Autumn – HUNTER GREEN

Autumn – HUNTER GREEN by shopaikan on polyvore.com

Patriotic Chic

Have 4th of July plans this weekend, but stumped on outfit ideas?  Maybe you’re attending a party or picnic, or maybe you’re just going to catch the fireworks with your loved ones. These 5 outfit options can be worn to any (or all) of your festivities this upcoming long weekend!

4th of July Outfit Ideas

Well suited…

I recall finishing graduate school and absolutely DREADING having to get my wardrobe work-force-ready…more specifically, I was so not looking forward to purchasing my first suit!  I had two strikes working against me− I had a limited budget AND I was in between sizes!  With that being said, my options were very limited (also, not to give away my age, but this was a few years ago).  I remember browsing in my usual favorites at the time— H&M (this was before their abundance of work apparel), Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Target.  I found one black pant suit in H&M and one black skirt suit in Target.  To put it mildly, they both aged me by about 5-10 years! The jackets were too long, the pants were shapeless, and the skirt was too long as well. At that moment, I realized that I could not be the only 20-something going through this similar dilemma and decided to put my love for fashion to use— and thus, Aikan was born!  Currently, we have one suit in our collection— a blazer, a pencil skirt, and a sheath dress.  However, we plan to add more separates that can be mixed and matched to create endless suit possibilities…so stay tuned!!!!

The Blazer

Lucky for us, ladies jackets come in a myriad of options— different sleeve lengths, pockets vs. no pockets, varying collars and lapels, assorted lengths, button options, etc. etc.!  When choosing a jacket, you need to keep in mind your body— specifically, your height, bust, waist, abdomen, and hips. All of these components help you determine what style and length of jacket to choose.  A lady that’s busty may not want a jacket with pockets at the bust and also may not feel comfortable in anything less than a 3-button suit jacket.  Likewise, a smaller statured lady probably wants to steer clear of a longer suit jacket. And, a curvy lady may want to try a suit jacket that has a peplum because it will emphasize her waist (and, likewise, her curves).  If you plan to make an investment in a suit, I would seek styles and colors that are timeless.  In contrast, if you want a suit for a specific occasion, then you can choose a trendier style, color, or even a pattern.

The Skirt

Many classic/traditional suits come with a pencil or straight skirt.  But, many do offer separates where you can choose your jacket and then have the option of varying skirt styles or even pants.  A pencil skirt will be much more fitted all the way down.  If choosing a pencil skirt, I would ensure it has a back vent for a comfortable walk!  The straight skirt is fitted at the hips and then is straight down to the hem.  If you are not comfortable with a fitted skirt, then I would stick to the straight skirt.  Also, I would look for a skirt that has lycra.  Lycra provides more give and, if the skirt is extremely fitted, this will be much more comfortable.  The skirt you choose (if you have the option of picking the skirt to accompany the suit jacket) should be based on your body type and height.  A longer skirt may not be very flattering on a petite lady.  Likewise, a fuller circle skirt may be better suited for a lady with curves.  Additionally, the skirt option should be based on the occasion.  If you are buying a suit for business purposes, I would stick to a knee-length or right-below-the-knee length straight or pencil skirt that is not too tight fitting.  If you are seeking a suit for personal reasons, then you have more flexibility on length and fit.  As with the jacket, I would stick to a classic style and color if this is an investment piece (and, if you have an option to choose the skirt).

The Pants

Suit pants come in many styles and lengths.  Some of the most popular styles are bootcut, straight leg, wide leg, and trouser fit.  The bootcut fit has a slightly flared opening from about the knee to the hem.  The straight leg fit is similar to the bootcut style, but it a straight cut from the knee to the hem (no flare).  The wide leg fit will be fitted around the hips but have a wide opening from the knee to the hem.  The trouser fit is similar to the wide leg style, but the opening usually is a little narrower than that of a wide leg style.  Also, the trouser fit usually has welt pockets on the butt.  As with the skirt, I would choose a pair of suit pants that contain lycra for a more comfortable fit.  Also, if you are a curvy lady, I would only buy suit pants that have belt loops.  There’s nothing more unprofessional than to be sitting in a job interview with exposed panties because your pants waistband isn’t nipped in!!!   

The Sheath

Some suits are accompanied with a sheath dress.  Personally, I would choose a suit jacket that has more details and a simpler sheath dress; however, everyone has their own preferences!  As with the pants and the skirt, I would seek a style that contains lycra.  Also, I would choose a basic sleeveless, short sleeve or ¾” style with either a pencil skirt or a straight skirt with a hem that stops either at the knee or right below the knee.  If choosing a pencil style, I would make sure that the dress has a back vent so that you are able to walk!  Also, depending on whether you want to accentuate your waist or not, you could choose a style with or without a waistband— again, all about preference!  Lastly, if you choose a suit with a dress, I would keep the suit blazer length in mind.  A shorter blazer looks better with a dress than a longer one.  Also, a blazer that has a belt or tie compliments a dress. 

Fabric

If you are investing in a suit, then I would suggest a Super Wool.  These are very high-quality wools and many are all-season.  Other fabric options are wool suitings, cotton suitings, silk suitings, and polyesters.  Some wool suitings are 100% wool, but some contain silk, polyester,  rayon, cotton, or lycra.  Also, of the wool variety, there are tweed and boucle suits that are available in the cooler months because they are heavier-weighted and usually lined.  Tweed and boucle are good as separates because the jackets are usually stylish enough to be worn with other pieces (think: Chanel’s iconic tweed jacket).  Cotton suiting may come in a variety of cotton options, my favorites are stretch cotton twill and stretch cotton sateen.  Cotton suitings are great for the warmer months and are usually a little more casual than the wool and silk suits.  These are perfect for new entrants to the workforce because they are easy to care for (i.e. less dry cleaning) and are usually cheaper.  Silk suitings are very nice as well and are a little more light-weight than wool.  Raw silk is one of my favorites because it has a similar feel and look as tweed and boucle, but it is typically a lighter weight.   Polyesters are good if you have multiple suits already and need a few wash-and-go options because they are cheaper than wool or silk suits and require less care. Fabric options are really based on preference and budget.  If you are fresh out of college and seeking your first suit, then cotton or polyester may be the way to go.  However, if you need a special suit or are looking to invest, then Super Wools, wool, wool suitings, tweeds, bouclé, or silks would be your best options.  When suit shopping, be sure to look at the fabric content so that you are comfortable with the care for your new suit.    

Off-the-Rack or Tailor Made?

Because very few ladies have “perfect” measurements, it’s very likely that the suit you buy will not be a perfect fit!  If you can afford to have a suit custom-made and based on your exact measurements, then that is definitely the way to go!  However, be prepared to spend up to thousands of dollars!  This is a great investment if your weight does not fluctuate and you need the best fitting suit that money can buy!  Tailor made suits are expensive because they require A LOT of time and work.  Also, the fabrics and trims (i.e. zippers, buttons, linings, etc.) are typically of the highest quality. 

In contrast, don’t be surprised if your off-the-rack suit requires alterations.  Luckily, most dry cleaners (and some department stores, such as Nordstrom) offer in-store alterations.  If you can’t afford a tailor-made suit, having one altered can be just as good and will be much more affordable. The complexity of the alterations will determine the cost.  Just having pants or a skirt hemmed will run you anywhere from $10-$30.  But, having a blazer altered may cost up to $100-$200 (really, it depends on the amount of work required).  

If you plan to get many items altered, it’s a good idea to develop a relationship with a seamstress, tailor, dry cleaner, or alterations department at your favorite department store.  This will make your life much more easier for years to come because this person will know your body and depending on their skill level, may be able to alter your garment without you even being present!

Final Notes

When buying a suit, a few variables to keep in mind—the style and length are dependent upon your body shape.  Certain styles are not flattering on certain body shapes.  Also, choosing a suit style will be determined by the occasion.  I personally would not buy a trendy suit as my first business suit.  However, if you have multiple suits in your arsenal, then you can definitely be more creative in the type of suit to purchase.  Likewise, if you are buying a suit to attend a party or a wedding, then you could definitely choose a trendier style. Now that more stores (such as H&M, Banana Republic, and J Crew) are offering suits and separates, buying a suit isn’t as intimidating as it once was!  Also, you have many options that fit your taste level and budget!  

The Anatomy of a Dress

Most ladies will agree with me when I say that the easiest article of clothing for the summer is a dress!  A dress is a wonderful asset for infinite reasons!  For one, it’s a complete outfit wrapped into one piece!  Also, choosing the right silhouette, color, and fabric translates into a multifunctional outfit that can be worn to both work and cocktail hour!  What’s easier than picking out one article of clothing in the morning before work and being done with it?  This premise drives us to make the perfect dress that can be worn to work for years to come!  

What goes into making a dress? 

• Inspiration: Throughout the year, we take pictures, pull images, and start brainstorming so that our ideas are organized and cohesive when it’s time to build our mood board (which is a pictorial diagram of our ideas and contains images that inspire us, possible fabric options, and a color palette).
• Design: Drawing on our mood board for inspiration, we sketch anywhere from 20-30 possible dresses.  This step is pretty important because it’s where our ideas start to take shape.  We usually have several designs in mind and use this as an opportunity to put them on paper.  This also allows us to see whether an idea we have been imagining looks good in reality!  We then narrow down our ideas to about 10-15 sketches that we will actually create.
• Fabrics:  Since most of our dresses are figure-flattering, we locate fabrics that contain 3- 5% lycra (which provides for “give” in all the right places!).  This is one of the hardest steps because not all fabrics are created equally!  We look for fabrics that are high-quality and will withstand the wear-and-tear of frequent use (remember, we strive to create dresses that will last multiple seasons!!).  Also, we look for fabrics that are suitable for summer seasons— “breathable”, comfortable, and light-weight. We have been using cotton blend fabrics, but plan to add light-weight wool blends and silks for future collections.
• Color Palette: With fabric swatches in hand, we determine our final color palette and start picking out the perfect trims (buttons, zippers, etc.). Choosing colors that are slightly trendy, but classic is important to us.  We look for 2-3 colors that are on-trend and choose our other colors based on what will remain classic season after season (i.e. whites, ivories, grays, browns, etc.).  Finding the right trim is no cake walk either!  We look for buttons that are unique, but classic.  We choose buttons and zippers that are of the highest quality and will last for years to come!
• Samplemaking: Our sketches and fabric samples (and trim) are next sent to our patternmaker/samplemaker to bring our ideas to fruition.  This step involves multiple fit sessions via Skype (as our wonderful patternmaker/samplemaker is out of state) to ensure that the design is accurate and to get the precise fit that we seek.  Once the first samples (also called the salesman samples) are complete, they are returned to us for a final inspection.  This is our chance to confirm proper fit, design details, construction quality, etc. and make any necessary changes.
• Market: We show our samples to potential buyers/clients to gather necessary feedback to determine whether certain styles should be changed and/or eliminated from the collection.  We have accomplished this by showing during fashion week in both Washington DC and New York City , which has put us right in front of press and potential buyers/clients!  Soliciting feedback is a very important part of the design process because if no one likes your stuff, then no one will buy it!  This is the perfect time to make any changes before actually having anything produced.  We take all feedback (positive and negative) to heart and use what we feel is appropriate to make necessary adjustments.
• Production: Lastly, we work with our factory to get the final collection produced! And, that is it (well, the condensed version…that is!)!!

Here is a handy guide from Refinery29 illustrating good options for matching body types to silhouettes: http://www.refinery29.com/dresses-for-your-body-type.

How to Build a Wardrobe…

For most ladies that work in office settings, business attire makes up 75-90% of our wardrobes!  With that being said, it’s important to make the most of our wardrobes by buying staples and being able to mix and match those important pieces. Because you want these pieces to stay in your wardrobe for years to come, remember that quality or quantity is key!  If you have to buy one staple item per month (or every couple of months), but that staple piece is of the highest quality, you will thank yourself later! These items get the most wear (and tear) out of your wardrobe and need to be durable enough to stand the challenge!

What is a staple?  A staple is that garment that is classic (never goes out of style), fits well, and can be worn in a variety of ways.  When building your “staple” wardrobe, try to buy neutral colors that can be worn across various seasons— black, tan, white, beige/ivory, gray, etc.  Also, look for fabrics that are not tied to one specific season (i.e. virgin wools, cottons, twills, poplins, knits, etc.).  Buying classic silhouettes is important and try to stay away from overly “trendy” styles that are just around for a season or two.  For dresses and skirts: A-line, straight, and pencil skirt styles translate from season to season; and for pants: bootcut and straightleg can be worn with boots, pumps, wedges or flats (I would only buy wideleg or skimmer-length after buying the important staples first). You should always have a variety of collared (and collarless) blouses that can be worn under a cardigan, vest, or blazer.  For casual Fridays (or, at least for those of us that are fortunate to have “jean” days), keep a classic jean jacket (which can be worn with a maxi dress or casual skirt), basic 5 pocket jeans (for me, my go-to is Levi’s Curve ID in skinny and straightleg styles), and cardigans in the hot months that can go over your tank tops. 

 My staple work wardrobe is as follows:

• black pencil skirt
• khaki straight skirt
• black sheath dresses (capsleeve and sleeveless)
• black The Limited slacks (bootcut, wideleg, and slim/ankle length)
• pinstripe slacks (both are bootcut— grey pinstripe and brown pinstripe)
• khaki pants (both pairs are khaki tan color—straightleg and slim/ankle length)
• collared long-sleeve button-up shirts (white, black, white with navy blue stripes, and light pink)
• basic long-sleeve cotton cardigans (white, black, dark pink, chocolate, tan, and teal)
• black peplum blazer (cotton twill so that it can be worn across several seasons)
• print thin lapel blazer (again, cotton twill)
• 3 pairs of black leather pumps (peep-toe pair, platform pair, pointy-toe pair, round-toe pair, and slingback pair)
• 1 black leather tote bag
• 1 brown canvas tote bag
• 1 silver and white face watch with black leather band
• 1 gold bracelet watch
• Stud earrings (oversized white pearls, silver balls, and gold balls)

I have listed my wardrobe as an example to give you an idea of simple (but basic) items that can be worn season after season for years to come! I have also listed some pieces below to give you a starting point!