Simple lines, tailoring, easy to wear and restraint are words that describe the minimalism trend. Less is more is the key phrase for this look!
Bright shiny colors don’t represent this look; if you want to achieve the best minimalist look then it is best to opt for clean colors like black, white, navy, grey, beige, nude, camel. As long as you don’t accessorize this look with more than it needs, you will be fine.
Key pieces for this look this season are simple suits, shift dresses, long skirts, and jumpsuits. The approach to accessorize these looks would be just with earrings, or a simple bracelet. Handbags should be the simplest cut and if they have a vintage flair even better…
Whether it is the color or the military look this is a key trend this season, perfect for October & November as the leaves turn color.
Personally I don’t like on me the literal “very military” look but I do enjoy very much the olive green color to combine with browns, beiges, and camels. I believe that if there is a certain look that is too literal and you feel is not for you, but you appreciate other things from that look that is what matters!
So for me, the best advice I can give you is to work with the illusion of what could be, and work with the color to get the military look. Of course if you enjoy all the military items, do go for it, just remember to edit accordingly and also remember that less is more in this particular case.
Here are some green military illusion looks to give ideas…
1 ALICE + OLIVIAcombine this wool sweater with a leather jacket, or an aviator shearling coat.
2 JOSEPH this wonderful cape gives the sense of the military, just alone is more than enough for the military “illusion” look.
3 ROKSANDA ILINCICthis vintage style forrest green dress, ideal for the evening, dress it down with a leather jacket. The shape of the dress is great for all figures it, enhances and it hides.
4 J. CREWperfect look for work. Keep it simple and try not to add more, unless we accessorize with a long chain necklace.
5 SPORTMAX Also great look for work, pair it with brown or black blazer and if you wish to dress it down with a leather jacket.
The “it” bag or better yet, the ‘it’shape is what best represents this seasons trends...
The “it”, is the bag that makes you dream or at leat the bag you wear with pride and enjoy it’s texture, the color and shape.
This season there so many shapes, sizes, forms, textures that sometimes it’s crazy because there is so much to choose from that it can get confusing... but in short the biggest trend this season is the ladylike vintage look, skin print, fur handbags.
One suggestion when apiring your handbags- try to honor your day bags with your daywear... sometimes the day handbags can be taken into the evening, but if you had a choice, then I recommend to use your evening bags only for the evening.
Here are some of my favorite looks this season and also they can be found on Xtravagans Facebook page
I read somewhere “the new bohemian style” and it caught my eye… because what new can you have in a style that is always “in style, and trendy”? The new fabrics, the new vests, the new loose fit? So in the end is was just another way to “advertise” this fabulous look to those people that are not into this bohemian chic style.
What I love about this style is that it is very free spirit, confident, romantic and you don’t feel afraid to break conventional fashion norms…
1 Ralph Lauren asymmetric floral skirtthis wonderful skirt is the essence of “boho loose fit chic” combine it with black, orange, green and brown tops. It is perfect for pear, triangle and hourglass shapes.
2 Prada Peruvian knit dress yes, it is a dress but you can also wear this type of dresses like a top paired with a darker vest, a thin belt to give waist and leggings or short skirt with high boots. Go easy on the accessories…
3 Erdem printed silk-satin gown this spectacular gown is perfect for the confident relaxed style. Accessorize very little with small earrings, a cuff, and add an embellished thin belt to give shape and sparkle to your outfit.
4 D&G daisy bow blousewonderful color palette perfect for fall! This type of shirts are very versatile because they can be worn with jeans like the image, we can pair it with a grey pencil skirt for work, and we can add a fur vest to add more bohemian style.
5 Ralph Lauren floral print gown notice how the sheer gloves help give that romantic look… I’m not saying go for it, but if you want to add more “romantic” into your boho chic look, sheer and lace are your best allies. This dress is perfect for day and evening and it will fit best if you are inverted triangle. Keep in mind that smaller print flowers are best for this look and also for our shapes.
Remember that the New Bohemian look is all about “Oh this? Just threw it on!"
I would like to take this opportunity and wish all the best to my client Natalie from Seattle, Washington that is marrying this weekend. We have worked very hard (and fun) these past few months to achieve all her dreams come true for her wedding. All the best to you this weekend!
If you wish to have a private consultation on event planning, or fashion consulting please don’t hesitate to contact me. It’s free of charge because I love it!
Grey is the perfect color combination for this season…wear it with black, camel, red, blue, yellow and prints… Go further and look for that LGD (Little Grey Dress) is “the” outfit this season to achieve the ultimate grey chicness!
Grey is a wonderful choice for day and night and I recommend using darker shades of grey for those silhouettes that are more round and need some help to hide those areas we don’t feel as comfortable, and choose light grey for tops or coats… layer your colors.
1 Richard Nicoll maxi skirtGreat simple look this long maxi skirt, combine it like the picture with red accessories; add a grey fur vest to camouflage other areas.
2 Zac Posen corset dress Look for similar form fitting corset dresses - it is perfect for triangle, round, rectangle, hourglass silhouettes because it gives shape and structure to those areas you want to distract the view…
3 Sandro capethis cape is the perfect timeless grey cape to your closet.
5 Donna Karanthis draped dress is fabulous for any shape because it hides what it needs to be hidden, it shows the areas that need to be shown and is perfect for cocktails, evening or from day to night events paired with a coat to “work” better. Accessorize according to your face shape and try not to go for long necklaces, but do go for a cuff or few bracelets.
Camel is one of my favorite colors and what a better way to start this week with a color that goes great with everything…
There are so many camel outfits and accessories right now that is impossible to name or show you all the pieces so I chose these four different looks to discuss besides your typical trench coat or coats that are very “in” at the moment.
1 Gianfranco Ferre camel leather sleeve dress this wonderful leather dress is perfect for inverted triangle silhouettes, diamond and round (don’t be afraid of the tightness) accessorize it with a fur vest or crop jacket and nude shoes.
2 Valentino's ruffle and rosette-embellished tan cotton-blend jacketthis delicate ruffle leather jacket is just right for day and evening. It is a key piece that can be worn for any body shape and especially for those of us that want to distract the attention from certain areas…
3Chloe tweed outfit this knit outfit is one of the biggest looks this season to achieve that 70’s flair. Wear this look for day affairs and working and enhance the look by wearing a belt to give more waist, a V neck for inverted triangle and round silhouettes. The pants could be tricky and maybe not your type but that is the look...combine it with camel booties or stilettos in nude to elongate your legs.
4 Maje leather toplove this leather top that it goes great with a nude skirt, jeans, military look, or minimalist. Accessorize according to your face shape since the round collar is not always flattering to many of us…
If you wish to see more camel looks then I invite you to join Xtravagans Facebook fan page and browse the other camel looks.
The 1950’s is one of my favorite fashion decades! Glamour was at its maximum level and for this season many designers are taking us back to the 50’s 60’s 70’s and 80’s but I wanted to focus our attention more to the 1950’s because it was a fascinating decade specially to those of us that were not even born then...
In the 50’s and even late 40’s the hourglass feminine silhouette was the biggest look. The ideal wife was portrayed in full skirts, frilly apron, and narrow waist on high stilettos. Working women were feminine but in a close-fit skirt suits which accentuated their curves. The jean was the big star of the 50’s when the Rock and Roll music began changing society as well.
Here are the outfits I chose to represent the new vision of that 50’s style today.
1 Jason Wu silk leaf-print dress this dress is perfect for women that want to be more “noticeable” with this print, it is also ideal for round & diamond shapes because the print design will help camouflage other areas.
2 Giambattista Valli cropped wool-blend tweed jacketthis jacket is a great addition to any wardrobe. It is elegant and is a good timeless piece. Wear it with your LBD; wear it down with legging and long white sleeve blouse if you prefer to hide some areas. Wear it with your LBD; wear it down with leggings and long white sleeve blouse and thin belt if you prefer to hide some areas.
3 Dior Bordeaux shift dress this is a great example for a modernized shift dress. Bordeaux is one of the biggest colors this season, and for this style of dresses it is best to have less accessories, and add a belt to give more waist if you are a rectangle and diamond body shape.
4 Donna Karan draped stretch wool dressThis draped dress is perfect for silhouettes that are round, triangle shapes because the draping on the top gives balance to the shoulders and waist. Match the accessories according to your face shape and your personal style.
5 Oscar de la Renta cashmere dressThis emerald dress is wonderful for those glamorous fall luncheons or evening dinners. Is the ideal dress for body shapes like inverted triangle, and hourglass shapes because they enhance your neckline. Cowl-necks are quite tricky and if you have worn them before, and love what you see then this style of dress is perfect for you.
6 YSL wool-blend dressthe perfect 50’s LBD, classic look then and now. Wear this style of dress with small subtle accessories and triangle, round, inverted, hourglass, rectangle diamond can Rock this look! Match it with red cardigan, cat-eye glasses, add a thin belt and wear it with flats or pumps, either way you will look very 50’s style.
7 Carven button back cashmere sweaterI’m an open back lover and this sweater paired with this skirt is the 50’s almost 60’s chic look for today. Combine this look with a short scarf on your neck in polka-dots, red lips, and spiky chignon to modernize the look.
8 Isabel Marrant brocade baseball jacketI love this effortless “grease” look! This jacket is the proof that brocades can also be worn for the day and paired with jeans…Also wear over a LR(red)D, grey pantsuit, or white/ecru dress.
The 1950’s is one of my favorite fashion decades! Glamour was at its maximum level and for this season many designers are taking us back to the 50’s 60’s 70’s and 80’s but I wanted to focus our attention more to the 1950’s because it was a fascinating decade specially to those of us that were not even born then...
In the 50’s and even late 40’s the hourglass feminine silhouette was the biggest look. The ideal wife was portrayed in full skirts, frilly apron, and narrow waist on high stilettos. Working women were feminine but in a close-fit skirt suits which accentuated their curves. The jean was the big star of the 50’s when the Rock and Roll music began changing society as well.
Here are the outfits I chose to represent the new vision of that 50’s style today.
1 Jason Wu silk leaf-print dress this dress is perfect for women that want to be more “noticeable” with this print, it is also ideal for round & diamond shapes because the print design will help camouflage other areas.
2 Giambattista Valli cropped wool-blend tweed jacketthis jacket is a great addition to any wardrobe. It is elegant and is a good timeless piece. Wear it with your LBD; wear it down with legging and long white sleeve blouse if you prefer to hide some areas. Wear it with your LBD; wear it down with leggings and long white sleeve blouse and thin belt if you prefer to hide some areas.
3 Dior Bordeaux shift dress this is a great example for a modernized shift dress. Bordeaux is one of the biggest colors this season, and for this style of dresses it is best to have less accessories, and add a belt to give more waist if you are a rectangle and diamond body shape.
4 Donna Karan draped stretch wool dressThis draped dress is perfect for silhouettes that are round, triangle shapes because the draping on the top gives balance to the shoulders and waist. Match the accessories according to your face shape and your personal style.
5 Oscar de la Renta cashmere dressThis emerald dress is wonderful for those glamorous fall luncheons or evening dinners. Is the ideal dress for body shapes like inverted triangle, and hourglass shapes because they enhance your neckline. Cowl-necks are quite tricky and if you have worn them before, and love what you see then this style of dress is perfect for you.
6 YSL wool-blend dresshttp://www.net-a-porter.com/product/78457 the perfect 50’s LBD, classic look then and now. Wear this style of dress with small subtle accessories and triangle, round, inverted, hourglass, rectangle diamond can Rock this look! Match it with red cardigan, cat-eye glasses, add a thin belt and wear it with flats or pumps, either way you will look very 50’s style.
7 Carven button back cashmere sweaterI’m an open back lover and this sweater paired with this skirt is the 50’s almost 60’s chic look for today. Combine this look with a short scarf on your neck in polka-dots, red lips, and spiky chignon to modernize the look.
8 Isabel Marrant brocade baseball jacketI love this effortless “grease” look! This jacket is the proof that brocades can also be worn for the day and paired with jeans…Also wear over a LR(red)D, grey pantsuit, or white/ecru dress.
In addition to clothes, hair, nails, and makeup are the next thing we obsess about (I know I sometimes do) because we want to know what changes we need to make to achieve that personal style that represents us for the season.
More and more, hair, lips and nails give the final touch to that personal look. These final touches help us create that look you want to give that special outfit, or match those particular shoes, or that sexy dress…
The biggest trends this season are…
Hair –retro hairstyles are very much the trend. High voluminous hair, ponytails with texture and curls, spiky chignon, wear it low to have a better effect. Other trends are blunt bangs; off-side and the messy just woke out of bed look…
Makeup – There’s no denying that plum shades are color of the season, fiery red lips, dual-toned eyes, and strong brows. For eyes, try a shimmery effect or for drama, a pigmented plum shade with smoky eyes or earthy eye shadow. Gold is the other color this season; combine it with plum lips or nude shades. The power or purple lips create a strong statement, for a softer look try gloss instead. Strong, architectural brows are back.
Nails – I love changing my nails! And this season I will most definitely try the “inverted French” that YSL came up with. Violet -grey, gold, deep red, and dusty –grey will also be the biggest colors this season for nails.
Have a wonderful week, and if you have further question ask V
After the overwhelming amount of information I gave you these past weeks, we can now regroup and think - what are the best pieces that we can add, keep or store for this coming season?
There are key pieces that need to be stored even if the weather says “please use me…” these are straw bags, white handbags, sandals, cane patterns, sporty shades, and iridescent shiny outfits. I’m not saying that is a “faux pas” I’m just suggesting we consider other items that are more fall oriented.
Some of the pieces that we can keep and continue to enjoy them even in the coldest of weathers are the Breton stripes shirt/sweaters, soft blazers, clogs, alligator bags, aviator sunglasses, maxi dresses, and
Now the fun part! What can we buy to update a bit our wardrobe? For a smooth transition, we can look to update our eyewear – Look for cat eye’s glasses, Leopard print shoes they can be flats, wedges or pumps, anything that is leopard is also a good option, and if you already have something with that print then have fun with it. Pointy flats, structured bags, full skirts, Tailor suits or 3 piece suits, the simpler the better to achieve that minimalistic/vintage/80’s look (too much in one outfit…)
Have a great week and enjoy Fashion’s Night Out, wherever you are!
So I’m back in NY, and this is our last week of Fall/Winter trends before we begin the in-depth discussion of the different trends and how we can combine these tendencies to your everyday life and our personal style. Two different looks - Dramatic Lace and Hot Scarlet are the final looks we will discuss.
Dramatic Lace – Lace this season will be in black, grey, white and red. Look for lace that compliment your features, and remember that less is more and smaller patterns flatter body shapes.
Hot Scarlet – from nail polish to shoes, bags, hosiery, lips, coats, and pants - everything we can think. Red is that other color we should consider when getting dressed. Scarlet accents, or full length dresses are also ways to incorporate this passionate color into your wardrobe.
Here is a video to illustrate the some of the trends.
Well this week we will discuss four trends for this coming season – The decades, Cozy Chic, Black, and Nerd Chic.
The decades – this season almost anything goes! Old trends are back, and what better then to look back and remember? Decades like the 70’s 60’s, 50’s, and even early century, or romantic eras are key looks for this season. Among my favorites were Prada’s 50 revivals, Oscar de la Renta old glamour Dallas style from the 70’s, Christian Dior romantic early century looks, and Louis Vuitton’s ladylike 50’s.
Cozy chic – There’s nothing like a good coat on a freezing cold weather to protect you, keep you warm and feel cozy in it... My favorite this season are Chloe grey and camel mid –length fur coat, Dennis Basso long brown coat, and Isabel Marant beige and black stripped fur coat.
Black – With time I have learned to appreciate this color and what it does! The most exciting black looks this season are Celine’s black pants, top and sleeveless vest, Ralph Chado Rucci’s long black dress with see-through shoulders, Stella McCartney black pants, sweater, and black flats, Oscar de la Renta long black v-neck dress with silver beads, YSL black 3 piece ensemble.
Nerd Chic – Prada is the predominant in this fun look, but other designer like Peter Jensen, Cynthia Steffe Alice Ritter have incorporated pieces that can also be worn like nerd chic looks.
I’m taking another small break this coming week to be in Tucson, Arizona @ Canyon Ranch again for my weight loss program, so I will be back with more great trends the week after.
This week we will review four different trends that will be very in fashionable this season - Minimalist, military, boho chic and knitwear.
Minimalist – one of my favorite outfits this season is the Bally beige and brown dress, is so simple but also great for any shape. The nude minimalist dress from number twenty one is the perfect simple elegant, Stella McCartney sleek pants and grey jacket, Victoria Beckham’s blue long dress.
Military – military look is more than the buttons on the shoulders, or the military collar, this season it’s all about that green military color that will be a big trend this coming season. Celine’s long green jacket it’s the ideal daywear look, Etro’s beige outfit with gold button, and Fendi’s green jacket are among the most noticeable this season.
Boho chic - is definitely the look that goes more with my personality and the way I want to portray myself, goes great with accessories and gives that feel of “decontracte” (relax) with a touch of elegant. Among my favorites are Maurizio Pecoraro’s grey hat, pants, fur vest, and pants, Pucci’s degrade print purple, pink and black, Fendi’s brown suede pants, Aquascutum double breasted sleeveless long black dress, and Halton’s one shoulder long pale beige dress.
Knitwear – from chunky high-knee socks, warmers, cardigans, and big chunky sweaters… knitwear is the perfect combination for any look. Some of my favorite knits are Chloe’s long brown knit cape, Missoni’s sleeveless long knit vest, Clements Ribeiro mustard beaded cardigan, Michael Kors beige cowl neck dress, Marc Jacobs plum knitted fur on collar and wrists jacket.
For the next 3 weeks I will be presenting the different trends for this coming Fall/Winter 2010.
Camel, Grey, Opulence, Animal prints, and the great outdoors will be the first five trends we will discuss this week.
Camel trend is the big star this season! Combine your camel outfits with bourdon, blue, brown, or red. Prada’s dress with ruffles, and camel coats are a great 60’s influence this season, as well as Michael Kors chunky knits in camel combined with grey, Chloe camel and grey combinations with knits and furs, Stella McCartney capes, and Gianfranco Ferré camel evening dress with gold sequin.
Grey, just like camel is the new black… this color will be your basic color this season to mix and match. Among the most noticeable DVF big chunky sweaters, Marc Jacobs’s boho grey dress and grey oversized sweaters, and D&G grey winter resort looks, Fendi’s grey wide leg pants, and Maurizio Pecoraro grey fur vests.
Opulence rich, brocades and wealth are also strong looks this coming season. Balmain has become the King of opulence, and this season Dolce and Gabbana joins him by bringing back their golden coins, and my personal favorite Clements Ribeiro with a wonderful brocade jacket, and cardigans and boots with beads, and gold sequins.
Animal prints, I prefer to wear it in small doses but this season some designers are going all the way with full outfits like Bluemarine zebra looks, Balmain’s leopard zipper jacket is the perfect jacket this season, and my personal favorite Emanuel Ungaro animal print color combination, just great!.
The great outdoors is just another way for me to compile all the great shearling coats, biker jackets in one category. Among the best to come or already in stores is Chloe’s ¾ length fur jacket (notice the combination of colors, very stylish) Love the Michael Kors Long grey fur coat, and Marc Jacobs chunky knit and fur coats.
Maxi dresses, caftans, long skirts, have always been my favorite summer look. I love wearing them for the evening because it gives that feel of Riviera summer chic combined with Arabian nights.
As for how you should wear this great look, then I recommend the following tips...
If you are like me that is petite in size, big personality, and triangle shape remember not to choose wide skirts that could make you look smaller, wear your high heels according to the length of the dress, and accessorise with jackets, shawls, belts, hats, and cuffs. (9) T by Alexander Wang jersey dress
To purchase these dresses, please click on the highlighted text with the name of the dress of your choice and the website to purchase the item will appear. If you want further help please Ask V
