Wardrobe Essential Wednesday: Not So Little Black Dress

I'm sure you have heard from every fashion magazine and What Not to Wear too that every female should have a little black dress in her closet. Well ladies, the new little black dress is not so little anymore. As Oprah's fashion team said so well on one of their specials, a black dress does not necessarily need to be little, instead it needs to fit YOU (not the girl sitting beside you). 

You know your body type; and you know what dress silhouette fits you perfectly. So why would you buy a "little" black dress that doesn't flatter you?

When searching for that perfect "little" black dress, you need to first look for fit. I am rather petite so I know that I need to look for a dress that is covering at the top and a little shorter in length. That way I can extend my leg line to add "height."

After you find the perfect fit, match that fit with a style that will match your life. If you are a socialite, you might want to buy a dress that can be worn to a cocktail and then transformed into work wear with a touch of color from a cardigan. If you are not one to go out on the town, then buy a simple dress that is timeless. The less the embellishment, the more years wear you will get from it.

Wardrobe Essential Wednesday: Flats Under 50

Every teacher's closet should hold at least one pair of colored, closed toes flats. The color is up to you. Blue, Green, Pink, Yellow... the bolder the better. Now some of you are cringing at the thought of wearing a colored pair of shoes with just any outfit, but I'm hear to ease your fears and let you know that it can be done. One pop of color can brighten up and tie together any outfit. Don't be scared to pair a set of bright green flats with khakis and a sweater. If you're not so daring as I, you can substitute the bright colors with a classic tan or camel colored pair of flats.

The key to finding the right flats is comfort, color and cost. Make sure you try on several pairs of flats and actually walk around the store in them before purchasing. If you're a teacher then you know that there is nothing worse than a painful pair of shoes when you spend over 90% of your work day standing. Also make sure that you're in love with the color of the flats or else they will probably gather dust in your closet. Finally the cost is the most important element. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of shoes that you are going to wear to the bone. I can testify to the fact that my teaching shoes rarely last more than a year because I wear them every day! My rule of thumb is $50 or under for flats. Here are just a few that I fell in love with.
Every teacher's closet should hold at least one pair of colored, closed toes flats. The color is up to you. Blue, Green, Pink, Yellow... the bolder the better. Now some of you are cringing at the thought of wearing a colored pair of shoes with just any outfit, but I'm hear to ease your fears and let you know that it can be done. One pop of color can brighten up and tie together any outfit. Don't be scared to pair a set of bright green flats with khakis and a sweater. If you're not so daring as I, you can substitute the bright colors with a classic tan or camel colored pair of flats.

(1) zara.com (2) enless.com  (3) zara.com (4) macy.com (5) oldnavy.gap.com (6) nordstroms.com (7) aldoshoes.com

Flats Under 50 by mimosasonmondays featuring ballet flats