinter (Fashion) Slump
When Your Office Is Sweltering!
For a Day of Winter Sports
4
LOOK TRÈS CHIC ALL SPRING
The Strategy: What You Need for Spring
What’s on Sale Now
Tech Effect
How to Organize Your Closet: Time to Weed
Fashion Math: Is a Burberry Trench Worth Nearly a Grand?
Making the Case For…Wedges
Seasonal SOS
How to Wear…Multiple Prints
Making the Case For…Wearing One Color at Once
Spring Style Conundrums: What to Wear…
When Finally Dining Alfresco
While Rooting for the Home Team
How to Wear…a Flowy, Boho Waist, without Looking Pregnant
5
SIZZLE WITH SUMMER STYLE
The Strategy: What You Need for Summer
What’s on Sale Now
How to Wear…Black Shoes in the Summer
How to Organize Your Closet for Heat Waves
Swimsuit Shopping Made Easy
Seasonal SOS
Fashion Math: What You Should Drop Your Dough on This Season
How to Wear…Shorts at Night
Summer Style Conundrums: What to Wear…
To the Outdoor BBQ
To the Beach
To Look Cute While Camping (Yes, It’s Possible)
To the Company Picnic
To Outdoor Music Festivals
Making The Case For…the Little White Dress
6
NO-FAIL FASHION FOR FALL
The Strategy: What You Need for Fall
How to Wear…a Long Cardigan (and Look Chic, not Frumpy)
What’s on Sale Now
How to Organize Your Closet: Fall
Making the Case for…the Tweed Jacket
How to Transition Your Summer Clothes into Fall
How to Wear…a Summer Scarf through Fall
Fashion Math: Is a Proenza Schouler Satchel Worth the High Cost?
How to Find Jeans That Fit
How to Wear…Spots—Everything from Leopard to Crocodile
Tech Effect: The Best Sites to Buy Jeans (One More Pair Won’t Hurt)
Seasonal SOS
How to Wear…Booties, without Looking Stout
Fall Style Conundrums: What to Wear…
To the Reunion
Apple Picking
To the Football Game
To Fashion Week
: YOUR FASHION CALENDAR
PART III
WHAT TO WEAR FOR ANY— AND EVERY—OCCASION
7
HOLIDAYS & OBSERVANCES: WHAT TO WEAR WHEN
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Day: The Brunch
Valentine’s Day
Easter/Passover
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Fashion Math: Is It Worth Investing in Pearls?
Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa
8
SURVIVAL YEAR-ROUND: SIMPLE WARDROBE SOLUTIONS FOR
FASHION STORMS
A Black-Tie Affair
A Job Interview at a Place with a Strict Dress Code
A Job Interview at a Casual Workplace
A Business Lunch
The Big Work Meeting, or When Presenting at a Conference
How to Wear…Florals to Work, without Looking Like a Stepford Wife
Casual Friday
A First Date
A Billionth Date You Want to Make Feel Like a First Date
Running into Your Ex at an Event
As a Tourist, without Looking Like One
While Shopping for More Things to Wear
At the Dog Park
On the Commute, Until You Make It Big and Can Hire a Driver, of Course
Hosting a Party at Home, without Looking Like You’re Trying Too Hard
At the Ladies’ Luncheon
Meeting the Future In-Laws
Staying at Your In-Laws’ Overnight
Your Boss’s Cocktail Party That’s Allegedly Not a Work Event
Pulling Off the Ubiquitous Day-to-Night Switch
9
WHAT TO WEAR TO ALL THOSE FRIGGIN’ WEDDINGS
The Semiformal Wedding
The Country Club Wedding
The Casual Daytime Wedding
The Black-Tie Affair
The Justice of the Peace Ceremony
The Destination Beachfront Blowout
The Orthodox Wedding
10
JET-SETTING STYLE: WHAT TO WEAR ON THOSE GETAWAYS
Luggage
How to Dress to Get Bumped into First Class
Sky-High Comfort: How to Look Great and Fly Right
U.S. Road Trip
East Coast: Hamptons, Cape Cod, Newport
West Coast: Napa Valley, San Francisco, Catalina
Exotic Beach Vacations, from Bali to Hawaii
Doing Europe
Exploring Africa
11
SUPER SPECIAL OCCASIONS: WHAT TO WEAR DURING YOUR
MILESTONES
Big Birthdays
First Day of Work
What to Wear…When Your Bust Is Too Big for a Blazer
Movin’ On Up: What to Wear When You Get the Big Promotion
First Day of Grad School
How to Wear…Retro Glasses, without Looking Like Steve Urkel’s Twin Sister
Graduation Day
When You Think He’s Going to Propose
Bachelorette Party
The Birth of Your Baby
Your TV Debut
Baby Shower
APPENDIX: What’s on Sale When
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION
SAY GOODBYE TO THE CLOSET STARE
A
s women, we spend an average of two years of our lives standing in front of our
closets, debating what clothing to put on. Two years! In that same amount of time, you
could’ve graduated from business school, renovated a house, landed your dream job,
planned a wedding or done a thousand other more interesting things.
You’re not to blame: Not one woman is immune to the closet stare—that moment
when you gape at your wardrobe and realize that not one single piece is right for the
occasion you’ve found yourself in. (Men, however, are mostly immune to this. Their
version is the refrigerator stare, which occurs when nothing looks good enough to eat—
it is much less life-threatening.) The key is planning. We’re here to map out your
fashion life and prepare you for the events you can’t yet foresee. Keep this guide on
hand to consult when faced with the most daunting sartorial crises. Think of this book
as a crash course in fashion survival, with extremely cool clothes and insider tips for
how to score them without breaking the bank. This is intended to be a resource for years
to come, helping you build your wardrobe (hitting up sales along the way) and knowing
when and how to wear what you’ve got. The next time you’re standing in front of your
closet before the big date, the big interview or the night out with the girls, you’ll know
just what to wear—right now.
WHO WE ARE AND WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO US
We’re editors, writers, businesswomen and, most important, shoppers. We go to fashion
shows and market appointments and can spot a trend (and a fake bag) from a mile away.
Michelle Madhok is the CEO and founder of SHEFINDS MEDIA, a network of
websites for women in every stage of their life, from career-minded girls (shefinds.com)
to brides (bridefinds.com) and moms (momfinds.com). The sites are all about how to
get the best bang for your buck—and be entertained and get styling ideas along the way.
Eileen Conlan is the senior editor, fashion and lifestyle, of SHEFINDS MEDIA,
which includes shefinds.com and bridefinds.com. She spends day after day checking
out the best trends, news and deals available online and sharing them with readers. She
was previously a writer and editor at Marie Claire, and has toiled away in many a
magazine fashion closet, from Vogue China and Elle to W, where, along the way, she
learned how to style pretty much anything, from cardigans to belts, and anyone, no
matter what their shape.
We are both passionate about making sure you’re stylish every single day—we get
it, and want you to get it, too, whether you’re a fashion beginner or a serious veteran.