A Fashion Crowd: nastygal

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

A Collar-ful Shirt

Iconic Actress Rita Hayworth in Gilda, 1946

Once women began wearing oxford shirts with collars in the 1940s there was no turning back; especially, once film stars such as the great Bette Davis and Rita Hayworth, began wearing them in such earnest. I believe shirts with collars remain just as popular today because of the fantastic way they are able to pair so effortlessly with most other garments. Fashion designers have taken the oxford shirt to the next level by covering the collar with all types of bling.

Shirts with collars embellished with sequins, studs, crystals and an abundance of other fabulous baubles are everywhere these days. It is effortless to incorporate shirts with embellished collars into your existing wardrobe. This type of shirt can be worn to the office and to any after-work event which makes it so versatile. An embellished-collar shirt worn with a classic-style gray, navy or black blazer and straight-leg trousers can add pizzazz to a routine outfit. This type of shirt adds an element of elegance to an outfit that would otherwise be considered humdrum. This makes it a superb article of clothing to pair with a simple crew-neck or v-neck sweater and trousers or a skirt. An embellished-collar shirt is also the perfect fit for days where you struggle to find the right outfit for work because you hit the snooze button on your alarm too many times. You don't even have to search for a necklace or earrings to wear with your outfit. This type of shirt is a statement piece.

Often wearing articles of clothing that represent more than one trend is considered a fashion don't; however, the marriage of peter-pan and embellished collars is a match made in heaven. Shirts with peter-pan collars consistently have a consistent level of recycled popularity in the fashion industry; however, embellished-collar shirts have never been more popular then they are now. Designers have cleverly combined the two collar styles to create a fashion gold mine. A shirt with a peter-pan collar suddenly becomes more visually interesting when it is embellished with lace, gems, studs or sequins.

Tips:

Do:

Limit the addition of jewelry to your outfit. Earrings can be complimentary, depending upon the style, but a necklace is overkill.

Pair the shirt with a sweater, cardigan or jacket to get the most use out of this investment piece.

Interested In Doing It Yourself? Please reference the sources below for do it yourself tips:

Coast to Coast Central DIY: Embellished Collars
It's Always Autumn The Easy Tee: DIY Peter Pan Collar with Free Pattern

What do you think about embellished-collar shirts? Comments are always welcome.

Shop the Trend:

Dark Dancer Crop Blouse, Nastygal

BCX Sheer Blouse, Macys


Vince Camuto Blouse, Nordstrom

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

T Time

Modal-Cotton Blend T, Mango

T-shirts have a lot to say these days. A t-shirt can broadcast much about your personality or your mood with just one or two words. It is much easier and less expensive, whether you want to be a queen for the day or a princess, to announce your entitlement to the world than it is to dress the part. If you can not marry into royalty like Kate Middleton at least you can pretend. Royal titles seem to have obliterated the competition for the most common title listed on Ts. Not a royal pretender? Perhaps, you want to magnify the fashionista aspect of your personality. T-s imprinted with the word, glamorous, chic or trend-setter may be more your style. There is no shame in being a shopping fiend; particularly, if you are a great bargain hunter. I think I just came up with another t-shirt catchphrase. Bargain hunter it is.

Maybe your preference is for a picturesque view on top rather than a statement-making top. Life’s not a beach, as stated on many t-shirts, but you can advertise your love of beaches on your top. Sunrise, sunset, cliff top, hillside and other beautifully tranquil landscape views are among the many beautiful images commonly imprinted on t’s. Landscape t-shirts not only represent the beauty of nature they often can announce to those in your orbit your love for a favorite vacation spot and cause individuals to discuss that particular locale with you. This phenomenon is similar to the reaction that occurs when a t-shirt emblazoned with a favorite sports team is worn. Suddenly, you become friendly with individuals you’ve never met before all because of a t-shirt.

A t-shirt with the name of or picture of a solo musician or music group on it can also be an icebreaker if you are initially shy or quiet when meeting new people. Let your t-shirt do the talking. Music is always a dependable topic of conversation. Wearing a t-shirt with a musician or band on it will definitely spark conversation when mingling with those new to your social circle. This is especially, accurate if people are not acquainted with the musician or group. It is more than likely they will ask you to tell them about the artist or band. A t-shirt containing a picture of a legendary rock band will also ignite conversation.

Jeans are consistently paired with t-shirts containing typography or graphic print images; however, t-shirts can effortlessly be matched with many other garments to create a chic casual outfit. Before reaching for a pair of jeans in your closet try reaching for one of the garments listed below to create a spectacular casual outfit:

A print t-shirt, maxi-skirt and ankle boots is a superb fashion trio.

Create a glamorous look with a print t-shirt, leather pants and faux-fur vest.

Mix a print t-shirt with a pencil skirt and booties or oxfords for a vibrant ensemble.

Pair a print t-shirt with a short-hemline skirt, a moto jacket, tights and over the knee boots to create a trendy look.

Favorite T-shirt Retailers:

Nastygal has an excellent vintage t-shirt section. The prices are in the $100 range for the music icon t-shirts and tanks but the quality of the t-shirts is exceptional.
Mango's typography t-shirts are ultra-glamorous and very affordable. Several of the t-shirts are priced at $20.
Topshop is another great source for budget-friendly t-shirts.
Threadless is a site I became acquainted with as a result of my perusal of the blog, Pop Culture Tees. Threadless has a terrific inventory of graphic print t-shirts, many of which are priced at $20.