Farewell!

As you all may have noticed, it's been a long time since my last entry and I am sad to say this is the end of Chandelier Skies for now. It's time to focus on other things in life and eliminate a few distractions. Although I love this blog, I will take the next few months to prepare for a much bigger and better version with a focus solely on styling women of success both inside and out. I'm very excited about the future and hope you all will join me in saying bye bye to Chandelier Skies and will look forward to dressing for success!

The oversized gold watch became a celeb must have last Spring and it's still ticking it's way through the new year in (as Rachel Zoe would say) "Ma-JOR" style.  That's why this Christmas I'm asking for Kenneth Cole's Gold New York Watch priced at just $150. It's the perfect gift for ever fashionista to count down to the New Year.

Kenneth Cole New York Ladies Watch 

(purchase through this link to receive free shipping!)

Check out these IT girls rocking the style

What's the use of a flawless, jaw-dropping ensemble if you're going to ruin it with the wrong shoes and bag? That would be the absolute essence of waste! One of my all time favorite success principles states that you must establish good habits, because while at the beginning you make your habits, in the end, your habits make you! I think it goes without saying that establishing good habits in dress is best begun early or else you'll end up with a closet full of wasted money and unpolished garments. (Are you imagining this read/said in a French accent? Or am I the only one channeling a little Coco right now?) That being said, establishing decedent fashion should actually begin with the proper pair of shoes and the perfect purse or bag. And men, you're not of the hook here....your shoes and your briefcase speak volumes of your success).

Start checking into a few great investments like these....

the bag

A great way not to break the bank but still get your money's worth? Try this Hobo from Simply Vera, Vera Wang collection at Kohls!

Shoes are a whole other topic...we'll tackle those tomorrow!

Style Icons by Joanna P. Brock

One of my favorite and most important things in life is having a mentor, someone to guide me, lead me and set examples that I can follow. Since having a good fashion sense is also so important to me, and should be to some extend, for all of us (remember, what we wear speaks volumes about who we are and who we portray ourselves to be), I wanted to explore a few iconic women. Look to them to do the work for you and then follow their lead. To expand upon this topic I have invited my best friend in life, a woman who is and always has been sure of who she is and has the undeniable ability to turn heads with her class. I bring you, Mrs. Joanna P. Brock. 

My bff has asked me to toss in an opinion regarding her recent blog trend on style and I could not be more honored to contribute.  Chelsea has specifically asked for my opinion on Style Icons.  Well, too bad for you that there is very little "new" in this category - too good for you that that fact is why the people I am about to mention are Icons.

Up to this point, Chelsea has done a lovely job arguing the point of buying less, but better and buying classics, not trends.  All of these points I could not agree with more.  The ladies that I want to mention knew this and were able to be confident, beautiful, always appropriate, and always stunning while wearing clothes that were timeless.

A few weeks ago the tv show Project Runway asked the designers to be inspired by Jackie O.  Even a show based on new, boundary pushing, innovative fashion recognizes that Jackie did it right in a feminine, classy wardrobe!  She knew that she could appear anywhere in a smart suit or a flattering CONSERVATIVE* (more on this word in a moment) dress and be appropriate and confident!  She always looked put together and aware of herself!

I mentioned the word conservative because there is a disturbing trend of flesh in fashion.  While standards do evolve, ladies, fitted is different than painted-on-tight, not every flattering neckline includes the majority of your bust, a short flirty hemline should never venture too close to your underwear (and yes, you should always wear underwear!!).  Some of these fundamentals are getting thrown out the fashionable window and I believe this is very sad.  Modesty oozes confidence.  Yes, people judge the girl in the super tight, super low cut, super short dress as trashy, desperate and cheap.  Cover up a bit and let your gorgeous personality shine!  A shining personality is  always a fashionable accessory.  

Back to Jackie.  She is known as much for her fashion as much as for being The First Lady.  Jackie was constantly being followed by paparazzi, media and adoring fans - a great motivator for dressing up.  You don't have the same following?  Don't worry - someone is watching and you should care!  You never know who they may be!

My second favorite icon is Ms. Hepburn herself!  Audrey Hepburn is known for her style of simplicity and elegance.  Who knew that black cropped pants and a white tee shirt could be so stunning?  Audrey knew.  Audrey loved the casual ease of cropped pants and a tee, but knew the importance of putting on a stunning dress for the right occasion.  I think Audrey is a great example of knowing one's audience and atmosphere.  When you are home having coffee with your best friend, don the yoga pants and flip flops if you like.  If you are OUT having coffee with your best friend, ditch the gym wear and put on some real clothes!  If you are invited to a dinner party of friends, don't wear your torn up jeans and stained favorite sweatshirt.  These may be your friends but if someone is putting enough effort into throwing a party - at least get dressed!  Audrey had a great sense of awareness for what was appropriate and flattering to her body.

My newest favorite icon is Kelly Ripa.  Her clothing seems to be a great example of merging timeless classic styles with trendy fashions of today.  She has a way of marrying classic lines with new fabrics or modern flair.  It's exciting to see how she adapts the old to the new!  I think she is a great example of how we can make the classic clothing of decades ago seem new today.  I am excited to see how she continues to portray herself.  

        

These are the ladies that I look to for inspiration.  They embody class, energy, elegance and sophistication.  I encourage you to think of these ladies (or your own favorite classy girls) as you are seeking to improve your style.  There is a reason why ladies from so long ago are still considered to be so fashionable - they had pride in themselves as women, not as objects.  They had confidence in who they are, not who they are wearing.  Take a trip to Google images and look around and what these women did - I hope it inspires you to find the style that makes you the best you that you can be!  

How To: Find Your Style!

Part of dressing for success comes in empowering others to define their style. So I think that today would be the perfect day to address some excellent inquiries from my friend, Margie.

She writes:

I have NO idea how to dress for success. I mean, I understand your points but I never even know where to start. I loved my old navy jeans and high school team hoodies. How do I even know what my style is? My personality has just enough Peaceful Phlegmatic to want to wear what is comfortable. But my #1 personality is Sanguine, then Choleric. I love pink and wish I could wear bolder eye colors. I wear a lot of black and white, because (I think) it is classic looking. I don't like 99% of what models wear but I love the style of someone like Aubrey Hepburn. But I don't know that it would work for me.

How do I even know what stores to start with?

Well, pretty lady, you've come to the right place! My first piece of advice is to put aside the personality stigmatisms and figure out what looks good on you, not what your head tells you is you. Your mind can play some tricky games on you when it comes to appearance. When you conquer this, your confidence will soar. And let's face it, our personalities should be in constant development if we are truly on the path to success so who's to say you should cater to one personality trait or another. I say look good, feel good, and keep on growing! That being said, we must address your question about makeup! I'm not a make up artist but I do recommend staying subtle in that area unless you properly know how to apply it without looking like a hooker. If you want to experiment with a bolder color or darker definition around those lovely lashes, start by finding examples of make up trends in the latest issue of InStyle, Elle, Vogue, or your favorite (current) fashion issue, and experiment on yourself. Here's the trick though, don't let the fear of something new make your decision. Snap a pict with your phone and shoot it to a trusted and seriously stylish girlfriend who already pulls off the looks you like. Or, even better, invite them over in person to give their opinion. As a rule, I always ask 3 people with different, yet chic styles, for their advice any time I am trying a style little out of my comfort zone. 

That brings me right to the main point: Finding your style. Then we can discuss where to shop and how to take it from shop to your own wardrobe adding, of course, your own personal flair. *PS, there is actually nothing wrong with your high school hoodies as long as you don't leave the house in them for anything short of a service project. 

My first suggestion in discovering your style would be to identify your own Celebrity Fashion Muse. Why? Because these days, they are the ones who pay a professional stylist to dress them. They have access to all the latest trends and designers before the rest of us know they even exist. It's a great way to find out about the newest trends and pieces before they even hit the stores. You can basically look to them and say, does that look flatter her and if so would it flatter me? Here's the key though, to get the best idea of whether or not that look that flatters them, will flatter you, identify a celeb that looks like you in terms of hair color, skin tone, body type, etc. You probably won't find your twin in Hollywood but you can certainly find someone to identify with. Can't find the perfect one? Pick a few and watch closely. I think we have already decided you love the classic appearance of Audrey Hepburn so lets start there for inspiration. To keep Audrey updated follow leading ladies like Anne Hathaway, Keira Knightly or Natalie Portman. And Oh! How I love the Audrey look! So timeless! In addition, it really is a fashion any woman can adapt to their closet and pull off with the utmost sophistication. So, Margie, don't doubt that a form of this can be just for you! 

Natalie Portman for Harpers Nov. 2006

Finding a celeb with your body type is truly a must when it comes to figuring out what type of clothes will flatter. I'm petite so I try to look to stars like Lea Michele, Lauren Conrad or Reese Witherspoon. I like to ask myself WWLCW? What about you? 

Now, this next piece of advice might sound silly but it's actually really helpful. Pick out what you deem to be your favorite outfits, select 5-6 of them, with accessories, shoes and all, and photograph yourself in them. Seeing yourself in a photograph is completely different than seeing yourself in a mirror. You will have the opportunity to analyze that snapshot as much as you want and really decide does the ensemble live or die? When in doubt, ask a friend (with good taste, notice I keep reiterating this, GOOD TASTE!) If you aren't quite sure what good taste is, please ask me, my email is listed, or try uploading your snapshot to Go Try It On for honest advice on your look. Because, hey, sometimes your friends can be way too nice or may suffer from their own fashion faux pax. 

The next big thing to tackle is the fact that yes, black and white is classic, but it's important to keep it chic, spice it up, and keep it from becoming ho-hum. One easy way is by jumping on board the nude train. Nudes and natural tones give a very romantic flair to our typical black and white. These are tones that range from champagne to sand with hints of peach or blush. Accessories are another great way to add the wow factor. 

this Banana Republic salt & pepper tweed number is timeless and polished with a feminine belt accentuating the waiste and bold accessories keeping the look fresh and modern.

Now that we've established a bit of a jumping off point I'd like to suggest a few places to browse:
1. Nordstrom. They offer a myriad of different designers, looks and dominate in the shoes and accessories department. Plus, the ladies there are extremely put together, offer excellent style advice and will bend over backwards to give you a good experience.
2. Banana Republic. Although the dress forms in the shop windows may be draped in more layers and colors than you are ready to branch out to, they have classic covered. My advice, pick a dress form or two on display that you like (get a little daring even!) and just try it all on.
3. J.Crew. My go to store for life. I recommend doing the same thing as advised for BR. The fits will be different enough to give you a really good idea of what looks best on you.
4. White House Black Market. You said it yourself, you're a Black & White sort of girl. This shop has your name written all over it and the staff is lovely as well. Visit the Easton Town Center location and ask for Jessica, she's my girl :)
5. Target. Your wallet needs a break sometimes and Target will lend a hand in that area while still providing an up to date collection. I love Target for inexpensive accessories, just stay away from the chunky heels in the shoe department, they seem to be still weening themselves out of the 90's.

Last but not least I am dying to share this invaluable website with you all! What Not To Wear's Stacie London and Clinton Kelly on some of their favorite fashion tips, please visit What Not To Wear's website for the ultimate in style advice.

And there you have it! Margie, I've had a blast helping you find your look. I sincerely hope these suggestions will be of great use for you. When in doubt shoot us a look and we'll be happy to properly advise, demise or high five!