Fight the Frump Friday Ed. 3

Breaking up is EASY to do. I’m talking about suits people, suits! There’s no better way to look frumpy, at a social event or a job interview, then wearing your suit in a frumpy manner! A basic suit (pants, skirt, or both) can take you from work to party and a funeral all in the same week. You’ll never look the same way twice, you’ll always look appropriate, and your contemporaries will just faint to look at you. Be sure to check out the other FTF’s at Fussy’s! So we’re starting with a basic suit:

*Jacket only:

Staple look: Wear with trouser or boot cut jeans, shiny or matte boots, and an easy care button up shirt. Add accessories in a way that adds color.
Substitute: Nicer khaki or cargo type pants for jeans.
Substitute: Heels or flats for boots.
Substitute: A crisp white shirt for easy care shirt, or a thin sweater layer.
Substitute: Your kid’s team shirt on game day. Go blue! Go red! Go green!
Substitute: Matching accessories instead of those that add color. (black on black)

* These types of looks are great year round for busy moms, who usually hide in windbreakers and sweats. Do a little razzle dazzle updating, wear a suit jacket in place of your windbreaker and put the other soccer moms to shame!

Pants only:

Staple look: Pair with an easy care shirt, a belt, your dress/work heels, small accessories, neutral handbag.
Substitute: a nice tunic, a white shirt with a short sleeved cardigan over it, a twinset, any other type of dressier shirt.
Substitute: Boots with a lower heel or flats.
Substitute: A ribbon or scarf for the belt.
Substitute: Accessories with a pop of color.

Skirt only:

Staple look: Pair with an easy care shirt, your dress/work heels, small accessories, neutral handbag.
Substitute: a nice tunic, a white shirt with a short sleeved cardigan over it, a twinset, any other type of dressier shirt.
Substitute: Boots with a lower heel or flats.
Substitute: A belt around a flattering part of your figure, or a delicate scarf around your neck.
Substitute: Accessories with a pop of color.

For any of these looks:
Take it to night: Add some shinier accessories than you would for a day look, freshen your makeup with a bit of shimmer and style your hair with some pizzaz.
Take it to the board room: Stick with simple accessories in neutral patterns and tones. Minimize flash.
Take it colored: If you’re using a suit other than black, be sure to pick out shirts that will always look great, colors that are situated beside your suit color on the color wheel, or across from it. This color wheel (below) is for flowers, but it gives you the same basic idea, with a few extra names of colors on it, in case you’re looking for a shirt, you could tell the department store, I’m looking for an olive color, or plum, and you’ll get a quicker, more accurate response than just saying, I’m looking for purple or green.

8 Comments

  1. OK – as I sit here dressed for an interview I am analyzing what I have on based on this. I don’t own a suit “suited” to the weather we have now, so it is gray trousers, a red flat sweater, and a matching red wool blazer. Black boots (I have to trudge across a college campus in the snow – dress shoes are not an option) and a pair of earrings (I fidget too much with bracelets and such when nervous) and there ya go.

    Casual environment – so I think I am good – now to just sell ME!!!

  2. I love the color wheel. Great information!
    Thanks for visiting my post today. I didn’t have you email, so I left a very lengthy response to your question in my comments. You can find it here.

  3. I’m so dizzy I think I”ll just go naked.

    I learned about one color when I ordered sun glasses from my eye dr. I said I would prefer amber lens. The young woman looked at me very strangely and said, you mean persimmon?

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