And don’t forget: The Scandal Collection debuts at The Limited tomorrow! You can check out pieces from the line via InStyle by clicking HERE.
Meet Nanette Lepore at Saks on Sept. 25!
Darlings, please be sure to mark your calendars! A portion of the proceeds from this event benefits programs offered by The Junior League of Birmingham, which will in turn benefit our local community.
See you there!
Talk is chic…
Don’t be the employee everyone gossips about because your wardrobe is clueless! Contact me for tips on:
Transitioning your wardrobe from campus to the corporate office;
Navigating the office dress code; and
Getting the biggest bang for your buck
I’ve consulted with individuals and delivered dynamic presentations on style to nonprofits and companies and would love to share my tips with you. Dressing for the office doesn’t have to be boring; it can show off your personality without making you a topic of discussion for all the wrong reasons. Contact me directly to discuss further!
Oh, you didn’t make it to NYFW either?
Oh, you didn’t make it to NYFW either?
No worries, darlings! You know we’ve got you covered!
Thanks to modern technology (and Mercedes-Benz!), I can watch the Spring 2015 ready-to-wear collections from the comfort of my home, in my pajamas! I might even put on my aviators to get in the mood! And you can, too: click HERE to view the hautest shows scheduled. You can also check out a great listing and coverage via The Cut!
Alexis appears on Alabama Live! today
Happy Friday darlings!
Headed to the beach this summer? If you’re in the Montgomery viewing area, catch me on WSFA 12’s Alabama Live! TODAY sometime between 11 AM-Noon, where I’ll be sharing beach bag essentials!
You can find WSFA’s “Right this Minute Video Coverage” by clicking HERE, and a link to Alabama Live! by clicking HERE. I’m not 100% sure this appearance will be streamed live, so if it isn’t I’ll definitely share a link later.
As always, thanks so much for your support!
Xo,
Alexis
Image via Tonya Terry/WSFA
#TBT: In my grandmother’s closet…
The dress popped up during a random search on eBay for vintage disco-era eveningwear (don’t judge me). When it scrolled across my screen, it took my breath away. The cream two piece, floorlength gown – sleeveless with a chiffon overlay trimmed in brown – was almost exactly the same ensemble my Big Mama had worn to my uncle’s wedding in the late 70s. Initially, I thought they were exactly the same, but as the photo shows my grandmother’s dress was edged in purple.
Throughout my childhood, it existed only in one of our heavy family photo albums: there stands my grandmother, in platforms, defiant eyes behind huge Jackie O shades and a bouffant. FIERCE, darling. The black Angie Dickinson. I can’t remember one occasion where I ever saw her in formalwear in real life (although she wore a fabulous hat with a veil and gloves to my grandfather’s funeral), but her unique sense of style and her take no prisoners approach to life have been clinging to me like a rich perfume for years.
I often tell a story about a pair of shoes she gave me in college: snakeskin stilettos on 4 inch heels that she wore to my father’s high school graduation. I didn’t have the type of life or even the clothes those shoes required, but the moment I saw them, I began envisioning something for myself that maybe she’d seen too. Something adventurous, something unexpected and against the grain. And in a very real way, those qualities have influenced how I live my life and and why I choose to be a writer.
My paternal grandmother has been deceased almost 12 years. She never got to see my sense of style develop, but oh, how I wish she could see me now in my avant garde cocktail dress or the fringed top I just ordered and will wear with leather shorts. When I decide to wear something that’s a little too “much” I think of her and hold my head higher. She’d understand my need to express myself through my clothes, to wear things that say something about my soul that I can’t put into words, to dress for a life I aspire to lead. It’s why she wore sunglasses indoors, stiletto heels to my father’s graduation and driving gloves when she roared her red Cadillac through our small town.
I’m sure she cut quite a figure in Brewton, in her Cadillacs and furs when black women weren’t “supposed” to have those things. I can see her floating through my parents’ reception like the fourth member of the Supremes, holding court with her flask and cigarettes and throaty laugh. No public tears when her sons walked down the aisle and started new lives. That wasn’t her style. No tears for me either, when I wept on the steps of her house before I left for college.
“Trust in Him,” she said. And that was that. That was all.
That was enough.
So. The dress. I didn’t bid, but I seriously considered it. It wasn’t her dress, after all.
Can you tell from this post how much I miss her? It pains me that the answers I need from her now – the answers to questions I didn’t think of and wasn’t brave enough to ask if I had – I can’t get. But even if Dorothy were still here, she might not have taken my curiosity well. She didn’t do interviews, or nosy grandchildren. Dorothy H. Barton didn’t dwell; she didn’t play the radio, if you catch my meaning. So when I need a dose of her spirit – when things get to be too much or I’m tired and ready to “set someone’s soup outdoors,” as she’d say – I hear her say, “Hmmph! Keep living!”
Or maybe she’d simply say again, “Trust in Him.”
That’s all.
And that’s enough.
Want to dress like Olivia Pope? It’s handled.
Gladiators, we may have a bit of a wait until Season 4 of Scandal returns this fall (at a new time: 8 PM CDT!), but we can at least console ourselves by shopping The Scandal Collection at The Limited! And from the sneak peek provided by the sketches, expect statement coats and sleek separates!
Haute off the press (release):
“KERRY WASHINGTON, LYN PAOLO TO DEBUT “SCANDAL” COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE HIT ABC SERIES AT THE LIMITED
Look for Fashion Created by Style Icon, Actress Kerry Washington and Emmy® Award Winning Designer Lyn Paolo Starting this Fall
Columbus, OH (June 25, 2014) — Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress Kerry Washington and costume designer Lyn Paolo, in partnership with Elliot Staples, head of design from The Limited, have developed a new fashion line exclusively for The Limited inspired by Shonda Rhimes’ top-rated ABC drama, Scandal, which airs Thursdays at 9pm EST and premieres its fourth season this fall.
“By creating a line inspired by the show, we are introducing a collection that embodies the elegance and power of the Scandal aesthetic for real-life gladiators and everyday fashionistas,” said Washington. “The collection is a nod to our devoted fans, to fans of fashion and to women everywhere who are inspired to boldly pursue their passions and look good while doing it.”
Breaking new ground in Hollywood-inspired fashion, this is the first-ever design collaboration between a national retailer, a top-rated network TV show, its costume designer and leading lady. It is also the first design collaboration for Washington and Paolo, the duo credited for creating powerful looks for Scandal’s protagonist, Olivia Pope, and for inspiring millions of fans to call themselves “Gladiators in Suits.”
“The whole team took great care in creating a collection that reflects Olivia Pope’s unique style. We believe the collection tells a story of confidence and professional sophistication as well as maintaining a strong feminine point of view. It has been a joy, as always, to collaborate with Kerry and now also with The Limited team who have been amazing,” said Paolo. “I am so excited and hopeful that our Gladiators are as excited about the collection as we are; it has been such tremendous fun and such an honor to design for the amazing characters that Shonda Rhimes has created and now to help make their style accessible to all.”
A leader in specialty apparel retail, The Limited has long been the destination for runway-inspired fashion tailored for the needs of modern and sophisticated women. The Scandal collection is the retailer’s first Hollywood collaboration.
“Our collection evokes the striking and aspirational style that has become synonymous with the Scandal brand and its heroine Olivia Pope. Bringing a quintessential neutral palette together with soft feminine color, the collection is outfit driven while remaining easy to mix and match – creating effortlessly modern and powerful looks,” said Staples. “Olivia Pope’s signature wardrobe is well represented by tailored wide leg trousers, separate jackets with strong lines & signature trims, chic feminine blouses, and heroic outerwear pieces. Our plaid round collar cape seamlessly translates television to reality and captures the true essence of the consistent sophistication and style that Olivia Pope represents for confident women everywhere.”
Washington, Paolo and Staples collaboratively developed each piece in the collection, which is characterized by its authenticity, originality and unique details and trim. Tops, pants, jackets and outerwear are included in the fall collection, with prices beginning at $49. The Limited Scandal Collection arrives in The Limited stores nationwide and online.
Join the conversation with @TheLimited and @scandalabc using #scandalstylethelimited”
Images via TheLimited.com and Glamour
Thank you, Leading Edge Institute!
It was an absolute pleasure sharing tips on aligning professional dress with one’s brand at last night’s Summer Institute. I met so many ambitious, eager young women who are sure to make an incredible difference in this state and beyond, and am humbled that I was invited to participate!
And I love their motto!
Leading Edge Institute brings together Alabama’s college-aged women to prepare and inspire them to make a difference in this state through its leadership program. To learn more about Leading Edge Institute, click HERE.
Do you (your office or organization) need tips on dressing for success? Need to know how to create a versatile professional wardrobe on a budget? Not sure about transitioning your wardrobe from campus to the corporate office (while retaining your sense of personal style)? Feel free to contact me!
Deep breath.
I’m preparing to give some tips on dressing for success to the ladies of the Leading Edge Institute…and I’m nervous. So I’m doing a quick change to add accessories that make me feel powerful.
Okay, I’m also an 80s baby, and it’s already been established that I love Wonder Woman. Don’t judge me.
I love that a sense of style can be a way to bolster confidence and send a message about who I am without me saying a word. Here’s to bold, gold cuffs, my favorite pumps and Ruby Woo for getting me through.
I’m curious: what fashion item makes you feel like your best self?
Xo,
Alexis
Same Chic Different Day 