Sunglasses Trends for Spring 2011

Sunglasses are one of those rare accessories in life that can potentially transcend planned obsolescence. Not in the sense that cycled trends don’t exist but that people typically can get away with wearing a pair of sunglasses they bought three years ago today. That’s one of the beautiful things about investing in designer eyewear; you may spend $300+ on a pair of timeless Gucci’s but you’ll be able to wear them for years because let’s face it, Gucci is always in style.

Unfortunately I can’t say the same about the 2011 sunglasses trends we’re seeing unfold at the myriad of fashion weeks. I’m just going to put it out there; this year’s eyewear trends are weird, impractical and unflattering. There, I said it but now it’s up to you to draw your own conclusions. After all, fashion is meant to inspire discussion and critique. Read more

Pretty Spring 2011 Dresses

I recently read an article about how dress sales among the young have increased, even throughout the recession. I wasn’t surprised in the least bit because the dress is my favorite garment of choice. They’re feminine, easy to style and can hide those unforgiving areas when you’re having a bad day. With bright skies, pools and sweltering heat just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to add a few adorable dresses to the wardrobe.

Be on the look out for lots of fun dress trends this spring. Maxi dresses are a definite favorite but with an added sexy twist, ultra sheer! Now you can cover those stems while simultaneously showing them off. Speaking of sexy, lace is another big trend this season which translates to glamorous dresses of all lengths, cuts and styles. Transparent over a bathing suit or a timeless day dress, the possibilities are endless. Read more

Spring Trend Alert! Faux Bois!

Calling all rugged-outdoorsy women! You can no longer claim that fashion has nothing to offer you; some designers have your tree-hugging taste in mind this spring. Faux Bois – fashion that is earth-toned and woodsy in appearance – is a major trend trampling the runway this season and fortunately, not in the ultra-plain, hippy way you’d expect when you think of browns, greens and creams.

Kate and Laura Mulleavy of the brand, Rodarte, are gallantly leading the way with the ultimate faux bois collection. Gaining inspiration from their childhood backyard, the duo crafted some truly unique pieces. A grass green, leaf-like tank paired with a trunk-inspired, long, tiered brown skirt was the epitome of shrub-inspired. Designs like that one and the sleeveless turtleneck, peek-a-boo dress with a ruffled over, “wood paneled” skirt are a couple of the more obvious outfits blatantly screaming nature’s word. Read more

Mad Men Style

Spring 2011 Trend Alert: Long Skirts

Mad Men had been in my NetFlix queue for quite some time but for some reason I kept pushing it back for other shows like Ugly Betty and Samantha Who (both of which were awesome series). Last month the 1960’s sexy drama about the cutthroat men and women of Madison Avenue advertising finally made it into my mailbox. After which, of course, you had to pry me away from the TV with a crowbar; the show is that good.

As if the plot and smoking hot characters weren’t already enough, fashionistas get an added bonus; the fashion is really, really (really!) fun to see. So fun, in fact, that some believe a lot of designers have inspired certain trends around. One in particular stands out this spring: the long skirt. Hems have fallen far below the knees and in a lot of cases, to floor length. Read more

Beauty Trends for Spring 2011

When people ask me whether I prefer to write about beauty or fashion I always respond with, “They’re the same thing. They’re interchangeable.” You can’t have one without the other; beauty and fashion go hand-in-hand. Your outfit is the centerpiece but makeup and hair are the crowning glory. Think of it this way; if you saw a woman decked out in a gorgeous Louis Vuitton dress with Christian Louboutin heels but her hair looked like a rats nest, her eyebrows were growing into one large caterpillar and her skin was greasy and uncared for, what would you think? Read more

Chloe Spring 2011 Ready To Wear Reviewed

There was a time when all I knew of the brand Chloe was that I loved their handbags. My perpetually stylish friend walked into dinner carrying a classy cream tote with gold hardware, sassily interrupted by a few edgy zippers and I nearly lost my head with envy. It took every ounce of my moralistic being not to swipe it off her arm and run out of the restaurant all, Shooter McGavin-style from Happy Gillmore (when he crazily steals Happy’s jacket and runs down the green – haven’t seen it? Watch it, NOW).

That night spurred my interest and as I did some poking around on the web I realized that there was much more to the brand than amazing bags. I knew that they designed luxury clothes and that traditionally, they’ve taken on a bohemian/street-chic vibe, but I never knew it could work with my style which is less minimalist and more maximum-ist. Yet, there I was, plotting out how I was going to afford a pair of their flowing nude slacks. Read more

Style Trend! Amalia Mattaör – The Dancing Bags

Calling all of my dancing fashionistas! There may just be an answer from the fashion gods to one of the biggest problems that we all face when hitting the town for a night of dancing fun. And by problem I mean the unfortunate annoying-ness that comes along with having to hold on to a clutch all night or having a purse loosely dangle from your arm. Soon-to-be lucky us, because the designer Amalia Mattaör has created a line of Strapless Shoulder Bags that are redesigned for dancing, hence the collection’s name “The Dancing Bags”. These bags conform to your body and wrap around your arm, an ingenious idea that is perfect for a fun night out. Read more

Rachel Roy Spring 2011 Ready To Wear Reviewed

About a year ago I walked through the front doors of Macy’s in Union Square, rode the escalator up two floors and made my way towards my favorite women’s section, Impulse. I gazed dreamily at all the Marc by Marc Jacobs, lusted after Trina Turk and Nanette Lapore and drooled over the racks of designer jeans. Amongst all of these amazing designers, I stopped abruptly in front of a dressy shorts jumpsuit and started to envision myself wearing it with festive tights, booties and a shawl. I had to have it.

I held my breath as I picked up the price tag, expecting it to be over the $300 mark. I literally let out a little squeal of delight when I saw that not only was it priced a lot lower than my expectations, it was on sale too –a size 6, just my size. I immediately looked at the label to see who I was dealing with and was surprised when I saw the name: Rachel Roy. “Rachel Roy makes clothes?” I thought to myself. “Isn’t she that famous cook? Huh. I had no idea she designed clothes too.” Read more