Recently in Style Rules Category

Q. I have a friend in Florida with a pressing style question.  She is 60ish, but wants to do what is currently in style.  She has a pair of slingbacks with a closed toe.  She is wondering whether to go without hose or wear nude or black hose (which would match her outfit).  She will wear them with longish skirts.
-Hosiery know how 

A. Your stylish older gal pal can work her longish skirts two ways.  While it still gets a bit chilly at night in Florida, she can stay comfortable in black sheer hose and once the temps start heating up, then she can bare an ankle without the hose. And my 60-something mom agrees.

Q. What is the recommendation for hose color with shoes?  Can tights/hose be darker than the shoe?  (An example of a probable fashion faux pas in my past history - red and black plaid skirt with black tights and red shoes.)  Is it still recommended when wearing solid black or navy to have a unified color from head to toe? 
-Hopeless With Hosiery


A. I agree, your red and black plaid skirt with black tights and red shoes would have been better on a six year old, but there aren’t necessarily hard and fast rules with hosiery.  I recently wore a black sweater with a thin belt at the waist over a black pencil skirt and black opaque tights and gave the whole look character by wearing greenish teal suede high-heeled round toe pumps. Had the outfit been brown, I could have added bronze metallic or a dark, less shiny gold  pump or even an animal print. Navy can be one of the hardest shades to match up head to toe so it takes a gal with attitude to add a little color like greenish teal, olive or hunter green and burgundy.  While black certainly looks chic head to toe, it’s nice add a bit of color with a shoe or accessory in a deep hued color. Just be sure to see yourself in a full length mirror before you walk out the door.  If you like it, then wear it.

Q. I am wearing a knee length black dress to a wedding and party at night.  Can I wear nylons that are nude instead of black?
-Leg Cover

A. You can wear nude stockings instead of black, but you may need to spend a little extra time in the hosiery department matching up your skin color to make sure the nude stockings really do look like you are wearing nothing at all - since that’s the point. Or, if your can swing it in the cooler temps, go bare legged and perhaps use a sunless tanner on your legs.

Q. I love leopard print shoes, but have no idea how to wear them. I work in an office, but don’t know how to wear them so that they aren’t too showy or inappropriate. How can I work this?
-Grrrrrr

A. Isn’t the idea of wearing leopard print shoes a chance to add a little panache to your outfit? Simple tips for wearing your leopard shoes in a professional office:

1. Don’t wear other animal prints
2. Keep the rest of your outfit classic
3. Don’t wear more than one other pattern or print
4. Don’t be shy about showing off your style

A pair of animal print shoes can make a classic outfit like a black or chocolate suit look more stylish.  And don’t assume that your top has to be white—choose other colors like burgundy, deep green, bronze, black or chocolate in silky blouses with a bit of shine.

Check out some of our favorite animal print pieces

Q. Is it okay to wear a brown silky blouse with black dress pants? I think I have seen a mannequin with this color combination and liked it. This is for a casual type Holiday Party. It is actually a brown spaghetti top silky camisole with a brown shrug.
-Color Combination

A. Go ahead and wear the brown and black color combo. Many people thought you couldn’t pair black and blue together, but that’s no longer true too.  The fashion “gods” know we don’t have the time, budget or stamina to spend at malls looking to find the perfect hued match of browns or blues, so we rely on black to help us out.  The other suggestion would be to wear winter white pants with your brown ensemble.