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Follow me on Instagram: @davidzyla for style inspirations, shopping suggestions and the most beautiful things that cross my path!
Photo credit: Cathryn Farnsworth
Follow me on Instagram: @davidzyla for style inspirations, shopping suggestions and the most beautiful things that cross my path!
Photo credit: Cathryn Farnsworth
Looking to Color Your Style? I am based in Los Angeles, and offer consultations throughout the United States and Europe. Here is the current schedule of dates and cities where I will be offering private Color Your Style Custom Color Palettes as well as Palette Extensions, Color Your Home, Shopping and Ultimate Style Sessions:
November 2-10 Los Angeles, CA
November 14-17 Dallas, TX
November 18-26 New York, NY
November 30-December 2 Savannah, GA
If you are interested in another major city, please reach out and we will add you to the list.
About a session: An initial private two hour consultation includes a custom color palette, as well as in-depth information on fabrics, patterns, design inspirations and the reveal of your archetype. This is “the plan” that will be used for all future shopping.
Click on the services button for more information.
To book an appointment please contact Alex at alex@davidzyla.com.
Are you traveling out of town this holiday season? If so, minimize time and money spent at the airport (and look absolutely fantastic the entire trip) with my advice on how and what to pack in a carryon bag.
We all possess in our natural coloring a unique set of True Colors. These are the tones found in our eyes, hair, and skin, which make us “pop” and look alive when we wear them. By assembling versatile pieces in a tight palette of these most flattering colors, we not only look fantastic but avoid the risk of overpacking. The best and most versatile travel wardrobe is one created with a trio of these “True Colors,” consisting of a neutral or “ 1st Base,” an “Energy” tone, and a “Dramatic” color.
To find out which neutral color to pack, look at the ring around your iris. What color do you see? It will be a dark neutral, possibly even black. You might see charcoal, olive, navy, chocolate, or eggplant. Use this base color in various shades for the basic wardrobe pieces for your trip such as skinny jeans, a coat, dress, and heels. Remember that this color is a neutral and while it supports and flatters your coloring, it does not “do” anything such as give your skin an extra glow or pop your eyes. Therefore, you should add two more colors to your travel wardrobe that will do exactly that.
The second color for your wardrobe should be an “Energy” color that pops your eyes. Use the darkest color in your iris. Some candidates for this color include slate, rust, grass, butterscotch, and pine. In brown eyes, it is not always an obvious color, so try putting swatches or clothing items up to your eyes to see colors like marigold, eggplant, and olive appear. Use this “Energy” color in a sweater, blouse, and scarf or tie. The color makes you look friendly and approachable and takes little effort to wear.
Finally, to add a bit of pop to your basic wardrobe pieces, employ your “Dramatic” color. This color is the greatest contrast to your skin, and therefore the most dramatic. It is found by looking at the veins on the inside of your wrist. This color will no doubt be a version of green, blue, and purple and can range from kelly to emerald, turquoise to periwinkle, and royal to grape. This is the perfect color to employ for your most festive “look at me” attire and great to use in a dress, sweater, or jewelry.
The perfect way to pack a carryon suitcase is to layer your items like a Jenga game tower. If you have a soft case suitcase (which will give you a bit more space), you will find a pair of slats across the bottom dividing the case into three sections. Start your packing by “filling in” these sections with small items such as rolled underwear and socks, creating an even surface across the bottom. Then by alternating the waistband ends, layer your pants. Follow with shirts folded flat around 8½-by-11-inch pieces of card stock, alternating collared ends. Add sweaters on top to cushion the items most likely to wrinkle.
A sample packing list for a woman embarking on a three-day vacation, including the outfit worn on the plane will fit nicely between your carry-on bag and in your personal item. In the “base” color, choose two pairs of casual pants or skinny jeans, a basic coat, a jersey dress, a pair of dressy heels (a metallic is great), a pair of flats or boots, a belt, socks, a pair of tights, and a basic purse. In the “Energy” color, bring a patterned scarf (also featuring your “1st Base” color in the pattern), a sweater or blouse (maybe a print with your “energy” and “base” colors in it), and a bracelet. In the “Dramatic” color, pack a dressy dress, a sweater, jewelry (including a statement necklace), and a scarf.
For a man, I suggest using the “1st Base” color in two pairs of casual pants, a basic three-quarter-length coat, a blazer (textured or with a subtle pattern), a zip-front, V-neck, or crew-neck sweater, a crew-neck T-shirt, a pair of casual slip-on shoes or boots, a pair of dress loafers, a basic belt, and socks. In the “Energy” color, pack a patterned scarf (best is if it has your “1st Base” color in the pattern), a pair of casual pants or corduroys, and a turtleneck or button-front shirt (this could be patterned with your “Energy” and “1st Base” colors.) In the “Dramatic” color, pack a v-neck or crew-neck sweater and a button-front dress shirt.
Have a fantastic trip!
I have spent my career helping women feel like the best versions of themselves. When it comes to feeling beautiful, I discovered that it is not about chasing trends, transforming yourself into an ideal, or even shifting one inch out of your comfort zone. It is all about identifying and magnifying the unique, individual and beautiful woman that you are!
Feel Good Beauty is a forum that I created during the pandemic with top experts offering their best tips to inspire, enrich and empower each and every day.
If you were unable to join Feel Good Beauty live, the first ten episodes are available on the David Zyla YouTube Channel here: https://tinyurl.com/y9s3mq7y
A Tailor Can…
-Add top stitching back to the hem of your jeans after shortening.
-Maximize the amount of length in a pair of pants by dropping the hem to the longest possible length and finishing the inside with hem tape.
-Stitch down and remove the front pockets of your pants to create a smoother, slimmer effect.
-Shorten straps so that a dress or top raises to fit through the torso and has properly placed bust darts and underarms.
-Shorten sleeves. If your coat sleeve is past the knuckle or your blazer sleeve is past the wrist, they can be adjusted.
-Line a sheer garment with your shade of nude (the color most complementary to your skin tone) to enable you to wear regular undergarments under it.
-Add a hook and eye or snap at the point where your button-front blouse gapes.
A Tailor Can’t…
-Take more than two inches out of the back center seam of jeans or pants with back pockets. Otherwise, the pockets will be too close together.
-Let out the seams of a garment made of a fabric that will show stitch marks such as linen, velvet, cotton, or silk. The result would be holes in your clothes.
-Reduce something more than one size. The proportions and seams will not end up where they should be.
-Remove heavy shoulder pads from a jacket. The fabric will not drape or fit your shoulders correctly without them.
-Lengthen a jacket. Shortening may be possible, but there will not be enough seam allowance to lengthen.
-Repair a hole by stitching it closed. Avoid a lumpy outcome and ask for a recommendation for a reweaving service.
-Change the original design completely. Alterations are possible, but if transformation is desired, go for another garment or have something custom made.