Dose of Prose
Fun fact: before I started blogging and when Style Prose did not even exist, I interned for this digital fashion/lifestyle platform called CollegeFashionista, as a ‘Style Guru.’ It was basically my job to take photos of cool outfits I saw students wearing on campus and write a report detailing the latest fashion trends and style tips for those in the college environment. This internship was the reason I created an Instagram and sparked my interest in blogging and the world of fashion overall.
I’ve realized that I find joy in putting outfits together, not only for myself but for others as well. So last week when one of my peers asked for styling assistance, I jumped at the opportunity. The occasion was for a keynote speech that my friend, Imani, was giving at a university. It felt nostalgic in a way, like I was going back to my Style Guru days. It was so much fun to play the role of a stylist for a day and I wanted to share my experience and insights with you in today’s blog post! Last year I wrote a similar ‘Styling for Special Affairs’ post that gave tips on what to wear to a black-tie event. Check it out here if you haven’t already. To those who have an upcoming presentation or speech that you are preparing for, keep reading, this post is for you!
Styling Tips
Set the stage with a suit
First I had a consultation with Imani where I got a better idea of her personal style and self-expression. I also gained an understanding of the overall ‘look’ she was trying to go for. After the consultation I concluded that she wanted an outfit that was professional (but not too formal), with a pop of color. Most of the Pinterest pics she sent me for inspiration were matching sets and pantsuits, so we used that as the foundation when styling the look. A matching set is classic, versatile and easy to style. I highly recommend using it as the base of your outfit during your next speech/presentation!
For this look, we found a striped matching top and pant set. However, the striped set looked too “pajama-ish” together so we went with just the top and built the outfit from there. We found these white asymmetrical pants and a blazer to match that worked perfectly with the striped top (or any top really) so we had plenty of mix and match options to choose from. You seriously cannot go wrong with any sort of matching set…it’s quick, takes minimal effort and still looks well put together.
Pop (not overpower) with prints
The striped top had chocolate brown and an eggshell white color palette. In order to make the outfit pop, we opted for a white blazer and pant set instead of brown. We also thought white would be a versatile, safe option in case Imani decided last minute that she wanted to wear another top (we picked out a yellow chiffon top as a backup). If you decide to go for a loud print/pattern for your outfit, be sure to pair outerwear and accessories that emphasize the print without making the outfit look too busy and overwhelming to the eye. For example, pairing the striped top with striped pants and a striped blazer and shoes with stripes would be too much, not flow together well and generally would be difficult to match. Also, an outfit like that would be overwhelming to the eye and ultimately take away from what’s most important: the speech/presentation.
Use color to command a room
The outfit was coming together nicely but we still needed to add shoes and accessories. Overall, something still felt like it was missing…like the brown and white silhouette needed a little ‘sum sum’ to create the final look. So, we decided to utilize a pop of color in the shoes to complete the outfit. We opted for a mustard yellow to really bring out the brown tones in the outfit. We kept the jewelry simple and minimal. If you find that your outfit is too plain and needs something extra, I would suggest utilizing color in your accessories and/or shoes to make a statement. You’ll be surprised how a pop of color can take your look from basic to stylish. The following photos show an example of what a simple pop of color can do. Notice that both pairs of shoes work, but the mustard heels (pictured on the right) really take the outfit to the next level.
Get the Look
The pieces were mainly from Zara and Target and the total estimated $180, which is a good deal especially since all of these pieces are versatile and can be worn in the spring and summer months!
I hope you enjoyed part 2 of Styling for Special Affairs and found these tips helpful! It was so much fun styling this look for Imani and I loved how it turned out (Spoiler alert: her speech went really well, too). Let me know in the comments below if you want a part 3 and tell me the type of occasion you want me to focus on. If you decide to recreate this look, snap a pic and tag me on the Gram! I’ll catch you next week.
-Kaamilah
