Down to Earth

Ladies, please remove your high heels

                             as we prepare for landing.

 For all the ladies who’ve had enough of those damn high heel, flats shoes are back in fashion.

 And I'm not talking about shoes with a more subtle heel. 

No I'm talking about no heel at all!

A pity for the smaller ladies, but the good thing is it – literally – keeps you quite down to earth. 

Opt for the ballerina look like Chloe, Miyake and Oscar de la Renta 

or choose ...
some sunny sandals as shown in fashion shows 
of Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta, Derek Lam, Lanvin and Anna Sui.

The best part is those sandals come in every color and style. 

So you can easily mix 'n match your 

colorblocking, masculine, or minimalistic 

clothing style with your shoes

The sandals this season are more flat than ever. 

And since they’re affordable and super comfy there’s really

 no excuse not to want a pair of those easy chic shoes of your own.

Snake Charmer

Slither into a Snake Print.

In the 2011 spring/summer series, 

           the ferocious serpentine adds another 

wild element to the beast lines. 

Everyone (PETA notwithstanding) loves an exotic skin

Exotic animal prints make your wardrobe look different and catchy.

Snake Print is the exotic print of the Season.

                       Snakes are mean, wise and heartless

&&&

                                                 have the most beautiful skin in the world.

Prada Fall 2011

Snake prints in their utmost beauty are popularized by some of 

the A-list collections of the season which illustrate the many sides of this trend.

From the brown python pattern to the yellow, green ones, 

from the windbreaker jacket to the handbags and belts, 

you can find serpentine patterns are everywhere.

introduce a hint of snakeskin into your wardrobe with a bag

 or go all out with attention grabbing  snake print stockings 

Can the cold-blooded and stylish serpentine pattern impress you?

Fall Back.

Bundle Up.

Fall 2011 Fashion Trends:

Frida Giannini introduced classic Gucci glamor with a dandy twist. 

Androgynous wide-brimmed hats floated over vibrant furs

 introducing a daring women who asserts her sexuality 

with subtly seductive knee-length skirts, flares and masculine accents.

Oscar De La Renta Fall 2011 

With full-length coats and shorter jackets, then 

Oscar's laydylike pieces:

 a tweed skirt suit, a metallic pencil. 

Nearly every look gets a dose of Fall fur in a cozy snood or hat,

 adding luxury to the sophisticated looks. 

Trends: Fur, ladylike refinement, bold print.

Colours: Red, black, navy, and neutrals in bold prints.

Key Looks: A fur mini paired with a patchwork jacket and matching fur hat. 

Accessories: Slick black boots, fur snoods and hats, pointed-toe lace-up heels and ankle-strap pumps.

Lanvin Fall 2011

Lanvin's Fall 2011 collection shown at Paris fashion week 

featured an eerie weeping willow as it’s backdrop. 

Southern witches walked the runway with large brimmed black hats.

With the wide brim hats and dramatic capes

the Lanvin woman seemed elegant yet mysterious for the autumn season.

The Bag Boy

Chanel's Boy Bag 

Chanel's Boy bag was inspired by a 

       hunters' cartridge bag that was carried by Coco Chanel. 

The Boy bag lacks overt femininity. 

It's lines are strong, &&& the hardware embellishments are not slight. 

This boyish bag also lacks the quilted design 

that many Chanel bags have been coveted for.

 

Chanel is avoiding the feminine cliches this season. 

This Masculine design is not modern or futuristic, 

nor based on an experimentation with androgyny. 

It's a masculine undertone that is carrying heritage appeal. 

Very few fashion houses do heritage as well as Chanel.

The silvered and gold metals are aged &&& 

the large chain seems to be already loved. 

It's not that the Boy Chanel bag seems at all to be previously used

 (its glazed calfskin has too flawless a finish for that)

 but that each bag may have been kept with loving care 

in the back of a Chanel store in Paris and

recently dusted off to be again presented to the world.

"Chanel used men's underwear to make dresses; 

she had this boyish attitude, in fact it is the very spirit of Chanel.

 She got it from Boy Capel, the great love of her life, which, incidentally, 

explains why the new bag is called the Boy Chanel."

Sensational Satin

Lustrous Satins
                       are enchanting for spring.

Designers opted for a silky texture with this seasons fabric direction.
                       Satin is a great transitional fabric used for both
everyday pieces and dressed-up looks.

Satin is always sure to have a smooth finish.

Marc Jacobs 

offers a disco play on the satin style 

with the return of the 70's dungaree in 

juicy citric tangerine tones.

Gucci

designed polished outfits of casual separates 

in cool summer shades. 

Making a bold color-clashing combination 

into this seasons kaleidoscopic mix.

Louis Vuitton 

Marc Jacobs embraced exoticism for

 these silk mandarin-collaredcheongsam dresses. 

He was very inspired by Orientalism 

"total camp glamour, clothes for the extrovert; chinoiserie,

 the 1920s, everything that Paris stands for,"

-Marc Jacobs

Miu Miu

Miuccia Prada’s current fascination with the intersection between 

celebrities and pop culture 

inspired Miu Miu's Spring 2011 line. 

 Prada fused some of her favorite themes:

thirties glamour

with seventies glam rock 

&&& high-rise sandals with graphic flashes of flou color. 

Miu Miu's designs are treating playful glamour with keen intelligence.

Warning..

..Graphic Content!

 This season Designers played with color block construction 
                                                                                           full of fun and optimism. 

For a fresh statement with accessories:

Graphic Prints with striking patterns full of color 

                           will make an eye-catching statement.

 Diane Von Furstenberg 
                                                        alternated triangles of colored suede and metallic leather. 

Proenza Schouler  

                                                                          stripes interject strong color into a simple satchel.

                   A striking red and white pop art pattern for a high-contrast combo was 

                                                                                seen on the runway at Versace.

 Versus:

            a color-blocking combo confirmed that graphic 

                                                  effects are the new direction for a bright summer.

Packed to Perfection

 

For the A-list Smokers

Yves Saint Laurent 

has redesigned the packaging for their cigarettes. 

 The crisp black box opening to reveal a gold foil and cigarettes monogrammed

with the Yves Saint Laurent fashion house's cipher simply does it for me.

It's also oh-so-classic, harking back to the days when a good cigarette packet 

was akin to the packaging of a great scent, 

&&& indulging in its contents didn't force you to become akin to a leper exiled from normal society.

After Hours

Wait until Dark

Lingerie is the one of the most powerful ingredient of empowerment in a woman's wardrobe. 

                                                                      lingerie should add class and sass to a woman’s persona. 

                          Lingerie reflects the importance of a woman’s self-esteem 

                                                           and her need for personal expression in a chaotic world. 

There are so many different types of lingerie ranging from bustiers to corsets, 

                                                                         from a chemise to a peignoir.
                    But...

no matter which type you prefer make it bold and profess a statement. 

What matters is that it continues to 

evoke curiosity and interest.

“What makes lingerie such a vital part of a woman’s wardrobe is its ability to satisfy 

&&&

 stimulate the wearer as well as the observer.”

Fabrics can perform and still be appealing. 

Lace can be feminine and enticing whether bold or delicate, floral or graphic.

 It can float over the body, simple and understated and

 still make a statement with an unexpected detail or an interesting drape.

Pure silk and a mixture of different silk varieties with

 the shine of satin will give more emphasis on feminine charm and 

this will highlight your importance.