Guest Post: Olympic Fashion

If you haven't noticed, I haven't done many fashion posts lately. It's mostly because I've been traveling and spending my money on food and bus tickets. So, I asked my friend Jackie to write a guest fashion post, so here you go!

Hi!  I am Jackie!  You may have seen me pop up here and there.  I don’t’ know about you, but I have certainly caught the Olympic fever and I was devastated to see the Games come to an end on Sunday.  Luckily my good friend Layne came to my rescue and offered to let me guest post!  Naturally I chose to combine my longtime love, fashion, and my obsession of the moment, the Olympics.  While it is more than acceptable for Ryan Lochte and Gabby Douglas to go shirtless and pant less, us regular folks should still opt to stay (relatively) covered.  In addition to the lessons of courage and hard work, these world-class athletes have also taught us a few fashion tricks!

Inspired by: equestrians!

They inspired my uniform for the fall season: jeans tucked into knee-high riding boots, jacket, and scarf.  To mix it up, I might swap jeans for a skirt and tights, or I might wear a sweater instead of a jacket.  If I’m feeling really crazy, I may even switch riding boots for ankle boots.  The bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with wearing a stylish and flattering outfit over and over.

Lesson learned: don’t’ be afraid of (repeating) greatness!

Inspired by: Team USA at the Opening Ceremony!

Despite the controversy surrounding these Ralph Lauren ensembles, there is no argument that every American athlete, from boxers to marathon runners, from 4’11” gymnasts to 6’10” basketball players, looked great!  The opening ceremony, for some athletes, was the first time that they presented themselves to the world, and they certainly impressed!  Lose the hat and this outfit could be transformed for real-world wear.  Both comfortable and slimming, it would give you an extra boost of confidence to tackle a nerve-wracking situation, such as an interview.

Lesson learned: nothing screams flattering louder than collars and a well-tailored jacket!

Inspired by: Team USA on the podiums!

Again the color choice of the warm-up suits caused some controversy (why gray?), but I though that they were wonderfully designed.  Gray not only looked good on everyone, it also stood out against all the bright colors that other nations chose.  To translate this look into real-life, go monochromatic with a gray sheath dress and add appropriate bling of your own to make it work for any occasion!

Lesson learned: neutral doesn’t have to mean boring!

Bonus lesson!

A constant presence during these Games, the hosts of the Today Show showed us two ways to wear red, white, and blue:  chic and not-so-chic!

I had a blast writing this!  Thanks for bringing me out of my post-Olympics funk, Layne!