Big Announcement

I am so excited to finally reveal my new website and business name!  Cathy Phillips Fashion is now Style Speaks and I have a fabulous new website to prove it.  I've changed my business name for a couple of reasons: (1) I got married in February and am no longer Cathy Phillips.  I have been using Phillips professionally but will be transitioning to my married name, Cathy Starnes (2)  I have plans to grow my business to include other stylists and consultants and wanted a brand name to represent the company, rather than just myself.   Everything will start transitioning over to Cathy Starnes and Style Speaks including emails, Facebook, Twitter, and mailings so keep your eye out for the new names.  

I'm especially excited to share my new website with you, now with updated information on my services, a portfolio of all my editorial styling work, an easy to use contact form and, most importantly, an embedded blog.  

All old and new blog posts can now be found over on my Style Speaks website.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

Instagram Photo Booth

I hope you had a fabulous holiday weekend soaking up the last bits of summer.  We're officially onto a new season.  I spent some time last week putting together some fall transitional outfits and filling out my wardrobe charts for the new season.  I can't wait to help you put together your fall look book of outfits soon!

Here is a sneak peek at some of the outfits you'll be seeing me running around in over the next month or two.  I'm loving my maxi skirts and cropped white pants for early fall!  

My fall newsletter will be going out later this week.  There's still time to sign up (to the right) to get my fall trend report and other tips for your fall wardrobe. 

Loving the Local Fashionistas

People are always asking me how they can keep up with the latest styles.  One of my favorite ways to keep up is by following fashion bloggers.  Their style is more realistic, and often more affordable, than what you see in magazines and fashion bloggers have really become the trendsetters: they're coming up with creative new ways to wear things and the fashion world is following them.  Lately, I've discovered  several fabulous fashion bloggers right here in the DC area and I'm loving checking in with their daily outfits!

Here are three of my new favorites that I've been keeping up with:

A Lacey Perspective

District of Chic

Chain Strap Purse

Who are your favorite fashion bloggers?

Shopping the Summer Sales

It’s that time of year.  We’re in the home stretch of summer and it’s time to start thinking about fall fashion but you’re current wardrobe seems to be wilting in the late summer heat wave and we still have at least a month to go before things start to cool off.  It’s a great time to shop the end of summer sales for a few pick me ups to get you through the next month.  Now that it’s August, any summer items left in stores are on deep discounts.  Here are a few things I have my eye on.  Where have you found the best end of season deals?

1. Collective Concepts Maxi Dress $84 $49.99

2. Zara Sandals $99.90 $19.99

3. Floral Pleated Dress by MM Couture $89 $61.99

4. Zara Shorts $39.90 $19.99 

5. Color Block Dress by Tinley Road $59 $34.99

6. House of Harlow Eden Wedges $295 $149.99

Bon Voyage

I'm doing tons of traveling this month and I know many of you are too.  So, I thought I would take the time to share some of my packing strategies and tips.

Start with the special events.  Begin by packing outfits for any events on your trip that require particular clothing.  For example, two of my upcoming trips involve weddings so I'll start by making sure I have a full outft for the wedding and rehearsal dinner including shoes, jewelry, handbag, undergarments and any other accessories I need.  These are the most essential items you don't want to forget.

Think about your schedule.  Next, put together a rough schedule of your trip.  What will you do each day and each night?  If you're staying with friends or family, touch base with your host to find out what activities they have in mind for your visit.  Then, go through each day starting with your travel day and decide what you will wear each day and each night.  Stop packing new items about two thirds of the way through your trip and start planning to re-wear outfits or mix and match pieces.

Re-wear and re-wear again.  When you're on vacation, don't be afraid to wear the same outfit more than once.  I usually only pack for about two thirds of my trip or less and then just re-wear outfits the rest of the time.  You'll often end up doing this anyway with unexpected weather or activities so why not just leave the extras at home.

Choose versatile items.  Try to put together looks that are stylish but comfortable so that you'll be appropriate for a multitude of situations.  Bring items that can easily be dressed down for day and up for evening.

Pack neutral accessories.  When I travel, I always bring shoes and handbags in neutral colors: tans, nudes, bronzes, golds.  These shades will go with black, brown, navy or any other colors you're wearing and saves you from bringing too many shoes and handbags that take up a lot of room.

Bring layering pieces.  Always bring layering pieces such as cardigans, wraps and scarves so you're prepared for a chilly plane, a cool night or an unexpected change in temperature.

Take something out.  After I've put together everything I'm planning to pack, I try to take out at least one or two items that don't seem necessary.  I'm always trying to bring as little as possible because I hate lugging around heavy suitcases.

Minimize toiletries.  Remember that most places you go will have shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, a hair dryer, etc.  If you're staying with friends or family, you'll likely have even more toiletries available to you.  Only bring items that you are extremely particular about like your face wash or hair product that you just can't live without for a few days.  Keep extras of products at your parents house or other places you may visit on a regular basis.  And anything you bring should be travel size.  One of my new tricks is to bring make up remover wipes to get around the liquid rules for plane travel.

Get tech savvy.  I now put all my books and magazines on my iPad when I travel so I don't have to carry them around.  I may just bring one magazine for the plane during take off and landing when I can't have my electronics out and then I always leave it behind once I've read it.

And yes, some of these strategies require some time.  It takes a little extra thought to put together versatile outfits that can be dressed up or down, layered and mix and matched.  I usually pull out my rolling rack a few days before a trip and start pulling out what I want to bring.  And I often try outfits on before I pack them to make sure they will work exactly as I planned so I'm not bringing extra pieces, just in case.  But the extra time is worth it to make your trip stylish and stress free.  And remember, I'm always available to help you pack for your next trip if you just don't have the time or inclination to do it right.

My Travel Essentials: (1) Versatile Maxi Dress - can be dressed up or down with accessories or layered up for cooler weather (2) Nude Shoes - these two pairs of shoes, a nude flat and a nude wedge, can get me through an entire trip (3) iPad - before every trip, I load mine up with books, magazines and movies (4) Cleansing Wipes - make up removing clothes get me around the liquid rules for airplane travel (5) Origami Wrap - I never travel without my origami wrap, it's the perfect layering piece and can be wrapped in tons of different ways to create new outfits

A Nautical Celebration

What are your plans for the Fourth of July?  More importantly, what will you wear?  I'll be in one of my favorite places to relax: Interlochen, Michigan.  I look forward to escaping the heat (hopefully!), lounging on the deck, boating on the lake, kayaking, listening to summer concerts and slipping into Traverse City for a little shopping.  With the nautical trend being so popular right now, I plan to use Independence Day as an excuse to pull out some sailor stripes, anchors and red, white and blue.  I went on a (faux) shopping spree at J.Crew and put together four different fun Fourth of July outfits.  What will you wear?

Outfit 1: Backyard Family Get Together

This look is perfect for a slightly cooler location where the get together does not involve water sports.

1. Hobo Bag 2. Stripe Tank 3. Ram Bangle 4. Stripe Cardigan 5. Ballet Flats 6. Toothpick Jeans

Outfit 2: Unconventional Color Palette for  Beach Party

Going to the beach but don't feel like taking the patriotic thing too literally?  Go for purples and pinks instead of blues and reds and add a pop or orange for contrast.

1. Tote Bag 2. Flower Necklace 3. Bandeau Swimsuit 4. Patent Sandals 5. Maxi Skirt 6. Bracelet

Outfit 3: Lake Party

This is the perfect outfit for a casual lake party.  Throw the comfy lounge clothes over your swimsuit for fireworks after the sun goes down.

1. Starfish Ring 2. Linen Pant  3. Hoodie 4. Stripe Swimsuit 5. Espadrilles

Outfit 4: Catching the Fireworks with Friends

The perfect look for strolling down to the mall to catch the best fireworks show in the country.

1. Rope Bracelet 2. Heart Me Sweater 3. Anchor Tank 4. Espadrilles 5. Stripe Shorts 6. Sunglasses 7. Crossbody Bag

Trina Turk for Banana Republic

For all you Trina Turk fans out there, don't miss Trina's capsule collection for Banana Republic.  You'll definitely want at least one of these dresses in your summer collection.  There's a really cute printed swimsuit too!  Check out the full collection here.  It just hit stores today so be sure to place your order before everything is gone!

Prints Ahead

We've talked about the printed pants trend.  Enjoy this story I styled for the Washington Post Express Paper on printed pants... and shorts!  Now that summer has officially arrived, these printed shorts are a great option to keep cool while keeping on trend. 

Also loving this new Paige Denim and Liberty of London collaboration.  More adorable prints!

A Drawer Full of Scarves

I can't tell you how many of my clients, when I first meet them, have drawers full of scarves that they never wear because they're not sure how.  There are thousands of unused scarves in this city, just gathering dust in the drawers of women who are unsure what to do with them.  Well, no more excuses!  This video will show you 25 different ways to add some style to your outfits with all of those scarves.

Hint: if you watch through to the end of the video (around minute 4:35), you can click on an individual scarf style for a video with a slower paced tutorial.  Enjoy!  Share your pictures on my Facebook page of how you styled up your scarf.  

Bump It Up

Several of my clients are currently pregnant, which is super fun for me.  I always love a good challenge and like to mix things up, so helping them build a wardrobe for their ever changing bodies is a great change of pace.  My first piece of advice: do not go crazy at the over-priced maternity stores.  Start in your own closet, you'll be surprised by how many non-maternity pieces can be repurposed for your pregnant body: stretchy skirts, tunic tops, empire waist dresses, cardigans, wrap dresses, scarves, statement jewelry, capes, wraps, oversized totes, etc.

At the beginning of each trimester, reorganize your closet so that the pieces you will be able to wear for the next three months are front and center and everything else is relegated to the back of the closet.  Mixing in maternity friendly pieces with your old skinny jeans and slinky tops is just asking for frantic mornings.  The items you can actually wear when getting dressed tomorrow need to be clearly separated from those you can't.  This will also give you a clear picture of what you have and what you may need to add into your wardrobe for the next phase of pregnancy.  Organize your fourth trimester wardrobe before heading to the hospital so you're not overwhelmed with what to wear while trying to take care of your new baby.

You will probably want to purchase a few core basic maternity pieces to build around.  These pieces will be different depending on your personal style and lifestyle but will include things like: one pair of designer pregnancy jeans, a long stretchy black tank top for layering, maternity tights or leggings, a maternity pencil skirt and black trousers.  Then add in some non-maternity pieces that can be worn now and later - empire-waist jersey dresses, an unstructured sweater, a funky tunic.   The key to pregnancy chic is getting creative....and accessorizing.  Accessories are your best friend during pregnancy.  Scarves and statement necklaces can be worn at any size and will allow you to get away with wearing that same black jersey dress once every week or two.  You also have to make a commitment to keeping your style up during pregnancy.  Sometimes, it takes effort to look effortless.  You will have to put some effort into keeping your closet organized, doing some shopping for your unfamiliar body and spending a little extra time and effort putting together a creative outfit in the morning when all you want to do is get back in bed.

First Trimester:  Goal: to not look fat.  Trade in tailored, structured clothing for loose fitting pieces that drape and flow, such as tunics, empire waist dresses, a-line skirts, shift dresses, trapeze dresses, and blousy tops.  Heels and accessories can help create the illusion of a longer, leaner you and help you feel more fabulous, rather than just fat, during the first trimester.  Avoid Lycra, which will only emphasize bulges at this point in your pregnancy; save those bump hugging dresses for the second and third trimesters.

First Trimester Looks from Jordan Reid at Ramshackle Glam

Second Trimester:  You can finally show off that adorable bump!  By rotating basic silhouettes and layering with fabulous accessories, you can create dozens of killer looks with only a few uniform pieces.  Choose easy and flattering silhouettes and then punch them up with add ons.  Try silhouettes such as wrap dresses, an embellished neck shift dress, a deep v-neck top with slimming black maternity trousers, a tunic and leggings, dark denim pregnancy jeans and a flowy knit cardigan, maternity pencil skirt and long stretchy tank, and empire-waist dresses.  Add on unstructured cardigans, trench coats, trapeze jackets, statement jewelry, printed scarves, belts, eye-catching heels and oversized handbags.

Second Trimester: Dresses from Rosie Pope Maternity and Hatch Collection

Third Trimester.  It's time to punch up the wow factor.  Stick with what you've already learned and been doing in the second trimester but now that your belly is really taking center stage, it's time to add in lots and lots of accessories so you can keep rotating through your uniform outfits.  Take everything to the next level: instead of five bangles, wear ten, layer up several pendant necklaces, choose accessories in bright colors and prints, really add in that wow factor.  Also, go overboard with your beauty routine, add in a smokey eye or red lip for some extra everyday glamour.  Don't give in to feeling blah, get your eyebrows and your nails done.  Pamper yourself.

Third Trimester: Jordan Reid again and Dusty at All Things G&D

Fourth Trimester.  Be patient as you slowly return to your pre-baby body.  You'll be home a lot at first so chose items like leggings, breezy caftans, shirt dresses, your jersey maternity dresses (it's OK to keep some maternity items in rotation at this point) and cotton t-shirt dresses that will fit your transitional body.  Tweak the drapey pieces you wore during pregnancy rather than spending money on your temporary shape.  Think back to your first trimester wardrobe and those loose fitting pieces that drape and flow.

Going to the Chapel

I'm excited to share my official wedding photos with you! Steve and I got married February 18, 2012. I had a lot of fun putting my style stamp on all the wedding details, especially picking out what everyone wore. And my fabulous photographer, Melissa Glynn, did an amazing job of capturing every detail.

My bridesmaids' looks exceeded my expectations. They all looked so beautiful in their royal purple dresses by Bill Levkoff; they wore three different styles, a v-neck, a strapless and a one shoulder. I picked out a unique piece of jewelry for each of them to wear, including a few Kendra Scott earrings and some vintage pieces from BW Antiques in Alexandria.

We had the ceremony at the Central Christian Church and the reception at the historic Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin, Texas. My adorable nephew (below) announced my arrival down the aisle.

We had so much fun and now have so many wonderful memories from the entire wedding weekend!

All photos by Melissa Glynn

Fancy Pants

Once the spring tease weather hits, I immediately cast aside any signs of winter in my wardrobe and refuse to put on another pair of tights until fall. However, the spring tease is often just that, a tease, and we're hit with more cold weather before it warms up for good and there are many more days to get through that are just too cold for skirts and bare legs. Enter, the spring pant. Keep your legs warm during the remaining cool days while still maintaining spring mode. This year, the pant legs are cropped and narrow. Cuffing your pants is a cool way to style them up and prints and colors abound!

PRINTED PANTS:

Earnest Sewn Harlan Cigarette, Citizens of Humanity Floral Thompson, Citizens of Humanity Floral Thompson in Blue, Current/Elliott Polka Dot Stiletto Crop, J. Brand Mini Floral Skinny

PLEATED PANTS:

PLEATED PANTS: Chloe Cuffed Trousers, Chambray Cinch Pant, Robert Rodriguez Polka Dot Pants

CUFFED PANTS

CUFFED PANTS: Lanvin Cropped Twill Pants, Lela Rose Printed Slouch Pants, Burberry Ankle Length Stretch Jeans

COLORED PANTS:

COLORED PANTS: Douglas Hannant Pink Narrow Cropped Pants, Theory Skinny Twill Pants, Proenza Schouler Cuffed Straight Leg Trousers, DVF Georgia Stretch Canvas Pants

Candy Coated: Washington Post Express Paper

And here is the aforementioned story I styled on pastels in the Express paper today. This model was just the most adorable thing ever! Enjoy!

Spring Trend: Pastels

I'm styling a photo shoot this Friday on pastels, for the Washington Post, and I'm just loving the pieces I'm finding! I'll share the story with you when it comes out but here's a sneak peek at the trend. The best thing about these new pastels is that they are a more bold, candy colored hue than your usual pastels so they work for more skin tones. Pair these pastels with...more pastels! And accessorize with nudes and neutrals.

1. Goldsign Cropped High Rise Skinny Jean

2. DVF Silk Blend Bow Blouse

3. Jil Sander Cashmere Sweater

4. Juicy Couture Cropped Low-rise Skinny Jeans

5. Miu Miu Bandeau Swimsuit

6. Kate Spade New Bond Street Florence Handbag

7. Tibi Tapered Silk Crepe Pants

8. Tibi Pleated Silk-crepe Maxi Skirt

9. Dipped Rosedusk Peep Toes

Shopping by Neighborhood: Arlington, Virginia

As a personal shopper, one of the most common questions I receive is, "where are your favorite places to shop?" My fav shopping spots are local boutiques, both at home and when I travel, because you can often find more unique pieces than at the chain stores. So, I though I would share some of my favorite local boutiques, starting with my own neighborhood, Arlington, Virginia. I'll continue to share my favorite shops by neighborhood throughout the year.

South Moon Under. While technically a chain (they have about 15 locations, mostly in the DC area, Delaware, Pennsylvania), the Clarendon location is right up the road from me and my go to boutique within walking distance. They always have a good selection of trendy pieces to work into my wardrobe as well as a good selection of skinny pants (my personal favorite) and jeans.

ShoeFly. Though a shoe store, I generally pop in here for the jewelry. They always have very unique pieces from local and independent designers that I've never seen anywhere else.

Current Boutique. My neighborhood consignment store, this is where I consign my clothes after a closet edit and I often end up walking out with a new piece after dropping off the old pieces.

Periwinkle. The Shirlington location (there's also one in Old Town Alexandria and National Harbor) is my go to for fun and inexpensive jewelry. I always get compliments on the pieces I buy here. Also a good resource for dresses, both dressy and casual, and my favorite t-shirt brand, Lilla P.

Gossip on 23rd. The recently expanded boutique only carries pieces that are under $100. A great place for an inexpensive pick me up dress or top. I always find fun accessories here too.

Covet. This hidden gem is a great place to browse unique jewelry and gifts. There's also a thrift/antique store in the same building that's fun to pop into while you're over there.

Let me know if I missed one of your favorites!

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Valentine's Day is such a lovely holiday, an opportunity to tell the people we care about that we love and appreciate them. And who doesn't love a pink, red or heart shaped gift?

Happy Valentine's Day!

1. Givenchy 'Dahlia Noir' Eau de Toilette. The most beautiful perfume bottle. You can feel free to leave this one on the bathroom counter.

2. Kate Spade iPad Sleeve. Love the sweet polka dots!

3. Hanky Pank Low Rise Signature Lace Thongs. The absolute best underwear that exist. All wrapped up in a sweet heart shaped box.

4. Vosges Exotic Truffle Heart Collection. Skip the candy aisle at Walgreen's and go for the good stuff!

5. Toms Canvas Shoes. Lovin' the Valentine's themed Toms.

6. In Bloom by Jonquil 'Be Mine' Sheer Pajama Set. Sexy and sweet.

7. Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See by Bill Shapiro. You'll find at least one love letter in this book that you can relate to and enjoy the voyeuristic aspect as you read.

8. Armani Exchange Men's Watch. Don't be afraid to give a Valentine's themed gift to your man too. He'll love this red watch and think of you every time he wears it.

9. Mary Kay Brush Collection. What gal doesn't love a good set of make up brushes?

What are your favorite Valentine's gift ideas?

New Year Cleaning

Forget spring cleaning, the beginning of a new year is a great time to get organized. I'm sure you've added more stuff to your closet over the holidays and with the cold and quiet days of January looming before you, it's a good time to spend an afternoon cleaning out your closet. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. EDIT

If you don't like wearing something, get rid of it. If you don't feel good in an item, you're not going to wear it, so just get rid of it. This includes tops that you're always tugging at, colors that don't make you feel good, pants that always bug you because they're a tiny bit too short or too low or too tight. There's a reason why you don't wear certain things, even if you don't know what it is, so just toss it. This includes things that you spent a lot of money on, it doesn't matter how much you spent on it if it's not working for you. Go with your gut. I find that most of my clients already have the right instincts, but have a hard time purging on their own.

If something doesn't fit you, get it out of your closet. For the most part, if something doesn't fit you, get rid of it. If you know you're going to be gaining or losing weight in the next three to six months, it might be OK to hang on to a few items that you really love and that would be hard to replace. If this is the case though, you still need to get these items out of your closet - put them in a box under the bed or in a guest room closet. You should only have items in your closet that you can put on tomorrow.

If an item is worn out or damaged, toss it or fix it. If an item is just worn out, it has to go, no matter how much you love it. If it's something that can be repaired, pull it out of your closet and don't put it back in until it's wearable.

2. ORGANIZE

Group like with like. Now that you've purged everything you don't love and wear, it's time to get organized. Start by grouping like items with like - put all your pants together, all short sleeve tops together, all skirts, etc. Within each category, organize by color from light to dark. The more you can store on hangers, the better. It's much easier to see what you have when it's hanging than when it's in drawers. Use non-slip Huggable Hangers for sweaters to avoid pulling.

Don't compartmentalize. You'll get more wear out of your wardrobe if you avoid compartmentalizing items - for example, separating work shirts and weekend shirts. Most likely, 80% of your shirts could be worn either to work or on the weekend depending on what you pair it with. Also, don't limit yourself by separating spring and fall clothes because most can transition throughout the year. With your clothes doing double duty, you'll find you have increased your wardrobe without buying a thing.

Organize accessories. If you can't see something, you're never going to wear it. Display accessories so that you can see what you have. Store jewelry in stackable trays or hang necklaces on hooks on the wall. Line up shoes on shelves or shoe racks (not in boxes) so you can easily see all of your options.

3. DONATE/CONSIGN/TRASH

Donate. Donate most of what you get rid of. Goodwill and Salvation Army are great places to donate your clothes for a good cause.

Consign. Consign pieces that are still in good condition, up-to-date and no more than three to five years old. This is a good option for those quality pieces that just don't fit you anymore. Keep in mind that most consignment stores are picky and will not take everything you have. You won't usually get a fortune for your clothes but you might get a little and you can put it toward updating your closet.

Toss. Trash anything that is in bad condition, has holes, etc. Or lingerie items that can't be donated. Just, literally, put them in the trash bin.

4. ENJOY!

Now that your closet only contains pieces that you love, wear and that fit and flatter you, you're going to love getting dressed in the morning. And you'll have more fun accessorizing now that you can see everything you have. Enjoy!

And if all of this feels too overwhelming for you, call me and I'll walk you through it.

Fashion Washington Winter 2011

I had so much fun styling this story for the winter issue of Fashion Washington! Happy new year! Full issue here.