My #StyleDiary: Outerwear Outtakes

My #StyleDiary: Outerwear Outtakes

 

What's best thing about the Winter? Outerwear, of course! For this #stylediary entry, I'm sharing a few fave coats, from casual to comfy, that keep me toasty and warm during these chilly months.

Before the temps take a serious dip, a fur vest is a great option for a night out. You can still show off your outfit and you don't have to worry about where to stash a big bulky coat.

Leather (vegan or real) is a great option to take you from Fall to Winter and into the early days of Spring. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, a leather or suede jacket lined with shearling adds another layer of cozy warmth.

                            

   

                             

  

You really can't lose if you invest in a great faux fur coat or jacket for the Winter time. Faux fur is a fraction of the price of a real fur, animal-friendly and come in all kinds of bright colors and fun styles. As you can see, I have invested in a few. Dress your faux fur up or down, I guarantee you will be noticed either way!

And of course, you have to have a solid hooded parka (fur lined is a bonus). This coat has keep me stylish through snow and ice as well as sub zero windchills without making me feel overly bulky like I'm wearing a men's coat...or a small bear. 

Do you have a favorite coat or 2? Did you like any of the ones I shared? Comment below and let me know! Until the next time...

Stay Stylish!
- Love, Michele 💋

What to Wear for the Holiday Season

What to Wear for the Holiday Season

 

A little black dress or tux is always on par for the party scene, but who says dressing for the holidays has to be so cut and dry?  I had the pleasure of returning to the set of Great Day Washington to share some not-so-basic style ideas to try at your next holiday celebration. I'm encouraging you all to step out of your comfort zone and put on something daring or sparkly. Time to set yourself apart and be the star of the season!

Black Tie, Formals and Galas! OH MY!
Blue is always a great color to start with when moving away from a traditional black dress or suit. I love this sex appeal of this dress - the low-cut neckline and the high cut leg will make you stand out while still looking classy. Perfect for a holiday formal, especially when accompanied by a matching fur stole.

For my guys, I love a blue tux or suit as well. Again, setting you apart from everyone else wearing black, and when you add a colorful tie or pocket square, the contrast pops more against the blue. The model below has gotten it right for his holiday celebration - I think his date agrees!

If you prefer to wear a tuxedo, you can't go wrong when you switch a black tux jacket for a metallic one. A gold tux jacket is a perfect holiday look for men and women. I bought a tuxedo jacket from Trina Turk's men's line and had it tailored to fit me. With the matching gold pants, I am always shining⭐.

NYE Style 🍾
Headed out for a night of partying? Something sequined is a surefire way to stand out from the crowd. Animal print has been hot for the past year and it is definitely staying around for the holidays as well. I love this shift dress with a tiger print in gold and black sequins. For this look, I paired it with silver hoop earrings and silver metallic booties. The combo is 🔥!!

When your plans are leaning more towards barhopping, or a more casual celebration, you need to be chic but comfy. Get creative with what I call a "deconstructed tux". This look consists of a relaxed blazer with a black lapel for a tux feel, paired with an easy tank, wide-legged sequin pants and topped off by a pair of funky sneakers. It's my absolute favorite #styleslay for a long night of partying! 

The holidays are a time of so much joy and cheer. Make sure what you are wearing reflects that as well. Mix it up and have a ball! Watch my holiday style segment on WUSA9 Great Day Washington here for more details on these looks. And be sure to contact me for all your styling needs!

Brunch-n-Style: Sax and the City

Brunch-n-Style: Sax and the City

 

"Brunch-n-Style" is an event held and hosted by eLevated style studio where the all-girl guests are asked to dress for brunch in a specific style theme. I always encourage everyone who attends to be creatively stylish and unique while following the theme. 

The Fall 2019 edition of Brunch-n-Style was held at Sax Restaurant and the Style Menu was "Sex and the City". 

The "Sax and the City" brunch was a perfect way to celebrate an eLevated Style Studio milestone - 10 brunches since May 2017 (I wonder which one of my Fashionable Friends wins the "best attendance" award - let me know in the comments if you think it's you!). This brunch definitely won the award for most rowdy and exciting thanks to the unlimited mimosas and electrifying entertainment provided by SIR, an all male burlesque revue.

It was amazing event - the food was yum, the eye candy was even yummier. I wish I could share the action pics but I have been sworn to secrecy so they remain safe in the Brunch-n-Style vault. However, please enjoy my fabulously Fashionable Friends as they channel their inner Carries, Mirandas, Samanthas and Charlottes and brought SATC style to Sax in the Capitol City!

Scroll down for more pics from the day - there were so many great ones to choose from - but these are just a few favorites.

If you weren't there, you definitely missed another epic brunch. But don't continue to suffer from FOMO - make sure to keep up with future eLevated events by following the blog, and IG and FB pages. I promise you that you'll have the time of your life with a group of wonderful women! JOIN US IN 2020!

Stay Stylish!
- Love, Michele 💋

My #StyleDiary: One Dress, Three Different Ways

My #StyleDiary: One Dress, Three Different Ways

 

I think birthdays are special occasions. I personally like to treat mine like a national holiday, with a day off from work, a celebration of some sort with friends and family and a well-deserved vacation. My husband is the opposite - when his birthday rolls around he tends to be nonchalant and prefers to keep it lowkey. But every so often, I have a trick up my sleeve.

This year I surprised him with a visit to the Confetti Project and brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, True Food Kitchen, in Bethesda, MD. At the Confetti Project pop-up we enjoyed an impromptu photo shoot while having confetti thrown at us. We laughed like 2 big kids and later, we found confetti in places we never thought it would reach!

I wore a cute yellow dress with black dots that I recently got at one of my best kept secrets, Willow, a local boutique clothing store with stores in Petworth and at the Navy Yard. Black tights accented with a racing stripe, and a belt and loafers by Gucci made this an effortlessly stylish outfit.

Like I said before, I tend to have a trick or 2 up my sleeve. Any good stylist keeps a few pieces on hand for an impromptu "style opportunity." And there it was outside of the pop-up. A great color wall. Scroll down to see how I styled one dress, three different ways on a Sunday Funday!

                                  
The first look was really easy - I simply switched my gold loafers for a great pair of oxblood boots paired with burgundy over the knee socks and snuggled down in my moto jacket and infinity scarf.

Next it was time for a schoolgirl crush. The dress became a shirt under a jean jumper. I replaced the boots with classic Adidas updated with a floral pattern and I was suddenly casually chic.

For the last look, I changed into high-waisted jeans and a bright magenta blazer and added my favorite animal print booties for a night out with the girls or date night 'fit. I loved letting the neck tie of the dress hang loose and how I rolled up the jeans to give it a "not so put together" feel.

Do you have an idea of which outfit was my favorite? Did you like any of them? Comment below and let me know! I wonder if now you will start looking at some of your dresses as potential shirts - I hope so! It's always fun to play with clothes in different ways. Until the next time...

Stay Stylish!
- Love, Michele 💋

My #StyleDiary: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

My #StyleDiary: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

 

There's a quiet little side street in Georgetown, across from the beautiful Dumbarton Oaks Park, where every year, the Fall leaves come down all at once. The neighborhood residents say it sounds like the rain during a thunderstorm. The next day the street is transformed into the Yellow Brick Road from Oz. So, what better spot to show off fun Fall fashions courtesy of a photoshoot.

Say "Cheese"

I was instantly amazed by the gorgeous color of the leaves. I have never seen leaves in one uniform color in one location like this. It was definitely mesmerizing and made me super excited to shoot.

photo taken by/credited to Eric Dow

My outfits included different bottoms and coats. Since I already had my jeans on I started there with a tester shot (above) and then did a quickie change in the truck for the picture perfect clothes combos below.

I hope this #stylediary post inspires you to play with your fall wardrobe and come up with new looks! Leave a comment and let me know which look is your favorite! And don't forget to follow the Yellow Brick Road!

Stay Stylish!
- Love, Michele 💋

My #StyleDiary: A Spiritual Butterfly at the #ButterflyBash

My #StyleDiary: A Spiritual Butterfly at the #ButterflyBash

 

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the truly inspiring Butterfly Bash at the Washington National Cathedral. Being a guest at the event was exciting for me for a few reasons: first, it's called the Butterfly Bash, and if you keep up with my blog or IG enough, you know that the butterfly is my spirit animal. I am always looking forward to a chance to channel my spirit animal!

I had to wear my 🦋 tights!

Second, the event was held on my old stomping grounds - as a graduate of the Beauvoir School and the National Cathedral School for girls, the Cathedral holds some special memories for me. I've never been to an event at the Cathedral that was not a religious service, a graduation, a wedding or a celebration of life (I don't like the word "funerals"). It was amazing to see the Cathedral in such beautiful lighting (although it made for some slightly tricky picture taking!)

But the most important reason I quickly accepted the plus one invite was that is put on by FairChance, an organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting community-based nonprofits who in turn are changing the lives of DC area youth living in poverty.

FairChance's logo includes a butterfly which is a symbol of life and hope. On a personal level, the butterfly represents transformations and this is a sentiment shared by Fair Chance. The organization was inspired by the Maya Angelou quote "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty". I referenced that same quote when I got my butterfly tattoo which sits on the lifeline of my radial artery. 

I'm not a believer in coincidence - God and the Universe put you in certain situations and places for a reason. It was a privilege to talk with a few of the nonprofit partners and learn more about their missions and the children they serve. As I said, really inspiring. We talked so long that we didn't realize that the party had shut down around us!

Congrats to FairChance and to the community organizations doing the important work for children and families in our city - It was a beautiful event to raise funds for beautiful people!

 #staystylish 💋- love, Michele