Here - Out & About Newspaper

E T C FASHION
Hello fashionistas!
I want to start by thanking Patrick Armstrong for giving me this new monthly
fashion column. I am so excited to have the opportunity to share my thoughts and
24
Layher brings years of fashion experience to the pages of O&AN
in new monthly column
by RENEE LAYHER
rlayher@outandaboutnewspaper.com
OUTANDABOUTNEWSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2012
philosophies about fashion with
Middle Tennessee’s fashion-savvy
GLBT community.
Each month, I hope to help
readers better understand fashion and
how to make it work best for you. I
have had much success in my career
as a wardrobe stylist, designer, and
boutique owner, because I keep my
approach to fashion simple: know the
person before choosing the clothes.
My job is not to go out and pull
a bunch of clothing off of a rack and
hand it to an artist or customer to try
on – that’s personal shopping. I need to
understand the person and their body.
Once I know his or her needs, I am
able to use my creativity to produce an
awesome finished product. It’s an art –
like being a painter.
Building a complete wardrobe is
the result of careful choices and good
planning. I am a true believer in lessis-more.
Once you have classic pieces
that fit well – a blazer, the perfect tee, a
properly-fitting pair of pants, etc. – you
can add other things, like accessories.
However, it all really comes down to
having a solid foundation on which to
build.
Next, you can look at adding
some fun pieces. As it’s the changing
of the seasons and people are looking
to expand their wardrobes, too often
I am asked, “What are the new trends
for the season?”
Some trends are great to follow,
such as a great bag or the newest
interior design color, but when it
comes to actually dressing your
body, the most important thing to
answer is “what is your own personal
statement?”
G R E A T E R N A S H V I L L E
Let’s take a look at a man’s
dressed-up environment. For a
“classic” look an elegant, black
tuxedo will look fantastic after it’s
professionally fitted, and it can always
be spiced up by a colorful bow tie for
a pop of color. A pair of waxed denim
jeans can give a polished look, yet give
a rocker’s edge, and can be dressed up
with a three quarter-length frock coat
and a great scarf.
A high profile business executive
can take a modern silk and mohair
suit and pair it with a unique tie or
luxurious silk scarf, as well as add a
blast of color with a custom-fit high
collar dress shirt. And, for the more
artistic man, wearing a riding pant
with a ruffled shirt and vest will exude
creativity, while maintaining a polished
look.
In all, whether I’m dressing a
person in haute-couture gowns or
designing the perfect custom-made
dinner jacket, I believe the best way to
dress yourself or someone else includes
two components: the right fit and what
reflects your personality.
Ultimately, in order for a person
to truly look good, one must wear
clothing with confidence and not allow
the clothing to wear the person.
Renee Layher is a stylist to the
stars and owner of the menswear
boutique, The Label, located at 2222
12th Ave. S. in Nashville. Store hours
are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.
to 7 p.m. Personal styling is available.
For private appointments, please call
(615) 394-1541. For more information,
please visit www.thelabelnashville.com
or email info@thelabelnashville.com.
O&AN
Social Club
for
Gay Men
SOME OCTOBER EVENTS
• Nashville Art Crawl – Sat., Oct. 6, 6 – 9pm / Meet at 8th & Broadway at 6pm
• Prime Timers’ Fundraiser Yard Sale in Madison – Sat., Oct. 13, 8am – 2pm
• Monthly Dining Out / The Pharmacy in East Nashville – Sat., Oct. 13, 7 – 9pm
• Road Trip & Dinner / Univ. of the South in Sewanne – Sun., Oct. 14, 1 – 6pm
• Gay Movie / Out Central “If The World Was Mine” – FREE, Wed., Oct. 17, 7 – 9pm
• Pot Luck / Picnic at Edwin Warner Park Lot 9 – Open to all, Sat., Oct. 27, 4 – 6pm
www.tnprimetimers.org 615-269-3263