Fabulous Friday: Eye Candy

Every now and then it's fun to indulge in a little virtual window shopping and just spend some time admiring the gorgeous designs that are out there, whether or not they fit into your budget. This inspiring set features bold colors and patterns. Enjoy!

These are sophisticated polka dots, right? The dress is by Jonathan Saunders and you can find it at net-a-porter. Yum! 

Is there anything more cheerful than a bright yellow handbag? I doubt it. You can find this one at Forzieri. 

Clearly inspired by the Mondrian patterns of the 60's, this Kate Spade skirt is loads of fun. Get yours at Neiman Marcus. 

These DSquared pumps are to die for! I love them! If only I had an extra $600 lying around, I'd hop on over to Zappos Couture and put them right into my shopping cart. 

Time for me to digest all this loveliness. What kind of fashion eye candy have you seen around? Have you noticed any trends? Leave a comment- I always love hearing from you!

Mysterious Color Predicitions- WHY?!?!?

Did you know that there are people whose job is to predict what colors are going to be popular in the coming seasons? Did you know they are essentially fashion scientists? It is this elusive group of people that decides whether we are going to be wearing bright primary colors next fall or washed-out beachy tones. It's up to them as to whether or not I will be able to find a pair of fuchsia or ballet pink heels, whether I'm getting a forest green cardigan or chartreuse, whether it's mustard or lemon or amber that will be my go-to accessory color.

I have NO idea how they go about predicting what colors we'll love so that all the designers are sure to make lots of clothes and shoes and home decor in those exact shades. I do know that we do NOT agree. In 2004, I decided I needed the perfect pair of green heels. Not just any green- a rich, mossy, almost kelly green. Do you know when I found them? Last month. That's right- EIGHT years later, I found the right shade of green. Maybe I'm too picky.

Manolo Blahnik, Neiman Marcus, $595

Or not. In 2007, I was obsessed with all shades of coral. I loved the brightness of it and I just wanted to fill my closet with dresses and shoes and scarves and bags with that fruity, citrus-y color. Not orange. Not red. Not pink. Coral. When do you think I hit my coral stride? Last summer. Yup. I found a fabulous dress, an unbelievable handbag, earrings, a necklace- all in different, but perfect shades of coral. What year was that? Oh, yes- 2012. I had to wait FIVE years for the color I loved to become readily available. That's just obnoxious.

Ah, coral at last. 

It's as if Pantone is the Disney Vault of color and they tease us by keeping all our favorites in the vault, releasing certain shades and colors at their discretion. Will Disney release "The Little Mermaid" on Blue-ray in time for your niece's 7th birthday? Will Pantone release the right shade of red for me to re-decorate my bedroom this spring? Who knows?

What do you think of these color-predictors? Do you think it's a little bit dictatorial? Leave a comment. I want to know what you think!

Accessories Anonymous: Un-Bow-lievable

There are some things that are so quintessentially girly that you can't help but feel completely feminine when wearing them. To me, flowers and bows are two of those things. My personal preference of the two is flowers- I love floral prints, flower brooches and pins, even flower jewelry. I've got floral shoes, dresses, skirts, blouses, scarves, hats, and even purses. I've never really been a fan of the other side- bows. But then I noticed one of my coworkers- Sadie- has a tendency to wear bows all the time and they always look great. She tends to pair them with more edgy pieces and the balance of the two works really well.

In honor of Sadie and her bow obsession, here are some great bow-inspired accessories I've found for you:

 

Marc by Marc Jacobs Textured Bow Ring, Nordstrom, $37.90 

Darling Dottie Hair Clip, Modcloth, $12.99

Sweet Bow Necklace, Cocoro Jewelry (Etsy), $17

Autumn Kiss Brooch Pendant on Bow Pin, Tina Tarnoff (Etsy), $45

Valentino Couture Patent Bow Pump, Neiman Marcus, $745

Oasis Leather Bow Envelope Cross-Body Bag, ASOS, $41.37

Elasticized Bow Belt, Yes Style, $9.60

Even a die-hard floral fan like myself can't help but be won over by these absolutely adorable bow accessories! What about you? Would you wear any of these pieces? Do you wear a lot of bows? Leave a comment! 

Back Story

When we consider wearing a certain outfit, we always look in the mirror. And while we may consider what the back of our clothing looks like, it's not often at the forefront of our shopping decisions. And yet the truth is that people will be seeing us from all different angles- as we approach them and as we walk away. So why not consider some pieces that are just as interesting (if not more so) from the back? Of course, my fabulous plaid dress has a cool exposed zipper in the back, so you already know I practice what I preach:

But while you may admire me for my honesty and integrity, that doesn't exactly help you find your own clothing with interesting back details, does it? Well, lucky for you, I'm a whiz at finding cool stuff on the internet and this case is no exception. 

BCBGMaxAzria Belted Jacquard Dress, Nordstrom, $278.00

C&C California Crochet Back Maxi Dress, Zappos, $128.00

Sparkle & Fade Knit Bow Back Dress, Urban Outfitters, $48.00

Penumbra Knot Back Dress, Revolve Clothing, $130.00

Oolong Blend Top, Modcloth, $42.99

Cooperative Bow Back Dress, Urban Outfitters, $79.00

Aiko Short Sleeve Gallant Bow Back Dress, Bloomingdale's, $188.00

Carolina Herrera Origami Back Dress, Bergdorf Goodman, $2790.00

Carmen Marc Valvo Chiffon Drape Back Dress, Neiman Marcus, $680

Bevv-B, Steve Madden, $99.95

Sam Edelman Lorissa Spike Pump, Revolve Clothing, $200

Whether it's interesting draping, an exposed zipper, beadwork, or cut-outs, whether its a dress, blouse, skirt or a pair of shoes, consider wearing something with an interesting back detail, and your departure will be as interesting as your arrival no matter what the occasion. 

Wiggle Week: Find Your Own Wiggle Dress

After a mere three days into "Wiggle Week 2011," I can tell you're all salivating over the idea of getting one for yourself. Fortunately, for you, I've done the legwork  and found plenty of fabulous ones already in a variety of colors and price points. And I do believe there's a wiggle dress here for everyone- I've covered the most vintage look all the way to a modern version of the silhouette.

50's Wiggle Pencil Dress, Starlets and Harlets, $64.95

Ripple of Excitement Dress, Mocloth, $134.99

Grand Tour Dress, Modcloth, $159.99

Candied Cranberries Dress, Modcloth, $147.99

Bordeaux V-Neck Dress, Venus, $39

Sleeveless Dress, Venus, $44

Cotton Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater Dress, Victoria's Secret, $39

Stop Staring Park Avenue Dress, Daddy O's, $99.95

One-Shoulder Flutter-Sleeve Sheath, Neiman Marcus, $270

Avenger Sheath Dress, Saks Fifth Avenue, $345

Honestly, if there isn't a dress pictured above that appeals to you, then you just might not have a soul. Kidding... 

No, really... you might not. 

Reader Question

Happy New Year, everyone! I am so excited for 2011- I feel like this year truly has some good things in store, not just for me, but for my family, friends, coworkers, etc. As I reflect back on 2010, I realize I definitely made the right decision to pack up and move out of PA and back to NH. Even though it has made the blog more difficult to maintain, I realize it was the right thing to do for my career, my personal life and even for my mental health. If you are the type to make New Year's resolutions (I'm SO not), then I encourage you to resolve to make change in your life where you need to. It is not always an easy decision to make a major change, but I promise you will not regret it. Whatever it is in your life that is causing you grief or pain, take steps to resolve the issues- it is the only way you will move forward in your life.

Ok, I'm stepping off my soap box now! I don't mean to get too preach-y here on the blog, but sometimes I really feel compelled to say what is on my mind, even if it is not fashion related. But speaking of fashion-related things, I received the following message from reader Miguel a few days ago and I wanted to take a moment to respond:

Hello from the internet! I just want to say I enjoy your blog, and that I appreciate some of the guy tips you have thrown out there. Especially the holiday outfit suggestions... so that brings me to a question I have... :-) What's the rule for wearing black dress pants with a not matching black jacket? It looks like a no-no to me, but is there a time when that would makes sense? Should you ever wear a blazer with anything other than light colored slacks or jeans? Thanks! Miguel :)


First of all, I want to thank Miguel for writing to me- I LOVE to hear from the people who read my blog and I truly want to know what questions you have about fashion, style, sewing, or anything else. I always encourage you to leave a comment and I hope you feel as though I respond to them when appropriate. Additionally, I try to avoid badgering people into "following" or "subscribing" to my blog- I don't want you to feel as though you have to be a follower in order to be appreciated. 


And now to address Miguel's question: Can you wear black slacks with a non-matching black blazer? My opinion is this: if you are choosing to wear two non-matching black items, make sure they are decidedly different. For example, wear a solid black jacket with a pair of black pin-stripe trousers or vice-versa. If you pair two very similar, but ever-so-slightly different pieces, you run the risk of looking as though you simply mis-matched your black suits at the dry cleaner. Other distinctions can be fabric/textile choices: a pair of woolen dress pants with a cotton sateen jacket- the contrast in texture will distinguish the two from each other, but it will still look put-together and polished as opposed to looking like a mistake. 


Here are some great combinations of black pants and black blazers: 

 Both items available at Banana Republic (jacket, pants). 

You can find the blazer at Gap and the pants at Express. 

You all know how much I love dark jeans with a nice, tailored jacket, right? Let's not exclude that option OR its opposite- a denim blazer with trousers: 

The jacket is from Zara and the jeans can be found at Neiman Marcus. 

Zappos sells the jacket and the pants are the same ones from Express that are pictured above. 

While this post is geared specifically towards men because of Miguel's request, it also has applications for women. Check back in a day or two for the womens edition of monochromatic black outfits. 

In conclusion, I want to address Miguel's last question about only wearing blazers with light-colored pants or jeans. The answer is no- you can wear a blazer with any pair of pants that work- dark, light, cotton, wool, heavy, light- if it looks good, you can wear it- ignore the rules of your grandfather's generation. I personally love black blazers with charcoal or even light grey pants- it's a polished look without being a matching suit. Pair a navy jacket with chocolate brown pants for a twist on the more classic khaki/navy combination. And don't be fooled into thinking white or blue button-front shirts are the only options, either. But that's another post for another day. 

Miguel, I hope this has answered your question! Feel free to submit any other fashion/style questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them! Happy New Year! 

Prada B.Y.O. Bags

Have you all heard about the new Prada B.Y.O. Bag line? They are cotton tote bags bearing the Prada logo and made using archived Prada prints and they will be retailing for $295.

I don't know about you guys and gals, but my canvas and cotton tote bags are mostly the free or $1 type that you get at the grocery store or at community events. They work just fine when I go to the Farmer's Market and I hardly mind if a strawberry gets squished and stains the bag. I'd be incensed if I stained my $300 Prada bag with fruit juice! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a beautiful designer handbag, but all the ads are touting this line as "the cheaper" version of a Prada handbag. It's supposedly the more financially accessible bag for those of us who can't afford a real Prada handbag at Neiman's or Barney's. Somehow, I find that a tad insulting. If I can't afford a real Prada handbag (which I can't), what on earth makes you think I'm going to shell out nearly $300 for a glorified shopping bag just because it says "Prada" on it? For that price, I could get a real, leather handbag from a designer like Michael Kors or Coach, or maybe even two designer handbags for that price if I shop at Marshalls or SYMS.

I admit the archived prints used on the bags is a pretty cool idea, but I'd rather see a great diffusion line of skirts or dresses made with vintage Prada prints, or maybe they could price these particular bags a little more afforably but only make a limited number of each print. Or better yet, actually handbags, not tote bags, made with these prints. The archived prints they selected certainly are beautiful. I'm particularly fond of the ones in the 2nd picture. But I don't love them enough to buy a cotton tote bag for $295. $295!!!

Even $50 per bag is way too excessive for a cotton tote that will likely be best used carrying asparagus and tomatoes from the farmer's market or a towel and sunscreen for a trip to the beach. But at $50, I'm slightly less insulted by the "cheaper version of a Prada handbag" advertising spin. And I'll be honest, even if they were $50 instead of $295, I still think I'd pass.

What about you? What do you think of Prada's B.Y.O. Bag line? Frivolous or fabulous?

Fashion Phrases and Terms: Ombre

Ombre is a type of dye or coloring technique in which two or more colors gradually fade or graduate into each other. The effect can be very elegant, as in this Guess by Marciano gown:

Other times, the colors can actually appear almost as stripes, like in this metallic-finish dress from Promgirl:

I adore ombre, especially when it is done well, as it is in these pieces:

Ralph Lauren Swimsuit, Macy's, $69

Ombre Jersey Tie-Tunic, Neiman Marcus, $60

Ombre Dress, Casual Living, $39.99

Adrianna Papell Ombre Chiffon Dress, Nordstrom, $198

Ombre Pencil Skirt, Bloomingdale's $373.50

While ombre is often beautiful, depending on how it is used, it can be difficult to wear. For example, if the transition from one color to the next is very crisp as opposed to gradual, it can be a little harsh especially if the "print" is horizontal. Remember what everyone says about horizontal stripes making you look wider? This can definitely be the case with the wrong ombre dress. It can even happen if the transition is gradual, but falls at an unflattering spot, like with this dress:

Anne Klein Sleeveless Ombre Dress, Macy's $49.99

Notice how the darker part of the dress begins right at the widest part of the hips? This draws the eye to the hips, which is not always a good thing. If you are the kind of girl who doesn't have hips, this dress would be great for you. But if you're like me, the last thing you want is to have people looking down there. If the darker part of the dress extended up to the waistline, this would not be nearly as noticeable. Also, if there was a bit of the darker color at the shoulders fading into the neckline, that would help create a more balanced ombre effect (kind of like the Casual Living dress above). These jeans are another good example of how NOT to wear ombre:

Ombre Wash Flared Jeans, Hot Topic, $29.99

Once again, the ombre effect draws attention to the widest part of the body, or even worse in this case, to the wearer's crotch. Never a good thing, my friends, never a good thing.

Basically, you should think of ombre as a type of print, because it kind of is a print of sorts. In all situations concerning printed garments, the key is to make sure you are wearing the right proportion of that particular print. If you are petite, then an ombre that fades very gradually to another similar color will probably be the best choice. For example, this dress:

Phoebe Couture Strapless Ombre Organza Dress, Neiman Marcus, $350

And if you are trying to find an ombre dress that will produce a slimming effect, go for one that is diagonal or even vertical like this gorgeous evening gown from Faviana:

Faviana Green Ombre Dress, French Novelty, $317.99

I hope this explanation of ombre has been informative and useful! If you have any questions about ombre that I haven't answered in this post, leave a comment and I'll be sure to get back to you. Have a great weekend, everyone!