Accessories, Belts, Handbags, Jewelry, Personal Shopping, Personal Style, Personal Styling, Wardrobe Consultant

Shopping 911 Call

March 4, 2019by suziegaffney2 Comments

Have you ever had an occasion sort of sneak up on you? It’s in the back of your mind and then suddenly you realize what Month it is and then your event is this weekend…and you have nothing to wear? Maybe your are busy or maybe, you are like Erin, who would rather go the dentist than go shopping, so you keep putting it off and putting off and next thing you know your event is the next day!

Erin is one of my very best friends, but for as much as we have in common we couldn’t be more different when it comes to shopping. She likes to go shopping about as much as I like to go to the gym, which is not at all. So it was of no surprise to me when Erin called me this past Friday from the fitting room, needing my help. The only issue is that she lives in Atlanta and I was working from home in snowy Pennsylvania. But here’s the thing…that’s really not at issue at all. Thanks to technology we got her entire outfit ready to go, head to toe, in about 35 minutes. So how exactly does virtual styling work?

Tell Me Your Style

Luckily with Erin I already know that she is not super girly Sleek, chic and nothing fussy always suits her best. She has no trouble getting dressed every day but it’s occasions like this (school fundraiser with the word “Gala” in the title) that throw her a little off. She’s most comfortable in solid colors and nothing too bright or with too much pattern.

Tell Me Your Budget

Erin is a very practical person by nature and therefore also in her purchases, meaning if she has to go out and buy something she is hoping to get more than one use out of it. She doesn’t impulse buy and she doesn’t go out just browsing shops. That being said convenience is key so if the price is reasonable she is not going to keep looking for a cheaper alternative.

Tell Me Your Location

She usually has a purpose in mind and wants to get it done quickly. Because of this she does better in stores that are not too overwhelming (so no TJ Maxx types where she has too many choices). Chain stores, department stores, and places with helpful staff are the ideal places for her to shop.

Give Me About An Hour

With face-time and a computer I can quickly locate what you need and where to get it. We started with Erin calling me from the fitting room in the Banana Republic that is located in a shopping center with lots of other stores. She had picked out this jumpsuit and liked it because it was comfortable and definitely something she could wear again.

While the jumpsuit looked great as is, I knew we had to dial it up a notch to get it gala ready. She also needed a shoe with a substantial heel to balance the wide leg crop style of the jumpsuit. Looking online we found these block heel silver metallic sandals that were perfect.

The jumpsuit came with a belt in the same fabric that could be tied into a bow and hang at the waist, but the casual drape of the belt wasn’t going to cut it. Erin has a tiny waist (even though I know she will say no she doesn’t as she is reading this) so defining it with a sleek belt would make the jumpsuit feel more custom. I was looking for a belt that would have some sort of stretch to it as those are the kind that typically fit the best over a thin fabric and won’t shift around. I didn’t see anything online on Banana but I knew there was a White House Black Market store next door to her. We scored right away with this perfect piece, especially with the silver trim to tie into the shoes.

Now we have a sleek look of the black jumpsuit, silver block sandals, and the belt. All that was left was to find some simple but bold jewelry that would compliment the feel of the rest of the outfit, and a great clutch.

While I was looking online and Erin used her phone to have me virtually look through the jewelry I spotted these lucite oversize drop earrings. I loved them for her because I know she can wear them again and the curved shape softens some of the other more linear looks on the belt and the shoes. She absolutely could have added a small necklace or even a larger more bold silver necklace but this is where I believe the jewelry has to fit the personality. She is more minimal in her style and adding a necklace would have felt too much on her, so we decided to skip it and add a bracelet instead.

They don’t have a picture online of the exact bracelet we spotted for Erin but this bracelet works just as well. It’s perfect because again it will work for everyday but yet add just a touch of interest to the outfit for the party. The clean and sleek nature of it blends well with the belt and earrings. Next it was on to a clutch. While Erin did have a black clutch at home I spotted this clutch as she was walking around. Even better the already reasonably priced jewelry was buy one get one 1/2 off.

Yes, I know it is blue and the rest of the outfit was black, but the deep blue actually felt like the perfect unexpected compliment to the otherwise all black ensemble. Sometimes it’s that feel of something being a little off, or not so matchy-matchy that take the style of an outfit to a more personalized and unique level. Plus this is the type of clutch that she can throw into her work tote and pull out later for drinks with friends.

The Result…

I’m not just saying this because I helped her or because she is one of my best friends and is gorgeous, but she looks amazing because she was comfortable. She looks like herself, just kicked up a notch, and the overall effect is an effortless chic. All of the items can easily be incorporated back into her wardrobe for maximum versatility. It was a total success and I got her out of the stores in under an hour!

*Insider Tip – Think Outside The Box

Although the invitation said Gala most of the men were wearing suits. The go-to would have been a cocktail dress of some kind but a jumpsuit works much better for Erin and she was still completely in line with the rest of the looks for the evening. The best part is how many opportunities she will have to wear these pieces again.

Pair with a denim jacket and slides for a great travel look or for the weekend.

Or put the clutch and silver heels back to any white top and jeans and you have a girls night out or date night look.

Ready To Shop?

Give me a call and I can email you a personalized shopping list for a specific outfit or occasion, or we can make a date to shop together virtually! Send me an email when you are ready…suzie@suziegaffney.com

Thanks for reading!

Suzie

Personal Style, Personal Styling, Red Carpets

Red Carpet Rundown for the Oscars 2019

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The power of pink…

From blush to berry and all kinds of shades in between, this was the color that dominated on the red carpet last night, worn by a range of ages and even including one very manly man. Another huge trend was volume…at the hips, at the shoulders at the back, dresses were big and bold and had me wondering how in the world any of these women used the ladies room. The use of tulle was extensive and had some dresses looking like they were decorations at a wedding and not the red carpet. Capes and suits popped up on quite a few celebrities and J.Lo made herself into a stunningly gorgeous real life disco ball. Overall I loved the color but I wasn’t freaking out about that many of the dresses, although some had me freaking out wondering why some stars were allowed to leave their homes in their dresses. Read on below for a visual recap of the highs and lows and the narrow and wide and everything in between.

Similar to the Oscars I am going to save the best for last and start off with the WTFs of the night.

Oh E! Channel, Why Oh Why?

Although they weren’t on the red carpet they were covering it, and they knew they would be covering it seated together. I’m not saying they had to be wedding party style coordinated but Good Lord was this a mess. Neon, polka dot prairie look, and nude tulle. I barely heard what they were saying because I was so disturbed by this visual hot mess. I’m not even sure I even liked any of these looks on their own let along thrown side by side.

Pink Mistake

Kacey Musgraves, Maya Rudolph and Linda Cardellini clearly got together and robbed a Jo-Annes craft store to create these dresses. One stole all the dark pink tulle and the other went with light pink tulle. Maya went for the this floral tragedy included a matching and equally as tragic cape. Nobody wins in this category.

Ummmmm…

This was designed by Christian Siriano and there were a lot of people who loved it. I am all for people expressing themselves, so it’s not the fact that this is a man wearing this Tuxess (tux + dress) but rather the fact that the whole silhouette bore a striking resemblance to Ursula. Ursula was a scary villain in The Little Mermaid, even giving adults the creeps.

They Get a C for Effort…

Tina Fey and Laura Dern. These dresses aren’t awful but it’s like they chose not to try. I feel like they went in their closets and decided to reuse bridesmaids dresses that somebody once forced them to wear for a wedding.

They Wear The Pants…

So suits were a thing…I think in this category I’m going to pick Amy Poehler. She was a presenter and wearing the big traditional gowns has never really worked well for her because she never really looked that comfortable wearing them. She can pull this off because she looks like she is happy in it. I love the sideswept hair to soften the whole look. Oh and she can store snacks in her pockets! I know I would…

So Close, Yet So Faraway…

Amy Adams looks better in color, she just does. And even black. Imagine this dress on her in black and it is so much more striking (at least in my mind it is). But this pale shade makes her disappear and I don’t like that because I like her. And the texture feels a bit like scales. Kind of reminiscent of that creepy blue thing Rebecca Romijn did for a movie.

Speaking of scales I wanted to like this because I love her but I just didn’t love it. I didn’t like the texture, the Star-Trek like shape or the color. But I do like her shoes!

I’d prefer to have both of these beautiful ladies fight over something more simple and sleek like this white gown.

I wanted to love Charlize because she rarely disappoints. I don’t know…maybe it’s the hair? She is so very good as a blonde that this look feels very snow white and harsh. And the seems darting at the boobs are unflattering to her amazing figure. This one bummed me out.

Failed It & Nailed It.

There’s almost always some red on the red carpet but in this case one nailed it and one failed it. The creepy latex crop top on Rachel Weisz felt so very wrong. I just kept imagining it to be super sweaty. On the other hand Jennifer Hudson has a diva voice (in a good way) and this gown complimented her in every way. Flattering and fun with the asymmetrical ruffle I really loved it on her.

A Pair of Hips are Born…

Lady Gaga why the hip thing? Do you think she thought she would get tired out there wand wanted somewhere to rest her hands? Is this what tiny people do, ask the designer to create hips for her hands? She changed into something a little better but after her previous choices this awards season this one felt like a bit of goth Disney Princess. I keep imagining how much prettier this look would have been in a soft pink or white (see my rudimental mock-up). But I’m going to give her a pass because her powerhouse voice gave me chills while the chemistry between her and the beautiful Bradly Cooper had me feeling their high temperature chemistry. Truly an amazing duet that continues to give me chills each time I watch it.

Eye Candy For Every Age…

Speaking of the boys…Sam Elliot, Bradley Cooper and Trevor Noah were my favorites. Classic and tailored tuxes worked perfectly on them. I love that Trevor went for the double breasted tux and it fits him perfectly. These are men that know that they are really, really, really attractive, so they don’t have to wear some kind of funky tuxedo that is screaming at the camera.

But sometimes, when you are such a presence like Jason Moama, you can take a risk and it works. This is a man that is going to stand out no matter what so he decides to completely go for it. His pale pink velvet blush suit was designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld and if any man can rock the pink without anyone giving him a hard time I’d say it’s Jason. He always comes across like a big happy handsome teddy bear so his great smile was the perfect accessory to tie together this look. Oh and take note of the matching custom made scrunchie. In my mind these two live in a cool bungalow on a beach or on a mountain and they make homemade granola and sleep in a bed covered with fur…okay maybe I am thinking a little too much about these two but clearly they are much cooler than most of us.

The Style Statements of The Night…

US actress Allison Janney arrives for the 91st Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 24, 2019. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Before I mention the ladies who were pretty in pink there was one in black velvet and satin that slayed it. In fact, more and more she is becoming a personal favorite for her stylish red carpet spot on looks. Alison Janey was my second favorite look of the night. She knows what works on her body but it never feels boring. Simply gorgeous. This tied with another dress for my 2nd fav.

Light pleated layers were another trend on the carpet. While they both look great I have to pick Helen Mirren in this category.This is an actress who knows who she is and how to carry herself with confidence. She twisted and twirled in this pleated confection and the best part is you can tell she is having fun, which makes anything she wears that much better.

This is a toss up for me. Gemma Chan in this tiered pink frock took a risk by going with this light and airy look instead of the usually evening gown style. Her hair and her makeup perfectly compliment the shape of this dress and she looks like a breath of fresh spring air, but I get that it reminds a lot of people of a dust ruffle. Angela Basset does not age. This color is stunning and I love her long tumbled ponytail. My only complaint is the nature of this fabric that must have gotten creased on the car ride over. I wish her stylist would have transported her over on a bus where she could stand up the whole time!

I mean JLo…and that body in that dress and that look. She knows how fierce this whole look is. Love the prism geometric styled clutch and the to the floor length. A disco ball column dress? On on Jenny and it’s tied for number 2 for top 3 favorite looks.

And then I saw this dress. And I gasped. That color, that cut, her makeup, her hair, the earrings, the silver shoes. This is a dress I have never seen before and it is not a shade of pink we often see on the red carpet. She looked regal and chic, it is drop dead mic drop gorgeous dress. I love it from every angle.

And finally…does this dress bring you Joy?

Do you think she held it and asked herself this very question? And not be mean but didn’t anyone else ask why she was there? Do you think she was tempted to tidy up the bathroom when she used it? So many questions…

Thank you so much for reading! Remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that fashion is art in clothing form. All of these designs come from someone’s heart, soul and tremendous hard work so by no means to I mean to put anyone down, (okay maybe just the person who made Linda Cardellini look like a human loofah), so please know that this post is mean to be funny. Fashion, art and beauty are all subjective and there truly is no right or wrong (except men in denim shorts). Thanks again!

Suzie

Uncategorized

Golden Globes 2019 Red Carpet Review

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While it was quite different from last year’s Blackout On The Red Carpet , I can’t exactly say I was blown away by what is usually one of the most fun nights for fashion on the red carpet during awards season. Maybe my expectations were too high or maybe I’m just getting old and grumpy, but my overall feeling was very “mehh.” But none the less the show (aka annual blog post review) must go on so read on below to get a recap of what made it’s way down the red carpet runway last night. Want to know my overall favorite look? It’s at the very bottom as I saved the best for last.

Seeing Red

No surprise as red is usually a “look at me I want attention” kind of color, so there are usually quite a few women who aren’t afraid to compete with the carpet color.

Who Wore It Best?

My pick is for Chrissy Metz on the left. Her hair and makeup looked elegant and flawless, and I loved the way the cut of the dress opened up her neckline. Also loved the detail on the sleeve. I can’t look at Laura Dern’s dress and not think of those paper decorations that you unfold into a shape and hang from a ceiling for a school Valentine’s Day party .

White Out

White is a classic choice and I give anyone credit who wears it without getting makeup, food, wine or just random dirt on the dress. I’ve only worn a formal white dress once and that was too my wedding and it looked like I went through war by the end of the night.

Who Wore It Best?

I’m going with co-host Sandra Oh because it fit her beautifully and love the way she did her hair to sort of balance out the shoulder detail. I thought I loved Julia Moore’s dress when they were interviewing her from the waist up and then they panned down and I wanted to cry. What happened there? Swap out that weird textured skirt that meets the top at a totally unflattering angle for a skinny pair of black ankle tuxedo pants and this could have been a contender.

Black and White

Another classic combo, usually you can’t go wrong but yet somehow people do. I’m looking at you Amber Heard.

Who Wore It Best?

I wanted to like Rachel’s dress on the left but the top was too close to what the dryer things look like at our local drive through car wash. And Amber, wtf? We will get to you later. Really no one stood a chance at the perfection that was Charlize. Absolutely stunning.

Neutral Territory

I love shimmer and glitter and shine, but this neutral shade can be super tricky to wear because it can draw attention and drown you out all at the same time.

Who Wore It Best?

Emily Blunt’s started out okay at the top but the bottom looked like a doily that would be on grandma’s chair. I love Keri’s dress but I’m not into the 12 year old boy breastplate look. If that came together as a halter neck it would have been perfect. Saoirse’s delicate waves of beads made me wonder how she was able to sit. I got it give it to Felicity for a well cut dress that shimmered in all the right spots.

The Bold and The Beautiful

Go big or go home was the motto for these actresses so they made sure their dresses made a statement with a ton of fabric and color.

Who Wore It Best?

I know there were a lot of fans of Gaga’s gown but I just felt like it was like a Disney Princess dress gone wrong. Just too much and I those sleeves were really, really too much. Catherine’s green was pretty but Gemma’s blue was badass chic. It had a lovely back with a bow detail and her hair and makeup were all on point with the whole look.

Best Hair

I loved all of these loose waves but Emma Stone’s color, cut and subtle wave was stunning.

Worst Hair

This slicked back updo look seemed to be a thing last night and I don’t think it should have. Maybe this was a way to get their faces to look tighter but pulling it back with such severity was not the answer. But Kate Mara’s oddly pulled and cinched pony was just not right.

Tulle Time

You have to wonder if there was a clearance sale at Michael’s Craft Store and they discounted all of the tulle ribbon. Or maybe it was like Project Runway where the challenge was to use as much of it as possible.

Who Wore It Worse?

I can’t. I just don’t like it all. Any of them. But in this case I’m going to go with who wore it worse and Lucy Liu added those hideous gel window clings to hers to seal her fate.

Bone-In Bras

This was a common theme yesterday where we got to see the boning of the corset of the dress. I’m not sure why.

Who Wore It Worse?

The two nude (and tulle) offenders added in odd chokers. But Heidi Klum has been doing this a long, long time and she should know better then to try and put her two golden globes into this awkward mesh drooping casing. I won’t even talk about the flowers because I just can’t.

Also Trending…

Matching your hair color to your dress or your makeup to your dress. Not sure I can agree with either of these….

My Least Favs

I love green, it’s my favorite color. But the green leather? It’s not working. Back to whatever is happening with the Kate Mara alien look. She is beautiful, this look is not. The pushed together boobies with gemstones atop a peach nightie is what I imagine an alien from the 1960s to wear to sleep in. And Amber, what is happening? She is one of the most beautiful women on the planet and yet she decided to resurrect the Jessica McClintock Gunne Sax late 80s prom look, complete with harsh makeup and ringlet hair. Why?

What I’d Change…

So Anne Hathaway went with this sexy leopard look and I just couldn’t buy it on her. It wasn’t a terrible dress but I would have loved to see it on Catherine Zeta Jones who can carry off this kind of sex-appeal. And that gorgeous shade of green that Catherine wore would have looked even better on Anne, especially with her sleek and straight hair.

The bold floral look is tricky and while I didn’t hate it on Molly Simms I think I like her in something a bit more modern and sleek. I also think her skin tone would have carried it off a bit better and her soft curls added a softer touch to the overall look of the silver dress. In contrast I think the bold floral pattern and jewel tone colors would have warmed up Saoirse skin tone a bit and been a nice contrast to her straight bob hair style.

My Favorite Looks

Loved this look as something different for Julia I just would have liked to see a red lip for a slight pop of color to offset the pale nude shade of the top. Gemma’s bold, blue and bow in the back look was so pretty. The matching closed toe shoes were the perfect choice to the unexpected hemline. Allison Janney has consistently nailed her red carpet looks for the past few years now, and this was no exception. The chunky jewels were a welcome change from the usual delicate diamonds. It was hard to pick an overall favorite but it I am going head to toe than it is Charlize. Her skin was glowing. The hair was sleek and chic and she looked sexy and sophisticated. When you are as gorgeous as she is it just goes to show that keeping it simple and classic works every time, ditto for her hair and makeup.

So who were your favorites? Hits? Misses? Remember, the very best part about fashion is that it is subjective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so there are no rules, only your opinion. And while I love fashion and style the goal is never to take it, or ourselves, too seriously.

Thanks for reading!

Denim, Jackets/Blazers, Personal Shopping, Personal Style, Personal Styling, Uncategorized

Back to School & What to Wear

August 26, 2018by suziegaffney3 Comments

Let’s do a little classroom exercise. Raise your hand if you enjoy being your child’s Uber. Raise your hand if you are excited about running to Staples six times in three days this week. Raise your hand if you enjoy screaming at your kids to go bed and then yelling at them to wake up in the morning. I’m assuming no one has raised any hands so we will try a different question. Raise your hand if you would like your outfits picked out for you this week so you can get up and get out the door faster. Okay, that I can help with. I can’t plan ahead for meals or a weekly family dinner menu but I can to that with outfits. True story – this text below is an exchange between me and one of my very good friends.

Whereas this is what happens when I go to events at her house.

So I’m going to stick to what I know and let my friend shop for Octopus. Below are suggestions for those mornings where you just need a starting point. I’m throwing in as many realistic type of photos I can find on Pinterest to help with some visual inspiration, (so no pics of celebrities wearing Chanel and 6 inch heels since we know we aren’t going to go to Staples this week in that). It’s all on this little cheat sheet below so you can save the plan and reference it. Hope this helps and good luck this week!

MONDAY – Back to Basics Black

Keep it simple and go all black. It could be a little black dress, jumpsuit, or pair different textures of black together. Keep jewelry minimal or go for larger statement pieces like a cuff or chunky necklace.

MONDAY – Opposites Attract

Pair a trendier cut or style of denim (frayed, distressed, cropped) and pair back to a classic white top. The more casual the denim the dressier your top can be. If you can’t wear jeans to work try throwing on a jean jacket as a blazer back to a pencil skirt o pants, or over a dress.

WEDNESDAY – Start With The Shoes

Pick a pair you haven’t worn for a while and build your outfit around the shoes. Pull out colors from your closet that will coordinate with the shoes, or choose a cropped pant or flared hem that features the shoes.

THURSDAY- Pick A Pattern

Go with something classic like a striped shirt or mix it up with a floral skirt. Leopard, polka dots, and checks are all easy prints to pair back to solid or to wear as a dress.

FRIDAY- Keep It Simple

Solid black with solid white. It’s a classic combination and you can’t go wrong. Even a black t-shirt with white jeans looks pulled together.

Well, hopefully you made it till Friday night. Time to take off the bra, put on your comfiest oldest t-shirt, sweatpants, and pour yourself a gargantuan glass of wine!

*Insider Tip – Are you a night owl or an early bird?

Personally I am pretty useless when it comes to brain after dark. I could possibly be solar-powered but not sure. But if you are one of those proactive organized types who likes to get as much done at night in order to streamline your morning, then try finding a spot in your closet, or maybe a hook on the back of your door, to designate as your O.O.T.D. (Outfit of the day). Just like when you were a kid, or maybe for your own kids, laying out your outfit the night before can save you so much time and ease that pre-morning coffee sluggish brain into getting dressed. Or, if you are more like me and like a glass of wine before bed, you are better off not picking out your outfit at night because Lord knows what you could come up with. (Poor Kylie, clearly she has new mommy brain because this yellow thing is not a good choice).