Fashion Friday: Fall Dress & Swing Coat

I am so in love with this gorgeous simple retro-chic business look. The skirt could be an inch shorter, but really, I don't know a girl who wouldn't look lovely and lady like in this outfit. Just, don't look at the price tag. The shoes alone would take my whole paycheck.

Source: polyvore.com via Beth on Pinterest

Fashion Friday - Fall Looks

Fall has descended where I am and the night are getting quite cool.  The fashionable girl looks great indoors and out.  Here's a quick look at some of my favorite fall looks to combat the chill if you're headed to a meeting, a football game, or even out apple picking!

Source: lookbook.nu via Maria on Pinterest

Source: blog.sarawhite.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: pinterestpurses.com via tawana on Pinterest

Source: 5th-avenue-fashion.tumblr.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Fashion Friday: Red

Sometimes a girl just wants to stand out.

Source: google.com via Miranda on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Miranda on Pinterest

Source: shop.diamondbridalgallery.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Fashion Friday: Long Live the LBD

"One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress."

—  Karl Lagerfeld

Though some would say that young ladies shouldn't be seen in black unless it's for mourning, the way we see it owning a little black dress is a great equalizer.   When paired with classic style and great design it's a staple that every lady should have in their closet.    It's a simple and accessible for women of all social classes, versatile, affordable, and everything right.

An LBD can be dressed up or down, worn to a meeting or worn out on the town.  As Mrs. Simpson was fond of saying.  "When you're little black dress is right there's simply nothing else to wear in it's place."

Long live the little black dress!  Here are a couple that we love.

Source: bloomingdales.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: fashionworship.com via Laura on Pinterest

Source: iknowhair.com via Jasmine on Pinterest

Fashion Friday - Navy Blue Like a Duchess

We love Navy Blue, it's clean, classic and never goes out of style. Navy Blue is slimming, you can dress it up, or down, and wear it all year long.  Plus, as with many of our favorite things, you can rock it like a Duchess! 

Oh yeah... our favorite royal lady has a passion for blue and she wears it oh. so. well.

Source: usmagazine.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: google.ca via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Kerri on Pinterest

Source: zimbio.com via Wendy on Pinterest

Source: chiceserinteligente.com via Raíssa on Pinterest

Fashion Friday: 1950s Pink Prom Dresses

Every Sweetheart can look pretty in pink, it's just a matter of finding the right shade to go with your coloring. We found some more beautiful vintage style from the 1950s.

Visit our 'My Style' Board on Pinterest for more fabulous formals!

Source: vintageous.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Sweetheart on Pinterest

Source: vintageous.com via Sweetheart on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Sweetheart on Pinterest

Fashion Friday: Duchess Catherine Evening Gowns

Duchess Catherine is quickly becoming modern fashion icon.  Her clothes are always young and stylish, yet modest enough for just about any young lady to wear.  Long, thin, and flowy Kate seems right at home in an elegant chiffon evening gown proving that you can be stunning without having to sport a ball-gown shape.  Here are just a couple of our favorites.

Source: Uploaded by user via Marian on Pinterest

Source: marieclaire.co.uk via Fay on Pinterest

Source: beautynfashions.com via Char on Pinterest

Fashion Friday - Summer Maxi Dress

With the mercury rising this is turning into a summer of record breaking heat it.  As we mentioned before, Staying Cool and Looking Neat is an important skill for a lady to have.  If your organization has called for a casual summer it's your cue to put your health first and relax the dress code.

However just because you're going casual doesn't mean you can't look cute.  A breezy summer maxi-dress can be just the ticket to making a classy statement.  Choose a dress from a natural fabric such as cotton, linen, or silk to stay cool.  Also be sure to watch your neckline, if the dress is cut to low you can always wear a camisole underneath. You can pair a simple dress with a belt and fabulous necklace.

Source: lookbook.nu via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: simplelovelyblog.com via Jourdan on Pinterest

Source: images1.chictopia.com via Gaby on Pinterest

Fashion Friday: Staying Cool, Looking Neat

The formality of business attire often diminishes as temperatures rise. Every workplace and organization is different and some are a lot more relaxed than others but don't be fooled into thinking that no one will judge your appearance. Be sure you're comfortable with the message your clothes are sending. Check with you boss or advisors to see what your summer dress code includes.

For women, the more skin you show, the less influence you have.  Do you really want to work harder to earn the respect of your associates and advisors?  Keep up a professional look by combining seasonal items with lighter weight classics.  Pair capris with a lightweight blazer, sandals with a wrap dress.

Michelle Obama has made tank sleeves work-chic, but beware of spaghetti straps if your neckline is to deep and over exposed, strapless day dresses need to be saved for weekend brunch.  Avoid mini skirts, short shorts, Spandex, and bare midriffs.  Just because it’s hot doesn’t mean you don’t have to be covered.

When in doubt, khakis and polo shirts are the way to go for both men and women. Professional and comfortable they have a neat appearance and keep focus on the business at hand.

Wrinkles can be harder to fight in the humid summer months, but neat and clean still counts. Wrinkled khakis and a stained or faded polo shirt are just as bad as showing up in gym shorts and a tee-shirt for your favorite band. The "I just got out of bed" look does nothing to enhance your credibility.

While it's always acceptable to dress "above" your company's requirements, keep it to one notch up to avoid being incongruous with the rest of your colleagues. If people focus on your clothes for the wrong reason, you're wearing the wrong clothes.

 Adapted from Reuters

Hosiery: Rock It Like a Duchess

Though sometimes inconvenient for girls on the run, there's a quality of modesty that young ladies of quality should maintain in social situations.  This modesty offers a respect not only to the other members of the social scene,  but for ourselves as well.  It says that we care about our appearance and have put effort into having a public face.

One of our favorite proper finishing touches (which annoys most girls who don't think that they should have to bother) is wearing beautiful hosiery.  Lucky for us, the newest royal across the pond is making waves and showing that it's stylish to shimmer again.

 

ABC News reports that “like everything else she touches that turns to gold, [Kate] Middleton’s embrace of sheer pantyhose has them flying off the shelves in her native U.K.”  Rumor has it that her favorite tights are Philippe Matignon's ‘Jade Sheer 20 Denier’ which boast no-slip cool summer style. Sheer pantyhose add a lovely finished look to any outfit and can hide little flaws that we're not happy with anyway.

"Egg-crate color is out, and clear, almost fairy-dusted iridescence is in. But the song remains the same: she's got Leggs and she knows how to use them" says Yahoo Shine!  "It's an unwritten rule that royal ambassadors and guests attend events dressed to make the queen proud: closed-toed shoes, mid-length skirts and pantyhose."

 

What better way to dress like a young lady than to wear what a true royal Lady wears?  From a super-sheer nude hose to show off your legs in the summer to a strong opaque tight in the winter, hosiery can dress up your overall look or add whimsy to an otherwise plain outfit.  It's up to you to rock it like the Duchess.

We at the Sweetheart Social are pro-hosiery!  Honestly, we have been for a very long time.