STYLIST ADVICE

Fashion Stylist Advice: When you need fashion advice, style tips & what to wear & how to wear it, ask our stylist Sharon Haver & her team of contributing fashion, beauty, and style experts!

What to Wear Under White…

What to Wear Under White... I'm an African-American woman with a medium-brown skintone. What is the best color lingerie to wear under white clothing (white cotton shirts, white CK khakis, etc.)? Some are of the opinion it should be black, others feel it should be white. Are either right? (Columbus, OH) Regardless of your race, you want to wear lingerie that blends with your skintone when you wear white clothing. Whatever matches your fleshtone is the desired color for you. If you are dark skinned, black undies can be fine. Otherwise, more cocoa-colored lingerie would blend in better. For lighter skin or Caucasian women, anything from what they call champagne to suntan would work dependant upon your skin color. Under

Read More »

Straw Bags- the easy summer tote.

Ask any junkie, straw bags were hotter than hot last summer and are still going strong this season When is the appropriate time to use straw bags? Is spring too early or should I wait for summer? (Montgomery Village, MD) Ask any handbag junkie, straw bags were hotter than hot last summer and are still going strong this season, albeit running a close second to fringe hippie chic bags. >> SHOP: Best Bags Straw, like any other obvious warm weather detail, is best kept for warm weather days. Whether or not these days fall within the proper range of the summer calendar or simply when the weather is appropriate is totally up to how much of a stickler you are

Read More »

My Friend Is Getting Bigger But Her Clothes Are Not

My Friend Is Getting Bigger But Her Clothes Are Not I know this may sound shallow, but my friend has that child pooch from having two children, yet still thinks she can wear crop tops with tight jeans! This only pushes the pooch up and creates a hideous (embarrassing) hangover of skin. I am no beauty queen or model by far, but I try to help her conceal her middle. However, she insists that she looks good and I'm embarrassed to go out in public with her looking like that. My other friends have made comments on how tacky she looks. Please help me find a polite, yet forceful way to tell her she needs to hide it not flaunt

Read More »

MODERN MOM– TURNING 30 IN STYLE…

It's all about easy pieces and the right hit of makeup for terrific casual style It's all about easy pieces and the right hit of makeup for terrific casual style 8 great ways to get casual right now Dear Sharon:I will be turning 30 soon and I need some advice on fashion. I dress casually most of the time since I'm astay-at-home mom. But, when I do go out for fun or to my child's school, I try to look nice. My problem is I feel like I am still dressing like a 23 year old. I want to dress more my age so I can fit in with the other mothers but I don't want to look like June

Read More »

Men In Panty Hose- Love It or Leave It

Men In Panty Hose- Love It or Leave It 1. I'm a 29-year-old married male and I wear pantyhose daily. I wear them under my jeans or with shorts for comfort; as well as for the look they give my legs. I would like to wear some sheer hose with a pair of tailored black casual dress shorts and a nice brown/black paisley button-down T-shirt. Do you recommend any styles or colors of pantyhose that would coordinate and what type of men's shoe would look nice with it? Thank you for your time. (Garland, TX) 2. Your Web Site and Columns are GREAT!! Keep up the good work... I need your advice on an issue I have been struggling with

Read More »

Short on Bermuda Style…Hose No’s

Short on Bermuda Style...Hose No's I like to wear navy Bermuda shorts suits with a white blouse, ivory hose, and navy shoes. I'm not into bare legs and prefer ivory in lieu of natural color hosiery. Is this acceptable dress for someone who is 60 years old and size 8? And, is colored hose out of fashion? Should I just do what feels good and looks good to me? (Conroe, TX) If you're after the Little Lord Fauntleroy look, you've hit the right mark. Bermuda shortsuits are just not a chic style choice in most fashion circles. Always unflattering ivory or white hose is simply not stylish. If you need to wear pantyhose, you should not be wearing shorts. A

Read More »

What to Wear on an Airplane

I'm not sure what to wear on the airplane to visit an old boyfriend out of state. When I walk off the plane, the first impression that I want him to have of me needs to be a GOOD one! I want to wear the right outfit that's casual and fun without looking too contrived or like I tried too hard. Movie stars and supermodels always look just right when you see them in airports and that's the look that I want! I'm thirty-years-old and like simple things with not a lot of frou-frou! Please, please help me with my "airplane chic" look so I can appear stylish, put together, and elegant. Thank you so much! (Nashville, TN)   First

Read More »

What To Wear With A Long, Basic Black Dress

What To Wear With A Long, Basic Black Dress I recently purchased a casual, long, basic black dress. It's a really cute cotton dress, but by itself something is missing. Besides a scarf, what else could I wear to pep it up a little? (Woodinville, WA) Get out of the fashion box…. scratch the boring scarf around your neck and start looking chic! The beauty of a well-cut, basic black dress is it's simplicity-- it allows the wearer to shine. That means you need to get the rest of you together. Hair needs to be impeccably cut or slicked back in a neat, of-the moment low ponytail or chignon. Makeup needs to be simple, yet polished. All black is the

Read More »

Pantyhose and Sandals, Oh My

Pantyhose and Sandals, Oh My Urgent, I need to know if you can wear open toed shoes with nylons for a nice evening out in the city. -Nutty Over Nylons (San Francisco, CA) If I had a coin for every time someone asked me some version of the same "pantyhose with sandals" conundrum I would have enough money for a lifetime supply of different Manolo's for every day of the week! Sheer nude hose worn with very open toe shoes or sandals looks weird. A small peek-a-boo open toe shoe looks fine when worn with hosiery. Bare feet and a perfect pedicure are best with sandals. Tip: if you need the support of pantyhose and you're wearing pants, hack the

Read More »

Screwed the Bet, Forced to Cross Dress

Screwed the Bet, Forced to Cross Dress Hi, um... I have a small problem. My name is Tom. I'm 18 and I, um, made a bet that the Michigan Wolverines were going to beat the Tennessee Volunteers in football. Well, it got out of hand and I either pay $250 all around or live like a woman for a week- panties, bra, makeup… the whole thing. I don't have $500 so I'll go with the woman thing. I need advice. I'm not asking friends because I want to keep it between us three guys. Please help me. -Dragged to Drag (Franklin, TN) Sweetness, there are two things you must keep in mind: 1) The only sure thing is that most

Read More »

Men in Hose- Love It or Leave It

Re: Men in Hose- Love It or Leave It. RE: Men in Hose- Love It or Leave It Thanks Sharon for your open-minded comments about men's hosiery. There are many men, including myself, who wear hosiery for comfort, support and looks. Several hosiery manufacturers now offer products for men. Nylon & lycra are soft, man-made fabrics that feel very smooth to the skin, unlike rougher wools & cottons that men traditionally have had no choice but to wear. Whoever said these fabrics were strictly limited to women? In my opinion, hosiery works equally well for men and women (we both have legs) and men should not be intimidated to adopt some clothing that has been traditionally, in the last century

Read More »

Tipping Etiquette In A Hair Salon

Tipping Etiquette In A Hair Salon What's an appropriate tip for a stylist who highlights your hair that takes about 2-3 hours? (Hutchinson, MN) t' not about the time it takes, it's about the bill. But, of course, the extra effort should be a tipping consideration. It's safe to say that a 15 -20 % gratuity for service in a hair salon is standard. In high-end salons or urban areas, a 20% tip is more the norm. If two stylists are working on your hair, each should get a 10% tip. The person who washes your hair, or an assistant, should be tipped between two and five dollars. Technically, the owner of a salon should not expect a tip, but

Read More »

Neckline for Broad Shoulders

Neckline for Broad Shoulders What type of neckline will compliment broad shoulders? (Willows, CA) A nice healthy set of strong shoulders absolutely makes clothes fall better. But, when healthy starts to veer to overpowering, a bit of clothing camouflage is in order. To create the illusion of a more balanced silhouette, opt for necklines that bring the eye down, like a simple V-neck or open shirt collar. Accessories, like the very of the moment, long oblong scarf will also compliment broad shoulders. Avoid boatnecks, puffed sleeves, or heavy shoulder pads that will only add width. -November 26, 2001

Read More »

Scroll to Top