Sharon Haver – FocusOnStyle.com

MY BLOG:

STYLE YOUR SUCCESS, LIVE YOUR DREAM...


The FocusOnStyle Blog
Helping You + Your Business Get Out There!

Make it your business to live your dream…

 

I inadvertently started my blog during my infant son’s nap time back in 1999… before the term ‘blog’ was even popular.

Through it all, I believe…

Your style is your fingerprint in all that you do… it’s how you see the world + how the world perceives you.

 

The blog archives go back to the beginning and are updated regularly.  You’ll find 1,000’s of posts about modern business, branding, positioning, marketing, photos, fashion, style, beauty, lifestyle… and most importantly, how to do anything authentically. Enjoy!

The Blog Posts...

Style Motivation Week! When you are out of your comfort zone…

This week’s Spotlight is all about Style Motivation... 'cause if you can't get motivation, you can't get it together... regardless of what IT is. Sometimes, you need a little kick to get out of your comfort zone and that's what this post is about. So kiss that style rut bye-bye.- S.H. The other night I was sick. Really sick. A case of food poisoning to rival that scene in The Exorcist times seven. The following day had me feeling like I was bitten by a swarm of Tsetse flies (ok, I don't know what that really feels like, but it could be close to this) coupled with a case of cabin fever that I desperately needed a quick respite from. Vroom, vroom, it was

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Really, what do fashion people wear? It’s more normal than you think

Gray classics from Zara
Do you think it involves six-inch platforms and three mixed prints everyday? Eh, think again on what fashion people wear in their real lives. You might discover that it's a lot like you. I often hear that someone has shied away from fashion because they think it's too complicated.  Well, it is if you follow the photos in magazine editorials or fashion bloggers who pose their day away (where do they get the time?). Everyone has a different approach to fashion. There is no one modus operandi to style other than being authentic to yourself. And, that's not necessarily being trendy. Particularly, when you take a close look at what 'fashion people' REALLY wear. Don't get me wrong, everyone can

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The Dress Your Age Question: How do you know if your personal stylist is right for you?

I was just on the most interesting phone conversation. One of my ladies, I'll call her Allegra, was talking to me about the C'est Chic Crash Course and if we were the right fit. She said, "I'm confident to know that you won't tell me to wear ridiculous pink glitter shoes. I know you'll get me and you're not 12." You see, Allegra is in her late 40s and was in personal stylist situation where the person she turned to for style guidance was more interested in styling others to be little clones of herself. And that youngish stylist happens to have a penchant for glitter and polkadots. Both swell on their own. When worn the right way. On the

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How to get an effortless sense of style

 Dear Sharon:  I really want to know how to have an effortless sense of style. What are the tips to achieve a look that is elegant, sophisticated, but understated and doesn't look like I tried too hard, in other words, effortless style. I'm always afraid of looking high-maintenance and a little too preoccupied with my appearance rather than looking at ease in my appearance. I guess what I want is the opposite of the overstyled looked you see on reality TV. I'm in my mid 40's and would have thought that I could have nailed down my look by now but that's far from the case.  (G.S. via Fashion Advice)   >>RELATED READING: Abundant Style Mantras- 10 Ways to Make the MOST of What You’ve

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Mommy Chic: Easy style stay at home mom clothes- YES, you can wear yoga pants!

Stay at home mom
Ok, not too old  for one of our 15th anniversary online posts, but rather important in honor of Mother's  Day. Yes, ladies you can look pulled together when you have a super casual lifestyle. have read with this week's Mommy Chic post. -S.H. What to wear when all the moms are fashion plates. Let's discover stay at home mom clothes for a mom who is is changing schools and feels the need to compete with the new moms in town. I hope you don't judge me on this but I feel like I'm being judged and need wardrobe help on my stay at home mom clothes. I'm a stay at home mom and really love that. We've relocated and my daughter

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Stylist Advice- Sheer or Opaque, what type of pantyhose to wear with what?

SPANX Tights - Uptown Tight-End-Tights Blackout at Bloomingdales
There are so many different types of pantyhose- sheer, demi sheer, nude, opaque, tights, lace, and the list goes on and on. Let's help this reader, and you, figure out what type of pantyhose to wear with what.  I have a draw full of black pantyhose- sheer, opaque, very opaque, and a few textured (hate them as I think they make my legs look fat). The thing, is that I never know what kind of pantyhose to wear with what kind of outfit.Is there any guide as to understand when it is better to wear sheer opaque over heavy tights? (via Fashion Advice)>> MORE: Pantyhose tipsThere's no doubt that all black hosiery is created equal. There are ton's of weights and textures to

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Stylist Advice on how French women look chic in flats & you can too!

One of the many Bonus Expert Interviews in my C'est Chic Crash Course is on the topic of how to master Parisian Chic Anywhere! A key element to French chic style is giving up the heels here & there and wearing flats. But "their" flats never look frumpy or dumpy. So I pulled up this post on how French women look chic in flats and thought it was the perfect time to revisit the style advice. Whether you're a Francophile or not, we bet you've wondered how French women look chic in flats, and so has our latest reader's inquiry...  Dear Sharon:  I've been wearing flats again since they've come in and out of fashion over the past few years but I've yet

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A little French Chic… the cashmere poncho

I'll Have What She's Having: A very simple and forever French Chic poncho A trip to Paris was supposed to be on my docket for next week. But we have far too many other quick jaunts on the schedule for that trip to work out now. Still yearning for a getaway to Paris, I found this Crimson cashmere video that I shared with the ladies in the C'est Chic Crash Course earlier. Then I got to thinking, why don't I share it with you too? It's full of great styling ideas on how to wear the very French chic poncho.  Plus, enough of a Parisian lifestyle dose to put you in the mood for a virtual getaway, altho brief that it may be. Not

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Best of Oscar Red Carpet Fashion 2015

I'll Have What She's Having: I'll be live blogging the best of the Oscar Red Carpet Fashion (come back during the night for more) Rosamund Pike (above) in a red, form-fitting gown is going to be a hard one to beat. absolutely stunning. Totally movie star appeal. Simple pulled back hair. Dream on... And, she just had a baby! #perfection Dakota Johnson (on a date with mom Melanie Griffith) in a red Saint Laurent gown. So fresh and modern. A simple ponytail and red lip prove that less is more. Marion Cottiard in Dior Hate Couture. True meaning of a dress being very specific... and she pulled it off! The front is simple and elegant and the back has the

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Sit back and watch the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Shows- Spring / Summer 2015 Videos

  I thought it would be nice to have bump of inspiration today so that you can think about beyond what's in your closet. Sit back and watch the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Shows videos. Take note of color, textures, silhouettes, combinations and luxury at its finest. Dream a little dream of possibility and how inspiration filters into your world. What's your favorite collection? Viewing Hint: I think it's kinda fun to hit play on all of them at once, get past the commercial, and slim the details. MORE: Runway Valentino Haute Couture Fashion Show [raw][/raw] More Valentino Chanel Haute Couture Fashion Show [raw][/raw] More Chanel Giorgio Armani Prive Fashion Show [raw][/raw] More Armani Christian Dior Haute Couture Fashion Show [raw][/raw] More Dior Atelier Versace

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Haute Couture Inspiration- Schiaparelli Paris Spring/Summer 2015

On this snowy New York day, nothing could be more uplifting that the divine wit and whimsy from the Schiaparelli Paris Haute Couture Spring 2015 Collection shown during Paris Couture Fashion Week. The collection called “Reflections of Elsa” is described as "an ode to self-confidence" with surrealist touches in homage to Elsa Schiaparelli like trompe l’oeil hands that close a crystal star necklace. Notice the flats worn with the very fabulously flamboyant pieces. There really is something magical about this collection, don't you think? MORE: Runway and Schiaparelli In In their words... Schiaparelli Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2015  “Reflections of Elsa” Elsa Schiaparelli introduced her “Stop, Look & Listen” collection in January 1935 when she moved into her new couture house located 21 place Vendôme. Schiaparelli

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Red Carpet Your Way: Try these celebrity style accents at home!

I'll Have What She's Having: Red carpet your way style inspiration a la Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Claire Danes at the S.A.G. Awards It's so easy to dismiss what you see on the red carpet as a fantasy that will never fit into your real life. But, use what you see as an inspirational launch point to punch up your personal style.  As I tell the ladies in the C'est Chic Crash Course, the nuance is in the details, so let's get to it! Feminine Spin On A Tuxedo   I love a spin on tuxedo dressing as a super feminine way to dress. Yes, menswear on a woman can be very sexy. We saw Emma Stone's tuxedo look last week, and Julia Roberts

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Luxe Western Home Decoration Ideas on a Bargain Budget. Trust Me, You Will Want to Go West!

This chair was only the bones when I found it at the Brimfield Flea Market, I left the back exposed and used a deep blue Chanel Velvet. The mirror was found in my mother attic. The vintage sign came from the 25th street Flea Market in New York City
Living large on a small budget. It's not about money. It's about home style! Cowboy Chic: Interior designer tips to add some rustic Western Home Decoration to your home style with luxury Flea Market Finds for a 'Rustic Big Chill'  I'm always up for a challenge when it comes to home style. Many of you know that I was at my vacation place out West recently. When it came to redecorating my Wyoming home, I wanted something that was very different from how we live in New York City. Something that was both very cozy, rustic, and Western. The launch point for my design inspiration came from vintage Roy Rogers and Dale Evans memorabilia, and then I took it from there.

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