Bring in the Professional Fall 2007

As a favor to me, my sister Lori, a wardrobe consultant, has agreed to write a quarterly advice column for my blogs. Here is her advice for Fall.

Before you know it, fall will be here. In the Northeast where I am from, leaves are already starting to turn yellow, orange, red and brown. Personally, I feel like I haven’t had enough of warm weather, capris, sandals and bright whites. To get excited about the changing of the season, I perused the local malls, Internet, and fall catalogs to see what designers and retailers have to offer in the way of cooler weather clothes. There are so many things to love and get excited about I can’t wait to put away the sand toys and bring out the fall decorations!

The berry tones are hot this coming season. Think cranberry, currant, mulberry and blueberry. Update your tops with these colors and pair them with your neutral basics: slacks or skirts in black, charcoal, winter white, brown, camel and khaki.

Dark denim is still very hot: I fell in love with two brands that fit my budget and my curvy figure. TiNT and ANA know how to fit a woman with an hour-glass figure without breaking the bank. Wear your jeans with everything: ankle boots or ballet flats, layered tees or sweaters. For a more pulled together look pair them with a great jacket. This summer, on the clearance rack I found a black velveteen military style jacket. I can’t wait to wear it with my dark jeans and a crisp white shirt.

I found several retailers that are selling clothing and accessories in various animal prints. Very few women can pull off wearing a whole coat or skirt in leopard print. To feel updated and trendy, I suggest purchasing accessories in the print and pair them with your classic pieces. Zebra print heels with ankle straps make a statement without causing a scene. A small leopard print clutch will look smashing with classic pieces in camel, brown or even red. Tortoise shell jewelry is back and looks great with autumn toned apparel.

If you live in an area where the temps are still in the 80s in September, you may not feel like wearing fall apparel just yet. Here’s your answer: Wear darker colors in light fabrics. Look for colors with a black tone to them. Spring type pastels should be packed away. Linen in garnet, black, olive and brown is still appropriate in warmer fall weather. Wear city sandals instead of flimsy flip flops. City sandals are darker in color, have wider straps and may have a more substantial sole. Try these tips and you will feel cool and seasonal appropriate.

Finally, fall is a great time to go through your summer wardrobe and cull any items that are faded, worn out or most importantly, if you haven’t worn them at all this summer. Donate your gently worn items to your favorite local charity. If you have summer suits that still have life in them, but you are not wearing, donate them to Dress For Success. Their mission is to, “promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.” Find a location near you at http://www.dressforsuccess.org/.

Lori Wynne lives in the Boston, Massachusetts area with her husband and two sons. She works as a wardrobe consultant for clients all over New England. She specializes in closet organization, personal shopping and wardrobe consultation. Her clientele include, business executives, authors, small business owners, and housewives.

Pictures supplied by JCPenny and Target