Leggings - A Tale Of Two Shoes

Even when staying in, running to get dinner take-out or going for market pickup, you can still make the effort to look nice.  Without opportunities, our escapes are limited. However, let's not forget the skills to coordinate and heaven forbid, loose our nerve / resolve. Jeans, shorts and the latest trend, leggings, may have to be wardrobe of choice for a few more weeks. I like the casual look above.  

The only item of note above is the Dillard's "Intro Stripe Print Indigo Lyocell Long Roll-Tab Sleeve Button Down Tunic".  It is permanently reduced to $16.80 and comes in sizes S to XL.  I like the length especially for leggings.  The roll sleeves and tunic flair at the bottom gives it just the right feminine look.   

Tight jeans and leggings seem to be everywhere this spring.  I love the look and although I do not have perfect skinny legs, the right shoes can go along way to pulling the outfit together. The Trend Spotter Blog helps with selection and provides encouragement to try different looks.

As well as being quite possibly the most comfortable pants ever, leggings are also incredibly versatile. Not only are they perfect for the gym, but they can also suit a range of other outfits, including athleisure, casual and smart casual ensembles. Of course, making your leggings look great for any occasion is all about how you style them. In particular, your footwear plays an essential role in how your leggings are perceived. So, to help you look awesome while feeling comfy, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best shoes to wear with leggings. From classic sneakers to chic loafers, these footwear options have you covered almost any outing.

Here are two of the suggestions - Be sure to check all or her suggestions with some great fashion photos.

Lace-Up Sneakers
    Lace-up sneakers are without a doubt the easiest shoes to pair with leggings. Thanks to the sporty aesthetic of both leggings and sneakers, the combination works perfectly together. Although you can wear the look in a variety of ways, it appears particularly chic when styled with an athletic edge. To nail the style, start with a pair of sports leggings and minimal sneakers. Then, add a fitted, high-neck crop top and cap. You can also add jewelry, such as hoop earrings for an extra dose of attitude.


Heels
    Think heels don’t work with leggings? Think again. Pumps can actually partner perfectly with leggings for a stylish look. The key to making the outfit work is to strike a balance. As leggings and heels make your bottom half appear long and lean, try offsetting them with something looser on top. In particular, a long shirt that finishes at the top of your thighs can work fabulously with leggings and heels. You can also add a loose sweater or chunky jacket over the top if the weather’s cold.

Fashion History - Chanel’s Ford

Who Invented the Little Black Dress?

The “little black dress*”. quintessential staple of any woman’s wardrobe, isn’t as timeless as most people think. An LBD is a classic in that it’s neither a trend nor is it ever out of fashion, but its history is a surprisingly short one, dating back only about a century to the early 1900s. While history tends to credit French designer Coco Chanel with popularizing the design, the question of who came up with the little black dress first is a little more complicated than that. 

Palm Beach Event January 2020

As hard as it is to believe today—when black clothing is the neutral, flattering norm, and the latest fashion is credited as “the new black”—dark-colored garments were hardly a stylish society woman’s first choice years ago. Through the 1800s, black clothing was associated with mourning dress; in previous centuries, it was a symbol of luxury, as only the wealthy could afford costly black dye for their garments. Public perception gradually changed as history’s fashionistas realized that black was not only a practical choice that did not show stains or spills, but also a stylish one that offset their expensive accessories to good advantage. By the time Coco Chanel came into the equation in the 1920s, black dresses of all shapes and sizes were already quite popular all on their own.

The specific little black dress so famously associated with Chanel appeared in a 1926 issue of Vogue, a simple, calf-length design shown with a plain string of pearls that was distinct in its contrast to the heavily embellished flapper styles that were popular at the time. The magazine called it “Chanel’s Ford”—referring to Henry Ford’s Model T car, the standard for all automobiles to come—and predicted its role as “a sort of uniform for all women of taste.” A 1930 issue of Vogue later featured another black Chanel dress, made of sheer black lace with a matching capelet, which served to double down on the public perception of Coco Chanel having invented the fashion. However, designers like Edward Molyneux were simultaneously promoting their own, similar fashions, just without Vogue’s endorsement.

Audrey Hepburn Little Black Dress

Perhaps the most iconic little black dress of all is a work of the 1960s: Audrey Hepburn famously wore a little black Givenchy dress as Holly Golightly in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the movie that spawned a million Halloween costumes. That level of exposure may have truly cemented the little black dress as a cultural touchstone, so much so that we’ve turned it into an acronym: LBD, which has been included in the official Oxford Dictionary of English since 2010.

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My Note: Do you have a LBD?  If not; why not?  It is the no decision dress for a business meeting, dinner out at an elegant restaurant or night at the theater.  Black hides a world of shape difficulties and never goes out of style.  Your feminine wardrobe start here.  




*The dress show in the fashion layout is Boston Proper's - BEYOND TRAVEL™ SLEEVELESS CUTOUT SHEATH DRESS. ($89.50)