Happy New Years and goodbye to tired trends

Happy New Years! Thankfully 2011 is on the horizon and a new set of fashion trends will greet us on store shelves in January. What are the fashion trends from 2010 that you are happy to see end? Which trends are you looking forward to investing in for spring? Here is a short list from us, enjoy!

Bye-bye 2010!

1)      Jeggings: They were only cool for about 24 hours. Then, the people who bought them looked in the mirror, freaked out and threw them away. Thank goodness!

2)      Torn Jeans: Someone, somewhere, thought it was still 1986 and tried to bring torn jeans back into style, thank goodness this trend failed. Torn jeans now become dust cloths. Goodbye!

3)      Fur Handbags: Now tell me this, why does a handbag need to be made from fur? Oh, just to tell the world it was expensive. Well, a fur handbag tells the world the owner kills animals in order to carry around her car keys. Dusty and on the clearance rack. Ick.

4)      Minimalism: As much as we like simplicity, we’re more bored now than we were in 1994. Bring on the bling bay-bee!

5)      No eye-liner: Thankfully the red lips and no eye-liner eye look never made it off the fall 2010 runway. Consumers know an ugly look when they see it. Three cheers for eye-liner!

Hello 2011!

1)      Rocker Chic: Studs, motorcycle jackets and black leather are back so download some Van Halen, throw your BBag on your shoulder and get ready to rock out in 2011!

2)      Bright Colors: With the end of minimalism, we can live in candy colored frocks that put smiles on people’s faces. Happy colors=fabulous!

3)      Florals: Floral patterns are everywhere and let’s face it, flowers are happy, calm, innocent and cheeky; love it!

4)      Slouchy Hobos: Slouchy and soft hobo handbags are all the rage for spring 2011. They are relaxed and understated. Perfect to pair with bright colors and patterns. Go for a neutral beige, white, black or tan.

5)      Big jewelry: Shoulder duster earrings, double cuffs and big necklaces. Look for opaque stones, cabochons and natural cuts.

Happy New Years and stay fabulous 

Glassescopy2

Stay fabulous and warm on New Years

New Years Eve is an evening when many Fashionistas find themselves attending a semi-formal or formal event where keeping warm just is not on the agenda. Most party attire does not offer long, warm sleeves; rather, they bare the shoulder or provide little coverage in the form of a short sleeve. For an evening such as this, a wrap is in order.

The one type of cover up Fashionistas should have their closets, or invest in for New Years this year, is a black formal wrap. A formal wrap is an easy way to keep warm and not hide your entire outfit underneath a large coat. If you have a black wrap in velvet, silk or cashmere buried in your closet, then you are all set for keeping warm this New Years Eve without sacrificing your fabulous outfit. If you do not already own a wrap that works with your holiday attire or is basic black, then it is time to go shopping.

There are several classic yet festive wraps on store shelves right now that will also make great investment pieces. Iiana Wolf has a sequin silver and black wrap that is perfect for New Years and can easily be an investment piece for years to come. Gucci has a festive black or lavender animal print wrap that features fringe on the edges. Loro Piana has a wool scarf that features animal prints. Although not a formal wrap, the Loro Piana wrap can easily be worn for a semi-formal event and with any pant outfit.

The thing to look for in an investment wrap is longevity and quality. Wraps should be classic and in a color that you know will integrate well with your current wardrobe. The quality should also high since a wrap is on the outside of your outfit, it will be the first impression someone has of your ensemble. Look for quality wools, velvet and smooth silk. Happy shopping, Happy New Years and have a fabulous night  

LoroPiana

Loro Piana wrap from the winter 2010 collection. Photo courtesy of Loro Piana

Chanel nail polish “IT” list for spring 2011

Chanel nail polish is iconic. Every season Chanel dictates to the Beauty world what color should be on the fingertips of Fashionistas everywhere. Whether or not a Fashion-savvy or beauty-savvy shopper decides to follow the “IT” nail color of the moment is a personal choice. In the 1990’s Chanel introduced Vamp, which instantly took candy pink and cherry red off the fashionable fingers of the world and painted them a dark, controversial, brownish-red. Vamp is still on Chanel stores today and is arguably one of the biggest nail polish trends in finger tip history.

The past few years dark nail polish has been a mainstay on the finger-tips of the fashion savvy. With a few pops of pale pink and candy pink as well as last spring’s dark beige Particulaire, extremely dark polish has withstood the test of changing fashion trends. Some Fashionistas may be pulling out their carefully maintained locks at the thought of the high maintenance quality of dark nail polish. The chips show right away and can create a “hot mess” look with one major chip. While wearing dark polish, many beauty-savvy Fashionistas find they need to carry the bottle with them in their handbag; just in case of emergency.

Chanel has dared to test the patience of the fabulous, busy finger-tips of Fashionistas for spring 2011 with the introduction of Black Pearl. Black Pearl has already been named the “It” color for spring 2011 by many fashion publications and has garnered a waiting list upon its release on December 20, 2010. Fashionistas, who desire Black Pearl, might need to run in their 4” Christian Louboutin’s to the nearest Chanel beauty counter in order to snag a bottle. Thankfully, Black Satin from a few years is still on store shelves and Steel from the Chanel resort collection is also available at Nordstrom stores nationwide.

So for those who desire the Chanel “IT” nail polish of the season, there you have it. Black Pearl is the polish for your finger-tips. Of course, if you cannot get your hands on Black Pearl, or you feel $23 for a fleeting trend is too high of a price, check out the various black and steel polishes at Target. Sally Hansen has a fabulous color called Gunmetal which is a metallic black and only about two shades lighter than Chanel’s Black Pearl. For under $10, you can be right on trend with over $13 to spare. Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

spring2011chanelnailpolish

From left to right: Sally Hansen Gunmetal, Chanel Black Pearl and Chanel Steel