Today’s Outfit Idea: Smaller Handbag, Bolder Style

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.

The purses are shrinking! The purses are shrinking! Remember those enormous shoulder bags that were so en vogue for so long, the ones so big you could fit not just all your beauty products in it but the whole darn salon? Those are on their way out; clutches, shoulder-strap handbags, and satchels are in. Not only that, but the softer, slouchier curves of a tote are being traded in for bags with defined, sharp angles. I want to start my outfit today with one of these, and draw my inspiration from there, so here’s what’s in my closet today:

· Purse: Color blocking was actually in the mainstream long before its boom this past fall, and it’s still going strong, so I’m betting it’ll be a style that has staying power even after it’s left the runways. I think I’ll mix that trend with the downsized handbag, and carry a black, red, and brown color-blocked satchel. It’s faux leather and structured, to maintain those hard angles that are so hot right now.

· Plaid H-line Skirt: An H-line skirt and a pencil skirt are essentially the same thing, except to me a pencil skirt is fitted, hugging the silhouette and coming in at the knee, whereas an H-line skirt has a straighter line from hip to hem. The skirt I’m wearing today is just that sort (in keeping with the straight lines of my purse). It hits at the knee, and it incorporates the same brown that’s in my handbag. I’m a big fan of plaid; it’s a versatile pattern, and a classic one, and I don’t think it’s ever truly gone out of style.

· Red Cashmere Sweater: Because I’m actually using the plaid in a very classic, subtle way, and not, say, grunging it up with combat boots and ripped denim, I want to pair it with something just as classic, yet also a little off the beaten path. Any style sweater would work just fine with this skirt, but mine happens to have a square neckline, again playing off the lines in the rest of my ensemble. The red matches the red in my purse perfectly.

· Accessories: I like mixing my neutrals, so I’m going to play that up a little bit with a necklace made of a black fabric strand and brown stones. I’ll wear my deep blue watch with faux-leather band to complement the red in my outfit, and finish with dangly silver rectangle-shaped earrings.

· SHOES!: There’s an almond color running through the plaid in my skirt, so I’m going to pull from that and go with a beige shiny pump.

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

Did you ever watch the show Barney Miller? It was on in the ’70s/early ’80s (and is now available on DVD). Great show, and one of the many aspects I loved about it was Detective Harris (played fabulously by Ron Glass). Here were half a dozen plainclothes detectives who all dressed nicely but casually—shirt, tie, chinos—and then you had Harris dressing in designer three-piece suits. There was nothing “plainclothes” about him. He had class and style and wasn’t afraid to show it. One of the most frequently heard pieces of style advice in the workplace is “don’t dress for the position you have; dress for the position you want.” Harris always wanted to be rich and famous and live the good life. Well, what was true then is still true today. Don’t be afraid to look phenomenal at work! Granted, we may have to do this within a given dress code or practical constriction (if you have to wear a specific uniform, so be it; if you’re on your feet all day, pumps are out). But if you can, check out what the bigwigs in your company or industry are wearing. I’m talking the very top dogs. If you’re working a job right now that isn’t in your chosen profession, wear what the higher-ups are wearing who are in your chosen profession (especially when you go on job interviews). What have you got to lose? I’ve never heard of someone getting fired for looking too good. And if you’re the first . . . well, at least you’ll look amazing when you walk out the door.