Trends

Fall 2012 shoe trends: the smoking shoe

 in General Fashion / Shoes / Trends  tagged fall 2012 / flats / runway trends / winter 2013 by

Fall 2012 is rolling into stores as we speak and one of the biggest and newest trends in shoes for fall is the smoking shoe. An offshoot of the continuing menswear trend, the smoking shoe is a flat shoe based on a man’s smoking slipper. The women’s version is being shown in the same silhouette and with many of the same materials as the men’s version with the exception of an outdoor sole underneath.

Smoking slippers are being shown in many fabrications for the fall season. Suede and velvet are proving to be the most common fabrications, although there are exotic, leather and fabric versions on the market to suit anyone’s taste.

The top of the smoking slipper, in general, may offer an embroidered emblem or design which adds to the richness and allure of the leisure time style. Although not dominant on the runway at all, the smoking slipper is a favorite of store buyers for the fall season and is taking store shelves by storm. The style is an interesting alternative to the delicate ballet flat and may take the place of the feminine style for the fall season as the menswear trend gains momentum this cool weather season.

Smoking slippers are a casual shoe style which can be worn mainly with jeans and pants; although more daring Fashionistas may style the smoking slipper with skirts. Since the smoking slipper is decidedly masculine, its’ natural look is with more masculine ensembles.

We found a few smoking slippers from around the web and assembled them into the Polyvore set below in order to help inspire your smoking shoe shopping for the fall season. Hope you love it!

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How to navigate the spring sales to benefit your fall wardrobe

 in Shopping / Trends  tagged fall 2012 / summer 2012 / tips by

May is the last month for spring shopping. As the hot weather rolls in and fall merchandise begins to grace store shelves, this is the month when spring merchandise begins to go on sale. Since this is the end of spring, May is not always a good month for buying seasonal items at full price; unless it is a must-have item and there is only one left in your size.

As spring merchandise begins to get marked down and fall starts taking over the mall, this is a good time to take advantage of lower prices. What is it that you need? Do you need warm weather clothing for a trip or the summer in general? If you have already filled up your spring/summer wardrobe, the spring sales are a good time to find transitional pieces which fit into the fall trends and color palette.

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, fall weather is just as warm, and sometimes warmer, than the spring months. This can be true in other parts of the country as well. Since the weather is warm, Fashionistas tend to reach for their spring/summer wardrobes well into November. So finding spring/summer pieces which reflect the fall trends and not the weight of fall clothing is key to saving money on one’s fall wardrobe and being comfortable in the fall months.

Here are few fabulous items from spring/summer which can be found on sale right now, and within the next month, that will fit perfectly into the fall trends:

1)      Black satchel: the black satchel is a classic handbag, and also happens to be hot for fall. Look for small or medium sized bags which also fit perfectly into the small handbag trend.

2)      Yellow gold: Yellow gold is the metal of choice for fall. Look for costume or fine jewelry in yellow metal. Gold, brass and copper are all perfect metals for fall as long as they have a yellow tone.

3)      The pointed toe: Pointed toe shoes are hot for fall. Look for pumps and sling-backs with closed toes on sale from spring. These silhouettes will be perfect for fall. Just make sure you stay away from neon hues and springtime pastels 

4)      Studs: The rock and roll trend is still hot, and this fall there will be spikes, studs and metal embellishments on everything from shoes to handbags to jackets. Looks for understated metal embellishments. Overdoing the studs is tired and from a few seasons ago. Look for edges trimmed with studs or small studs which are all over the item.

5) Shades of dark blue: Dark blue and light navy are replacing spring’s yellow as the new “neutral” color for the season. Look for sale items which are navy or a deep shade of dark blue.

6)      Fall colors: Thankfully Pantone gave us a sneak peek into fall’s colors, this is a big help while navigating the spring sales. Look for shades from the chart below:

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If you must buy something right now from a spring/summer collection at full price, make sure you hold on to your receipt and ask the store about their price adjustment policy. This will help you obtain the sale price if what you purchased happens to go on sale within the first week or two after you bought it.

Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

The pointed toe makes a comeback

 in General Fashion / Shoes / Trends  tagged fall 2012 / high heels / winter 2013 by

Pull those fabulous Manolo Blahnik Mary Jane’s out of the back of your closet, because it is not just the Mary Jane making a comeback this fall; the pointed toe is back for fall 2012. After a few years on hiatus, pointed toe shoes are making a huge comeback for the fall/winter 2012/2013 season. This isn’t to say that almond toe’s and square toes are on their way out, there seems to be plenty of room for all toe shapes this upcoming cool weather season.

The pointed toe has been making a brief appearance over the past two seasons; almost as if the toe shape has been testing the waters of the marketplace. As platforms have been joined on store shelves with flat soled shoes, the pointed toe has been able to make an easier resurgence and has quickly been gaining popularity among Fashionistas.

The pointed toe is traditionally found on flat soled shoes. While a few shoe designers such as Brian Atwood, Prada and Christian Louboutin have added small platforms, which are under a half inch, to pointed toe pumps, the majority of pointed toe shoes have been popping up with the traditional flat sole; another sign that shoes are slowing making their way back to the ground.

Pointed toe shoes are being shown in many styles for the fall 2012 seasons. The pointed toe has been popping up on flats, pumps, sandals, booties, boots, cap toed pumps, loafer pumps and formal poie de soie shoes. In fact, fall 2012’s embellishment trend has also been spotted on pointed toe shoes, allowing the style to find itself encrusted with crystals, rock n’ roll studs and more.

The pointed toe shoe has its pros and cons. The pros being that the style fades in and out of fashion every few seasons, making the shoe a good investment when purchased in classic materials and colors. Pointed toes can also slim down a wide foot.

The cons to the pointed toe shoe include fit and the fact that although slimming, they do make large feet look longer than they actually are. Many shoe fans find themselves going up a half size in pointed toe shoes since the toe box tends to be narrow and can easily pinch the toes. Something to keep in mind if ordering a pair of pointed toe shoes off the Internet or from a catalog.

Since the pointed toe shoe trend is fabulous for fall 2012, we found a few amazing styles online and assembled them into the Polyvore set below. Hope you love it! Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

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