NYC Style Inspirations

Loft and Limited are my favorite stores. I should probably look for work in one of these stores or make friends with someone working there to benefit from employee discounts. Loft was everywhere in NYC and loved their displays.

I think the above is Fendi's display but can't remember. The one below is from a local boutique and thought it was blog-worthy.

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Work Outfits 101

Most of you know I took up a new job. Along with the new job came increased commute and frequent travel. I no longer have the liberty of a longer morning routine. There are some mornings when I am trying to get the kids ready for school, pack my bags and catch a flight. I spent some time working on my wardobe to get it 'Morning-Ready'. My goal was to be able to choose a random top, any bottom, add on a coat/cardigan and get out of my closet with in a reasonable amount of time.

Work Wardrobe Essentials

Plain Shirts in Multiple Colors - I am not a big fan of colored pants for work, so the simplest way for me to add colors is by wearing colored shirts. These come in handy to wear with a pant or skirt suit. Add a few prints and blouses for some variety.

Suits Seprates - The pants and the skirts that come along with a suit have a better fit than the ones sold separately. I like to wear the pieces separately or together for presentations and business meetings. Also the modern cuts of the suits sold now blend well with a 'Jean-Friendly' environment.

Pants and Pencil Skirts - Do look out for pin stripes or pants with some kind of detailing instead of the plain ones. I personally look better in skirts than in pants. My skirt count far exceeds the number of pants. Do save a trendy black trouser for evening wear.

Work Appropriate Dresses - Sheat dresses and trendier dresses worn with a coat can be a 'go-to' outfit for a morning when things are not going as planned.

Watch & Other Accessories - A good stylish watch can increase your style factor without trying too hard. As far as the other accessories go, I tend to gravitate towards the ones that look the best. I wear it until I break it and then move on to the next.

Bags & Shoes - There is hardly any time in the morning to switch contents from one bag to another. Days I end up doing the switch, I forget to move tiny things like cabinet keys or my identity card to get into work. After years of trying to switch and match, I finally figured my days are either brown days or black days. For those in between, I choose nude shoes.

Trench, Sweaters, Jackets & Cardigans - One good thing that came out of photographing outfits is the realization that I need more structure in my outfits even in a trench. I also had a tendency to associate cardigans with holiday outfits. It took a lot of blog reading to get over it.

Do let me know what your go to tricks and tips are for those hectic mornings.

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Camouflaging Thick Arms

I must have missed the memo on this one, for I can't remember at what point of time, covering up thick arms became official. It was perfectly okay to hit the dance floors exposing thick/flab arms during the late 70s and 80s (PS - this is hearsay info, I am not that old ...yet). Instead of setting unrealistic expectation of looking long and lean at all times, let the weather and your personal style dictate how much you prefer to cover up.

A tank top is not my style but sleeveless reigns supremacy during the long scorching Texas Summer months. Moving on to a few tips, you probably figured out -

• Wearing 3/4th length sleeves works like magic
• To stay away from tank tops
• Be cautious about full sleeves as they don't work to your advantage all the time.

Here are some of my favorites -

• Not comfortable exposing bare arms yet, a sheer or a light weight shirt comes in handy over a tank, lacy camisole or a strap dress. 

• A statement necklace coupled by a stylish neck line can shift the focus from the arms to the neck.

• When wearing sleeveless, pay attention to the size of the arm hole and where the sleeve ends on your shoulders. I avoid over sized armholes and prefer my sleeves to end right where my collar bone ends.

• Cap sleeves can do wonders if you pay a little extra attention to ensure the sleeve covers the thickest part of the arm.

• You can always add on a light weight jacket/cardigan for work and scarves with evening wear.

Again confidence is your best buddy here. It is hard to notice flab when you strut with confidence. You know what, I could have also called this post, 'Thick in Pink'. I have to stop buying more pink dresses.

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Camouflaging Tummy - Baby or No Baby

Last Friday during our girls night out one of the gals suggested I write about how to camouflage baby tummy, wide waist, thick arms, thunder thighs and other lumps and bumps. So here it is, the first one in the series - Mid Section.

You probably figured out -

• Not to wear tight pants (creates muffin tops) or tops or dresses that are tight in the mid section area.
• Avoid horizontal stripes
• Pencil skirts always work

Here are some tips that I use -

• Pay attention to the length of the top and it is not necessary to wear tops as is. Pin your top at various lengths to see at what length your tummy is camouflaged. You just need to do this exercise once or twice and you will figure out the length that works for you. The length I prefer is mid waist. It takes about $8 to alter a top and is definitely the best bang for the buck. Add a fitted jacket for additional structure.

• Wrap blouses and faux wraps work perfectly when it comes to hiding the tummy as in the picture below.

• With the use of the right sized belt you can make your waist appear small. The key is to find the sweet spot. If you have had baby, most likely its the area above the tummy.
• Make the fitted shirt your best friend.

• Choose a focal area away from the tummy. It could be your pretty face, hair, embellished neck line, a statement necklace, gorgeous earrings, long leg line or sexy shoes.
• In the market, there are numerous tummy tucker pants available that work wonders in providing a smooth mid sections.Do give it a try.
• Add a chunky scarf as an accent piece and no one's really paying any attention to that tummy.
• Last but not the least, pay attention to your posture. With a little help from bad posture and ill fitted clothes, I can easily pull off looking like 3-5 months pregnant. Being conscious about your posture goes a long way.

Inspite of that if you somebody asks you when you are due, take it in the right spirit. For all that you know, they could have very well meant the lovely glow on your face.

I know a few men read my blog, the only tip I can give you is to wear chunky sweaters like Rishi Kapoor used to back in the days. *wink**wink*.

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How to Wear Full Skirts

I love pencil skirts but who can resist the flirty appeal of the full skirt. Sure it adds volume but there is no reason to shy away from this piece even for those with a not so flat mid section, as long as you watch out for a few nuances. 

• I prefer skirts that starts flat and then volumes out. The skirts where pleats start at the top of the skirt adds unnecessary volume.
• The length is key and I like ones where the skirt ends right at the knees.
• A fitted top balances out the volume and flare.
• Style can inspire, but as always chose the bag and shoes based on your needs.

Don't forget to add your tip on wearing a full skirt and have a great week ahead. Happy Monday!!!

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