Make It Work Monday : Little Black (Printed) Dress

Make it Work Monday

As Shari’s new sidekick I have the opportunity to let Shari know about some of the things I like about her blog and some of the areas I would like more information.  Today’s post is a result of one of those conversations.

Shari sent me an email from a reader.  We chatted, I checked my handy “Good Girls Don’t have toDress Bad” book.  Here are my notes, feel free to use them as often as you’d like!

The reader sent us this cute dress and asked us how to accessorize it.  What jewelry, shoes and purse should she wear and how would a Pure Natural or Classic Modern wear it well?

Let’s walk through the basics together.  Grab your notepad so you can just have your personalized style handy since I am writing for every body, color, and style.

Ready?  Let’s go!

Body Shapes:

Depending on where this dress hits your curves it should be great for all body types. It should give you a waist and minimize your Overly Endowed Bust or Rockin’ Derriere. B’s make sure this waist line is high enough, just under your bust is best and it should not flare out at your widest area. X’s make sure this doesn’t hang on you like a loose potato sack, grab a belt if it does.

Coloring:

Ladies if you are a Warm, Soft, or Light we recommend wearing a Turquoise Scarf around your shoulders and DON’T let that Black peek through! The scarf will  make you look younger and reveal a breezy summer style.

If you are a Clear, Deep or Cool you can wear this dress alone if you’d like. The Turquoise scarf would be good and so would a Black one.

For Clears you might want to find a way to bump up the color contrast with a White shawl (or the lightest/brightest color in the dress).

Deeps you want to keep with the darker shades the dress or take the Teal a little darker.

Cool’s you are pretty much able to any of the above so have fun!

Accessories:

General rule:  Wear what is best for your coloring and which size accessory is best for your height.

Gem tone jewels would be great for every woman as a necklace or bracelet.  Wear your gold or silver jewelry as it looks best on you. 

Now on to shoes and purses!

Buying a pair of “go to” shoes and a purse is a great investment.  It means that you can easily grab them and know that it should match almost any outfit.  Imagine the time you save when you don’t have to make that last minute trip to the store.

I have a pair of “go to” heels that have been repaired after many years and much abuse.   I think the repair cost more than the original shoe… it is SO worth getting a good quality shoe that will last you for years to come! I also have a pair of flats and a purse that match my best color.  Mixing and matching is easier when you have the basics.

Here are the best basic shoe/purse combinations as shown in Shari’s “Good Girls Don’t have to Dress Bad” book.

Remember to try to match your hair color, the closest you can get the better it is.

Light:  Light Taupe

Soft: Medium Brown

Warm: Brown

Cool: Charcoal/Black

Deep: Dark Brown or Black (Depending on how dark your hair is)

Clear: Black

Want to Go crazy?  Here is how to do it successfully! 

First grab your swatches and stick within that set of colors!  You will want to pick the hue that is closest to your best shoe/purse combination. 

For example there are several very pale colors on the Light swatch set.  These are the perfect “splash” colors to add to your wardrobe.  If I was a Light I would look for baby blue shoes or a pale green purse for this dress.  Lights, you want to find a similar hue to your best shoe/purse color, light taupe. 

Same goes for all the other colorings.  Take your best shoe/purse color and find a splash color in a similar hue.  I’m so glad Shari told me this because it means I can carry a blue purse and not have blue hair… I was seriously considering changing my hair color to blue.  Kidding!  Ladies I hope you’re giggling.  You are over half way through making this dress work!  Bear with me a few more minutes.

Shari wanted me to remind you that in the summer time, metallic sandals and other shoes are always winners. Gold, Silver, Bronze, Pewter...are all magnificent choices, remember to check your swatches for your best metallic.

Fashion Personality

On to the last part of the question.  How would a Pure Natural wear this dress?  Or a Classic Modern?  Think of walking into a room of women and maybe you can picture a woman in each of these categories.  I hope it helps you figure out which looks best on you for your event.

A Pure Natural would be wearing the most comfortable set of heels, flats or make a statement going barefoot (just kidding Shari!).  She wouldn’t have too many jewels and it would likely be just her wedding set and a pendant necklace.  She would be keeping it simple and above all comfortable.  Remember what Shari said during her Frumpy toFabulous Challenge (Day 18)  “PLEASE know that you CANNOT be FABULOUS without accessories. Remember, you are NOT frumpy anymore….but FABULOUS! Even if you are a Pure Natural, you need accessories so no wigging out on me here, okay?”

Here are a few jewelry choices from Premier Designs Jewlery today.  Most Pure Naturals will only wear the smaller necklace and with this dress it works! 


Disclaimer:  I do not have any affiliation with Premier Designs Jewelry.  I thought it would make it easy to have each look come from just one company today.  I plan to continue just one company/store in the future. 

    

A Classic Modern would appear sleek and stylish, polished and poised while staying modern and fashion present.  She is wearing classic pumps and is carrying a purse of a newer design.  It could be using a vintage broach as a modern hair piece.  Her jewels are very modern and have a vintage feel, like the pearls shown below. 

Here are a few jewelry choices from Premier Designs Jewlery today.  The turquoise pendant may not match this dress, but it might match one in your closet.

 

 

A Style Fashionista would have the impeccable hair, makeup and would be wearing lots of accessories.  For me I would have to raid my whole jewelry box to have the same amount of accessories on.  She is usually wearing the latest trend (that looks good on her).  No matter her size it looks like her look came off a Runway. 

Here are a few jewelry choices from Premier Designs Jewlery today.  These necklaces offer an opportunity to have only one necklace on with a very dressed up and layered look.  Pair with a few fabulous bracelets and some great (sized right) earrings.

 

And on to the Creative Original.  She is the woman who’s look is so different yet so put together.  I mean she added a blue ruffle skirt under this dress, a pair of pale green leggings and had shoes with matching floral prints on them and somehow it looks absolutely fabulous!  I’m not sure how these ladies pull their outfits together, but they are wonderfully styled for their body shape and coloring so it works great.

Here are a few jewelry choices from Premier Designs Jewlery today.  These were the funkiest and most fun pieces I could find that went with a black printed dress.  I’m sure Creative Originals would add a few layers of fun or use these accessories in an “original” way

 

Where I am going with this Dress

Here is my two cents worth… I am normally a Classic Modern. 

If I were going to a graduation party or a social gathering I would wear this outfit with a cute pair of sandals…sparkly flip flops anyone?... or my ballet flats.  I would probably have on a single well beaded necklace that is good for my height. 

If I were going to something a little dressier I would wear my cute black heels with my dressy black purse (I’m a Clear by the way).  I would dress up the outfit with a gemstone necklace and maybe my charm bracelet (which would drive me bananas and it would be off by the end of the night).  I also would take my heels off mid way thru the night and make sure my flats were handy.  If I wanted to get really dressy I would probably feel like a fashionista for the evening, but I would do it in a way that made me feel most comfortable so my identity would still be a Classic Modern, just leaning toward the Style Fashionista side of the equation that night.

The way I see Fashion Personalities is like this… I am not a fashionista and it would be INCREDIBLY exhausting for me to try to always be a style fashionista.  A Creative Original is simply a category my creativity does not fully comprehend when putting together an outfit.  My Pure Natural tendencies come out when I am seeking comfort over style, but Classic Modern is firmly where I belong at this point in my life. 

The style personalities help me put into perspective that there are other women out there who do not dress to the nines every day or have to be creative all the time.  It helps me understand that if I wear what looks good for my body, color, and height then I will look fabulous no matter how trendy or un-bedazzled I am.

Don’t be afraid to take a look around at the next time you’re around a group of women to take note.  Also take note the ladies who have not embraced their outer beauty.  Do they look out of place?  Are they as confident standing in a group versus talking one-on-one?  Take note how women who purposely put their look together also are able to show their inner beauty more confidently. 

Ladies this is going to be a great summer.  Thank you for being so welcoming. I am happy to be here with you.

Until Wednesday!  Yes I said Wednesday, we will have a (hopefully) shorter post on Contrast and Color Hues.

~ Laura ~

P.S.  Did this help?  Would you like more of this type of post?  Is it just WAAY too long?  Were you looking for different detail?  What would you like to hear more about?  Leave me some comments!

Thank you Erika and JoAnn for asking!  If you have questions like this please send them on!  We will do our best to answer as many as we can, remember there are 2 ladies and only 52 weeks, we will try to be as super as possible!