ChickSpeak

This week, before answering your fabulous fashion questions, I would like to clear up a misconception about clothing that I became aware of the other day when sitting with friends.

The only girl in the room, they were all perusing over ChickSpeak with me, asking questions about why women would care how to work a ‘Winter-Frosted look’, where the names for various styles even come from, and other inquiries that only men would ask and women barely question, born with an innate sense of what color scheme a frosted-crème scarf works well with and how to pair a perfect LBD.

However, their next question threw me off guard for a second. One friend asked, “Well, what would you call my style?”

For once, I was actually silent. Naming someone else’s style with certainty is not something I honestly think can be done.

Declaring a name for an individual’s style of dress or putting a label on a certain outfit is a very delicate, personal art. It’s easy to put together a look that is clearly ‘hip-hop’,  ‘indie-rock’, ‘Williamsburg-alternative’, ‘euro-mod’, etc. But the best looks I’ve seen you chicks out there on the street put together are the ones which clearly have no label but your own name. 

Don’t be afraid to combine two different styles you don’t normally see matched together on the mannequins at the store. One of my favorite style mash-ups this season is soft, lady-like lace paired with chains, leather, and dark color pallets (especially a rich purple). So blend away, and if someone asks you what you would ‘call’ your style, simply insert your own name where some other non-descript noun would go. Trust me, it’s the most honest response these days.

I love the fashion trend of empire waists and potato sack dresses, However I am also between a C and a D cup and while I have a 36 inch waist, these garments tend to make me appear twice my size! How can I pull off the tops that I love and show off the hard time I’ve pulled at the gym? -T.J.

I understand exactly where you’re coming from! Empire waists and long, maxi dresses create gorgeous, princess-like silhouettes and clean-cut, sophisticated lines, but were definitely made with smaller chest sizes in mind. For bustier women, these cuts can add an elusive 5 lbs to an otherwise narrow demeanor, but adding a belt below the raised waist line will stop fabric from rising where it is supposed to stay taut on the skin, as well as adding a great accessory and statement piece. Wide, deconstructed and metal adorned belts are very popular this season, going along with the biker theme that has been driving runways forward for the past year. This belt, priced at only $9.80, has great,  intertwined metallic detail, and when paired with a empire-waisted tunic or dress (preferably in a soft pastel tone), will create quite the mash-up of styles for a modern, alternative look.  

What would you say is a good make-up trend to follow as a guide for my date this Valentine’s Day? -C.S.

At Marc Jacobs Spring 2010 runway shows, he focused on a ballerina inspired makeup trend that is a perfect romantic look for such a love filled holiday. You can read details on how the look was created in an article on Elle. Obviously, recreating this pallet exactly would be a bit dramatic for a night on the town, but to make it date-worthy, pair a ruby-red or darker pink lipstick with light face powder, black eyeliner, and peachy blush. Pull your hair back in a loose knot at the nape of your neck, and add a romantic detail with a side braid so your face is clear of bangs or loose hairs. Check out a clear, sweet flavored lip-gloss to keep in your clutch for random touch-ups throughout the night, and to add a little flavor to your goodnight kiss.

I love the look celebrities are wearing these days with dresses that have big bows and angles looped in the fabric, but I can’t find a recreation in my price range. Any suggestions? -D.B.

As always, I remain incredibly grateful to the designers at Forever21 for creating highly inexpensive looks for women and girls of all ages to channel runway and celebrity trends. They have TONS of takes on this flirty, girly cocktail look, but one of my favorites is this black, angled cocktail dress seen here. At only $39.00, this dress clearly takes a large influence from Karl Lagerfield’s designs for Prada, without involving a second foreclosure on your house to get it. Or, you can look at layered, tiered tops, featuring metallic zippers, such as this one for only $32.00.

I wear black all the time- I’m not gothic or anything, but I just can’t seem to find a bright color or any other shade that I look better in. Do you have any ideas for how I could extend my color range without doing anything too drastic? -B.C.

Darker, jewel-inspired tones are very popular this season, especially dark greens, blues, and purples. Why not try a dark olive green cami under your black blazer, with fitted back cigarette jeans and heels? Surrounding the shirt with all black will make the color pop even more, and create a very European, classic look. Or, look for tan and dark green toned heeled oxfords- they match with just about any look or season. Try these cut-out high-top booties in a mute tan here, they’ll go great with your all-black wardrobe.  

Chic Q&A with Cady would greatly appreciate any questions, comments, or feedback you may have! Please send fashion inquiries or anything else you may like to add/ see addressed in this column to cady.childs@gmail.com. Happy trend-watching!