The Gathered Fashion Spread (May 19, 2013): Super Sunday Edition!

We had an awesomely busy week and found many gathered fashionistas in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Atlanta stealing the spotlight! Our main mistress Bree attended "The Debut" for UBLUSH Magazine at the sophisticated Beso Restaurant in Los Angeles. Special shout out to Dunnie O and the ladies of UBLUSH Akilah, Ashley, and Brittany for a wonderfully gathered event. Definitely check out the magazine and Dunnie's site for the latest and greatest! As you can see, the UBLUSH crowd makes a statement with stylish and sophisticated outfits. We love it!

Tashia & KayCee of Poise Magazine/ Dunnie O (center)

Ricki Jae Morris of Visionary Style The Ladies of UBLUSH magazine Akilah, Ashley, and Brittany (middle picutre)Dunnie O & Ibrahim Hasan of Facet Studio & Photography

Our ATL girl Queen Aftan was at the 'Know Your Destiny Awards'  by Kontrol Magazine. The event attracted many celebs you may recognize and other gathered ladies in a lovely buffet of hot fashion :)

Queen Aftan of I am a Queen Royalty ProductionsSinger Nivea/ Dondria (2013 Entertainer of The Year- KYDA)/ Tami Reed of TalkingwithTami/R&B singer Syleena Johnson/ Dondria/ Music Artist Crystal NicoleSinger Vina Mills Singer, Songwriter, Actress Jade NovahCici Kelly/ Dr, Sherry of Braxton Family Values & Essence Magazine/ R MillsLillie Mae/ Sera Hill singer & former contestant from The VoiceKYD Awards Nominees Elite Noel and Frankie / Lomax (Assistant Fashion Stylist of Kontrol Magazine)

krystal Kature / Creep Radio/ Lillie of Diamonds and Peals Couture and DPC JewelryAva Smith of Thompson of yarn Consulting Group/ Prissy In The City

Our New Orleans writer Danni attended an intimate event in the fun city of New Orleans and captured a few stylish southern belles in easy spring fashion.

 

 Back in Los Angles, Bree visited the exclusive Nic's Poolside Martini Bar in Beverly Hills. Located near Rodeo Drive, this lounge and restaurant draws the cutest styles!

Do you and your friends have style when you go out and about? Submit your fierce pictures to thegatheredlady@gmail.com and you may make our weekly Gathered Fashion Spread!  Style. You have it. We Love it. 

Back to Basics, Pt. 2: Gathered Bras

Happy Friday girls! We’re back with part two of back to basics series and we’re going to talk to about.. well, your girls. It’s bra talk fashionistas, and it’s a key foundational element to a gathered look. There is pretty much nothing more ruinous to a cute bodice, blouse, or top, then to have erratic, lumpy, floppy, or - excuse the made up expression - nipply lines created by a bad bra choice (or no bra at all). As I said in Back to Basics, Pt. 1, “to put it simply, your underwear supports your outerwear. The wrong undergarments will ruin an outfit.”  Applying excellent knowledge of the basics makes the line and flow of your clothes a cinch to perfect, and that’s all there is to it. Let’s get started, shall we?

The pic above shows just a glimpse of the diversity within the category of the brassiere. (For more basic and helpful walkthrough of bra styles click here.) I’ve heard lots of jokes about taking a swing at the evil man who invented them, but they actually date back to ancient Greece or even farther, so they’ve been with us a long time. Currently, statistics show that 75 - 90% of women wear bras daily. It’s important to get this right! Here are some helpful tips to pair bras with clothes perfectly every time. You’ll be so delightfully gathered!

Step 1: Consider your boobs.

 Here is where we stop to take a look at ourselves. All nakey. In the mirror. (Hopefully you do this all the time. I do. It’s good for your self-esteem and self-acceptance. And you will be hotter because of it.) Now.... look at your boobs. What kind of bra will suppport, lift, and separate your girls? Are you small and round? Large and ripe? Medium-sized and conical? Your bras should fit your breasts themselves, and not every bra style is a win for every breast type. In other words, a smaller less round breast might benefit from a plunge or demi-cup style with padding (which will shape the breast and add a bit of volume while creating cleavage) , whereas a larger, fuller breast would benefit from a full coverage bra with less padding and fuller straps (which will support the breast and not add volume and not overflow the bra because larger breasts tend to need no cleavage help).

Note: if looking at your breasts fills you with confusion about what styles to buy and what looks good, seek professional help at your nearest quality boutique that sells a variety of brands and styles and does bra fittings. It’s not something easily explained in this format, and experts are experts for a reason.

Now that you have good bras styles that work well with your breasts and your closet is stocked with the right things...

Step 2: Consider your bodice

A bodice is the upper part of a woman’s dress, but for our purposes this will stand in for whatever clothing you’ve decided to wear to cover your top half, whether a tee, halter, blouse, button down, crop top, etc. You must look at this piece of clothing every day and decide which bra will work well underneath to support and enable that bodice to get its best look. That means paying attention to these factors :

• Neckline. (i.e. is it scooped, vee, boatneck) 

  • Pair any neckline with a bra that a) does not show above the neckline, b) does not show above the rise in the back, and c) does not created too much cleavage or bulging. This also applies to when sitting down and leaning over. Test this to be sure. Nothing worse than giving the pimply-face barista at starbucks a cheap thrill when leaning over to sign your receipt (<--- real life example!)

• Straps or Sleeves. (i.e. is it cap sleeved, off the shoulder, tank top, racerback, strapless)

  • This is the most common and easily identifiable issue with a bad bra choice. Visible, distracting bra straps. Endeavor to hide your bra straps completely by choosing a bra with the same strap configuration as your top. There are many bras that have changeable strap configurations for this reason. If all else fails, wear a strapless bra.

• Fabric type. (i.e. heavy cotton, drapey jersey, transparent chiffon)

  • When your bodice lays against you, can the impression of the bra or your nipples be seen? Take action against this! Try seamless bras or t-shirt bras to calm this effect under most generic tops. Use a camisole underneath a transparent top unless you are intentionally baring your bra. Don’t wear a textured lace pattern underneath a clingy fabric - it will show through.

• Color

  • There's nothing worse than getting everything else right and then the bra color or pattern shows through your clothes. Try again if this happens. It never looks good!

 

Use these tips to ensure that you’re always supported, lifted and separated under those lovely gathered clothes ladies!

What to Wear to a Graduation!

Happy Monday! I'm not in the Big Apple at the moment--had to fly home to watch my sister graduate this weekend. Graduation is one of those occasions where nobody tells the guests (or the graduates) what to wear. Fortunately, The Gathered Lady is here to help. Below are some quick tips for this graduation season.

Macy's

1. Leave your jeans at home. I know, I love my denim too, but it doesn't work for every occasion. If you want to wear pants, consider a pair of slim-fitting, cropped pants like these from MICHAEL by Michael Kors. Choose colorful or printed pants for extra style points.
2. Be careful not to overdress. Think slightly more casual than your Sunday best. The rule here is similar to our advice on dressing for a first date. You want to aim for pretty, not fierce. Remember, you'll be surrounded by parents and grandparents!J. Crew
3. Don't be afraid to rock a trend. You can still be stylish without going full fashionista. There are many spring trends that are perfect for a graduation outfit. Think about incorporating pretty florals, stripes and lace detailing. This past weekend, I wore a multi-colored faux-wrap dress with an ethnic print to my sister's graduation, while she wore a bright orange strapless dress. Quick note for graduates: stay away from full skirts on graduation day. The extra volume will be visible (and not very flattering) underneath your gown.
4. It's May! Be colorful! It can be tempting to throw on a LBD (little black dress) and be done with it, but resist! You'll be celebrating a happy occasion, let it show with your outfit choice.
5. Don't overdo the makeup. Remember, it's graduation. It will be the middle of the day and you will be in a ton of pictures. Heavy makeup is not your friend. Try a fresh-faced look with warm, light colors. Think golds and neutrals for your eyes, pinks and peaches for your cheeks and lips, and light on the eyeliner. Zappos
6. Wear cute, practical shoes. I cannot stress this enough. If you're a graduate, you are going to be doing a lot of walking, including up and down stairs when you cross the stage. The last thing you want is to take a spill because you're teetering on six-inch stilettos. Graduates and guests alike will be doing a great deal of standing around after the actual ceremony to take pictures and it will be a very long walk back to the car if your feet hurt. Days like this are best served by cute sandals and wedges. Just don't forget to take care of your heels and toes before the big day!
7. Mind the weather. The last thing you want is an impromptu rain shower ruining your hair and makeup. Don't forget to bring an umbrella, and stay away from suede shoes, which can be ruined if they get wet. If it's an outdoor graduation, check the weather beforehand and pack a coat or extra blankets if it is going to be chilly.

Have a graduation to attend this month? Are you graduating? Send us a picture from the big day, and if we love it, we'll share it! Congratulations to all of the fabulous graduates from the ladies of The Gathered Lady!

What to Wear to a Wedding

Spring has segued into early summer, and guess what? It’s wedding season! There’s not a gathered lady of any age that doesn’t have a wedding to attend at least once a year, and some even more. The most pressing question: what to wear? We’ll save the bridal advice and wedding trends for another post, and give the advice most helpful to the masses... how to be a gathered guest!

Of course, being a gathered guest is more than wearing a cute ‘fit, ya know? However, everyone from David Tutera to Emily Post has written tomes and blurbs on what and what not to do and say with regular updates. And so today, we gathered lady bloggers will stay in our lane and help you out with style inspiration!

But first, some cardinal rules....

DO NOT wear solid white. Patterns or color blocking where the white is not dominant are a-okay. Yes, some brides don’t care... but many do. Or their mom. Or granny. You get my point. There is a clever way to wear white (it is summer, after all) that will not offend, and it includes tucking it into a pattern, or in a color block. See below for examples. Now, if it’s an all white wedding and you’ve been asked to wear all white, ignore me.

DO NOT dress too sexy. Yes, you can meet a hottie nice young man at a wedding, but that is a happy circumstance and not a mission. Don’t vamp it up and be that girl. Be a gathered lady instead.

DO pay attention to the posted “attire” on the invite, e-vite, website, whatever. If you haven’t a clue what the attire is, or need some help understanding the made up phraseology (what the hell is "picnic chic"?! < -- This is a real example!) call someone in the know.

PS: Remember to always rsvp and never get drunk and hit on someone in the wedding party, steal the table flower arrangement, or comment on how bad someone’s kids are  be the ungathered guest.

Here are some examples of wedding guest ensembles that will work wonderfully with the most common wedding types. (If you get invited to a crazy themed, superhero, or renaissance fair wedding, you’re on your own... our bad.)

 Garden/Outdoor Summer Wedding 

• A garden or outdoor occasion is a perfect time to work in the spring/summer florals trend.
• Use the accessories to add a pop of color!
• We suggest platforms or flats... you never know what the ground surface will be like. Wear stilettos at your peril!
• White is hidden beneath a pattern!
• Hat is optional. Use your judgement.  

Formal Evening Wedding

• True formal weddings mean adhering to a formal dress length for the guests also.
• Emerald trend alert! Check out that amazing draping on that dress.
• Gold accents are classic and pair excellently with green.

Semi-Formal Wedding

• A semi-formal occasion means is pretty synonymous with cocktail attire. Don’t be afraid to use color.
• White is a part of a color block pattern and serves only to play up the coral.
• Depending on whether the occasion is indoors or the climate, you may want to pair this with a jacket or scarf. Use the opportunity for another pop of (complimentary) color!

Church Wedding

•  Because you have no earthly idea what another person’s church’s rules are, be sure to follow general modesty rules. Cover your shoulders, stomach, back, and knees COMPLETELY.  
•  Again, white is a color block in the dress, and not dominant.
•  We were daring here and included a transparent top, but make up for that with a camisole.

Casual/Informal Wedding

•  Casual means casual. However, as a Southern gathered lady I just have to advocate wearing structured and fitted clothing to an occasion! Hence, no baggy sweaters. Remember, you will be in pictures!
•  The neon and denim are daring choices, but go ahead if the wedding is casual. These are perfect dancing clothes!

Vegas Drunk Wedding

•  Wear what you like! No one will remember.

What’s the craziest outfit you’ve ever seen at a wedding? Did you gasp out loud? Dish in the comment section below, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter @thegatheredlady!

Did we miss an occasion that you don’t have figured out? Send us a message at thegatheredlady@gmail.com and we’ll help you find an outfit and post the results!

The Gathered Fashion Spread (May 4, 2013)

Happy Saturday! Our Atlanta fashionistas stole the scene at the season 2 "R&B Divas" Red Carpet Premiere Event. Our gathered lady Queen Aftan was there and captured the hottest styles of the night. Enjoy! Do you and your friends have style when you go out and about? Submit your fierce pictures to thegatheredlady@gmail.com and you may make our weekly Gathered Fashion Spread!