I’m excited to be introducing Bridgette Raes of Bridgette Raes Style Group as my Stylish Thoughts contributor today. Bridgette is based in Brooklyn New York, writes a style blog and is also the author of Style Rx: Dressing the Body You Have to Create the Body You Want
Bridgette on her wedding day
What is the secret to great style?
I think my secret to great style is that your clothing should be seen simply as a tool to support and enhance who you are. What makes clothing beautiful is the person who wears it, not the other way around. I think the goal with clothing is to use it to create a synergy between the inner and outer you, and to express on the outside what is within.
What is your current obsession?
My current obsession is Prima Donna bras. I will never wear any other bra brand again. They are amazing for all sizes but particularly good for larger busted women. It’s an expensive obsession but well worth it!
Who inspires you?
I’m a fan of the underdog. I am inspired by anyone who has overcome an obstacle and succeeded. I think most of us are dealt a few unfair hands in life, yet the ones who grow from those hard times or have learned something from the setbacks and have become even greater as a result are the most inspirational to me, for sure.
Do you have a signature piece or style?
I don’t wear black. This is probably the thing I’m most known for. I don’t own one pair of black shoes and with the exception of a few pairs of black leggings, don’t own any black clothes either. It’s not that I don’t like black, I just don’t think it deserves all the hoopla it gets and I find it to be very limiting and boring, vs. versatile and easy like most people think it is. I call women who rely too heavily on black blackcidents.
What’s your secret to making yourself stand out?
My secret is to never have my clothing overshadow who I am and to absolutely love the way I feel. The better I feel in what I am wearing, the more confident and outgoing I am. I want to be remembered for me, not what I wore.
The one piece of advice most women need but don’t get?
Finish your look. Most women get dressed 75% of the way, meaning that they put on clothes and forget about accessorizing or doing things to their outfits that add flavor. I tend to call these types of flavorless outfits ‘chicken outfits’ because chicken needs spice and additional ingredients to be tasty. Chicken on its own is quite flavorless and boring. Clothing can be the same way if you don’t add flavor or additional components to make it tasty. The biggest thing I notice about women who don’t love the way they look is they don’t add flavor, personality or finishing touches to their outfits. Few people dress badly, but most walk around feeling like acceptably dressed nobodies. If these women only realized just how close they were to having an amazing outfit I think they’d feel more encouraged.
What’s the best piece of style wisdom you’ve ever received?
My mom said: “Don’t let an outfit enter the room 10 minutes before you do.” Despite the fact that I am a so-called fashion and style expert and have been in fashion for 20 years, I believe that your clothing should enhance you. Although, admittedly, Helena Bonham Carter’s style just amuses me to no end, and lord knows her outfits enter a room days before she does.
What’s the worst current trend?
The fact that the 80′s and 90′s are back again. It’s not that I don’t like some of the trends from those eras resurfacing, it just makes me feel old.
What are your favorite websites
Given that I blog constantly, I spend a lot of time on Polyvore putting outfits together. However, I tend to spend more time on non-fashion sites, actually. After spending a day writing about, talking about, touching and styling fashion, I need a break! I like sites like Mashable.com because I am a total tech nerd, Gawker and Jezebel for inane amusement and the blog CatalogLiving.net always gives me a good belly laugh. As far as other fashion blogs are concerned, there are a few I really love and respect like yours, of course, Alreadypretty.com, WardrobeOxygen.com and YouLookFab.com,
How would you describe your personal style?
This is a really interesting question to ponder because I think when you have a command of fashion and style, like most fashion professionals do, personal style can change on a whim. It all depends on what I am doing, where I am going and the type of mood I am in. However, I am always a sucker for a good town and country look that has a modern twist added to it, good quality– I’m a Capricorn and I tend to be overly pragmatic and don’t care much for frivolity, and I tend to gravitate towards things that I wouldn’t be totally embarrassed wearing when I see myself in a photo ten years from now. I also love the way all the Hitchcock leading ladies were styled.
Bridgette at a book signing
