June 20, 2014

Summer Style Tips from Adam Glassman of O, The Oprah Magazine

blogger-image-1880516741

While I’m still lounging on the beach this week, I asked my Twitter friend Adam Glassman, Creative Director (and major style guru!) of O, The Oprah Magazine, to stop by and give us his best summer style tips. He shares everything from slimming swimsuits to styling the color white. Enjoy and see you back here Monday, lovelies! Xoxo

IHH: Since it’s summer, what are a few ultra-flattering swimsuit styles for those still trying to lose a few pounds?
Adam Glassman: One pieces with ruching or draping, strong fabrics, inner mesh for shaping, and dark colors or strategic prints are perfect for camouflaging a midsection problem area. A suit like one from Miraclesuit contains feature-minimizing Lycra Spandex. Land’s End also has a great one-piece suit with hidden shaping technology to give the appearance of a smoother stomach. It’s important to wear what you’re comfortable in and know what looks good on you. Always do the “towel test” to see if you may be revealing too much in a suit.

IHH: Maxi dresses are still so hot, but what shoes look the best?

AG: I’m loving maxi dresses this summer. If you’re hosting a party, try wearing your dress with jeweled slides or nude wedges and lots of bracelets. If you’re looking to be more casual, throw on some flip-flops or flats with a slouchy bag. Just remember only wear flip-flops if you’re at the beach.

IHH: What are some chic swimsuit cover-up options?

AG: There’s no use spending money on a great suit if you’re going to look frumpy in your cover-up. There are easy ways to look chic in a cover-up. I love the sarongs from Simple Sarongs. They have buttons so wrapping is a no-brainer. You can throw it over a suit, add some cute shoes and go from poolside to the bar. Sun protection is always in as well. A cover-up that offers UPF protection is great. Right now I’m loving a nautical-themed cover-up from Parasol Sun with 50+ UPF protection.

IHH: How do you wear white without adding pounds?

AG: Many people think only black is slimming, but that’s simply not true. You just have to choose the right style for your body. Over-the-knee length dresses flatter taller women. Boyish frames should try a boxy silhouette and A-line flatters pear-shaped women. A drop-waist pleated white dress looks great on all body types. Whatever dress you decide to wear, do not break these two rules: if you’re wearing a white dress, wear nude lingerie that matches your skin tone and don’t wear white shoes!

IHH: What’s the trick to mixing patterns?

AG: Wear what you’re comfortable in. Don’t be afraid to mix colors and patterns, but if you’re nervous about wearing patterns, try printed pieces with a white or neutral background to ground the look. If you do decide to mix patterns, make sure that the color intensity of both patterns are equal: brights with brights and pastels with pastels.