Harriet Fleming, designer of First Comes Love’s comfortable yet sensual maternity fashions, follows one dependable credo for looking lovely. Regardless of your size, your age or the tightness of your purse strings, you’ll look your best when you feel comfortable. “I connect with the kind of clothes that make you say, ‘Hey, I could dance in this!’” says this designer.

Harriet grew up with a passion for fashion. The daughter of two professors in Austin, Texas (her father is a language professor at Trinity University and her mother teaches Latin), Harriet honed her unorthodox style by coordinating local neighborhood fashion shows. She recalls with a mixture of fondness and embarrassment episodes when she dressed her younger sister (and any willing neighborhood kid) in shimmering blue eye shadow, tube tops and high-heeled Candies toothpick pumps.

After spending several summers at her father’s house in Perugia, Italy, Harriet realized her other passion — travel. So in the late ’80s, she left Texas for a new experience. “I landed in Los Angeles with no fashion degree, but serious about a career that mixed fashion with the ability to travel.”

She started out answering phones at a Los Angeles-based design firm. She laughs when recalling her start. “There I was dressing punk style and experimenting with fabrics while working on dresses you’d see on Dynasty.”

While there, Harriet met her husband, Peter Robins, a talented graphic designer who incidentally created the First Comes Love logo. Harriet soon worked her way up in LA’s fashion world and even co-developed a children’s line called Scram. But it was only after she had her own children, Isabella and Henry, that Harriet found her muse.

While pregnant, Harriet was working with chic designer Monah Li. “I found myself constantly around people wearing cute and sexy stuff. There I was feeling attractive on the inside, but wearing overalls for several months on the outside.”

That was when lightning struck and Harriet realized her niche. “As far as I’m concerned, I connect with the kind of clothes that make you say, ‘Hey, I could dance in this!’”

From that experience grew the inspiration for the fitted and figure-flattering pieces of First Comes Love, a comfy yet sensual maternity line that reflects the hot, current look of today’s active woman.

“I knew I had something worthwhile to contribute,” she continues. “When pregnant, a lot of women feel sexy inside, but traditionally they’re not really supposed to show it. Why? It’s so frustrating.”

Having experienced the perils of costly, self-described “fashionable” maternity wear, Harriet understood that affordability needed to be an underlying facet of her philosophy. “We don’t stay pregnant forever, so the basics have got to be reasonably priced.”

First Comes Love was created with growth of the body and freedom of movement at the forefront. Harriet is committed to designing clothes with breathable fabrics like microfibre that do not constrict a pregnant woman’s movements. “Besides the sensuality, it was important to me to include stretch in my whole line. It just makes life easier when you’re getting bigger everyday.”
Harriet creates her fashions out of her LA-based home studio using sturdy stretch woven and knit material cut to fit the pregnant form. “I want my clothes to last all the way through pregnancy. Then you can pass them on to a friend or sister. That way women don’t have to feel guilty about buying something sexy for themselves.”

Her child-of-the-70s approach to the often overlooked world of maternity clothes says it all. “If you feel sexy when you’re pregnant, you are sexy. So be proud! Celebrate!”

Here are some of the most common queries related to the fashion industry:

What does Haute Couture mean and what is the deal about it?

Haute Couture in English means High Fashion. And as the name suggests, this is a very exclusive segment of the industry with less than 30 fashion houses in the world licensed by the Chambre Syndicalle de la Couture Parisienne producing haute couture pieces for a restricted number of clients worldwide (read: the extremely rich ladies who can afford to pay $5,000,00 for a blouse or $50,000,00 for a drop-dead gorgeous gown). Those pieces, by the way are custom-made which means that each garment is made entirely upon a client’s own measurements, from scratch, stitch by stitch, bead by bead.

Collections are shown twice a year – January (Spring) and July (Fall) – in Paris.

The Haute Couture business on its own is not exactly profitable since a couturier (the designer who create haute couture) spends a huge amount of money to put together a mere collection that probably will sell just a few pieces. However the charm and power of haute couture can help – very much, indeed – to build up a strong image for a designer’s brand/house and therefore translate it into big sales in the accessories, cosmetic, fragrance and ready-to-wear field.

And Prêt-a-Porter?

Prêt-a-Porter, when translated means Ready-to-Wear, which involves a mass-production of clothes with standard cuts and sizes that goes straight from the factories to the shop floor, ready to be worn. As you can see, prêt-a-porter is very much the opposite of what haute couture stands for (custom-made outfits).

The collections are shown in February-March (Fall-Winter) and in September-October (Spring-Summer), in the main fashion capitals: New York, London, Milan and Paris (in this respective order).

Why are designer’s clothes soooo expensive? Are they made of pure gold?

Not exactly but the idea behind it, is not that far from the truth. Of course that they use, or tend to use, the best and therefore most expensive fabrics, the pieces have great, perfect cuts and most of the time fit like a glove, plus there is the fact that they (the designers) are the ones who set the trends for each season. However nothing of that on their own would justify their bitter price tags. What counts there is what kind of image the particular designer wants to evoke and what kind of market the brand wants to appeal to and how much this target market would be willing to pay to join that private club. That is pretty much how they come up with the retail price, after all this business is all about image, the right image.

Indeed, you have quite a few options but it is mandatory to know whether the ceremony is during the day or during the night to make up your mind…

In any case….

Check beforehand the dress code on your invitation card (if there is one) and look for possible dress specifications. If there is none and you have any doubts on how you should be dressed, ask. There is nothing wrong with asking, remember?

Whenever deciding what to wear, aware or not of the dress code… consider the following key points to have a few clues:

• The location in the country.
• The ceremony’s place.
• The time of the ceremony.
• The bride and groom age and whether will be them or their families who will be throwing the party.
• The type of personality the bride and groom have. Are they conservative? Eccentric? Old-fashioned? Hype?
• Is it the bride’s first wedding? If so, it tends to be more sumptuous.

Keep in mind that who should shine in the ceremony are the bride and groom, so even if you are going to an ultra chic wedding, do not overdo!

The black and white issue is still an issue… although now some people consider OKAY to wear white (since it does not resemble a wedding dress or it is not a tailleur/suit if the bride is wearing one) or black (since it does not look like an outfit you would go to a funeral with), there are some others who still consider it a fashion sin, a faux de pas. So, anytime you have a wedding to attend and intend to wear one of those colors on its own (the black and white combination is always chic and therefore an acceptable look for this occasion), you would better check with the bride or groom before. And whenever in doubt, better dropped it and go for some splash of color, instead.

Do not wear something you would put on to go working or to do something regular and ordinary, especially those pant or skirt suits that look too business-like.

And last but not least, remember that in any occasion, the way you decide to dress has to show the utmost respect for the ceremony. The way you dress it is your way to honor the event. So, put on your best!

For day – morning or afternoon – weddings, consider this:

• With the sunlight still on, it is not recommended to wear any glitter, sparkling, brocade outfits. The silhouette should be simple, without fancy draping or a lot of volume.
• Velvet is a good option, but it is not if it is in the form of a tight velvet trousers. Actually anything too tight should be avoided.
• Don’t even think about wearing jeans or any daily slacks, please!
• In a country or opened-air wedding, floral prints and a little extra volume are allowed and so are hats. Actually that is the perfect situation to wear a hat at a wedding ceremony. It is stylish and protects you from the sun. But in a city, indoor type of wedding, that might not be the case. So, be careful.
• Discreet jewelry (nothing sparkling please; they just don’t work with the sunlight).

A few looks to embrace:

• Muslin chemise teamed up with a straight skirt, nude pantyhose and ecru shoes. If you feel up to, wear a straw hat, colorful or in natural color.
• A jersey tube dress matched with linen or silk blazer, nude hose and a pair of pumps in the same color of the blazer. Don’t forget a matching purse.
• A micro fiber tailleur in a pastel color mixed with a silk blouson underneath, sand-color shoes and matching purse.

Take a look at the following link for some more ideas on what to wear:
Dress Code: From Sport to Smart

For night weddings, consider the following:

• Remember that as later as it is the ceremony, the more formal and fancier the occasion might be.
• Avoid anything that looks like an outfit you would wear during the day such as sportive clothes.
• Forget about overly short or even short outfits, leggings or Lycra clothing of any kind, and brown accessories for obvious reasons – it does not go with the occasion.
• Bet on long dresses (calf-length or even longer) and classic but yet appealing black dresses.
• Pantaloons are welcome, so are tailleurs/suits and dresses made of sumptuous fabrics such as taffeta.
• A backless or strappy gown would be a graceful option.
• Blazers, boleros, shawls can protect you from the hard and not so hard weather conditions with style.
• Sparkling jewelry and chic high heel shoes/sandals are a major do.
• And remember the smaller the purse the fancier the event is.

Take a look at this following link to have more ideas on how to dress for a night wedding:
Dress Code : From Social to Black Tie

If you still in doubt about this issue…

Go for a pant/skirt suit. But if you still think you are too formal, wear underneath a blouse with some color or just a plain white shirt or even a trendy turtleneck to break the formality.

If you are pretty sure the pant/skirt suit is not the right option, but not so certain on what would be the right way to go…

Stick to the “unmatched” skirt and blazer duo. It is unmatched because they are not made from the same fabric or they come in a different color. Try a modern pair of shoes to close the deal.

Never adopt the informal look, even…

If someone tips you of that the company is totally informal. There is no such a thing when the issue is a job interview.

Be yourself…

At least let your personality, your own sense of style shows up in something in your look. No matter if it is that silver earrings set that you bought in a bazaar, if it is your sassy handbag, a colorful scarf or an antique watch. Of course that all has to be done in a fashionable good taste level, but you know that, don’t you?

Pay attention to the little details…

Make sure you look impeccable from head to toe, literally. A good-looking hair, skin, teeth, nails and polished make-up can only help you out in the overall image. Let them be an allied instead of a misstep.

Ruled out…

Anything too tight, too loose, too high or too low, if you know what I am talking about…

Once you have decided what to wear, try on the outfit that you are going to wear, including the pair of shoes. Make sure that:

• It fits well
• Make you feel comfortable in
• Send a self-confident message
• It matches your shoes
• It does not have any holes, visible lines, uneven hemlines or anything wrong with buttons, details etc.

And remember: this is your last chance to check out and approve the look for your interview.

What to wear in a second interview?

Well, if they want to see you again, it is because you did cause a good first impression (congrats!), which means that you made the right choice for your outfit. So, my best advice would be, keep on the same track.

Also that is the opportunity you have to show that you observed and absorbed the company’s dress code. For instance, if your interviewer or future boss was dressed in a pantsuit and you were not, adopt the look in the second interview. If she or he was wearing a cashmere sweater and a classic trousers… go for the unmatched skirt and blazer duo if you previously wore a pantsuit. Unless your second interview is going to be with someone in a higher position than the one you did meet before. Then if you were wearing a pantsuit in the first interview, keep the look.

Do not wear the same clothes. Even if you have to wear the same pant/skirt suit thanks to a lack of options, go for a different blouse/shirt underneath and pick a different pair of shoes, too.

FYI: in any occasion, if your interviewer is a woman, try not to go much better dressed than her. Women tend to be a bit competitive in this field so… toned down, just in case!

And last but not least, best of luck!

First off, you don’t need to dress to impress but to cause a good first impression and there is a significant difference here that we will tackle later on. But indeed the way you present yourself will play a big role in the interview game, after all, that is why you have an interview: they want to check you out to see whether or not you are the right person for that job and the way you dress can tell them your story, what kind of person you are. Otherwise your brilliant resume would do the trick on its own.

So, the first rule to dress right is to dress accordingly the job you are applying to. And to have a clue or two on that you will have to know a little bit about the company in question. Are they conservative or the creative type? Formal or informal? If you have no idea, research. Visit their website, play a sort of fashion spy and go to their front door and watch the employers going in and out of the building. If none of those strategies helped you out, call the Human Resources department or talk to the interviewer assistant and enquire about the company’s dress code. Just the fact you are concern about this topic will cause a good impression on its own.

Once aware of what kind of company they are, you have to consider what would be the right outfit to suit their current dress code. That is a very important issue cause that shows that you understand the company’s policy and the working environment and that could give the impression that you could be a good team member. And that is what the interviewer is looking for.

Here are some pointers to help you out:

Conservative company:

In this environment, there is no way out: you’ve got to wear a suit (pant or skirt, it does not matter but a full suit is a requirement.

In this category you can find business related to finance, banking, stock markets, insurance, law, politics, high scale retailers etc.

An informal corporation:

More than a half of the working environment falls in this dress code category. And in this case it is advisable to go for a pant/skirt matched with a blazer made from a different fabric or color, wearing underneath an informal top of your choice. Or bet on a twinset.

Usually this category belongs to managers, assistants, teachers, doctors, nurses, journalists, people who work in the technology field etc.

The only exception in this category goes to the “young” companies in the Internet or Computer area where the dress code tends to be a bit more informal than that, making the social trouser mixed with a sweater a doable look.

A creative environment:

This is a place to communicate your abilities, your skills. You have to be innovative and creative and your looks denote those qualities. Be trendy but in your own way. Show that you are up-to-date to what is “in” in fashion right now in terms of brands and styles or then just show off how singular you are through your clothes.

Advertising, music, fashion, movie, theater, television, sales force etc.

Uniform:

As the name says, here people are expected to wear uniforms when performing their work (read chefs, fireman, policeman, etc.). So how should someone dress for a job interview in those occasions? Well, I would say that wearing an informal set of clothes teamed up with a blazer would do the trick.

Stay put cause next week I will bring more tips to help you out on how to pick the right outfit for your job interview if you are still having some doubts!

Last week we covered Packing for an International Trip during the warmer seasons but if instead, you are going to a destination where the weather is either cold or awfully cold (read autumn/winter) then you’ve gotta consider packing an entire, better, slightly entire, different set of clothes and accessories.

Here is my suggestion for a two week trip to a dashing vacations:

• Still, pick mostly dark, neutral colors that can go together easily such as black, camel, brown, navy or grey. If you want, you can add a piece or two in a living color such as purple, red, green, pink or blue. But that is up to you.
• A black pants for daily purposes (e.g. bootcut one)
• A black classic trousers for evening
• A brown/grey pants
• A dark pantsuit
• A black jacket toned down for day
• A toned up dark blazer for evening
• A leather jacket
• A black pencil skirt
• A neutral skirt
• A classic coat such as a trench-coat in a neutral color
• A pair of leather gloves
• A shawl (black, camel, grey or red)
• Two scarves (e.g. a plain one and a print one)
• Five cashmere sweaters turtlenecks or not (three in neutral color – beige, white, grey, navy, black, brown – and one in a lively color – red, purple, pink, green, blue – if you fancy)
• A warm twinset
• A party dress (only if you will have any occasion during your vacations that you may need one otherwise just stick with that old friend of ours: the little black dress)
• A little black dress
• Two white long-sleeved shirts (one could be a blouson and the other one a tutleneck)
• A black classic heeled boots
• A loafer in neutral color
• A black flat shoes
• A black pump
• A neutral bag
• A black handbag (e.g. tote)
• An evening purse
• A black belt
• A silk robe
• Two sleep dresses (or a sleep dress and a pajama)
• Three opaque black hoses
• Two sheer-black hoses
• Two or three pairs of socks
• Four sets of lingerie (bras and panties) and some extra panties that can be easily matched with the previous selected bras in the sets.
• Again, don’t forget toiletries, documents, money, medicines, make-up bag, perfume, sunglasses etc

Still up to you to have the time of your life. Have fun!

What to Pack for an International Trip. And by that I mean that wonderful trip abroad to a dashing destination that you have been planning for the past months and cannot wait to indulge in in your upcoming vacations, after all you deserve it. And to make your life a bit easier on this issue, I put together the perfect – and stylish – wardrobe for a lovely two weeks (or more) trip abroad.

Ready to pack?

This is what you will need to enjoy your sassy trip abroad without any unwanted fashion emergencies in your way:

• Coordinate your clothes and accessories so they can be easily mixed and matched with each other in a variety of combinations; pick them mostly in neutral colors such as ecru/khaki, white, beige, black or navy and add to it a few pieces in a lively color such as green, red, blue or orange. (But I am pretty sure that you already know that!)
• A white pants (e.g. Capri or bootcut trousers) or if you would rather a colorful one
• A white or colorful pantsuit for evening
• An ecru/beige microfiber pant or skirt suit
• A beige toned-down jacket
• A khaki pants and khaki shorts(if you can bear to wear one!)
• A black pants for day (bootcut ones)
• A black trousers for evening (classic or pantaloons)
• A pair of jeans (if you cannot live without it)
• A black or navy taillleur
• A tube dress in camel/beige
• A classic little black dress
• Two sundresses
• Two or three shirts (tees, tank tops, halters etc) in a lively color
• Two white shirts (it can be a blouson and a regular T-shirt for instance)
• A loafer in neutral color and/or a colorful one
• A pair of sandals in neutral color
• A black high-heeled sandals
• A black pump
• A pair of slides
• A khaki bag (big and sportive version)
• A brown or black handbag (like a tote for example)
• A small handbag for evening in black
• Belts (2 or 3 if you like them)
• A sleep dress
• A pajama
• A robe
• Two or three nude pantyhoses
• Two or three sheer-black pantyhoses
• Two or three pairs of socks to go with your loafers
• Four sets of lingerie (matched bras and panties) and some extra panties that can go easily with the 4 bras
• If you intend to spend sometime on the beach, take two bikinis that tops and bottoms can go either way (or a bikini and one-piece suit), a pareo, a beach bag, hat and thong sandals
• Don’t forget toilletries, documents, money, medicines, make-up bag, sunglasses, fave perfume etc

FYI: Of course that if you are going to a safari in Africa or an adventure in the Amazon Rain Forest this is definitely NOT the wardrobe you are looking for. In that case stick to jeans, khaki pants and shorts, basic T-shirts, comfortable jackets, walking boots and sneakers.

Now it is up to you to have the time of your life

Social:

You are stepping into a formal ground here. It is time to pay attention to the details; a misstep might suggest you misunderstood the dress code. To avoid unnecessary risks, embrace crepe outfits, silk tailleurs, muslin dresses. Low necks and slits, if in a discreet manner are allowed, so are strap gowns, subtle embroideries and other details.

Small purses, pumps, heeled sandals and refined stockings are the accessories to look for. Shawls and scarves in noble fabrics can be worn to accentuate the looks. Jewelry is a good option but in the right doses. Pearls are your safest bet. Elaborate makeup and hair is a requirement.

Events: Dinners, cocktails, operas, big bashes.

Black-Tie or Tenue de Soiree:

No doubts about it: it is gala night! Glamour, seduction and above all refinement are the key words here. The ensembles tend to be more structured and fabrics can range around brocades, shiny, silk tafeta, shantungs, georgettes etc. Long gowns or even short ones but highly sophisticated are the ones to pick. A big no-no goes to those mini-ultra skirts and overtly pleated dresses. Plunging V-necks and see-throughs are welcome since paired down with good taste. Little suits in noble fabrics can be an alternative.

High heels, silk stockings and fancy night purses are your choices to accessorize. Stoles and scarves matching your dress can be alluring but try to avoid the “whole look” thing. It is not elegant to match stoles, shoes, bags and dress at the same time, not in fabric, nor in color tone.

If there is an occasion to wear jewelry with no regrets, that is it. Just do not overload your look otherwise you will end up looking like a Xmas tree, instead of a diva. And you do not want that, do you? Highly elaborated makeup and hairstyles are a must-have.

And remember: black-tie asks for a bit of a theatrical look but it is not by any means to be understood as a carnivalesque occasion. You are not wearing a costume but a sophisticated outfit. A classic, drop-dead gown would consist of a long tube-like black dress with a sexy side slit matched with a pretty sandal and black muslin scarf. It is simple, chic and a knockout combination! Who can resist?

Events: Anything that states Gala such as the Oscar`s or any other formal award event.

Now you are ready to enjoy your parties or events without any risk to become the fashion victim of the night. Cheers!

There is nothing worse than show up in a party or event dressed totally inappropriate for the occasion. Picture this: you are invited by one of your friends to celebrate his birthday in a dinner party at his place. Fine. Since you know him all your life and he did not mention anything you assume the party is just for friends and therefore informal. You put on your favorite pair of jeans and a tank top and here you go. When you arrive at the party you realized that it is not a friendly gathering as you imagined and most importantly everyone there is dressed up not down as you are. Oh, God! What to do? Unfortunately when that happens all you can do is to wish you were invisible for the night, so nobody would notice you around.

Although you cannot do anything when that happens, you indeed can do a few things to prevent this situation from happening. First of, any time you are invited to a party, social gathering or any other event, make sure you know in advance the dress code. If you receive an oral invitation, ask about it. If you receive a written invitation, look for the specifications on the card related to what to wear. If it is not there, do not feel afraid to enquire the host. I can guarantee you: there is nothing wrong with asking. Plus, it will avoid further fashion embarrassments.

Once aware of the dress code required for the occasion, it is time to understand what it means. Here are some clues:

Sport:

It is the simplest kind of invitation. But that does not imply “anything goes”. Do not you dare to show up wearing clothes that you usually put on to practice sports or go to the groceries store. So, forget shorts and flip-flops and think about print trousers, colorful tops, floral or strap dresses, simple pants matched with blouses. In fabrics, go for crepe, cotton, linen etc. and stay away from satin or any glitter stuff. Big bags with a rustic appeal are welcome as well as flat sandals, loafers and ballet slippers. Be careful with jewels by keeping it to a minimum. If outdoors, a hat is always a good choice. The make up should be toned down and the hair kept simple.

Events to consider: Lunch party, expos, barbecues

Smart or Tenue de Ville:

It is time to add a bit of formality here. If the occasion is before 6’o clock P.M., consider tunics and pantaloons, pant or skirt suits. Go easy on the bag and pick one similar to the one above but in a small size.

If the occasion is happening by night, a classic black dress paired with pumps and a small purse will do the trick.

In both cases, go for silk, micro-fibers, linens and jerseys. Avoid any sparkling accessories, please. And keep your make up soft, so your hair.

Events to consider: Lunch, conventions, theater, art exhibitions.

Have you ever conceived the idea of spending $10.000,00 for a blouse, $20.000,00 for a blazer or something up to $ 100.000,00 for a gown that you probably will wear once or maybe twice in your lifetime? Well, then you are not familiar with the haute couture world, are you? Believe it or not but that is the price tag, the selective haute couture clients (that range from a couple of hundred to a few thousands worldwide being American socialites the biggest slice of this market) are willing to pay to have a one of a kind, exquisite outfit sparkling in their wardrobe.

By now you should be asking yourself why pay so much for a mere designed piece of clothing. Two words for you: Perfect Fitting. In a world where we are all struggling with longer sleeves or unmatched hemlines, tops that just do not fit because is a Small or Medium size when indeed we are something in between, the appeal of haute couture lies in having a custom-made outfit, made entirely upon your own measurements, from scratch, stitch by stitch.

And to make sure the perfect fit is reached, once a client select an ensemble from the current collection, she will have to go through an average of seven fittings until the work is done. Considering that all garments are hand-sewn (and thanks to that it can be altered as often as you like without old seams showing) and that any glittering latticework, intricate detailing and precision tailoring are all done by hand by master artisans, usually a jacket takes about 130 hours to be made, a skirt, 40 and nothing but 300 hours or more to finish a gown. The result is a designed piece of clothing that will become you, feel and look spectacular on you, will enhance your best and conceal the worst. For those with extra cash in their bank accounts, the pricing sounds just about right for what they will get in return.

But if the clientele number is so insignificant and the expenses in producing an entire couture collection is astronomical why do designers bother to keep the haute couture business alive and kicking? First of, there are less than 30 fashion houses in the world licensed by the Chambre Syndicalle de la Couture Parisienne(the one responsible for the haute couture industry) and despite the fact that this industry is a loss leader, it is well-known its power beneath to boost an image so the name that goes with it can sell accessories, fragrances and cosmetics translating it into a multi-millionaire business, which makes the idea of haute couture attractive to fashion executives.

For designers, haute couture is their ultimate opportunity to express themselves and all their creativity, show off their craft and refine it. Unlike the ready-to-wear business, it is in the haute couture selective world that designers have room to dare and innovate. No surprise then, that in the last seasons we saw a lot of haute couture ideas become hot ready-to-wear trends: the return of true color, the revival of glamour, shoulder pads, one-shoulder dresses, corseted silhouettes to name a few.

Despite the fact that is getting harder to find new talents interested in haute couture and here I can include not only designers but also fitters, lace-makers and hand-beaders, the future of haute couture is apparently secure. At least as long as the luxury appeal remains around and economy allows women to indulge in.

FYI: If you do not bother to follow the haute couture catwalk seasons, every January and July in Paris, then stay tuned at the Oscar night. It is always a good opportunity to catch the latest trends in haute couture and preview what is about to appear in the ready-to-wear fashions in the seasons to come.