Because of chemotherapy, I have lost most of my hair. Hats are an easy solution for daytime, especially during the long winter months, but what head covering would you recommend with evening clothes? I will be going to a Valentine’s Day ball and plan to wear a red lace gown. Please suggest something for my head.
Milan designer Giorgio Armani showed many of his new spring evening dresses with chiffon or georgette headscarfs tied gypsy fashion, as illustrated here. How about using his idea and wearing your dress with a shocking pink or purple lace headscarf? Accessories in shocking contrast colors are newer than monochromatics and save you time in trying to color-match.
I’m in Grade 10 and will soon be going to a formal dance. I was planning to wear a skirt or dress with a pouf hem and/or bubble skirt that would end just above my knees. The problem is that I am what some people call “full-figured” and a strapless top would make me feel uncomfortable. Can you suggest a suitable top for a pouf or bubble skirt? And accessories? I am 5 feet 3 inches tall.
How about a sweater? You will feel emotionally secure because you can wear your favorite bra under it, and you will feel fashion-secure knowing that this is a big look of the moment.
If, for example, your skirt is red taffeta, wear it with a shocking pink or purple sweater for the same reasons outlined in the answer to the question above. If your skirt is a bright blue, go for a bright green sweater. If it’s purple, try bright yellow. Introduce a third color for your sling-back satin pumps. For the red skirt/pink sweater, go for purple shoes. For the blue/green combination, wear poison green shoes. For the purple/yellow combination, red shoes.
Your sweater should not be one of the big, oversized bulkies, but a cashmere type that fits smoothly, but not too snugly. My mom will sew my strapless gown for the senior prom. What fabrics do you suggest? I am a size 9, 5 foot honey blonde.
The two hottest new evening fabrics for spring are chiffon and pique. You could combine them by using a pique fabric for the strapless bodice and chiffon for the skirt. A red and white floral print pique bodice with a red chiffon skirt would be a good choice. As a wrap, make yourself a stole of red chiffon or red tulle and tack red or pink roses between the layers. This idea comes from Paris designer Jacqueline de Ribes, who shawled her strapless pink chiffon gown for spring in rose-strewn pink tulle.
I have a beautiful peacock blue suede suit. The jacket is perfect and so is the skirt except for one thing. It’s a mini. I bought the suit when minis first came out, and even then was uncomfortable with the very short skirt. I now feel too old to wear it. What, pray tell, can be done to lengthen the skirt to just below the knees? The suede is too beautiful to discard, and the jacket really calls for a matching skirt. It is fitted to the waistline, then has a bias-like peplum that dips to the middle of the back at mid-hip length.
You have a real treasure from the ’60s. Don’t do a thing to it. It was meant to be short, and short skirts are the height of fashion right now. As are suits with peplum jackets. Try it on again over black opaque pantyhose and small-heeled black sling-back pumps. It you still feel uncomfortable wearing it, as is, give it to someone who would appreciate it.
