Dear Faithful Readers,
Yes, I am very behind the times setting up a professional account for Instagram but at long last, it’s up!
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If you enjoy all things related to Linx, dating, relationships, events, VIP client travel, glamour, and happenings in Silicon Valley and beyond please follow!
XO,
Amy
This guest post is written by Peter Nguyen, a private personal stylist for successful men and founder of The Essential Man
On our first date, my girlfriend and I went to PDT (above), a really cool speakeasy bar here in NYC hidden behind a phone booth in a hot dog shop. They’re known for their amazing cocktails, which we gladly put to the test.
If you asked my girlfriend about our first date, she couldn’t tell you much, except for one thing — the shirt I was wearing. A striped tabbed collar dress shirt from Robert Geller.
“It’s my favorite shirt on you.” She says.
It made such an impression on her that it has survived a good 5 closet purges.
You’ve probably heard the saying “It only takes 7 seconds to make a first impression”.
What if I told you you actually had less time than that?
According to a study done by Princeton, it actually only takes the brain 1/10th of a second to make a snap judgment of someone.
So what does this mean for you my single, dating friend?
It means that before you’ve even opened your mouth, she’s already sized you up. So it’s in your best interest to use the only tool you got in that brief, 1/10th of a second: your style.
Whenever I’m at a party and I tell people that I’m a personal stylist for men, I get one of three reactions:
1. “THANK YOU!”
(This is the #1 response from women.)
2. “Oh man. How’s my outfit?”
(This is where I try to decide whether to give the polite answer or the real answer.)
3. “Cool man. I don’t focus so much on superficial stuff like that.”
Yes, someone said this to me at a party recently.
Here’s how it went down:
“Interesting. What do you mean by that?” I asked him.
“Oh, no offense,” he said.
(I love when people say “no offense”, or “not to sound racist”. It’s usually followed up by something offensive or racist.)
“I want people to like me for who I am, not whether I’m wearing a nice suit or whatever.”
“Totally. Hey, it was great to meet you.”
And then I walked away to pour myself a much-needed drink.
(Conversation tip: Sticking out your hand and saying “Hey, it was great to meet you.” is the best way to leave a conversation you don’t want to be in.)
You’d be surprised how often I get this kind of reaction, especially when I bring up that one of the best “dating hacks” is to improve your style.
“She should like me for who I am!” Guys say in response.
“Ok.” I’d say. “Describe to me your perfect girl.”
What do you think their answer always is?
Their perfect girl is always HOT.
“She should like me for who I am! Meanwhile, I want to date girls that look like this!”
Yeah, shocker, right?
This is what I call “The Perfect Girl Hypocrisy”. People think they’re exceptions. They want everyone else to change their standards instead of raising theirs for themselves.
Obese people want to change health and beauty standards instead of shedding the excess weight. Unqualified job hunters want companies to lower their requirements instead of getting more experience. Guys want hot girls but don’t want to work on and be judged by their looks.
Sorry, my friends, it isn’t happening. That’s not how the world works.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth about humans: We judge each other by how we look.
Yes, it’s superficial. Is it bad? Maybe.
The thing is, we’re superficial about almost everything.
You’re less likely to eat sad looking food in disposable tins because we associate sad looking food with unhealthy. Judging by its looks, It’s probably not as nutritious and is most likely going to make us sick. (Even though this might not be true.)
Vibrant, colorful food on clean white plates symbolize to us freshness, cleanliness, and that it’s healthy to eat.
This is called Thin slicing — it’s making snap judgments on something based on the information you have at hand. When you don’t know a lot about someone, all you can judge them on is what you see. Presentation matters, whether it’s a plate of pasta, or what you wear on a date.
It’s the reason why when surveyed, 76% of patients found doctors who wore white lab coats more trustworthy.
If your doctor came in wearing an oversized shirt, messy hair, sweatpants and dirty shoes, would you want him looking at your kid? NOPE.
Before you curse the world, let’s take something else into account. Your style is one of the easiest things you can improve when it comes to dating.
If you’re an introvert, it’s going to take a lot of practice to improve your conversation skills.
Unsure of your career and life path? Good luck changing that in a week.
Bad style? No problem. You can head to a menswear shop and do a complete 180 in 15 minutes.
Of course, you’ll need to know what to get. Luckily, I got your back.
I spent the last 5 months asking women around the world a question: What should a guy wear on the first date?
In total, I gathered 101 responses from women of all backgrounds, jobs, ages, and locations. Women from as close as New York City, to as far away as Tokyo, Sydney, and Tehran.
Here’s a brief overview of the women I spoke with:
Average Age: 28
Single: 42%
Relationship (Less than 3 years) 29%
Married: 29%
And here’s what they said:
Does it matter if you’re wearing expensive designer clothes on a first date? No. In fact, of the 101 women surveyed, not one mentioned designer clothes.
However, the most common theme in the written portion of the survey? Above all else, effort (e.g. trying to look nice) was the most important quality of a man’s style on a first date.
Our style is a symbol of who and what we are. It represents choices that we’ve made in life.
Getting dressed is an action. And, as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.
Does it matter what kind of car a father drives to pick up his kids? Of course not. What’s more important is that he shows up. It symbolizes that he’s responsible and cares for his kids.
“As a woman, I will make an effort to look nice and pretty for my date because I want to respect his company and effort for asking me out — and I would like the person to feel proud to be with me. When a guy dresses like a teenage boy and it looks like he didn’t care at all, it is distracting and really kills the first impression.” – Morganna, 27
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY: If you’re new to improving your style, check out my post “A Beginner’s Guide: 16 Essential Style Tips For Guys Who Want to Dress Better”
Any clothing that doesn’t fit well is an instant put off. – Jennifer, 27
I’ve preached many times that getting clothes that fit will solve 90% of your style problems.
In my experience, men often wear clothes that are too big for them because:
Ill-fitting clothes wrecks havoc on your attractiveness. It makes you look fatter, shorter, and sloppy. Wearing clothes that fit properly not only makes you look better, it allows you to look good even when you’re dressed in something as simple as a t-shirt and jeans. (See: Ryan Gosling, above left)
If that doesn’t persuade you to wear clothes that fit properly, maybe this will:
Loose fitting [pants] remind me of my dad. – R, 24
There’s nothing that’s going to kill sexual attraction faster than that.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY: Download my free “Style Starter Triple Pack”. It’s a combination of my 3 best guides, including my “How clothes should fit” cheat sheets that’ll help you master fit in 10 minutes.
60.2% of the women surveyed loved to see their date show up in a button-up collared shirt, while just 14.8% of women said they wouldn’t mind seeing their date in a t-shirt.
T-shirts are often associated with “casual” dressing. Swapping in a collared shirt signals that you’re putting an effort to go beyond “casual”.
Instant upgrade.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY: Not sure what kind of button-up shirt to get? Read my post on my favorite button-up shirt of all time “Essentails: The Chambray Shirt”
This part of the survey surprised me the most, as I’ve heard time and time again that women will judge you based on your shoes.
Yet, when I asked women what kind of shoes they loved to see their date wear, the results were all pretty even.
A nice pair of boots won overall, but just barely, gaining 34% of the votes. The rest was split evenly between clean white sneakers, dress shoes, and “Other”, with the write-in answers consisting mostly of “it doesn’t matter”.
My recommendation? It’s hard to beat a solid pair of boots, as they can work with jeans or dress pants. My current favorite boots are from Thursday Boot Company, shown above.
And whatever you do, just don’t show up to your date wearing Vibram five finger shoes.
On behalf of all men, I apologize to these poor women.
When asked what single piece of clothing would a woman love seeing her date wear, the clear winner was a perfectly fitted leather jacket.
A perfectly fitted leather jacket (50% of votes) beat a tailored suit (24.3%) by a little more than double, and completely crushed hoodies (2.8% of the votes, sorry readers in Silicon Valley).
If this doesn’t convince you to get yourself that perfect leather jacket, I don’t know what will.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY: For those looking to add this essential into their wardrobe, check out my Ultimate Guide to Buying A Leather Jacket here.
While many women agreed that you don’t need alcohol to have a great first date (a few even said bar dates were uncreative and cliché) the data still showed they all wanted the option to drink. (Relax the first date nerves, perhaps?)
When asked what was their favorite place for a first date was, 65.8% of the votes went to places that had alcohol.
A nice cocktail bar received 27.8% of votes, a great dinner captured 25% of the votes, and a fun dive bar got 13% of the votes.
The remaining votes were split between coffee (19.4%), and “Other” (14.8%), which included write-in answers ranging from “it depends on the guy”, “a nice walk in the park”, and “a museum”.
Not sure what to do with this advice yet? Not to worry.
To help you out, I’m sharing with you some date and outfit idea combos based on this data to get your first date off to a great start.
Eyeglasses: Watts Eyeglasses by Warby Parker – $95, Wool Scarf: Acne Studios – $180, Blue Suede Bomber Jacket: Valstar – $1,135, Mandarin Collared Strip Shirt: FOLK – $185, Slim Fit Stretch Chinos: NN07 – $160, Socks: The Workers Club – $40, Boots: Thursday Boot Co. – $199
The Date: Museum dates are a great way to break up the monotony of meeting up a bar, but it requires a bit of strategy.
The biggest mistake you can make on a museum date? Spending a lot of time looking at the art and reading the text! I know, it doesn’t make sense, but hear me out. First dates are all about getting to know each other. When you’re examining the art and reading at a museum, you have a tendency to be quiet. The real focus of your date isn’t the art, it’s your company. Think of the museum like a beautiful backdrop, just the same as if you were strolling through a park.
Here’s a better strategy, thanks to my friend Nick Gray, founder and CEO of Museum Hack:
The Outfit: The key items in this look are the collared shirt and boots. Wearing a suit on a first date, especially something like a museum, can feel like overkill. You want to communicate that you’re putting a little effort into it, and this is why instead of a t-shirt and sneakers we swap in a button-up shirt and boots. Blues and browns are a great color combination that help you stand out, especially if you’re visiting a museum in NYC where everyone loves to wear black. Give it a pop of color with a bordeaux colored scarf.
Leather Jacket: Hugo Boss – $745, Grosgrain-trim collared polo: Lanvin – $375, Wool dress pants: Suit Supply – $189, Socks: FALKE – $28, Suede slip-on sneakers: Common Projects – $420
The Date: I love a date at a cool speakeasy, but securing a spot at one can be stressful, especially on a first date. There are plenty of cocktail places with great stories that don’t require you to search for a hidden, unmarked door – like Bar Goto, a Japanese bar opened by ex-Pegu club alum Kenta Goto. Order his signature Sakura martini – a blend of gin, sake, maraschino liqueur finished with a beautiful sakura blossom. (Photo above)
The Outfit: The polo is the happy medium between a t-shirt and button-up shirt. The key to not looking like your dad is picking one that’s slimmer cut in a non-traditional color, like this sleek Lanvin number. Slip on sneakers can sound like an odd choice at first, but like the polo, we’ve elevated it. This suede model from Common Projects isn’t your 16-year-old brother’s Vans, and gives a nice casual contrast to the formal dress pants. Bordeaux and charcoal gray is my all time favorite color combination. It’s warm and romantic, paired with a sleek black leather racer jacket, you’ll be hard to forget.
Cashmere Coat: Suit Supply – $699, Brushed twill shirt: J.crew – $39, Watch: IWC – $3,950, Wool Drawstring Pants: Acne Studios – $350, Embroidered wool scarf: Paul Smith – $225, Socks: FALKE – $28, Derbys: A.P.C. – $455
The Date: Dinner on a first date can sometimes feel like a trap. What if you realize you two aren’t really into each other and your entrees just came? Instead of a proper dinner for a first date, I recommend getting some wine and tapas.
Tapas are small plates of appetizers and snacks that you share over drinks. I love it because the tapas themselves become a conversation point. Decide on ordering things you’d never normally try, get adventurous. Start with a few plates and see how things go. If it’s going well, you two can order more and keep the date going. Not feeling it? No worries, you share a few bites and don’t have to commit to a conversation over an entire entree. Grab the check and part ways.
Some recommendations for you first-time tapas eaters: Dátiles con beicon (dates stuffed with almonds and cheese, wrapped in bacon) and patatas bravas (crispy potatoes with an aioli) are easy crowd pleasers. My all time favorite: Jamon Iberico, slices of ham from pigs fed acorns then aged for 36 months. Fatty, nutty, and worth the (very expensive) price.
The Outfit: Suits on first dates is a little too much. Subtle style substitute – wear a tailored topcoat. It gives the same feeling that you “dressed up” without going full blown suit.
When I think tapas, I think sharing food, drinking wine, having an amazing conversation. So take off your coat and relax a little bit. You’re going to be moving plates around and passing food to her, so don’t be afraid to unbutton and partially roll up your sleeves. This is a great opportunity to show off a nice watch. My pick: IWC’s refined entry Mark XVIII. It’s a watch that says “I have really good taste and I don’t need to be flashy”.
First dates are like movie trailers, a preview to get her interested and excited and make her want to see more.
While I’ve armed you with some style tips to make sure you look your best, remember that clothes don’t make the man, they just enhance him.
To make sure you kill it on your first date and get her asking when can she see you again, I’ve put together a free bonus guide for Linx with some of the best first date tips.
WHAT: dE ROSAIRO Launch Party + Style Lab + Runway show
DATE: Tuesday, October 28th
TIME: 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM
LOCATION: Hotel Zetta (55 5th St, San Francisco, CA 94103)
HOW TO RSVP? stylelab@dEROSAIRO.com
PARKING: Street or valet
If you’re looking for a fun evening filled with fashion, cocktails, and a reason to meet and mingle with a fashion forward crowd, consider this your VIP invite. We caught wind of this exclusive party and wanted to tell readers of the Linx blog about it. This is a launch party and style lab where guests can shop the exclusive collection.
dE ROSAIRO is a luxury womenswear clothing brand made in New York, and headquartered in San Francisco. The CEO and Creative Director, Nishika de Rosairo, is an ex-Silicon Valley / Fortune 500 strategic advisor who left it all behind to pursue a childhood dream. The brand is currently selling in specialty boutiques on the East Coast, and officially launching in San Francisco on Tuesday, October 28th at the boutique and edgy Hotel Zetta. Its an invite-only list, however she would love to see some of you all there, and so if you’re interested in attending, please rsvp and mention that you heard about the event through the Linx blog.
Linx is featured in Business Insider today: Silicon Valley’s Top Matchmaker Tells Us What Techies Should Wear On A Date by Madeline Stone.
Silicon Valley professionals get a bad rap for being uncreative when it comes to personal style. The common stereotype is that engineers live in hoodies, jeans, and flip flops, while venture capitalists constantly rock fleece vests and v-neck sweaters.
Menlo Park-based matchmaker Amy Andersen has seen her fair share of young professionals sporting these uniforms. She founded Linx Dating in 2000 when she saw that a surprising number of professionals were having trouble navigating the Silicon Valley dating scene. Since then, she’s coached a wide network of people in the tech, financial, and health care industries to better position themselves for success in dating.
Andersen shared her take on style in Silicon Valley as well as some tips for what young professionals should be wearing to impress their dates.
Q: Business Insider: Do you think there’s a Silicon Valley dress code?
A: Amy Andersen: There is a definite Silicon Valley aesthetic and culture. The mentality is you want to fit in here and you don’t want to stand out. Employees want to blend into their company culture. I have heard stories about people taking jobs at Facebook, as an example and, before the job started, dying her hair to be a mousy brunette so as not to stand out too much as a platinum blonde. 
With the kinds of perks that Google or Facebook or Palantir, for example, offer to employees, it is easy to see why an employee on the margin might stay at work rather than venture out and would certainly not focus on fashion. The goal is to work and stay on the company campus, while having some fun too. If you think about it, the culture at these companies for 20- and even early 30-somethings is not unlike the dorm experience at a top university — project teams bond over what they do all day. It’s more about living to work than it is about working to live, and so you do everything together. The movie “The Internship” might have been fiction and was probably a bit exaggerated but it was pretty much on target.
In Silicon Valley, in the fields of tech and engineering, there’s no focus on outward appearance unless you have a client-facing role, like in leadership or sales. In that case, you are expected to be polished and dress the part.
Expression outside of the campus environment is totally different — techies and those in those circles express themselves through a variety of ways to their inner sanctum of friends. This could be through the new Italian wheels in their garage at home, artwork displayed on their walls, recently purchased memberships at private social clubs like The Battery in San Francisco, or epic new multimillion dollar pied-a-terres in San Francisco. 
BI: Is the clichéd hoodie a reality in the tech community?
AA: For many, hoodies are a way of life in the tech community, as fleece vests are a way of life in the venture capital and hedge fund community. I see a ton of guys (and girls) walking around town in their respective company hoodies. Let’s not just focus on hoodies though! Tons of guys wear frog feet shoes “5 finger footwear.” They say it is good for posture. I think they’re completely hideous and a huge fashion offense! 
The Adidas black and white sneakers are very popular, and backpacks are a way of life here as well. The ironic thing is most all of the major fashion houses for women are using backpacks for Spring 2014 as part of their look for women — not a Jansport backpack but more Chanel, Louis Vuitton, or Chloe. 
This pic of Gerard Butler shows off his Adidas kicks but actually is a good example of the type of cute long sleeve shirt and cargo pants that look great on guys for casual day sorts of dates or a super chill/lax pm date (i.e., if you are seeing a flick, dive bar drinks….that sort of environment).
BI: How often are wardrobe consultations part of your coaching?
AA: A few times a month. Some clients hire me to do this for them and other times I match the client to the right stylist according to their budget and personality. I have a roster of great stylists for every type of person that contacts me.
BI: What kinds of things do you tell your clients as far as dressing better?
AA: First impressions are so important. If you are coming from work, do what it takes to put your best foot forward and freshen up. No one likes a sweaty, frazzled date! Women will often put a lot of time and thought into their first date outfit. It is not uncommon for her to get a manicure, maybe even buy a new dress. A woman doesn’t need a guy to look impeccable, but she does want him to look presentable … “Nice” could be a pressed dress shirt and nice pair of dark denim, brown belt, nice brown loafers or dress shirt and pair of Banana Republic khakis. This is not hard to achieve and will send a signal that a man is taking the early stages of dating seriously.
BI: What should guys wear out on a date?
AA: This is all situational and depends on the context of the date. It also depends on the person largely. If going for sushi and cocktails, throw on dark denim, a cool t-shirt, and unstructured blazer for a little bit of an edgy look. If you are reading this and saying, “Huh?” then do dark denim and a Rag & Bone basic long-sleeve t-shirt with the right shoes. That is definitely more Silicon Valley code for casual, yet on the right guy and body could look totally hot. If it’s a more dressy date, I would suggest a nice pair of slacks and dress shirt or fantastic blazer paired with dark denim, gorgeous loafers (or drivers), and a dress shirt with cuff links. Totally polished, put together, and making a stand-out impression.
BI: What should women be wearing out on a date?
AA: Like advice I would give to men, let’s start with being confident. Once you are there, rock it out and have fun with your clothing. What men tell me they find appealing is a woman who is confident and sexy in her own skin.
At Linx I get a lot of demands for a woman who is classic, ladylike, stylish, not trying too hard, not showing too much skin, but perfectly presentable. For better or for worse, men are impossibly visual creatures. A universal message is that men like a woman who accentuates her figure.
Olivia Palermo and fashion stylist, event designer, and style writer, Lucas Somoza
What does that mean from a style perspective? Think more Olivia Palermo than Pamela Anderson. For a casual to more dressy date, do a pair of skinny pants, a great silk tank style top, an edgy leather jacket (so hot for Spring 2014), the right costume jewelry, and some nude pumps. If it’s a fancy sort of restaurant and you want to seal the deal, do a body hugging Herve Leger bandage dress paired with a great blazer, hair in a loose bun atop the head or at the nape of the neck, and statement heels.
BI: Why is style important to dating more effectively?
AA: I would say style and first impressions are important considering people generally make up their mind in the first 60 seconds if they are interested in getting to know you better romantically or not. Why not do everything you can to substantially increase your odds of success from the start?
On Wednesday of this week, I attended a Spring Trend Presentation hosted by Neiman Marcus Stanford Center at the gorgeous Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel. It was an intimate setting with around 75 guests who enjoyed wine, culinary nibbles, mingling, followed by an informal presentation of spring trends for men and women.
Before the fashion show commenced, there was a nice presentation about a local Bay Area non-profit called Project Glimmer. Project Glimmer was started by a Silicon Valley venture capitalist Sonja Perkins. Simply put, this non-profit pulls donations of gifts (think costume jewelry you’ve had in your closet forever or perfumes) and distributes them to underprivileged women and girls in the Bay Area. In total, Project Glimmer has donated more than 45,000 gifts and are always looking for people to get involved.
Here we see that DENIM pops with the right accessories, don’t be afraid to mix washes.
Theory denim jacket:$335
Haute hippie white blouse:$295
Jbrand denim pant:$202
Cusp necklace 2 stone necklace :$75
Gucci denim handbag:$1230
Cusp earring:$48
Prada silver/beige wedge:$650
And another play on demin here
I need this seriously fabulous wrap skull scarf bracelet by Alexander McQueen! As you see, backpacks are everything this season as well. Effortless chic.
White pants are a major trend for men for SPRING, Manolo only makes drivers for men no other styles, exclusive to NM. Men can wear pink too, you’ll see pops of orange this Spring too
Isaia blue/red plaid blazer:$3495
Nm white pocket square:$45
Isaia pink plaid button down:$450
Orange Neiman Marcus orang vneck cashmere:$195
Manolo blahnik teal driving shoe:$545
Zegna white pant:$375 
AMAZING beading on dress and shoes, it’s not about just one tone of pink it’s all shades of pink. And don’t take everything serious, pair Oscar with a bomber jacket and make a black tie dress fun with a less serious jacket! 
Oscar de la renta floral dress:$5990
Rebecca Taylor white jacket:$495
Trend jewelry:$325
Valentino red swirl:$1195
Valentino red studded handbag:$3795
White with black, NOT black with white will be huge for SPRING
The row black leather bow tie top:$2490
Alexander McQueen white trouser:$785
Alexander McQueen white with black cuff:$345
Alexander McQueen black with white cuff:$345
Blush wrap around balenciaga bracelet:$195
Blush crossbody/clutch balenciaga clutch:$1095
Jimmy choo black/white pump:$595
When I saw those Jimmy Choo’s…I nearly jumped off my seat to grab them! Another play on white with black and not black with white.
Anything Valentino and neon pink will always be so chic. PINK really makes white with black pop, the matching PINK shoes and bag make an egdy outfit look a bit sweeter and more approachable
The row black leather pant:$2290
The row black and white blouse:$750
Balenciaga sunnies:$675
Trend pearl necklace:$350
Cusp leather jacket:$368
Valentino pink handbag:$2195
Hot pink Valentino flat:$695
Very fresh and modern white with black, the Jimmy Choo heel with a bit of transparent pink and black leather jacket adds some interest to this demure dress.
Joie black leather: $928
Alexander wang black/white dress:$745
Proenza Schouler white clutch:$1675
Oscar de la renta earring:$350
Jimmy choo heel sandal:$895
We’re not suppose to play favorites in fashion but I LOVE this Mary Katrantzou skirt, totally on trend with the artistic print trend.And very on trend for SHIRT CHIC (white button downs will be big in SPRING) with the white equipment blouse.The Charlotte Olympia pink heels are super sweet. Love that she calls the platform an island, what woman doesn’t want to float around on an island all day!
Mary katrantzou skirt:$1435
Equipment white blouse:$208
Jason wu blush pink leather jacket:$3990
Dior sunnies:$450
Saint Laurent gold clutch:$990
Cusp pink earring:$50
Cusp gold/green necklace:$50
Charlotte Olympia pink shoes:$945
Sydney’s look is a great play on pink and mixing of high end designers with CUSP items. I think this Stella McCartney printed top is adorable and easily dressed up with this L’agence jacket and gold rhinestone necklace from CUSP. I really love the white trousers from the ROW which keeps it all fresh- who knew those Olsen twins would grow up to be such great designers, but they have and we’re so happy to be carrying their line. I also think the Lanvin bag adds so much sophistication and who can resist a sparkle peep toe- especially when it’s a Louboutin!
Stella McCartney printed top:$385
Pink and white L’agence jacket:$450
The row white trouser:$450
Lanvin pink handbag:$1640
Cusp gold necklace:$95
Alexis bittar earring:$345
Loubotin sparkle peep toe:$845 
Models striking a pose
It’s all about the sunglasses!
LOVING these gorgeous accessories!
Perfectly pretty for Spring!
I got a lot of compliments and questions about my ensemble. What am I wearing? I have a pair of light demin 7 boyfriend “Josefina” skinny jeans on that I cuffed paired with some YSL nude pumps, a Zoe and Sam silk blouse, pink with gold scarf, a Louis Vuitton Alma GM color Rose Angelique (with monogram ball accessory), and my topper jacket is vintage. I bought the coat a year ago in the desert (Palm Desert area) at a little vintage store. It has this fabulous brass buckle that secures the coat together and as you can tell it is very delicate. There is no brand to this one-of-a-kind piece. Someone made it by hand…my guess in the 50’s. Some ladies at the fashion show came up to me and said they were taking bets on “how much” it was and if it was Valentino. To their complete shock, I shared it cost less than a sushi dinner for two (sans booze). 
Samantha Hartwell of Neiman Marcus Palo Alto, Sonja Perkins of Project Glimmer, and my dear friend Renee Coker….
A few NM Spring 2014 Must Have’s:
Artistic Prints, Pinks (from blush to anything but shy), the pink lip, summer booties, white & black (partners in style), demin on demin, backpacks, layered bracelets (all eyes on the wrist)
Twitter: @neimanmarcus @linxdating @GlimmerSF
It girls everywhere know that being on-trend and current means standing out from the crowd with a showstopper necklace. I always advise my Linx lady clients to be bold and accessorize their date ensembles with a statement piece. A necklace doesn’t have to be expensive at all. In fact, you can browse ebay to discover fierce necklaces for under $10! Let the jaws drop…especially on a date!
The Kentucky Derby is a time honored tradition and there will no doubt be an abundance of viewing parties this weekend. Whether you are attending a party or one of the lucky ones who will be at the actual derby, you must be outfitted accordingly. 
The San Francisco Guardmen are throwing a fabulous derby inspired soiree called “Run for the Roses” on May 4th from 1:00pm-6:00pm at 1 Fort Mason in San Francisco. Guests of this private soirée will enjoy a delectable spread of appetizers and traditional southern food, while all proceeds will go to benefit at-risk Bay Area youth.
There are a several routes you can take apparel wise, but we all know that it’s all about the hat. Wide brimmed solid hats, adorned hats, fascinators, and fedoras are all solid choices. Choose the one that compliments your personality best. We suggest picking the hat first and building your outfit around it.
We found two great collections of Kentucky Derby hats, one from JenniferDawn84 (pictured above) on Polyvore and another on PatterPulp.
A wide brimmed floral adorned hat with a solid color dress and spectator heels is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 
If you opt for a floral dress, we recommend keeping the hat simple and solid. For a gender bender twist (and our favorite!), try a seersucker shorts suit paired back to a panama straw hat. 
Need some derby day inspiration for your guy, we love this photo from the art of manliness.
If you don’t feel like heading to the Guardsmen party, throw your own last minute festive soiree in your backyard or apartment complex pool-side. Southern Living has some great Derby inspired ideas and delicious recipes to play with. 
Call your best girls over for either a girlie day with hats, heels, and mint julep drinks or get consider getting creative having each of them bring a single guy as their guest. Dolly as they say….let the races begin!
Written by Camilla, celebrity stylist for Tog + Porter with creative dating ideas from Amy Andersen of Linx Dating.
When your beau asked you to meet his parents, butterflies rumbled in your stomach….you were excited, a little nervous, elated, and the sound of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons flooded your mind…a wedding in the future perhaps?
Luckily you had the perfect ensemble to wear thanks to Tog + Porter’s Meeting the Parents style guide. Classy, feminine, and lady-like. You nailed it and remembered that the most important thing in preparing to meet the parents is to simply be yourself. Brunch with his parents was delightful and so fun! He was at ease, his parents down-to-earth and excited to meet you, and you felt like a princess.
The following day he shared that his parents absolutely loved you and have invited the two of you up to their Lake Tahoe lake house for a weekend getaway. An invitation to spend more time with his parents and immerse yourself in their world seemed to be the absolute perfect timing. How lovely!
The week leading up to the lake getaway you pamper yourself with pretty ballet slipper polish for a mani/pedi, waxed in all the right places, highlights and a cut, and a spray tan for any time spent on the lake. The Mr. shares to pack casual but said there would be a lakeside BBQ oyster shucking party with his parent’s neighbors the first night, boating on the lake the next day, followed by an intimate dinner at the house and dominoes fireside with after dinner drinks.
Casual isn’t really in your vocabulary and as much as you love your walks in nature, heading to “the woods” isn’t necessarily as easy as it seems for a city girl! Channeling your inner Carrie Bradshaw you put on the episode of Sex and the City where Carrie visits Aidan’s country cottage. 
You hope to fare better than Carrie did when she visited Aidan’s cabin. Clearly, comfort is key, but you don’t want to compromise your keen fashion sense that he has grown so fond of.
Not only do you need to plan some cute outfits but you also want to bring his parents a nice little gift to say Thank You for the lovely invitation and weekend at their lake house. What to get them that is a kind gesture but still not trying too hard?
And considering that you don’t know what their lake house is like at all or his mother’s discerning taste, the pressure is on. You do know that his parents are East Coast types who moved out to San Francisco ten years ago for his father’s job in private equity. Like father, like son. His parents definitely are on the more conservative side and money no object.
You also want to surprise your beau with a little something unexpected…. afterall, it is your 6 month anniversary that Saturday! We understand how any girl can feel a little overwhelmed by this scenario, which is why we sent an S.O.S. over to our friends at Tog + Porter for some outfit ideas. Stylist Camilla Basse broke it down for us and gave us suggestions for each activity on the trip.
For the oyster roast, she suggests your favorite and most comfortable pair of boyfriend jeans, a classic white button-down and a cozy sweater.
On day 2, a chambray button-down, your beloved go to denim shorts and metallic boating shoes for the boat excursion. Wear your new summer bathing suit (and sunscreen) underneath she says.
For dinner, Camilla says you can wear the same chambray top from earlier back to a white cotton or lace skirt or go for sleeveless plaid or tribal print top with your denim shorts. 
She also says one statement piece is always a good idea. And, nothing says statement piece like a beaded shirt toned down and made cabin appropriate with denim.
With your packing list complete, it’s time to set out on what is destined to be one weekend to remember.
As for the gifts, you know him best, but us gals here at T+P think a picnic basket tote from Brookstone for his parents would make a useful, yet thoughtful gift for future boating trips. If they already have something of the sorts, a monogrammed Pendleton wool blanket is always a winner.
Need help packing for an upcoming getaway? One of Tog + Porter’s amazing stylists would love to help you. You can even schedule an appointment with Camilla by simply clicking here.
The time has come to meet your honey’s parents. You’re both thrilled and petrified. Although we’re sure they’ll love you as much as he does, you want to put your best fashion foot forward on this momentous occasion. We teamed up with style experts Tog + Porter to show Linx readers how to look fabulous for this huge occasion.
The first step in deciding what to wear is to find out what the setting is. Are you gathering for a casual brunch? Drinks? Dinner? One thing is certain, no matter the setting: keep your look polished and demure.
Tog + Porter stylist Camilla Basse says a floral dress with strappy sandals and a solid cardi or white skinnies with a silky top in a soft tone are winning combos for a brunch date. 
For him: jeans with a casual button up and blazer.
For cocktails or a more formal dinner date, we suggest a lace dress with neon heels or classic black heels if you get the feeling they’re a little more on the conservative side. A flirty floral dress with long sleeves is another option for a more covered up approach. Pair back to striking strappy metallic heels to add some wow factor.
For him: a pair of slim cut trousers, a button up and blazer OR a killer suit, which like Clooney never goes out of style. (Yeah, we totally stole that line from Sex and the City)
For killer suit inspiration, have your man borrow a page from Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s GQ spread.
If you need help prepping an outfit to meet your beaux’s parents or friends, you know where to turn. You can now book your face-to-face skype session with a Tog + Porter stylist online here.
Time flies considering we are quickly approaching November. We had so much fun doing a wardrobe consultation for our male client at Neiman Marcus, Palo Alto a couple of months ago that we had to pay them another visit. The demand for ladies wardrobe consultation is high, especially with the holiday season approaching. 
Every woman regardless of age whether she is fresh out of undergrad at Stanford or planning her 50th birthday wants to look fabulous.
What we love is that today’s modern woman doesn’t need to spend a fortune on looking good. She can incorporate a few key pieces into her wardrobe to spruce it up and feel confident in her everyday life. 
Today, we are doing a wardrobe consultation for a woman in her late 40’s. She is an executive by day for a conservative financial firm and typically opts for business suits and closed pumps. Yet don’t let her fool you. She has a little rock ‘n’ roll going on with an edgy hair-cut and a wardrobe at home with some quality edgy yet sweet pieces. When she came to us for matchmaking we thought it would be a really nice change of pace to bump up her wardrobe with date appropriate clothing. Think…Confident. Sexy. Colorful. Fearless. Feminine. 
When we mentioned doing a wardrobe consultation with her in our initial meet and greet she was very excited at the opportunity admitting she has very few date clothes. Like so many of our clients, she has been focused on work and her kids, placing dating on the back burner. 
Neiman Marcus, Palo Alto graciously extended themselves and introduced us to one of their premier stylists, Dean Taylor, who radiated enthusiasm and expertise through and through. 
Leading up to the consultation we worked behind the scenes with Dean to provide him with our clients’ measurements as well as her sense of style, comfort zone and general lifestyle. We agreed to nothing baggy and instead to focus on clothes that will instantly attract and importantly make our client feel totally gorgeous. In some cases elegant knee-length sheath dresses, trousers, pointy-toe heels, and playful details. Admittedly, we directed most of our energy on this session with lovely dresses.
Upon arrival at Neiman’s, Dean had put together an exquisite wardrobe filled with a wide range of different looks (rich jewel toned colors, lots of great figure flattering items, tasteful dresses for evening, pretty classic pumps, and playful colorful accessories from their new department CUSP.)
The way that Dean hand-picked the styles is to be able to have each piece seamlessly work together. In other words, a perfect marriage between day into evening clothing. Dean was spectacular to work with and totally “on it” from beginning to end, very responsive and professional.
We had so much fun sipping cappuccinos in a private consultation dressing room and watching our client transform before our eyes. Our client has a rockin’ body- a tiny little waist, no hips, long slender legs…that she was the perfect model.
She isn’t the type to necessarily opt for figure flattering clothes but we discovered Helmut Lang was the designer of choice for many her top picks. Two in particular worked amazing on her (one sleeveless ‘folded wool knit’ dress in red and one long sleeve print Helmut Lang asymmetrical dress which fit her body like a glove.) Accented with gorgeous mary jane Manolos..she looked like a million bucks. Here’s another Helmut Lang we love- ideal for after hours. Remember men go crazy over a woman in red! Juxtapose this look below with an edgy leather clutch and metallic heels. You will have him calling mama from the bathroom that he’s met ‘the one.’
Elie Tahari also provided to be a winner for our client on many levels. We’d place Tahari in the safe category- demure, ladylike, sweet, and slightly more conservative. Here is a Tahari we love….pair this with yellow satin heels for a seriously romantic, feminine look. 
What we love from CUSP by Neiman Marcus- great for any Linx lady’s wardrobe……
Triple Drop Thread Earrings – $68.00
Agate Pendant Necklace – $30.00 Amy’s top pic! (“This is ideal for a first date. Use it as an ice breaker in conversation, play with it, flirt, and allow his eyes to gaze in the ‘right’ direction. How can you beat $30.00?”) 
Linx Line 