Out of the closet
October 10, 2002 | 12:00am
Feel like you need a change in your wardrobe? Well, before you swing out that fantastic plastic and deck the malls, try looking somewhere closer to home – like your closet. Fashion fortune awaits you in your very own closet.
A spirit for adventure and an inspiration to be fight is all you need to turn those basics into anything but! So bring out the artist in you and knock ‘em dead!
1. Denim mania
There’s nothing blue about wearing blue. The most multi-talented of all fashion gadgets, it is excellent for both day and night. Paired with anything imaginable, denim creates the perfect canvas for that chic, uncontrived look.
• Here’s a fun thing do to spice up those blah blah colors: Run bleach on the legs of your denim trousers and that nasty white streak will add ooomph to your look. Not to mention length to your legs!
• Never undersestimate the impact of belts. Chosen wisely with everything considered – from shoes to top to bag – a belt makes a great central piece.
• Jeans can go anywhere, but please leave them at home when going to black-tie events.
• Little extras go a long way: Try sewing on patches. Patchwork patterns are quite happening this season. Just don’t go too far and do a Rageddy Ann!
2. Coat of chic, please...
Cropped and fitted is the way to go to keep yourself warm or, in our case in Las Islas Filipinas, dry. Forget baggy sack-like water repellant nylon jackets. The new fitted jackets, which are well-suited for the damp holiday season, are very flattering and, not to mention, versatile.
• Basic evening jackets become exciting when accented with details like satin piping, a brooch or army-style medals.
• Pair jackets with a frilly dress to make an interesting combo!
• Wrap a scarf around the waist of your fitted jacket to make a way hip peacock look!
• Wear your jacket like a shirt.
3. Skirting the issue
Ah! Here we are in the most ambiguous and complicated of fall fashion fodder. Worn carelessly, the full skirt can make the fairest one look like a bag lady. However, following the physics of fashion, a full skirt worn with a fitted top and low-heeled shoes (two inches is quite ideal) makes a winning look. Smaller women, however, should opt for a more conservative volume such as a modest A-line as the skirt tends to be overwhelming.
• Choose skirts with subtle details. A plain skirt works, but there is more art and flair in finding a skirt with some juice in it. With such a conservative form, this skirt becomes utterly modern when it’s all dappered up with interesting details.
• Footwear plays an integral part in making this look work. Fitted boots and smart heels add sophistication.
• Wear tops with interesting cuts and embellishments to keep the look from looking too lola.
4. Cigarettes for the lady, please...
Cigarette pants, contrary to popular belief, are not a corset for the limbs. Rather, it’s a tapered cut for trousers that flatter women of all sizes. Snug at the hips, straight throughout the leg with a bit of room at the bottom for boots or complex footwear. It is slimming and accentuates all the right things.
• An ambidextrous fashion essential, cigarette pants are a low-maintenance friend that you can take anywhere. Whether worn with a roomy sweater or a skimpy halter, trousers lend a certain elegance to whatever they are paired with.
• Hems should be somewhere near the ankle to make your pants a perfect partner for flats and heels alike.
• Use a plain ribbon as a belt
• Try pairing them with sneakers for a look of casual elegance
5. Shoe-down
To look sharp, make sure your shoes have that knify edge to them as well. Pointy shoes (careful not to cross the elfin zone, though that can be carried off by a gifted few) again are perfect for a sophisticated look for the season. But oh, my vertigo! The rounded ones are trés chic as well!
• Try again some interesting tones and fabrics when choosing a new shoe. Mules are also 24/7 items that take you anywhere! Personal favorites are denim for day and silk for night.
• Make sure that since les pointy objets d’art can be quite unforgiving on the feet, a consideration for width is something to be reckoned with. For an activity-filled day, sensibly heeled shoes should be functional and keep you away from the podiatrist.
• When wearing a plain outfit, try using your funkiest shoes!
6. White shirt
If there were a royal wedding for fashion, it would be that of the denim pants and the white shirt. Eternally versatile and timelessly chic, it’s the ultimate must-have. From generation to generation and season to season, it’s the all-time megastar in all its incarnations.
• Jazz up a button-down shirt with the ingenuous use of scarves. Do a Cary Grant. Knot it in front and tuck the ends inside your shirt.
• This little white shirt can social climb its way from the supermarket to gala events. Paired with a fancy skirt or way hip brocade pants, it’s a no brainer for any event.
• Wear a bright bra underneath. That sexy schoolgirl look need not be exclusively for whorehouses. Add some sophisticated flair by pairing it with smart trousers.
• The white shirt becomes more exciting when made in different fabrics. Experiment and you shall be gratified!
7. Sneak attack
The clubkid look has gone upscale. From toney brands, such as Dior, Jil Sander and Marc Jacobs, there’s nothing dumpy about these rubber bullets of style! However, the old school lines still rule and how to wear them is a test of your creativity.
• Worn with a denim mini, the sporty Spice look is nice and toasty.
• If you’re into socks, try using rainbow-colored ones. They’re so much fun.
8. Testosterone chic
Diane Keaton once wore men’s clothing as religiously as a nun would wear her habit, but now Hedi Slimane of Dior is getting calls from international sexpots for his trim suits. The woman’s power suit is slim and silky and, paired off with a dandy tie, it’s anything but Tektite.
• Pair a smart and well tailored jacket with a sexy mini bordering on the slutty!
• Use a tie like a true artist. Not just for the neck, you can use it as a bandana or a belt!
• When wearing a suit, a sexy pair of heels will remind everyone that you’re a woman!
9. Little black dress
If there is anything unlucky than a cat in black, then you are sadly misinformed. Instant sex appeal and class are a blessing to all women who have more to do than figure out the cryptic code of the color wheel.
• Shoes again should be treated like jewels when it comes to pairing them with the smart black dress.
• Experiment with the different forms of black dresses!
• When accesorizing, go nuts! But to be a spartan black sheep ain’t that bad either!
10. Shifting lanes
If there was a shape of dress for everyone, it would be the flattering shift that goes from coffee to cocktails. Done in practically every fabric, the shift dress never runs dry of style juice. A keeper indeed.
• Jackets make the shift dress corporate worthy.
• For P.M. ooomph, do a Coco and add a scandalous layer of bijoux beads.
• Looks great with patterned tights. Really!
Vintage fashion shots courtesy of Fashion: A Century in Fashion by Charlotte Seeling
A spirit for adventure and an inspiration to be fight is all you need to turn those basics into anything but! So bring out the artist in you and knock ‘em dead!
1. Denim mania
There’s nothing blue about wearing blue. The most multi-talented of all fashion gadgets, it is excellent for both day and night. Paired with anything imaginable, denim creates the perfect canvas for that chic, uncontrived look.
• Here’s a fun thing do to spice up those blah blah colors: Run bleach on the legs of your denim trousers and that nasty white streak will add ooomph to your look. Not to mention length to your legs!
• Never undersestimate the impact of belts. Chosen wisely with everything considered – from shoes to top to bag – a belt makes a great central piece.
• Jeans can go anywhere, but please leave them at home when going to black-tie events.
• Little extras go a long way: Try sewing on patches. Patchwork patterns are quite happening this season. Just don’t go too far and do a Rageddy Ann!
2. Coat of chic, please...
Cropped and fitted is the way to go to keep yourself warm or, in our case in Las Islas Filipinas, dry. Forget baggy sack-like water repellant nylon jackets. The new fitted jackets, which are well-suited for the damp holiday season, are very flattering and, not to mention, versatile.
• Basic evening jackets become exciting when accented with details like satin piping, a brooch or army-style medals.
• Pair jackets with a frilly dress to make an interesting combo!
• Wrap a scarf around the waist of your fitted jacket to make a way hip peacock look!
• Wear your jacket like a shirt.
3. Skirting the issue
Ah! Here we are in the most ambiguous and complicated of fall fashion fodder. Worn carelessly, the full skirt can make the fairest one look like a bag lady. However, following the physics of fashion, a full skirt worn with a fitted top and low-heeled shoes (two inches is quite ideal) makes a winning look. Smaller women, however, should opt for a more conservative volume such as a modest A-line as the skirt tends to be overwhelming.
• Choose skirts with subtle details. A plain skirt works, but there is more art and flair in finding a skirt with some juice in it. With such a conservative form, this skirt becomes utterly modern when it’s all dappered up with interesting details.
• Footwear plays an integral part in making this look work. Fitted boots and smart heels add sophistication.
• Wear tops with interesting cuts and embellishments to keep the look from looking too lola.
4. Cigarettes for the lady, please...
Cigarette pants, contrary to popular belief, are not a corset for the limbs. Rather, it’s a tapered cut for trousers that flatter women of all sizes. Snug at the hips, straight throughout the leg with a bit of room at the bottom for boots or complex footwear. It is slimming and accentuates all the right things.
• An ambidextrous fashion essential, cigarette pants are a low-maintenance friend that you can take anywhere. Whether worn with a roomy sweater or a skimpy halter, trousers lend a certain elegance to whatever they are paired with.
• Hems should be somewhere near the ankle to make your pants a perfect partner for flats and heels alike.
• Use a plain ribbon as a belt
• Try pairing them with sneakers for a look of casual elegance
5. Shoe-down
To look sharp, make sure your shoes have that knify edge to them as well. Pointy shoes (careful not to cross the elfin zone, though that can be carried off by a gifted few) again are perfect for a sophisticated look for the season. But oh, my vertigo! The rounded ones are trés chic as well!
• Try again some interesting tones and fabrics when choosing a new shoe. Mules are also 24/7 items that take you anywhere! Personal favorites are denim for day and silk for night.
• Make sure that since les pointy objets d’art can be quite unforgiving on the feet, a consideration for width is something to be reckoned with. For an activity-filled day, sensibly heeled shoes should be functional and keep you away from the podiatrist.
• When wearing a plain outfit, try using your funkiest shoes!
6. White shirt
If there were a royal wedding for fashion, it would be that of the denim pants and the white shirt. Eternally versatile and timelessly chic, it’s the ultimate must-have. From generation to generation and season to season, it’s the all-time megastar in all its incarnations.
• Jazz up a button-down shirt with the ingenuous use of scarves. Do a Cary Grant. Knot it in front and tuck the ends inside your shirt.
• This little white shirt can social climb its way from the supermarket to gala events. Paired with a fancy skirt or way hip brocade pants, it’s a no brainer for any event.
• Wear a bright bra underneath. That sexy schoolgirl look need not be exclusively for whorehouses. Add some sophisticated flair by pairing it with smart trousers.
• The white shirt becomes more exciting when made in different fabrics. Experiment and you shall be gratified!
7. Sneak attack
The clubkid look has gone upscale. From toney brands, such as Dior, Jil Sander and Marc Jacobs, there’s nothing dumpy about these rubber bullets of style! However, the old school lines still rule and how to wear them is a test of your creativity.
• Worn with a denim mini, the sporty Spice look is nice and toasty.
• If you’re into socks, try using rainbow-colored ones. They’re so much fun.
8. Testosterone chic
Diane Keaton once wore men’s clothing as religiously as a nun would wear her habit, but now Hedi Slimane of Dior is getting calls from international sexpots for his trim suits. The woman’s power suit is slim and silky and, paired off with a dandy tie, it’s anything but Tektite.
• Pair a smart and well tailored jacket with a sexy mini bordering on the slutty!
• Use a tie like a true artist. Not just for the neck, you can use it as a bandana or a belt!
• When wearing a suit, a sexy pair of heels will remind everyone that you’re a woman!
9. Little black dress
If there is anything unlucky than a cat in black, then you are sadly misinformed. Instant sex appeal and class are a blessing to all women who have more to do than figure out the cryptic code of the color wheel.
• Shoes again should be treated like jewels when it comes to pairing them with the smart black dress.
• Experiment with the different forms of black dresses!
• When accesorizing, go nuts! But to be a spartan black sheep ain’t that bad either!
10. Shifting lanes
If there was a shape of dress for everyone, it would be the flattering shift that goes from coffee to cocktails. Done in practically every fabric, the shift dress never runs dry of style juice. A keeper indeed.
• Jackets make the shift dress corporate worthy.
• For P.M. ooomph, do a Coco and add a scandalous layer of bijoux beads.
• Looks great with patterned tights. Really!
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