I have a couple of questions from some readers sitting in my inbox, so I though I'd answer them here:
anchor blouse / black bow flats / flat brown boots
glitter oxfords / beige booties
anchor blouse / black bow flats / flat brown boots
glitter oxfords / beige booties
Question 1} Hi! I'm currently a junior in high school and we have to wear uniforms. We can wear a white, light blue, or light yellow shirt. After Christmas break, we'll be allowed to wear any collared shirt in those colors, like a polo or button down. I've already seen a lot of the cute shirts my smaller friends have bought but I can't seem to find anything other than the same boring stuff. Any ideas?
Before you buy anything, A) make sure you have the dress code in writing and B) Ask about details to make sure a shirt is allowed. Are logos like the Lacoste crocodile allowed? Shopping is a lot easier when you know preciesly what you can purchase.
The blouse above is a great example of what to look for; it's hard to see but there are white anchors embroidered all over it. You may also look at getting a plaid button down in one of your allowed colors and having a seamstress add details, such as a scalloped collar or maybe even scalloped sleeves. You also raid Michael's for some trimmings like lace, rick rack, pop-poms, etc., and sew that on yourself. Again, without knowing more about your dress code it's hard to give advice but most likely you're going to have to do a bit of DIY to get something fun.
Alternatively, consider sticking with the plain shirts and foucsing your allowance on fun shoes and accessories. When I was in prep school we could only wear black or brown dress shoes. If you're looking to make as much of a style statement as possible, sparkly black oxfords will stand out much more than some piping detail on a shirt collar.
Before you buy anything, A) make sure you have the dress code in writing and B) Ask about details to make sure a shirt is allowed. Are logos like the Lacoste crocodile allowed? Shopping is a lot easier when you know preciesly what you can purchase.
The blouse above is a great example of what to look for; it's hard to see but there are white anchors embroidered all over it. You may also look at getting a plaid button down in one of your allowed colors and having a seamstress add details, such as a scalloped collar or maybe even scalloped sleeves. You also raid Michael's for some trimmings like lace, rick rack, pop-poms, etc., and sew that on yourself. Again, without knowing more about your dress code it's hard to give advice but most likely you're going to have to do a bit of DIY to get something fun.
Alternatively, consider sticking with the plain shirts and foucsing your allowance on fun shoes and accessories. When I was in prep school we could only wear black or brown dress shoes. If you're looking to make as much of a style statement as possible, sparkly black oxfords will stand out much more than some piping detail on a shirt collar.
Question 2} I graduated college back in May but I'm just now finding a job-yay! However the company has a strict professional dress code, no khakis or polo shirts allowed. I don't have enough clothes to make it a week. Is there somewhere I can go to get a professional wardrobe quickly? My job starts soon and at this point I'm not too picky about cost or style as long as it looks professional!
Congratulations! My top pick for professional clothes is Talbot's. They use natural fabrics like wool and cotton over polyester, meaning they hold up well in the long run. They also make most of their suit separates in colors other than black! They have the all-important navy, as well as gray, dark green, burgundy, tan, not to mention glen plaid. If you need a cohesive collection that works well together and you needed it yesterday, I suggest Calvin Klein. It features a lot of black and a lot of polyester, but the pieces are tailored and they wear well. Most of his work collections have around 8-10 pieces that all work off of each other in color and print. Lastly, don't overlook Tahari or Jones New York. Both have great work clothes.
Congratulations! My top pick for professional clothes is Talbot's. They use natural fabrics like wool and cotton over polyester, meaning they hold up well in the long run. They also make most of their suit separates in colors other than black! They have the all-important navy, as well as gray, dark green, burgundy, tan, not to mention glen plaid. If you need a cohesive collection that works well together and you needed it yesterday, I suggest Calvin Klein. It features a lot of black and a lot of polyester, but the pieces are tailored and they wear well. Most of his work collections have around 8-10 pieces that all work off of each other in color and print. Lastly, don't overlook Tahari or Jones New York. Both have great work clothes.
Question 3} Have you ever considered having clothes made out of Lilly Pulitzer fabric? My daughter is plus-size and is really wanting a classic Lilly shift made in the actual fabric. She's 13 and is sensitive about her size and I'm afraid of getting her something custom made will get her teased at school.
I have given a lot of thought to having Lilly dresses made, but I have yet to pull the trigger. There is a huge market for anything made out of Lilly Pulitzer prints, everything from home decor items to even Lilly Jeeps:
I have given a lot of thought to having Lilly dresses made, but I have yet to pull the trigger. There is a huge market for anything made out of Lilly Pulitzer prints, everything from home decor items to even Lilly Jeeps:
The only problem I can foresee is maybe getting the right piece of fabric, as most of what I've found for sale is usually in small pieces, around 18"x18", which would make using it for a dress difficult. Get together with a good seamstress and she may be able to track down bigger pieces of fabrics for you. All-in-all, though, I don't think your daughter would be teased for wearing a custom Lilly dress. Again, there's a huge market for anything Lilly and that includes custom-made dresses.
If you have any questions, need help finding something, etc., don't be afraid to email me!
ker [at] theplussizeprep.com
ker [at] theplussizeprep.com
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I have looked into Lilly fabric for just this purpose. Lilly doesn't sell it anymore - ebay is probably your only source and extremely limited. Lilly bedding sheets could be used if you find a print that would work. A solid, woven, cotton shift dress - in a Lilly color - with genuine Lilly accessories - might be her best bet.
ReplyDeleteI swear people have to be sourcing Lilly fabric from somewhere. There are a lot of people on both Ebay and Etsy who continuously sell all sorts of stuff made with Lilly fabric and I doubt they're cutting up clothes to get this fabric. My thought had been to buy some of the Lilly bedding from Garnet Hill and using two flat sheets as my fabric.
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