Fashion Tips/Questions Answered by Expert Christina A. Rallo, Esq.
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Vintage or Eclectic | 10/15/2007 |
| Q: Im trying to find a reasonably priced vintage dress for prom preferably form the 50's or 60's or ... A: There are so many great vintage dealers; prices will vary by the age, condition and original quality ... | |
| Fashion trend | 8/14/2007 |
| Q: How a fashion show set a fashion trend? A: Trends are actually set before the fashion shows and years before we see them in the market place. ... | |
| Blue Jeans | 8/14/2007 |
| Q: In previous questions, you've mentioned that torn, faded, blue jeans are going out of style. Which i ... A: It seems right now that we are going to a really clean look of straight legs and dark washes. If ... | |
| Glasses | 8/13/2007 |
| Q: I'm a 17 year old guy and I'm in need of some eyeglasses, and I just wanted to know what I should be ... A: I wore glasses for many years and really always felt you have to try things on and feel good in ... | |
| concert clothing | 8/5/2007 |
| Q: I am a concert pianist, and I want to wear something a little different than the usual tails, tux, ... A: I have read your rating and reply. I am sorry that you responded in that way. My words were meant to ... | |
| Help! | 8/1/2007 |
| Q: I'm 17, in high school for only one more year, love music and I Love Fashion! But i dont think im ... A: Well your question is a little too broad to really answer but I will suggest this. Look around you - ... | |
| Color Combination for dusty rose | 7/25/2007 |
| Q: I have a dress that is around the color of dusty rose and i'm looking to find something to wear on ... A: Is it day or night? At night you can always use black or even a midnight blue with this would be ... | |
| Tahari suit jacket | 7/24/2007 |
| Q: I have a Tahari dark brown suit jacket and cannot locate the pants for this suit. The style number ... A: Suit jackets can be tough. Not all of them will work well as a separate. but if you have determined ... | |
| Need help "dressing for success" | 7/20/2007 |
| Q: I'm an 18 year old female in dire need of some fashion insight. At a petite 5'1" yet an overweight ... A: Well, really you have two questions here I think. One is how to flatter your figure. The other is ... | |
| How to make glam tshirt | 7/20/2007 |
| Q: i have a lot of plain white t shirt and i want to re-design them to be glam atmosphere and fun, too ... A: Here is a great website about "t-shirt surgery" which gives instructions on modifying t-shirts in ... | |
| What to wear with mini skirt and leggings?? | 7/18/2007 |
| Q: I recently bought this really cute Dolce and Gabbana skirt on clearance - it is adorable. I know I ... A: You are describing what will be a totally 80s look. Mini over leggings ... on top you can either go ... | |
| band tshirts | 7/17/2007 |
| Q: i just bought a band tshirt that i LOVE, but it is for guys and doesnt fit very well...its not THAT ... A: First I have to ask, do you have any experience with sewing? If not, I don't recommend you do this ... | |
| help | 7/17/2007 |
| Q: im going to tart 6th form in september and the school i am going to won't allow you to wear jeans or ... A: Don't stress. Just substitute the skinny jeans with skinny pants of other fabrics like velvet or ... | |
| Men's Fashion | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: I am a 21 yr old male and relatively new to 'dressing myself'. For a long time I've been rather ... A: I think that before you can shop you need to think a bit about teh image you want to convey. Just as ... | |
| Wedding dress for a teen | 7/2/2007 |
| Q: I'm going to my cousin's wedding in September. It's in California in an area where the weather is ... A: Unless you are in the bridal party or its a black tie event, you are not expected to wear a gown ... | |
| blazer jackets on short guys | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I was just wondering if you would recommend (or not recommend) wearing a blazer for a night out on ... A: Skinny jeans just happen to be very in right now. But this really depends on the look you are going ... | |
| blazer jackets on short guys | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I was just wondering if you would recommend (or not recommend) wearing a blazer for a night out on ... A: A properly fitted blazer should look great as part of casual or casual-business attire for any man. ... | |
| Accessories with Dress | 6/26/2007 |
| Q: I just bought a dress to wear to an outdoor evening party in mid-July. It's a brown and cream zebra ... A: Follow the models lead. Long dangly earrings take the place of earrings and necklace. The long ... | |
| italian fashion industry | 6/20/2007 |
| Q: i came across an event called pitti uomo on the internet, but have not been able to find out a lot ... A: Pitti Immagine Uomo is the event that opens the European and international fashion fair season every ... | |
| Wedding attire | 6/17/2007 |
| Q: I am 53 the aunt of the groom at a 2:00pm wedding at the Citadel in charleston, SC. What type of ... A: Here is a briefing on protocol for military location weddings. ... | |
| Show dilemma | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: I am in my friends wedding in 2 weeks and am wearing a plain black tea-length strapless dress. What ... A: You do not mention your height, but if you are extra tall you can even go with a ballet flat with ... | |
| shoes | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: im a mild gothic dresser.i love lots and lots of black.my problem is its summer time, and although i ... A: Fear not; boots aren't the only thing that can work with yoru wardrobe. Visit Hot Topic online at ... | |
| Vintage Outfits.... | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: I am always trying to find new ways to put outfits together, I wear something vintage pretty much ... A: The Paper Bag Princess is a great site which has lots of content about trends incorporating vintage ... | |
| vintage lover who needs help | 5/29/2007 |
| Q: I am a vintage lover who recently purchased several vintage printed pleated skirts. What kind of ... A: Its really up to you but a few points should be made. Proportion. Very important when wearing a full ... | |
| Classic Rock and Roll Fashion | 5/23/2007 |
| Q: I'm a male and I love oldies Rock n Roll fashion. I wonder if you can tell me any references ... A: Search google.com for the words rockabilly vintage clothing as follows: ... | |
| clothing problem | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: i m 18 years old youth and i don't have a good clothing sense. plzz help me.. i m somewhat thin boy ... A: Well as I said before, steer away from anything too tight around the shoulders and upper body. ... | |
| clothing problem | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: i m 18 years old youth and i don't have a good clothing sense. plzz help me.. i m somewhat thin boy ... A: Stick to a simple style. Try a company like Urban Outfitters for casual clothes. For your body ... | |
| Outfit Questions | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: I have a question about my promotion outfit that I'm hoping you can answer(Promotion-every year ... A: On the pin. Most folks would put it at the top where the strap meets the dress but you can put it at ... | |
| Pear Shape | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: im 5.8ht, with 38 waist. i have to attend very important casual dinner. suggest me any dressing so i ... A: Jackets are best for a pear shape but if it cannot be then I suggest you buy a shirt that can bea ... | |
| accessories | 5/12/2007 |
| Q: I am a 55 yr old woman who will be attending a graduation in VA. Because we are traveling quite a ... A: From what I see going on, for Summer 2007, shoes and bags should be shiny as in patent leathers and ... | |
| I NEED GUIDE AND TIPS!! | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: Hey there i'm Roxanne 14 years old 5'2 fair complexion I need fashion tips and guide i like ... A: You are petite from what you say so your idol Alyson looks like a good image for you. Her styles ... | |
| wearing all black with a yellow clutch handbag | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: I am a attending a wedding very soon. I am thinking of wearing a black cocktail silk/tulle shirt ... A: I think its fine especially as we are into Spring and you are goin with all black otehrwise. You ... | |
| belt and shoes to match my dress | 4/4/2007 |
| Q: please help! I bought a bright fuchsia-pink pleated bell-shaped knee-length chiffon dress and I need ... A: Sounds vintage I assume. I would stick to a wide belt as originally intended so as not to upset the ... | |
| fashion geek | 3/31/2007 |
| Q: hey chris you sound like a fashion geek like me! do you have a website or something with your ... A: Everything that is coming in is very 80s in flavor. the high waisted pants/baggie belted shirt look ... | |
| DARK BROWN SHIRT AND LIGHT GRAY PANTS | 3/27/2007 |
| Q: How's the dark brown shirt and light gray pants combination? Apparently I wore this combo to work ... A: Gray comes in two basic tones, cool or warm. Cool tends to clash with brown but warm can work. To ... | |
| Wedding Gloves | 3/27/2007 |
| Q: I am wearing a strapless A - Line full length wedding dress. I am having a very wide brimmed 50's ... A: Although you say its a full length gown, you don't mention a train on the gown (more formal with a ... | |
| What to wear | 3/23/2007 |
| Q: I have never been to an American club before. However, I will be expected to go this coming weekend. ... A: Where are you from? Fashion is international and much of the style comes out of the great fashion ... | |
| fashion | 3/16/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if there is any web site that helps you get ideas on how to create your own clothe. ... A: I suggest you check out http://www.fashion-templates.com/about/trends and the rest of that site ... | |
| jeans | 2/13/2007 |
| Q: i am wanting torn ripped jeans with big ripps in them that are faded or light denim but i cant see ... A: That style is going out of fashion right now. What is in is darker wash with skinny legs. That is ... | |
| black dress | 2/5/2007 |
| Q: I bought a sexy, black, pencil dress to wear next weekend, and I wanted to know if I should wear ... A: Good for you! Sounds nice. Yes, you certainly can give the outfit pop with a colored pump with color ... | |
| Costume | 1/31/2007 |
| Q: I am going to a costume BBQ in July and I will be about 8 months pregnant. It is a retro theme I ... A: Check out this site for a good picture of a typical maternity outfit in one of the shots they ... | |
| Evening wrap | 1/28/2007 |
| Q: I will be wearing a dress that is black with tiny white polka dots to an anniversary dinner. The ... A: Basically your dress and shoes/bag are not colors - they are black with a touch of white. Neither ... | |
| Fashion Changes? | 12/30/2006 |
| Q: I'm writing an essay on "Change", and I figured writing about fads over time would be original and ... A: Here is a great site to start, http://www.vintageblues.com/history_main.htm, with info on fashion ... | |
| need to find retailers for my style | 12/28/2006 |
| Q: I would like to find online and physical location stores in my style. Problem is, I don't know ... A: Try Urban Outfitters online as well as Free People and Anthrolpologie, all online and in stores. But ... | |
| Lemon dress, grape shoes? | 12/19/2006 |
| Q: Occasion: Semi-Formal wedding Season: Summer Colour scheme of dress: Beige and faded lemon shades ... A: Okay, before we get into the meat of your inquiry, I must get one thing out of the way. You do say ... | |
| Aeon Flux's costume | 12/18/2006 |
| Q: I am a 13 year old girl and I just watched the movie Aeon Flux. That cool black outfit she wears is ... A: Well, if you are going to wear tight, black laced up clothes all the time, I imagine you are going ... | |
| MUSTY smelling, beaded blouse | 12/6/2006 |
| Q: The tag on the blouse says "DO NOT DRY CLEAN" ok by me. It reads "SPOT CLEAN"....how do I get that ... A: There are many suggestions out there. One is to place the garment on cool air in your drier with ... | |
| What about shoulder pads | 10/6/2006 |
| Q: I am 57. I bought two new pantsuits today for a fall conference at the end of the month. One is ... A: Its a matter of preference within limits. Huge pads like in the 80s are definitely out but smaller ... | |
| Age for modelling | 10/5/2006 |
| Q: I'm 25 yrs gal having an inclinatin towards fashion, style and modelling. I really feel that with a ... A: Today things have changed. There are pageants like the Mrs. America involving women in their 40s. I ... | |
| color | 9/15/2006 |
| Q: what is the best color for this season.and how woul it look on dark skin. A: This season is boasting neutrals - browns, tans and such - and red. All look great on dark skin. If ... | |
| about the job of being a fashion designer | 9/11/2006 |
| Q: what is your average work week? does it include weekends and holidays? does it include overtime? ... A: I am not currently working as a designer. But I can tell you typically what its like. If you are ... | |
| t-shirts | 8/31/2006 |
| Q: i have loads of plain t-shirts and I dunno how to wera them without my outfit ending up looking ... A: Okay first the last part, if they are not preshrunk cotton you may be able to tighten them a little ... | |
| zips! | 8/25/2006 |
| Q: have quite a few pairs trousers/jeans that have faulty zips!!!even my fave pair of black jeans,this ... A: Usually a zipper that refuses to stay shut is the symptom of a worn slider (that piece of zipper ... | |
| what clothes to wear on a date | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: Christina. I am 20 yrs old and i have a slim boy type. can you please give me some advice on what to ... A: Try to add feminine curves to a boyish figure * Try jackets, tops and dresses that are shaped in ... | |
| Shrinking clothes | 8/12/2006 |
| Q: My husband has a bad habit of letting his t-shirt collars get stretched out. He also has several ... A: This is not really my expertise but if we are talking about cotton here you might try steam ironing. ... | |
| shoes | 8/10/2006 |
| Q: I'm a low-maintenance 27 year old girl who works with computers- so I can pretty much dress for ... A: Well right nwo we are still doing a little bit of the 70s thing and that means that platform wedge ... | |
| Need help identifying this object | 8/9/2006 |
| Q: I have seen this worn on shirts before, but do not know what it is called or where to buy one. It ... A: Yes I have seen them around and variously referred to as collar chains or collar clips. But frankly ... | |
| Small Teen | 8/6/2006 |
| Q: I'm asking for suggestions on what to wear to have a certain look i want. Whenever I shop though, I ... A: The punk rock look is available in a lot of shops these days. Have you tried Urban Outfitters or Hot ... | |
| Personal Style | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: It takes awhile for a person to figure out a “fashion sense”, and I’ve just begun to get out of that ... A: I guess what I am really not sure about is why your personal style needs to have a name. Especially ... | |
| Men's shoes | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: Rallo, Hello. I am hoping to tap your expertise about men's shoes. I have 3 pairs, one plain black ... A: What you are doing is the safest bet. There is no reason why you couldn't wear brown shoes with a ... | |
| new job, college graduate | 6/30/2006 |
| Q: My daughter will be starting a new job at a government agency in Washington DC. She is a college ... A: Your inclination is absolutely correct - suits are the safest way to go. Pant suits are perfectly ... | |
| Fishnet Tops | 6/25/2006 |
| Q: I have a neon blue fishnet top (like this one: ... A: Sure, whay not! I would steer away from t-shirts since the fishnet is designed to show some skin and ... | |
| Antrhopologie Bargains | 6/1/2006 |
| Q: I love the look of Anthropologie tops and dresses. The lacey romantic look is so nice. Problem = ... A: I know Anthropologie well. Their look is typical bohemian or based on vintage clothes. The look has ... | |
| Vintage | 5/11/2006 |
| Q: I am a designer (in progress) and I want a theme of "The return of Old Glamour" for my line. I ... A: Check out http://www.oldpatterns.com/links.html, both for their own vintage patterns as well as the ... | |
| What to wear to a Broadway play | 5/10/2006 |
| Q: I am going to see The Color Purple on broadway in NY I am not quite sure what to wear, Typical I am ... A: Truly, the formality of dressing up for this sort of thing is really not an imposed requirement in ... | |
Christina A. Rallo, Esq.
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am a collector of vintage clothing as well as a trendsetter in my own way. I also collect fashion illustration, TV & film costumes, hats of all kinds, and antique Chinese bound foot shoes. In general, I am into fashion past and present. I also make and design my own jewelry and accessories. I can offer tips on dressing for success, or for a night out, and on how to have fun with fashion as well as enjoy its rich history.
Experience
I have been collecting fashion and fashion related material for over 15 years. I have been making jewelry and accessories for nearly as long. I have an extensive library on the history of fashion and I have been experimenting with fashion all my life. I am known for my vintage wear, personal style, and ability to wear nearly any hat and look good. I keep up on the trends but never wear exclusively what is trendy; always mix and match with old and new and the unusual to achieve a very personal result.
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