A Diva State of Mind

It’s great to help clients get their wardrobes ready for a new season, but it’s even more fun helping them put together a look for a special occasion. My clients James and Celia attended a surprise birthday party this past Saturday. The dress code called for no jeans. Here are the looks we created.

James wanted to channel his inner GQ for the birthday party. Although we could have tailored pants he currently had in his closet and found a vest, James wanted a new outfit from head to toe and I completely understood. Sometimes when you know you have an event to go to, you just want a new outfit.  We spent a couple hours shopping earlier this month which resulted in a nice Tommy Hilfiger navy pinstriped three-piece suit (the jacket wasn’t necessary for the party), grey shirt and grey pinstriped tie. The look was completed with brown shoes and belt.

One great thing about having James as a client is that I am consistently challenged. I’m well versed in woman’s wear, but certain things like men’s suiting was a new avenue for me. It was also new territory for James since he’s lost weight last year and is working on dressing a new body.

When Celia first heard about the party, she was ready to go shopping for a gown!! But after seeking some clarification on the wardrobe, it was determined that she did not in fact need a gown; she just needed to dress up.

Last year, I found a black Urban Outfitters jumpsuit on sale for Celia which served as the perfect option for her to wear to the party. We went shopping earlier this month to find heels & accessories. After trying shoes on for what seemed like hours, we found a pair of black pumps from Nine West that had a black/white chevron design on the heels. Since she LOVES mixing prints, I recommended she purchase the Love, Cortie “Ashleigh” clutch.  Celia is in need of more clutches to her wardrobe arsenal anyway and since animal print is a neutral, she will get a lot of use out of the clutch.  The look was completed with black earrings from ASOS and a gold ring and cuff from Macy’s.

Celia really does become another person when she gets dressed up and shows off her new figure! I love the confidence she exudes every time she takes a photo.  It’s very different from the woman I met a year ago. Such a transformation!

Both James and Celia looked great at Saturday’s party if I do say so myself! ;) Their enthusiasm and upbeat personalities makes styling them so much fun! They own every look they wear. I am looking forward to more GQ moments and fabulousness with these two this year!

Special offer: schedule a styling appointment now through April 26th and save 20% off! For more info on styling services, visit www.styledbykeri.com.

Last month I featured by client Celia, who I have been working with for almost a year. After working together for a few months, she forwarded my contact information to her friend James. Thank you Celia for the referral! James was in a similar situation; he had recently lost weight and needed new clothes. James went from wearing a size XL to medium so everything in his closet was too big!

James was in a style rut after losing weight. He didn’t know his size or where to shop so he kept things to a minimum when it came to his wardrobe. Since he wanted to start from scratch, after his initial consultation, James was tasked with getting rid of anything that was too big in his closet. We made a shopping list and hit the mall a few weeks later for his first appointment. We shopped for three hours to begin rebuilding his wardrobe while staying within budget!

One thing I really love about being a stylist is watching people get excited about how they look in clothes. I picked out a Banana Republic vest for James to try on and he immediately loved it. His words: “oh I like this!” It’s priceless to watch clients pick out colors or patterns of new clothes they normally would not have selected on their own. I always let my clients have a say in what items they’re going to buy. After all, if you don’t like it you won’t wear it.

As I’ve mentioned before, rebuilding a wardrobe takes TIME. James and I started working together right before the fall/winter season so most of the items purchased so far were for colder months with a few transitional pieces like tees, button ups and jeans. After two shopping appointments, he’s gotten a grip on his size and where he likes to shop. If he is ever unsure, he doesn’t hesitate to hit me with a “what do we think about this?” text. Of course I don’t mind; that’s what I’m here for! We will soon be meeting again to start tackling his spring/summer wardrobe. Plus James has gained a little more muscle so those medium shirts may now be a little snug!

 *His office is casual so he can wear jeans to work. However, he won’t be wearing Jordans and hoodies to work! Not on my watch!

While women have asked what to wear to Brunch For A Cause this Saturday, I figured the guys would like some inspiration too.

Fellas, while you could wear a sweatshirt and Jordans to brunch, I encourage you to try other options! You don’t have to put on your Sunday best, but you can experiment with prints, boots, sneakers other than Jordans and accessories like scarves (yes men wear scarves).

This first look is for the guy that likes a simple outfit; no fuss. This is an outfit I’d definitely style one of my clients in for brunch. Pair black jeans with a nice printed hooded. In case you get hot and want to remove the sweater, wear a printed tee or long sleeve shirt underneath the sweater. It’s more interesting than a plain black or white tee. Complete the look with high-top sneakers, a black belt and watch. Don’t forget your to spray on your cologne!

This second look a great casual winter outfit. Switch things up and put on corduroy pants instead of jeans. Pair the pants with a printed sweater or cozy knit cardigan like the one below from J.Crew.  Layer either piece with a chambray shirt. Shy away from sneakers and complete the look with brown combat boots, which is a little edgy. or pair the look with Clarks Desert Boots. To show off that nice watch, slightly push up the sleeves of your sweater and shirt.

If you love wearing sport coats and blazers but don’t want to look like you’re going to work, wear them with jeans! Pair a navy blazer with light jeans or a grey blazer with dark jeans. Add a long sleeve shirt underneath the blazer and have fun with accessories by adding a printed scarf (I was inspired by these looks here.) You can wear casual shoes like Clarks; a great alternative to dress shoes and more dressy than sneakers.  If you’re not a fan of casual shoes, pair this look with sneakers like converse or Polo high top sneakers.

Fellas, would you wear any of these outfits?

If you haven’t purchased your ticket yet for A Diva State of Mind Presents: Brunch For A Cause! please get yours today at http://brunchforacause.eventbrite.com. It’s going to be a great time!

Fellas, if you’ve been searching for bold ties, bowties, pocket squares and cufflinks, Dwyane Wade’s new collection is just for you! The Miami Heat guard teamed up with The Tie Bar to create an exclusive collection of men’s accessories that will surely add some flair to your outfit.   The ties are made of 100% silk. Prices range from $15 to $30.

Here are a few of my favorite pieces:

Sartorial DNA

Helix

People’s Plaid

Dali’s Paisley

Abstract Nation

Technocolor Chevron

Camo Conspiracy

Houndstooth

Here’s Dwyane Wade talking about his collaboration:

Click HERE to shop the collection. Limited quantities of all items are available. Items from this collection would serve as great gifts this holiday season!

Although I HATE the team he plays for, I am a fan of Wide Receiver Dez Bryant’s most recent photo shoot for Flaunt Magazine.

Happy Monday ladies (and some gents)!

Source: The YBF

Last week I attended the Brett Johnson Collection Launch Party held at Café Milano in Georgetown. Guest gathered on the second floor of the restaurant to view the new men’s collection while sipping cocktails, savoring passed hor d’oeuvres and enjoying music by DJ Blaze.

In the center of the room, two male models stood on a platform to display the collection. While the collection includes polos and shoes, the stand out pieces were the cashmere hooded jacket, black vest with leather details, contrast sleeve varsity jacket and quilted leather black hoodie which are all Italian crafted.

The collection is sophisticated and stylish with an element of edge. Prices range from $85 for a polo to over $1,500 for a leather jacket. This collection is for the man who appreciates quality and distinction; the pieces of the collection will last in a man’s wardrobe for years to come.

To learn more about the collection and to shop, visit www.brettjohnson.co 

About Brett Johnson:

Brett has always been passionate about fashion, sports, and entertainment. He has a keen sense of design and performance and credits international travel, music, and architecture as heavy influencers on the unique look and feel within the BRETT JOHNSON COLLECTION. Brett is also an executive producer of  ‘Lee Daniel’s The Butler.’ Previously, Brett worked with the legendary Italian auto manufacturer Ferrari, one of the most iconic brands in the world. As a scion of a successful media and entertainment empire (his parents are BET Founders Bob and Sheila Johnson), Brett hails from a family of innovators and has cultivated many lessons in leadership and brand building.

This Looks We Love post is a special one. Not only does it feature (fine) Jay Ellis from The Game, but the looks were styled by my mentor and celebrity stylist Apuje Kalu. He has worked with R&B singer Mya and he’s also responsible for this LeToya Luckett look folks were drooling over last week.

Check out the behind the scenes video:

Source: Bleu Magazine

I came across this list on Instagram a few weeks ago, but apparently it appeared on vogue.co.uk in 2012. My bad for being a year late!!  Tom Ford, one of the world’s most stylish men, provided his thoughts on what he thinks every guy needs.

I agree with this list however I will  give some flexibility to #3. Everyone isn’t good at playing sports so at least like sports and workout! And when it comes to #15, we’ll assume nice teeth = perfect teeth since we know no one is perfect

I could take the time to go into detail about each one and explain why they’re important, but I think it’s pretty self explanatory.  But if you need a little more info as to why these things are important, check out This Little Lady. She does a great job of breaking it all down.

What do you think about the list? I’m especially interested in hearing from the guys. Do you agree?

As much as I love a chambray shirt, I’m surprised I didn’t write this post sooner!

Many people believe a chambray shirt is a lightweight denim shirt but in actuality it’s not! A Fashion Deliberation provides a great definition of what chambray really is:

a lightweight fabric (usually cotton) that uses a colored warp (down) weaved with a white filling yarn (across). The colored warp is usually blue (which is partly why we think denim), but it doesn’t have to be. And although it is usually plain, it can also be in stripes or checks or other patterns. The end result is something is generally something that seems to be like denim, but you may actually come across some items that are chambray, but don’t look or feel like the typical denim-like chambray at all.

What’s so great about a chambray shirt is its versatility. This shirt can be worn with so many different pieces in your wardrobe, creating a different look every time you wear it. I’ve dressed mine up by wearing it with a skirt to work; I’ve also worn mine with white denim and flat sandals. The options are endless! When I went shopping with my first male client Curron, we found him a chambray shirt at Banana Republic. It’s one of those pieces I believe we all should have in our wardrobe.

This is a shirt that can be worn all year round; if you don’t currently own one, I highly recommend you add it to your shopping list.  Below are some places where both men and women can shop to find a chambray shirt. I’ll dedicate an entire post on how to style them this fall season

Men

More 7 For All Mankind…

More Dockers…

As often as I talk about styling, I thought I’d walk you through a shopping appointment I had with a client last month. Of course, the stores and the length of the appointment will vary per client, but I wanted to give you a preview of what you can expect if you hire me to help you shop!

Last month, my friend and new client Curron texted me and said “I need your help.” We met for a consultation to discuss what exactly he needed help with when it came to his wardrobe. Like many people (men and women), he struggled with making decisions about what to purchase when he went shopping. He knows what he likes, but he experiences hesitation when it comes to making a final purchase decision. Should he get a specific pair of jeans? How do certain shirts look on him? Like many of us, he needed help finding items he wanted to purchase and need reassurance that the items he liked were a good choice. 

Since Curron had already gone through his closet and purged clothing that no longer fit or just didn’t work anymore (I’d normally do this for clients before going shopping), we made a list of the items he wanted to add to his wardrobe: graphic tees, polos, cargo shorts, jeans, khakis, ¾ length shirts and more! We also added Fall pieces to the list like a leather jacket and sweaters. 

Please note: all items on a client’s shopping list are not purchased during one shopping appointment.  The shopping list is used for multiple shopping appointments and when clients are shopping on their own.

Banana Republic

A few weeks after the consultation, I met Curron at Tysons Corner Mall. I chose this mall because it featured every store I wanted to shop in order to find exactly what was on the list. I got to the mall before the scheduled appointment to pull pieces for Curron to try on. I do this with all clients; they arrive at the first store and they immediately head to the fitting room. It saves time and is convenient for clients. Curron met me at Banana Republic. This store wasn’t originally on the list of places to shop but when I saw they were offering 30% off sale, I definitely had to stop by. I’m glad I did! Curron left the store with a really nice chambray shirt, polo and red sweater (it was on sale so we couldn’t pass it up)!

Jeans from Express

Following Banana Republic, we went to Old Navy, Hollister, H&M and Express. After three hours of shopping,  Curron left the mall with cargo shorts, the chambray shirt, sweater, graphic tees, two pair of jeans from Express (they were on sale for $17.99 each) and a few other pieces (while staying under budget)!  The jeans from Express included a salmon pair. Yes guys, you can wear jeans and pants in COLOR!! Have fun and experiment. To be honest, I was surprised Curron liked them. But I’m glad he stepped out of his comfort zone and tried them.

Five stores in 3 hours!

Following a shopping appointment, like all clients, Curron received a “recap” which included what was purchased at each store (i.e. Banana Republic: Chambray Shirt size L). I also sent an updated shopping list which will be updated every so often based on any shopping he does on his own or future shopping appointments.

To be honest, I was nervous to work with Curron. After all, he’s my first male client! But a little nervousness is good for you! We had a great time shopping and I look forward to working with him again this year to continue to update his wardrobe.