style

5 Style Tips Every Woman Can Learn from First Lady Michelle Obama

February 8, 2011 at 5:58 pm , by Sonia Harmon

Looking to revamp your wardrobe? Take some style cues from our First Lady, who’s the subject of Kate Betts’ new book Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style. “I think people have forgotten that style is powerful,” said Betts, a contributing editor at Time. “Everybody can relate to beautiful colors or the way she presents herself, and I think she’s used her style to really connect with people.” We talked to Betts about some of the staples of Michelle Obama’s wardrobe, and why they can work for you, too.

1. Don’t be afraid to wear bold colors. “Michelle Obama has made color an expression of power so it feels more attainable by someone who might be afraid of wearing bold colors. People really notice you if you’re wearing a beautiful pink dress or turquoise cardigan.”

2. Your shoes don’t have to be high-heeled and painful to be chic. “High heels have gotten crazy over the past few seasons. When Mrs. Obama wears flats it’s not only about the fact that flats are back in fashion, but also that she’s wearing shoes that she likes.”

3. Keep your style fresh by taking fashion risks. “The risk that people talked about the most was when she wore a cardigan to meet the Queen. A lot of people thought she should have worn a jacket or something more formal. I think that was a perfect example of her saying, ‘This is who I am and the way I dress, and this is the way I feel great about myself.’”

4. Find your signature accessory. “I love the fact that Mrs. Obama wears a lot of floral prints and bold jewelry. She’s made that her signature.”

5. Mix in budget-friendly finds. “When Mrs. Obama wore JCrew gloves to the inauguration, most people could relate. It was a way of connecting to people and making herself very accessible.”

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Gift Guide Giveaway: Win These Fashion & Beauty Gifts

November 15, 2010 at 6:00 am , by Ladies' Lounge

Give a little pampering and holiday sparkle to the stylish ladies in your life (or the gals who need a bit of an update… hint, hint).  One lucky reader will score all of these lovely fashion and beauty gifts. Want to know more about each item? Check out our Stylish Gift Guide.

Enter to win by posting a brief comment below telling us why you’d like to win one of the holiday gift packages. Comments must be posted by 11:59 ET on Monday, December 20. We will randomly select one winner. Read the full rules here. Good luck!

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Do-Good Deal: Cute Clogs That Give Back

June 16, 2010 at 11:12 am , by jbrown

Clogs are making a comeback this summer, and if you’ve been tempted to add a pair to your shoe collection, now’s the time to buy. For the month of June, 50 percent of all online purchases made through the Cape Clogs’ Web site, capeclogs.com, will be donated to Hope in Bloom, a non-profit organization that plants gardens free of charge at the home of women (and men) undergoing treatment for breast cancer. (You can read about the founder, Roberta Dehman Hershon, and what inspired her to create Hope in Bloom here.) There are tons of styles and colors available; the silver ones shown here are calling my name…

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It’s Fresh New You Week!

March 8, 2010 at 9:06 am , by Amanda Wolfe

Our special April theme issue is all about the little (and big) changes you can make to look and feel your best. To celebrate, we’re declaring it “Fresh New You” week in the Ladies’ Lounge. All week long our editors will share their insider tips to make over everything from your closet to your volunteer work to your gym routine. Come back every day this week for more!

And if that wasn’t fun enough, we’re also giving away more than $10,000 worth of fabulous spa prizes to pamper 5 lucky readers. Enter now!

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New Years’ Eve Fashion Finds

December 15, 2009 at 11:04 am , by Sue Erneta

New Years’ Eve is quickly approaching and I hope you’ve already got your plans nailed down. (Babysitters are hard to come by last minute!) Now, what to wear? I’ve trolled the internet and put together a chic, simple and reasonably priced ensemble for you. Hope you like!

Dress: Let’s start off with a deal so we can save money for accessories. I found this adorable little silk charmeuse dress at White House Black Market that’s been marked down to $39.99. Love it!

Shoes: A sequin pump is definitely the dressy shoe of the season, and my faves are these with a hidden platform from Steve Madden. I found them at Piperlime for $79.

Earrings: Macys.com is a wonderland of affordable jewelry. I almost fell off my chair when I found these Betsey Johnson crystal teardrops for only $35.

Bracelet: Shopping online wouldn’t be complete for me without finding a deal in JCrew’s sale section. I scored again: This jeweled bracelet is 41% off.

The hair: Top off the outfit with the updo of the season -  the pompadour. You could try a polished one but a messy one is really chic too.

Have fun! But remember…shop responsibly!

So, tell me…what are you doing for New Years’ Eve?

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My Observations on Special-Occasion Style

November 17, 2009 at 10:15 am , by Sue Erneta

I just returned from a wedding in the Dominican Republic. The bride is an accessory director at a major fashion magazine and we worked together at a former job. She is beautiful and smart and fun to be around—and she’s also incredibly fashionable, though she never looks like she’s trying too hard at it. The crowd at this wedding included lots of fashion types—editors, designers and publicists—and when it came to their attire, they did not disappoint. I think I learned a little something about style at each glamorous event.

Thursday night: Cocktail party at a beachside house
Attire: Tropical chic
I wore: A plumy silk Rebecca Taylor bustier dress and Miu Miu sequined heels.
What I observed about style: It’s always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. All the ladies pulled out their cutest cocktail dresses and fabulous shoes. Black wrap dresses need not apply.

Friday: Cruise on a catamaran
Attire: Beach casual
I wore: A gold silk mini from J. Crew and a brown Tomas Maier bikini.
What I observed about style: Shorts and a t-shirt are not appropriate beach attire. Whether they were wrapped in a sarong, or wearing an easy jersey dress, all the women looked amazing.  The key accessory: simple non-logo sunglasses.

Saturday night: The wedding
Attire: Formal
I wore: A long black asymmetrical Prada gown (before you judge my frivolous spending habits – it was a sample sale find and I got for a song!) and an Alexis Bittar gold cuff.
What I observed about style: When in doubt, wear chiffon. It moves so beautifully when you dance, and in general it’s very drapey, making it much more comfortable than a structured strapless dress.

So, tell me….what have you observed about style from the events that you’ve been to?

(Photo of me and my cute hubby by my good friend, the amazing fashion writer and amateur photographer Selene Milano Angel.)

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Objects of Desire

September 22, 2009 at 9:56 am , by Sue Erneta

I was recently in Target when my 4 year old started having a HUGE tantrum. What was wrong, you ask? Oh, just the simple fact that she had spotted a Dora mermaid doll and I said she’d have to wait to ask Santa for it. Her face began to turn red, the waterworks were sprouting, and she started jumping around like she hadn’t peed in hours. I wanted to say “Knock it off! You’re being ridiculous!” but instead I soothed her with some reasoning. “We can’t always have what we want.”

Sure it’s silly when she pulls these tantrums but then again, she is 4. And we all know what it’s like to want something we can’t have. Which reminds me…

I’m on the hunt for some new fall shoes. Let’s face it, it’s not really a desire, it’s something I need, right? Unfortunately, my budget is more “steal” than “splurge”. So, I picked out some nice Banana boots and felt pretty satisfied. Until…I popped into the Saks shoe salon. Prada studded round-toe pumps! Balenciaga lace-up booties! YSL navy sandals! Christian Louboutin patent peep-toes! My heart began to race. My palms started to sweat. I had an achy feeling in my stomach. Had I died and gone to shoe heaven? If so, it didn’t feel very good. I had to do everything in my  power to avoid having a full blown tantrum when I looked at the prices. And suddenly I understood the way my daughter felt about that Dora doll.

The next time we went to Target, I bought her that doll. I know that was probably not the right lesson but I just figured one of us should get what we wanted, right? And since hers was only $14.99, she won.

So, tell me…What have you wanted so bad that it hurt?

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