Today’s Outfit Idea: Dots & Denim, Mustard & Mint

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.

Ever since I read in the New York Times awhile back that mint green was coming into style, I’ve seen hints here and there that it is indeed on the periphery, and that it’s being mixed with mustard yellow. Which is a little strange, because mint and mustard aren’t neutrals, they’re not pastels (well, mustard isn’t anyway), and they’re not neons, all of which are hot this spring. I like a little life in the periphery, so I’m going to pull that palette into my look along with some classic casual Friday wear. So here’s what’s in my closet today:

· Trouser Jeans: I’ll start with my good ol’ trusty dark-wash denim. The trouser-style pockets and seaming ensures that I’m keeping professional even as I watch for the clock to chime “weekend.” They have a straight leg with just a touch of boot-cut flare at the hem for the cut that happens to be most flattering to my body type.

· Turtleneck Sweater: This is a lightweight sweater, so I should be comfy even with a completer piece. Here’s where I’ll bring my mustard color in. This is a great, solid-color piece that may be simple, but it’s understated garments like this that make wonderful blank canvases, and allow us to bring some crazier stuff in with other pieces.

· Polka-dot Completer: And this would be the crazier element I mentioned. The only way a blazer like this will work is with more understated pieces, so that it can really be the focal point of the outfit. My blazer is a little longer than I usually go, hitting below the hip, but its cut and seaming make sure that the piece adheres to my silhouette. Its lining is a reverse white-and-black polka dot, so you can bet I’ll be turning up my cuffs to take advantage of the extra visual interest.

· Accessories: Time to add a little mint. I’ll start with a necklace that incorporates gray, mint, and emerald glass beads on a silver chain. I’ll also tuck in my turtleneck and wear a thin gray belt with silver buckle through my jeans’ loops. Finally, I’m going to do something a bit different, for me anyway, and wear ombre (or gradient) styled nail polish. I’ll paint my thumb and forefingers mint, my middle and ring fingers sea green, and my pinky emerald.

· Purse: To pick up the gray in my accessories, I’ll go with my gray slouchy tote. Slouchy totes aren’t trending right now, but I’ve got enough stylish stuff going on in my outfit to feel in fashion, and, let’s face it, totes come in handy for those times you’ve just gotta take your entire makeup collection with you.

· SHOES!: I have a denim wedge that will not only perfectly complement the jeans, but will elongate my leg line because I’m just continuing the texture and color I’ve already got going on on my bottom half.

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

Dressing for work is one thing, but at the end of the day it’s time to play!

Stepping Out Tonight In: Extremes

The runway is a place full of extremes—I mean, really, it’s a showcase for conceptual art. Even ready-to-wear collections sometimes need to be toned down before they hit the mainstream stores, which is where the average person is buying her wardrobe from. But nighttime is when you can dabble a bit in the conceptual yourself, and push your own personal style envelope a little. When you go out some Saturday night, wear a longer dress, or a lower neckline, or shoulder-dusting earrings, or higher heels, or a bolder print…not all at once—that’s called the “red carpet disaster” style—but pick one element to do a little more extreme than you normally would. Have a great night!