Category Archives: women’s clothing tips

Maximizing Your Wardrobe With Closet Staples

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My October Wednesday Wardrobing series is all about maximizing your closet. Last week, I covered Wardrobing 101 and how to buy smartly and provide yourself with multiple looks with wardrobe capsules. This week, I wanted to talk about maximizing your wardrobe through closet staples.

So what is a closet staple? These are the building blocks of your wardrobe. They are your Go To pieces, so to speak. Here is my definition of a closet staple:

  1. Closet staples are always neutrals in the color palate. If your skin tone is a cool, these basics are probably going to be white, black, grey and navy. If your skin tone is warm, they will likely be brown, tan and cream. They are considered “neutral” because they mix and match with many other colors.
  2. Closet staples are basics like leggings, tunics slacks, skirts, tanks, blouses and cardigans.
  3. Closet staples are solid in color and not printed.
  4. Closet staples can be mixed and matched together to create multiple outfits and are easily paired with accessories

So let’s consider the basics at the top of this blog post. I have chosen a black legging with a faux suede front, a black faux suede cardigan, and a black skirt. I have also chosen a grey pant, tunic , short sleeve top and cardigan.

With these seven pieces, you could create multiple looks, getting you through and entire week of outfits

  1. Grey tunic with grey pants
  2. Grey tunic with black leggings and vegan suede jacket
  3. Grey top with black skirt
  4. Grey top, grey cardigan and grey pants
  5. Grey top, vegan suede jacket and black skirt
  6. Grey tunic, black vegan suede jacket, grey pants
  7. Grey top, grey cardigan and black skirt

You might also add into the mix a basic black and white tank and a basic white blouse. If you then amp up your wardrobe with multiple scarves in the key colors represented by this basics capsule, you could add another entire week of looks. This is the basic principle behind maximizing your closet with staples

If you are just starting out in your professional career, this is how I recommend that you begin to build your wardrobe because it is, by far, the easiest and most economical way to outfit yourself for work. Once you have a great base of closet staples built, then you can start branching out to adding more colors and prints.

If you would like to see this concept demonstrated, I will be showing you how to mix and match these pieces in my live video tonight at 6 p.m. MST on our Facebook Business Page. If you missed my video last week, you can find it on my YouTube Channel.

Top 7 Denim Trends For Fall/Winter 2023

Posted in fall fashion trends, fashion, Fashion, fashion trends, how to, tips and tricks, trends, What to wear, women's clothing tips by

In this month’s Wednesday Wardrobing Series, I have covered the key fashion trends for Fall/Winter 2023. First, I reviewed the key colors for this season. Next, I went over the important style trends. Last week, I covered the fabric and material trends. For the last video in this month’s series, I wanted to spend some time on the key denim trends.

First of all, denim IS a trend this season. As discussed in my video on Style Trends, denim on denim is one of the key looks this season. You can match or mismatch your denim, but going head to toe denim is trendy.

With that said, here are my top 7 denim trends for the fall/winter 2023 season:

These looks summarize many of the denim trends I am describing and are all available on fashioncrossroadsinc.com. I have put them in a special collection to make browsing easy. You can find that collection here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/kyleens-picks-for-the-week

  1. Wide leg denim: Whether it is a 70’s worthy flare, a cropped wide leg pant, or an Itty Bitty Bootcut, wide legs are in and especially in denim. These can be tricky for petite women, so this is where the cropped trend really comes in handy. For taller women, this look is designed to be an ankle pant, but it works equally well for shorter women to be able to get a wide leg jean that they can actually wear.
  2. Colored Denim: This has been an important trend for several seasons now and shows no signs of slowing down. You will find an array of colored denim from bright to earthy colors. What we love about colored denim is that for many women, it works for business casual dressing and so is office appropriate.
  3. Denim Skirts: Denim skirts are so back, and whether is it a knee length pencil skirt style or a longer flared style, these skirts are great for any season. Pair a short denim skirt with tights and boots to make it winter worthy.
  4. Denim Jackets: From vintage, to dark, to grey, to colored, the denim jacket is a must have accessory this season. It is the perfect way to pull off the denim on denim trend and also is an indispensable layer as our fall turns colder.
  5. Grey Denim: Stone washed grey is a key trend in denim this season, and the great thing about grey is that it serves as a basic you can pair with so many things. Mixing up light and dark greys is a fun new twist on denim as is pairing grey with one of the many great colors that it compliments. Treat it like your black jeans; the sky is the limit.
  6. Embellished Denim: We are still seeing elevated denim styles that are embellished with fringe hems, embroidery, and sequins. These little additions make your denim distinctive and up your style game.
  7. Dressed Up Denim: With the huge trendiness of blazers this season, dressing up your jeans with a blazer and heels is so in. This classic 80’s style is a great way to take your denim to a new level and perfect for casual Fridays at the office.

I will be doing a live video tonight on my Fashion Crossroads Business Facebook Page where I will be showing examples of all of these trends. You can tune in at 6 p.m. MST to watch live or catch the replay. You can also find the looks from this blog post on our online store at https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/collections/kyleens-picks-for-the-week

Top 7 Fall/Winter Fabric and Material Trends for 2023

Posted in dressing your best, fall fashion trends, Fashion, fashion trends, how to, What to wear, women's clothing tips by

Over the last two Wednesdays, I have covered the key color and style trends for the Fall/Winter 2023 season in fashion. If you missed those blogs, you can check those out here: Color Trends and Style Trends. The round out my trend reviews, it is also important to cover the key fabric and material trends for the season. Here they are:

  1. Heavy Metal: Look for chunky metals this season in accessories. In true 80’s fashion, thick and substantial jewelry will be your statement making and trendy choice.
  2. Chunky Knit Wear: This season, you will have a multitude of choices to be wrapped in warmth. Look for oversized, thick and chunky knits to play a key role in scarves, wraps, sweaters and cardigan sweaters.
  3. Pinstripes: Anything menswear is always referred to as “power dressing,” and the menswear classic pinstripe is playing a key role in the dressed up suit vest trend.
  4. Shimmery Materials: High shine finishes are every where from leather purses to dresses and shoes. Where golden metallics were trendy over the summer, this winter, look for silvers to play the starring role.
  5. Leather: Whether is is vegan, faux, or natural, leather is all the rage this season. Look for this fabric in the classic leather blazer, trench coat, and jacket as well as in pants and skirts. Also look for leather details in clothing like leather pockets, panels and trim.
  6. Lace: This might be your trendiest option for your holiday parties this year, as sheer details offer a romantic and feminine combo.
  7. Faux Fur: Cozy up this winter with luxe textures like shearling and faux fur.

If you’d like some more information on this topic, have a question or want to see examples, please watch my live Wednesday Wardrobing Video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. To see my live videos on the trendy colors and styles for the season, you can check those out here on my YouTube page.

2023 Spring and Summer Fabric Trends

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I have just returned from market, so it is a great time to be finishing this Spring Trends blog series with the fabric trends of the season. I always include fabric trends as part of my trend reviews because it is distinct from color and style trends. Sometimes an item is trendy purely because of the fabric even though the style is a classic.

Take a look at the pictures at the top of this blog post. These three model groupings were a visual summary of the most important trends for the season. They were compiled by designers showing at the Magic Apparel Trade Show in Las Vegas. They are a great representation of several important fabric trends of the season:

  1. Metallic Fabrics: There is a big emphases on metals this season and with that, shiny fabrics. The models on either end of the pictures represent this trend. On the left, notice the metallic fabric used for the modern suit. You can see that it catches the light, reflecting back a dark grey iridescent sheen. On the far right, look at the shiny silver mini skirt, reminiscent of sterling silver with its luxurious bright silver color.
  2. Sheer Fabrics: This season, designers are also focusing on soft and sheer fabrics. On the model on the left, you can see that her top is a sheer, black mesh. This idea is repeated in the prominence of Toole this season. The model in the middle is wearing a lime green Toole skirt that balances out its ruffles with the soft, sheer fabric.
  3. Vegan Leather Fabrics: We’ve seen faux or vegan leather for the last several seasons, and it continues to be important this season. The model in the vegan leather suiting shows off this trend in classic black. You can also see it represented in the Moto Jacket pictured in the middle.
  4. Shiny Fabrics: The short cocktail dress on the mannequin in the picture to the left is a great example of this trend. This soft sequined dress is simple in its design but is made special by the iridescent sequins that reflect the light.
  5. Vegan Fur Fabrics: The faux fur coat on the mannequin on the left is a show stopper and demonstrates the importance of fur as a statement piece.

This second set of images represent the fall fabric trends for this year. Notice a continuation of Toole, Sheer, and Fur fabrics in these looks. The great news is that you can be sure that if you invest in these fabrics now, you will still be able to wear them next season.

I hope this fabric trend review has been helpful for you! If you missed any of my previous trend reports, be sure to check out my Spring Color Trends Post and my Spring Style Trends Post. You can also watch my Wednesday Wardrobing Live Video on this topic. These air every Wednesday at 6 p.m. MST in my VIP Facebook Group. I would appreciate your comments on this post and am happy to answer any questions.

When how you look matters,

XOXO Kyleen

Style Trends For Spring 2023

Posted in fashion trends, how to, tips and tricks, trends, Trendy at any age, What to wear, women's clothing tips by

Ah S P R I N G…..I can hardly wait. I know we in Wyoming are not alone in this, but can I just say that this winter has been epic? Here in the mountain west, we are used to snow, but this season has given us multiple SNOWMAGEDDON storms. Frankly, we are all worn out! Within less than twenty days, we had two storms that dumped over 12 inches of snow each. The most recent one was followed by a day of -30 degrees! Ugh. Spring can’t come fast enough!

Thus, it is with great pleasure that I present this Spring Trend Report which I prepared for my upcoming trip to the apparel markets in Las Vegas. One thing you should know about my trend reports is that my goal is not to produce an exhaustive summary of all the trends. Instead, my goal is to pick and choose from among the trends and report on the ones I think a woman 45 and over might actually wear.

So, here goes…

Last week, I reported on the important color trends of the season. You can read that blog post to get a detailed description of the colors. For now, however, here is a picture of the most important ones:

Now, let’s dig into the style trends:

Styled Up Denim: One trend report I read called this trend the “not so basic denim” trend (Vogue). Our favorite staple (denim) is getting some face lifts this season with elements like denim ties, gathered waists, and patches of different colored denim. There is a portion of this trend that is nodding towards edgy alternative styles like ripped fabrics and bleached denim, but there are also upscale denim looks like beautiful long denim maxi skirts and denim dresses.

Chic and Tailored: As a store that caters to working women, I always love when tailored is in style. Plan on seeing lots of blazers with blouses. Whether it is a crisp white cotton blouse or a silky Fiery Red blouse, tailored will be a strong trend this season. The look is to pair blazers with blouses and high waisted, wider legged trouser pants. I also saw pictures of shift dresses with jackets. The twist on the season will be to see these looks in bold colors like the Beetroot Purple from above or Love Bird, which is a classic lime and the strongest color of the season.

Frayed and Fringe: If it swishes, it’s trendy this season. Look for fringe detailing on vests, jackets and dresses. We will continue to see jeans with raw edge hemlines or frayed edges.

Sheer, Cut Outs, and Crochet: All of these trends are about exposing skin as part of your style. Look for romance here and don’t be surprised to see embroidered sheer fabrics. Additionally, the new “cropped top” is one with cut outs that reveal a portion of your midriff.

Flounce and Feminine: Look for ruffles to continue this season. This trend is all about creating movement. Again, it is all about the swish on tops, skirts and dresses. And, according to The Boutique Hub, drop-waist skirts are on the rise again. Also look for rushed elements and silky fabrics.

Maxi everything: I have already mentioned the importance of denim maxi skirts, but also look for maxi skirts in other fabrics and maxi dresses as well.

If you’d like to see some examples of these trends, please tune into my Wednesday Night Wardrobing Live Video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. Or, you can catch me on YouTube.

Spring 2023 Color Trends

Posted in color trends, dressing your figure, fashion trends, trends, women's clothing tips by
“Blending escapism with reality, wholesomeness, and joy, we embrace the exploration of extreme contrast in mood and color” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “There is utility and basic-ness to this season’s color story, while at the same time, there is an uplifting vital sense of play that comes through.” (https://www.pantone.com/articles/press-releases/pantone-color-institute-releases-fashion-color-trend-report-spring-summer-2023-new-york).

This is the first blog post in my February Spring Trends series. Today, we will talk color trends. Next Wednesday, 2/8, I’ll be covering Spring 2023 Style Trends. The following week, 2/15, I will be in Las Vegas for the Magic Apparel Show and will be taking photos of the colors and styles as they are represented in clothing. I will end the month, 2/22, with Spring 2023 fabric trends. Each blog post will be accompanied with a live video broadcast in our VIP Facebook Group at 6 p.m. MST and then posted on our YouTube Channel.

Doing a color trend report at the beginning of each season is one of my favorite things to do. I find the way color reflects our social, emotional and political climate completely fascinating. We are now in full realization of the ways the pandemic has changed our lives. Not a day goes by where I don’t hear a news report talking about the effects of the pandemic on our children, the educational system, the health system, and our work lives.

The truth is, some major things have shifted. In Eiseman’s quote from above, she mentions “blending escapism and realty.” Is it any wonder we are swinging between escaping and being grounded. When you look around, do you see “extreme contrasts in mood?” Don’t we all seek a less angry and painful world? Don’t we want to find “play” and tranquility again? This season’s color palate reflects all of those desires and offers a solution, at least in the emotions a great outfit creates within us and how its colors makes us feel on the inside.

Looking at the color palate above, can you guess what colors connote escapism and what colors connote reality? Which colors speak “wholesome” to you? Which ones speak “joy?” Here is a quick breakdown of each color and the emotion it creates.

Fiery Red: Color of vitality and energy, connoting power

Beetroot Purple: Fuchsia that harkens images of summer flowers, connoting escape

Tangelo: Rich orange that is a cross between a tangerine and orange, connoting health

Peach Pink: Warm, peachy pink that is soft and gentle, connoting nurture

Empire Yellow: The color of summer and all things sunshine, connoting joy

Crystal Rose: Gutsy pink that is still feminine and soft, connoting romance.

Classic Green: The color of grass and summer, connoting health and vitality

Love Bird: Rich, lime green that is not neon, connoting the exotic

Blue Perennial: Dark denim blue that is lighter than navy, connoting grounding

Summer Song: Light blue like that of a summer sky, connoting tranquility

Skylight: Medium deep aqua, connoting cleansing

Vanilla Cream: Creamy ivory, connoting rich and decadent

Grey Lilac: Greyed Lilac, connoting a sunset after a storm

Leek Green: Medium and warm olive, connoting vegetation

Macchiato: Warm, rusty brown, connoting the perfect cup of coffee

Looking at this color palate as a whole, you can see the vibrant colors that infuse us with joy: red, bright oranges and yellow. Contrasting that, we have the grounding greens and blues. The romantic pink acts as an anchor between the two. Then, on the bottom, we have the softer and earthier shades that make us feel tranquil.

You will be seeing some color play this season with designers pairing unlikely colors together. Examples of this might include pairing the bright red and pinks together or the orange and yellow. The goal is that we feel the freedom to “play” and express our individuality. At the same time, look for soft color palates that combine the peachy pinks, leek greens and macchiato browns.

If you would like to see examples of these colors, watch my Live Wednesday Night Wardrobing video tonight at 7 p.m. MST. Be sure to say hello if you watch live, or comment with #replay if you watch it later. Let me know what questions you have too. I will be happy to answer them! You can watch here.

5 Tips For Choosing Your Christmas Eve Outfit

Posted in dressing your best, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by

Well, it is official….Christmas Eve is just 10 days away!! Have you picked your holiday look yet?

Whether your Christmas Eve festivities are casual or dressy, it is important to feel great and be comfortable, so you can enjoy your family and friends during this important holiday. As you consider what to wear, here are my 5 tips for making the most of your holiday look:

Choose clothing that can transition between events easily: Christmas Eve often means travelling between venues. Whether it is church and home or friends and family member’s houses, you will likely be in and out and maybe even transitioning between dressy (church) and casual (home) events. Layers are your friend in this situation. Choose comfy bottoms and then dress them up by layering sweaters and vests, tunics or blouses and cardigans, or blouses and blazers. Keep your outer most layer dressy so you can remove it when the casual part of your evening arrives.

Consider the weather and your accessories and outerwear: Heels and snow don’t mix very well unless you enjoy cold feet! If you are in a cold weather climate, like here in Wyoming, you are likely not going to choose a dress unless it is with tights and boots. It is just too cold and messy outside. Comfy clothes like tunics and leggings, blazers and jeans, cardigans and stretchy pants are a great choice. Shoe boots and tall boots are a savior this time of year because you just never know when you are going to run into a un-shoveled sidewalk or icy walkway. Sensible shoes will keep you dry, warm and safe.

Likewise, if you are heading to a party, you may want to get some air and take a break outside. Make sure you think through your outer wear accordingly, and for goodness sake, don’t ruin your outfit with the wrong kind of coat!! If you’ve dressed up, don’t put a puffy coat over the top of your look unless it is a dressy version.

Don’t limit yourself to certain colors: There are a lot of looks that can work for Christmas Eve, and you don’t need to be wearing red or green to look festive. White and black are always classic, and you can dress up a simple outfit with some sparkly jewelry to make it look very appropriate for a holiday look. Gold and cream are also a classic combo that can work very well. Having just a splash of red or a print that includes red and green are also good options. I even like raspberry and pink for holiday looks. I’ll be featuring some I have chosen in my weekly Wednesday Wardrobing video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. Watch for some other ideas besides what I have pictured here.

Add some sparkle: Adding a sequin tank or top can totally change your style from everyday to holiday. Consider the cream cardigan and gold sequin top pictured above, as a great example of this. A dressier handbag like the snakeskin printed leather crossbody in the first picture or the dressy clutches in several of the other pictures also add an element of class and sparkle. And, of course, sparkly jewelry is a must! This is the time to pull out your Swarovski crystals and wear them with pride!

Focus on the reason for the season: While looking and feeling beautiful is a worthy endeavor, how you look is not the ultimate point of the season. Connecting with your loved ones, celebrating life and the joy of the season, being grateful for your blessings and remembering the gift of God this season are the true things that will make your night sparkle. Set an intention to feel great in how you look and then be present as you go though your evening. Notice the lights, the tastes and smells, and enjoy!

Any of these looks can be found in my Kyleen’s Picks Collection for this week on http://www.fashioncrossroadsinc.com or in our brick and mortar store, Fashion Crossroads, in downtown Casper, Wyoming.

5 Looks For A Christmas Party

Posted in dressing for your age, dressing your best, fashion, fashion trends, how to, personal style, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by

Recently, I asked my staff members to choose a Christmas look to feature in my Wednesday Wardrobing Live Video series. I didn’t give them any direction other than they could choose the items from either of my stores (Fashion Crossroads or FC Outlet) and that I wanted them to accessorize their outfit choice.

When I came into work today, I saw all of their cute and stylish looks hanging in the back room and waiting for me. What surprised me the most is that, despite having no direction to do so, they all chose black and white or black and gold combinations. There wasn’t a single red or green look in the bunch!!

I think this just goes to show you that we really can think outside the box when it comes to holiday party looks. Let me talk about what each staff member chose.

Debbie: This Baby Boomer knocked it out of the park trend wise with her choice of black vegan leather leggings paired with a sheer and feminine, ruffled white blouse. She then added styled a cropped cardigan trimmed with silver lurex thread. She finished her look with a silver heart necklace, white snowflake earrings and a pearlized white leather clutch from HOBO.

Shop this look here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/molly-bracken-knitted-cardigan

Christie M: This Generation Xer went classic 80’s with her choice of a vegan leather blazer in black paired over a classic collared white button up blouse. The blouse is tunic length, so it shows about an inch below the hemline of the blazer. On the bottom, she picked black leggings in a dressy and heavy weight ponte knit with a seam up the center of the leg. To finish the look, she chose a red tassel necklace with two tassels and natural beads. Last, she choose large red earrings trimmed in gold.

Liz R: Our youngest staff member stayed totally on trend with a black velvet big shirt, worn open and paired over a gold sequined, short sleeved top. On the bottom, she chose black vegan leather leggings. For accessories, Liz picked a long lava bead necklace and coordinated it with a black bracelet and earrings. She added a black leather clutch from HOBO with gold metal accents on the strap to accent the gold sequins on the top.

Chris S: Another baby boomer, this red headed staff member chose an all white look with black accents. On the top, she chose a faux velvet turtle neck top paired under a white vegan leather jacket. The leather jacket has fun zipper details highlighting the moto trend. On the bottom, she picked a lined, white dress slack. For accessories, she chose a black multi leather strap necklace with a glitter pendant and sparkly earrings.

Shop this look here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/love-tree-faux-leather-zip-biker-jacket-in-white

Chris E: Our newest staff member and another baby boomer, Chris went classy and simple with her choice. On the top, she picked a solid black travel knit tunic with a cut out in the back. The style is an A-line cut which pairs well over the skinny legged bottoms she picked. For that bottom, Chris chose a black ankle jean with a slit in the back and an embellished, white pearl bow. Additionally, the hemline of the jean is lined in pearls and crystals. She accented the pearls on the jean with a pearl necklace with a clear crystal pendant and pearl earrings.

You can see all of these looks and vote on your favorite when you watch my live video.

Hat, Glove And Scarf Trends for Winter 2022

Posted in dressing your best, fall fashion trends, Fashion, fashion, fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by

Old Man Winter is fully in swing here in Wyoming, and that cold wind does blow. It is most definitely hat, glove, and scarf weather. Just like you can ruin a stylish outfit with the wrong shoes or handbag, you can also ruin a stylish coat with outdated winter accessories. That’s why you’ll want to know the latest hat, glove and scarf trends so you can keep up to date.

Hat Trends:

  1. Beanies: By far the most popular hat trend is the beanie, but there are multiple types of beanies that you can choose from. Right now, you will find Pom Beanies like the one pictured above on the right that are distinguished by some type of pom on the top, slouchy beanies that have an oversized look that hangs off the top of your head, and pony tail beanies that have holes and allow for you to wear a hat with a pony tail. Whatever type you choose, make sure it coordinates with your coat, scarf and gloves. I really recommend buying your winter accessories at the same time to keep everything matched.
  2. Other popular styles of hats right now are bucket hats, wool berets, and fedoras. Bucket hats look like you are wearing a bucket upside down on your head. Berets are classically French and are usually worn to the side of your head, and fedoras are structured hats like the one pictured at the top on the left. You will also see newspaper boy hats this season which are characterized by a bill and usually a rounded top.

Glove Trends:

  1. Vegan Leather: just like the abundance of vegan leather jackets and vests that are popular this season, gloves are following suit with faux leather and suede verities. These are great because they are usually solid colors that are easy to pair with printed scarves and hats.
  2. Plaid: Similarly, the strength of plaid this season, especially in blouses and shackets, has carried over to gloves. You’ll find a variety of gloves adorned with plaid prints. Be careful, however, not to overdo the plaid as you can end up with a plaid hat, scarf and glove which might be too much unless they are designed to go together.
  3. Knits: Gloves are really following the sweater trends this season. The strongest knits in sweaters are hombre yarns, variegated yarns and cable knit styles. You’ll find knit gloves with these same elements that are essentially mini sweaters on your hands!

Scarf Trends:

  1. Cowl neck scarves: Half the sweaters in my store right now have Cowl Necks, and some even have removeable Cowl Necks, so it is no surprise that this type of a neck can also double as a great “scarf.” The best part is you don’t have to add a scarf because your sweater will do it for you.
  2. Cashmere: This style never goes out, but this season, you will see extra long cashmere scarves that you can wrap multiple times. Watch my Wednesday Wardrobing Live Video 11/30/22 to see some examples.
  3. Fringe Edged: Scarves with fringe on the edges is also popular. These can be large, oversized scarves, or smaller wool scarves.
  4. Plaid: As with gloves, plaids are very popular in scarves this season. Just remember to match a plaid to the color of your coat and don’t over do it with too many plaid elements.

That’s it…so many options to choose from. Being truly stylish means you pay attention to how everything works together not only in your outfit but in your accessories as well. Don’t ruin a great look with out of date or mismatched outerwear accessories, and don’t ruin a great coat with a hat, some gloves and a scarf that don’t look like they coordinate.

Stay warm and stylish my friends!

3 Ways To Style A Plaid Shirt

Posted in clothing, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by
HyFve Flannel Shirt In Brown: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/hyfve-plaid-flannel-shirt-in-brown
New York Collection Plaid Blouse: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/new-york-collection-plaid-blouse
Be Cool Plaid Blouse: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/copy-of-be-cool-long-sleeve-shirt-in-mint
Be Cool Jacket: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/copy-of-be-cool-cropped-jacket-in-oatmeal

Continuing my “3 Ways To Style” series, this week’s blog post is focused on new ways to style a plaid blouse. The great thing about blouses is that they are so versatile. At a bare minimum, you can always style a basic button up blouse left out, tucked in, or tied in the front. The full style potential of a blouse is not realized, however, until you begin layering. Here are my top 3 ways to layer a plaid blouse.

  1. Layer over a graphic tee and under a vest: This is a fun style and is perfect for a cold day because this style adds the extra layer of a vest for warmth that can be worn by itself or under a coat. When you are matching a tee and a plaid shirt, just be sure the colors in the tee are also in the top. For example, if your plaid shirt has black, white and pink, choose a graphic tee that is in one of those colors.
  2. Layer over a striped tee and under a jacket: Mixing stripes and plaids is a fun way to pair patterns. The same principle applies as what I described with layering with a graphic tee. Match your stripes to the colors in your plaid shirt. In my example above, a black and white striped top would be a great choice. Then, choose a coordinating jacket in a solid color to go over the top. This style can be dressed up also and made to work with your work slacks when you choose a dressier jacket or even a blazer.
  3. Layer a plaid blouse under a sweater: Showing the plaid shirt collar and tail under a coordinating solid or printed sweater is another great way to layer your top. It adds dimension and character to the sweater and also an extra layer of warmth. Layering a vest or jacket over the sweater is also a great option.

In my weekly Wednesday Wardrobing Video this week, I demonstrated each of these ideas. Watch that video here: 3 Ways To Style A Plaid Shirt