Oh, Carrie Bradshaw, Carrie Bradshaw: my first young-fashionista inkling into the vast world of haute runway and design. I unabashedly loved, loved, loved the series, especially the first three seasons. Carrie’s outlandishly luxe ensembles always lent her public just a little more bravery: if she can get away with that, well, you can get away with anything! Well, no, not really, but it’s fun to fantasize, isn’t it? One such outfit, early in the series in season one, was such a radical departure from Carrie’s maximalism, yet such a spot-on, iconic symbol of the entire series’ way of just laying it all out there. I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now. Who could forget The Naked Dress?
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| image via hollywire.com |
So, I’m sure you’ve seen it, but here’s the story
anyhow: Carrie takes her infamous
side-of-bus photoshoot in an amazing nude dress that is so form-fitting that
she affectionately refers to it as “the naked dress”. When she wears it on her first date with Mr.
Big, he famously quotes, “That’s an
interesting dress.” (Wow, I’m really
letting my dork flag fly!)
Carrie, as usual, was onto something way before celebs like
Victoria Beckham and Anne Hathaway: Nude
dressing is quietly assertive and an elegant option if you’ve grown weary of your prints
or need a break from bright colors. “But,
Keke, nude tones wash me out! I appear
as a corpse!” you might say, but I am here to tell you that nude and blush
tones are not a one-color-only
situation, and range from almost-ivory to peach to slightly-milk-chocolaty. There is – I said, there is! – a right one for you. To
get the right tone for your skin, you have to try, try, try! Hold up everything against your face, and don’t
forgo the blush or lipstick. If you find
your tone and sport it with your head held high, the result can be
uber-flattering, lengthening, ethereal, and just plain gorgeous.
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| Images LtoR, Marie Claire March 2011; Carla Mancini Bag, 299.99, feetfirststores.com; Valentino F/W 2011, style.com; Hanky Panky low-rise 5-pack, 83.99, feetfirststores.com; image, Vogue Austrailia, June 2011; Anne Hathaway at the 2011 Golden Globes, stylespotter.com; Bottega Venetta F/W 2011, style.com; Haider Ackermann F/W 2011, style.com; Sam Edelman Holland Flats, 124.99; illustration,
Bernadette Pascua, decadediary.com
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You can ease into the look like millions of other women
already have through the use of beauty, shoes, and accessories. I’m sure you already own the perfect nude
lipstick/gloss to wear with a smoky eye.
Why not try sporting opaque nude nails (or, what I endearingly call
them, “mannequin hands”)? Pick a shade
as close to your flesh tone as possible and nail the understated-quirky look on
its head.
Now, clearly I’m going to have to shamelessly plug the nude
shoe here, and let me tell you why. A
nude heel = instant supermodel legs, for one (not a bad reason, is it?). When worn with bare legs, the lengthening
effect is universal, making them a key staple for any girl in NOLA and beyond. Also, a nude pump is the most basic of shoes – it matches your skin for goodness sake – and therefore looks perfectly polished
with the craziest printed dress you could possibly come up with. And – a side
note – those Corso Como pumps? Perfect
little almond toe, perfect little stiletto heel and padded to the hilt. The result?
It’s like a Manolo and a slipper had a baby.
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| From top, clockwise; Boutique9 Dejana stiletto, 138.99, Feet First Stores; Lodis Tilly Nude Oversized Clutch, 249.99, feetfirststores.com; Sam Edelman Portney Pump, 129.99, feetfirststores.com; Corso Como Delicious Pump (the comfy one!), 129.99, feetfirststores.com; Poetic License Dear Diary heel, 99.99, feetfirststores.com. |
When you are going bare, a head-to-toe nude look can sometimes
get kind of, well, monotonous. To avoid
this, layer different shades together (ivory looks amazingly sophisticated
layered with nude and tan) or play with texture. When you want to punctuate the look with more
graphic tones, I recommend shades of cognac, orange, or (duh) black. I love a nude, filmy skirt or dress worn with
snakeskin (So Chloe!), or go more futuristic with a structured ensemble and
shots of silver.
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| L-R, clockwise: Street style shot, thesartorialist.com; All Black Rosette Flats, 117.99, feetfirststores.com; Big Buddha Ashley bag, 94.99, feetfirststores.com; Vogue Italia August 2010; Acne F/W 2011, style.com; Valentino F/W 2011, style.com; Chloe Sevigny, mystyleblog.com. |
Have fun with fleshtones:
once you discover your shade, they really do make chic dressing a
breeze. Add some texture, mix some tones together, do what feels right: your palette will be impeccable. And – as you
know – you can’t forget that confidence, your best accessory!
Love and fashion,
Keke
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