dear fashion advisor: casual but stylish...

Q. I tend to dress more simply and casually these days. But I still want to look stylish and pulled together. Any ideas?

a. there is a great way to look casually stylish - it's as simple as a crisp, white shirt...pair it with a pair of colorful cropped pants or capri's - maybe top it off with a fabulous belt or scarf/belt combo at the waist...and voila! you've got a fabulous stylish...yet casual, look!

what will take your white shirt from good to great...however...is to pick a shirt with some special detailing...perhaps on the sleeves or at the neck or in the back...



if you can't wear white well near your face...this will work equally well with a shirt in your 'colors' - just make sure it has a great fit and also a great detail...pair it with white pants and you've got a fabulous spring look!

you can't beat a white classic shirt...

think of marlene dietrich, katharine hepburn, marilyn monroe, jackie o, and audrey hepburn...all embraced the cool, crisp elegance of the classic white shirt and made it their own...today, fashion icons like sharon stone, uma thurman, gwyneth paltrow and angelina jolie continue to honor the timeless chic of the classic white shirt...

some favorite ways to wear a classic white shirt...

*with a pencil skirt and a pair of statement heels...

*with a pair of tailored pants, a wide belt, stilettos and an animal print scarf...

*under a navy blazer, dark jeans, a belt and fun loafers...

*loosely over a pair of capri pants and ballet flats...

*tucked into a pair of wide legged pants, skinny belt and brightly colored scarf...

*tucked into a pair of tuxedo pants, collar up, and black satin stilettos...

remember...if you don't like white against your face, make sure the jewelry or scarf you add at the neck is in your color...you can opt for a "white" shirt in "your white" to achieve the same classic look...

are you a fan of the classic white shirt?

black velvet...

what do you really need to get along in life? air, water, food, shelter, and some black velvet...yes, black velvet...along with a nice crisp white shirt...

it was a sultry actress and torch singer marlene dietrich's basic outfit - a ruffled white blouse and black velvet pants...

this go-anywhere, do-anything outfit has been reinterpreted every decade, from twiggy in the sixties to a new ralph lauren variation every season...

just years ago, sharon stone caused a sensation at the oscars when she put together a long black velvet skirt, her husband's white shirt, and a diamond-encrusted lizard pin on the back of the skirt's waistband...now that is a memorable look...

with black velvet pants or a black velvet skirt and a stark white shirt, you can go anywhere on a moment's notice...no need to fuss over what you are going to wear because, like the air you breath, it is already there...