Snake Skin Fashion Trend
GUCCI
There’s something so very exotic, timeless and sensual about snake skin fashions that causes a woman to exude a primal sense of power and sex appeal. It’s a little regal and a whole lot of rock and roll.
Sneak a peek at of the snake skin looks we love to love this season.
Petal Pushers: Strut Into Spring Wearing Floral Print Pants
For some of us, the idea of flowers popping out of the ground any time soon is just wishful thinking. But you can still give spring a nudge in a pair of fresh, fun, and florally bold printed pants.
- Look for a straight or slightly tapered pant leg, cropped at or a few inches above your ankle.
- For this blossoming trend, go bold or go home: choose trousers with flower patterns in vibrant hues that burst with the colors of the season.
- Keep in mind that your should choose print sizes that are proportional to your frame: petite ladies are less likely to be “worn by” their pants if they stick with smaller prints, whereas taller and fuller-figured lasses can get away with larger prints.
- Revel in spring’s arrival by wearing these heavy-petal pants with a pair of entrance-making stilettos imbued their own splash of color.
- Top off the look and balance things out with a simple, textured tee in a solid color.
Clockwise from top left: Peter Som ($795), Dolce and Gabbana ($414), J. Crew ($348), Erdem ($990), DKNY ($225)
Trend Report: Bow Tie Blouses
This season’s best blouse comes with its very own built-in accessory: a flouncy, feminine bow tie. Hopping on the hugely popular gender-bending boyfriend-dressing trend in women’s fashion, the bow tie blouse borrows a classically masculine accessory and infuses it with a distinctly feminine appeal.
The bow tie blouse or ascot blouse puts a fancy twist on the classic button-up and offers a fresh alternative to the autumn or spring.
How To Wear a Bow Tie Blouse
Although the bow tie blouse is super hot and fresh right now, you may recall that many a granny have donned this particular garment. You can definitely find some fabulous vintage or thrift bow tie blouses, but take care to avoid looking matronly by choosing bow tie tops in high quality fabrics and body-skimming and/or tucked-in styles. Always wear a bow tie blouse with something tailored to show off your curves – there’s nothing matronly about that!
Get all tied up in bow ties! Find out how to make your mom’s bow tie blouse look smokin’ hot.
“Mad Men” by Banana Republic
Deliciously chic with a modern take on the cool polish and panache of the 1960s era, Banana Republic’s “Mad Men” inspired collection of classy, dress-up American sportswear is just what we’ve all been craving… that, and the next season of the AMC hit series, but we’ll have to wait until early 2012 for that.
Inspired by the effortlessly elegant retro fashions of the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning series, the “Mad Men” series-inspired collection is a designed by Banana Republic in collaboration with the show’s Emmy Award-winning Costume Designer Janie Bryant, a union which has resulted in nearly 65 garments and accessories for women and men, embodying the style tenets of the era.
“Working with Janie to gain a true understanding of the ‘Mad Men’ look and feel was a delight,” says Banana Republic Creative Director Simon Kneen. “Janie was instrumental in helping us achieve the series aesthetic and standard of authenticity with this capsule collection, offering sketches, her own inspirations and actual artifacts from the production set to help inspire the ‘Mad Men’ within all of us.”
For we Mad Women, the women’s pieces are clean and modern whilst lady-like, including the stylish utility of trench coats, tailored dresses to flatter every figure. Sexy secretary staples like high-waisted skirts, silk tie-neck blouses,and statement accessories including print scarves and leopard print pump heels add an extra punch to the mostly neutral collection which hovers in beautiful fabrics in shades of gray and black with the occasional welcome splash of blue, plum, gold, magenta, orange and rouge.
This impressive “grown-up” collection has been crafted through the Banana Republic lens of affordable fashion and noticeable quality; women’s apparel and accessory pieces priced between $40 and $250.
“Collaborating with Simon and his team to design this collection was an experience I’ll never forget,” says legendary Costume Designer Janie Bryant. “It’s so rewarding to help create a collection that will allow fans of the series to channel their own ‘Mad Men’ style and take home fashionable items that are modern, not costume.”
Tunic Style
We’re not going to tell you tunics are new. We’re not even going to slap tunics with an avant-garde label or tie them up with an of-the-moment ribbon. Tunics have been around longer than we can remember (dating back to the days of togas), but we just can’t stop lovin’ them.
Recent Tunic History
After popping up in blocky prints in the 1960s, after hanging off the shoulders of long-haired hippies in the 1970s, and after getting tighter and brighter in the 1980s and 1990s, tunics came rolling in with the tireless boho chic style, looking cuter and trendier than ever.
At the heels of the dress-over-pants look, which was worshipped by some and pooh-poohed by many more, the thigh-skimming top had skeptics grinning everywhere. Flattering, adorable, chic and palatable, tunics had just the right mix of style and practicality to have the world of fashion jump on board.
We’ve seen tunics in light fabrics that dance delicately at the hips, we’ve seen gaping boatnecks that hang seductively over tanned shoulders, and we’ve seen flirty ruffles, coy little ties, and plunging necklines. The chameleon of apparel, the tunic can take you all over the style map, from schoolgirl cute to southern-sun sexpot. We love the sexy, animal printed lovers + friends Weekend Tunic in 2 Colors, with its sultry cut-out shoulders and airy fabric, perfect worn on its own or with leggings or jeans.
Modern Tunic Style
For this round of tunic-mania, waistlines are bobbing from bust to hip and cuts are ebbing from swimmy to snug. First up, the tunic is embracing the babydoll. A welcome leftover from the warmer months, empire waists (or even higher!) give you a busty bosom that flares to perfection just at the hip. Not for those with a lot of luv up top, this look sprinkles you with innocence while revving up the sex appeal. Keep your eye out for banding or tie-back details, cap or palm-kissing sleeves, and full hemlines that sway and flow from your waist to your bottom.
Tunic Styling Tips
This brings us to rule number one when sporting a tunic: whatever you’re wearing from the waist down better be fitted, curve-loving and nowhere near baggy (with a few exceptions). With all that movement up top, keep it sleek and slender below – no one likes looking dumpy, now do they?
Gathered Tunics
A spin on the loosey-goosey tunic swaps the gathering under your bustline for a band at the hip, bringing the flowing fabric to a silhouette enhancing accent right where you need it. Such cuts benefit from a rouched neckline in either a wide “V” or sexy scoop, and the sleeves – either short or long – should match the shirt’s hem with either a band at the upper arm or a cinched cuff at the elbow or wrist. Think of this season’s favorite tones – yummy chocolates, classy neutrals, or punches of reds, indigo and golds.
Knit Tunics
Fall’s influx of knitwear has tied tunics all up in a knot, giving your long-waisted looks a cozy feel with sweaters that start hugging at your chin and finish right under your caboose. We adore the Swan Dive Ruffled Tunic; this sheer, oversized crochet tunic is both feminine and bohemian, perfect for weekend looks.
Sturdier, thick, luxurious cable-knit tunics made from cottagey cool, and jailhouse stripes with floppy necks are saturated in adorable academia. Looking chic while keeping cozy and warm has never been so easy.
What to Wear with a Tunic
When donned in a tunic, it can all go wrong if you don’t piece together the right items:
- Choose skinny jeans, trouser-cut slacks or denim, or a pair of leggings, always elongating your legs with lean looks and a higher heel.
- Provided the tunic is long enough to be considered a dress — which means it covers your fanny and is long enough to allow you to sit down without flashing your bottom — go ahead wear your tunic solo, highlighting your legs with sky-high heels, wedges or boots.
Accessorizing Tunics
Buckle yourself in with a waist cinching or hip defining belt, giving a relatively curveless style a form-flattering finish. Or pick up a string of wooden beads and pile your wrists with boho bangles galore.
Far removed from the simple sheaths of ancient Rome, today’s tunic has the versatility of your little black dress with the of-the-moment style factor of those worn-once tragically trendy pumps. And as these head-to-hip tops catapult full-throttle into yet another season, the tunic is showing no signs of slowing down.
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Menswear-Inspired Fashion
Once upon a time, woman wanted to get noticed in the corporate world. Along with working her butt off and quashing weaker-sex stereotypes, she donned a set of ham-sized shoulder pads, covered up in a button-down, and boxed her figure in a straight skirt and oversized blazer. This was the eighties and she was a powerful woman in a power suit.
Boy Meets Girl: Menswear-Inspired Elements
Since lapping up the realm of menswear two decades ago, the “fairer sex” has never turned back. Creased trousers, fitted blazers, crisp button-downs — all staples in the closet of the woman who wants to be taken seriously. But this season, fashion has taken those staples and let them flourish in the limelight.
- Menswear Fabrics for Women
- Button-Down Shirts, Knits & Pinstripes
- Vests & Blazers
- Trousers & Pencil Skirts
- Plaid, Herringbone, Tab Details & Oversize Buttons
- Dashing Trench Coats & Fedoras
- Dapper Details: Boots, Ankle Boots, Tassels, Wingtips, Studs & Plaid
- Hats, Gloves & Handbags
Menswear Fabrics For Women
Traditionally masculine fabrics such as herringbone, tweed, plaid, check, pinstripe and flannel, are now front and center in women’s wear. And the classic gentleman silhouette is cropped, tailored and cinched to create conservative yet sexy styles that drip in old-school class. But with a whole closet to choose from, your no-flub philosophy is to embrace moderation and respect the diadem of detail. Avoid matchy-matchy head-to-toe fabric frenzies and choose signature pieces that give a masculine flair to your otherwise ultra-fem style.
Button-Down Shirts, Knits & Pinstripes
To master menswear, begin with your basics: the button-down shirt and the crease-front trouser. These unisex garments, in a trimmer, more feminine physique, easily transfer from his closet to yours. Up top, layering’s the word and knitwear, vests and blazers work their masculine magic. Over a flirtified dress shirt with ruffle-front detailing, slip into a heather-gray cable-knit V-neck that’s aglow in academia. A pinstripe button-down will fall in love with a sweater vest, and a crisp white shirt is begging to be tucked into a waistcoat.
Vests & Blazers
For button-up vests, masculine shapes that date back to when chained pocket watches were a necessity are seen from a feminine perspective, resulting in tailored and trim pieces that flatter a lady’s curves. Single or double-breasted, these miniature vests are painted in the season’s palette – tweed, herringbone and plaid — and are lined in signature menswear shirting.
Though not new to your wardrobe, blazers are playing a lead role in your borrowed-from-the boys production. In luxurious tweeds and herringbone, these classic pieces are seeing leather and corduroy elbow patches and a slimmed, sleek line. Black tux jackets (velvet optional) provide a red-carpet option – or at least the laywoman’s version – for dressing up while dipping delightfully into menswear.
Trousers & Pencil Skirts
Below the belt, the man’s closet is a wee bit sparse. You’ve got trousers, and that’s about it. And that’s why fashion has used menswear as a spring board to much greater heights. Yes, love your cuffed, wide-leg, crease-front trouser, but also adore a trim pencil or flouncy skirt in our new favorite fabrics.
Plaid, Herringbone, Tab Details & Oversize Buttons
Combine manly with girly by dousing a ruffle-back skirt in bold black and red plaid, or pair herringbone up top with a pair of cropped trousers equipped with tab details and oversized buttons.
Those mysteriously adorable (yet wildly impractical) formal short-shorts can also work here, but wrap your lower limbs in opaque hosiery and slip your feet into something flat.
Dashing Trench Coats & Fedoras
Style’s love affair with menswear hasn’t left you out in the cold – bundle up for the chilly season in classic coats that whisper of dashing detectives, feathered fedoras and dark alleys. The trench coat has been suped up with the signature masculine fabrics, while feminine curves are drawn with empire waistlines and ribbon-tie belts. The traditional trench is not to be forgotten, though, giving you the houndstooth-, plaid- and tweed-free option of a sandy beige or warm taupe. Keeping in tune to our desire to give the boy-borrowed pieces a much-needed slice, this season features oodles of cropped jackets with shortened hemlines and sleeves. Most stunning in a bold, inflated black-and-white herringbone print, these round-collar jacket often come to a single-button close and succeed at being both dashing and adorable.
Dapper Details: Boots, Ankle Boots, Tassels, Wingtips, Studs & Plaid
Toss aside your needlepoint stilettos and slender sexy boots and make room for chunky heels and clunky lace-ups – menswear-inspired footwear charts brand new territory. Keep rocking your peep-toe pumps and your sleek patent leather platforms, but save some mileage for a round-toe shoe that’s got some meat on its heel. Look out for such masculine detailing as antique metal accents, fringe, lacing, tassels, wingtips, studs, perforated leather trims and clunky soles. Fabrics range from your classic and reliable leather and suede, to daringly of-the-moment flashes of tweed, herringbone, and, you guessed it, plaid.
Hats, Gloves & Handbags
Such footwear perfection deserves a bookend of similar style success, and, when used sparingly, menswear-inspired accessories have got the right ingredients. When it comes to hats, all the boys are out to play — baker boy, newsboy, derby, fedora, bowler, oxford, and cabbie! Cute and coy, these tête-toppers in menswear-inspired prints keep you toasty without straying from style. Save your fingers from the cold, too, with a dashing pair of cropped and cuffed leather gloves, and wrap yourself up in a classic red plaid scarf. Chunky over-the-shoulder bags, doused in loads of leather detailing and swimming in herringbone, tweed and plaid, are right on cue, as are our favorite little clutches finished off with leather, metal or wooden hinged openings.
Add Feminine Flair to Menswear-Inspired Clothes
As this season continues its love affair with menswear, don’t let all the gentlemanly charm scoop you up and cloud your judgment. The trick to owning menswear-inspired style is to wear it all in moderation. We may adore the trusty trio of masculine fabrics, but head-to-toe pattern is never a good thing. And even though you’re borrowing from the opposite closet, aim for feminine silhouettes featuring details that are anything but masculine. With the perfect mix of masculine and feminine, you’ll be one stunningly stylin’ woman.
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Cobalt Blue Fashion Trend
Cobalt blue clothes are the new shade of cool, as this electric color makes its way out of the 1980s and into the streets,onto the backs (and feet) of stylish women everywhere.
Who Can Wear Cobalt Blue?
An exciting alternative to black, this stand-out shade delivers an unmistakable punch to any outfit, and cobalt enhances just about everybody’s natural coloring — blonde, brunette or flaming redhead! Cobalt blue has perfectly balanced brightness which makes it flattering on all skin tones.
This electric blue is amazingly versatile, being equally appropriate for winter and summer.
Tips for Wearing Cobalt Blue
Make cobalt a statement by wearing the brilliant blue hue all on its own, contrast it with black, or add a surprising accent of bold cobalt accessories to an otherwise unsuspecting outfit. It looks great with neutrals like gray, black and white, but cobalt also pairs wonderfully with pops of its complementary colors, bright yellow and orange.
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Summer Plaid
Fresh and fun: casually chic in plaid for summer.
Summer 2011′s plaid fashion trend is inspired by all that is light, sunny and fun about the season. Forget about heavy tartans and wool, and instead think cottages, camping, golf chic and alfresco dining.
Perfect for the long weekends and longer days of summer, this summer’s plaid fashions are taking a cue from checkered gingham, patchwork patterned picnic blankets spread under a shady tree, stylish tree planters in the Great Outdoors, and polished prep plaid on the golfer’s green.
Lightweight Fabrics Put a Summery Twist on Plaid
The first step to pulling off paid during the summer months (without looking like a seasonally-confused lumberjack) is choosing a lightweight fabric. In warmer weather this probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: steer clear of heavy fabrics like plaid wool tartans, tweeds, or polyacrylics, and definitely keep the flannel and fleece plaid offerings tucked away for winter.
Pretty in Plaid for Summer
Cotton Plaid is Perfect for Summer
The fabric of choice for mastering the casually chic summer plaid trend is (drum roll please): cotton. This go-to, natural fiber breathes and moves easily, making it an ideal fabric for the sunny days of summer.
Plaid for Everyone!
Plaid for summer… really? Yes. There’s a plaid for everybody: whether you’re preppy, risqué, bohemian, prissy, punky, or mod, there’s a plaid, checked or hatched pattern for you.
