Style Expert Mary Alice Stephenson: What to Wear Now!

Shake up your wardrobe with fun summer beauty and fashion trends to try out on a summer's day or night!

-Brittany Roshelle Davis, BettyConfidential.com


As I write this article, my nails are painted in alternating deep crimson red and bold purple nail polish colors. And my toes? They're painted orange with white zebra stripes. I haven't had this much fun with fashion in years and I'm not alone. Women everywhere are embracing themselves and stepping outside their comfort zone. Fashion and beauty expert, editor, stylist and Sally Hansen style advisor, Mary Alice Stephenson is here to keep us up to date on the hottest fashion trends and let us in on her red carpet beauty secrets:

What colors are really trendy right now?

In regards to color, there are two directions: color blocking and vibrant, over-the-top in your face color that we're seeing on the runway from people like Gucci. There is also this idea of matching all in one color, or putting two or three crazy colors together like purple and orange. Bright bold colors are in. like toxic green, yellow, berry blue, or orange.


The other big color trend is whites; you're seeing white everywhere you go. Most of them are sheer but there is a lot of variety. Calvin Klein did a more structured summer white this year. Beauty wise you have to be careful because you want your skin to look phenomenal. One of the biggest red carpet tricks is to always use a body spray. Unlike spray tans, they don't stain your clothes and it's really inexpensive. A white dress will make all the imperfections in your legs come out and that's why it's really important to use body leg spray.


Fabulous! What are the biggest trends for this summer?

One hot summer trend is to mix up prints. There are a lot of abstract floral prints out there and you can mix an abstract floral with a plaid or a stripe. The idea is to mix prints that normally are not together but as one, they look really good. Partially because it's the unexpected that's fun. That idea can also be taken to the nails especially for women who can't bring color into their clothes, such as a corporate environment.

Wherever I go anymore, people are obsessed with nail color. It's becoming like jewelry. You can have all the nails the same outrageous color or use color blocking where three nails are hot pink, three turquoise and the rest are orange. The main idea is to paint two colors that you would never think would work together and if you don't want to mix up colors, I suggest using colors with khaki as a neutral. Sally Hansen Nail Strips (over 20 patterns, $9 each style, drugstore.com) in particular have flirty options with zebra stripes, nautical or leopard designs.

What other hot accessories are in?

You can't deny that this is the summer of the wedge-they're everywhere. The stronger, the sexier, the cooler. You want shoes with personality. If you can't buy a lot of clothes that would be my recommendation for accessory. What shoes you wear can really up the ante, something classic can become something totally different.


Jelly Pop Cliff's woven wedge sandal ($29.99, amazon.com)

We know that statement jewelry is here to stay. I find it's really fascinating that people are doing more of it and it's being done better. Just look at the first lady. Unlike your bags where you have to put them down wherever you go, you don't take off your jewelry which is what makes statement jewelry perfect. You should splurge on things that people will see and you'll get more bang for your buck.


Birds of Paradise necklace ($178, stelladot.com)

What can women do for their hair? What do you think of the feather extension hair trend?

I've seen a lot of different hair painting, metallic and feather styles. Streekers Wild Weekend temporary hot colors for cool hair ($10.95, streekers.com) (8 colors, only four are shown) are a really fun and easy to do a color trend. I think that feather hair extensions are cool but it's all in how you do it. It's been around a while, its just people of all ages are embracing it more.

Hairstyle wise for this summer, it's best to keep it simple. You can try a ponytail, hair greased back, or hair pulled back. Go crazy with your clothes and make-up and go simpler with your hair.

The seventies came back a bit with fringe, and leather chain purses…and jumpsuits. Why do you think the 70s are huge right now?

I think it came back because women know that they don't have to dumb it down anymore. They can be fashion forward, sexy, and sensual and it doesn't mean they are less professional. It's great to see powerful women wearing all this high fashion in a fashion forward way. This is the summer of, "Women don't want to look like everyone else." They want to put a personal style stamp on everything they wear. Right now you can wear like a Calvin Klein over the top shirt-dress, a statement necklace with diamonds, and sandals. Moms are wearing silver nails to soccer practice. There's just not as many boundaries anymore and its so refreshing. I think it's a personality revolution in fashion and beauty for women today.


For summer is there an outfit that you can't wrong by wearing it if you want to look simple yet sexy?

There is this idea of wearing shorts in a new way. Women sometimes think that haven't gotten into the whole summer thing. Some women don't like their legs and therefore, don't wear skirts. If you want to show some skin, shorts are a good way around that. You can wear it at night with a sexy blouse and a high heel. Wear shorts like you would a skirt or jeans. I'm thinking less of a Daisy Duke look and more of a Bermuda style.


What's the hottest celebrity trend occurring right now?

Wigs and changing hair color has definitely been a hot trend. Gaga wore green hair recently so I think we will see more of that. I think that that people are a bit more covered up as well. Last year it everything was sheer, teeny, and exposed but this year they are a bit more elegant but in a cool way like a Cate Blanchett.


I'm about to go shopping…again…what should I be looking for when I pick out my clothes?

The main point of summer clothing is if you're going to invest in something, you should be able to dress it down and glam it up. It used to be women would get dressed for certain occasions such as work or out on the town dancing. The truth of the matter is you should buy have clothes that can be worn in every situation. Become your own stylist. Play items together. Wear denim with your sequin skirt or Capris with you highest heel. There are no rules. And in fact the biggest rule in fashion is to break the rules. So take the time to try new things on and give yourself permission to really break your own rules.

I love it! Now that I'm all glamed up and ready to go, can you describe your most fashion savvy outfit and accessories worthy of the red carpet?

Just One?! For me the perfect red carpet dress changes moment to moment. I see a dress and want to use it or put it on one of the models I work with and then 45 minutes later I see another dress and I want that one. The good news that that there are so many fabulous outfits and accessories out there to have a red carpet moment every 15 minutes.

Brittany Roshelle Davis is a freelance writer who specializes in all things fabulous. Visit her site!

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