Always Dress Your Best

“Always dress like you’re going to see your worst enemy.”

-Kimora Lee

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Formal with Flare

When it’s time to dress for more formal occasions it can be hard to find a dress that strikes the balance of classic but still exciting. Especially if you’re not walking down the red carpet or you’re going to an event with your boss.

My favorite type of formal dresses leaves something to the imagination but maintains a touch of sexiness. One of the best ways to do this is to contrast the top and bottom of an outfit by either going tight on the top or bottom but leaving the other section loose.

The dress pictured above shows how effective it can be. The skirt hugs her curves and shows off her waist. The top of the dress has a graceful draping that hints at her shape and bares a bit of shoulder to add a touch of suggestiveness. It’s the type of dress that your boyfriend and your grandmother would think you look great in!

Dressing the Bridesmaids

Being chosen to be a bridesmaid is a great honor. It shows that you are loved, appreciated and one of the special people in the bride’s life. It’s a chance to be a part of every inch of the preparations and ensure her special day goes well.

It’s also a great excuse to buy a new dress. The dream and clique is to get a dress “that you could wear again” but lets be honest, that rarely happens. I love the idea of mismatched gowns that each bridesmaid picks out but in the same color scheme. It’s a chance to show each woman’s personality but still creates a uniform front. Here’s an example fun, formal bridesmaid gown I would love to wear.

Lady’s Night

There is something so special about ladies night. It’s a chance to dress up with your friends and for the women in your life. It’s a time to celebrate those special friendships and be able to gossip about anything from the hot new boy to Taylor Swift’s new album.

I use these nights to pull out my bright colors, big hair, feathers (kidding!)… Any dress or accessory that is feminine and over the top is fair game. It’s the opportunity to be outrageous or maybe not wear the tightest clothes but instead go for understated elegance. How do you dress for your ladies nights?

Classic Sass

Spice up a classic silhouette by picking a dress that has jewels sewn into it. This traditional shape is flattering for all body types by accenting her waist while skimming over her curves. If you like a more laid back style or don’t feel like accessorizing, it’s great to pick a dress that takes care of that for you.

Anniversary Red

Cliché, but I love roses. I think they are beautiful flowers to mark special occasions. I recently had my anniversary and was given beautiful pink roses. Having roses in my apartment livens up the living area with a sweet scent and fun color.

They photograph beautifully and look wonderful when they are painted, stitched or screen shot onto clothing. If I had this dress in my closet I would have worn it that night!

Graduation Dress

With my little brother graduating from high school I can’t help but wonder what to wear to his graduation. For my middle brother I went with a colorful shift dress but I’m looking to mix it up this time. The dress would need to be light weight to deal with the inevitable heat of the day but with a flattering shape since I know I’ll run into people I haven’t seen since my own high school graduation!

I designed this dress to be made of light fabric, color and a flattering cut. The folds at the side helps to add definition to her waist while the loose skirt skims her hips and thighs. The little green clutch would be perfect to store makeup, an Iphone for pictures along with odds and ends.

Shift into Spring

I’m in love with simple repeating patterns. They flatter body types by disguising any sensitive areas and when done right accent your figure in all the right ways. You can never go wrong with a simple black and white repeating pattern.

Girl on Fire

I love a good action film. The speed and intensity that the film rolls through the story line always captures me. I’m late watching it but I finally got a chance to see Catching Fire and I loved it. I was a fan of the books and I’m glad that the movie lived up to my expectations.

I created my own version of a “Girl on Fire” dress that you could wear to a formal event and capture a little bit of Katniss Everdine.

Blue Bombshell

In the winter it’s so easy to fall into the rut of always wearing black. You look in your closet and anything colorful only seems to draw attention to the fact that you really did eat 2 whole bags of chocolate for Valentine’s Day and that your gym workout has digressed into walking 5 minutes to the T every day.

This drawing focuses on the idea that bold colors can be neutral and are just as flattering. This bright blue has a classic silhouette that hugs her body and elongates her legs by having darts down the center and sides helping to accentuate her hourglass figure.