Style'n tips from Today Show Style Editor Bobbie Thomas

On Saturday I attended Burlington Mall's Runway Fashion Event and I had the pleasure of chatting with Bobbie Thomas.  Bobbie is the Style Editor on NBC's Today Show, author of the TodayShow.com Style Buzz column, and founder of Bobbie.com.  She was so approachable, outgoing, and of course she was style'n and she looked beautiful.

When I asked Bobbie about sharing her top 5 Fall must have items, Bobbie said she really doesn't  have a top "must have" list for the fall but instead she believes every woman should have confidence.  She also said fashion these days is so accessible and you can be frugal and practical while still maintaining a stylish and polished look. Bobbie shared these additional beneficial tips and pointers with me about personal style.

 Top 5 Fashion Tips for Women 
1. Have confidence in your fashion and personal style.
2. Know your body type.
3. Learn your color category and what colors and hues work well for you.
4. Have signature accents in your wardrobe.
5. Make sure your wardrobe welcomes you.   Bobbie used the example of how retail stores do an excellent job of merchandising items and creating looks that are appealing and welcoming.  She says we should also make sure our wardrobes are maintained and organized. 

During Bobbie's Color Class, Bobbie explains what hues are best for you as well as what colors make you stand out.  Did you know you can determine your skin tones by looking at the color of your veins on your wrist? If your veins have blue tones this means you have a cool complexion (think of wearing colors such as blue, green, and purple) and a green color to the veins indicates you are a warm skin type (think of wearing brown, golden yellow, oranges).

Check out Bobbie's fabulous statement platform pumps by Gianfranco Ferre. (Of course I had to include a picture of these!)

Bobbie demonstrating the power of color with the use of scarves.

Bobbie swithes the scarves on the models and it is immediately evident that these colors compliment each of these model's skin tones and complexions much better than the first demonstration. And speaking of scarves, Bobbie is a huge fan of accessorizing with colorful scarves because scarves can help create a look that is effortlessly chic with instant drama.

Here Bobbie was showing two different shades of pink on Lucy Lu. Both shades look great but the fuscia color works so much better for Lucy's skin tones. Do you know your color tone? Are you warm  or cool?

I attended three great Fashion Shows at the event.  The first show was by Macy's,  second one was the Runway Fashion Show featuring Lululemon, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Cole Haan, and others.  And the third show was the Nordstrom Fashion Show and this was my favorite show. (stay tuned later this week for the Nordstrom Fashion Show pictures)  What I love most about attending these types of Fashion Shows is that you can walk into any of these stores, buy the pieces, and achieve these looks or even better create your own personal look.



Bobbie is wearing a  Twinkle by Wenlan  dress and Gianfranco Ferre platform pumps. I am wearing a blouse by Megan Park, J Brand jean leggings, and Stuart Weitzman 50/50 over the knee boots. (And if I have not convinced you yet to get these amazing boots Bobbie has a pair too and she loves them!)

 Lastly, a few of my friends have asked me to do a post on clothes that transition from day to night.  (I promise I will get around to doing more of these posts!)  I think many of us feel like we have a wardrobe for work and an entirely separate wardrobe for evenings and weekends.  I thought I would ask Bobbie to give us some of her ideas on creative ways to transition your wardrobe from day to night.
 
Bobbie's tips for transitioning your look from day to night.
1. Consider wearing accessories like broaches, cocktail rings, and statement necklaces.
2. Get a manicure and go for some fun colors on your nails like a rich purple. 
3. Layer pieces so you have options to create different looks with the same outfit.
4. Consider adding a belt to a boxy blazer .
5. Maintain your beauty especially your skin and hair.  Make the effort to put on make up.  She  says creating a smoky eye is a great way to update the work look for an evening out.  Also, try a ponytail to create an easy and different look. 
6. Roll up your sleeves to change up the look of the outfit.
7. Taper your pants to show off your heels.

Thank you Bobbie for sharing your personal style tips with all of us.