Dressin' It Up

Unless you’re super-spacey you know that the dress is in this season. And it’s not the dress your mother wore in the 80s, these are sleek, sophisticated, ultra feminine and usually very simple. Here’s our picks for the summer.

This simple cut black sleeveless dress from Ann Taylor retails at $128. The fit through the waist and hips that then flows into an A-line shirt keep the feminine figure proportional. The length hits just below the knee, as is the style now, and the fabric is light so that you’re not likely to be too hot in it despite the black color.
Plus it can easily be paired with a sweater or jacket for a chillier morning.

This Old Navy drop waist dress, which comes in both washed green and red, is the perfect dress when you are looking for easy-to-throw-on style. The drop waist gives structure to the material that would otherwise leave us looking boxy. And it’s only $24.50.
Plus you can pair this dress with a simple fitted t-shirt underneath for days that are not so hot.

White is really really in this season. But we all know it can be difficult to wear white all day without an accident or two ruining the look. Just sitting on a park bench can be a risk. This dress from JC Penney can help you breath easy in white. The green poppies on the bottom part of the skirt has the potential to hide any little dirt that decides to cling to you when you’re trying to look your best. Plus the thick straps offer you the support to feel confident in the dress and not worry about pulling it up as the day progresses and material stretches. Oh and it’s on sale for $39.99!
Pair the dress with a green accented short necklace that ends before the dress begins or a thick green headband.

While this dress from Banana Republic is a little pricier at $148 the unique style could be worth the pennies. It comes in off white, camel and black. The unique, almost boat-neck style, neck line allows this dress to stand apart from the many other simple, single-color dresses of the season. The slighter higher than usual waist line allows the dress to cinch together before the skirt begins its free flow to the knee.
Brighter up the dress with punchy jewelry or stand-out shoes and a purse.

Warning: For the Brave Only! This Urban Outfitters dress is one-of-a-kind! The front looks like two separate pieces, with different lengths and patterns; but there’s something about this dress that we love. It is selling for $98.
Go simple on the accessories so as not to overload the visual. And flat comfy shoes are ideal – we suggest blue ones.

Forever 21 excels at cheap, uber-fashionable pieces that are likely to only last you one season – if that. This dress, which retails at $27.80, combines the black and white trend of the moment with the polka dots that are gaining in popularity. Plus the big black buttons near the collar are a great touch that draw a little attention away from the polka-pattern and back to your face.

The length of this one could be a problem – if so pair it with simple black leggings or skinny-pant inspired capris. And go bold with the shoes! Red could be great.

Wrap dresses can be tricky to wear as they often tend to cling in all the wrong places. But this dress might just be busy enough to hide the clinginess and funky enough to get away with such a bold pattern. The gold purple and brown colors in oval-ish shapes are just too good to pass up. It’s selling at JC Penney for $60.

Dresses with a puff sleeve are big now. If you go for this look, make sure the dress is fitted elsewhere so it doesn’t look like you are a football linebacker. This slight floral pattern, for sale at Macy’s for $118, is not too busy and the simple accent at the waist will give you the structure you need. Be aware that bold pattern make us look bigger – if that’s a concern go for a dress like this that has a solid color or more simple pattern.

Here’s one option if patterns are too much for you. Plus this one has slightly less puffy sleeves This one can also be found at Macy’s for $69.

Don’t write-off Target clothes just because it is Target. This dress, which comes in several bright colors, can work double time as both a dress and skirt. While the full dress is a great look, you could also put a simple shirt over it in order to accent the great tie and flounce of the skirt. It sells for $34.99.
Long draping jewelry would work best with the dress – think something in a bold standout color like black or fuchsia.

Ok true this is a jumper not a dress – and we are not encouraging you try to wear it as a dress – but this one was too cute to not post. Kohls is selling this jumper in three different color combinations for only $14.99. We love the polka dots on the top and on the pockets, it coordinates perfectly with the stripes.

SIDENOTE:

The Jackie-O look is coming back. Now that women are wearing dresses some retailers are reverting back to the simple elegance that defined Jackie-O. And, as with all great styles that return to the shelves, this time around the look is getting tweaked. Bold patterns and colors accompany the basic collared, fitted bodice and full skirt.

And here’s a cute black version of the Jackie-O look from target for $39.99.

Dress wearing tips

A slip is a must-have, even in the summer. A lot of dresses are made of sheer summer fabrics; which while leaving us feeling cooler in the summer heat can also leave us over-exposed. A simple light-weigh cotton or silk slip can go a long way and will also stop the dress from clinging.

Skirt length is ultra-important. If you are going to need to hold the skirt down as you walk down the street in a light breeze – the skirts too short. Do yourself a favor and try for longer lengths that will leave you less focused on the possibility of a flashing and more focused on those you’re spending time with.

A lot of dresses have scoop necklines. Don’t be afraid to pair those with a tank top underneath to offer more comfort and ease as you go about the day-to-day activities.

Hot Time Summer in the City

This is a new feature Fashion Forum is going to post throughout the summer months. Even though we aren't in session with monthly meetings that doesn't mean the love for Fashion and Beauty needs to be put on hold too.

So, here's what you can do in NYC this weekend...
In Grand Central (42nd and Lexington - if you didn't know that) this weekend an exhibit on New York City films is being displayed. The New York Times ran an article about it this morning. The exhibit, entitled: Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies, is an ambitious exhibition of films, photographs and sets that begins today in Vanderbilt Hall, adjacent to the main concourse. The project was put together by James Sanders, based on his 2001 book of the same title, which shrewdly observes that two New Yorks — the real city and the screen fantasy — feed each other in a never-ending circle, according to the NYT.


The article mentions a handful of classics that will have screen shots on display, including Hitchock's North by Northwest, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Seven Year Itch and King Kong. Pictures from more modern movies, including Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind and The Fisher King, will also be on display.


Celluloid Skyline, the mind behind the display, has an entire website dedicated to the exhibition. You can get the details about the pictures on display and the history behind the show here.

And It's a Wrap

Fashion Forum hosted its final event of the 2006/07 school year on May 19th. Our speaker, Rachel Doyle, inspired those who attended with the story of how she founded GlamourGals seven years ago and her hopes and aspirations for the nonprofit going forward. She fielded questions from the audience on a variety of topics including how to find funding for an organization, where she wants to be in five years, and makeup trends she is seeing today.

Those who attended agreed that Rachel's most inspiring point was that GlamourGals differs from other organizations that focus on young women in that it does not stress 'me, me, me and me' but rather GlamourGals is about 'you'. Through the focus on another person Rachel says the high school girls involved in the group learn about compassion, become courageous, and in the end have a higher level of self esteem.

Stay tuned for our fall calendar - which we are currently finalizing with a number of stellar speakers!

Here are some pics from the last event...

May Flowers

For our last official Fashion Forum event of the 2006-07 school year we decided to depart slightly from the normal path of speakers and invite someone who combines make-up, beauty and service.

On May 19th Rachel Doyle will talk to our group about a nonprofit group she founded that empowers high school and college girls and teaches an important lesson about where real beauty lies.

Rachel Doyle is the President and Founder of GlamourGals, a nonprofit organization that gives teenage girls the outlet to provide complimentary facials and makeovers to women in nursing homes, assisted living, and senior centers across the country.

Rachel has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show and CBS's The Early Show. Rachel's work has been profiled in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Glamour, and CosmoGirl. She was named one of the first "CosmoGirls of the Year."

Rachel attended Cornell University where she received a BS in Policy Analysis and Management. She now works fulltime for GlamourGals and lectures across the country.

We hope to see you at the event. As always, it will be from 3pm - 5pm at Alderton House.

Alderton House is located at 117 E. 70th St. between Park and Lexington. Take the 6 line to 68th Street and walk up two blocks to get to there.

The admission fee is $10 and after the presentation there will be refreshments and a raffle. And as usual please feel free to bring friends. You can RSVP by leaving a post on the blog, leaving a message on our facebook group, or e-mailing us at nyfashionforum@yahoo.com.