Ladies' Home Journal Blogs » style

Make It Work

Maggie Niemiec — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 12:00:35 +0000

We’re halfway through summer, and, boy, is it hot. As much as we wish we could lounge by the pool all day, we still have to go to work. Bring summer fun into the office with this easy ensemble. The classic pencil skirt gets a nautical-inspired update with this chic navy-and-white wrap version from Madewell. Pair it with a bright pink sleeveless blouse and you’re sure to stay cool. (Is the A.C. blasting in your workplace? Ditch your usual cardigan for a soft patterned scarf, which doubles as a shawl when you get cold.) Every working woman needs a fashionable yet functional bag, like this leather satchel, to tote her essentials to and from work. Slip on some Toms for your commute but step into these raffia-trimmed metallic sandals as soon as you arrive at the office. They’ll add a little edge to your look while the platforms make them easy to walk in.

blouse, Target, skirt, Madewell, scarf, Target, bag, Shopbop, earrings, J. Crew, watch, Nordstrom, bangle, BaubleBar, shoes, Nordstrom, sandals, Saks Fifth Avenue

Cream of the Crop

Maggie Niemiec — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:02 +0000

Crop tops aren’t just for 20-something festival-goers anymore. They’ve been all over the runways this year, and, believe it or not, you can wear them, too! The key to pulling one off is to keep the rest of your look simple and refined. If you’re going to play peekaboo with your tummy, be sure to cover your cleavage. This knitted crochet crop top does the trick. Pair it with a high-waisted knee-length pencil skirt, like this gorgeous floral one from Zara, so only a sliver of your stomach shows through. The look is super flirty, yet still classy and totally on-trend. Change up your accessories to take your outfit from day to night. A versatile crossbody bag and flat sandals are perfect for daytime, while gold spiked bracelets, a hot pink clutch, and strappy high heels give you just enough edge for a night on the town.

top, Topshop, skirt, Zara, crossbody bag, ASOS, flat sandals, Old Navy, bracelets, ASOS, clutch, Kate Spade, heels, Steve Madden

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

Sonia Harmon — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:58:20 +0000

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.”

Gift Guide Giveaway: Win These Fashion & Beauty Gifts

Ladies' Lounge — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:00:47 +0000

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!

Do-Good Deal: Cute Clogs That Give Back

jbrown — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:12:18 +0000

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…

It’s Fresh New You Week!

Amanda Wolfe — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:06:01 +0000

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!

New Years’ Eve Fashion Finds

Sue Erneta — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:04:16 +0000

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?

My Observations on Special-Occasion Style

Sue Erneta — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:15:57 +0000

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.)

Objects of Desire

Sue Erneta — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:56:02 +0000

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?

Fall Shopping Checklist

Sue Erneta — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:35:29 +0000

Hi! I’m Sue and I’m the Fashion Editor of Ladies’ Home Journal. I can’t tell you what to buy for fall (well, actually I did) but I figure I could tell you what I’m going to buy for fall and that way we can get to know each other a little better.

Here are some of the things on my list.

Navy boyfriend blazer: I’m opting for this shorter version from the GAP (sold out online but still available in stores) because it’ll be better for my 5’1″ frame. Navy is perfection to me, and I’ll wear this little number with jeans and tees, over little dresses, and maybe even with a mini skirt and boots. It’s the perfect ‘transition to fall’ piece.

Denim shirt: I already got one from American Eagle—gotta love early fall deliveries! I’ve worn it with a gold mini for a little contrast and this winter I’ll wear it with everything from jeans and a blazer to dressy skirts.

Chunky crystal necklace: If my husband saw this he’d say “Another necklace??” but seriously, they do change a look like nothing else and I don’t have anything like this one from J.Crew. (You support me on this, right? Will you tell him that I really really need it??)

Pleat front short skirt: I’m picking this wool version from J. Crew because, well, I’m obsessed with J.Crew and it’s cute and swingy but kind of polished too.

Oversized day clutch: I’ve decided that a true clutch is really not practical for my morning commute while I’m juggling my iPhone and coffee, so I’m getting this one because it has a detachable strap. It’s actually quite roomy for a clutch and hopefully it’ll keep me from lugging too much stuff around! P.S. I love the sort of obnoxious color! (I needed to added a little pop to this dark and moody wardrobe, right?)

Sequin pumps: Fun, right? My style’s a little crazy so I’ll wear them to work with black tights and a black dress but they’d be equally great out at night. (Note: Won’t be in stores until around Thanksgiving. Mark your calendar and go to White House | Black Market)

Navy suede knee-high boots: I ordered the Delman ones pictured above from Gilt Groupe (more than 50% off!) which is kind of scary because I didn’t get to try them on…but did I mention they’re navy? What could go wrong with navy?

So what are you buying for fall? Want some ideas for putting it all together? Leave a comment and I’ll help as best as I can. Gotta run! Need to hide the credit card bill!