The Best Top of the Season -- The Blouse

Surprise! The very ladylike blouse has floated back onto the runways and designers have finally made it super feminine.

This time round, it runs the whole gamut: it is filmy, puffy, floral, colorful, and transparent. It comes in classic plain white cotton and soft or sheer voile. I like it in all these versions and it is once again an essential. And, what’s more, a classic blouse is as versatile as an LBD (Little Black Dress). It can be casual or dressy, flirtatious or sensual.

This season it appears in endless forms, from the classic tailored form that just about hugs the body, to one that billows out. Some blouses are boldly transparent while others have cascades of ruffles.

Never underestimate the importance of tops, be it tees, blouses or sweaters. Since these pieces of clothing are worn close to the face, we should not overlook their impact. Believe it or not, a top can make our complexion glow or make it look dull.

For a chic lightweight style, dare to wear a transparent blouse belted at the waist and accented with a high-waisted skirt to lengthen the legs. To add even more height, wear open toe stilettos.

La femme will wear the blouse tucked in a wide leg pair of jeans­ – to refine her silhouette – with long necklaces gracing her neck.

Topping off with a blouse does not mean you have to be completely covered, especially if you choose a flowing, diaphanous fabric that will play hide and seek with your body. Very flirty and seductive.

To be honest, I want a blouse right now. A lovely green one to wear with a tuxedo suit. Perfect for business!

Be Bold This Spring 2012

Are you ready for spring?
I’ve put together my recommendations for the coming season.

BRIGHT IDEAS, BRIGHT COLORS
Spring colors are so joyful; they immediately make me feel optimistic and happy! This spring is all about mixing a marvelous palette of uplifting colors: pink, yellow, orange, blue, lilac, turquoise, and my favorite color of all, red! But finding shoes to complement this cheerful array of colors will be a challenge. My suggestion: metallic sandals. For me, silver ones are at the top of my “must buy” list.

With such a wide range of colors ­­to choose from­­—yellow, orange and green to the more muted shades of lavender, blue and beige—everyone can find their perfect color. As they say in French, a chacun sa coleur!

ROCK WITH BLOCK COLORS
Dazzle with solid colors used in blocks. Wear vivid orange with bright pink. Or, a blue top with coral pants separated by a brilliant yellow, very narrow belt to accentuate the waist. A statement with a fab finishing touch!

If bright colors are not for you, look for candy couleur, aka soft but add a bold necklace that lifts the look and makes a statement.

PRINTS
Go for geometric prints on pants or tops. My recommendation: contrast a print with a solid pop-up color for either the top or the bottom.

FLEURS (Flowers)
Don’t be shy! If you can get away with them, wear prints from head-to-toe!

STRIPES or SEASIDE CHIC
Dazzle with horizontal stripes for tops, dresses, and jackets.

SHINE
Shimmer in unexpected textures like sequins and metallic fabrics.

RED
Stand out from the crowd! Forget the classic little black dress. This season’s little black dress is red.

BAGS
The envelope please! There are a variety of ‘envelope’ style bags to choose from this season. Great from day to night.

SHOES
For the lucky few, high heels are aplenty. And colorful too. BUT Learn how to walk in them! Practice in front of a mirror!

THIS and THAT
A few details to watch for this spring:

• Hemline just below the knee.
• Skirt-shorts, but choose carefully so you don’t look dowdy!
• On the beach or around the pool, Chanel suggests wearing the classic Chanel jacket over a bathing suit. And why not?
• Ribbon-edged cardigans, cropped jackets, lots of horizontal stripes everywhere, all good for updating your wardrobe!
• Every store has at least one crisped glacier-white suit.
• Jewelry is bold, really bold. Think BIG earrings.

To minimize your trendy investment, pick a colorful accessory and pair it with crisped whites.

Be bold, put a SPRING in your step -- and in your wardrobe.


A bientot,
Michèle

Michele Benza: Are We Doomed?

Michele Benza: Are We Doomed?: Fashion Trends: Are We Doomed? By Michele Benza Image & Style Fashion Consultant It seems that our society has become ultra-casual in d...

Are We Doomed?

Fashion Trends: Are We Doomed?

By Michele Benza
Image & Style Fashion Consultant

It seems that our society has become ultra-casual in dress and manners. Dress codes have evolved, however there are still certain conventions that must be respected.

Not so long ago, men and women used to dress better and appeared to take pride in their appearance. Now days, it is not unusual to see young and not so young people wear pajamas to shop (even to fly)…. to wear jeans full of holes (too often in the wrong places) and clothes that do not fit i.e. too small for large bodies.

2011 Fashion: Have we become slobs?

I dislike slobs, bad manners, and lack of etiquette be it professional or social. Are we doomed to be this way and, will it become worse in the future? (Is that possible?)

In the past, men and women took pride in walking down the streets in elegant attire. People did dress tastefully although it took time and effort. Comfortable dressing was not important, what was important was to project a good image of oneself and one’s honor.

And yes, every day they took time with their grooming and they would be impeccably dressed. I am not saying that we have to go back to the fail-safe uniform of power suits.

I recommend that we dress for our personality, that we do not leave our personal style outside the picture. A creative personality should be creative with its clothes. An innovative thinker should dress like one.

There are no two identical human beings, so why dress like everyone else and disappear into the wallpaper? We are all different is sizes, personality and all and that is what makes us interesting.

Fashion Trends Have Always Created Conflict

Am I crazy to think that way? Or maybe as the years go by I have a difficult time understanding a certain ‘mode’ (fashion). This generation conflict is not new; it does exist and always will. In the past, our grandparents were shocked with our parents’ jeans and our mother’s slacks. When I attended grammar school and high school (in Brussels) pants for girls were a no-no.

Coco Chanel introduced our Mothers to little suits that we now find a bit ‘old’ fashion unless worn with a je ne sais quoi.

Brigitte Bardot brought us La nouvelle vague (the new wave) and the cute ‘Vichy’ dress or slim ankle length pants and flats.

Madonna topped it all with her sexy outfits and scandalized our parents.

To this day, I still like the beau chic beau genre of Audrey Hepburn, I sometimes wonder if it is nostalgia. Thankfully, extremes usually self-correct, and sure enough, young women have become more careful about their string showing and most young men are now pulling up their pants to a normal waist height.

Fall/Winter 2011 Fashion Trends

But all that said, I wonder sometimes if fashion designers hate us that much that they want us to wear such unconventional outfits (see below). Here a little aperçu of what FW2011 has in its sleeves for both men and women:

A la prochaine,

Michele