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guide to elegance: cocktails

1/29/2015

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Welcome back to the (not quite) weekly column reviewing Genevieve Antoine Dariaux's book, A Guide to Elegance. An introduction to this series of posts can be found here and previous posts can be read here. Today we will be discussing the appropriate attire for a cocktail party to see if the traditional fashion rules still apply today. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments!
"[A cocktail party] is a sort of unorganized receiving line, in which many women enjoy greeting all their friends and acquaintances once a year or once a month." (pg. 24)
I love a cocktail party. It is a great opportunity to meet new people or chat with those you only slightly know. You have some freedom to move between conversations and, unlike a more intimate dinner party, the whole group is not forced to talk about the same topic. Basically it is the perfect way to expand your social circle. 

For most of us, cocktail attire is also a pretty easy dress code to abide by. We don't have to worry about the hassle of finding a floor length gown for a black tie event and we aren't left wondering just how casual is casual. The Little Black Dress with a great piece of statement jewelry is the easy outfit option, but you can also pull off a pair of ankle pants or a skirt with a silk blouse. Most of us aim for the "dressy, but not overdressed" look and luckily there is a lot on that spectrum that is appropriate for a cocktail party.

Madame Dariaux doesn't exactly agree with me. 
"The perfect hostess wears a dress that is only slightly décolleté, or not at all, but of a rich material...The dress worn by a guest at a cocktail party should be scarcely décolleté at all." (pgs. 24-25)
While most of us in the year 2015 determine whether a dress is cocktail attire by the length, Madame Dariaux makes her decision based on whether the neckline is low cut. This point seems even more outdated when she explains that low cut dresses are not appropriate for cocktail parties but should be worn at dinner parties. Few of us "dress for dinner" and if we are enjoying a nice dinner with friends or family, chances are we are using cocktail attire as the rule of thumb while getting dressed. 

Since the stark lines between dress codes for events have blurred (at least for the many of us), we are given more options in attire for semi-formal events, like cocktail parties. This means that no matter your body shape or your personal style, you can find an ensemble that makes you look and feel elegant.

References
Dariaux, Genevieve Antoine. A Guide to Elegance. New York: William Morrow, 2003. Print.
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what to wear for bowl sunday

1/25/2015

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Superbowl or Puppy Bowl? Regardless of which one you choose to watch next Sunday, you will need a casual party outfit that is comfortable enough for a long afternoon of lounging on the couch and gorging on game day food. I suggested a simple (and machine-washable!) outfit last year, but this year I'm in the mood for something a little more festive.

This season I keep stumbling across sweaters featuring dogs and the Puppy Bowl is the perfect time to show your love of canines. Boden has a terrier sweater (as well as slippers available in the pink puppy print) and LOFT has an adorable schnauzer sweater. Layer under a cozy down vest and pair with denim and your favorite ankle boots. For a finishing touch, add a fun piece of dog-themed jewelry.
puppy bowl outfit

puppy bowl outfit by practicallystylishblog featuring pink tops
A game day outfit doesn't have to include a team jersey, especially if you are only watching to see the commercials. Take a unique approach and use the leather of the football as your inspiration. Start with a brown leather jacket and brown riding boots. Then play on the word "jersey" and slip on a jersey dress in your favorite color or pattern. Lastly, don't forget a pair of thick tights or leggings to stay warm (it is February after all)! You'll have a football inspired look that is chic and cozy.
leather & jersey

leather & jersey by practicallystylishblog featuring a brown jacket
P.S. Do you need a great chili recipe to round out your game day menu? Try this one!
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when is it time to get rid of clothes?

1/21/2015

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Photo Credit: Rubbermaid Products via Flickr
Last week Ann asked a great question in the comments of a post and although some of you may have read my response, I'd like to expand on the idea a bit here. She wanted to know when it is time to get rid of pieces that don't fit, especially when your weight is fluctuating. When I was working in retail this was often a discussion that came up when chatting with clients who had recently lost weight. One of my coworkers felt very strongly that you should get rid of any clothes that are too big immediately so that you wouldn't have an excuse to gain the weight back. I strongly disagree and as you will see in my suggestions below, I am generally in favor of holding onto pieces. However, depending on the size of your closet, you may have to be a bit more aggressive in paring down your wardrobe. 

I never get rid of a piece of clothing ONLY because it doesn't fit me right now. I need a second strike against the item before I decide to donate it or throw it out. Anything that doesn't currently fit can be folded on a high shelf or hung in the dark recesses of my closet. I like having clothes in several sizes because my weight fluctuates and I want to have pieces I feel great in at any size, without shelling out a ton of money every time the hand on the scale moves.
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Photo Credit: LizMarie_AK via Flickr
Work basics--such as button down shirts, trousers, and blazers--are great to keep in stock in your closet because you will also have a need for them. If your weight changes significantly, you don't need to hold onto every piece, but keeping the components of a couple outfits in a size up and a size down will make sure that you always have something professional to wear. 

Party or other specialty pieces should also stay in your closet, even if they don't fit right now. It is unlikely you will wear a sequin skirt on a regular basis, so even if it doesn't fit now, it may fit when you have another occasion to wear it. If you are short on closet space, give the party pieces that don't fit to a friend, with the agreement that you can borrow it back if you get back to that size. 

Any sentimental or especially expensive pieces should also be kept. I have a beautiful beaded semi-formal dress that I don't currently fit into but will not get rid of because it reminds me of the occasions when I did wear it and I know that if I get back down to that size, I will want to wear it again. A well-tailored wool suit might also fit into this category. If it would be expensive to replace, but you would want to wear it again if you could, you should hang it in a garment bag at the back of your closet.
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Photo Credit: Emily May via Flickr
This may seem like a lot of stuff to hold on to, but you can strike a lot of pieces off of your "to keep" list simply by looking at the condition of the items. Anything that is stained, ripped, threadbare, or otherwise looking less than presentable should be discarded immediately. I think you will be surprised by how many things will fit into that category. When we are wearing things regularly, we may not realize how sad and worn a piece has become, but when you take an objective look at the current quality, you will probably have an easier time letting those pieces go.

If a piece is in good condition, but doesn't fit, there are other reasons to get rid of it. The first is if it is a cheap basic, like a tee or a cotton sweater, basically any piece that you would replace on an annual basis. There is no point in saving a $7 tee in the hope that it might fit in another year when I will probably buy five more tees in that time. If it is easy to replace, then you don't need it taking up space in your closet.
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Photo Credit: Brittney Bush Bollay via Flickr
 You also shouldn't hold onto pieces that you wouldn't wear today if you could fit into it. This might be because it is a trendy (but now outdated) style or because the color or fit was never very flattering on you. I have a camo mini skirt that I got for a Halloween costume and would never wear in my everyday life. It is not improving my wardrobe, current or future, to keep it and needs to be discarded.

If an item is more than two sizes too big or too small, you should also remove it from your closet (unless you have VERY positive feelings of a sentimental nature towards it). Having options when your weight fluctuates is different from having an entire size run of all the basics. 

When cleaning out your closet, I suggest doing it in several stages. First, remove everything that is no longer in a wearable condition. That is the easy part because it is very objective and it will give you a better sense of what pieces you have and what space is available. Then remove any cheap basics, pieces you wouldn't wear, or items that are more than two sizes off from your current size. This will take care of everything that has two strikes against it (the first strike being that it doesn't currently fit). After this take your time going through the remaining pieces to see if they fit into any of the "to-keep" categories.
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hiatus until 1/22

1/16/2015

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The blog will be on hiatus until next Thursday, January 22. I will be out of town for a funeral until then and will not have the opportunity to post during that time. If you are desperately looking for style advice, please check out the archives!
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when clothes bring you joy

1/16/2015

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When was the last time that a piece of clothing brought you joy? Not relief that you had something appropriate to wear to an event or satisfaction that your layers kept you adequately warm, but actual happiness from wearing an item. If you can't think of an example in your own life, you might need to refocus your shopping game. Clothing, like food, lets us cultivate our own tastes while addressing one of our needs, but sometimes we overindulge on things we don't actually like that much. 

The idea of choosing items that bring joy has been rattling around in my head since reading an article about home organizer Marie Kondo in the New York Times. My first reaction was that there are plenty of things in my apartment that don't bring me joy, but that I need to keep around for practical reasons, like a step ladder so I can change a light bulb. But clothes are something that we can and should expect to get joy from. There are so many options that it seems silly to spend money on pieces that you don't like.

I recently got a wonderfully warm and absolutely gorgeous scarf (that is big enough to double as a blanket) from Boden and I definitely feel a sense of joy when I put it on. The bright colors make the dreary January days feel a little less glum, the wool keeps my neck nice and toasty in the Chicago wind, and its large size makes it more versatile. A scarf, which is a need in the Midwest in winter, has become something that adds value to my day by improving my mood. 

But how many pieces do I have in my closet that aren't needs and don't bring me joy? Probably too many 
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