Today’s Outfit Idea: A Lacy Layer

All right, all you ladies who push your style aside because you’re too dang busy just trying to get your kids or your partner or yourself out the door in the morning – the Fastionista is here to ease your style fear.

During any change in season, layering our clothes is a smart move. And since this week the weather can’t make up its mind whether it’s winter or spring, I definitely see some layering in my immediate future. The key to layering effectively is to make it look like your outfit is complete whether you happen to have all your layers on at a given time or not. So here’s what’s in my closet today:

· Gray Pinstriped Pants: A staple of mine, these pants offer a nice neutral alternative to black or brown, and the pinstripe pattern of alternating light and dark gray gives me a touch of visual interest. Pocket detailing on the rear à la a pair of jeans gives these a tailored look, so I’m not risking looking like I have a saggy butt (which can happen with the way some slacks are cut).

· Deep Purple Blouse: It’s going to be important that my first layer up top is classy and subdued, so I’m going with a relatively simple silk blouse that’s a soothing deep shade of purple. Why is it so important that I go simple here? Because of my...

· Lace-back Vest: Not only do I not want to overdo a look by having too many elements going on in it, but I just happen to love the look of a vest like this with a simple underlay like my blouse. My vest is black, with a standard V-neck, button front, but the lace back is what makes this piece special. With the purple of my blouse coming through, this will look like a finished outfit whether or not I happen to have on my completer piece. Plus, the structured vest, which hits at the hip, will act the same way a completer piece does in camouflaging any bulgies and streamlining my silhouette.

· Cardi Completer: I want a softer look than a blazer for my completer piece today, so I’m going with a cardigan. I want to match the color of my vest and have something special going on in the cardi, so that when I put it on it doesn’t look like I just grabbed it to keep warm, and that it wasn’t part of my intended ensemble. This something special could be achieved with embellishments like an animal-print lapel, a drape front, or a monochrome pattern. Mine happens to be cropped and fitted, with a short fabric fringe at the hem and wrists. It almost takes on a blazer feel, but with that softer knit texture.

· Accessories: I’ll wear my red and silver tusk dangly earrings for a little shine and complementary color to my purple, and to go with them I’ll wear my black-frame glasses that have a silver and red paisley design on the sides. I’ll finish with a chunky silver fashion ring.

· Purse: My gray slouchy tote echoes the darker gray in my pants, and will work with any layer of my outfit.

· SHOES!: While it’s true that a red or purple pump would work with the colors and styles I have going on in this outfit, I think that might actually be too loud as a finishing touch with all of these elements. So instead I’ll just wear my trusty black pumps with pointy toes.

Voila! There you have it: great fashion fast. And you, gorgeous lady, are ready to take on the world, Fastionista Style!

Today’s Trend: Drop the Dropped Waistlines

Usually, my little “Fashion Forward” blurb here talks about how to incorporate upcoming styles into what’s trending now. But today I’m doing the opposite, and urging folks not to incorporate one trend I’ve been loath to bring up: dropped waistlines. Fashion’s having fun this spring and summer with a minor ’20s revival, and while most of the styles are great, the dropped waistline gives me one of those “Oh no not this look again” moments, the likes of which I haven’t experienced since gauchos came back. Frankly put, on most women (The Fastionista included) it’s not a flattering look. Some people think it elongates the torso, making a woman look taller and thinner: not so. It’s actually stunting because it makes the leg line shorter. It’s not slimming, because there is no defined waist at the smallest part of the midsection. And I predict that, especially with the contradictory and more flattering style of feminine silhouette cuts coming on strong, it’s going to be short-lived. I’m a firm believer that women can pull off a lot of different fashions, even styles they’re not all that confident about, but a dropped waistline almost always looks like a costume. If you really want to go ’20s, there are plenty of other trends to turn to, such as cloche hats (like this one from Macy’s), double-stranded faux pearl necklaces, and fringed skirts . . . with waists where they should be!