Years ago, almost seems like another life, I owned my own image consulting business where I educated men and women about the different dressing styles, what colors worked on them and how to put it all together and still never feel like you were wearing a costume. Dressing people, and understanding personal style is always something that has come easily to me, call it a universally given talent, if you will. To be able to help people get back in the work force who had been away for awhile, or simply assisting the ladder climber in presenting a more professional image gave me great satisfaction. To see individuals blossom in front of you, comfortable in their own skin and their clothes, no matter their size, economic standing, history etc; was quite rewarding and it is something I have missed over the years. Being a blogger on SL has allowed me to tap into that long dormant passion and I truly feel that there are people listening. You can be assured that the advice and information you find on my blog will always apply to your real life as well as your second one. I have decided to write a few posts here soon about colors, and styles and putting things together, after all, we can all use a few pointers from time to time, but today I wanted to talk about what "classic" means when discussing fashion.
Depending on where you were educated or what you look up, there are 6 or 7 distinct "styles" that have surfaced in fashion over the years that go hand in hand often times with people's personalities. For women, there can be a complete lack of confidence in what they like and what they believe others to like and thus turn away from the things they feel natural and comfortable in. Have you ever seen that man or woman who is constantly tugging at their clothes? Pushing a sleeve back up, tugging on jacket sleeves; someone in a constant state of fidget but only with their wardrobe? They were definitely not wearing their style or proper fit for them, or else the ensemble would have just melded and become a part of them. It happens to us all through our lives. That one dress that you just had to have, or the one shirt and you get it home and realize there is nothing in the rest of your closet to go with it, but you wear it anyway and you spend the rest of your day or evening feeling self conscious. I don't know about you, but being even MORE self conscious is NOT something I want to deal with, so I try and make sure those splurge purchases happen infrequently. Today I wanted to tease you a bit and show off a truly "Classic" ensemble with its crisp tailored lines and geometric prints that could have been created in the 50's or 60's with a little dramatic flair!
You only have four more days to go check out all the fantastic offerings at this round of
Sneak Peek including these adorable high-waisted shorts from
Awear. These are a perfect example of a "classic" design with the high waist, short legs and simple geometric pattern with small buttons reminiscent of beach shorts from the 50's. Being the bohemian I am, I jumped ahead to the 60's with the bolder pattern and small notched collar for the top, which continued the "classic" look with its straight lines in form and design. That is one of the keys to always looking polished, by the way, keeping your pieces to the same style, and or pattern. If you think your hair is too "soft" for the edgy ensemble you have on; or the jewelry a bit too heavy looking, trust your instincts, you are probably right. Once I had everything put together I decided it was a Rock-a-billy kind of night and headed out on the grid to find some entertainment. I happened to wander to a sim based on Nashville and there were entertainers all over and lots of little niches to take pics and everyone was incredibly friendly. Of course being the scatter brain that I am at times, I completely forgot to LM the location and for some odd reason my teleport history isn't working this week. I will be on the search again soon so I can take a little more time and wander around and maybe stick around for a performance.
Style Card
Body, Hands, Feet - Slink
Skin - DeeTaleZ - Kimber
Eyes - IKON - Silverleaf
Lashes - Gaeline - Felicia
Jewelry - Lazuri - Classic Pearls
Top - 1992 - Collar Crop Top - White Geo
I know style and fashion get used interchangeably but they are very different. Fashion is what is currently on the runways and take the top designers by storm. Often times, the current fashion may end up only a trend and will undoubtedly disappear into obscurity, however many things do not. Today you can see the same styles come down the runway that you have for decades and they usually become the anchor products for a Designer as they are the pieces that will always sell. The true task is finding your own style, owning it and learning to be comfortable in spite of what the magazines are telling you. I wore blazers and riding pants with long boots with interesting tops and accessories long before I knew anything about what "Dramatic" style was and long before it became the fashion craze of the 90's. I loved the crisp lines, bold patterns and daring colors but stayed away from what I always thought were fads because they just didn't suit me. I always wondered why every time I had to dress up and my Mom picked out some poofy, soft, overly feminine gown I felt uncomfortable and out of place, and it wasn't until I was in my mid-twenties that I began to understand the difference between style and fashion. Since then, though my interest has never waned, I have spent years away from the fashion industry and years smack dab in the middle learning all I could. My experience ranges from life behind a makeup counter, to color analysis, to dressing for your shape, to knowing your style, to being a Personal Shopper at Lord & Taylor to finally owning my own business. For many years it was all I knew, and then one day I wanted a change and went back to school and started a whole new career and life. Trust me, I would never have had the courage to do that if I hadn't been secure in my presentation of myself to the world. Even though the days of dressing for the office are over for me, I rarely skip a little mascara, a cute hair do and something that suits my personal style. Stay tuned for my next post which will describe in detail the six styles of dressing I believe in, and what it really means to you!
Have a wonderfully wicked rest of your day and remember to always stay true to your style and make today's fashion trends work for you!
~Jade~
