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Q. I work in a corporate office and pretty much live in suits and pencil skirts all year round. I’m so bored of my clothes, do you have any ideas for “styling up” my daily outfit?

A. Although suits and pencil skirts tend to be rather classic and simple, you can still add a shot of chic to your corporate look with accessories: an interesting necklace, a snakeskin belt, the shoe of the moment… However, one of our favorite ways to add style to your office staples is to invest in some pretty printed blouses. Whether worn with a skirt or layered under a blazer, a printed blouse adds color and personality to your 9-to-5 look. Here are some of our favorite options to wear now and in the fall.

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Q. I have a few looser fitting dresses and tees (solids and prints) that I feel would be more figure flattering with a belt or a tie. I’m having a hard time finding one that would work. I don’t want anything too wide as I’m short and petite. Any ideas?

A. My favorite way to tame a blousy shirtdress or loose-fitting t-shirt dress this summer is with a skinny belt. Rachel McAdams spent virtually all of Midnight in Paris wearing a tunic-length button-down with a skinny belt or hip-slung 1” belt and it looked so effortlessly chic. Here are a few looks for inspiration:

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Q. I have a couple floral collar necklaces and I’m not sure what to wear them with. Can you help?

A. This is such a bold style that it’s best to let the necklace make a statement and keep everything around it simple. This applies to your top (or dress) as well as any other jewelry; earrings should be small and simple. A chunky short necklace looks great with crew or scoop neck tops as well as button down collar shirts.

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Q. I have a Saturday evening affair in mid September and I am wearing a knee length black cocktail dress. What color stocking is acceptable. I have been seeing a lot of comments saying sheer nude is acceptable.

Middleton-nude-hosiery.jpgA. My first preference would be to wear no hosiery since the weather is rather mild in September. However, if you are more comfortable in hosiery, you can try black hosiery or even a fashion-forward lace hosiery.

There is a lot of buzz lately about sheer nude hosiery, especially since Kate and Pippa Middleton have been seen wearing a lot of nude hosiery lately. In fact, according to New York Magazine and WWD , there is an increased demand in nude hose over the past year with an 85% increase in sales in the U.K. and 12% increase in the U.S. — largely credited to the Middleton sisters. Sarah Jessica Parker, Mischa Barton, and Hayden Panettiere have also been spotted wearing nude hose over the past few months.

The key to wearing nude hosiery is to find an ultra-sheer style that most closely matches your skin tone. Here are some options worth exploring:




Q. I’ve got a soon approaching wedding reception to go to and after going crazy have finally found the dress I am going to wear. A little number hidden in the back of my closet, an off-white mini-sundress with ruffles —PERFECT for a lake side wedding. Only issue with the dress is that because it is made of linen, and not lined, it is see-though in direct sunlight. To not give my boyfriend’s family a show, I’ve been trying to find solutions to my dilemma and have run into a brick wall. Every half-slip or full slip is either too long or the cut isn’t right at the neck. Please be the gurus I know you are and help me figure out what I can do.

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A. We can definitely help you find the correct underpinning for your unlined sheer dress. Since the top is closer to the body and you will likely be wearing a bra, you will only need a skirt-style slip for the bottom half; one that is short enough to wear under a mini dress.

That being said, you may want to think twice about wearing a white dress to a wedding. Though your linen mini dress can hardly be considered bridal, there are many who feel that a guest should never wear white to a wedding. If you are looking to impress your boyfriend’s family, consider whether they are traditional-minded when it comes to fashion before you wear white. Also, bear in mind that an all-linen dress will easily wrinkle, so you may not look as polished as you’d like after stepping out of the car.

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