Category Archives: Advice

Wardrobe Wednesday – Summer Linen

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Over the weekend I saw The Great Gatsby, which got me thinking about warm weather, seemingly debonair gentlemen and dressing for dinner. With summer fast approaching it is time to pull the linen out from the back of the closet and to aid in this process I thought this week I would touch on some simple ways to wear linen…thank you Ms. Lyons and Mr. Drexler for inspiration.

Skoutinista-MLinen052213

It’s an unwritten rule that in summer, business attire takes on a relaxed feel, especially in the warmer weather climates. Incorporate summer into your dress, even if you spend your days in an office, by bringing a lightness to what you wear with a linen blazer.  There are numerous color options but you can’t go wrong with navy. I like, if your office dress code allows, pairing it with a crisp white t-shirt underneath and a pair of summer dyed chinos for a warm wash of color.  To finish off the look add a pair of blue suede wingtips and do Mr. Gatsby proud.

For the weekends embrace the warm summer air with a linen shirt. Linen is great for summer because of the breathability of the fabric and inherent wrinkles that give it character. Blue and white stripes bring the nautical trend to mind in a subtle way, while pairing the shirt with a pop summer color short adds a tropical feel…even if you aren’t at the beach. Lace up a pair of Vans and you are ready for a weekend of fun.

Skoutinista - Your Skout Stylist

Skoutinista – Your Skout Stylist

Have an event and are wondering what to wear? Leave a comment below and I’ll source it out for you.

 

To Tell or Not To Tell

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Skout Wing Gal - Keeping it real.

Skout Wing Gal – Keeping it real.

Today’s question comes courtesy of Brian who chatted me on Skout of course, to ask for some advice.

Dear Skout Wing Gal,

I had been chatting with this one girl for a few months and we finally met in person. She is even more awesome then I could have hoped. We have been dating now for about two months and I really want to introduce her to my friends but I don’t know how I should do it. Should I lie about how we met? I want them to like her.

Signed

Bashful Brian

Dear Brian,

First of all, if you like her and she makes you happy then I am sure your friends will like her too; and if they don’t you might want to think about how good of friends they really are. Second, I think what you are really asking is, should you be embarrassed to have met online? To this I would have to say an unequivocal absolutely not!

Look, in today’s flattened world where we think nothing of communicating with someone next door or around the world there is absolutely no reason you should feel badly about having met someone online. So much of what we do today is done online, or through email and text. Home phones are becoming obsolete, the post is having trouble getting people to send letters (see next weeks column on offline surprises) and almost everyone has at least one email address. Even if you had met this girl in a bar, chances are you would have gotten her phone number and texted her, or her email and emailed her – so really you just skipped the noisy bar part.

Brian you are a trendsetter, embrace how you met and enjoy the offline relationship that is blooming. If anyone has something negative to say about they clearly need to move into the 21st century.

Keeping it real – Skout Wing Gal

Black and White with Spots All Over

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Today my dear Fashion seekers we are going to tackle two trends as well as how to go from work to play with minimal effort! Right now black and white is hot, hot, hot. Everyone is showing it in a myriad of different ways. There is color blocking, graphic prints and  just plain black and white. Another trend sweeping through designer and retail alike is polka dots, and when you combine the two trends…heads will turn!

I recently had someone chat me on Skout and ask what she could wear to work that then would look fun, and yes, sexy, for a date the same evening. She did not have time to go home and change between the two so she was looking for something that could go day to night, and look appropriate for both.

I immediately thought why not take a trend or two and stitch them to your specifications.

Skoutinista-Blkwht-051513

Try a sheer black and white polka dot blouse like the one above for a great for a peekaboo feel in the evening, just make sure you pair it with a black camisole (try American Apparel for a simple one) underneath for a daytime work appropriate look. I also think a black cardigan over it is a soft touch and keeps the chill of office air conditioning off your shoulders. Depending on your work environment, either skinny black jeans or a black skirt for the bottom with white ballet flats during the day. As you leave the office and head to meet your date slip on a pair of black high heeled sandals (make sure your pedicure is fresh) and you are good to go.

Want to try the above outfit – I’ve got the hook up!

Sheer Blouse

Asymmetrical Skirt

Skinny Black Jeans

Cardigan

Hot Metal Flat

Vanish Sandal

Skoutinista - Your Skout Stylist

Skoutinista – Your Skout Stylist

 

The Boredom of Over Sharing

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Skout Wing Gal - Keeping it real.

Skout Wing Gal – Keeping it real.

In today’s world of always on, always-available there is the real risk of sharing too much. Last week I chatted about the slippery slope to stalker-ville, well today I want to caution you on over-sharing.  We all have that friend, or friends who practices TMI like it’s a religion, but what I’ve also started to notice is the snooze fest TMI that is proliferating on social networks.

What do I mean by this? Look, I don’t care if you just got up from the couch or made a piece of toast or noticed that it’s not raining out. I think status updates, thoughts and pictures are all great but let’s temper it a little bit, especially as you are getting to know someone. If you are constantly inundating them with every little detail of what you are doing (see stalker definition here) then where is the mystery?

Dating, as I’ve mentioned is all about discovery, well leave something to be discovered. Think before you text or chat or update; ask yourself if this is really something that needs to be said or if you are just filling the cyber air with mind junk.  If it helps, picture your chats as a real honest to God conversation. If you were physically talking to someone would it go…

  • It’s Tuesday
  • I’m watching Maury Povitch
  • The sun is out
  • I think I’ll get a sandwich
  • A commercial is on
  • I’m making a sandwich
  • You get the idea.

Don’t spam your friends, and definitely don’t spam someone you might like romantically just because you are bored because honestly, it’s a turnoff!

Keeping it real – Skout Wing Gal

Mother’s Day Fashion

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Mother’s Day is Sunday and whether you are seeing your own mom or a significant other’s mom, or both it’s a day when you should look “mom appropriate”. Don’t worry though, that doesn’t mean you have to give up your own style. There are plenty of ways to incorporate more mom-approved items into your repertoire without sacrificing your individuality.

Maybe try a pretty skirt with a crisp, white t-shirt for brunch or a sundress for an afternoon get together, through a cardigan over your shoulders to keep the chill away. Going out to dinner to celebrate mom? Pair a tea length pencil skirt with a button up shirt or blouse and you are set.

Skoutinista-050813-Mothers day

Click below to purchase these mom approved options and don’t forget the flowers!

Skoutinista - Your Skout Stylist

Skoutinista – Your Skout Stylist

Don’t Be A Stalker, Seriously

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Skout Wing Gal - Keeping it real.

Skout Wing Gal – Keeping it real.

Listen up girls and guys, I’ve got a piece of advice for your Friday – don’t be a stalker.

We’ve all been tempted at one point or another to check in on an ex’s Facebook account, or maybe send one too many text messages (or even drunk texts) to someone we like; but I guarantee once you start down this path you will just come across as needy and a little cray-cray.

Technology has made it not only amazingly easy to find out what people are up to, it has also created a disconnect in rational contact. What do I mean by that? Texting and emailing give you a buffer that face-to-face contact, and even talking on the phone does not have.  Look, Skout Wing Gal totally gets it – you start chatting with a guy or girl, you seem to hit it off, maybe you hang out and suddenly you’re sprung. Now all you want to do is chat with them, which is fine, its part of dating (the fun part) what is not fine is obsessing about them to the point of stalker tendencies.

I’m going to date myself a little but, it used to be if you wanted to chat with someone or see what they were doing you had to actually pick up a phone and have a real conversation, actually commit to communicating with them. Now, you can pick up your cell – type a quick text and off it goes to cyberspace with minimal commitment on your part. Because of this disconnect you might find yourself texting again and again and before you know it you’ve got your phone in your hand, finger poised to tap send on the 50th message in under 15 minutes.

Listen closely: STEP AWAY FROM THE PHONE!

Getting to know someone is about discovery, give him or her time to respond, to miss you, to wonder what you are doing (more on over sharing next week). Texting over and over while checking their profile (and yes, they can see if you have) only leads to them feeling suffocated and possibly even a little nervous, and no one likes that.

Take it from Skout Wing Gal, don’t be a stalker – text responsibly.

 

Wardrobe Wednesday – Mother’s Day Brunch: Guy Style

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Today is May 1st, which means 11 days until Mother’s day, and that most likely means there is a brunch in your future. So guys listen up: whether it’s your mother or the new love of your life’s mother you cannot show up looking like you just rolled out of bed. Give the mom in your life a double gift this Mother’s Day, spend time with her and look presentable.

We all know that sometimes what we think looks good differs from what our moms would like us to wear.  Look, you don’t have to completely loose your sense of style, just tweak it a little for mom’s sensibility. It is her day after all. Try a pair of khakis instead of baggy jeans, a button up instead of a t-shirt-it’s the small things that count.

Grab this whole look, or a combo and make mom’s day even better!

Pants

Shoes

Shirt

Skoutinista – Your Skout Stylist

As always, send me your fashion quandaries and I’ll get you the answer!

Seriously Serious, too Quick

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Skout Wing Gal – Keeping it real.

The other day I was chatting with a guy friend of mine, (and yes, guys and gals can be friends even if Harry doesn’t think so) and he was lamenting to me about a new phenomenon he has encountered in dating. He calls it the fall fast and leave. It seems that girls are getting really serious really quickly, talking all kinds of I love you and future plans only to realize a few weeks later that it is not what they want and break off all communication.  Now my friend is a sensitive guy, and is looking for that special someone but now he’s telling me he’s been burned too many times and doesn’t feel like he can trust what girls say.

Look, it’s all well and good to move quickly if that’s what you want. It’s also totally acceptable to realize after you’ve been hanging out with someone, that you aren’t as compatible as you first thought but come on ladies…let’s be rational about this. Why get so serious right off the bat? Give it some time to grow and for you to actually decide if you like this person or not.  Relax and enjoy getting to know someone before you get all serious and then turn runaway bride on him or her.

By immediately claiming love and a deep connection you run the risk of a. scaring the guy off before he gets to know you or in the case of my friend hurting the same guy you acted like you could spend the rest of your life with.

Keep in mind, you know what they say about Karma, it’s a…

Skout Wing Gal – Keeping It Real

Have a question for Skout Wing Gal…chat me on Skout or leave a comment here!

Wednesday Wardrobe – Coffee Date

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Hey guys, do you feel at a loss when it comes to dressing fashionably? Are there days when you want to look your best but just aren’t sure what to wear? Never fear I’m here to help you make your way through that scary arena-fashion- and make sure the ladies are saying wow, he looks good instead of wow, he’s still stuck in the ‘70’s.

Let’s tackle a casual coffee meet up today. You’ve been chatting with someone on Skout and decided that it’s time to meet face to face. You rally a friend or two to act as a buffer and set a date for a stress-free or as close as you can get to stress free, meet up. Wait, don’t ruin a good thing by showing up looking like a slacker, put a little effort into how you look and have her, or him remember you not the latte art.

T-shirt

Jeans

Shoes

Sweatshirt

Cas is good, but it should be put together too, not just rolled out of bed. Have fashion questions? Feel free to chat me on Skout or leave a comment below.

Skoutinista

 

Chatting Tips

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Skout Wing Gal – Keeping it real.

This week’s question comes from a user in the UK, Edward who writes:

Dear Skout Wing Gal,

I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I have met some great girls on Skout and I’ve started to a chat with them, either by saying hi or with a wink bomb, they respond initially and then they just stop. I continue to try and engage them but I get no response. I don’t think I’ve offended them but I just don’t know why no one wants to chat with me. Am I that boring? Please help!

Edward, unliked in the UK

Dear Edward,

Don’t fret, as long as we can assume you aren’t doing anything offensive, and you have a normal picture taken outside your bathroom (see my post on photos here) it might just be your approach. It’s awkward when you meet someone for the first time, even online, so here’s a few tips to help get you over the initial break point and onto the nitty gritty of getting to know each other.

First, let’s chat, no pun intended, a moment about what you say after your initial contact…what do you say? “Hay babe watcha doin?” Or maybe, “Yo honey u sur r fine?”

Because if you say something even close to those I promise you that approach won’t work. First of all, even though it’s chat let’s try not to completely butcher the written word. Spelling still goes a long way in a lot of girls books so rack up some easy points by actually writing something coherent.

Second, don’t say something generic, trust me it’s boring. Take the time to look at her profile or picture at least, and comment on something that is relevant to her. Does her picture have a dog in it? Is she wearing a jersey from a sports team? Why don’t you ask her about that….”Hey, nice jersey, are you a SF Giants fan or just a Buster fan?”

Girls really do like to feel special, so play into that instead of just going the generic route. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover you have loads in common and it’ll be a little slice of heaven from then on.

Skout Wing Gal – Keeping it real.

As always, chat me your questions and quandaries or leave a comment below and I’ll help you out.