_______________________________________________
frock [frok] noun
def.
1. a gown or dress worn by a girl or woman.
2. a loose outer garment worn by peasants and workers; smock.
_______________________________________________
Today begins my version of Frocktober, whereby I will showcase what I wear for the next 31 days of October. I’m an average woman who is petite in stature and who also happens to love shopping for clothes, reading about fashion, and creating a personal style. In my former life as a fashion consultant, I helped other women try to find their style. We don’t have to be runway models to feel good about ourselves; women of all shapes and sizes are beautiful, and beauty truly comes from within and then is expressed on the outside. We are all capable of finding our own “brand” of style, and so much of it comes from what has shaped us and continues to shape us as people.
I don’t have a fat wallet or shop at the finest of stores; I primarily buy things on sale, and I even hunt down goods at consignment stores (and recently scored two Nanette Lepore pieces in mint condition for a fraction of what the original retail price was). I’ll pick up things from Anthropologie to Boden to Ann Taylor, from Nordstrom and Macy*s, and from Target and Kohl’s to name a few. What really matters when finding your own personal style is finding pieces that work for you and your body type, while taking color into consideration.
For the next month, I’ll share with you what I’ve worn during the week, where I purchased the items, and discuss tips I learned along the way as a fashion consultant. I enjoy helping others feel good about themselves and the choices they make with regard to clothing and accessories.
As I am weeks away from publishing my third novel, I thought having Steph’s Scribe take a breather from writing articles this month (well, maybe just a few!), I would focus on fashion for #Frocktober.
Let me know if you have any questions about what I post. I will do my best to answer anything you ask.
Have a wonderful weekend…now…on to our October Feature.
WHAT I WORE
This little black dress (LBD) is from Ann Taylor. It’s a staple in my closet. Everyone needs an LBD–that “go to” dress that can be worn dressed up or down. In this photo in front of our new building on campus, I accessorized with a black flower pin, Michael Kors watch, and Cole Hahn t-straps. Even though #Frocktober didn’t officially start until today, I started promoting the feature on Instagram on Wednesday.
Wednesday, September 28
September 28 | This bright yellow skirt brightens up any rainy day! From Boden, it features big pockets on the front; the navy blue (yes, it’s navy, not black!) is from Banana Republic; boots are navy blue suede from Boden; and the funky yellow necklace is from Target. Personally, I wouldn’t wear a lot of yellow near my face. My skin tone has yellow to it, so it would make me look even more yellow (and older). However, wearing bright colors elsewhere allows me to wear jewel tones (which tend to look best against my skin) closer to my face. As we age, it’s important to keep color in mind. The pop of yellow with the necklace is just enough and doesn’t overwhelm the skin tone.
September 30 | Another rainy day gave me the blues. On Friday, I was going to be on campus all day, first teaching a three-hour class, and then attending a student event, so I decided to take the liberty of participating in Casual Friday. The blue top is from Nordstrom, the jeans are from White House Black Market (love the comfort of their jeans!), shoes are from Vince Camuto (just got them for my birthday), and the bag is from Ralph Lauren. A tip if you are on the short side like me: the same color on the top and bottom will keep a consistent line and make you appear taller (even with that little bit of white piping). Not breaking the line with color is a smart thing to do; however, it can be become boring always wearing the same color on top and bottom. We’ll talk about other strategies for that as we move through the month.
Saturday, October 1 | IT’S FINALLY #FROCKTOBER!!! Here we go, people. It’s the official start of #Frocktober, and for the next 31 days, I’ll attempt to show you what an average, suburban lady wears to work and on the weekends. Hope you enjoy… Today’s Saturday outfit is brought to you by the following: Blue/green velvet top by Dolan from Anthropologie; dark wash blue, straight legged blue jeans from White House Black Market; boots by Marc Fisher from DSW; bag purchased in St. Michaels by Spartina 449. At the time the photo was taken, there was a massive downpour, but we stayed dry underneath the short roof of these shops in Severna Park.
Have a good weekend, everyone, and thanks for stopping by Steph’s Scribe.
xx |
Stephanie Verni is the author of Baseball Girl, Beneath the Mimosa Tree, and the co-author of Event Planning: Communicating Theory and Practice.
