J.Crew's Styling Tips {for the week!} :)

Over at J.Crew's website, there is a neat feature under the Women's section (click here). Gayle Spannaus, J.Crew's head stylist for women (& the one who styles all the catalog shoots), offered a few of her styling tips. To make it more fun, she provided seven quotes with a corresponding outfit– one for each day of the week!

The following includes the advice (also shown in the slideshow above):

1. Play with proportions– boxy over skinny, short over long, and slouchy with structured, here, a loose oversize sweater works wonders with a straightforward mini.
2. Always add at least one element of surprise (however tiny). We're still obsessed with fluorescent accents. Here, a neon belt adds a pop of color to an otherwise soft, subdued palette.
3. Make accessories multitask: turn an evening clutch into a day bag by adding a strap and wearing it messenger style (as seen here), wrap a long pearl necklace haphazardly around your wrist and reassign a brooch or hair pin as a pendant.
4. Don't be afraid to shop the men's section (a lot of tops are available in XS). I love a guy's casual shirt unbuttoned at the top, half tucked, with the sleeves bunched up, paired with a seriously slim, ankle-grazing black pant.
5. Experiment with pattern and color, by mixing similarly scaled prints and bold colors offset with neutralizing pale hues, you inject imagination and individuality into an outfit. P.S. Matching is overrated.
6. Invest in a boyfriend blazer. Versatile enough to wear with skinny pants and a tee or over a more formal dress. It's an absolute must-have for Fall. Roll up the sleeves to display a printed or colorful lining.
7. Unwrap your scarf. Instead, drape it around your neck, secure it in place with a belt at the waist and voila! –it's the new statement necklace.

I always found the catalog a source of inspiration (for styling clothes). That is why I (and so many JCAs) hold onto the catalogs. So I am thrilled to see Gayle offering styling advice. I could not agree with her more on the boyfriend blazer (mentioned in Day 6), as I think its a great investment piece for its versatility. I also like the advice to experiment with patterns and colors (mentioned in Day 5). :)

However, I don't think some of the styling tips transfer well to the "every-day". For example, I love the half-tucked look of a top (mentioned in Day 4), but that rarely works for me. Usually the shirt ends up un-tucking itself, and now its all wrinkled. Also, I have tried the belt at the waist look (mentioned in Day 7)- which only lasts 5 minutes for me. The belt almost always slides down and bunches up the jacket in a weird way, causing me to lose the belt altogether. ;)

What are your thoughts on the styling advice? Are there any tips that you think are spot-on or a complete miss? Do you like the way the outfits are styled? :)