A Few Long Skirts

Long skirts are great. They're comfortable, versatile, and warmer in the winter months. To keep you from falling into a black slinky skirt rut, here are a few options of long comfortable skirts by designer Rachel Pally which incorporate interesting textiles or details to add interest. All are available at http://www.shopbop.com/.

1. (Right) Striped jersey maxi skirt, $198.

2. (Center) Fortuna long jersey skirt, $194.

3. (Left) Tye-dye jersey skirt, $220.

The striped skirt is a great option for a bright color top, or, if you are feeling bold, a printed top like a bright floral with a jacket or cardigan. The black skirt has great detail at the waist and is a good way to go if you want to maintain a more conservative look. The tye-dye skirt combines an organic feel with a neutral pallette, making it relatively easy to wear.

Another Great Etsy Accessory

I really recommend perusing the etsy.com website because every time I look I discover another gem. Most recently I came across an artist who works under the store name zippinning and creates these fantastic floral brooches with vintage and recycled zippers. What a great find and a piece cool enough that you could just leave it on your winter pea coat or your bag or hat. She also uses every color imaginable so you can easily find something to match or compliment. These would make a fantastic gift!

Zipper Brooches, pieces above range from $22-$40, by Zippinning at http://www.zippinning.etsy.com/

Interesting Take on the Turtleneck

I just wanted to share this interesting take on the turtleneck from Liz Claiborne. A criss-cross turtleneck is an interesting concept and has a slight Mandarin vibe which is really interesting. This is a great piece because it is very versatile; it can be worn with denim, a suit, a cardigan, or any other quirky collection of layers. It is also sold in black, white, and dark green.

Stretch Surplice Wrap Top, $39, by Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Claiborne at www.lizclaiborne.com

All About Texture

I know many of you love to wear black all the time. You'll be glad to know that many designers were showing runways full of black for Fall 09. I wanted to post some ideas about taking black to the next level.

(Left to Right) All from Fall 09 Runway Shows: Ralph Lauren, Junya Wantanabe, Michael Kors

What makes the looks above interesting is the play of texture and sheen in the different black garments. Ralph Lauren uses sequins and wool, Junya Wantanabe uses a black knit with sparkle and nylon, and Michael Kors shows simple knit with leather.

Below are a few pieces you can use to texturize your blacks:

1. Cropped Jacket, $79, Signature Silk Velvet Collection from Spiegel at http://www.spiegel.com/

2. Stretch Sequin Skirt (sale $98) by Donna Karan at http://www.yoox.com/

3. Braided Leatherette Belt ($6.80) from Forever 21 at http://www.forever21.com/

4. Textured Black Neckwarmer ($28) by Fuzzy Lumkin Crochet at http://www.fuzzylumpkincrochet.etsy.com/

5. Cable Fingerless Gloves ($125) by Vince at http://www.shopbop.com/

Sequins, velvet, chunky knits, and braids are just some of the ways to add texture. This works well in any outfit in a single color.

Attention Accessories

I was exploring Etsy.com, a fantastic website where you can buy handmade goods directly from artists. It's a great set up because Etsy allows the artist to get themselves on the market and the goods are generally high quality and there is some very cool stuff. It's also great to buy from and support young designers and artists.

Tonight I came across one artist in particular tonight who makes very interesting accessories which are definitely worth sharing.

This Etsy shop is called Giia Neckpieces and Accessories and the artists makes fantastic bib necklaces which are very on trend this season. Designers such as Donna Karan and Jason Wu were showing them on the runway for Fall. These particular pieces are handcrafted by the artist in her studio in Italy. They are made from felt (great for fall!) and layered so that they have depth, interesting especially in the piece on the left which is made to resemble inlaid stones. She also carries colorful pieces but these three show a range of her available styles.
Bib necklaces are also a wonderful solution to a shirt that is just a little bit too low at the neckline. They are so cool and are much more interesting than a crew neck shell.

1. (Left) Mask Stone Bib Statement Necklace, $95

2. (Center) Wien Hex Bib Statement Necklace, $75

3. (Right) Organic V Bib Statement Necklace, $90

The link for her Etsy shop where you can view and purchase her pieces is http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6797261.

If you get the chance, do take a look and look around the rest of Etsy too. It's really a lot of fun and you would be suprised at how cool some of the things are!

Runway Styling Tips

A lot of looking fabulous is about your styling technique. Fashion designers hire professional stylists to style their shows so looking carefully at what is being done can teach you a lot.


For instance, here is a look from the Fall 2009 Lanvin runway show.

Her outfit is simply a basic blouse and knee length pencil skirt. What is unique is the styling and accessories that accompany the look.

Here are some similar items to consider:

1. Ann Taylor Long Leather Glove, $110, http://www.anntaylor.com/

2. H&M Faux Fur Scarf, http://www.hm.com/

3. Steve Madden S405 Sunglasses, $38, http://www.zappos.com/

4. BCBGeneration Women's Bristol High Heel, $79.98, http://www.bcbg.com/

5. Vintage Victorian Gold Pin, Judy's Gems (etsy.com), $55 http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7168487

I love the idea of the gloves and the fur. Fur is very big this season and if you can't afford or would rather not buy the real stuff, faux fur is great!
I showed a brooch because I'm not sure that the H&M fur has a clasp so you can always substitute with a nice pin. Vintage is great. Thrift stores are a wonderful way to find old jewelry and style your wardrobe! Alternately, you can always sift through your mother's jewelry box.

Rethinking the Cardigan

Cardigans are great, especially when you need some extra layers. This season, however, classic preppy style cardigan is stepping aside to make way for the new cardigan which is much looser, draped, and just fantastic.

The new cardigan looks great with a pencil skirt or alternately you can wear them belted with a fuller skirt.

1. (Left) Convertible Drape Cardigan, $194, by Alice + Olivia at www.nordstrom.com

2. (Center Left) Draped Knit Cardigan, $17.80, from Forever 21 at www.forever21.com

3. (Center Right) Front Drape Cardigan, $435, from Les Nouvelles at www.shoplesnouvelles.com

4. (Right) Ombre Open Sweater, $33.99, from Charlotte Russe at www.charlotterusse.com

The Alice + Olivia is great because you can style it freely depending on your outfit. The Les Nouvelles version is really beautiful and if you look at the website you can see all the small details that make it so special. I like the shape of the Forever 21 version and I think it is very easy to wear. As for Charlotte Russe, well, ombre's always fun. I also think that the angled hem is flattering.