RI Beauty Expert: Chic Styling – Getting White Right

Summer’s unofficial opening day is upon us. If you remember, we told you in this column that the rules of white are finally dead (sorry, Emily Post). Now you don’t have to wait for Memorial Day to wear white if you winterize it with heavier fabrics and multiple textures. But how do you keep from looking like a dental hygienist in summer when textiles are naturally lighter?  Follow a few simple rules and get white right this season:

The Little White Dress

An LWD is super versatile and a blank canvas on which to build your warm weather white look. Go little-girl precious in an eyelet sheath or look for a clean and crisp cotton sundress. Remember white only comes to life when it’s embellished properly (see below).

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Accessorize

Prevent a mostly white outfit from looking clinical with an assortment of elegant extras. Elevate with bold jewelry, such as thick gold bangles in stacks of not one, but two or three. Add fiesta flavor with bright coral or hot pink sandals. Wrap a butter yellow scarf around your head and let the ends trail across your white shoulder for a softer vibe. The point is to keep the look fresh and clean and not sterile. The chic colorized adornments won’t have people looking for your stethoscope. 

Whiter Shades of Pale

Optic white is attention-getting and goes with everything but whites also come in slightly paler versions such as cream and stone. Ivory separates in floaty chiffon are perfect for warm weather evenings and take the edge of wattage too.  But vivid white jeans are just too sexy any other way so add interest with a neutral sand-colored sweater with nubby texture.

The White Bag

So retirement living-like years ago but now white handbags are making an exclamation point and rightly so – they are summery and pretty. A snowy bag on a sultry day is chic because it’s unexpected, not to mention seasonally appropriate. ‘Bout time.

Little White Lies

“White shoes are ugly” – not if they’re strappy and sleek and accompanied by a polished pedicure in shiny pink or nude. Just watch out for chunky orthopedic-like styles.
“White makes you look fat” – while it’s true that lighter colors may draw attention, white in the right places will balance your shape. Highlight attractive collar bones with a white bateau t-shirt but choose more forgiving dark colors for areas you don’t want emphasized, such as hips or thighs. Extra credit: navy hides but looks terrific with white.

Get the Look

Search Target and Macy’s for your perfect white dress. Now’s the time to shop before summer is in high gear. We’ve seen the LWD in lace, silk, and appliques of tone-on-tone roses. Macy’s, Warwick; Target, Smithfield, Warwick

White sandals are starting to hit the shops now. DSW has more sandals than can be counted – sexy white among them. DSW, Warwick
Angell Nail Salon offers personalized pedicures with all the coveted soft nail colors that enhance your summertime white styling. You’ll love their extra attention to detail such as their glassy top coat which makes white even prettier. 15 South Angell St., Providence

Donna Macdonald is a freelance writer who covers topics of interest to women, especially in the fragrance, style, and beauty arena. She wrote marketing material for a women's book that hit the New York Times Bestseller list and netted her an up close and personal discussion on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Donna's current projects include a style/beauty book for women of a certain age and maintaining the global readership on her personal blog, alovelyinconsequence.blogspot.com.
 

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