Hello my love bugs!
Today's spring trend discussion is on the contrasted collar button-up shirt. Menswear has been an ongoing trend in women's fashion for the past few seasons and I feel there is a timeless element about it. My mother and I have had discussions about fashion during her era and she's mentioned how men's wear was huge and a trend she so freely embraced. In fact, women were just not limiting themselves to mens style inspiration, but in the fragrance department as well! Mom was the one who told me that the cologne Creed, which I mentioned in my video on selecting and applying perfumes, can be worn by both men and women the like, so I sometimes reach for Eddie's bottle when I want a stronger and long lasting scent. We've come a long way from borrowing our hubby's razors for a smooth finished shave, ladies! We're becoming more and more inspired by what's in their wardrobes and bureaus!
What I love about this trend is that it's a nice way to subtly enhance your business wardrobe, especially if you work in a very structured setting and aren't able to experiment or express your love for fashion and trends. It's also a great way to dress up an otherwise casual weekend outfit a bit, if paired with boyfriend jeans, a fedora and oxfords or brogues and you might as well add a nice statement necklace while you're at it! Given these examples, I'd say it's a must for a working woman. To avoid too much clutter in the closet, it's essential that you gear your purchases to versatile mix & match pieces to get a ton of use out of them and allow yourself to splurge on certain key items.
So is this trend suitable for all body shapes?! Yes, indeed! Now of course you want to consider my on going tips, when it comes to working with patterns and prints for your shape, such as with the apple. I typically suggest solid colors for this shape, however, if you really want to play around and have fun with prints, go for smaller prints, as they will make your upper body appear slimmer. The opposite is true for the pear shape. I suggest in your case, to go for larger prints as it adds more dimension to that narrow and thinner upper body. Either solid or print is fair game for the rectangular and hourglass shapes. The reason these kind of shirts work for all shapes is because it brings attention to the neck and face. You've heard me mention so many times how the neck is the most flattering part of every woman and when you're working with a top that has a contrasted collar, it makes that section pop and becomes a focal point. You can chose to further enhance this effect by adding a statement necklace.
Since this top will cause the eye to focus on your face more, I'd suggest wearing a pop of color on the lips with a neutral eye OR vibrant eyes and a neutral/nude lip. Remember, as mentioned in my earrings for your face shape video (watch here), if you want the eyes to focus more on your eye makeup or eye color, wear stud or smaller earrings. If you want the attention to be placed on those vibrant colored lips, opt for longer earrings ;)
Lastly, when it comes to your height, if you're petite, ALWAYS tuck in your shirts and blouses to avoid appearing lost in fabric!
XO
