Recently in Fashion Category

Q. I recently purchased this vintage-inspired dress for a black tie wedding. I’m looking to accessorize it with shoes and a bag. I want a vintage-inspired look without looking like I’m attending a theme party. Can you help me out? P.S. I’ll be wearing the dress without the straps.

Q. I recently bought a white twill blazer from Old Navy and would like some casual ideas on what to pair it with. I live in Florida and don’t have to wait til it warms up to start wearing it. Seems like it should be a no brainer and would work with just about everything but you always offer great ideas that I would never think of!

A. A white blazer is a great wardrobe addition this season, and yours from Old Navy is not only versatile, but affordable too! I applaud your decision to start wearing your blazer now - that old rule about not wearing white before Memorial Day is so outdated. To wear your white blazer casually, think of it almost as a replacement for a jean jacket, wearing it with day dresses, cargo pants, jeans, skirts, etc. Here are a few outfit ideas for you:

1. pair your blazer over a casual dress and wear with wedge sandals

Q. I recently bought this white strapless dress online not realizing it is a terry dress (shopping online can be deceiving) and nowhere did it say it was a terry dress. I was going to send it back but I actually think it has potential and it can look cute with the right shoes and accessories. I live in Houston and the weather here is warm during the summer so I don’t necessarily have to wear this dress to the beach only. Can you give me some ideas on how to make this dress look nice without looking like I have a towel wrapped around myself, how do I accessorize? Help….  

A. You’re right, you don’t have to limit wearing this dress to the beach, however, no matter how much you try to dress it up, it will always be a casual dress. This means it’s not appropriate for the office or conservative affairs, however, it’s perfect for a day of shopping or meeting some friends for lunch. Start by adding some color to the white dress in the form of a pretty necklace. A casual but un-beachy tote and leather sandals (no rubber flip flops here), also with a dash of color, will help add some “street” to your beachy dress. Now you’re ready to hit the town in a cute, casual warm weather look.

Q. I have tried to wear the new style of blazer, the short blazer. However, I am plus sized (size 16) and find that they don’t flatter me. If I wear a longer blazer, will I be committing a fashion faux pas?

A. Quite the contrary! You’re in luck, this season’s newest silhouette is the longer boyfriend style blazer. To properly wear this look without looking sloppy, the rest of your outfit should be slim: skinny or slim jeans or pants work best (and yes, even on a plus size figure). As for a shorter blazer, try layering it over a longer top for a more flattering look. Here are two long blazer looks and two short blazer over long top looks for inspiration:

Q I just bought a wonderful black sequin jacket at a great price. Unfortunately, I’m not quite sure what to wear it with! Is it possible to wear it with something besides formal clothes?

A. You can absolutely wear your sequin jacket with casual clothes - in fact, we encourage it! Pair it with a pretty feminine top or even a simple tank and jeans for a casual chic look. Take inspiration from the Iisli Women’s “Tiffany” Lace Cotton Blazer shown here (from bloomingdales.com) to see how great a plain white tee and dark jeans look with the sparkly blazer. Try it also with a day dress or even a pair of man-tailored trousers for some more dressy/daytime pairings.