Anyone that has followed my blog for a while knows that I have a stylist. My sister Elizabeth and I are going to Seattle next weekend and we’ll be spending a few hours on Saturday shopping with Angie from You Look Fab. I have shopped with Angie for three seasons now and she has taken my look to a whole new level. And it no longer takes me hours and hours to pack for a business trip!
Angie Cox
Here are my favourite fashion tips  from shopping with Angie:
1. Camisoles are essential for so many reasons. Everyone should have at least the basics: black, white and cream.
I honestly don’t know how I ever survived without them! Under a blouse for layering, or if it’s too revealing, under a sweater for extra warmth, and to smooth out a transparent look if you are wearing light or dark pants.
2. Invest in jackets over cardigans.
Cardigans have their place too, and I have several but the two jackets Angie picked out for me this Spring I have worn constantly all season! So much dressier and structured looking than a cardigan. I have my eye on this one now  (because it’s totally my colour) but I’ll wait until I see Angie next weekend.
3. Roll or scrunch up your sleeves.
Do this with white blouses, jean jackets, blazers. Angie even taught me a whole new way to scrunch  that I was blissfully unaware of.
4. Wear more Blouses over t-shirts.
Angie does not wear t-shirts. ‘Really?’ I said when she announced this to me.
It never occurred to me that I could and should perhaps be stocking up on blouses over t-shirts (especially in the summer). This way you don’t have to worry about having a perfect waist-line as well which a t-shirt highlights (not that Angie needs to worry about that in her lifetime).
I recently bought this blouse (above), I am totally in love with polka dots and Angie loves them too!
5. Cut the fringe off your scarves.
‘Are you a fringe person?‘ Angie asked me the first time we met (I was wearing a scarf with fringe). Apparently leaving the fringe on your scarf is a bohemian  look and if that’s not you, you can–gasp–cut the fringe off your scarves! So I did.
My  7th True Colour Expert Workshop finished up this past week (next one starts March 21) and my participants bought me a book from Anthropologie called Parisian Chic. Here are a few fun tips from it:
1. Wear a Parka over a little Chiffon dress.
2. Celeb Style = Navy Blazer + White chiffon shirt + white jeans. A crisp, clean look that suits everyone.
3. Antique earrings are never out of style. They already date from centuries past.
And the Universal Golden Style Rule (In case you didn’t know it):
Wear full pants and skirts with tight-fitting tops, and tight trousers and skirts with loose-fitting tops.
What’s the best fashion tip you’ve heard?
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Love hearing about her tips. I already adhere to some of these. But still, I really need someone with her expertise to help me clean out my overflowing closet. I’m one of those women whose husband looks at me like I’m from Venus when I tell him I have nothing to wear. It takes me way to long to dress for anything. Like you always say, Maria, a professional can save you money in those areas in which they specialize. And I need experts all over my life these days!
Thanks for all the wonderful colorful help in our homes and in our closets!
~ Victoria ~
Great tips here but I seriously can’t afford a stylist right now. Since I started a certain little routine I’m spending less time and money on clothes and my wardrobe’s more organized. The routine goes like this – as the new seasons fashions arrive I’ll buy what I think I need (and like) then when I get home I have a try-on session mixing and matching the new clothes/shoes/accessories with what I already own. When I’m happy with the outfit I get my dear husband (he’s happy cos I get ready quicker) or son to take pics which I then print out and store in my walk in robe. Now I have less procrastination with what to wear and the biggest bonus is that things are being worn more because I’ve got an instant cue of what I own. I’m such a visual person, if I can’t see an item then it doesn’t exist!
Hope you have a great w’end. Cheers Linda
Way to go Maria. Besides the fact that it’s so smart of you to hire a stylist, you also show that you live what you preach: hire a professional for those things in which we are not an expert (i.e. designer, color expert, stylist, etc). Just because it appears easy, doesn’t mean that it is… Thanks for sharing!
Great tips! I do some of those, maybe if I did ALL of them I’d look as good as you!
Thanks for sharing these 🙂
Love the ideas! I could use a stylist – how did you go about finding one and what is the general pricetag of using one? Thanks you!
These are great tips that I intend to memorize and then put into practice!! The biggest problem I have is finding a camisole that doesn’t make me feel like I’m suffocating. I’ve thought of trying men’s A-shirt (I actually had to look up the official name of it rather than the horrible “wife-beater”) Anyone have recommendations?
If you like vintage jewelry, one of my favorite places in Seattle is Rhinestone Rosies on Queen Anne hill. Rosie is on the Antiques Roadshow from time to time and her store is a jewel!
Thanks for steering me to YLF. I have learned so much from Angie. . .she is a delight.
Very good advice on the t-shirt buying. I have been trying to get away from them because I have to replace them so often. They don’t retain their shape very long after washing. Now I have a better reason!
I also use my understanding of beige undertone when shopping for tops or pants that I want to go with things that already exist in my closet. I look awful in yellow so I never buy a yellow beige top that has that color near my face. Green undertones are hard to find.
You have included some good ideas.
I still will buy a lot of T’s. Most of my outfits include a jacket, sweater, or vest to dress it up a bit. In summer this can take one in and out of buildings with comfort most of the time. In winter it add warmth.
Thanks for the shout out, Maria! I especially love you in your designer-y jackets 🙂
The best style advice I have received is to start off a style journey with assessing your hair. Don’t even think about the clothes until you are happy with your hair. It’s amazing how your style falls into place when your hair style is right.
Looking forward to seeing you and sis soon!
Maria,
Great info Thanks for sharing. Everyone needs to read these 5 Fashion tips (put it in your new ios 5 reminder list on your iPhone) for fall dressing reminders to memorize!
Great for those who are excercising and trimming down in sizes and sporting a new look. Or those restyling their current closet full of styles due to budget clothing limits. It’s all possible and it’s fun too!
Bette
Would love to hear about her way of scrunching a sleeve??
Could you share the tip for scrunching sleeves? Thanks for the interesting post!
Great tips Maria and Angie!
Here’s a rule that’s served me well with my teenage daughter – To avoid looking oh, let’s say overly sexual, exercise the one-out-of-three rule – three items of clothing – a top, a bottom and footwear – limit the provocative component to just one of these items. If the heels are high, top and bottom are understated; if you’re sporting some cleavage, keep bottom and footwear casual or at least discrete and if the skirt’s tight or short, keep the feet flat and the girls tucked away. The exception to this rule is special events where the rule is two out of three. I cannot tell you the world of grief this rule saved me.
Get your colors done — preferably by someone trained in Sci/Art personal color analysis, who can find the undertone in your skin. It will save you money and change your life.
I tried to find a post on how to scrunch sleeves properly but could not so I’ll try and explain it. Basically you pull the cuff to your elbow and then pull it down so it lays flat. In other words doing it this way you still see the cuff otherwise you’d just roll it up and look like a farmer 🙂 Well not really and sometimes you do have to roll it up depending on what kind of shirt it is.
Super tips ladies! Thank you.
For the mature (older) woman its been my observation that ‘scarves’ which are not applied correctly and/or ‘turtle necks’ more often draw attention and emphasize a sagging jowl line rather than camouflage the imperfection. 🙂
-Brenda-
Great tips Maria but I think a stylist might be a bit out of my budget at the moment. I get a lot of my tips from reading blogs and mags – in fact I was reading an interesting articled on colour forecasting in fashion the other day. I’m pretty sure it was in colorA2Z magazine.
@Linda v I like your idea of taking photos of all your outfits, that would definitely save time in the long-run.
Such great ideas!!! I love the jackets vs cardigan and blouse vs t shirts. I think since I don’t have a formal job anymore and am generally a stay at home mom, I have fallen into some yoga pant/t shirt days. This is motivating me to make a little more effort…and cut the fringe off my scarves! 🙂
xo Elizabeth
I’m totally with Pretty Pink Tulip. I’m a stay at home mom with 3 boys so all play is messy. I’ve started trying to keep my “work” clothes separate from my “out of the house” clothes.
It’s nice knowing what will look better when I DO get a chance to shop!
Thanks so much Maria! What a helpful post..especially for people like me who (ahem..) could use a little fashion advice. I’m printing this one for shopping reference!
xo
Donna
Wonderful advice! I agree with all – camis and blazers are my best friends. I also have recently discovered the impact of bracelets, especially larger ones. (I have tiny wrists, so take “larger” with a grain of salt.) They make almost any outfit look more complete. Also, for years now I’ve been layering my necklaces. Much more visually interesting.
I’ll be visiting “You Look Fab” – thanks for the recommendation! And I think a stylist, like an interior designer, is always money well spent. 🙂
Lisa
I love wearing blazers and it’s a good look for me but I live in Florida and this has been a very warm winter (82!). This has inspired me to look harder for lightweight unconstructed jackets for tall women. Thanks for a great blog, Maria and thanks for sharing Angie!
Let me know where you find these blazers and jackets as I too live in FL – and many of the clothing suggestions are truly great but we cannot wear all these layers of heavy clothing when the humidity equals the temperature! Thanks much! Dolores
My suggestion for jackets in warm weather is to buy linen or silk. Those fabric be comfortable. They will wrinkle; however.
Great article however I am still getting my breath back after the suggestion of cutting the fringe off our scarves. I choose scarves by a) colour, b) pattern and c) the fringe. Sorry, I just can’t let a good fringe go.
Haha, that’s so funny, I just received a beautiful cashmere scarf as a gift and the first thing I did was cut off the fringe.