Trend expert lists essentials for men’s everyday dressing

This is an excerpt from a great article by Rod Hagwood...

What every guys needs in his wardrobe for the weekend, according to trend expert Tom Julian and Nordstrom.

Here is the new list of essentials:

Knit tops – especially in a cotton slub (slubs are super-soft textured nubby yarns).
Check shirts – gingham, mini-check, plaid
Camp shirt – has pockets for your cell phone and can be worn alone or over a tank top or T-shirt
Novelty shirt – vivid colors, contrasting collars and/or cuffs, top stitching, double-spaced buttons on the placket, sometimes leather tabs for French cuffs a la Bogosse or Robert Graham.
Unlined jacket – turn it inside out and make sure the seams are finished.
Five-pocket jeans – dark denim (acid wash is for teens and tweens)
Outerwear – a zip-front blouson jacket in nylon; keep the design clean and simple (no tricked up straps and buckles).
Shoes – drivers and canvas sneakers

For more fashion features from Hagwood, check him out at... http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/features_fashion/

"Fashion fades, only Style remains the same" - Coco Chanel

Contrary to popular belief, Style has nothing to do with Fashion. Nor is it something reserved for the thin, famous, or wealthy…or something you are born with. Sure, it does come easier for some, but it is a skill that can be taught if you are willing to learn.

Here, the Practical Fashionista’s top three tips to get you on the road to always looking your best and discovering your personal style…

1) Get to know your body shape so you can dress accordingly. In other words, learn how to amplify your assets while downplaying the parts you aren’t so fond of.
2) Go through your closet and get rid of anything that no longer fits, is outdated, or doesn’t make you feel GREAT when you wear it.
3) When shopping, be brutally honest about whether the item you are thinking of buying will fit in with the rest of your wardrobe, matches your style personality, and flatters your body type and shape. If not, skip it.

The "IT" Factor

This is a bit of a long post, and yes pretty self promotional. But since I have made it my mission in life that everyone look and feel their best (and I want to teach them how), it’s important for me to say.
What is style? Do you have it? And if not, how do you get it?

It’s true, for some people, looking put together and stylish just seems to come easily…like it’s in their DNA. But for most, this isn’t the case. The good news is, it’s something that can be taught. It’s not rocket science, but it is a skill.

So, what does it come down to? Simply put, it’s all about knowing yourself inside and out.

Starting from the inside, developing a personal style that will have you always looking your best means being honest about who you are, your values, and the image you wish to project. From the outside, it means acknowledging and appreciating your assets. So many times, we focus on our “flaws” and how to disguise them. I want people to start to turn their attention toward their assets and amplify them. Because when you do that, no one’s going to notice your so called “flaws”, all they’ll be able to see is your stunning style and confidence.

So, the next question is, how do you do all of this? Well, if you don’t know where to start, it can be tricky. That’s where an Image Coach/Image Consultant/Personal Stylist like myself comes in! Someone that can be objective about you and your appearance, someone who isn’t “weighed” down with your past baggage about who you are, what you look like, or what you have been told about either of those things by other people. And unlike a retail sales person, we’re not working on commission, so an Image Coach will be honest about what does and doesn’t work for you. So, how do we do it?

First of all, it begins with truly understanding who you are on the inside. From there, we can recommend the best “look” for you…something called your “Style Personality”. As well, an Image Coach will work with you to determine your individual body type, shape, colouring, lifestyle, and budget to determine the best clothing for you. From clothing cuts, styles, fabrics, colours, textures, etc.

I can hear it now though, “I can’t afford an Image Coach. It must be so expensive. That’s something only the rich or famous have.” Well, you’d probably be surprised to learn how inexpensive it is. The knowledge you’ll gain is priceless, and when you do the math, the return on investment is really quite big. Imagine…

- A renewed sense of pride in the way you look
- Loving ALL of your clothes
- Not having to stress about “What to Wear” because you’ll have a fun and functional wardrobe full of clothes that flatter YOU
- Knowing that you always make a great first impression (professionally and socially)
- Being able to shop with confidence knowing what works and doesn’t work for you, and saving tons of time and money because of it

So, are you ready to invest in YOU? If so, drop me a line at lisa@practicalfashionista.com so we can discuss your needs.

And if you’re not convinced yet, I’ll let one of my client testimonials sum it up for you…

“I love it b/c I now have a guidance of what to look for and what to try on. That's always been the main reason why I've hesitated to go shopping. This is excellent because with this info in mind, I'll feel more confident trying things on and making my purchase decisions. Also, thanks for the product & clothing line recommendations! I'll definitely recommend Lisa - I had a great time and felt comfortable with her and trusted her.” - Dixie, Toronto