There’s an odd phenomenon that happens in Colorado. When the weather is really cold, we wear our fabulous winter coats religiously. Then when the temperatures rise even just a bit, (and I’ve seen this happen at 32°F,) we shed our coats and freeze. It’s crazy, right? Every spring, the fashion magazines tout trench coats as a strong trend for the season. But for whatever reason, I don’t see many women in Colorado wearing trench coats or any other type of coat for spring. I propose we take a stand and start wearing spring coats!

Here are a few tips on what to look for and how to wear spring trench coats:

• First, if you like classic khaki/beige trench coats, please know that all neutrals are not created equally. In other words, there are many shades of beige. Some are warm and some are cool. Take your time to find a shade that works with your skin tone.
• If you’re truly dedicated to a trench coat, or if you travel a lot, consider investing in a classic trench with a removable lining. It will keep you warm even when it’s quite cold. As it gets warmer, you can take the lining out, and viola, you’ve

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If you want to add more color to your wardrobe, but just one pop of color isn’t enough for you, let’s talk about opposites attracting. I’m talking about opposite colors, or complementary colors, on the color wheel. Putting opposite colors together is one of the most basic, yet fun ways of producing a color scheme to your outfit. For the sake of ease today, we’ll concentrate on tops. So you don’t feel like Rainbow Bright all of a sudden, ground any of your outfits with a neutral skirt or pant. I know what you’re thinking as you’re looking at this color wheel, “Dana, Christmas is over; I’m not wearing red and green together!” True, the colors on the color wheel are a little saturated and a bit bright. Rather than wearing true red and green together, consider candy pink and lime green. Playing around with the intensity and value of the colors is where your creativity comes shining through! Still not convinced? Worried about being mistaken for Denver Bronco fan* in orange and blue? Simply change the shades to peach and light blue. Or why not slide over a notch on the color wheel, and wear tangerine (Read more...)

If one of your fashion resolutions or style goals for 2011 is to add more color into your wardrobe, I applaud you and admire you. Color is the element of design that is noticed first and remembered most. Plus in my opinion, color is just fun! Now then if you’ve made that resolution, but you’re not quite sure how to go about adding the color, I have an easy tip for you. A POP of color! Adding a pop of color, particularly a bright color, is a phenomenal way to add interest to an otherwise all neutral outfit. For example if your outfit consists of a black jacket, white blouse, a black/white hounds-tooth check skirt and black shoes, go ahead and swap the white blouse for purple, lime green, hot pink or your favorite bright. Not interested in changing your top? You can also add that pop of color in your accessories. Instead of black shoes, why not try red or cobalt blue? You will be absolutely amazed at the compliments you’ll get and the way you’ll feel in this more fashion forward look. (A note of caution here: Don’t wear the bright shoes on a presentation day. All eyes will be on your (Read more...)

While my tag line is "I help take the stress out of getting dressed," please don't think for a minute that I never encounter any stress in my wardrobe. I've been super busy and having fun helping clients organize their closets and buying new clothes. It's exciting seeing a wardrobe transform. And now after finally having a few minutes on Sunday to swap out my spring/summer closet into fall/winter, I'm excited to make some changes to my own wardrobe. My stress lies in the fact that my tendinitis is still bugging me, and most of my clothes need to be worn with heels. The solution sounds easy enough. Hem your pants, and get some flat shoes, right? I have mostly trousers and pencil skirts, both of which truly need to be worn with heels, so I'm a little limited right now. Because I have high hopes of being able to wear heels for longer lengths of time, I'm not ready to make any drastic changes. Now the fun part. Over the past several years, I've built a beautiful wardrobe of basics, but I'm beginning to feel a bit of a shift. I feel as though I'm ready to shake things up a (Read more...)

You’re in good company! Famous petites include Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland, Bo Derek, Raquel Welch, Cher, Winona Ryder, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Kristin Chenoweth, Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, Salma Hayek, Victoria Beckham, Madonna, and the list goes on. The fashion world considers women 5’ 3” and under to be petite. If you’re petite, you probably already know this, but it bears repeating, because I very often hear women referring to “petite” in the context of slimness. That simply isn’t the case. Petites comes in all sizes! Below, I’ve outlined just a few tips that will help you dress for your height and body. Even if you’re not in the petite height range, I encourage you to read on, as you may find ideas that will work for you no matter what your stature. 1. You may or may not need to shop solely for petite clothing. It’s possible to be petite both above and below the waist – but it’s also to possible to be petite in only one area. I have plenty of clients who need petite tops and jackets, but petite pants are far too short for them. Then there are others who need only the shorter rise and length (Read more...)

Recently I asked my followers for blog post suggestions. My friend, Lida Citroen, asked for tips for tall gals, so to Lida and all other members of the “tall girl club,” here you go! While it’s still important to dress for your body type, most of the following tips are fairly universal for tall women. As you read, you will see that just like all other women, alterations make a huge difference in your clothing. 1.  Be proud of your tall model-like height! And to that I add, if you want to wear heels, don’t hesitate! (A small caveat might be if you are looking to make partner in your firm, and most of the partners are short men… I’m just saying.) 2. Pant length is crucial! Your pants should only be ¼” to ½” off of the floor. Otherwise, unless you’re wearing capris or cropped pants, you risk looking like your pants shrunk or you outgrew them. This might mean buying “Talls” or letting the hems out of your existing pants. If there isn’t much hem to let down, your tailor can add seam tape to give you the most length possible. And don’t forget the option of skinny pants tucked into (Read more...)

Butter Cream, Lavender Sorbet, Strawberry, Peach Melba—Close your eyes and envision these ice cream colors. Now open the pages of your favorite magazine or better yet, walk into your favorite store and you’ll find these sumptuous colors and more. If you’ve been yearning to add more color into your mostly neutral wardrobe, this is the year. For several recent seasons, the fashion industry told us color was back in style, but there still wasn’t much in the stores. Well, it’s finally here. Choose from the updated pastels mentioned above along with almost every bright color you can think of. Wondering how to add color into your professional wardrobe without looking like a walking Popsicle? It’s best to add color as an accent to your mostly neutral basics. Consider a soft coral blouse paired with a tan suit. Or if you’re a brave soul, tuck a bright yellow shell under a white jacket. If you work in a business casual environment, think about adding a bright jacket or two into your wardrobe. Royal blue looks sharp with either black or white! Another option? Depending on your office and industry, try a colorful dress topped with a neutral jacket or cardigan.

The fall trends have shown themselves, but it will be a couple of more months before we look at spring's trends. What does that leave? Accessories! In particular this month--scarves. Before you declare yourself "not a scarf person," read on. We're not talking about your grandma's scarves. Today's scarves have a more modern, casual vibe great for business, business casual and casual wear. If your wardrobe is devoid scarves, I encourage you to take a trip to the accessories department or your favorite boutique with this tip in hand and do a little experimenting. If you like scarves, follow these tips, and you may just learn to love scarves. The Hardest Working Accessory Scarves are the ultimate multi-tasking accessory. Here are just a few reasons to love them. * Camouflage If you've put on a couple of extra pounds over the holidays, (like me,) you'll love this quick fix. A long scarf not only covers your tummy, but it also creates a strong, center front vertical line creating the illusion that you're taller an thinner. * Color Even though most of us own a lot of it, black is rarely our best color. By adding a colorful scarf to a black jacket or sweater, (Read more...)

WHEN: Friday, October 2, 5-8 p.m. WHAT: Book Signing and Fall Fashion Party WHERE:  Violet, The Affordable Boutique 1439 Larimer Street, Denver CO 80202 Join us as I sign copies of my collaborative book, Image Power, What You Need to Know to Look Your Best. I will also be giving fall fashion tips on “How to Wear it 3 Ways” and will be available to answer any of your style questions. Of course we’ll have Stylish Sips and Scrumptious Snacks! Call your girlfriends, and plan to start your girl’s night out at Signing, Sips, and Style!