What's Wearable for Spring

If any of you are like myself, you indulge in what's going to be the hottest look for the next season. Always watching what your favorite celebrity is wearing or thumbing through the pages of your latest issue of Vogue...on the edge of your seat for what's the trend for SPRING! After this frigid Winter, I'm already counting down the days until I can pull out my pastels and throw my heavy coats and cashmere scarf to the back of my closet! Though watching the runways closely can make sure your fashion agenda is up to par with Rachel Zoe's...not everything on those 100 pound, 5'10" models is practical for an every day ensemble. Here is a list to get your started for Spring. And I promise you can ACTUALLY pull these looks off!

1. A Cargo, military inspired jacket or vest. Pair your tough looking top with a flirty bottom for an all-around fashionable look.

2. High- Waisted flare jeans. Say hello to your new day to night bestie! Wear them with wedge heels and a tucked in top to look tall and lean. (Anyone 5'3" out there? This can be a leg lengthening look for you! )

3. The Platform Wedge. The combination of the two equals a whole lot of awesomeness! Your feet will thank you for the break from the painfully high stilettos!

4. The Trench Dress. I am a personal fan of this look because it's a great Monday - Friday dress. The mix between a trench coat and a sheath dress makes for a practical and comfortable look!

5. Big Bangles. There's no easier (or more affordable) way to update your look in a hurry. Just slip on an armful or color plastic or wooden bangles and show off your arm candy!

Hang in there ladies, Spring is just around the corner and with these tips, your look is sure to be chic as ever!

www.dressraleigh.com
pam@dressraleigh.com
919.699.6505
peaceandlove
Make your appointment today to consign your Spring items!

Dressing for you Skin Tone

An important part of choosing the right colors for your wardrobe is to pick the ones that flatter your skin tone. Here are some tips when choosing colors and tones for you!

Skin tones can sometimes be divided into seasons.
"Winter" complexions have blue or pink undertones. Skin can be pale white, yellowish-olive, or dark. Winter people are generally brunettes, with deeply colored eyes. Many Asians and African Americans fall into this category.

"Winter": Winters should wear colors that are sharp, stark and clear. White, black, navy blue, red and shocking pink all go well with winter complexions. For lighter colors, wear icy tones rather than pastels. Avoid subdued tones like beige, orange and gold

"Summer" complexions, like winter complexions, have blue or pink undertones. Skin is pale and pink. Summers are often natural blondes or brunettes with pale eyes.

"Summer": Summers should choose pastels and soft neutrals with rose and blue undertones. Lavender, plum, rose-brown and soft blue suit summers well while black and orange do not.

"Autumn": Autumn complexions have golden undertones. Many redheads and brunettes with golden brown eyes fall into this category.

"Autumn": Autumns should select colors with golden undertones, like camel, beige, orange, gold and dark brown. Avoid colors with blue tones, like navy.

"Spring": Spring complexions have golden undertones and are usually creamy white or peach. Spring people generally have straw-colored or strawberry red hair, freckles, rosy cheeks, and blue or green eyes.

"Spring": Springs can wear warm colors like camel, peach, golden yellow and golden brown. Avoid dark, dull colors.

Now that you know your best colors get to shopping!

Come in a see our new Spring items, arriving daily! Consignors call today to make your appointment for Spring merchandise.

www.dressraleigh.com
pam@dressraleigh.com
919.699.6505

peaceandlove

The Wrap Dress...Am American Classic

The most timeless dress style in a woman's wardrobe has to be the wrap. Waist-whittling, bust-enhancing and hip-reducing, women the world over are still wearing it.

Ever since Diane von Furstenberg (DvF) introduced the wrap dress as a high fashion item in 1972, it was quickly adopted by such celebrities as Princess Diana and Jerry Hall.

The demure wrap then fell out of favor during the '80s power-dressing trend. It was to re-emerge in 1997 with DvF's more modern signature dresses, whose style appealed to a new, younger generation, including the likes of Kate Middleton (Princess in waiting?), Paris Hilton, Mischa Barton and Jemima Khan.

Much of the longevity of the wrap dress is due to its flexibility and versatility.

The wrap dress is perfect for almost every figure. It can be a perfect solution for the curvy woman. It has the ability to lift the bust and creates a more hour glass figure. It can also be particularly kind to the big-busted woman.

Wrap dresses can also be great maternity-ware. It can easily hide a baby bump while you are comfortable, yet stylish. Not to mention, it is unapplogetically sexy.

Given its flexibility, the wrap dress is one of the most versatile outfits for work and play! In the office it can be worn with sophisticated pumps and a classy bag ,or teemed with leggings for a fun-everyday look. The wrap is great for traveling. This no-nonsense dress requires minimal care and ironing.

Invest in your wrap today and be set for a lifetime!

www.dressraleigh.com
pam@dressraleigh.com
919.699.6505

C ute... Even in Cold Weather

Though the weather outside is frightful, your cold weather fashion can still be delightful!
Here are a few tips on Winter fashion and how to wear what...

You can still wear dark hues without looking drab.Simply tailored separates in a blend of black and navy telegraph understated gamine chic. Topping the look off with platform lace-ups gives the ensemble some edge.

Edgy Jacket + Elegant skirt = Amazing outfit!

Made up of perfectly tailored shapes in monochromatic hues, this mix of tough and elegant is seriously spot-on. Try a leather jacket with a black shift skirt and colored tights!

Don't be afraid of the button down! Style these menswear shirts with a sweater or cardigan with pizazz.... anything accented with a jeweled embellishment can add flare to a basic piece. Great with your favorite pair of jeans, or tucked into a skirt with tights. This look appears casual but yet polished.

The military style jacket with a girly twist. A creative blend of high and low that really works: a ladylike chain-strap bag and glamorous fur collar, contrasted with an army-inspired jacket and tough boots.

Put a fresh spin on the denim jacket and scarf look. Pairing lightweight, warm-weather pieces with heavier, wintry items. Use the denim jacket as a layer under your Winter coat. The key is to keep the palette muted, using darker, boxy pieces framing the inner layers.

pam@dressraleigh.com
919.699.6505
www.dressraleigh.com

peaceandlove

Down with Denim

From the designer runways to women’s fashion magazine spreads, the style forecast for fall calls for a heaping helping of denim in every fit, shade and silhouette. To help women wear the season’s top denimwear ideas correctly, the experts at Dish Jeans Ltd., makers of the contemporary label Dish, offer their take on looking stylishly updated in fashion’s hottest fabric.
Denim on Denim – Once a fashion don’t, mixing denim with denim is the season’s new do. The way to pull it off seamlessly without overdoing it is all a matter of degrees. Remember to combine light shades with dark ones to avoid a monochromatic look. To this end, Dish offers layering pieces, including shirts, vests and skinny jeans, in varying shades of denim that fall together harmoniously so women stay on the right side of this hot trend

Pretty in Plaid – The preppy appeal of a plaid shirt is a perfect companion to the sea of blue denim in hot trend colors such as purple and teal. Dish’s version, worn with a denim pencil skirt in a sophisticated dark wash, is flirty with a softly ruffled collar for a decidedly feminine interpretation of this classic menswear pattern.

Flares with Flair – The skinny jean trend has worn thin and a more relaxed silhouette freshens the look of denim in a trio of flared-leg styles from Dish: a low-rise trouser, Dish’s popular Deseray style for curvy bodies, and a classic flare with a fanny-flattering fit that recalls disco-era jeans.

Zipper Accents – The best way to stand apart from the crowd is to wear a great-fitting jean with an eye-catching design detail and zippers are the hands-down favorite for fall. Dish’s legging has figure-enhancing benefits with ergonomic side seams that skim and slim the outer edge of the thigh, curving around the knee and slant toward the front of the leg, ending in a long zipper opening that gives the legging extra pizzazz.

The Chambray Shirtdress – What better silhouette to wear in the comfort of lightweight chambray than the shirtdress? This easy, casual style gets a feminine shape from Dish with strategically placed front seams that open into pockets at the waist. In a mini length, it’s the perfect complement to shapely legs dressed in stylish tights, another must-have fall accessory.

pam@dressraleigh.com
www.dressraleigh.com

peaceandlove

Raise your Glass of Bubbly

So the dress is bought, the shoes picked out. You know what hairstyle you’ll be wearing and your nail (and eyebrow waxing) appointment was scheduled six months ago. Everything is set, except of course, all that is not. The zipper on your dress suddenly gets stuck halfway up and aliens have decided to use your forehead as a landing pad for their experimental pimple outbreak. With only three days before the New Year, this is definitely one of those code red emergencies. But stressing over the minor details, you’ll just aggravate the situation as opposed to fixing it. Read on for some speedy weight loss tips, ways to clear your skin and the formula for a great New Year’s Eve. How to Look Great on
New Year's Eve Tip #1 Water: Drink It
Try to eliminate soda and any carbonated drinks before the big day. Let the water cleanse your system and fill you up. Because dehydration is often mistaken for hunger, drinking more water will also protect you from binging.

How to Look Great on New Year's Eve Tip #2 Gas: Avoid It
avoid foods that will make you bloated, including (but is not limited to): beans, peas, broccoli, cucumbers, pickles, onions, apples, bananas, wheat products, eggs, carbonated drinks and cream. In addition, avoid swallowing air. Yes, air. Avoid drinking from straws (easy with water) and bottles with narrow openings.

How to Look Great on New Year's Eve Tip # 3 Spanx: Wear It
If you hate water, love beans and don’t care enough to stress over excess pounds and bloating (but still want to look good), you're in luck because of one revolutionary product: SPANX!

How to Look Great on New Year's Eve Tip # 4 Skin: Treat It
Pimples suck. But they suck even more after you pop them and create scars on your face. The best way to treat a pimple is to leave it alone and apply acne medication.

How to Look Great on New Year's Eve Tip # 5 Tan: Fake It
Instead of basking in those artificial UV rays, opt for tinted moisturizer. Not only will this save your skin from looking like a leather purse, but you’ll also have control over how tan (or not tan) you want to look.

Cheers!
pam@dressraleigh.com
www.dressraleigh.com

Tights for A Statement

Fall's new legwear has taken the conservative looks of seasons past and splashed them with stripes, dots, checks, and color blocks for gaze-at-me gams.

"Patterned and textured legwear was all over the runways this year," says Maggie Adams, trend expert and spokesperson for Spanx. "I think women love it because it's a fun, easy and affordable way to update existing outfits in your closet."

Here are some tips from hosiery pros on how to wear the patterned tight trend. It's time to show your spots...And stripes...And lace...And plaids...And ....

Bob and Weave: "Open weave styles in vertical patterns elongate the leg and are popular this fall," says Spanx's Adams. "Also, classic and vintage-inspired patterns like houndstooth, diamond, Swiss dot and back seams have been top picks for Spanx fans. They are chic, sexy and still totally appropriate for the office."

Easy Update: ""Patterned hosiery adds a little something extra to your overall look," says Adam Sakara of La Fée Verte. "It's the easiest way to update your wardrobe for the season and make a statement without having to redo your closet for fall."

Added Edge: "Patterned tights add instant edge to a LBD and are perfect for extra coverage in a mini," Adams says. "As far as footwear goes, patterned tights with peep-toe booties are perfect for ladies who want to be on top of the latest trends. But, a classic platform pump is always a safe bet."

Make a Statement: "For the fashion-forward, opt for legwear that makes a statement and mix and match it with other patterns, colors and textures," Adams says. "For example, pair a diamond-patterned tight with a floral print dress or a Swiss dot sheer with a tartan pencil skirt."

Shine On: "Be confident in your choice (of tights) and use them as your statement piece," says Donna Karan's Cathy Volker. "Metallics and lace are a great wardrobe addition. Adding a few pairs this season will help update your holiday wardrobe without breaking the bank on party dresses."

Don't be afraid to be bold and fashion forward!
pam@dressraleigh.com
919.699.6505
www.dressraleigh.com

peaceandlove