Fashion Makeover: Meet the Expert

From What Not to Wear to Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style to The Zoe Report, the personal stylist has become a modern-day fairy godparent. Whether they guide us with tough love or the softest cashmere, one thing’s for sure: we all want one. Alas, we are mere mortals who, most days, only get feedback from our full-length mirrors. Last week, however, our lucky fashion makeover winner, Nicole, got to live the dream when we brought in a professional stylist to help refresh her wardrobe.

Yesterday, we introduced you to Nicole, an ideeli employee who wants to take her laid-back, all-black wardrobe to a new level of colorful sophistication. After Ariela Suster — a celebrity stylist and owner/designer of the accessories label Sequence Collection — showed Nicole how to update her wardrobe, we sat down with her to get some advice. And, fortunately, she was game! Here are Ariela’s five foolproof styling tips for updating your look.

1. Want to add more color to your wardrobe? Start with accessories! They provide the perfect pop without traveling too far outside your comfort zone.
2. If (like me) you’re vertically challenged—in other words, short!—use nude or light-colored shoes to elongate your legs. Stay away from anything dark that will cut you off at the ankle.
3. One well-fitting blazer is a wardrobe must-have! It’s the easiest way to add structure to an outfit. Plus, it makes anything you wear it with feel infinitely more polished.
4. Always highlight your waist. Even if you’re wearing a blazer or cardigan over something else, wrap a belt around your natural waistline. It will nip you in at your most flattering point.
5. Patterns can be overwhelming, so here’s a good rule of thumb: The larger (and wilder) the print the further away from your face you want it. So stick with smaller prints on tops and blouses, and if you really want to go for it, try a boldly patterned skirt.

Check out the first part of Nicole’s fashion makeover and learn more about the 14-Day Makeover Challenge. You can also follow our challenges for hair and healthy eating.

Comments

[Jessie]

Great tips! I, too, am vertically challenged :)

[nancy]

the links for "hair" and "healthy eating" in the article are switched!

[ideeli]

Thanks for letting us know, Nancy! We'll fix it right away!