Sunday, November 21, 2010

Purp By The Pound

Greetings Gentle Readers,

We've decided to try a little something new (after all, fashion and style are constantly evolving, so, why shouldn't the way that information about fashion and style is presented evolve also?!). So, this time around, We're taking
a particular color, instead of an ensemble as a whole (think: John Legend's double breasted suit), or concept (think menswear inspired ensembles) and show you how to make it work for your wardrobe. We're also trying something new in that this is one of our 1st truly coed pieces. Hopefully, at the end of this, you'll see how to utilize this spectacular shade for yourself. Alright, let's get it poppin'...

Purple is one of those colors that we've never really understood why people were intimidated to utilize in their wardrobes. It's one of those "new neutral" tones, meaning, it goes with almost any other color in your wardrobe, but an added benefit is that it's much more striking and unexpected than a grey, black, navy or brown; thus rendering it an often more stylish option. Which, to us, means there's added incentive rock it. So, we've decided (at least for the purposes of this post) to make it our personal mission to dispel the myths about purple...

Purple isn't just a great casual option either. As a matter of fact, we like our purple most in rich evening tones, like a velvet tuxedo jacket for the fellas or, the ladies like the stunning cocktail dress from the S/S 2011 Gucci collection pictured on Chanel Iman. Of course, purple is also a great option for work, it's all about tone. The sweaters that Swizz Beatz and we are rocking would work perfectly for the office, however, if you're going to layer a purple sweater for the office, we'd recommend choosing a lighter dress shirt and complimentary tie. The darker the shirt, the more evening and casual the look becomes. That being said, we're gonna flip the script a little and break down purple for the well dressed gentleman first... Ladies, stick around and find out how to incorporate purple into your fella's wardrobe (or tell him how) or fast forward down to your section, either way, worry not, we've got you...

:Gents:

Your best bet when rocking purple is to focus up top. Meaning, sweaters, shirts, ties, etc. There are very few of us who can pull off purple chinos and jeans. To those who can... kudos, we tip our hat to you (a notable exception here is shorting, but, we'll save that for more weather appropriate times, as it's a bit brisk here on the Eastern Seaboard of the US). We'd recommend a look much like the one we pulled for a day in the city; purple sweater and dress shirt, grey slacks, and complimentary tie and belt. As we said, if this were for the office, we'd have switched out the darker dress shirt for a lighter shade of purple, like lavender, or even a heather grey. But, this was for a much more casual occasion, so, we opted for the dark. We finished the look off with coordinating sneakers; also not something we'd do for the office. This ensemble would also work for a night out on the town, sub out the sneakers for loafers or lace-ups and you'd be well dressed and good to go. We like purple and grey as a color combination. It's quite sleek and sophisticated, and while we've chosen slacks here, jeans work just as well. And this would serve as an excellent opportunity to try grey jeans.

We've taken some snapshots of some other purple options for your wardrobe, these are timeless classics, that will remain stylish forever. Wearing them in a hue such as purple should alleviate any doubt as to whether or not you can rock purple. Having such staples as these in purple plays it safe, while keeping it cool, so don't be afraid to utilize these at all. Garments such as polos (long and short sleeve), cardigans, v-necks and cable knit crew neck sweaters (ok, we know this is like the 3000th time we've talked about a cable knit crew neck sweater, but they're great, and we love them, and they're classic and timeless, and you should have one by now) are items you likely already have in your wardrobe, and if something works for you in one color, chances are it will work for you in others. So fellas, stack your closet, play to what you know! We're not saying you have to go out looking like Grimace, or a giant grape. But adding a dash to two of purple is a great way to infuse a bit of color into your closet.
:Ladies:

Alright, now, ladies, your purple options are far less limited than that of the gentleman's. But this is generally the case in wardrobing. You can rock purple on top in knits, tops, sweaters, and blouses, on the bottom in slacks, chinos, jeans, shorts, and skirts, or all over in the form of a dress. This makes your options seemingly limitless. However, whenever there are limitless options, there is often limitless confusion. To avoid the confusion and looking like the aforementioned McDonald's character (shout outs to Grimace) or a giant grape, here's how we suggest you rock your purple:

Pick a focal piece: Sure you could wear purple from head to toe, but, that would once again bring up those pesky Grimace and grape comparisons. And by head to toe, we mean; purple top, purple skirt, purple shoes, purple hosiery, purple bag, purple jewelry etc. A purple dress, shoes, and bag is fine. But they should be different shades of purple. This adds depth and complexity to the ensemble. But back to the matter at hand: Your best bet is to pick a focal piece; Where your purple will pop in your ensemble, or how purple will play into the overall color scheme (Sidenote: You can rock more than two different colors at once, but they should be cohesive, complementary and play into the overall color story.). Take for example the 1st look we pulled here for our model the lovely Ms. Womack: The purple pops, yet plays perfectly in the color story and into the overall theme of the outfit. We chose the purple shorts for specifically that purpose; everything else is an accent. We went for a touch of texture with the checkered pattern on the tights (here's how to mix patterns: when one is pronounced, the shorts, the other is subtle, the tights) but otherwise kept the rest of the look subdued but still chic and sophisticated. As we earlier said, purple is one of those "new neutrals," meaning it pairs well with most other colors. So, while we chose black here, this look would have worked if the blazer or camisole were another color, or even two different shades of the same color. Keep this in mind in your purple pairings.

For the 2nd look, we chose a purple tunic sweater and dark grey skinny jeans. Accessorized with strands of long pearls, black suede chunky heeled pumps, and a crock embossed clutch. Again keeping it fairly simple, but always sophisticated and chic and letting the purple be the focal point of the ensemble. As a converse to the 1st look, this serves as an example of doing purple on top. This look would have worked with tights or leggings, but we liked the idea of jeans as a more stylish alternative. Though all the pieces flow seamlessly, the tunic is obviously the focal point of this ensemble. The feminine detailing on the sleeve and the rhinestones on the back add ladylike details and drawing points for the eye. The remaining garments and accessories are accentual and add polish and finishing touches. This is important to keep in mind whenever you have a focal piece in any ensemble, be it an accessory, shoe, or garment: everything else is accentual, complimentary and cohesive. We like purple as a focal point color because it serves a dual purpose; As many find purple a difficult tone to pull off, it will likely serve as an unexpected choice, and because it automatically stands out, it will become the default focal point of your ensembles (which means you should always make wise choices in purple since it draws in the eye).

:Shoes&Accessories:
So fellas, pretty much the accessories in purple that you should be concerned with are ties and pocket squares. Mixing tone and pattern are surefire ways to achieve an elevated level of style. Simple and easy, no? Bet. Now, ladies, for you, as it usually is, it's a bit more complicated.... It's more of that, so-many-options-leading-to-mass-confusion-thing. But that's to be expected. Ladies when accessorizing with purple, you should still follow the Focal Point rule, however, it's a little different because shoes and accessories are usually on a smaller scale (size wise) than garments. This means that you let them stand out as the focal point of the ensemble, and build your look around them OR you can build your look and accent with purple shoes and accessories. It's all a matter of mood, taste, and occasion. If you choose to have the shoes and accessories be the focal point, then coordinating ensemble should be subdued. Try muted tones (greys, browns, tans, blacks and navies make excellent options), or a monochromatic theme. If you do choose pattern, then it should have a hint of purple in it, just to play back into the overall look and statement you're making. Should you choose the converse, and opt to go in the opposite direction, make sure you choose purples that easily pair with the other garments you elect for that ensemble. For example, the purple python platform pumps pictured left (try saying that 5 times fast!!) would work excellently with a pair of jeans, a pencil skirt and black tights, trousers, or cropped chinos. The obvious choice is to coordinate with the black in the shoe, but you could go another route with dark denim, khaki, brown tones, grey and navy. And on top a lighter pastel like a custard yellow would work well. In terms of bags, ladies, a purple bag works in the same capacity as your favorite brown and black go-tos; use it as such.

Well, that about does it... We know that was a lot of information, but hopefully the pictures helped convey the points we were making. A special shout out to our lovely model Ms. Brandi Womack (proof that it pays to have life-long gorgeous friends), check her amazing blog "Keeping Up with the Huxtables" up at http://imkeepingup.com. Until next time, we remain...

Stylishly yours,
Sartorially Savvy
"Fashion fades, style is eternal" ~Yves Saint Laurent

P.S. For your up to the minute tips on staying classically stylish, timelessly chic, and always Sartorially Savvy follow us on Twitter (@SartoriallySvvy or click here)

Friday, November 19, 2010

Pass the Courvoisier...


Greetings Gentle Readers,

While reviewing the fall 2010 runway shows, we noticed the emergence of one of our favorite color combinations; cognac-ish hues of brown paired with shades of grey. This super sophisticated pairing has long been one of our favorites and go-to's in dressing. A lot of people are apprehensive when it comes to mixing such staple neutrals because shades of brown apparel (which cognac is, even though it's almost close to a deep red) tend to b
e paired with shades of brown shoes and accessories, and generally, when pairing greys, people instantly go with black for shoes and accessories. Well, we're here to tell you, "That ain't necessarily so..." Obviously, as we can see from the looks featured in this post, these two tones go quite well together. And you don't have to be a runway model or an extremely talented stylist to pull them off. Let us put you on game...

3 Simple & Easy ways to pair
grey & cognac
1) Expect the unexpected: This color combination isn't the 1st that will come to anyone's mind, so up the ante and go for even more unexpected garment choices; One of our favorite things about the looks featured is where the colors are placed in the wardrobe scheme. You don't have to have an exact percentage of each color, subtlety and nuance work extremely well. For example, in the 1st two looks, the cognac stands out, but the number of grey garments vastly out number it; in the 1st look, (up to the left) the cognac sweater pops through underneath the peacoat (what y'all know 'bout peacoats?? Click here for a refresher) and is the only piece in the ensemble that is cognac, yet it makes it's presence known and the boots perfectly polish off the color statement. When using this pairing, we find it much more chic to lean on the grey and let the cognac accent. It's not exactly a bold color, but, in this pairing a few pieces go the distance.

2) Matching's wack! Matching's cheap!: "Matchy-matchy" is not what we're going for here. As a matter of fact, it's pretty much the antithesis of everything this look is about. This is all about a cohesive color statement. Who cares that the grey in your slacks isn't the same grey in your sweater? Do you want to look like a crayon? No, seriously... This is an expression of style, panache, polish, and sophistication. Focus on coordination and whether or not the garments go instead of if they match. For example, in the 2nd look pictured, notice the different shades of grey, the grey in the shirt isn't the same grey as the tie and the grey in the cardigan isn't the same grey as the slacks. We also love the pairing of the cognac colored belt with the grey boots. In casual settings this is an extremely stylish option (with suiting, and dressier atmospheres your shoes and belt must ALWAYS be the same color; brown shoes =brown belt) that adds style. Notice here that the only two pieces in this look are cognac, this is a largely a grey ensemble, but the cognac not pops and compliments and makes for great finishing touches. (Also, if anyone would like to gift us those boots and that jacket... we'd greatly appreciate it... just saying...)

3) Effective Layers: An additional commonality that these 3 looks share is their effective use of layers. Layering is one of favorite tools for smart autumn dressing, not only does it keep you warm, but you'll be well dressed as well, which to us, is equally as important. When you're mixing neutrals (which both of these colors, in all their shades are) layering is especially effective because it allows you to create depth and texture in your ensemble. Most of the layering here is done with the greys, leaving the cognac to be the finishing touch, which is one way to go, but we also like layering the cognac under a garment or two of grey for a little added depth and style (like in the 1st look with the v-neck sweater). Finally a word about accessories, we like what Usher's done here in paring both tones in his scarf. That's a great way to combine colors. Another way to go is to keep your accessories exclusively one color, and alternate. Either way works just fine.

Well, that about does it for this time around. Use this stylish color combination in your upcoming ensembles, we can almost guarantee turned heads and comments, and always in a good way. Until next time, we remain...

Stylishly yours,
Sartorially Savvy
"Fashion fades, style is eternal." ~Yves Saint Laurent

P.S. For your up to the minute tips on staying classically stylish, timelessly chic and always Sartorially Savvy follow us on Twitter (@SartoriallySvvy or just click here)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

She's Fine... Halle Berry


Greetings Gentle Readers,

For as long as we can remember we've been a giant fan of the impossibly stunning Ms. Halle Berry. One of our favorite qualities about Ms. Berry is her effortless style. She always looks amazing, whether on the red carpet or at the grocery store, and never over done. Recently, Halle's been all over the media, attending numerous red carpet events, launch parties, and movie premiers... And at every turn (as usual) she's looked great. Here are our favorite 3 recent examples of Ms. Berry's effortless, impeccable style. And how you can take implement the tools Halle did in your daily dressing.

<-- 1) This black strapless Dolce and Gabbana that Halle wore for a recent Harry Winston launch party was the perfect accent to the (likely) millions of dollars in diamonds she was wearing, and the diamonds, go perfectly with the dress. A long gown such as this one should be the 1st choice for such an affair, but what we really love about this, is the simplicity, which is a key part of Halle's style; The dress fits perfec
tly (how many times can we say how imperative fit is?!?!?!) and the diamonds sparkle brilliantly, and they make independent, yet complimentary statements. We also love the fact that Ms. Berry chose a bracelet, ring, and subtle (as if that can really apply when it comes to Winston diamonds) drop earrings as accents. With the open sweetheart neckline, it would have been an obvious choice to elect for some brilliant Winston baubles around the neck, but the choice not to is that much more chic and stylish. Topped off with a small black clutch, and we've got a good contender for visual perfection. The lesson here: while most of us won't ever be rocking Harry Winston diamonds, when you are making a bold and blingy jewelry statement, make sure that the focus is on the facets. Sure your garments and other accessories should look great also, but they should play backseat to the baubles.


<--> 2) At the premier of her new film Frankie & Alice, Ms. Berry rocked this strapless Pamella Rowland frock. The dress is complimented by a snakeskin clutch, low key jewelry, and Christian Louboutin strappy slingback sandals. This look is an excellent example of polish and subtle sex appeal. Nothing here is overtly raunchy or screams debauchery, but, it is undeniable that Halle's sexy here (and everywhere else for that matter); there's not a lot of cleavage or an egregious amount of leg, but it's still an extremely sexy look. Sure there's skin showing, but it's in unexpected places, which is probably one of favorite things about it... Unexpected skin is often more sexy than cliche cleavage or legs for days (not saying that those things are bad at all!!!!) just that sometimes, a little switch up is key. Another aspect that we appreciate about this look is the length of the dress. There's something about knee length that screams classic sex appeal to us... And we like it. Accessory wise, this look is another winner. A few strategically placed baubles here and there add a nice finishing touch. Our favorite accessory here though is the snakeskin clutch. It's just that extra pop of pizazz that every outfit needs. Snakeskin is timeless, classic, and always a bit edgy. Use it in your accessories and shoes for edgy yet classy pops. Avoid garments in snakeskin though... it tends to come off a bit tawdry. Color choice was also an essential element as to why this dress works so well; it's a shade of white that compliments Halle's caramel complexion and doesn't wash her out. This is important to note because a lot of people think that they cannot wear certain colors, which isn't really the case at all. You just have to choose the right shade for your skin tone. So...
The Lesson(s) here:
1. Unexpected skin adds for sumptuous, scintillating, sex appeal
2. A little animal print goes a long way, moderation is key
3. You can wear any and every color, just find the right shades for you skin tone.

<--> 3) Worn to the American Film Institute's "Conversations with Halle Berry" event in Los Angeles, this figure flattering Elie Saab dress is Berry at her best; simple, sexy, classic and chic. This is what the "little black dress" dreams it looks like. We're crazy about a few things in this look; The figure-accenting detailing on the dress, the length (once again, that knee length proving that you don't have to show a ton of skin to have sex appeal), the boatneck cut of the dress, and the bamboo detailing on the heel of her Gucci pumps (We're a bit of a Gucci bamboo detail fanatic). Once again, a key element to why this works so well is the fit of the dress. It's as if Halle was Mr. Saab's fit model when he cut the pattern for this frock (she may have been, after all, it was Halle who put Saab on the fashion map when she donned his crimson masterpiece to the 2002 Oscars when she won the Academy Award for Best Actress). The fit here is what really makes this dress. Skin tight without being trashy or ill-fitting, displaying the decolletage in a tasteful way, and with accents that give a knowing wink to the hourglass figure that this dress makes. We also like the cap sleeve detail, it adds to the classic 60's silhouette from which this dress draws its inspiration. This could as easily be seen on an episode of Mad Men as it is on this red carpet. Not over-accessorized or over-styled, the dress does all the talking without saying too much. We could also easily write a love letter to those Gucci pumps... but we'll spare you all on that one and just say, we're fans. A great shoe that works excellently on the red carpet, and would also work in the office, for a night out on the town, or with jeans and and a cable knit crewneck sweater on the weekends.
The Lesson(s) Here:
1. Classic silhouettes never go out of style. What worked then will work now. Update vintage inspired looks with current accessories to add modern polish.
2. A great pair of black pumps will take you from work to play, from day to night and from season to season. Invest in good ones and take care of them; heels replaced annually, polishing, and resoling.
3. Sometimes you're the best accessory for an ensemble. Don't always worry about the bag and baubles, and let the gorgeous woman you are with the banging body you have shine through

That about does it for this go 'round. We hope that you can us these small secrets for a little Berry appeal of your own. Until next time, we remain...

Stylishly yours,
Sartorially Savvy
"Fashion fades, style is eternal." ~Yves Saint Laurent

P.S. For your up to the minute tips on staying classically stylish, timelessly chic, and always Sartorially Savvy follow us on Twitter (@SartoriallySvvy or just click here)




Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Why It Works: ...Now I Rock a Tailored Suit, Lookin' Like an Owner.


Greetings Gentle Readers,

If you recall, a few posts ago there was a navy Burberry peacoat that Usher was wearing that we were.... uhhh... "enthused" about to say the least. And instead of just sending pleas for donations/barrages of messages to Mr. Raymond requesting he bequeath the aforementioned garment to us, we decided to turn our moment of lust into a teachable one... Welp, here we are again...

This grey double breasted suit that John Legend wore to the VH1 Save the Music Gala the other night, is, quite frankly,
epically perfect. On every level. And we don't usually gush about clothes like this (ok, so that might not be exactly "true.") but, this, this whole look is exceptional.
Usually, we're not even fans of double breasted suits. The silhouette is generally too boxy for our tastes, and they reek of 80's nostalgia, and not in a good way; yuppies, and power suits, and Reagan-era politics oh my!

We'd noticed the resurgence of double breasted suiting in many of this seasons collect
ions, and many designers had reinterpreted the dated classic, giving it a sleek, streamlined, modern makeover. Soon enough, double breasted found its way into many fall issues of our favorite publications, but we still weren't quite sure... And then we saw this... And suffice to say, this is the moment that we drank the Kool-Aid. We could go on for hours about this whole look, the peak lapels, the color, the slim cut, the spread collar shirt, the proportion between the tie width and the collar.... *sigh*. But, we won't put you through that. Instead, let's get to Why It Works so that you'll know how to rock this right and make it work for you...

Why It Works

1. Fit: Of course, you should've known that the 1st thing we'd note was fit. But, it's true dammit!! Fit is everything! Especially here. In the past, double breasted has been boxy and too big. But in it's renaissance, designers have adapted double breasted to the current aesthetic in suiting, which is a sleeker, slimmer silhouette. That's a huge part of why we love this look. High arms+ slim sleeves+ a tapered torso = *drool*. The slacks accent perfectly with the streamlined silhouette of the suit; slim cut, slight break... great all around. Also, note the lengths of both the jacket and shirt sleeves; the jacket sleeves stop about 1/2 -1" above where the shirt sleeves end. This is how ALL of your suit jackets and blazers should fit. When you're shopping for suiting/blazers you should wear a dress shirt so that you can see where you'll need to have your sleeves tailored to. Should you venture into double breasted suiting territory, print pictures of this look, and take it with you whilst you shop.

2. Perfect Proportion: Often in our #AfternoonTip Tweets (Are you following us on Twitter? You should be! How else do you expect to stay Sartorially Savvy up to the minute? Click here to solve that whole problem) we talk about proportion and why it and balance are essential elements. Proportion is one of those tiny things that can make or break an outfit.... it's like that thing, that when it's not right, you can immediately tell something's wrong, even if you can't pinpoint it. Mr. Legend nails proportion here. The peak lapel of his suit jacket calls for a wider tie. Remember gentlemen, the wider the lapel, the wider tie. A slimmer or skinny tie would have looked 7 kinds of out of place here. Also accentuating the proportion is the spread collar dress shirt. A narrow, or pointed collar would have been the wrong choice.

3. Subtle Nuance: Sometimes, subtlety makes the most powerful statements. This, is one of those times. John isn't over accessorized or over styled. The suit is the focal point here. Which we both respect and appreciate. The choice of color is perfect, right on trend, season and occasion appropriate. A crisp white dress shirt will NEVER let you down, the tie complements the color story perfectly. And a great black lace-up dress shoe adds to the overall appeal of this and is another weapon every man should have in his wardrobe arsenal. Perfectly polished without being over coiffed, the entire look is done just right.

Well, that about does it for this time around. We hope you enjoyed our love letter to John Legend's suit... But seriously, this is a timeless, modern, and extremely stylish and sophisticated look. Implementing what's done here is an instant upgrade. Hopefully we've helped school you on how to pull this off on your own. Until next time, we remain...

Stylishly yours,
Sartorially Savvy
"Fashion fades, style is eternal." ~Yves Saint Laurent

P.S. For your up to the minute tips on staying classically stylish, timelessly sophisticated, and always Sartorially Savvy follow us on Twitter (@SartoriallySvvy or click here)

Monday, November 8, 2010

Can't Tie A Sweater Over That.... Or Hide it in Pajamas


Greetings Gentle Readers, we heard it snowed for a second in our hometown this past weekend (Whaddup doe D-TOWN!!!! 1 time for Detroit) and it hailed this morning in the concrete jungle... all of which brings us to one our favorite times of year: Sweater Weather!! Now's the perfect time to break out the chunky cowl neck wool sweaters, the cashmere cable knit crew necks, the fair isles (like the one pictured on Chanel Iman at left), the long cardigans, wrap sweaters (like pictured on Chanel Iman below...) and v-necks.

Sweaters are a staple in every season; during the warmer months, light weigh cardigans and v-necks make for great layerin
g pieces and add just the right amount of coverage for cooler nights. Honestly great to layer with year 'round. However, for the purposes of this post, we're discussing more hearty cold weather options... Garments with a bit of bulk. Something that'll keep you warmer than your favorite comforter, and way more stylish. So, let's get this poppin' shall we? For this post, we're going to discuss our 2 top sweaters. The 2 we chose are based on versatility, chicness, and wearability.

Our 2 Top Sweaters for Fall/Winter

1. Cable knit crew necks: We've talked about these before for the fellas (click here for a little refresher), but, they work just as well for ladies. Classic, chic, comfortable. Ladies, your rules are pretty much the same for your cable knit crew neck sweaters. You should be focused on fit (duh, when should you NOT be focused on fit?!?!) looking for a close to the body silhouette, shoulder seams at your shoulders and fitting snugly to the torso. Your cable knit crew necks should stop right about your belt line on your pants, give or take an inch or so. Any higher up is too short, and we're talking cropped or too small, and any further down and we're getting into too big, but not quite long enough to be a sweater dress, though some may try. Just like with the fellas, ladies you can wear cable knit crew neck sweaters over oxfords and polos and under blazers. Try mixing all 3 for classic, clean, preppy-chic layers. Color choice is limitless with these, as are fabric choices. Having varying fabric options also gives you a chance to play with texture; our favorites are silk, cashmere, and wool, and of course any blend of the 3 is just fine as well. Having these sweaters in variety of colors gives you an opportunity to experiment with different color combinations and play around a bit. From jewel tones to pastels, cable knit crewnecks come in a wide array of colors none is wrong to have. You can pretty much wear a cable knit crew neck with anything; jeans, chinos, and skirts. Dress up or dress down, work or play. One of our favorite pairings is are these sweaters with a knee length skirt, it's somewhat unexpected, but is a very classic and chic combination. We like pencil and accordion skirts, but whichever works for you and your body type works with these sweaters.

2. Cardigans: The ultimate layering sweater, versatile for year 'round wear, but particularly perfect for this time of year. We all know what a cardigan is right? Open front sweater with two panels that can be attached to each other via with buttons, snaps, or other sort of fasteners. Cardigans are great over blouses, tanks, and under blazers and suit jackets. Dressed up or dressed down and from work to play, cardigans pretty much work for all occasions. As pictured on Chanel and Joan, dressier cardigans can work for your days in the office as well as nights out on the town. This fall we're enjoying the resurgence of the patterned cardigan, be it stripes, polka dots, or flowers. A patterned cardigan is an excellent way to make a stylish statement and add a touch of panache to any ensemble. For our more classically inclined readers, you can't go wrong with solid cardigans. Just like with the cable knit crew necks, cardigans come in every color in the spectrum. We advise you stock up when you find a style that works for you. If it fits in one color, it's going to fit in all the others. For dressier occasions, or whenever you're feeling particularly stylish, an embellished cardigan is the way to go; beading, sequins, and button details are all uber chic ways to rock an embellished cardigan. You can even take the Martha Stewart route and embellish yourself with a broach, lapel pin or other pendant and attach it to the top left corner of the your cardigans, about where one would find the lapel of a blazer or suit jacket.

Of course, we're fans of other styles of sweaters... the D&G crew neck Fair Isle number that's the opening image of this post, we're particularly fond of (Great use of a menswear inspired aesthetic gone undeniably feminine) v-necks, wraps, cowl and turtlenecks all also tickle our fancy. But we wanted to start at the shallow end of the sweater spectrum before we dive deep. Mastering these two classics will have you cozy and chic throughout the season. Until next time, we remain....

Stylishly yours,
Sartorially Savvy
"Fashion fades, style is eternal" ~Yves Saint Laurent

P.S. For your up to the minute tips on staying classically stylish, timelessly sophisticated, and always Sartorially Savvy follow us on Twitter (@SartoriallySvvy or just click here)




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