Jumpsuits are one piece garments, which cover your torso and your legs. They really trace their origins to a utilitarian garment to be worn by mechanics, parachuters and sky divers. The style was immensely popular in the 70s and 80s when the hippy era kicked in and anything conventional was a taboo. In the past, jumpsuits as a trend has been sometimes hot and sometimes not, however, with the coming few seasons, they have been touted to be a big fashion item. While quite a lot of us may feel that only the very lucky few blessed with flawless figures can really afford to wear jumpsuits, you will be surprised at the variety of jumpsuits that are available to choose from. (via GlamCheck) In my never boring search to find something to wear to work this morning I kept thinking “how can I style this jumpsuit for the office?” My 9 to 5 isn’t really “blue-collar” so to speak but I had some reservations about walking into a corporate meeting wearing a one-piece. So to the internet I went to gain some insight…

From my research it’s all about (1) choosing the right fit for your body type (2) the look feel and color of the fabric and (3) accessorizing correctly. Feel free to review some of the pointers below to help you with styling your jumpsuit for the office.

How to choose a jumpsuit based on your body type?

If you thought, jumpsuits were only for the perfect size 0 figure, think again. Jumpsuits could be for almost all women – yes, including the curvier ones, however, you need to find the right kind of suit style, depending upon your body type. Experts suggest that if you have any doubts in your mind about wearing a jumpsuit, visualize yourself as wearing a top and a long pant, this will give you a good insight about what looks right on you. If you prefer a loose fitted trouser and a top, go for a jump suit that is loose and makes you feel comfortable, if you are okay with showing off your figure, you could opt for a tight fitted jumpsuit as well. Ordinarily, if you are a first timer, you could go with the thumb rule of not too loose and neither too fitted.

Styles of jumpsuits

The first step is obviously to know how to choose a jumpsuit and be comfortable in the same. Hopefully, with the tips given in the above paragraph, that should have been well taken care of.

The next thing to consider is what is appropriate to wear to the event that you plan to attend. For example, while you could wear an off shoulder gold sequined jumpsuit to a red carpet event, you would not dare to wear a similar thing to the office. Similarly, you could sport a short denim jumpsuit to a casual day out with friends, but you may not consider wearing the same while going to the pub. You get the picture?

Formal Conservative

The occasion is conservative and formal so any length shorter than ankle is a sure shot fashion disaster. The pants should usually be well fitted and not too loose and flowy as these could be considered a tad too dressy. Avoid cuffed at the leg styles too as these may be a bit too fashionable. Also, you should go in for tailored look of jumpsuits – these are smart, sophisticated and usually with a well-defined shoulder line and preferably with short or long sleeves. If you want to go a little bold, you could go in for sleeveless style and for the bolder – even an off shoulder style. However, to keep others attention more on your work, it would be prudent to team the off shoulder style with a well fitted blazer, a cardigan or a stole.

Colors and fabrics:

Stick to basic solid colors – navy, cream, whites and blacks as most of the places you will be wearing these to, will have a dress and a color code. Avoid jazzy and metallic colors like plague. You definitely do not want to stand out like a Christmas tree in the office board room. Do choose fabrics which do not crinkle easily and can take the structured look well – light weight sateens, twills etc. look great and can carry off the structured, tailored detail quite well.

Accessorize right:

Basics are the key word here. Stick to neutral colors. You could use a tan narrow leather belt on most formal jumpsuits. Hand bags could be large and roomy, however again preferably of muted tones. Footwear need to be comfortable, and you could opt for boots, high heels and even flats. Jewelery could be a small gold chain kissing your neck, or a string of pearls, but nothing even remotely closer to what we discussed under formal – chic.

Nha Khanh’s designs focus on modern glamour, inspired by art, architecture and most importantly, nature. The designs are ethereal; meticulously constructed, and host an ease about them that allows for an effortless sensibility. The company offers seasonal “advanced contemporary” ready-to-wear; a custom Atelier collection, which hosts one of a kind and custom pieces, and a bridal line.

The Nha Khanh mission is to empower a woman with inner-strength through her clothing with a focus on “elegance with a modern edge”. “Nha”, in Vietnamese, is a feminine word implying ‘light’, whereas “Khanh” is a masculine word, meaning celebration. The fusion of the words creates a balance of unison between what is feminine and what is masculine. The collection joins”lightness” and “softness” of silhouette and fabrication, with the celebration of construction and classic bodies. This is the fundamental philosophy and creative driving force behind the Nha Khanh Label.

Khanh Nguyen, the Creative Director and Designer of the Nha Khanh collection, has been surrounded by fashion and art throughout her life. Born to Vietnamese, artisan parents, and raised in Dallas, Texas, Khanh has always been exposed to what is beautiful and refined. At the age of five, she began to mimic what she saw around her by sketching and designing garments in her personal journal, and constructing dresses for her doll. Fashion always came easily to her, and has always been her passion.

Khanh’s natural talent for Arts has shined throughout her scholastic years. She attended the University of North Texas and obtained a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts in Fashion Design. During her education, Khanh received many awards, but her most notable recognition was the “Top Achievement Award at the Dallas Career Day Design Competition”, allowing her the opportunity to embark on an internship in Paris, France. She was trained intensively with the world’s leading fashion house and practiced the haute couture sewing techniques of Nina Ricci, draping methods of Madame Gres, millinery skills of Jean Paul Gaultier, and emulated the techniques of handbag and accessories design by Anne Valerie Hash. After being surrounded by many creative talents and learning through hands-on experiences, Khanh strives to push the envelope with her innovative and creative designs.

Upon her return to Dallas, Khanh immediately set her sights on making her childhood dream a reality– and started her own fashion firm, Nha Khanh. The company was officially established in January 2010. Design and production of the line are all based in Dallas, Texas, while the sales, marketing and public relations of the collection are based in New York City. The company takes pride in exceptionally well-made garments, which are manufactured exclusively in the United States. For more information please email Nha Khanh at info@nhakhanh.com

Bio via the Nha Khanh website.

Black wedding dresses designed by Vera Wang.

By BEE-SHYUAN CHANG

via The New York Times style & Fashion

After a season of high-profile weddings, beginning with Kate Middleton’s royal affair and culminating with Kim Kardashian’s blowout, could bridal designers be experiencing white-dress fatigue?

For her fall 2012 bridal show this month, Vera Wang, who designed Ms. Kardashian’s wedding dress and those of countless other famous brides, sent a flock of black wedding dresses down the runway. “I found black to be fresh and tongue-in-cheek,” Ms. Wang said in a telephone interview. “With all the big weddings that happened this year, it was fun to step out of the box.”

Ms. Wang, who has been in the bridal business for nearly 22 years, has dabbled in purple, pale green and dusky neutrals in past bridal collections, but never in a palette this outré. In an industry that is as tradition-bound as this one, and given Ms. Wang’s reputation as a setter of trends — wedding attire as ready-to-wear; gowns with swirls of ruffles (see Chelsea Clinton) — the collection caused quite a front-row stir.

“It was shocking and outrageous, but it was also fabulous,” said Mark Ingram, the owner of the Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier in Manhattan. “It was bold, but it also made me pay attention to the details all that more carefully.”

Ms. Wang balanced her inky palette with sheer layering on bodices and skirts. She drew on lingerie motifs with exposed corsets, and added insets of frothy gray tulle. Even so, the looks were far from sweet and virginal; they were almost gothic.

“I did take it to a witchy kind of place,” she admitted. “For me, it helped build a sense of mystery that I was hungry for. And it added this sensuality and sexuality, and a little bit of severity, too.”

Ms. Wang, who has the safety net of a more traditional and accessible line for the David’s Bridal chain, designed the collection while she was in Los Angeles, far from her New York headquarters. The distance, she said, had freed up her perspective, allowing her to explore novel ways for black to read “wedding day.” Not that the noirish hue would be all that strange at her home base. (“No matter what people say, black is very associated with New York,” she said.) But the collection had personal resonance as well.

“I wore white on my wedding day,” Ms. Wang said. “I was very frustrated, it being so traditional at the time, but the bridal industry wasn’t so evolved back then.”

Conventional etiquette would still say that a bride (and no one else) should be in white at a wedding.

“The bride who chooses the black dress does not care about etiquette,” said Jung Lee, a founder of Fête, an event-planning company in Manhattan. Ms. Lee advises brides on the intricacies of everything from invitations to attire. “That’s not to say she doesn’t have manners,” she said, “but it’s certainly not etiquette. My advice is that she really think about it, and not just in the short term. Think how the pictures would look 10, 20 years from now. A bride in black will draw more attention than one in white or ivory. You have to be prepared for that.”

In the celebrity-saturated context of the times, the black wedding dress may herald a new phenomenon: the wedding aisle as red carpet. Ms. Wang’s darkly romantic wedding gowns would be equally at home at an important awards show. And for many brides, the wedding day (the expensive gown, makeup and accessories) is the closest thing to a red-carpet ritual. Is it that much of a stretch to say that the celebrity experience has become the modern-day fairy tale?

 Enjoy…

At international fashion weeks, ALDO helps rising designers hit their strides -
literally, by creating shoes worthy of their brilliant visions. The SS11 collab
with New York name-to-know, Julian Louie, was a sensation. It sent editors,
bloggers and customers into a tweeting/posting frenzy with love. So, by
overwhelmingly popular demand, styles from the ALDO for Julian Louie runway
collection, the very shoes that walked the Fashion Week runway in New York, have arrived at ALDO. Check out my favorite styles…

We have several reasons for loving an oversized top and hiding a food baby is just one of them. Kidding aside, we dig a shirt with swing, ease, and an undeniable comfort value. Sure, it’s easy to get lost in tented fabrics and loose fits, but here are five ways to wear this chic, roomy blouse, without sacrificing any shape, style, or sex appeal.

via Refinery29 

1. Cinch It— The simplest way to create a feminine shape with an oversized top is to add a belt at your natural waist. Just be sure to wear high-waisted bottoms, so as to avoid any awkward halfway-midriff-baring moments.

Outfit Image: Mink Pink Cardigan, $91, available at Pixie Market. Products: Balenciaga Mini-Shorts, $252.29, available at Browns; Alexander Wang Platform Ankle Boot, $236.25, available at The Outnet; Acne Cardigan, $253.72, available at You He She; Topshop Enamel Skinny Belt, $28, available at Topshop.

2. Try A Tie— Knot feeling the extra-long length? Select a tee with tied-up ends, or do it yourself! Choose a slimmer bottom with a shorter hem to balance the bulk on top.

Outfit Image: Vero Moda Printed Gathered Shell Top, $36.59, available at ASOS. Products: Dorothy Perkins Brick Knot Top, $23.65, available at Dorothy Perkins; A.P.C. Denim Mini Skirt, $135, available at Net-a-Porter; Zara Crepe Ankle Boot, $99.90, available at Zara.

3. Let Loose— Don’t be scared to mix loose over long. Pick a straight-lined pencil skirt at a calf-grazing length and this overall-oversized look will still keep its polish.

Outfit image: Rick Owens Lilies Cascade Jersey Top, $375, available at La Garconne. Products:Alexander Wang Draped Cardigan, $579, available at Boutique1; Vero Moda Elastic Midi Skirt, $29.18, available at House of Fraser; Miu Miu Satin Sandal, $1,195, available at Miu Miu.

4. Work It— Make an oversized tee look sharp with a sleek, tailored blazer. This black-on-black look with a cropped pant is appropriate for work, not just for play.

Outfit image: T By Alexander Wang Classic racer-back jersey tank, $75, available at Net-A-Porter. Products: T By Alexander Wang Classic racer-back jersey tank, $75, available at Net-A-Porter; Joseph Tanaka Pants, $395, available at La Garconne; H&M Blazer, $49.95, available at H&M; Michael Michael Kors Gibson Platform, $175, available at Piperlime; Warehouse Clean Cross Body Bag, $65.86, available at ASOS.

5. Heat Up— Eat your heart out. Loose the cling, but up the flirtation with a mix of sheer, oversized top and skinny leather pants.

Outfit image: Factory by Erik Hart Oversized Collared Shirt, $115, available at Revolve Clothing. Products: Equipment Sophie Silk Chiffon Blouse, $188, available at Les Nouvelles; AllSaints Maisie Bra, $150, available at AllSaints; H&M Stretch Leggings, $31.52, available in-store at H&M.

Out of twenty looks, I chose these as my top five favs (in no particular order) Enjoy! xoxos

Christene Barberich, Editor-in-Chief

“I think because I keep certain aspects of my style so simple (i.e., my hair and intentional fear of heavy makeup!), I like to push the envelope with prints and different kinds of vintage statement pieces. Boy, did I do a happy dance when these palm-printed vintage YSL pants arrived in the mail from eBay (and they fit!)… I mean, I would sleep in them if I could.”

Vintage Michael Kors trench coat, vintage Yves Saint Laurent cropped trousers, Marni pumps, vintage necklace and belt, Madewell leather shopper tote.

Photographed by Amelia Alpaugh.

Christene Barberich, Editor-in-Chief

“I really love this white duster-coat. I found it at one of my favorite thrift stores in Gramercy Park and had it tailored to within an inch of its life. It cost an arm and a leg, but it was SO worth it, given how beautiful it fits now. Bethanny Frankel was right when she said, ‘I would tailor my underwear if I could.’”

Vintage army pants, vintage saddle belt, vintage silk blouse, vintage necklace, vintage alligator Kelly bag, Robert Clergerie loafers.

Photographed by Amelia Alpaugh.

Connie Wang, Global Editor

“I have two problems: Pants are always too long for me, and I’m too lazy to get them tailored. It’s a good thing I’m so into this raw-hem look. My roommate works at Theory and lets me raid her closet (thanks, Fiona!). I didn’t want to take this blazer off at the end of the day.”

Theyskens Theory blazer, Gap T-shirt, American Apparel pants, Julian Louie for Aldo shoes, American Apparel clutch, Juicy couture bracelet, vintage Whiting & Davis snake necklace.

Photographed by Amelia Alpaugh.

Kristian Laliberte, Senior Editor

“This is my favorite blazer to wear during New York Fashion Week. You can’t see it, but it’s sort of a sweatshirt material, and the back is all gray. I saw the denim-on-denim trend come back a lot in the front row. LSD, MMB…all the initial girls. Those digital camo-print Del Toros are everything. Matt over there is killing it. Can’t forget about a pop of color. Duhhhhh.”

Comme de Garcons blazer, AllSaints shirt, A.P.C. belt, Cheap Monday jeans, Del Toro shoes.

Photographed by Amelia Alpaugh.

Connie Wang, Global Editor

“This is my ‘hyuck-hyuck’ outfit… It’s hard to see, but my T-shirt has a photo of a cat with a pistol from Wowch, and its expression is the same one I get towards the end of Fashion Week. The blazer is from Alex + Eli. They let me embroider a custom message on the inside that reads, ‘Nope, no snacks in here.’ You’re going to have to look inside my purse for those.”

Alex + Eli blazer, Wowch T-shirt, Alexander Wang shorts, Coach bag, Sigerson Morrison boots, Target belt.

Photographed by Amelia Alpaugh.

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Read the full article here.