Fall 2011 TrendS

The leaves aren't turning yellow quite yet but I can't seem to shake off my haste to start Fall shopping. According to the fashion gods, the trends below will add an instant boost of trendy to any woman's wardrobe. 

Color Report:  

MUSTARD



courtesy of Vogue



I know not everyone would welcome this color and on some complexions, may not be so flattering. However, fashion is about making the non-working work for your ordinary. With that being said, we will see a lot of mustard colored garments on the racks.  As much as I love color, I had always gravitated towards the neutrals and tans before I reach for black. I guess you can say tan was my black.

Blazers, dresses, jackets, nail enamel, scarves, glasses, hats-you name it. You will definitely see garments like these in this hue. 

RUST

Nothing says Fall more than honey brown and rust colors.  Like mustard, this particular color can easily be worn or adorned.

JADE GREEN

Emerald or Jade-whatever you want to call it is divinely haute.  This color works on every skin tone and woman and in every fabric-satin, silk, cotton, etc.  It reminds me of the beautiful turquoise colored waters of Turks and Caicos I recently visited.  Gold is a great accent to wear with this color.  Try it! You'll love it!




http://www.asos.com/

 
Pattern Report: 

POLKA DOTS

I LOVE polka dots-always have. So you know I'm more than happy to see this trend make a reappearance this Fall.  I wouldn't suggest head to toe polka dots but subtle accents will be ideal touches to your regular wardrobe staples.  Try a scarf or blouse to begin with. 



http://www.forever21.com/


PLAID

I'm totally nostalgic when it comes to plaid.  I sported this "trend" throughout my elementary years in private school.  One can easily go into overkill with this pattern. The key is to wear one piece at a time whether it be a skirt, top, tights, hat-you get my drift.

CAMO-INSPIRED

When I think of Camo, I automatically picture sand and sweat covered men fighting against the enemy, guns in tow.  Yes-I'm a little off but what can I say, I'm patriotic.  Fashion wise, this is a great way to incorporate a little bit of urban edge to your style. 

LACE

Oh la la. Nothing says feminine and sexy like lace.  It can instantly add the sexy to any woman's wardrobe. Work this trend via accessories-a peter pan collar, lace clutch, or tights.  Lace can be transformed from polished and demure for work to fun and sultry for the weekend. 

CLOTHING TREND

WORK DRESSES ( MAD MEN INSPIRED)


For many of us with office jobs, dresses (like A-line and sheath style) have been a staple in our career wardrobe. I know for myself, I stopped wearing slacks years ago. Skirts and dresses have become a uniform of sorts.  Thanks to the embrace of retro shows like Mad Men and the like, we're seeing more career dresses this Fall with flowy blousy sleeves, polka dot patterns, wool fabric, etc.

BRIGHT PANTS
It's no surprise here.  Bright pants whether skinny ankle or palazzo, I find, are becoming a year round trend.  Nothing like sporting a red or green colored pair of bottoms to brighten a dreary fall day. 

PUSSY BOW BLOUSE

Although this particular garment is reminiscent of the 70's, it does add a touch of dainty to a work outfit.  I've been seeing this trend in various patterns and fabrics even denim. 

2 trends at once: Pussy bow blouse in Plaid

What's on your Fall trend list?

Weekend Re-cap

Happy Monday Ya'll!!
I hope everyone had a great weekend. I, myself, had quite the festive one. I attended the Christening of one of my oldest and dearest friend's son. After the church ceremony, was the reception in a grand hall filled with dance performances, clowns and delicious catered food.

Because the event was early afternoon, I really didnt feel like dressing consertaviely. I rack my brain for hours on Friday night trying to decide on what to wear. In the end, I settled on the outfit below.

The skirt is navy and white, blouse is pink, and the blazer is insanely white. I paired it with some sparkly glitter t-strap heels for some instant pizzaz.

The DJ was playing great music and of course I had to cut a rug or two lol.

There's nothing like being in the company of friends who you consider family for a great old time.

What did you guys do this weekend?

Short Shorts on First Date OOTN

The story of this outfit: I've been talking to this guy for some time now, realized I liked him enough to go on a date.  On date day, it was super hot out and I decided to sport some shorts.

That's pretty much the gist of today’s outfit. Because it was really warm out, I wanted to wear as little amount of clothing possible without looking scandalous :-x

We went to a really sexy thai restaurant called Sea.  The ambiance is very sexy and the food is DELICIOUS!! I highly reccommend to anyone who lives in NYC or visiting.  2 thumbs and toes up!!

Now back to the outfit...I don't usually go for loose baggy tops. You all know I prefer my clothing to be more form fitting. However, due to the fact that I was wearing fitted shorts, I decided to go this route. That's a tip to remember- if your tight on bottom, go loose on top and visa versa.  It helps proportion your body. 

Where you got it??
Light brown sheer floral blouse- Random store at mall
Santeen tangerine shorts- ZARA
Cobolt blue tank- Forever 21
Tan and studded wedges- ALDO

I think it worked. I love the tan, orange and blues in this outfit.

Would you do shorts on a first date? What do you guys think?

IT'S FRIDAY OOTD: Colorful in Orange and Indigo

HAPPY MONDAY!! Ok, so the enthusiasm is a bit far-fetched but Friday's outfit of the day was on point.  Yeah I know, I'm a few days late posting this but I had quite the busy weekend.  I'm not sure what my inspiration for this outfit was besides wanting to be bright, cheery and comfortable.

I actually had a pair of cobalt blue skinny jeans on with this outfit but prior to my little photo shoot in the house, I had a wine spill :-(.  Because I had an impromptu housewarming to attend, I just changed into my indigo colored banded bodycon skirt.

Why the colors work?
The coral orange and indigo blue have similar undertones which allows both colors to be complimentary to each other. This mix of colors could've gone well with a yellow, green, or mint colored top. 

Where you got it?
-Tank Top:  Forever 21
-Cardigan:  Target
-Bodycon banded skirt:  H&M
-Ballet flats:  Zara
-Statement Necklace:  Nordstroms

From water cooler to wine coolers: Casual Friday OOTD

Sorry for the delay guys.  This post is about a week late.  Last week's outfit of the day was my take on casual Fridays at work.  Because I never DONT have a reason to dress up; today would be no different. 

My top and blazer are both thrift finds.  Lately, I find myself "thriftin" every chance I get-on lunch break, Saturday mornings, you name it.  I manage to find a few pieces I love thanks to my persistance and frugal nature. 

Where you got that?
The red linen blazer and turquoise top were both thrift finds for....wait for it....$20 total!  You cant beat that!
The wide leg trouser denim jeans are from Ann Taylor loft, the bag is Gucci, and the faux wood bottom platform glitter heels I purchased from Payhalf.

Now off for a drink...

SHOEGASM: LUSTING OVER JEFFREY CAMPBELL....

I have a special relationship with shoes, specifically heels.  I love how a great high heeled shoe extends my legs defining my calf muscles and allowing me to temporarily know what its like to be tall (I'm 5'3).   Thanks to a beautiful and awesome co-worker (click here for her blog), my lust for shoes have resurrected.  While perusing through one of her model pics, I began to drool over a pair of Stars and Stripes Platforms. 

She informed me they were the El Carmen from Jeffrey Campbell. 

El-Carmen also comes in..wait for it....POLKO DOTS

Thanks to her introduction to Jeffrey's shoes, I have further fueled my infatuation. Jeffrey Campbell is a shoe genius I believe sent to torment me (insert crazy smiley).  I am obsessed with El-Carmen and wholeheartily want to purchase these but with it being mid August, I'm reluctant to do so.  SIDEBAR: How dope would it have been to wear these with a navy and white skirt for 4th of July?  His shoes begin at around $100 which I think isn't bad for the styles he offers. 

Below I have a few examples of his work that has me mentally piecing outfits together. Whether you love or hate his style, you cant ignore the creativety and genius that goes into his craftmanship.

You can find more of his pieces from his site NastyGal.  What do you guys think?