The Age of the Cocktail Dress March 30, 2007

Milly Chiffon Dress

The Cocktail Dress is back! Wherever I go & whichever store I visit, there is an impressive collection of dresses and especially of the cocktail kind. At last, women are expected & willing to go out in a dress. Yay! I thought that moment would never come back.

What is important to remember when you’re buying a dress?
- What is the occasion: If you want to wear a dress at work, that is great, but make sure that it is not too short, too provocative, too tight and/or too sparkly. For evening the choice is yours.

- Know your body: choose styles that work for your body not against it. Got nice legs? Show them of, but keep the top covered. Want to show off your décolleté? Go for it but keep the hemline below the knee. Got a full figure? Wear something fitted to show off your shape, but avoid anything tight (we know you have, err…a nice bosom but don’t rub them in our face please)

- Detailing is important; a hidden pocket here, a button there, a crisscross back, a nice pattern etc., will show off your sense of style.

- Material and full lining are also essential elements to seek out: avoid anything that the materials does not a nice rich feel, or if it doesn’t have any lining. Having your dress cling onto your undies or being see-through is not the look you’re after, unless you want to end up on someone’s “fashion don’t’ list.

Anne Klein dress
These cuties are currently on my shopping list. What’s on yours?Carolina Herrera dress

How to wear white March 29, 2007

Babydoll dress by CHLOE

In an earlier article we talked about one of the trends of the season: wearing white from head to toe. It seems that it is easier said that done, as a lot of you have come back with questions of how to wear white properly. Lets address a few:

Question: How can I wear white dress and not look like a bride?
Answer: Accessories are key here. Don’t wear white pumps with a white dress or white high heeled strappy sandals for evening. Keep the accessories a different color or nude and for evening I suggest you wear silver or gold sandals.

Question: I am a size 12-14. Can I wear white trousers?
Answer: Yes you can, but they have to be quite wide at the bottom. Pair them with something either fitted or an A-line top and wedges or flat sandals. You’ll look taller and sleeker.

Question: I like white but I am worried that I won’t keep that crisp white look after a ride on the NYC subway. Any ideas?
Answer: That’s a tricky one. I suggest that you travel off peak hours to keep your white outfit as untouched as possible, but hey NYC is a quite dirty city-while wonderful in so many other ways. I usually get pants, skirts and shirts that I can stick in the washing machine and not worry about them so much. But if you anticipating a long day, wear something off white at the bottom half and keep the ‘architect’s white’ shade for a top. Also, if the toner in the office is out, resist the urge to change it yourself, and ask an associate to assist you.

Question: I like all those white bags, but how do you wear them? Can you wear them with dark colors?
Answer: You can pair a white bag with black or other dark colors, provided that there is some other white detailing in the outfit, such as a white collar and cuffs on your shirt, a black and white pattern, or if you’re wearing black and white shoes for example. If your outfit is all black, a white bag just looks weird. Try red or green instead.
On the other hand, a white bag looks great with all those navy looks and floral dresses that you’ll start wearing very soon. It gives the outfit an air of freshness.

The Summer Suit March 27, 2007

Polo Ralph Lauren at SAKS.com

The one thing that a man needs to have in his closet is a summer suit. By that I mean a nice cotton khaki suit. There are some great ones in stores right now and mostly all designers offer them, so the selection is wide to suit you all. However there are a few things that one should know about a khaki suit:

- You can dress it up and/or down: you can pair your suit with a dark tie & shoes and soft colored buttoned down shirts and wear them to work or a fancy party. If you want to wear a khaki suit in a more casual way, get a more fitted suit with flat front pants, and then pair it with a polo shirt and sneakers (all in the same color palette please, to keep the look clean-cut and simple).

- Your socks should be the same color as your pants or a tone lighter. Dark socks with light colored pants is just NOT done and everyone will be looking at your socks instead of you!

- Fassionistas wear fitted suits now, but you have to have a great body to pull it off. So I recommend to always choose styles that complement your body type and your age. A pot belly and a slim pant is a look to be avoided at all costs.

I’ll be on the lookout for the best dressed among you all season. Cheers!

Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion: March 3, 2007 — June 10, 2007 March 23, 2007

“You have a much better life if you wear impressive clothes”, Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood has been one of the most inspirational fashion designers for the past 35 years. She was the queen of punk fashion design in the 1970s, she created exquisite ball gowns influenced by historical art and dress, while by reinventing the corset and using tartans and tweeds, the historical costume became contemporary, practical and really cool.

Her innovative spirit and enormous talent have given us amazing street fashion, prêt-a-porter, haute couture, corsetry and unique evening gowns.

You can see a fantastic collection of more than 150 Vivienne Westwood garments and accessories at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, on display until June 10, 2007. The exhibition organized by the V&A Museum in London, is displaying a selection of the best pieces of the V&A’s collection and Westwood’s personal archive.

The de Young Museum is the only Museum in the US, which will feature this four-year international traveling exhibition, so make plans to visit San Francisco immediately!

For more information about the exhibition click here: http://www.thinker.org/deyoung/exhibitions

The top 3 accessories of 2007 March 20, 2007

Three accessories will prevail this year, and the trend will be hot throughout 2007: the glam headband, the statement ring and the flashy necklace. Make sure to wear one thing at a time for greater impact and a stylish result. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Headband, satin with silver studs, at mp.hairboutique.com
- Glam headbands: beads and studs will be hot until the end of the year, so be on the lookout for those. Cute and cheap options can be found at any high street store like H&M, Ann Taylor or Girl Props, but if you’d like to splurge a bit check out mp.hairboutique.com and especially their couture collection.

Lotus flower ring, Anthropologie
- Statement and special rings: anything from a major cocktail ring to a number featuring feathers, pearls and unusual materials. The bigger the ring the better, but skip all other jewelry when you are wearing this look.

Sipping Stars necklace, Anthropologie
- Flashy necklaces: they can transform a basic T and your look instantly. Bright corals or wood are fantastic for spring and summer, but I also like fresh water pearls in a unique frame.

Happy shopping!

Spring is all about clutch bags March 19, 2007

Goldenbleu Tiffany Patent Clutch at Neiman Marcus

I am dreaming of spring. I am dreaming of beautiful warm days, long walks in the park, sipping coffees at outdoor cafes and people watching. I am also dreaming of a clutch bag…

To read the rest of the article CLICK HERE!

Men: what to get and what to loose / spring 2007 March 3, 2007

Hey guys, these are some easy suggestions to update any spring wardrobe.

Paul Smith Jacket www.mainlinemenswear.co.uk

New things to get / apparel:
- A new white shirt. Check out for options with stitching details. Emporio Armani has some nice ones.
- A patterned shirt. Pair it with a strict/dark suit for a spring business look.
- A tennis sweater. This spring pair it with distressed jeans to create a contemporary look.
- A cashmere V-neck sweater in a light color. Perfect for spring and you’ll find them everywhere.
- A nice light weight spring jacket. Paul Smith has some great ones.

Dakota bag from Fossil www.macys.com

New things to get / accessories
- Get a nice big messenger bag. I like the one from Fossil.
- How about introducing the plaid trend in your wardrobe? You can get a plaid cap or a tie. If you are over 40 try a simpler pattern.
- Sneakers in a muted color but with colorful details. Tod’s have great ones, www.todsonline.com. Besides jeans, you can pair them with all those light colored suits.

Get rid of:
- Tight T-shirts. It is over. Over. OVER! Get fitted Ts please.
- Belts with large buckles. Please.
- Little bags. The designer Valentino said that ‘a little bag is ridiculous‘. Couldn’t agree more.

And to top it all off and really get ready for spring, go and get a nice haircut. It will make you look younger, hipper, sophisticated and ready for spring.

1st Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards March 1, 2007

As I am co-organizer & the stylist for this event, it is only appropriate that I inform you independent handbag designers out there, about the 1st annual independent handbag designer awards. Read below and use the links to apply.

The deadline for entry is Sunday, April 15, 2007.

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Handbag Designer 101, the handbag designer resource, invites you to compete in the first annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards, its new and innovative competition. Win a chance to present your handbag at a high profile New York event at the Museum of the City of New York and compete for one of six Awards for Handbag Design Excellence, a monetary prize, international recognition and a chance to have your handbag go on marketing press tour.

- Handbag Designer 101 is now accepting designer submissions in the following categories:
- Best Student Made Handbag
- Best Handmade Handbag
- Most Socially Responsible Handbag
- Celebrity’s Favorite Handbag
- Audience-Selected Handbag
- Best Handbag in Overall Style & Design

The staff of Handbag Designer 101 will review all submissions at a Prescreening Event in late April. At this Prescreening, HB101 will choose five finalists in each category who will be judged on the merits of their submitted designs. All finalists will be invited to participate in the first annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards that will take place in June 20th 2007 at the Museum of the City of New York in New York City .

Finalists will provide the handbag shown in the photos to compete at the event. The finalist’s handbags will be presented in a static installation at the event. Over 250 members of the fashion industry, including press and retailers, will attend the Independent Handbag Designer Awards event. A Fashion Panel of esteemed and influential handbag design professors, experts, editors, stylists, and buyers will judge the designs presented and select a winner from each category who will receive the Best Handbag in each respective category and determine who truly stands out as an Independent Handbag Designer.
To apply for the IDHA, please visit http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/awards to fill out the application form. If you have more questions about this event please reply to this email.

The deadline for entry is Sunday, April 15, 2007.

Good luck,

The Team at Handbag Designer 101
www.handbagdesigner101.com