Menswear for fall 2012

One of the big trends from the runways for fall 2012 is the menswear trend. This trend has also been well-received by consumers; making the menswear trend for fall 2012 popular on the street. The menswear trend is being spotted in every aspect of fashion for fall 2012. Shoes, handbags, accessories and apparel are all taking inspiration from classic men’s fashion and style.

Office apparel and weekend garments are taking their inspiration from menswear for the fall 2012 season. Blazers, trousers, belts, shoes and handbags have all taken a masculine turn for the cool weather season. Men’s smoking slippers have replaced the ballet flat as the comfort shoe of choice while loafer pumps have taken over the classic pumps reign as the ultimate shoe for the office.

Handbags for fall are being offered in many different styles and trends. One of the handbag trends for fall 2012 is taking inspiration from classic menswear. Totes and satchels are being shown in east/west silhouettes with enough room for files, folders and a small laptop. These work-horse satchels are hybrids between a classic men’s briefcase and a feminine work satchel.

Trousers are being shown in skinny, cropped and wider, straight-legged styles; offering a silhouette for every body type. Designers are creating solid colored trousers in classic hues such as black, brown and grey as well as classic autumn plaid.

The blazer is the hot jacket of choice for the fall 2012 season and it comes straight from menswear inspiration. Blazers are sleek and draped for fall 2012. Steer clear of 1980’s shoulder pads or overly heavy cuts. Blazers for fall 2012 are body conscious and sophisticated. The blazer can be worn to the office with trousers, as part of a suit or thrown over a dress or jeans as a hip alternative to a jacket.

Shoes for fall 2012 are also menswear inspired with loafer pumps, smoking slippers and stacked heel loafers dominating the shoe scene. Think a man’s shoe with a heel.

While the head-to-toe menswear look may not be for everyone, this trend can easily be integrated into any Fashionista’s wardrobe. It is easy to pair loafers with jeans for casual looks or find a flattering, sleek blazer to wear in lieu of a jacket. Whichever way you choose to rock the menswear trend, it is one which is easy to wear and is comfortable too. Love that! 

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Multi-dimensional statement handbags for fall 2012

Statement handbags are huge for fall 2012 and the ultimate handbag trend for 2012 is a handbag which offers dimension. Multi-dimensional handbags for fall 2012 include texture, mixed fabrications and embellishments which make handbags for fall 2012 stand out in a crowd.

Handbags for the fall 2012 season are being shown in polar opposite styles. One faction is offering sleek, understated and classic handbag styles for the fall season, while the other faction is creating bold, multi colored, textured handbags which are eye-catching conversation pieces. Designers such as Prada, Fendi and Valentino are showing handbags under both categories for fall 2012; giving consumers a choice according to their personal tastes.

There are several different ways designers have presented the statement or multi-dimensional handbag for fall 2012. Here is a breakdown:

Texture: Handbags for fall are being shown in textured fabrics which add 3-D effects to the overall look of the handbag. There are handbags which combine brocade with leather, pony hair with satin, exotic skin with smooth leather and more. Patches of fabric are carefully constructed to create some of fall’s freshest handbags which are anything but flat.

Embellishments: Handbags for fall 2012 are being shown with bold embellishment such as multi-colored studs (ala Fendi), fringe (Christian Louboutin), crystal encrustation (Prada, Valentino, Christian Louboutin) and metal, rocker-chic studs as seen on handbags by Valentino, Alexander Wang, Christian Louboutin and more.

Top handle totes: Multi-dimensional statement handbags for fall 2012 are being show in every handbag style available; but the majority of them are being shown in the season’s hottest silhouette-the top handle tote. Satchels, totes and any handbag with top handles are hot for the fall 2012 season. This classic handbag style has gone wild for fall 2012 as designers have embellished them, encrusted them and cobbled multiple fabrications together to create them. The classic handbag style has been reborn for fall 2012 and is anything but timeless.

Multi-dimensional handbags were seen on the fall 2012 runways, and have now made their way to store shelves. There have been very few spotted on the street thus far; but fall really has not begun. It should be interesting to see if this trend hits the street, or if Fashionista’s stick to more classic handbag styles for the fall/winter 2012/2013 season. What are your thoughts on this trend? Leave us a comment below and start the discussion!

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Top three facial sunscreens for summer as chosen by expert editors

Summer is here and the sun is beating down on everyone. One of the most important parts of our skincare regime for the summer months includes applying sunscreen. Experts and skincare professionals are constantly telling us that we need to apply sunscreen on our face on a daily basis; whether or not we plan to be in the sun. Apparently the sun can hurt our skin just walking to and from the car! Who knew?!

Applying sunscreen on our bodies is fairly straightforward. We don’t have to worry about acne breakouts, rashes and the like. Our faces are different. Facial skin is sensitive and prone to acne, rashes, dry patches, oily patches and problems we may not even be aware of!

So here at Bay Area Fashionista we have decided to take on the long, cumbersome task of testing several sunscreens for the face; so that you don’t have to. Love that!

Here are our editor’s picks and a special treat: Trish’s pick from Dish By Trish:

Rita’s pick:

For my face I only use Colorscience Pro Sunforgettable Mineral Power Brush SPF 30 in Almost Clear (Tan). I love it! It’s a mineral sunscreen powder and brush in one small compact cylinder tha I carry around in my purse during the summer. It goes on very lightweight since it’s in powder form, so no greasy sunscreen lotions on my face. It’s also tinted so it provides some coverage as well. There’s no need to put on makeup on top of it – and who wants to that when on vacation anyway? The one I use has PSF 30 but I believe it comes in SPF 50 also. It’s also waterproof, but I reapply after I get out of the water anyway J” Colorscience can be found online at Dermstore.com

Trish’s pick:

“I fell in love with Kiehl’s products many years ago because it was one of the few brands that didn’t irritate my sensitive skin. My everyday favorite sunscreen is Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15. This is a super lightweight formula yet it gives my skin a nice glow while providing protection. But for those really hot summer days, I opt for Kiehl’s UV Defense SPF 50. While this formula is lightweight, it provides maximum protection. I love the convenient travel size bottle (1.7 fl. oz) because it fits perfectly in my purse and can be easily placed in carry-on luggage when traveling.” Kiehl’s can be found online at kiehls.com

Trish is the fabulous brain behind Dish By Trish. Check out her yummy food blog at dishbytrish.com, “like” her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.

Cathy’s pick:

I have sensitive skin which is also combination skin. To make matters worse, I am prone to acne and have several allergies to cosmetics. In fact, there are several cosmetic companies out there who claim to be hypo-allergenic, yet they irritate my skin and cause rashes. So, finding a sunscreen for my face was a bigger challenge than swimsuit shopping and denim shopping combined.  I was instantly in heaven when I tested out Revive products. The moisturizers contain spf protection, they balanced my skin, ended my acne and I swear my wrinkles have been reduced! Am I dreaming? My pick is definitely Revive Sensitif Cellular Repair Cream with SPF 15. Revive can be found online at Nordstrom.com

Rita is Bay Area Fashionista’s Style Editor, Trish is Editor in Chief of Dish ByTrish and Cathy is Editor in Chief of Bay Area Fashionista.

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