When you’ve dressed international superstars like Shakira and Sofia Vergara, you become a trendsetter in your own right. Celebrity stylist Irma Martinez is not only one of the most sought after by the stars themselves but also by major brands. Irma recently collaborated with Colgate Optic White at the 2nd Annual We All Grow Conference to help teach women the importance of having a bright, beautiful smile and how to accessorize like a girl boss.
“Hygiene is something that is so very important,” Irma told me. “Our best accessory is a beautiful smile. It’s the first thing people will notice about you when you meet them.”
As part of her collaboration with the global brand, Irma curated a special collection of accessories. She also taught women what to look for when shopping for pieces to add to their collection. “As women, sometimes we tend to wear too many accessories at once,” she explained. “You can pick a big necklace as your statement piece and keep the rest of your jewelry minimal. You could pick bold dangling earring to feature instead or a lot of different rings. The point is to have fun with it.”
Another misconception Irma wanted to debunk is that you need to spend a lot to have a quality collection. “It’s not about what you wear as much as how you wear it. I’m more into finding a woman’s personal style versus obsessing about brands and high price points.”
Now that spring is in full bloom, many of us are planning to clean out our closets to make room for new items. For many of us, this task can be a lot to think about. Irma explained how to keep the pain down to a minimum.
“We all hate to clean our closets because we want to see it organized but it can feel overwhelming. Even though we really want to highlight what we own, we don’t like to throw things away. It’s normal to get attached to our clothes but we must be tough on ourselves when cleaning out the closet.
Take out anything that you haven’t worn in a long time and donate it.If it doesn’t really fit or it’s damaged, it’s time to get it fixed or toss it. Keep items that make you feel good. That way you’ll always have a smile on your face when you’re getting ready.”
After you’ve made some space and are ready to update with new items, Irma suggests you invest in a few trendy pieces that are making a comeback from previous decades.
“I remember when I was in college I used to wear tight sequined dresses and that style has come back,” she said. “Polka dots, that at the height of their popularity were worn my Madonna, are also back. Leather jackets with the bling bling in the back are everywhere now. Beyoncé has been spotted wearing that trend so it’s big right now. A lot of the looks from the ‘80s are definitely making a comeback like the looks made popular by Versace.”
“When fall come back around get ready to see a lot of velvet. That was really popular in the ‘70s. Clothing will always find inspiration from other decades and that’s something I really love. Recently my daughter was going through some old photos of me and she was yelling at me for not keeping more of my clothing throughout the years.”
