Trends

The “IT” list is in for summer 2011 nail color

 in Beauty / General Fashion / Nail Polish / Trends  tagged chanel / chanel nail polish / summer 2011 by

Nail polish trends have been swinging back and forth from very light to very dark over the past few seasons. As Fashionistas move into summer and begin to pare down their spring wardrobe in preparation for steamy temperatures, everyone is beginning to see their black shaded finger-tips as a bit, well, shall we say, so last season!

While Black Pearl from Chanel and similar shades from designers and beauty companies across the globe have graced the fingertips of the fashion-savvy since December 2010, fingertips have rebelled for summer and are going pale beige or bright pink.

Instead of one dominant color for nails this summer, the “IT” fingertips shade is either beige or bright pink while the “IT” toe color is either bright pink or sunshine yellow; Mimosa by Chanel to be exact. While black polish still has its place in nail color royalty for the summer, the shade has been relegated to the toes and paired with beige fingertips.

Wondering what exact shades to look for this summer? Mimosa by Chanel is the ultimate yellow for your toes. Morning Rose is the “IT” shade of pink for all of your nails and Beige Petale is the neutral beige for your fingertips. The one nail color rule this summer is that bright colors, other than pink, belong on your toes. Fingers are to be kept neutral in either beige or spring’s black.

The reasoning behind this “nail polish color rule” is that bright and bold colors in apparel and accessories are HOT for summer and Fashionistas need to be able to wear any shade they please, without having to worry about their fingertips clashing with their ensembles. 

summer2011nails

Chanel Summer nail color from left: Beige Petale, Mimosa and Morning Rose.
Photo by Bay Area Fashionista ©2011

The Lady Bag for fall

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged fall 2011 / runway trends / satchels / winter 2012 by

The “Lady Bag,” or top handle satchel, was a huge handbag trend for fall 2010. When the spring 2011 runway collections hit the catwalk, the top handle satchel was nearly absent; minus the classic designers who keep the style in their collections regardless of the trends du jour. While Hermes and Christian Dior showed Lady Bag styles for spring, most designers such as Roberto Cavalli and Gucci opted for the trendier, 1970’s inspired shoulder bag with a long strap.

Consumers and Fashionistas everywhere were not ready for the classic yet trendy “Lady Bag” to fade into the background for spring, so shoppers continued to purchase the handbag style and store buyers happily stocked shelves with the satchel. Due to the demand for the classic top handle satchel, designers retuned the style to the runways for fall 2011; as if the handbag had never left the catwalk.

Almost every designer imaginable featured the top handle satchel for fall 2011 on their runways in New York, London, Paris and Milan. Some designers such as Christian Dior, featured the style with a detachable cross body strap to add versatility to the style. Gianfranco Ferre and Nina Ricci showed the classic silhouette with one top handle while Hermes and Christian Dior showed double handle totes for fall.

Whether you purchase the double or single handle style “Lady Bag,” the handbag is a classic and perfectly on trend for now into fall. The best colors to look for when purchasing a top handle satchel are neutrals that will last the test of time such as shades of Ivory, black, brown and navy. Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

Fall 2011 Fashion Trends: Vintage

 in General Fashion / Trends  tagged 1930s / 1940s / 1960s / 1970s / 1980s / fall 2011 / runway trends / vintage styles by

The fall 2011 runways in New York, Milan and Paris gave the fashion world a glimpse of what will be hitting store shelves later this year. Although there were many trends and unique looks from designers around the world in February, March and April, one of the more dominant trends from the runway was the vintage trend.

The vintage trend seems to make its way onto the runways every season in various forms from accessories to hair-styles to overall silhouettes and ensembles. The fall 2011 runways seemed to favor a few time periods this season which are continuing from spring 2011 as well as appearing for the first time in a few years.

The 1960’s and 1970’s were all over the spring 2011 runways and continued to make an impact for fall 2011. Designers such as Blumarine (1960’s) and Marc by Marc Jacobs (1970’s) featured a simple decade in their collections and created an instant vibe that took viewers back to a different time. The influence in the runway collections as a whole from these decades gave the fashion world a continuation of 1960’s bright colors, 1970’s wide leg pants, 1970’s hats, 1970’s shoulder bags and shoes from both eras.

The 1980’s also made a small appearance on the fall 2011 runways. Dolce & Gabbana created collection for fall which instantly took the fashion world back to a time of bubble gum pop, oversized shirts and eclectic mixtures of colors. The 1980’s showed Fashionistas that mixing colors and loose tops over thin bottoms are du rigueur for fall 2011.

The Great Recession has led designers to be inspired by the styles of the Great Depression. Designers such as Louis Vuitton showed vintage silhouettes from the 1930’s and 1940’s with top handle satchels, below the knee skirts and ladylike looks that evoke memories of black and white film.

The vintage trend for fall 2011 is diverse and includes contrasting decades and influences from bright and swinging eras as well as times of struggle. It should be interesting to see which time periods buyers decide to gravitate towards.