Five tips every professional needs to brighten up their city’s sidewalks this spring!
It may be still be a little windy outside, but the season for woollies is nearly behind! We at YCB have teamed up with Chicago based personal styling agency Ready Pretty to bring you hot SS15 fashion trends to keep your professional game on point.
The anticipation of warmer days has got us planning our summer holidays (and wardrobes!) already, and transitioning into SS15 fashion feels fairly easy when we’re thinking about wandering sandy beaches at sunset and sipping pina coladas at pool parties. But as temperatures rise and days get longer, we seem to find it increasingly difficult to dress appropriately for work. It’s natural to want to drop the heavy layers and show a little skin, but it feels like a mammoth task creating an ensemble that’s fresh (both fashion and weather-wise) as well as professional.
Style inspiration isn’t the only problem either. When we’re at the office all day, where are we meant to be finding this time to style ourselves for the city’s sunny sidewalks, let alone physically buy new pieces to wear at work tomorrow? What’s a busy, professional, time-starved woman to do? Hire a personal stylist and shopper, that’s what. And of course living in the digital age she can now be found online.
Online service Ready Pretty offers a personal, virtual stylist for everyone, ‘making shopping a whole lot easier for those of us who want to look great, but either don’t know how, or don’t have the time to shop’, explains founder Jeannine Adams. Whether you’re getting ready for a big date, job interview, professional event, or want a complete workwear or casual wear wardrobe refresh, Ready Pretty has got you covered. Fill out a couple of questions, and just a short 48 hours later an email containing an array of wardrobe wonders tailored specifically to your needs will arrive in your inbox.
Having asked Jeannine what kind of woman tends to look to Ready Pretty for help, she tells us that she’s extremely busy, and doesn’t necessarily have the time or patience to look for the perfect outfit. Or, she continues, ‘she needs a bit of a re-boost in her wardrobe but doesn’t know where to start’. Honestly? That sounds like us right now, surrounded by a mass of heavy, dark winter clothes that are definitely no longer workplace or weather appropriate. With that in mind, we took the opportunity to ask Jeannine – a wardrobe stylist as well as an entrepreneur – how we can work SS15’s hottest trends in to our office looks.
Denim
Denim is huge for SS15: Marques Almeida, the king of denim, showed us that the perfect way to embrace the trend this year is to double it up and make sure edges are frayed. ‘A denim jacket is a classic piece that can be dressed up or dressed down and makes so many outfits look just a bit more polished’. A neat denim jacket is a gorgeous alternative to the light blazer this year.
Seventies
The seventies are definitely swinging for SS15! ‘Right now, our favourite high-waist, flare denim is at H&M! The price point is right, and since it’s a huge trend right now there’s no need to pay a steep price! Pair it with a lace tee tucked in with a wide belt leather belt and platforms and you’ve got a perfect casual Friday outfit that gives your skinny jeans a rest’.
Turquoise
Jeannine suggests that jewellery is the simplest way to bring a beautiful vibrant colour in to your office looks, without it looking too garish. ‘Layering a statement necklace over a simple white, black or grey tee – or getting funky and dropping it onto navy stripes – is a very fun way to amp up a basic’.
Cinched waists
A key shape for the coming season, make a cinched in waist the focal point of your outfit by investing in a statement belt. Alternatively, keep an eye out for dresses that have neat bodies and flare out from the waist, or – if you’re feeling particularly brave – don a high waisted skirt with a cropped that hits just at the top of your skirt top to keep you looking and feeling cool this summer.
Tulle
Usually reserved for romantic eveningwear, tulle will be making its way in to our every day wardrobes this season, with edges peeping out from under dresses and tops. ‘We love tulle’, Jeannine gushes. ‘A great tulle skirt is just so fun and playful but can work for work and then take you right into night!’ Her biggest tulle tip? ‘Do an off white skirt paired with a great heel, grey tee and denim jacket…top it off with that statement necklace for extra credit!’
The best thing about Ready Pretty? There’s no commitment to buy the looks created for you, but you might just be introduced to a piece you never would have picked out for yourself. So, for your next big event, or future wardrobe needs, visit www.readypretty.com and have a scroll through their blog for style tips and fashion inspo!
YCB readers can now get 25% off their Ready Pretty order with the exclusive code YCB25!
Photo courtesy of: www.memorandum.com
