Divine Style = Simplicity

Divine Style = Simplicity

Simple dress...and one show-stopping necklace!

(Chico's Rosemary Wrap Dress)

So often when women get excited about re-discovering their style...they want to pull out all the fashion stops! They pile on the jewelry, match their shoes to their handbag + add a bit more accessories just for good measure.

In reality when you take a moment and disect what a well styled woman is wearing--there's not all that much to her outfit. Yes, she's got divine style but more importantly she's using the style rule of simplicity.

The phrase "less is more" certainly applies when it comes to great style. Wearing clothes that fit you well, allowing the simple lines of the garment drape over your body, allowing "blank space" just to BE...then adding that ONE show stopper item (it could be a fancy jacket, a statement necklace, a hat, a scarf, animal print shoes, or a handbag like no other)...the key word here is: ONE. One item reins supreme.

Simplicity does not mean boring. In case you're starting to think this sounds a little plain and boring, I promise you it's not. It simply means NOT overadorned!

Overadorned is chaotic and cluttered. When you wear ruffles, belts, scarves, bangles, sequins all in one outfit...it begins look too fussy. Overdone is not great style.

Go easy or avoid all together embellishments like these:

• Ruffles. Yes, right now they are trendy. But honestly too much foo-foo ruffles are juvenile and not very stylish after all. Would you wear them if they weren't considered stylish?
• Ribbons, bows and border embroidery. Does it add to the style of the garment or is it just added to keep you from ignoring the poor construction of the garment? Does the border trim ADD an unflattering horizontal line in the middle of your body? Do you need all this jazz added to look good?
• Appliques. Need I tell you they give a cheesy homemade look to everything?

How to have simple, elegant, classic style:

• Jewelry. A great way to dress up a simple outfit. The simpler the outfit the more jewelry you can get away with. Check yourself in a full-length mirror, if it looks too showy take something off.
• Balance accessories. If you are wearing large earrings, do without a necklace. If you are wearing a large necklace, keep your earrings on the small side. Lots of bracelets stacked on your arm? No need for a big necklace too.
• Use your tools. Style tools, that is. No woman should be without a full-length mirror. No one sees you from only the waist up...therefore YOU should see the WHOLE picture (head to toe) before heading out the door!
• Experiment. Play around and try on (in front of your full-length mirror) various combinations of accessories to see what looks most pleasing to you.

Your style should come across as EFFORTLESS! Yves Saint Laurent once said, "The woman should wear the clothes, not the clothes wear the woman."

Divine style = simplicity.
Give it a try...or rather try not so hard and your style will show through with simplicity!

Love, Leslie