Right Here… Right Now

I have been getting a recurring question. And this is one I enjoy. I am forced to justify my role as a stylist. “Why is it necessary to use the services of a designer or stylist?” In order to figure out the need for a stylist/designer we must first determine what is the need for style.

When we dress in the morning, or how we decorate our living room, is a direct expression of how we perceive ourselves.  When it is broken down to the root of it all, our individual style is a visual representation and how we quickly determine our first gut, and visceral reactions.  If the governor of our state was dressed and kempt like a hobo it would be a rare person who would treat him like a governor, the majority of people would treat him like a hobo. Visually speaking we make snap decisions and categorize what we see. Now I know the hobo reference is an extreme case, but recall the last time you were at the mall. When you see a group of kids walking around outside of the Orange Julius dressed in black and with black lipstick and nails on do you assume they are coming out of Bath and Body Works or Hot Topic? Hasty generalizations are not excused here but we have to admit that stereotypes are built around a grain of truth. And before I get letters from Hot Topic I am not saying that we must make over everyone who shops there or dresses a bit on the dark side.  But as I have stated earlier that dressing or decorating a room like a theme restaurant is not the idea, this is not costuming but rather an expression of “who“ you are, while still being approachable and even marketable.  Believe it or not there is a right way to embrace the darker side of life with out looking like a cast off from a Rob Zombie video shoot. In fact I don’t think there is any one style that is inherently unable to be done right, moderation is the key to the extreme styles, of both fashion and interiors.

So that being stated lets discuss the reasons why someone might hire an outside source to polish and give direction to something so personal as one’s style. It sounds rather counterintuitive, but the inverse is actually the case here. To really see your self, honestly, is to see how you are perceived in other people’s eyes. How we feel and the image we give off is often times a large discourse.  Other people don’t know what your inner dialogue is.  They don’t know your hang-ups and baggage. And FYI we all got baggage that distorts how we see ourselves. People do not know the ten reasons why you don’t clean you kitchen, or why you prefer to dress in baggy flannel and sweats, they just see a mess and a hurdle to get to know you.  Often times people use clothing and their homes as a way to shelter and hide themselves. Clothing, with the exception of a large shroud, is not meant to hide you, but rather to help you show your best assets. While we are on this honest note, I don’t see a lot of honesty in the dressing rooms when girls go shopping together and I see even less honestly when a girl takes her boyfriend shopping.  An unattached eye is one of the easiest ways to get that big picture view of the situation and a great way to push your comfort zone a bit. Comfort zones are meant for people who are done growing, not ready to evolve, or people healing from a heavily traumatic situation. Even designers need someone to give them an outside view. Take Michael Kors for example. All be it he is very talented with a keen eye, but he is also over sprayed with fake tan, and is never not seen in a black sport coat, black shirt, dark blue denim jeans and black dress shoes. He takes the idea of a uniform to a whole new level of boredom and bland living. That is very large comfort zone.  It is just too easy to find one thing that works and then do it to death.  If you think this is far removed from where we are, just look around at the next time you are in Target. There is always at least one person who is still in the same hairstyle and clothing as they were in high school.  Lets relive the glory days through photo albums and not our daily choices. If you are choosing to live in the past then you are not living in the now. Then, one could argue, you aren’t really living but just existing or replaying.

This comfort zone we create for ourselves is one of the things that, I feel, is the downfall to making bold choices and trying anything new.  Change is a big word but a constant evolution is a better way to describe how we should approach our style choices.  A good designer will push your comfort zone to help direct you along your evolution, by using the style habits you already have and keeping it timely. Evolution and updating is about pulling you and your style together with the ever changing trends. A good designer would not take you to where their personal level of evolution might be but rather try to bring you some where in the middle while still in your comfort zone. If you think of the linear path of design, on one side of the spectrum is the place where you are now and on the other side of the spectrum is where the designer can take you but where you want to end up is somewhere in the middle. I am reluctant to advise any process as a means of an intervention, or extreme fast change. Lets save those for health concerning situations and not color or denim choices. If you fall into one design to quickly then more then likely you will fall out of it just as fast, or it can end up feeling like a forced uniform. But remember this process is still rooted in change. You would not hire a personal trainer to teach you how to sit on the couch and avoid working out and eating right, nor would you hire a stylist/designer to tell you that your flannel fashions are right on target. If you have reached to the point of wanting to work with someone then you are already well on your way to desiring change. This evolution and subtle changes will take hold and before you know it, and will have an internal effect on you. This is far from just an aesthetic makeover but more of an education, of quality of living and marketing your best assets. Right now, you are in the midst of the best years of life you (and the space you inhabit) should look your best always! Why not? It’s time! The first step of making this day the best it can be is to start living in the now and not when your dusty rose living room theme fits as well as your best Jordache jeans.

Before this gets too long I do want to mention that a good designer is only as good as your communication with them.  Don’t say yes to things that you are not willing to follow through with. It will do two things, put your look in a half-assed and unfinished state as well as make you uncomfortable to work further or worse yet have you end up purchasing things that you will never wear or use!  Why make this harder and more expensive then it needs to be. Change and evolution is tough, use the chance to work with a compassionate designer to help you evolve and feel good, you really deserve it! Oh and if you have some sentimental attachments to articles that just don’t fit anymore…a picture is worth a thousand words, put it in your wallet, a frame, or a scrapbook, remember you’re not getting rid of your memories, just allowing for some new ones to be made…here in the now!

…This ain’t no Country club…

The trends of the past have come back around. It seems that the “new prep” look is more than chic. But, this new look is not your parents’ country club. Think of it as Nantucket with an edge! Pique cotton is your best friend this year; especially if you can grab it up in the bright and saturated colors, bold greens, blues, pinks, magentas and most importantly a crisp citrus yellow. Picture in your mind the colors from the 50’s but saturated…50’s colors with an 80’s sensibility.
It is not just the colors that are taking the cues from the past but also the patterns, but super-sized! Bold Madras and checks are taking center stage this season as well as over-sized paisley and wide stripes. Again this is not a literal translation from the beach resorts of the northern east coast, but rather bolder and brighter in both scale and color.
So this covers the wardrobe but how does all this translate into our interior spaces. Well as we have previously established the looks of fashion dance closely with the world of home furnishings. Thanks to the nautical cues from the ready-to-wear world, the rooms of both lake and non-water based homes are getting a makeover in vivid and juicy colors for summer. This helps to make your room, or look, a bit more airy and breezy. You don’t wear you parka in July so why does your room need to have the same heavy look of winter. Does this mean you have to go buy a new magenta couch? Absolutely not! (Unless of course you have a ton of disposable income, or you can decorate around magenta for the next five of six years!) The safer option is to use your accents to bring in a touch of the resort air. Grab some new throw pillows, a new tablecloth or use these colors and patterns to spice up the three-season porch or patio. Remember you are not living in a theme room. Your rooms and wardrobes should look like a culmination of the past seasons. Almost a retrospect of where you have been, displaying your own style journey. So go out there this season, be bold, nautical, and preppy, try something new, and have fun this is summer! After all…summer is never the time to take yourself too seriously

Laugh it Off!

According to Wikipedia, “humor is the ability of people, objects, situations or words to evoke feelings of amusement or happiness in people.” Now style and design can also convey the same sense of humor. In fact, I think that anyone with a good sense of style has to have, to some extent, a good sense of humor. I am not saying that they will get all your jokes but on some level they got a good laugh track behind them.
Most of the time when we think of humor and style mix, the image of at tuxedo shirt or wall of velvet paintings come to mind. There is a right way to have humor in your look. I think one of the most timeless looks is when a groom or someone in a formal tuxedo wears sneakers. This look is achieved when a sharp pair of kicks is marrried with a clean (and not over the top) tux…always error on the side of classy. Dingy Chuck Taylors, a pair of khakis, and navy suit coat just ends up making you look like you go to a catholic school. But even then, that look, in it self has its own charming, kitschy appeal; but for the mean time leave the kitsch on the shelf. When working with interiors, humor is best kept on a clean and subtle note, unless living in a theme hotel is your idea of a good time. I will always consider a classic Louis XIV chair with all of its ornate carvings to be a highly classic piece of furniture, the interior version of a tuxedo. So what is the sneaker in this equation, upholstery? Yes, do something different try a graphic and over sized hounds tooth or even a bold Mod pattern. This is not the only way but the most obvious example of doing it right.
What makes the “sense of humor” approach most effective is the exhale point. If every thing is so stuffy and proper it’s hard to just be in and relax. The purpose of the room or wardrobe needs to be reflective of you and your personality. This should almost, if not be, restorative energy for you. This is where the “Zen” of good design comes to play. Keeping that balance of the function vs. form or design, in play with the person involved. And play is an important part of style, and life. Living in a magazine shoot might seem glamorous but in reality it is highly unrealistic. When good design hits your life you realize that a major part of the equation is how you are going to live with it. This is the logic behind not turning your mudroom into a French styled salon. Remember your wardrobe and your room is about you. So have fun and play with it, take a chance. You are not married to the things in your room or wardrobe. If you don’t like it I hope you left the tags on. Otherwise EBay is calling.

Trend Rehab, yes yes yes.

Trends come and trends go. Most of us cross our fingers hoping the bad trends go rather quickly. [Read: shoulder pads, papasans, and zubas.] Then there is always that one neighbor who still has avocado green counter tops, or the coworker who will has pleated – or worse yet – tapered pants. So how do we prevent our own looks from falling into the dreaded trends trap? Step one: admit that we are all influenced by trends. Isn’t the first step in any rehab situation to admit you have a problem.

Hi my name is (insert name here) and I am a…
…trend follower.

Why do we fall in to trends? Our own human ego, paired with a self loathing self-esteem is at the root of all bad trend decisions. In my understanding most trend decisions are made in a moment of weak mall madness. When we feel that our look is out of date and unflattering, when in the rare occasion this might be true, we go to the nearest shop girl or sales clerk and ask them to make us over. We walk out with a false sense of looking good, a hole in our bank accounts, and the latest look anchoring us to this moment in time. This same moment where we felt out of date and vulnerable to any vanity fair or dwell magazine’s editors top ten “do’s.” How does this go wrong? Should we trust the uber-trendy and slick sales people? Yes you can trust a sales person but it takes time. If they are a compassionate shopkeeper, and not driving the sale from a numbers position, it will take time, listening, and understanding of your resources and current base pieces to build off of.

This base if left unset or ignored will be the downfall of any new look. The base is what keeps us grounded and out of the trend traps. I like to call the base, phase 1. Phase 1 is the point where you get to know your body type or your room’s bones. From a wardrobe perspective this is the point where you find out what cut of jeans is best for your body, the perfect bra and undergarments, and your color family. When you are uncovering the bones of your room or space, phase 1 is the point in which you realize the style of the space, natural lighting, and also the main/dominate color. Here in lies the difference between trendy and on trend. The “Trendy” look is when the base is missing and is replaced with a large collection of trend pieces hastily thrown on top of each other. While the “on trend” look is a composition that is a gentle play between a good strong base and highlighted with a few smartly chosen on trend pieces. Without a solid understanding of the foundation or phase 1, you can easily slide into the trappings of the overly trendy and regrettable decisions that make a glance back into a photo album an embarrassing and entirely avoidable act.

Once the base is established you are then free to add the flashy accessories that make the look timely, or “on trend.” One patent leather belt or hounds tooth pillow is something that can easily be switched out and smartly replaced once the fad has passed. This is also a way to be budget conscious. By making your larger ticket items the base pieces you extend the life of that piece. Then leaving you free to experiment with the latest trends without committing.

This base is not the easiest thing to build. The foundation is not the most fun part to focus on. During this time avoid most sales clerks, fashion mags, and home design publications. It is too hard to not jump on the slickest trend that trips your trigger. When
I am working with a new client one of the first things I tell them is to put away such magazines and focus on the needs of the space or wardrobe. Working with a good stylist or designer should be the first step in putting you in the right direction. Good design is more than aesthetics. Good design is about creating a timeless look while being timely. It sounds like a catch 22 but trust me with a bit of time and understanding you will be matching your patterns in the blink of an eye.

One is NOT the loneliest number.

A color by it self is not a look, nor fitting of any one style. In order for a look or style to be created you require some sort of contrast. Hold up; I am starting up way too fast. Recall, if you will, the last time you ate chips and salsa. Would the fresh and juicy tomatoes taste as good with out the salt and crispness of the chips? Take it one step further: if you just used tomatoes in the salsa would you want to eat it? You need the spices and bits of onions and peppers. A salsa of just tomatoes is well, just tomatoes.

This is the root of good design: a play of attributes that contrast and complement each other. So how do we achieve this composition while using a monochromatic palette? You have to apply the same rules and standards.
There are more elements to design than just color; in addition, there are also texture, finishes, and more. I know I said monochromatic, but that term is not as strict as it may appear. Loosen it up a bit. Take a cue from stylists at higher end salons. They have to be in black from head to toe. How dreary it can end up if you just do the same black pants and button ups all week long! When you glance around at the stylists you end up seeing quite the creative styling while still being dressed in all black. They mix textures, finishes, and by either a keen eye for style or bad fabric care they also mix colors. Yes we have black but that is the color family and not the end all, be all.
You can find and mix blue blacks, brown blacks, charcoals, gray, smoke, etc. The list goes on. Once you get past the color, you get to play with finishes. Mix up everything from a chalky matte (as in a great worn in and distressed old black t-shirt), and pair it with the high gloss of a sleek pair of patent leather shoes. Then finally you have to take into consideration the texture of the materials. You have everything from a thick woolly sweater, all the way to the nubbled texture of a cow hide belt. As you can see, contrast is actually only in the eye of the beholder.
I think a monochromatic palette can actually be a more sophisticated palette. It lends it self to be admired for an extended time. From afar the head to toe black is sleek and clean, but once you get up close you start to notice the subtle nuances that the materials have. As you can see, a monochromatic palette can incorporate as much contrast as a polychromatic.

Now I know that I have focused on a monochromatic wardrobe, but these same rules apply when designing a timeless and classic room. If I have said it before I’ll say it time and time again; good design is good design regardless of the medium. If you can dress yourself, then you can design your room. Design is design whether it is in an interior setting, a wardrobe, or fine art. The same rules of composition, color, and communication apply.
With rooms you have so many surfaces on which to apply these concepts. The painting of the walls alone is a good example. Paint comes in eggshell, flat, semi and high gloss, just to name a few. Do not be afraid to mix it up a bit. Try some bold stripes, using the same color but with just different finishes; pair a flat with a high gloss for a dramatic, yet not over the top look, then add in some furniture pieces in accommodating hues and you have yourself the base of a great room. You can then start to toss in a few wisely chosen pieces of a high contrasting color to pepper the room. This is a great way to avoid getting caught up in any trend. But the “on trend” room vs. the trendy one is a whole different concept and that is for a later date.