Effortless Hostess Outfits for the Upcoming Spring Season!

Alice and Olivia Denim Romper

Are you hosting a celebration at home this Spring? a Graduation Party? or even just a gathering? I like to have some “go to’s” to make hosting effortless (at least the outfit part!)

I love hosting gatherings and it doesn’t even have to be for a specific occasion or holiday. I prefer having company over so that we can relax and spend some quality time together without rushing out of a restaurant and cutting a visit short. Ever since we moved to Florida, it has been especially important for us to host dinners or cookouts. It has been a nice way to get to know other families and make new friends.

I enjoy making the evening a little more special by adding some small touches.

I like to try out some tasty apps or a unique novelty drink. It almost always is something Greek so that people have a little taste of our ethnicity. I like guests to feel welcome here and want them to look forward to another visit.

The same applies to my outfits. I like to put thought into what I’m wearing because I feel putting effort into my outfit says “This is special and I’m so glad you came!”

I’m going to list some do’s and don’ts and then at the end show you some of my fav hostess outfits. I’m going to make this quick because I bet if you’re hosting you already have enough to do!

Choose…

• Something that doesn’t make you hot! If you’re like me and experiencing your own personal Summers you don’t need to wear something that doesn’t breathe! I try to choose short sleeves, sleeveless or sleeves that once rolled up, stay up!

• An outfit that doesn’t require uncomfortable shoes. I always try to pick an outfit that coordinates with a platform, flatform, ballet flat or sandal.

• An outfit that isn’t fussy. For example, if you’re using your oven you don’t need long flowy sleeves that will get in the food or in the dishwater!

• Choose an outfit that you have worn before so you know how comfortable it is.

  Stay away from…

• Clothes that need to be dry cleaned.

• Necklines that are low. If you’re serving your guests an appetizer that is all you want to serve them!!

• Clothing that needs altering and you just haven’t had the chance to get it done. If pants need to be hemmed and you are dying to wear the outfit make sure to do it prior to your company. You don’t want to be tripping over them!

• An excess of jewelry. Long necklaces and lots of bangles can get in the way.

• Don’t pick something that is so dressy your company will feel like they missed the memo.

  Here are some suggestions from this season and my most fav stores and designers…

Check out Blessed Boutique.for this look.

You may have seen this outfit from one of my posts about Blessed Boutique. Ecru shorts-The most flattering bottoms, every woman should own. Kanna shoes-like walking on pillows-another wardrobe must-have! Comfy and cute…any tee or top will pair so well with these shorts.

This outfit is great for a cookout and the wedge sandal takes the casual feel up a notch. Cute for hosting a ladies lunch for mom’s (before school is released for Summer!)

James Perse knit shirts are so comfy and have been on their line for a long time. They are tried and true…I wear them back with so many bottoms. I enjoy any khaki pant but especially this one from Zadig et Voltaire. The black and gold stripe adds some fun interest and so do the Meline sneakers.

I love this feel for something a little more casual. I would wear this when hosting the kids friends and families.

And, when we want to celebrate an accomplishment, like 8th grade moving up, this is how I would get Spring Festive. A little funky with the sequin Rolling Stone tee and Leopard Skirt, from Alice and Olivia. (Of course I’d leave the leather jacket out).

This outfit screams “Let’s celebrate!”

I hope you enjoyed my selections…there can be so many more to choose from. Still stuck? Check out Ways to Work With Theo…I’d love to help!

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I'm all about dusters!!

I am drawn to these! I love long cardigans.

I guess by now you can tell I have lots of obsessions! Dusters have always been something that stops me in my tracks.

JOHNNY WAS

Pair them with jeans, shorts, dresses and/or trousers to elevate the look of your outfit. One of the best things about these accent pieces is that no matter where you live they are super versatile.

I love them in Florida because the air conditioning is always cranked and a layering piece is a necessity. By using a duster you get a whole different look than a shawl or basic cardigan. A duster adds so much more interest!

SHOW ME YOUR MUMU

In areas where the weather can swing from Summer to Fall or Winter to Spring, quickly and often sporadically, a duster offers warmth and style. AND, your outfit doesn’t have to be hidden under that coat! It’s out there for all to see, especially when the weather is in transition stages.

JOHNNY WAS

The best thing about dusters is that you don’t have to have full length ones. If you feel swallowed up in something longer there are great options in 3/4 length. I especially like those for traveling and for my clients who can’t carry off the length of the long ones. They may not necessarily be called “dusters” but they offer the same effect with “dressing up” an outfit.

Why not give one a whirl? If you have trouble styling these check out the ways to work with me! And, let’s chat about it! I’d love to help you!

AND, Keep an eye out on my insta and FB this week for some of my favorite picks!

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What is "age appropriate dressing" anyway?

“Am I too old to wear this?” Clients ask me this all the time. In fact, I often think about it myself! However, I recently decided to shift my mindset on this question.

Chances are, if you’re following my instagram or reading my blog you probably ask yourself the same question. Here’s my take…If you are wondering if something is “age appropriate” try rephrasing the question…“Am I really comfortable wearing this?”

You see, I don’t think a number should define how you dress.

I don’t think “my 51” should be “your 51."

I don’t agree with the rules that have been created regarding what you should wear in your 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. Dressing for an age is not black and white. In fact, I don’t believe there should be rules about dressing a certain age at all. I think we tend to search out these rules because society tells us we should look a certain way at a certain age. My 51 shouldn’t be compared to your 51. And, I don’t think you can say…when you’re 30 you should start investing in designer bags, when you’re 40 you should start looking more demure, when you’re 50 you shouldn’t let your hair grow past your shoulders or when you’re 90 you should dress like Iris Apfel! Which leads me right to the point…does Iris really dress like a 97 year old? What does a 97 year old woman dress like anyway? Maybe Iris just has a style/look that she is comfortable wearing and makes it her own.

“Some people are old when they’re 18 and some people are young when they’re 90. You can’t define people by whatever society determines as their age. Time is a concept that human beings created.” ”

— Yoko Ono, 84

So, what should define how I dress?

I think our lifestyle, fashion comfort zone and of course, common sense should play a big role in how we dress. I love Iris Apfel’s take on this…she says “I think if a woman has her own style and knows who she is, she doesn’t have to dress for being 60, 20 or 90.” By the age of 40, you’ve pretty much figured out what feels right to you about how you dress. You know that the clothes you wear are a reflection of who you are and how the world sees you. (See my post …I.Feel.Pretty. )

How do I figure out what I’m comfortable in?

When you find yourself wondering if you’re “too old to wear a certain article of clothing” I think it’s important to ask yourself a few questions.

• Does this outfit/item fit my clothing style?

• Does this work with my lifestyle?

• Do I see myself wearing this to an event I’m attending?

• Or do I see myself wearing this daily as I go about my life?

• Am I comfortable in this look?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions you might want to take the item out of your wardrobe equation. Remember…if you’re stuck and haven’t really defined your look or style, I’m here to help. Check out “my styling successes.” I’d love for you to be this pleased too!

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I am camouflage obsessed!

I have always been drawn to Camouflage. I love the combo of colors. I’ve actually come to think of it as a neutral.

I often wonder if I’ll ever tire of it? But, I keep going back! Designers have mixed the color combinations of this fun print and I love the freshness of that! I also love that I can find and wear it year round which means I really get my money out of it.

The funny thing about this is, I’m normally not a print person. I wear a lot of solids and usually throw in some sort of accent piece to add a bit of excitement.

Maybe camo isn’t your thing? I get it! It’s not for everyone. But, are you drawn to a particular print? Or do you shy away from prints altogether?

There are so many prints out there and I have often found that people are drawn to some more than others or one in particular. Ditsy florals, geometric prints, Ikat patterns and animal prints just to name a few. Some patterns are more bold and are better as accent pieces. Others are not so overwhelming and can be worn all over. It takes a strong attraction for me to wear a print all over!

So, whether you’re a “camo freak” or not here are some cute ways of adding a fun print to shake up an everyday outfit!

I like toppers (except for the heat of Summer, and this little jacket (from Curate, North Palm Beach, FL) is a fun way of mixing some camo into my casual looks. The hood is removable and the gold stars add some fun! The jacket has some stretch and a cute little drawstring on the inside to cinch in the waist. Gold stars are on the front!

Here’s where I get into trouble…I love the print in pants…so I have a few pairs of camo printed bottoms! (insert eye roll!)

This particular pant is super soft and from “Mother Denim” I like the flair that the stripe gives and they are sooooo soft because they are a cotton/linen mix. They look just as good with converse as they do a pump or shoe boot. No, that is not a sandwich in my hand it’s a tray of Christmas ornaments!!!

And, who doesn’t love a fun accessory??

Another item from one of my favorite haunts, Curate! (North Palm Beach, FL). I love the pink version of the camo print. It adds a little bit of spice to any of my basic jean and tee combos.

You may have seen this India Hicks scarf on my Instagram. It’s super soft and I love all the “lucky” bugs embroidered on it! It’s a great square size so I can do lots with it!

So, find some prints and add some interest to your wardrobe! Don’t be afraid to experiment with them! Life’s too short to always wear solids!!!

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I. Feel. Pretty.

How often do you say “I feel pretty” to yourself? There is more negative talk running through my head sometimes than I care to admit. We all know why we shouldn’t say things to ourselves that we wouldn’t say to our best friends. The more we say it the more we believe it and what a vicious cycle it becomes.

I really struggled with writing this particular post because I truly believe that I am the last person to give advice on this topic. I was recently inspired by a movie that we watched as a family.  “I Feel Pretty” is a movie about a young woman, Renee, who wrestles with major insecurity issues. She believes that she is judged solely by her physical appearance. She looks at herself in the mirror and she doesn’t even have to speak for you to know the amount of self loathing going on in her head.  She thinks tall, gorgeous models don’t grapple with the same insecurities. Sound familiar? Renee has a bad fall in her Soul Cycle class and comes to with an incredible new confidence. It is amazing the power it gave her over her career and love life. WOWZA! I thought it was great and maybe not in the way of an Oscar nomination but because it could resonate with so many women.

So, what does it take to silence those negative voices in our heads?

Wouldn’t it be nice if  all it took was a little knock in the head  to come to with this new found confidence? Were we all born with massive self confidence and somewhere along the way lost it? Do many women have a great deal of it and Renee and I are not the norm? Either way, this movie got me thinking...I tried to pay attention to the times that “I felt pretty”. Quite honestly because I like “liking myself” much more than “loathing myself” and I want to feel that way more often. I would like to clarify here what “I feel pretty” means to me. “I feel pretty” doesn’t just mean that I feel like I look good.  It means I feel strong, I feel confident, I have my act together and I’m doing a good job raising my kids. It means I don’t have trouble speaking up and I can be taken seriously because I’ve taken time to care for myself and I am important.

Fashion excites me...it’s how I express myself. When I make an effort “I feel pretty.”

Soon after this movie, I began the  painful process of packing for a trip to Italy with my husband. We would be with 150 of his colleagues and their spouses on an exclusive cruise starting in Rome. We would have private tours, fine onshore dinners, wine tastings and lots of special events. So what’s so terrible about that?  Full disclosure...I stress about being with people outside of my element. I guess it means that I stress about being with people who are working and are “successful”.  I realized how important it is to me to feel “put together” when on these sabbaticals. I feel my best and most confident when I love what I’m wearing and don’t have any hesitation about how it looks or if it makes me comfortable! Out came the rolling rack, itinerary, suitcase, accessories and shoes. I really took the time to think through what I was bringing and it didn’t matter if I had a suitcase that was a little heavier or if I wasn’t going to wear the item with more than one outfit.   Fashion is how I express myself. It excites me! And, when I’m dressed, “I feel pretty.” When I make an effort…”I feel pretty.” Even on excursions when we were hiking or doing meditative yoga on the ship  I was careful to pack clothes that I felt really good in. This planning was so worth the time. And now I remind myself of this daily!

Fashion affects us

So, of course there comes the argument that beauty and confidence should come from within. What would I want to teach my daughter? Do I want her to believe that her worth comes from her “style”?  NO, but what I do want her to know is that fashion can affect your self confidence. It actually has been studied and is called “enclothed cognition”.  Adams and Galinsky, the researches, basically found “clothes can have profound and systematic psychological and behavioral consequences for their wearers.”  They also stated “although the saying goes that clothes do not make the man our results suggest they do hold a strange power over their wearers.”

Every day we are faced with the decision of what to wear, right?!

Why not make the most of it?

Don’t dread the process...pick the items that make you feel fabulous. We all have certain items in our closet that make us feel at ease when we wear them.  Certainly don’t pick the things that make you question yourself or make you uncomfortable! Life’s too short for that!

Don’t wait for the trip or the movie to make you think of what makes you feel pretty. You don’t have to be going to a special place or event. Just know that what you have on has an impact on your self confidence.

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