We all want to find it and we search and search… Some of us believe - every once in a while — that we have found it and hold dearly to it for at least a few wearings.  That most perfect of all items — the dress of all dresses!  I have owned quite a few.  Some of them I still own and do wear… a lot.  Usually they are black.  Typically they are simple — crew necked, just above the knee, sleeveless, a-lined skirt with a fitted bodice.  Sometimes they are belted or do have a long sleeve or three-quarter length sleeve.  Sometimes they are navy or deep crimson or even lacy (that would be a perfect party dress).  And, once in awhile, it’s a dress that doesn’t get a lot of wear but is always in fashion, always looks great and can get pulled out at least once or twice a year for that special occasion.

What makes a dress a perfect dress?  What makes a man a perfect man?  Everyone’s answer will differ, won’t it?  For me, it’s a lot of what I listed above –simplicity, ease of fit over my hip area, tighter fit through my waist, etc…. For you, it may be that the dress covers just the right amount of arm, dips down your cleavage to where you are most flattered but still most comfortable, it’s the exact right length and material, etc… I could go on and on.  Sometimes, it’s the back of the dress –see the two above: one with the bow on the top of the zipper, which took a very simple short dress to one with a sense of humor; and the lacy backed dress…just gorgeous.

However, like finding the perfect man, it is really an illusion.  NO DRESS (i.e. NO MAN) will ever be perfect.  No dress can be your best friend forever.  No dress can be worn for every occasion for the rest of your life.  Love for clothing, like love for your fellow humankind, is fickle at best.  You love a dress, you wear it quite  a few times but maybe by the 6th wearing, you sense deep down inside that you don’t get that same glow inside when putting it on and the same excitement at the thought of wearing it to your next ladies luncheon.

That’s okay.  Don’t feel guilty and don’t feel that you can’t buy another similar dress to give you that same “lift” again.  We all need perk-ups, in love and clothing.  I have many clients who say to me — I love this dress but I already own: (fill in the blank here) a blue dress;  a black dress; a sleeveless dress; a brown dress; a party dress; a tweed dress.  As you personal shopping assistant and fashion consultant I give you permission to have more than one: (fill in the blank here) blue dress; black dress; sleeveless dress; brown dress; party dress; tweed dress. 

When you find true love, grab hold it and never let it go.  But always remember, love is fickle and that’s just human nature!

Do I look good in this?  Does this dress express what I want to say about myself?  Do I look too old, too young, as if I’m trying too hard, too curvy, too casual, too dressy, smart, sexy, too hippy, not hip, fat, too thin?  I could go on and on listing the questions we ask ourselves — and others – about our clothing and our style.

When I page through a magazine and see some of the most beautiful and outrageous outfits shown on models, I look at the pieces separately thinking of how I could use them in my “real” life.  I know I’ll never look like a model but I do believe that there are many styles I can wear and wear comfortably.  But, like anyone else, I know that my clothing expresses a lot about me and I want to be sure to express who I really am…or at least want to be.

The two photos above are my representation of the “A” to “Z” of fashion design.  Anna Paquin on the left is wearing an Alexander McQueen black dress and Fred Pinto on the right is in a Zac Posen.  Designers, who if you thumbed through a Vogue, you would believe to be designers of over-the-top and more exotic dresses for theatrics only.  Yet, here both of these women show great style wearing these simple — yet sublime — dresses.  Perfect for their looks.

This photo on the left below is from a Christian LaCroix Couture fashion show.  It shows an interesting meshing of animal print, sophisticated design and drama.  Probably not something you’d see someone wearing walking around the Loop, not even on Michigan Avenue.  But, the leopard print dress on the right below is something you might see around town, at a party, at dinner or maybe even during the day with a cardigan or jacket over it.  This dress is by Nanette Lepore (one of my favorite, most wearable designers) and is truly flattering.

There are so many, many choices of outfits, looks, ways to put ourselves together that it can be overwhelming figuring out what’s right for you and your lifestyle.  If you’re a corporate executive with hopes of moving up the ladder, a suit from Ann Taylor probably isn’t the best bet.  You need to be wearing something different from those who report to you.  If you’re just starting out in your career, perhaps in banking or finance, a simple, yet great-fitting suit (maybe one from Theory) will pay for itself over and over with the amount of use you’ll get from it.  A volunteer mom who wants to be in something other than her sweats for the next PTO meeting?  Get yourself over to Anthropologie and pick out a fabulous boho top and some slimming pants, add a great purse and flats and you’re not going to look as if you just came from the gym.

I realize the complexity of dressing and all the complications of putting together just the right outfit.  I battle with these issues for myself and understand your questions and concerns.  Contact me before you spend another wasted dollar on clothing that doesn’t make you feel “Just right”.  I promise you’ll spend your dollars wisely and you’ll have fun getting dressed for whatever life may bring.

xoxox Susie

 I purchased this fabulous Nanette Lepore Party Girl Coat after eyeing it longingly for about a month.   It was kind of a funny purchase for me because when I first saw it I didn’t even want to try it on.  It looked too busy for my smaller body type and I just figured I’d be overwhelmed by it.  Was I ever wrong.  After some prodding by a very determined saleswoman, I put it on and, voila, it was perfect!  I fell in love. 

Better yet, each time I wear it I get lots of compliments and questions.  Where did you get that?  It’s so adorable, who makes that coat?  I even gave it to one of my customers to try on she was so enamored of it.

But, when this customer tried the jacket on, something funny happened.  It just didn’t look right.  She is a very attractive woman who typically looks wonderful in just about everything I gather up for her.  But, this jacket was not right for her.  Then over the past weekend, I bumped into a friend of mine who had seen me wearing the jacket and told me she also had seen it in the store and was thrilled to try it on after having seen it on me.

Alas, she too said it just wasn’t the right look for her.

What makes something look perfect on one person and simply wrong on another?  Sometimes, it is difficult to know.  Body type, hair, coloring, attitude — they all go into the mix of an individual’s look.  Perhaps, clothing somehow mixes with a person’s uniqueness to create a new look for each individual, much like perfume and how it smells different on each person who puts it on.

There are some important lessons to be learned from this one little jacket: 1. Don’t hesitate to try on pieces that are outside your normal sphere of comfort.  This is something I tell my customers on a regular basis because often they look at what I’ve brought into the fitting room and say, “no way is that going to work on me”  and most of the time, they are pleasantly surprised.  I, too, need to try things on that I normally hesitate from — I had to be prodded by that saleswoman. 2. You can’t copy another woman’s look  — it’s unique to her.  Sometimes we can get an idea of what we’d like to buy or an outfit we’d like to put together by seeing it on someone else.  But beware when that what you’re putting on you is right for you! 

Look objectively at yourself or better yet, get someone you can trust to help you out.  Someone, like me, your personal shopping and wardrobe consultant, who can help you hone in on the style that is right for you, your body, your career, your lifestyle and your pocketbook.

xoxo Susie

I really love uniforms.  They can be quite sexy and stunning.  These women are adorable in their red Chinese dresses, white berets and — dare I say? — go go boots!  But, the “having to look like everyone else around me” when you’re over the age of consent is ridiculous.  At dinner last night, out with my husband and youngest son, I wore an adorable Theory dress, black tights, Stuart Weitzman booties and a Nanette Lepore fabulous, sweater-coat.  I carried a large Prada nylon/gold black bag (with and extra sweater for layering in it, in case it got a bit chilly).  Needless to say, I felt quite lovely.

But, as I looked around the dining room, I could have sworn I entered the enclaves of the Russian Proletariat.  EVERYONE was in lousy fitting and bland looking jeans with even blander looking t-shirts and sweater tops.  Men and women included.  And, they did not look as cute as the real Proletariats, pictured below.  At least these men and women tipped their hats and did their hair.

A lovely friend of mine, who is always beautifully coiffed, manicured and dressed once said to me, quite frankly,  “You know, jeans were invented for the workers.  They are the uniform of labor.”  Okay,  I’m fine with that.  Jeans have gone beyond their initial use of clothing for the San Francisco 49’s (not the football team).  But, I get where she was coming from.  Jeans are not meant to be our only form of dress.  They are great to have for those days when you are just hanging, great for students and for taking walks, doing gardening, etc…  And, they can be quite good looking for going out in — but you have to “rock those jeans”.  Not add a worn out Gap t-shirt and call it a day.

I thank Beyonce and Rihanna, both pictured here looking awesome.  I thank them because they don’t have the needle thin legs of models and boyish-figured girls, but they wear their jeans and they wear them the right way — with panache.  I feel that I don’t have to be built like a boy to wear jeans, but I better wear my jeans so it’s clear there’s a women in those denims.  Show your figure, accentuate your curves and add a top, jewelry and accessories that give the outfit some ‘Pow’.

Millions of people across the globe have fought to unleash themselves from the grip of Communism and the visions of a world where literally “everyone is the same”.  They shook off their uniforms and looked to us, the West, to give them an idea of style that emerges from being free.  Please, let’s utilize our freedoms and let ourselves understand that emulating your neighbor down to wearing everything she does is only a good thing if your neighbor happens to look like Salma Hayek.  Otherwise, find your own style, make an effort and call me, your personal stylist and fashion consultant.  I can lead you down the path of individualism, beauty and fashion fun!

As you know from my previous blog, Why I DIY, and from my website which is filled with my own paintings and ideas, I like to make stuff!  And after wearing my own creations around town, I was asked to put a few of them in a local store window.  That got me going and going and going.  Here was my conundrum: if I made necklaces that I really loved, how could I sell them (I want to wear them) but if the necklace I made wasn’t something I loved, I certainly didn’t want to put my name on it as creator and then sell it…. I have a reputation to uphold (or at least I want to develop a great reputation, not a mediocre one).

Here’s what I have decided and it’s a good life lesson.  Create beautiful pieces and if someone wants to buy anything for a fair price, sell it and move on.  There are always more beautiful pieces to be made, to own and to wear.  What we do own isn’t really permanently ours; we have it for awhile and eventually it either is too old and ragged to wear anymore, we have outgrown the fit or the style and we send it on its way, or it if should outlive us, the piece will be passed on to the next generation.

The necklace that I was so proud of in my Why I DIY blog (and the one pictured above that I am wearing) has sold.  I loved that necklace and I did wear it a few times.  The funny thing was, before I sold it I didn’t love it as much anymore anyway and I told myself that its time for me had passed, such as some of the fabulous clothing that I had worn and given away.  I have often looked back on what I’ve given up with regret.  But, there were reasons I chose to give up those pieces.  Mostly the reason for me has been that I just didn’t feel great wearing that dress, those pants, that top or jacket anymore.  And my personal philosophy is, “If you don’t feel wonderful in it, get rid of it.” 

So, I have offered up these pictures to show what I have made (these are just a few) and to let you know that: 1. It’s great to make your own stuff and to enjoy wearing it; 2. It’s okay to move on from clothing, jewelry, special items and to sell or give them away when you no longer have the same connection to them; and 3. Don’t feel obligated to wear or keep items that don’t enhance the way you feel about yourself.

If you’re interested in my necklaces, some can be found on http://sostrov.etsy.com.  Tell me what you think and remember, closet-cleaning is not a once-a-year activity, it’s an ongoing ritual.  Call me or email me at susan@ostrovs.com for help with choosing what to keep and what to get rid of — I am your personal stylist and I’m ready and able to help!

  

We all have them — parts of our bodies that we don’t love or don’t think fit into what’s “in style” today.  How can a body part be in or out of style?  I’m not sure but it seems to be in vogue right now to have a nice, round behind.  When I was a young girl, we all wanted the teeny tiniest tushy possible.  I guess it’s a good thing for all of us “rounder” women that we can now find acceptance and can feel good walking away from a crowd in our blue jeans.  But, hey, now it’s the girls with the flat buns who feel a bit bad about their backsides. 

Whenever I’m in the fitting room with a client, I hear exactly how they feel about their body.  The flatter-chested women are not pleased with their bosoms; the wide-hipped gals are embarrassed by their womanliness.  The bigger busted women wish theirs tilted upward more.  The women with bigger calves are ashamed of their less-than-petite legs.  Just about every woman seems to have issues with her feet as well (What’s up with that?  They are feet and no one looks at your feet and thinks negatively about you.  And, if they do, pity them!).

Your body is your home.  If yours is less then perfect, welcome to the human race.  Stop looking at celebrities and wondering why they look so great — it’s called airbrushing, plastic surgery and great stylists.  We all have flaws.  It’s how you work with what you got that makes a difference.  And, getting the right advice is priceless.

Call or email me and I’ll show you how to have fun getting dressed and how to look and feel great.  As your personal shopping consultant, I know the “tricks of the trade” and I know how to enhance what you’ve got in every way.  Of course, the first step to real beauty — you know the inner and the outer kind — is acceptance.  Leave the rest to me!

susan@ostrovs.com

847-971-7507

A new customer reached out to me this week asking me to decide if we should work in her closet first — see what she owns, get rid of what doesn’t work, put together new outfits from what she has that does work, etc… — or if we should just go directly to the stores and shop.  I wrote her back a rather, lengthy email telling her that really this decision must be hers.   Does she want to spend budget money more on my time by going through her existing wardrobe?  Or, should she simply give me a listing of what she thinks she has that’s worth keeping, spend a bit less on my time but more on some new clothing?

Personally, I think it’s always best to try to salvage what you have that’s worthwhile first.  For all I know as your new wardrobe consultant and personal stylist, you have made some terrific purchases over the years.  You may not realize that the jacket you bought last season but never wore will look really great once you take it into the tailor and have the waist nipped a bit (about $25-$35) or that putting a belt over that simple red dress you bought on a whim will change its look completely and make you feel sensational in it (a new belt is typically much less expensive than a new dress).

On the other side of it, you may say to me that you already own two perfectly fine white blouses and don’t need to purchase a new one.  I then go into your closet and see that those two blouses are yellowed, pilled or simple outdated and not worth fixing.

There are many, many choices out in the world today.  Knowing what to pick and what to spend your hard-earned cash on can be difficult.  I know that I love a lot of different looks and styles.  I am open-minded to individuals showing their own taste and creativity when it comes to getting dressed.  However when it comes to get myself dressed —  especially as I have gotten older — I no longer want to be uncomfortable at all — even for a couple of hours at a party or event.  I like high heels but will only buy ones that fit my feet just right and offer me some comfort.  That’s why I tend to always go with a platform shoe.  I love dresses but can’t stand feeling confined in anything.  So, I usually purchase and wear dresses with more of an a-line style than straight bottom.  I can’t buy it all, so I’d rather keep my fashion style within a certain look that I know always works for me.

What’s just right for you?  Maybe you aren’t sure.  Maybe you never realized that much of the clothing that you own already can be adapted to fit you better so you feel better while wearing it and flatter your figure best.  Perhaps, you think you’re dressing just fine for the office but haven’t really taken a close enough look at that black suit that’s fraying at the edges. Or, that attending a school event for your children in an old t-shirt and schleppy jeans is fine (it really isn’t).

Call or email me and let’s set-up a time to talk about you, your wardrobe and your clothing needs.  As your personal stylist, I can help you sort through the myriad of clothing and accessories calling out to you from the stores and crying out to you from the back of your closet.

Reach me at susan@ostrovs.com or 847-971-7507.

A year ago I was so smitten with an image from Vogue of a very stylish French woman wearing a very cropped, black motorcycle jacket, that I took my own old leather jackets and had them “shrunken” down to cropped style.  My tailor cut off sleeves and cropped the length off so I could copy this sublimely stylish look.  I love those two jackets (yes, I did it to two of them but they have slightly different looks to them, I swear!).  I wear them over summer frocks for chilly evenings and over dressy dresses to “toughen” up the looks.  And I am really looking foward to getting lots of wear out of them for quite a while.

This fall, lucky ladies, you don’t have to take your jacket to the tailor to get the look. These “shrunken” gems are all over the place and in multitudes of looks and colors (See my blog on adding color for Fall 2009 for a photo of a gorgeous red leather jacket).  I still prefer the true motorcycle type in black, of course.  But, there are some very cool and stylish looks in red, cream, brown and tan.  And, in terms of your budget, you can find these jackets priced anywhere from under $200 (bebe.com)to well over a few thousand.

I am also loving some of the leather skirts this season.  As a fashion consultant and stylist, I prefer the more a-line looks to the tight, straight leather skirts of the past.  The cuter looks take the leather in a whole new direction, away from the vamp and more towards the lady of style and confidence.  I plan to take an old leather skirt of mine that’s been sitting in my basement closet and have it converted into one of these looks.  It’s already an a-line but I think I’m going to make it just a bit shorter to get that up-to-date look, like the Catherine Maladrino skirt, shown below on the left.

I’m not a lover of leather dresses or of leather suits.  One piece is definitely enough in my style book.  But, as I always say, there are no rules…so follow your own style and create your own look.  And feel free to contact me with any style and fashion consulting questions about leather skirts or jackets and how you can get this look too!

As your fashion consultant, I definitely say that this fall there are some great colorful options to choose from to give your wardrobe a “jolt”.  Add just a little or add a lot — it’s up to you!  I am loving purple, red, raspberry tones (see the Theory dress from my last blog on Fall 2009) and I am loving the idea of pairing these colors with my black and neutral pieces, just like the looks shown above.

Here’s a great piece — an orange blouse from forever21.com for under $30!  It would be beautiful with jeans or under a brown suit.  It’s shown here with black but be careful when pairing black and orange — always add another color to the mix, such as cream, brown or even navy — lest you look like you’re gearing up for Halloween!

And, speaking of beautiful tops to go with jeans and casual pants, here’s one from Leaves of Grass that’s available online at net-a-porter.com.  The bright blue is striking and very flattering.  Check out my blog on what to wear with jeans for more ideas on flattering tops.

I love purple and both of these two great pieces.  The dress is from juicycouture.com and the bag, which combine two of my style loves: purple and fringe (see my blog on fringe), is availabe at shopbop.com.

There is something terrific in almost every hue this season!  The yellow dress is from Kate Spade’s new clothing line.  Please check out all her looks at katespade.com — every piece is really adorable.  I’m not sure what stores will be carrying her pieces but I will be on the lookout for them.  The middle dress is a beautiful blue velvet from Vena Cava, a couple of very hip designers, and is available at Barneys New York.  The dress on the right is from Marc by Marc Jacobs, whose fall line is looking better than what he’s shown for the past few years.  I’m very excited about his dresses and coats once again. 

As we Chicagoans know, the winter is long and grey…so add to your wardrobe this year and lighten your spirits with a bit of brightness.

I’m feeling very inspired to zap my wardrobe with color…how about you?!

What’s really hot right now?  Remember my blog on thigh-high or over-the-kneee boots for Fall 2008? I have been loving that style of boot for quite a while and in the past I had to purchase them through kinky-shoe websites.  Now, they are really the thing for Fall 2009.  If you go to any of the big, upscale department store websites, such as neimanmarcus.com or saks.com, you’ll see that they even have their own category!  Here are a few that I am loving:

I definitely am crazy for the pair of boots on the left side.  They are by Miu Miu and retail for $1275 at Saks.com.  The pair on the right are by Stuart Weitzman and retail, also at saks.com, for $675.  That’s a big difference in price and even the Weitzman pair is not cheap.  What I love about both is the tight fitting shaft and the black suede.  Since I already own leather boots like this, a suede pair would be great to have.  Suede really changes the look and makes it a bit less “hard”.  What I love more about the Miu Miu pair is the substantial heel on it.  It also makes the boot less “sexy” and more hip.  Thigh-highs are sexy enough and don’t necessarily need a sharp heel to make their point…

Another Stuart Weitzman pair that I like a lot are these on the left side.  They are a grey suede with a nice heel height, available at shopbop.com for $595.  And, for a simple, great leather-like pair, the ninewest.com boot on the right side is available for $139.  They look just like the really expensive leather platform boots that can be found at Neimans, Barneys New York and Saks.

Of course, I continue my love affair with dresses.  And, this one on the right is perfect for work and for late summer into early fall into winter.  It’s from JCrew and also is available in black.  Stick a jacket or cardigan over it and you’re good to go.  I am liking a lot of what I’m seeing from JCrew this season, which is also where the outfit on the right is from with the fluttery blouse and skirt.  I love their mix of colors and fabrics and the comfortable look of the clothing.  Check out their website — and for a better look at the outfits that they put together, request a catalogue.  JCrew offers their clothing in a variety of sizes and the prices are not too bad.

A couple of fun dresses that I have come across this month are from two of my favorite designers, Theory and Nanette Lepore.  Please see my earlier blogs on both of them.

This is Nanette’s Cafe Sheath and it’s a great piece for pairing with tights and booties, just as it’s shown here.  It’s got a great, wearable pattern.  Look for it online at bloomingdales.com and bergdorfgoodman.com.

This Theory dress is all about the ruffles, which are also really hot right now.  On the model, the dress appears very short.  In most of our real lives, the dress will hit just above the knee or a bit higher.  This dress can do parties and work, just add a simple black jacket and tights for fall.  It’s truly adorable and available online at Bloomingdales or Saks. 

I promise more great looks real soon!