How to Style Tucker Prints

I can't believe it's been nearly THREE years since a blog reader last hired me to do a wardrobe consultation! So when one of my favorite fellow BLOGGERS emailed me and asked me to help her revamp her wardrobe, I was a little nervous but mostly thrilled to dive back into styling. Here's her "Diabolina Styled Me and I Liked It" story.

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Diabolina and I first “met” when I used to have a fashion blog, The Style Rules, and we would frequent one another’s blogs. The first time we met in real life was at a Tucker sample sale in 2010. I loved D’s style: how it was a mix of polished and pop with some fearless accessories and fancy shoes thrown in. So when she started doing styling and wardrobe consultations back in 2009, I knew I had to enlist her help.

Fast forward a few years, and I’ve just graduated from law school and am in dire need of a wardrobe revitalization. I used to work in fashion PR, and going from that creative environment to the seriousness of law school discombobulated my sense of style, to say the least.

I found myself shopping and shopping but never taking the next step to wear most of my purchases. And when I did, I did so with little effort and began wearing the same outfits for the same occasions over and over: Tucker blouse, skinny jeans, 5 inch heel, repeat. Worse, when I was in class (which was much of the week) I would stick to basic tees and jeans for fear of looking like “the fashion-forward girl” in a class full of academics.

I knew D would be able to help me navigate through my closet and find new outfits waiting to be worn for both play and business alike. Since I will be an attorney soon in either public interest or family law, I needed D’s help to find outfits that could be serious and modern, but with a hint of pop thrown in.

I was shocked at how D was able to take all of the things I had already purchased and mix them in ways I had never thought of. My favorite outfit of the day was my Theory blazer (which I had only ever worn paired with its matching wide-leg slacks – boring!), a polka dot top, skinny black pants and, for an added pop, a bright orange necklace and Miu Miu leopard print heels. 

 I loved how mixing and matching unexpected pieces turned into an outfit that could be worn from a lunch meeting to drinks with my girlfriends. The whole look made me feel so confident – and it didn’t look crazy at all, given the mix of patterns and textures. D also gave me great casual options that didn’t look too put together, but just put together enough to show I had some style. The kind of style that reads as effortless – love that! 

D was great at offering objective advice on what worked on my body. She told me what to focus on and what to stay away from, which made a huge difference and is something I had never really noticed before.  D  pointed out that I was buying sizes too big for my shape – something I had always done thinking it made me appear thinner. Also big and long lapels and jackets that hit at the thigh = BAD on my frame!

Jackets that hit closer to the hipbone = better, more proportional.





D also suggested adding some colored shoes to my collection as well as some polished flats instead of my go-to flip flops. Also more structured tops. Unbeknownst to me, I had been solely buying shoes of the black and brown variety.  And I did not own ONE structured top. All I had in my closet were billowy Tucker blouses or loose tanks.

Included in my wardrobe consultation was a lookbook that D put together for me with all the pieces she suggested I purchase to round out my wardrobe. It also included inspirational pictures of my favorite stylish celebs (Lauren Conrad, Nicole Richie, Rachel Bilson) wear the pieces I need in my closet. It was like Christmas morning and I can’t wait to purchase some of those pieces to go with my newly revamped wardrobe!




D was a pleasure to work with and be around – like a friend I’d known forever. I felt completely comfortable with her, even when discussing things like what looked best on my body and the negative feelings I had associated with attention. As D eloquently pointed out, “Not all attention is bad attention.”





Thanks D for getting me excited to put together beautiful outfits
as I begin my journey as an attorney in the months to come!

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How gorgeous is this honey child, right? Loved helping her identify the gaps in her amazing Tucker-filled wardrobe as she prepares for a big career shift. But particularly enjoyed giving her a boost of confidence to realize that standing out doesn't have to be a bad thing. Humbled by the opportunity to hand yet another lovely lady that bit of sartorial wisdom.