How to Dress With Artistic Flair

by Dr. Kristie

Who wants to dress like everyone else? One way to express your unique style and eye for fashion is to dress artsy. That means not wearing what the masses have on but making your own unique fashion statement – with style and panache. Here are some ways to dress with style and artistic flair – even if you’re on a budget.

Buy a Few Key Pieces at Art Shows
If you have high-end art and craft shows in your area, visit booths where crafters make and sell handmade clothing. Here, you’ll find hand-painted silk scarves, hand-woven jackets and hand-stamped leather bags – along with every manner of artsy clothing you can envision. Sure, these pieces cost more, but you only need one of two exquisite items to dress up the clothing you already have. When you wear clothing made by artisans, you stand out from the crowd.

Dress Artsy By Visiting Vintage Clothing and Thrift Stores
Want to knock everyone out in a fitted suit from the 1950s? How about a hand-beaded purse or an art deco velvet opera coat? These aren’t pieces you’ll find gracing the aisles of a local department store – which makes them special. And don’t forget about thrift stores. There are plenty of gems to be found here. Shop these offbeat stores when you want to find artistic clothing you can’t find anywhere else.

Take What You Have and Make It Unique
If you have a white blouse or shirt you don’t wear anymore, buy some clothing dye at the craft store and tie dye it, or use fabric paints and dyes to give it a new life. Look through craft books for ideas on how to transform your clothing using buttons, metal studs or rhinestones. Take an old pair of jeans and line the pockets with rhinestones or studs to give them new character. Dressing artsy doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.

Wear Artsy Accessories
Unique accessories, especially jewelry, turn the simplest outfit into artistic clothing. Visit a local bead store and put together your own knock-out necklaces to wear with the clothing you already own. Buy antique brooches at thrift stores and antique malls and cluster them on a coat or jacket. Learn to make earrings from recycled materials like sea glass or bottle caps. You can make a simple pair of earrings in five minutes flat that costs almost nothing. Learn the art of making one-of-a-kind jewelry by reading jewelry-making books or through online tutorials.  It opens up a whole new way to express yourself with artistic flair.

Dress Artsy: The Bottom Line?
To dress artsy, step off the beaten path, and try some of these off-beat ideas for showing off your artistic side. It could turn into a passion.

Three Versatile Fashion Classics

by Lisa-Anne Sanderson

There are fashion ‘classics’ that every well-dressed woman should have in her wardrobe. Most of these garments can be mixed and matched with other pieces easily. Most of them will take you anywhere! Three of these classics are a trench coat, a white shirt and white jeans.

1. The Trench Coat

The trench coat has returned to fashion with a vengeance in recent years. First designed as a useful garment for officers in the trenches of World War One, it soon became a fashionable item for men and women. Movie-stars, such as Catherine Deneuve, glamorized this style of coat. This made it even more popular.

Many different types of trench coats are fashionable now. These include the ‘Mac’ type of trench coat which is similar to a raincoat but made of stronger material, and the trench coat which is suitable for evenings out. The most useful trench coat is warm, double-breasted, and made of waterproof material. This is the style that Audrey Hepburn wore in the iconic last scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. This is an excellent coat for winter and fall.

Evening trench coats often look extremely glamorous. Usually made of gold or silver material, they are often paired with high heels and elegant jewelry. These trench coats are suitable for most evening events, such as dining out at a restaurant or going to a concert. Some are made of thin material so they’re only suitable for spring or summer.

2. The White Shirt

A white cotton shirt is a fashion-must for every woman. A plain cotton white shirt can be paired with pants or skirts. It looks especially smart with a pencil skirt and high heels during the day. Most ‘fashionistas’ agree that business women look both business-like and sexy in plain white cotton shirts and skirts or pants.

The white cotton shirt is also suitable for night-wear when dressed up with elegant accessories. Gold jewelry or a brightly-colored pashmina will lessen the plainness of the shirt, for example. Buying another white shirt with ruffles or lace for evenings out is also an idea. Most fashion critics agree that having a few white shirts in your wardrobe is extremely useful.

3. White Jeans

White jeans can be worn in summer, spring or fall. They are even suitable for mild winters. They can be paired with many different types of shirts, T-shirts, and blouses. They look especially good when combined with bright colors and large belts, according to many fashion critics. Black and white is almost always fashionable, so combining white jeans with a black jumper or T-shirt and black boots is also an idea.

The crisp, clean look of white jeans is mostly suitable for warmer weather. However, fashion critics now agree that they can be worn after Labor Day with jumpers or blazers. Some think that they look smart with tight roll-necked sweaters or striped or velvet blazers.

These three fashion classics are a great addition to any woman’s wardrobe. If they are good quality and well-made they should last for years, provided you take proper care of them. Once you’ve bought them, you can have fun mixing and matching the garments with other pieces and accessories!