Finding the perfect holiday look for any budget. “You go high and I’ll go low”

fullsizeoutput_2665.jpeg

Version 2The holidays means parties and get togethers. It’s a busy time of the year. Whether it’s an office party or Christmas Gala, you want to look stylish and festive this season. Whether you want to treat yourself to a special outfit or you are on a budget, the perfect festive look is out there for you. Today on Bridge Street, with some help from Skaneateles 300 owner Geraldean, I shared my tips with co-hosts Sistina and Tenesha on just how to do it. fullsizeoutput_2659Tip: When you are on a budget, look for pieces that have interesting details to make them feel special and  mix textures to add interest to your outfit. In many cases, you can get away with faux leather pants because you are wearing them layered with other pieces rather than investing in an expensive pair of real leather pants. 

Today on the show we featured a red lace dress that is a steal! What makes it special is the festive color and the nude slip underneath that gives the illusion of showing skin but you are actually covered. Pair it with a pair of great pumps and pretty makeup for your dressy holiday party.

img_9106Tip: If you decide to splurge on your holiday look, make sure it’s something you can wear again

Of course when choosing an outfit for the show I gravitated for the high-end item- the simplest things usually are the most expenseive, right? I loved the long sleeve dress with mesh detail at the neckline so it shows some skin but there’s coverage. Paired with fun tights and booties, this is a great holiday look.

fullsizeoutput_265bTip: Mixing expensive pieces with lower priced options is smart, and makes a look more interesting. 

How cute was Sistina in that black fit and flare dress. I love that it has structure but also the flare of the skirt adds the softness. This pieces was priced mid-range, but also something you can wear later, mixing it with an item you probably already own like  a demin jacket and ankle moto boots. Cute.

img_9103Tip: To get the most out of your splurge pieces, try to choose classic items that you can keep and use for years. Keep the very trendy pieces cost efficient so you don’t feel badly about only wearing them once for a party.

Tenesha, like me, chose a splurge piece. But with it’s modern silhouette and utilitarian pockets, it has longevity and versatility. She wore it with pumps and looked “vavavoom” for a black tie event. But for an office party she can pair it with a cropped black jacket and flats to still be chic but less dressy.

Version 2Tip: A great way to dress up your look for a party is to change up your accessories.

The cross body bags and clutches that Geraldean showed today are great because the gold chain can dress up your outfit but your an also use them every day if you want, so you can get more use out of them beyond your party. A fun funky pair of shoes will add style to a simple black cocktail dress. Unique necklaces also dress up a simple dress or outfit and help to express your personality in a fun and festive way. The cute flower chocker we showed today is only $38 and can also be worn as a broach. Fun.

A holiday party give us a chance to play dress up for a night so make the most of it and have fun!  Thanks to Geraldean for being a party of today’s holiday segment. Check out Skaneateles 300 for all these great styles featured today. You can even shop online at skaneateles300.com. I like to follow them on Instagram here for inpsiration.

Missed the show today? Click  here to watch now. Be sure to follow me too on Instagram for more holiday fashion inspiration throughout the season, and tag me in your holiday party photos so I can see the fun and festive holiday outfits you chose for your get together this season. Happy holidays!

 

December means a new Small Town Style Star!

fullsizeoutput_266b.jpeg

THE SMALL TOWN STYLE STAR FEATURES A STYLISH, SUCCESSFUL WOMAN FROM CENTRAL NEW YORK. SHE SHARES HER FAVORITE STYLE & BEAUTY TIPS & TRICKS WITH YOU. YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A NEW STYLE STAR EACH MONTH FOR INSPIRATION, ADVICE AND INSIGHT INTO HER PERSONAL STYLE. December’s Small Town Style Star is Shauna Diliberto. The girl clearly has style all her own. She has an enviable talent for mixing vintage and new pieces in a modern and chic way. As the owner of Maeflowers Vintage, she is the other half of Vintage Love, a boutique on the corner of Jefferson and Warren Streets in downtown Syracuse. The shop is beautifully curated and a reflection of Shauna’s unique taste. After studying fashion merchandising in New York, Shauna landed her “dream job” as an associate merchandiser for the Martha Stewart Collection for Macy’s. Shauna moved back to the Syracuse area with her husband and started her business, bringing many of the pieces she found during her time in NYC. And she’s been growing her business ever since. Stop in to Vintage Love today and Shauna will put together a cool vintage look personalized for you. Tell her The Small Town Stylist sent you.

screen-shot-2016-11-17-at-11-44-33-pm Describe your style in three words. Bohemian, modern, effortless

What is your “Go To” outfit? This all depends on the season, Spring: chambray button dow and classic hat. Summer: white lace dresses and vintage floral mumus, Fall: Bangs, boots, and a great new layering piece. This year I was all about the bomber jacket. Winter: Vintage furs and anything that I can wear with black tights or leather leggings.

Who are your style icons? Because I'm a vintage girl at heart, i've always been in love with 70's era Cher and Jane Birkin, both exude effortless style but done very glamorously. There is something timeless about them, yet perfect time capsules of the times. Modern day icons include: The Olsen Twins, Rachel Zoe, and Margherita Missoni. Bohemian, edgy, trendy, and yet effortlessly chic.

Where are your favorite stores to shop? Old Navy + H&M are my favorite mall stores to shop at. Zara, Anthropologie, and ASOS are my favorite online shops, and I spend a lot of time thrifting and traveling to vintage stores.

What do you admire most in other women? I admire woman that take pride in their appearance, and treat getting dressed as a celebration and love for their bodies and selves. Loving our bodies as they are sometime seems like a radical idea but it is possible. Doing this means stop hiding yourself in the old oversized sweats and start wearing clothes that fit and compliment your body.

What are your top 3 wardrobe staples? Hardest question ever! Right now my 3 staples are: My Madewell leather bucket bag, my vintage fur sweater coat, and high waisted skinny Levis.

What’s your #1 style tip? Please get a seamstress / tailor. This will change your life, I promise. Not all clothing bought off the rack is going to fit you perfectly, most people are not perfectly proportionate to mass market sizing. This comes handy if you are between sizes, don't settle for a wrong fitting item. Size up and have the piece tailored to fit you. Also, get a second life out of an old item that you may be over. I have taken many of my maxi dresses and had them turned into midi's or chopped in half to create and skirt and matching shirt outfit!

screen-shot-2016-11-17-at-11-45-43-pm screen-shot-2016-11-17-at-11-45-24-pm screen-shot-2016-11-17-at-11-45-03-pm screen-shot-2016-11-17-at-11-44-50-pm screen-shot-2016-11-17-at-11-44-10-pmThank you to the December Small Town Style Star, Shauna Diliberto. You can visit Shauna at her shop Vintage Love, located at 201 E Jefferson Street in Syracuse. You can also follow her on social media on Instagram at @maeflowersvintage  and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/maeflowersvintage/.

Know a stylish and inspiring woman in CNY you think should be the next Small Town Style Star? Send me an email at thesmalltownstylist@gmail.com and tell me all about her.

Our November Small Town Style Star

THE SMALL TOWN STYLE STAR IS A MONTHLY FEATURE SHOWCASING A STYLISH, SUCCESSFUL WOMAN FROM CENTRAL NEW YORK. SHE SHARES HER FAVORITE STYLE & BEAUTY TIPS & TRICKS WITH YOU. YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A NEW STYLE STAR EACH MONTH FOR INSPIRATION, ADVICE AND INSIGHT INTO HER PERSONAL STYLE. The first ever Small Town Style Star is my friend Sistina Giordano. She is the co-host of  Bridge Street, proud news lover & journalist, and Canadian born mom of two. Sistina is of course beautiful, stylish and charismatic, as well a loving mother.  But it’s also her sharp intellect, professionalism and ambition that makes her a role model to others and an inspiration to her friends and viewers. So how does she look so good when she’s working so hard? Sistina gives us an inside look at her style secrets.

img_8166Describe your style in three words. Classic, timeless, preppy.

What is your “Go To” outfit? My J.Crew Minnie pants and a comfortable button-up shirt and of course a jacket to compliment the season.

Who are your style icons? A woman who’s style I’ve always admired was Jackie O. She was timeless and you could wear any of her outfits today and people wouldn’t even miss a beat and I love that. I’m also a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn. She had such a lovely natural beauty and exuded such grace in her looks. Another favorite, The Duchess – Kate. I mean everything from her wedding dress to her formidable maternity fashion – she knows how to make anything look good. And I love that she wears outfits again and again.

Where are your favorite stores to shop? My all time favorite is J.CREW! As mentioned earlier, I love everything about the store, the feel, the look and the quality. I also love that I can shop dressy, casual, or work related all in one place. I also love Anthropologie. They have a creative style and edge that I don’t often find and they make some of the best outdoor jackets and coats I’ve ever owned. Lord & Taylor is also a favorite hot spot for me. They carry some of my favorite dresses including the Cynthia Steffe brand --- CeCe. Not only is it personal for me because that’s my nickname, but I just love the feminine look of her dresses. The high collars and frills make me feel like a lady and I love that.

What do you admire most in other women? I admire a woman’s confidence the most. My husband has always told me that it’s not the outfit that makes the woman but the woman who makes the outfit, and I as I grow older I wholeheartedly believe that. Confidence in a woman is such an attractive quality. A woman with drive and determination is also something I admire and respect so much. But most importantly I love a woman that prides herself in who SHE is.

What are your top 3 wardrobe staples? Any coat or jacket – I have more than I should and it’s probably because I’m from Canada and we have a need for so many. I don’t think a season goes by without a new coat …lol! A simple black dress – one that I can take from work to dinner to a night out on the town – I just think the little black dress never gets old. A pop of color – be it a favorite sweater or dress or maybe even a scarf. Something that gives you that edge.

What’s your #1 style tip? My number one style tip is to wear what works for you. I can’t tell you how many times someone has said they love a dress and ask where I get it, only to discover that I bought it at the gap for $20. Those are my favorite purchases – the one’s that are affordable and yet look good no matter what. If you can make someone love you in a discount deal then I think you’ve done your job in dressing the part of who YOU are. Another tip, and I believe this wholeheartedly is to always dress to impress. I sometimes find myself over dressed and people give me a hard time over the many dresses I wear. (I don’t wear pants very often, especially on the air), but I like to feel good and if a dress and heels gives me that, then that’s what I wear. So I would say to anyone if you don’t feel good, then make yourself look good. It’s the best little quick fix to any problem big or small.

img_8169 img_8168 img_1572

Thank you to the first ever Small Town Style Star, Sistina Giordano. You can watch Sistina weekdays at 10am on Bridge Street TV. You can also follow her on social media on Instagram at @sistinanc9  and on Facebook.

Know a stylish and inspiring woman in CNY you think should be the next Small Town Style Star? Send me an email at thesmalltownstylist@gmail.com and tell me all about her.

Vintage: YES you can pull it off!

IMG_8420.jpg

  img_8423 “I don’t want to wear clothes that were worn by other people.” “I can’t pull off a vintage look.” “Why would I wear a vintage pieces when I can get the same look with something from the mall.” 

I’ve heard it all from clients and friends and I want to debunk any preconceived notions about buying and wearing vintage. On today’s Bridge Street I talked vintage shopping with co-hosts Sistina Giordano and Tenesha Murphy and how to mix vintage pieces into your existing wardrobe. I hear often from clients and friends that they are worried they will will come off too “costumey” so I wanted to show you how to do it so you look and feel great about it. There are many “retro” and “vintage-look” pieces but I prefer the real deal.

maeflowersjulylookbookunedited-409

What is “vintage”? Vintage items are originals from the past, from a specific time period. The term “vintage” denotes that the piece is special, and not just any piece you may find at a thrift store.

Where can you find vintage? A curated boutique (like Vintage Love), thrift shops, estate sales, and online sites (like nastygal.com)

Why buy vintage? QUALITY - more details, more handwork, better quality stitching and materials UNIQUENESS - you’re outfit will be special and you won’t see yourself coming and going ECO-FRIENDLY - you are reusing something instead of putting it in a landfill BARGAINS - this isn’t always the case but often you can find some great deals

vintageloveopening-024

What is the benefit of going to a vintage boutique instead of finding pieces on your own?  Shauna, the owner of Maeflowers Vintage, a boutique located on Warren Street in Downtown Syracuse, has done all the research and legwork for her customer. It takes her many hours and connections to find pieces such as the ones I showed on today’s show. Shauna has them cleaned and pressed, she sizes them, and she presents them in her beautifully curated shop so you feel good when you go there. You can see them in person vs. purchases online where you have to trust the seller. Every piece has a history and often Shauna has heard the unique story from the original owner.  For me my number one reason is time: I used to love to shop thrift stores but with two kids and a business I don't have the time.

Here is a great article by Shauna on how to pull off vintage fashion on SyracuseWomenMag.com.  Find some more tips on how to buy vintage from StyleCaster.com.

img_8420Thanks to Maeflowers Vintage at Vintage Love Boutique for all the great styles featured on today’s show. Stop in today and have Shauna style you in a cool vintage look. Missed the segment? Click here to watch the show and then shop the styles featured. Do you love vintage? What is your all time favorite piece that you own? Want to try vintage but somethings is holding you back? I want to hear from you. Let’s shop together at Maeflowers Vintage. Email me at thesmalltownstylist@gmail.com and let’s talk more about it or book your appointment online here.

Did you like today’s show? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Share a picture of your favorite vintage look with me on Instagram by tagging me in your photo and using the hashtag #thesmalltownstylist.

Finding the perfect LBD

IMG_6375.jpg

Every woman needs a LBD (aka Little Black Dress) or two in her closet. It should be your go-to-piece for when you want to look and feel your best. The perfect LBD will make you feel like a million bucks and be versatile enough to be dressed up or dressed down. With the Little Black Dress Event coming up next week, I've been thinking about the importance of finding that special dress. This summer my favorite LBD was actually a piece I received from Stitch Fix. Not only was the dress adorable but it was comfortable too. The material doesn’t wrinkle so it is great for travelling. It washes easily. The length is perfect for my short frame. It has a cool cutout detail across the shoulders. It dresses up and down easily: worn with a denim jacket and studded black leather birkenstocks for a casual weekend and a black leather jacket and knee high boots for a gallery opening in NYC. Versatile and stylish.

Here are some tips on how to style your LBD from brit.co.

Here are some ways to wear the LBD from stitchfix.com.

Here are ways to make the LBD more versatile from stitchfix.com.

Photo: @girls-with-curves

Photo: @stitchfix

Photo: @stitchfix

Thanks to Stitch Fix for all the great tips and for supporting this post. Like to try Stitch Fix for yourself? To schedule your first "fix", click here.

Tell me about your go-to LBD in the comments below. Or share a picture of your favorite LBD with me on Instagram by tagging me in your photo and using the hashtag #thesmalltownstylist.

Join me on Friday October 14th at 7pm for the Little Black Dress Event at SKY Armory benefitting the WISE Women’s Business Center. I’m so pleased to be a part of this event for the second year in a row. Click here to get your tickets.  Put on your LBD (little black dress) and toast the WISE Women's Business Center in celebrating 10 years of training and inspiring women entrepreneurs. The evening includes featured wines and craft cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, stations, desserts, live music and dancing. Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (WISE) is an entrepreneurial initiative of the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University dedicated to training and inspiring women interested in launching or growing a business venture.

To purchase your ticket today, click here.

 

a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-8060159-12687339-1473354508000" target="_blank">

Personal Style In Your Closet & Home

IMG_7971.jpg

img_7958In fashion we talk about seasons- this season's hottest trends, colors and styles- and fall happens to be my favorite. But did you ever notice how your personal style often translates into the decor you choose for your home? Today on Bridge Street, Amber Balistreri of Amber B Design Studio and I showed Sistina & Tenesha in back-to-back segments how to take some of the best fall trends and incorporate them into your home through interior design. Missed the show? Click here to watch and then get all the details here. The styles featured on todays' show are from my friends at Lord & Taylor at Destiny USA. img_7952MIXING TEXTURES On the show, I mixed a cool wine leather-like bomber jacket with a lightwieight paisley print dress. I'd wear this look with knee high boots and tights. Can you tell I loved this jacket? I took blue version and put it over a fun floral swingy-dress in one of the hot colors of the season: mustard yellow. Color not for you? Lord & Taylor carries it in a light gray too. I might have to go back and pick that up!

MIXING WARM AND COOL COLORS I love nautical and stripes for my own wardrobe, so of course for the show I grabbed this navy and cream striped shirt with yellow faux-suede detail at shoulders and paired it with plaid pants in a neutral color (these happen to be from my own closet). I'd add that wine jacket on top to complete the look.

img_7947MIXING PATTERNS Not ready to mix stripes with plaid on top and bottom? No problem. You can mix up your accessories to get the affect.  Today I showed how I'd mix a red plaid scarf with leopard print gloves and that ribbed cap with the cute fur ball on top. So chic.

BLACK AND WHITE I couldn't help but take that cute black and white polkadot dress with tie neck detail (HOT) and top it with a pop of color with that hot pink blazer. But if you want to keep it casual take the buffalo check shirt from the show with that blazer over the top with jeans and it will take you far.

img_7956KEEP YOUR OVERALL LOOK NEUTRAL & SIMPLE  If you aren’t comfortable wearing prints or colors head to toe then keep the outfit neutral (tan, black, gray) and add layered pieces or accessories with color. Have fun with your accessories, like shoes in one of the season's hot colors.

YOU CAN KEEP YOUR PIECES FUNCTIONAL YET STYLISH Everything you wear can serve a purpose and still look chic.  Take the navy blue sweatshirt jacket from today's show. It is comfy but the details and cut of the lapel add interest.  What did you think of the military inspired fatigue jacket I wore today? I loved it, espcially with the tailored trouser jeans and plaid shirt. It's a great top layer for fall or spring’s in between weather.

HOT COLORS Hunter green, wine, navy, cream and of course golden yellow!

img_7963Want to see how Amber of Amber B Designs incorporates these trends into her clients' homes? Click here to watch her segment and then visit her website for all the details. It was so fun collaborating with Amber.

If you missed some of these details, click here to watch today's show. Did you see a trend you love? Were you inspired to add something new to your home for the season? I want to hear about it. Leave me a comment below or post on my Facebook page. ltshopsmartThanks to Lord & Taylor for all these great styles featured today. Giving back to our community is important to Lord & Taylor and they have several philanthropic events scheduled for the next few weeks including the Shop Smart Do Good event on October 29th.  Click here to visit their website for more information or visit lordandtaylor.com.