It’s the one piece you will ever need and can’t believe you lived without…..

As a child, I remember seeing a photo in a magazine of a woman with a large brimmed hat, wearing a flowy caftan like garment, strolling across the beach, holding her children’s hand. There was an effortlessness about her — she looked and felt exactly as she was. She was in the moment – and it was palpable. In my adult life, I yearn to be that woman because let’s face it, life with two kids (as beautiful and wonderful as they are) is not about walking on a beach, wearing a caftan. Yet, I want it to feel that way.

We all strive for that – the effortlessness and ease of living — and of dressing for our lives. Technology has helped with that in some ways (arguably made it worse in others), as your phone goes the distance not only as a telecommunication device, but as your calendar, computer, social networking mechanism, your grocery cart, to do list, and even virtual secretary. But things don’t need to be digital or technological to do the same for your life — to take you through the course of your day, no matter where or when. Indeed, one great piece in your closet can be everything you need and want, too. It too can be your one stop shop.

Enter the modern day caftan: the tunic, by Phiren.

Phiren is a company by women for women — real women. Not the ones you see airbrushed in magazines. Not women of the Giselle Buchenden variety. Women with curves, and bumps, and shape — all of the beauteous features our biology affords us for the better, in my opinion.  From fashion veterans from Armani and DVF (the ultimate woman who dresses women), this line features couture fit and design details that rival custom pieces. From the drape to the darts, their pieces not only fit well, but fit every woman’s lifestyle. If you are a mom, this is truly the piece that takes you from the kids’ playground to an adults’. And if you are a working woman, this piece will take you day to night, whatever your event: boardroom to business dinner; under a suit, over a swimsuit, or for a night out anywhere. The fabric is luxurious and flattering.  The hand beading and beautiful details in the arms and along the décolleté provide the perfect amount of design element without it feeling overdone — these design details give it the versatility most tunics lack. It’s the piece you will reach for time and time again — not just because it looks good, but because you look good in it. And in a pinch, or even if you have all of the time in the world (quite frankly, I’m still waiting for that moment!), who doesn’t want that?

Come experience Phiren on May 28, 2015. Email me: bestfootforwardbybetina@gmail.com for details.

Since when did “looking like a mom” become a fashion no-no?

When my In Style magazine arrives, a certain joy overcomes me. Though hard to articulate, it’s what I imagine kids feel on Christmas morning — a cocktail (I’m after all a 40 year old kid) of anticipation, excitement, wonder and surprise. A cocktail quenched in large part when the first tear into the wrapping paper resounds. Same for the swish of the cover when I delve into what many, including myself, deem the working woman’s fashion bible (no offense to Anna Wintour, of course, but most of us only delight and not indulge in the fashion that decorates the pages of THE fashion bible).

As I ruffled through the advertisements and features, I came to an article entitled “The Ultimate Swimsuit Challenge.” I hate swimsuits, but always like a challenge.  Intrigued, my eyes scrolled down to the center pictures of 3 one-piece swim suits. The first was a coral suit adored with wide wicker fabric bands. The second looked like a something a Sports Illustrated Model would wear – high cut legs, low cut back and front, adored with a zipper front that zipped down to mid-belly. Provocative, for sure. The third looked like something Miley Cyrus would wear in concert should she and Madonna ever reprise Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tour, performing “Vogue,” minus the cones but with the exposed underwire.  That or someone who wanted to wear lingerie to the pool. Immediately beneath these photos are these words:

“YOUR MISSION: To buy a one-piece that your mom wouldn’t go anywhere near”

I paused. I blinked a few times and re-read it. Yup, that’s what is said. “A one-piece “your” mom wouldn’t go anywhere near. At first, I agreed. They were absolutely right: my mom, as lovely as she is, would never — even at the price of her own head–go near any of these suits. No grandmother of 4, or even one, should go near those suits.

But then I realized that I’m a mom. Was this article meant for me? Should I not go near any of these suits? From the looks of them, I can’t say that I would because, let’s be honest, they are the least flattering suits any woman should ever wear unless you and Gisele are body doubles. The low cut legs won’t flatter anyone. The tops have no support for anyone with a chest. Last time I checked, few people’s physiques are flattered by large contrasting white bands across their mid section. The headline should have instead read: If you are a woman, don’t go near ANY of these suits. Danger ahead.

But ultimately, the images were not what bothered me the most (though I have serious misgivings about this particular fashion editor’s taste and styling abilities as these are FAR FROM the “it” one pieces of the season).  What bothered me was what was SO WRONG with looking like a mom??

Fundamentally, I understand what the article was referring to: the overly demure, unflattering images of women wearing the jeans of the late 70’s and early 80’s — the ones our “moms” happen to wear –because that was what was available at the time for women of childbearing age postpartum: jeans with too high a waist, too short an inseam, that hugged in all the wrong places. However, let’s be honest. Sure, today’s fashion rules condemn those of that era. But then again, many women were not expected to “look good” when they were “only at home, raising babies.” (There are SO many things wrong with the statement “only raising babies.” Just remember that these are the women raising the pilot flying your plane;  the cardiovascular surgeon who will perform that heart transplant; the mechanic who will fix your brakes so your car can actually stop when you apply them.)  What need for fashion existed in the home in those days? It was needed because women needed to feel like women. They did then, and they do now.  It’s why Diane Von Furstenburg’s wrap dress was SO successful: the working woman needed a wardrobe that made her look like a woman and be a mom and everything else to everyone in her life.  In fact, only recently did it become “en vogue” for celebrities to showcase their bumps. The “bump watch” has become  a paparazzi obsession — regardless of whether there is a bump to watch.  Pregnancy and post-pregnancy fashion is a recent phenomenon – and the industry is booming because being a mom is en vogue. All of the celebrities are doing it after all!

 

The point is that embracing motherhood and dressing like a mom is and should be a good thing – desirable, even.  When a woman has a baby, she perpetuates survival of the species — and guess what, it’s the one thing a MAN WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DO. She should look great doing it: from the moment of conception through the rest of that child’s life. The reason is simple and has nothing to do with beauty and perfection. The reason is because it’s our right, our privilege and our gift. So, if my postpartum belly hangs out a bit because I’m afraid to go under the knife or freeze it off via Cool-Sculpt; I have some spandex ruching on my one-piece bathing suit, or because my breasts sag a little too much and you’re offended, too bad.  I’m fine with looking and dressing like a “mom”  – any day, every way because I am a mom. And I’m lucky.  If you dress to be something other than who you are, or to “hide” your motherhood, I’m thinking there’s much more at play other than a lack of style. And that’s the biggest fashion “no-no” of all.

Runways Taking Over Silicon Valley’s Tech Superhighway??

Silicon Valley is THE tech hub of the world. Whether you’re looking to raise venture capital or marry into it, SV is the place to be. It’s where the money is flowing, the jobs are blowing up, and the only thing rising faster than the per capita ratio are real estate prices. Hmm…sounds familiar. Seems to remind me of certain other cities where hot things are happening – NYC, LA, Paris. Ok, so Silicon Valley may be missing some of the giants that draw fashion houses and fashionistas to their runways – but we’ve got our own Giants — and I’m not just talking about the orange and black ones that won three (yes, 3) World Series in the last 5 years.  We’ve got Mark, Sergei and Marissa. And countless others.  With these tech moguls and the tech world’s hub in our backyard, shouldn’t fashion follow?  It is now. And finally, I might add.  Fashion week comes to Silicon Valley.  And apparently, it’s the hottest ticket in town. With 1200 tickets already sold out according to #GQ, the basic laws of supply and demand tell this fashion blogger that she need look no further than the 101S to get on her own fashion highway. Who wants to join me?

http://www.gq.com/style/blogs/the-gq-eye/2015/05/silicon-valley-fashion-week.html

http://usapost.org/news/style/silicon-valley-fashion-week-betabrand-drones-san-francisco

40 x 40 Days of DVF: The words behind the Images Days 10-20

Day 10: The suede T strap bootie. My favorite way to make classic pieces feel fresh and dare I say it, sexy, is to pair them with an amazing shoe. The white crisp man’s button down shirt is a staple in my closet all year round. I wear it with jeans, long skirts, slacks in the winter, and with shorts in the summer. It’s great as a cover up, and what man does not want to come home to find his woman in nothing but? I love pairing it with jeans for that classic american sportswear look, and the finishing touch: pearls. But, to make it feel less East Hampton and more va-va-voom, I paired it with these sexy DVF booties. In a stretch suede, they are perfect with jeans or dresses and skirts; and add just the right amount of sex appeal tempered by the conservative whisky color. On a day like today, where I needed to be productive, I dressed the part and hoped the productivity would follow suit. It did. There’s nothing I can’t do in an amazing pair of DVF heels. So grateful! xo Betina

Day 11: Throw back Thursday: I wore this vintage wrap dress to DVF’s speaking engagement at the JCCSF in November 2014. The evening was one of the highlights of my year, maybe my life. I had only learned about the event less than 10 hours before it started — and it had been sold out for weeks. Since I never take no for an answer, I do what I always do: be resourceful. I stayed up most of the night contacting every person I knew, or that may know anyone connected with DVF, the JCC — including phoning the box office, the JCC volunteer center, and even perusing through Facebook to see if I could find anyone who may have tickets and want to sell them, or if they knew anyone who had an extra ticket. At 2 pm, not only did I get tickets to the event, but front row seats. When I arrived, the woman in front of me in line at will call was wearing the leopard coat I coveted this season. Imagine my surprise when she turned around. There I stood in her vintage print staring at the future of her brand: her brand ambassador. Though she had not yet been crowned the brand ambassador, she was a shoe in — and I told her so. It was a truly incredible moment — a dress from the past that dresses women of the present and future. And that is but one of the reasons

Milly Madness!

The. Best. Event. Ever!  I could be more excited, honored and thrilled with BFF’s Milly event this past week!  Clients loved the pieces I picked; and paired with pieces from Banana’s current collection, it was a match made in heaven!  With the second floor all to ourselves, we dined and donned pieces from the collection (ps my clients GOT FIRST PICK OF EVERYTHING MILLY!!!), and had the best time doing it!

Thank you to my BFF clients, to the Corte Madera Banana Republic Flagship store, to Manager extraordinare, MJ Milchanoski, and to Milly -BR for an amazing collection!

A peek behind the scenes…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi all! Can not believe that after months of waiting, hoping and dreaming, the BR Milly event I dreamed in my head is actually happening!!!  I cannot wait to see clients’ reactions to this adorable, thoughtful, totally wearable collection!!  The cuts are flattering, the fabrics are forgiving and perfect for summer – it’s just all around Milly candy!

Thought I’d give you all a sneak peek into what really goes on behind the scenes before one of my styling events.  Tomorrow, with the help of the amazing team and manager, MJ, I have the privilege and pleasure of hosting an exclusive VIP event for a select group of clients at the Banana Republic Corte Madera flagship store to celebrate the launch of the Milly-Banana Republic collaboration!  :

Is that eye candy, or what???

Looking at that, some may think it is a cacophony of color and patterns. I look at it and see possibility — and people.  When I start to pull looks for a styling event, the first thing I think about is WHO: who is the woman wearing this? Where is she going? Where could she be going in this?  Who is she and what is her statement to the world when she wears this?

The good news, she is YOU.  This collection is for the modern woman, who needs to go from the babysitters’ house to the boardroom, from carpool to cocktails, and everywhere in between.  She’s on the go, and then relaxing with cocktails on a warm summer night.  She’s vacationing and stay-cationing — she is every woman I know or want to know. 🙂

The toughest part of pulling for clients is HOW:  how do I choose? So many pieces, so little time!

My process starts by scanning the website – literally scanning through pictures to get in the images and pieces in my head so I can start building outfits before I even touch a garment. Once in the store, I mill around – a lot. I literally walk around and engage with the clothes, trying not only to envision who I see for which pieces, but what I want to pair them with.  This often means wandering around the store, in the stock room; and the best part, trying every single piece on.  Trying the pieces on, knowing my shape, provides me the best benchmark as to how the piece will work on others.  Depending on the collection, this can be a full day event!  Can you imagine a better day than playing dress up?? All day long?? I can’t. Seriously.

Once I’ve tried on pieces, and reviewed notes from meetings with clients, or review of new client profiles, I start building looks piece by piece.  If I find a great bottom, I’ll hunt for the perfect top. I may stop to grab a belt or a top that jumps out at me for another client – but once I’m on a mission, I’m on it.  I’ll build the look from top to bottom – and once the client tries it on, I begin to accessorize (though note that sometimes, I have been known to build an entire outfit around an accessory!).

For the Milly BR event, I did a double pull as the collection does not debut until, well, an hour ago.  I previewed the collection at the Grant Flagship location earlier this week; and tried on 90% of the collection for fit, contour, fabric texture and styling (even at 11:30 am, only 1.5 hours after the collection debuted for a select group of card members, there were complete size runs missing!)  

Back in Marin today, I worked with the gracious team at the store to make sure to pull the looks and sizes I carefully selected for each guest (15 client, 6 -10 looks per client).

Here’s the Milly sample rack I worked off of today (though pre-selected from the look book and tear sheets the night before in preparing my spreadsheet of looks to pull for each client):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It felt very top secret to work out of the men’s dressing rooms…. 🙂  Talk about a covert operation!  I have yet to meet a man that would understand the sophistication of elephant print shorts — so it was the perfect place to work so as to keep the collection under wraps.

Next, it was time to hit the BR floor.  Talk about eye candy. The spring/early summer collection is replete with great everyday pieces, fab staples (including the white sateen blazer!), great silk tanks, dresses (including my fav – the black patio dress that I pulled for just about every client – it is that great).  I do several passes around the store for each client, and often times go back and add to a client’s pull while working on another’s.  It’s all very fluid, and it’s all about seeing the possibilities for each client with whom I work.  For 14 clients, and 5 hours, here’s what the Corte Madera team fondly referred to as “Betina’s little world:”

Several members of the Corte Madera team told me they liked my little world. I did too. I smiled on the outside, but was jumping up and down, screaming like a teen cheerleader on the inside.  What’s not to love about rolling racks FULL of gorgeous clothes (next to the shoe closet!?!?)

Three racks of clothes, each grouped and tagged for each client, these picks will find their way into decked out dressing rooms customized for each client!  

Tomorrow, the fun begins for everyone else….but for me, the fun is BOTH the creative process behind the pull, and the clients reactions when they see themselves the way I see them! It’s like love and marriage — you can’t have one without the other.  Though I can’t spoil the surprise swag that my clients will receive, just know there is some serious swag!!!  Milly, BFF, and otherwise!

In parting, I ask you to consider this.  Clothes can be a means of expression. They do not just take us through our day, but carry us through our lives.  They can be a shield or a sword; they constrict us or allow us to feel free. They can help us be our true selves as much as they can help us create who we want others to think we are.  Clothes are also emotional, whether or not we know it. You experience the moments of your life in these garments. So, I ask you: What memories will you make with your Milly pieces from this event? 

 

HUGE thanks to the Corte Madera BR team, and a special thanks to Sheena for her help today, as well as MJ the superstar manager, whose energy and passion is contagious!!  

Want to get in on the fun?  Email me: bestfootforwardbybetina@gmail.com.

Sweet Milly dreams!

xo Betina, your BFF at BFF