Fashion Emergency! My fabulously fit friend Ashley, who writes the blog, Healthy Happier Bear wrote in this morning with quite the conundrum: She’s doing NYE at a small restaurant with girls who like to party. All of the other girlfriends in the group have told her they are wearing sexy party clothes. She’s at a loss for what to wear, doesn’t want to spend much money on more clothes, and isn’t feeling her sexiest so would prefer to keep her arms covered up.
My first advice: When you’re not feeling your best, focus on your face and on your accessories. A little sparkle can go a long way. Blow out your hair. A little highlighter (I like Benefit High Beam) can yield amazing results, especially for a big night out. Dot it under your brow bone and on your temples, and you will instantly look better. A glittery eyeliner can also put you in the party mood. For a subtle but sexy look, I line my eyes with regular old black liner, and then run the glitter eyeliner over it.
Now, the hard part. The actual clothes. I’ve thought up three options for my friend to wear… trying to work in as many basic pieces as possible.
1. Skinny jeans, a white button down, and lotsa bling. Roll up the sleeves of your white button down, and unbutton it an extra button or two more than you usually would. Then, choose fun dangly earrings and an arm full of sparkly bracelets. (Don’t be conservative with the bracelets.)
2. My personal favorite: The sequin mini-skirt. Yesterday, I snagged one at Banana Republic for just $27.00. Paired with a long-sleeve t, a statement-making necklace, tights and ankle boots or even pumps, you’re in sexy-dress territory.
3. The long-sleeve mini-dress. I know Ashley didn’t want to spend a lot of money, but these are all reasonably priced and the sort of thing you can wear a zillion times. Add a statement necklace and fun pumps and you’re ready to go!
Next up, accessorize. Head to Forever 21 or one of the many cheapie jewelry stores in the city to stock up on inexpensive bling. There, you can secure glittery earrings or fun bangles to stack up your arms for less than $5.00. (Also, I must point out that J.Crew has a ton of fabulous jewelry on sale + an extra 40% off in their stores right now.) This is, in my opinion, the most important part. Enough jewelry can dress anything up. Don’t be shy.
P.S. Like what you read, and have a question? Email me – stripesandsequins@gmail.com and I’ll try to help.
