Archive for April, 2021
Off the Cuff…Karen Kane Made in the USA!
Posted in Uncategorized on 30 April 2021| 2 Comments »
Meow! Fashion Copy Cats
Posted in Features, tagged closet creativity, copy-cat fashion, dress-up fun, fashionista on 27 April 2021| 2 Comments »
Quote of the week:
"When we were small children, we all played dress-up and everybody had a
good time. So why stop?"
~ Iris Apfel (I love her. Can you tell?)
There are many ways to find creativity in your own closet but one of my favorites is to get inspired by an outfit you admired on someone else. Be it your next door neighbor, a catalogue layout or a famous celebrity, study just a bit or maybe a lot of what it is they put together and then go to your own closet and recreate the look.
All too well I remember an outfit inspired by Oprah that got me lots of comments when I wore it to a fashion seminar attended by many consultants from a line of clothes sold only in the home. I often heard this…. “ I never would have thought of putting those pieces together.” That’s exactly the point. Nor would I, except for the inspiration of how her wardrobe consultants dressed Oprah that day.
Sometimes my own closet doesn’t have one item in the total outfit that I admire and that will send me on an exploration for that one piece that I don’t have. Mind you, for me that is both a challenge and a fun trek which often ends in adding a piece to my overall closet that has versatility for more than just one look.
Let’s put this fashion trick to the test, shall we?
Not only is she a great actress, Helen Mirren is also a fashionista. Whether she’s on the red carpet or on the streets of New York with her favorite Starbucks in hand, I’ve never seen a picture of her in a “bad outfit.” And, believe me, as odd as it sounds, I have seen her in lots of pictures and hundreds of outfits. Just doing a bit of research for this post had me ‘google imaging’ for at least an hour with admiration growing by the minute for her sense of style. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that she has a terrific figure that flatters everything she wears.
Alas!
Here she is (picture left) on the red carpet at a film festival in Tokyo wearing one of the most beautiful gowns that I’ve seen her in. Then (picture right) here she is at the airport in “put together” casual attire ready to board a flight to new destinations.
You have just one guess as to which outfit I am going to try to duplicate in my closet.
While I can only fantasize about beautiful designer gowns on the red carpet, those airport jeans just gotta be somewhere in my closet.
While my Kleen cardi is not white on white as Helen is wearing, I rather like the darker brown over the white lace. It gives punch to the tank top and is classic in color with the black flip flops. Not to mention that all of these items were already in my closet and awaiting new inspiration as to what might look good with what. It wasn’t important that I ‘copy-cat’ the exact look in every detail but that I ‘see’ my closet with new vision.
Try it in your own closet. Look for inspiration and follow!
SAVE OUR SATURDAYS
Posted in Uncategorized on 24 April 2021| 3 Comments »
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MOM and ME
Posted in Announcements, tagged mom memories, mom photos, Mother's Day 2021, Shelly's window on 20 April 2021| 4 Comments »
Quote for the Week:
"Life doesn't come with a manual. It comes with a mother." ~ unknown
Calling all friends! Shelly needs your help with her design for this years’ Mother’s Day window.
We’d love to feature your mom and me photos in our window. If you would like to participate, please drop off your photo at the store by end of month. All photos will be returned later in May. Or, if easier, email a photo to: shellyhampton74@yahoo.com . . . as soon as possible.
Let’s fill Shelly’s window with lots of our Mom memories.
For identification and to begin the window: from top left we have Shelly’s mother and grandmother. Then there is me and my mom. And last, but definitely not least, we have Jenny and Dolores.
Come join us for this years’ Mother’s Day.
We thank you for being part of our Sound Styles family.
And because I just can’t resist. . . there is a second Quote for this Week:
"Someday when the pages of my life end, I know that you will be
one of the most beautiful chapters." ~ unknown
An homage to J. Peterman
Posted in Features, tagged Bold palm print, Masai, Oculla Dress on 17 April 2021| 2 Comments »
Details:
Her name is Sahara. You know … a name that comes from parents who like to remember where they were vacationing when baby was ‘made.’
In the blink of an eye, Sahara can tell you who she would like to be stranded with on that imaginary isle, how to make the all-American apple pie and the ten best novels of the past year.
Her most favorite season is Fall when the jackets and sweaters come out of the closet.
Her least favorite season is Summer because it’s not ‘figure flattering.’
And yet, entré vous into the store today, wearing her latest purchase of this bold sleeveless dress, looking so very lovely, so very polished and so very confident. . . comes Sahara.
They say aging is for sissies.
Don’t believe them.
Turn up the colors and your mood with this gorgeous dress in a hand-drawn palm print. The soft viscose feels wonderful, while the diagonal cut hugs your body and creates a feminine shape. Hem is longer and rounded at the back. Slip into a pair of flat sandals or light colored sneakers for an effortlessly feminine look.
100% viscose. Machine wash, delicate.
(Psst! Come on Cynthia… you know you’ve been admiring the dress for days now. It belongs in your closet!)
Cynthia . . .a girl’s name of Greek origin meaning “moon goddess” or, woman from Kynthos”.
Ooh la la! What goddess from Kynthos wouldn’t want to be seen in that dress?
Okay! Okay! Enough already!
I’m done!
Dress Code
Posted in Features, tagged dress hesitancy, looking good in a dress, Yves Saint Laurent on 14 April 2021| Leave a Comment »
Quote for the week:
“What is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it.”
~Yves Saint Laurent
As I swoon slowly to the left, maybe, just maybe. . . for monsieur Saint Laurent I might be convinced to wear a dress.
Do dresses intimidate you?
Moi aussi! (me too)
Do dresses challenge your fashion sense?
Me too!
Do you think to yourself... "Where would I wear a dress?"
Me too!
Do you assume that a dress is meant for a special occasion?
Me too! And yet, as mother of the bride twice, I did not wear a dress
to either wedding. To all my high school re-unions, I've never worn
a dress.
Do you think to yourself. . . 'I would never be able to carry off that mini-dress
or that maxi-dress or that any dress for that matter?
Me too!
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, just what is it with us and dresses?
Okay, so let’s get real. I decided to do a little research here about dresses and the many benefits of wearing one that might relieve some of that dress intimidating negative attitude that paralyzed me this morning from putting on the one dress that hangs in my closet. Partly psychological in that I don’t think there is a dress out there that would be flattered with me in it and partly practical about the ease and comfort of wearing pants instead of a dress which has been my mindset for way too long. Not to mention that Katherine Hepburn gave us all the freedom to look great in pants.
Right now we have lots of dresses in Sound Styles…. more than I can ever remember in my sixteen years of working there. And…. they are selling!
So… just why do I need to write this post? Certainly not to “sell dresses.” Except to me and maybe a few of you out there who suffer from the same intimidating “dress code.”
I’m doing a bit of self-analysis about this fashion wall that I haven’t yet climbed. And, I’m gambling that I’m not the only one who is letting fear of a dress stop us from wearing one.
After years of pants and jeans, I understand that getting used to wearing a dress can be a bit challenging but, perhaps there are some benefits that outweigh the pre-conceived barriers.
As my research taught me, the benefits are many.
For example:
Dresses can make your mornings simple. Have you ever run late because of indecision about “what do I wear this morning?” Pick a pair of pants and then select a top, or… is that other top better so that after multiple combinations you are still trying to decide? Then comes the accessories and finally what shoes? Pick a dress, add a pair of earrings and some fun shoes, even sneakers and you’re done.
Dresses are comfortable and so many dress styles can hide body imperfections. There are many dress shapes that will work with any body. No more muffin tops or jeans that are too tight and too limiting in material and color.
Dresses get you noticed because wearing a dress is the easiest way to look polished and put together.
Dresses can be styled in many different ways to create different looks. Belt it or unbelt it for that more fitted or unfitted look. Wear it over pants like capri leggings or even wide leg pants, especially if the dress is too short and you want to make it into a tunic top. Wear something over the dress like a crop top or crop sweater so that you now have made the dress a skirt. Play with a layering piece by adding jean jackets, shrugs or kimonos, any of which can “dress” you up or down in your dress.
Dresses are magical. The second you put one on, you feel more feminine, more fashion forward and, hence, more confident which should make you smile when you look in the mirror. No one in Levi jeans can feel that! There’s no doubt, compliments will come your way all day long.
I already have my eye on one that tempts me to overcome my hesitation. How about you? Come take a look at our selection and see if there is one calling your name.
Off the Cuff…Unboxing Tribal!
Posted in Uncategorized on 10 April 2021| Leave a Comment »
The Light of Day
Posted in Features, tagged mixing patterns, styling kimonos, unworn apparel on 7 April 2021| 4 Comments »
Quote for the week:
“Clothes aren’t going to change the world. The women who wear them will.”
~ Anne Klein
How are you today? Are you up for a bit of a challenge? Have you got something hanging in your closet that has rarely or even never been worn? Are you up to taking a bit of time to put an outfit together with that item and getting it out of hiding and into the light of day?
I don’t know about you but I often find myself attracted to an item of apparel that, once bought and brought home, ends up permanently hanging in the closet for whatever reason.
As I was contemplating the seasonal switch of one closet to another, I bumped into one of those items . . . giving me renewed motivation to find at least one or two ways to style it and get it out of my closet and into the fresh air, with me in it, of course
For me this item was a silk kimono in a batik pattern of rich blues and rusts. It immediately “spoke to me” when it arrived at Sound Styles a couple of years ago. There was no doubt that I had to have it. . . just because it was so beautiful and I wanted it to be mine.
Anyone else relate to my impulsive moment?
While I know all too well that kimonos have made a huge fashion statement in recent years, that doesn’t mean one knows how to comfortably incorporate this lovely trend into one’s own wardrobe. I was a bit stymied so I asume that I subconsciously decided to leave it to my own intuition. . . which is why it still hangs in the closet.
First let me explain that the pictured garments in this post are generic and not my real styled kimono. I’ve recently discovered a fun website where one can practice putting together items and accessories and “play” to find a desired effect. At least my “dress rehearsal” gave me some new ideas about what to do with my own patterned kimono.
I got brave and put it together with a striped blouse which is certainly allowed and doable as long as there is a central element that ties them together… most often this would be color and proportion of one print to the other like the smaller floral pattern on the kimono with the broader stripes of the blouse. I love long chunky necklaces so that was a “no brainer.” And, yes I would wear the bow-tied blouse and the necklace together but that’s just me. The embroidered black crop jeans are fun, keep it casual, ground the whole outfit with the dark color and the floral embroidery ties in with the floral pattern on the kimono. Lastly, I love my animal print sneakers and so…. what the heck! I thought they were the pleasing final touch.
And they also work because of my own “needy” compulsion to mix and match in fun new ways.
Now it’s your turn. Perhaps you want to play in your own closet or perhaps you might be interested in the website of note called Shoplook. However, if time doesn’t allow or you aren’t so inclined, don’t let the garment continue to hide out in your closet. Bring it into Sound Styles and we would love to help in finding ways for you to “style” a piece that challenges you.
Off the Cuff…Hoppy Spring Colors!
Posted in Uncategorized on 2 April 2021| Leave a Comment »
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