Goodwill Fashion Expert—Bjorn Nasett

While looking through the thousands of photographs that I’ve taken at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City, something sort of magical happened. I started to pay attention more closely to the background of the photographs as I searched out the faces of the famous (or, just extremely fashionable people seated in the front row). In some shots, where my focus was off, the clarity of the people who were sitting in the front row watching the show really started telling me a story. I realized just what a feat these front row sitters had to pull off.  That is, being photographed over and over in the background of runway pictures at one of the most fashionable events in the world! To be able to pull together a chic, confident, and ultimately comfortable look, is really a master class in style all on its own. Since the photographs in this blog were taken with a small digital camera from my seat in the theatre, I decided to crop the images to reveal some of the folks in the front row of the S/S 2013 Carlos Miele runway show at MBFW. Brazilian designer Miele, who hails from Sao Paolo, is known for being a master with fabulous flowing gowns, as well as using draping, pattern and print like no one else. You’ll see that from the ethereal looks that float by our front row sitters. Although I may not know their names, I must commend them for looking great and sharing their personal style ideas simply by sitting front and center.

Here’s some tips and tricks about the way to dress as the days get lighter and brighter. The summer season lets us shed all the layers of the drab and cold, winter to show off some of our true style colors. Summer is also the time to take a long, hard look at just what makes any outfit into envy-worthy fashion. Utilizing some photographs that I’ve taken during my twice yearly stints at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City, I point out the elements that anyone can use to put some punch into every outfit they wear. 

The minute the mercury rises above freezing, some people automatically reach for the athletic shorts, t-shirts and flip flops right? We’ve seen them out on the street, in the grocery store, and all around town. But, I beg to ask you, do they look fashionable? Sporting your summer fashion looks prematurely isn’t always a good thing. The importance of putting a little more thought and consideration into what you wear is what I have dedicated many years of my life to helping people understand. I know we all want to collectively strut our stuff when the sunshine makes an appearance again, but be aware that somewhere someone (like me) is watching and taking note. Herewith, the first installment of my do’s and don’ts for summertime fashion success! All photos were taken by me at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NYC.

Yellow keeps company on the color spectrum by residing between green and orange. Yellow has been associated with the beauty of nature like these lemons in the market of Valencia Spain, as well as golden sunshine, marigolds, buttercups, and the common dandelion. The color has been universally recognized for its association with happiness, prosperity, and pleasure wherever it’s used. It’s also one of fashion’s easiest colors to wear, yet seemingly the most frightening for people to commit to! Once again this week I’ll show you some of my photographic work from my coverage of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City, and point out the way we can utilize the ideas they convey.

The word commonly used to describe a marriage between the colors of pink and orange is coral. This word is taken from marine invertebrates that inhabit tropical oceans and create a hard skeleton with sharp edges. The beauty of the branch-like coral reef itself has been used as a basis for design concepts for years, but in the fashion world, the color “coral” has been embraced over and over again during the past couple spring and summer seasons.

There is a serious business going on far beyond what was once the simple act of saying “I do!” With shows on television like “Say Yes to the Dress,” “Four Weddings,” “Bridezilla’s,” and many others, it seems that we ALL know a little something about the planning and stress that goes into action long before the actual march down the aisle. There are countless bridal magazines, bridal salons and specialty bridal websites along with trends that cover all facets of wedding hair and makeup. But, the wedding fashion trends are what I find to be the most interesting. With June being the most popular month for weddings (and it’s just around the corner) now seems like a good time to talk weddings! This week I want to share with you some of the latest and greatest for the DIY bride and groom, as well as those spending a small fortune just to get hitched. As I often say, good taste and good ideas are worth far more than money when it comes to having the wedding and party of your dreams! 

There is nothing more fashionable than a scarf. There I’ve said it! Scarves are absolutely, hands down, one of the easiest ways to: A.) Stay warm and ward off the winter chill; and B.) Update an outfit in two seconds flat!

For winter you should have a collection of scarves in a range of colors and textures of your liking for obvious practical purposes. But do they have to be so utilitarian? Let’s do a little research on this popular accessory and get to the root of its popularity. Did you know that these pieces of cloth were originally used to absorb sweat from the neck and face in Ancient Rome? Of course women started to see their potential as an accoutrement to their daily attire before long. Next thing you know, they were being made from all kinds of luxurious fabrics like wool or silk which probably felt more comfortable to the wearer than the norm of rough cotton or linen. In many countries around the world, the silk scarf was also used to delineate the rank of officers from the cotton ones worn by the rank and file. The 20th century is when the simple scarf really came into its own. With mass production and the movie business showing people the way, soon anyone and everyone could be as chic and suave as a movie star or an elegant Park Avenue swell.

When January rolls around every year, the end of year lists come out. Lists like, best and worst, top trends, and all those lists that tell you how to motivate yourself to be a new person in the year ahead. Those are all fun to read and every now and then you can actually glean some tidbits of information that are useful to you personally. Putting those nuggets of wisdom into practice however is another thing entirely. Let’s face it, to quote American businessman Peter Drucker, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” When it comes to fashion advice to help you navigate your potential style makeover, I like to stick to practical ideas that work for anyone. There is something about this time of the winter, when we’re feeling housebound, that seems like a great time to play my “Ditch or Switch” game. This is a simple game that can be played alone, with a good friend, or someone whose advice you take seriously. It starts by creating a “ditch” box or bag that you’ll take with you into your closet, bedroom, or wherever you store your clothing. Next you’ll take a notepad and write, “switch” at the top of the page.This is where you or a friend takes notes. Let’s play!

First, go through every drawer and closet really quickly and make fast decisions on what you can purge without question.  It is best to do this as fast as you can and not really think about it. Go with your gut instinct. Remove said items to the “ditch” pile.  Remember these are items that are easy to let go, such as items that don’t fit, things you don’t wear, and things that you just don’t like anymore.  It should be simple and fast, no hesitation.

New Year’s resolutions are a big deal this time of year. They can come in as many shapes and forms as the people who make them. Some are huge life changes that require lots of planning and willpower; while others may be about adding a little adjustment here and there to spruce up or streamline things we do every day. I always say that it’s the small things that make the most impact, especially when it comes to style and fashion. So, making a resolution to step out of your comfort zone while putting yourself together for work, a party or special occasion, should be on that carefully written list as well. Learning to see ourselves differently in the literal sense can definitely help manifest those other changes we’d like to make in our lives as well. It’s all about taking that first step toward what can be a very attainable goal. This is where your local Goodwill store comes into play for you and your family all year round! By presenting you with an array of constantly changing clothing and fashion items at a fraction of retail, our stores will help you transition into the stylish person you’ve always wanted to be. While on set shooting some photos for our Living Amazing section, we decided to show how simple it could be to add some zest to your existing wardrobe with just one or two “new” items. I chose animal prints not only because they never go out of style, but because in many cases folks are a little fearful of adding them to their wardrobe. I will illustrate the ease with which you can pull together your own “call of the wild” in a confident way.