Ready to Wear Story Ideas

Mary Lou Andre, author of Ready to Wear: An Expert’s Guide to Choosing and Using Your Wardrobe

Too many clothes, nothing to wear!

Their closet is packed with items that haven’t seen daylight since the Reagan administration. They run out to buy a new outfit every time an invitation arrives for a function, then return home only to discover they don’t have matching shoes. These are common dilemmas for women all over, regardless of the size of their wardrobe. Author, entrepreneur and nationally-recognized speaker Mary Lou Andre reveals that the majority of women wear only 20 percent of the clothing they own and ignore the rest. Andre is available to share her wardrobe taming tips, which include:

Assess your lifestyle to determine the category of clothing that works best for you.
Play tough love. Identify and toss the 80 percent of clothing you don’t wear to make room for the items you do.
Shop in your closet. Discover how to assemble new outfits by mixing and matching unrelated pieces you already own.
Develop a shopping plan within your budget to fill the gaps in your wardrobe.

All you need to know to dress like a pro

Ever wonder why some women always look terrific, even ones not blessed with a perfect body? That’s because they dress with an awareness of line, proportion and balance. Mary Lou Andre is available to discuss the importance of:

The strategic use of line formed by clothing to accentuate physical assets and downplay flaws.
Dressing proportionately for women who are petite, missy, tall, or plus size.
Creating balance in outfits by matching fabric styles and weight.

Mary Lou has specific suggestions that will help women of all sizes, body types and ages look and feel their personal best. Including:

How to dress 10 pounds thinner.
Camouflaging techniques for the bust, neck, thighs, arms, waist and ankles.
Dressing tips for the over 50 crowd.
Petite dressing.

Not a Casual Dilemma

Casual Day at the office has been around for nearly a decade, yet it continues to cause confusion. When do we dress up for work? When do we dress down? Are the rules for attire the same for every workplace? How casual is business casual, anyway?

Mary Lou Andre demystifies business casual in the workplace. She is able to describe the different categories of business dress, reveal how to dress for different work-related activities, and present easy guidelines for designing your own personal dress code at work.

White after Labor Day? Wool during summer?

For those who grew up with certain fashion ‘truths’ that may or may not still apply, the change of seasons can be a confusing time. Mary Lou Andre speaks with common sense about dressing in winter, spring, summer and fall, as well as those tricky transitional days between warm and cold weather. Her advice helps people avoid fashion faux pas and shows women how to be well dressed from head to toe 365 days a year.

Mary Lou’s tips include:

How to draw attention away from winter footwear
Warm weather footwear for the office
Stress-free bathing suit shopping for every figure type
Holiday dressing

To follow up on these stories, or to arrange an interview with Mary Lou for other articles or features, please contact her at 781-444-0140.

Note to editors and producers: Mary Lou Andre recognizes that fashion is a highly visual medium so is available to illustrate her tips for television appearances by supplying her own team of models wearing the latest styles.