Fashionista Survival Guide for the County Fair

County fair season has hit the Bay Area and Fashionistas everywhere are wondering what to wear! The county fair can be such a challenge for Bay Area Fashionistas. The thought of walking around in dirt while the sun is beating down on freshly high-lighted hair can cause panic for the fashion savvy. If Fashionistas across the Bay Area follow a few simple rules of county fair dressing, the panic will cease and everyone will enjoy the rides, funnel cakes and chickens 

What NOT to wear to the county fair:

Rule #1

No Christian Louboutin. I know, I know. This is killing you. Designer high heels and platforms need to stay far away from the county fair. The ground is made out of dirt and you will be petting farm animals and riding on the water bumper cars. Do you really want to ruin your $800 Manolo’s? The answer is no. Prada must stay home.

Rule #2

No sandals of any kind. Yes, it will be around 90 degrees outside and chances of finding shade are slim, but remember, the ground is made out of dirt. You will have dirt under your toes for the entire day if you wear sandals.

Rule #3

No fanny packs. Do I need to explain this? Afraid so. Fanny packs are very convenient, but they can easily be pick-pocketed. I do not need to explain the fashion faux-pas portion of this rule; correct?

Rule #4

No skirts. You will be riding on the ferris wheel, water bumper cars and who knows what. Remember the saying: I see London I see France I see that Fashionistas underpants! ‘Nuff said.

Rule #5

No $2000 shoulder bags. Please leave your Chanel 2.55 , Gucci Hobo and Balenciaga City Tote at home. Not only will they attract attention from unwanted, possible pick-pocketers, you need to remember the water bumper cars. Water + designer handbag = destroyed hunk of leather.

Rules for what to wear to the fair:

Rule #1

Wear shorts. Shorts will give you the ability to ride on carnival carousels and upside-down rides without worrying about exposing yourself. Since the rides are outside and there could be water involved, it is important to wear shorts that will not show dirt or react badly to water. Denim shorts and thick, cotton twill shorts are a Fashionistas best bet. There are plenty of city short styles from Marc Jacobs and at stores such as Banana Republic.

Rule #2

Wear a cotton top. It will be hot at the county fair and cotton, being a natural fabric, will be your coolest bet. Stay away from a boring tank top or tee-shirt. There are fabulous cotton tops on the market from Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, Velvet and at stores such as Banana Republic.

Rule #3

Use a cross-body wallet on a chain. The best way to keep your hands free is with a cross body wallet on a chain or mini-bag. Here is the key, wear it under your cotton top. This will safe-guard you from pick-pockets who could clip the strap behind you, plus it will not ruin the look of your outfit. The wallet on a chain should hang a few inches below your top’s hemline. Fabulous! Chanel has the perfect, black caviar leather, wallet on a chain. You can find it at Neiman Marcus in Palo Alto or San Francisco as well as the Chanel boutique in San Francisco.

Rule #4

Fabulous tennis shoes. No no, not the ones you wear to step class; the fabulous ones made by Chanel. You can also find affordable styles at Target made by Converse in a mix of colors as well as metallic sparkles. These will protect your feet and not ruin your outfit.

Rule #5

Protect yourself from the sun. The UV rays will be strong and it is important to protect yourself from skin damage. A fabulous hat  and the perfect shades  will complete your look.

Remember, the county fair is fun and it is not a runway show. You can look fabulous without sacrificing the fun to be had on the rides and visiting the farm animals. Have fun, happy shopping and stay fabulous.

HOT Shoe Trend for Fall 2010

The hot shoe trend for Fall 2010 is the return of the dainty bow. Bows have been adoring the sides of Valentino pumps and Valentino handbags for the past several seasons, but the dainty bow was prominent in Fall fashion back in 2003. As designers return to proper dressing from the 1950s, the dainty bow bears an important part of completing the look. The full skirt paired with a short sleeved seater and vintage handbag make kitten heeled, pointed toe pumps with a bow, the perfect shoe to complete the feminine look.

Prada had the best show of bows for Fall 2010 with two tone leather high heels in varying heights, pointed toes and a sweet bow on top. The Prada bow is thin and reminiscent of the 2003 version that topped round toe pumps everywhere. Louis Vuitton showed a thicker version of the bow in a more formal, satin on velvet pump.Louis Vuittons’s high heels have a thick, covered stacked heel and sharply pointed toe. Miu Miu is showing a bold, two-tone platform with a small bow on top of the toes tied with a half inch thick leather. Christian Dior is topping off the Dior classic pump with a small bow, adding a bit of sass to the classic shoe. Of course, the holy grail of shoes designers, Christian Louboutin is giving Fashionistas a fabulous, kitten heel pump with a rounded pointy toe and a dainty bow over the toes in suede. Manolo Blahnik, the artist of shoe design, is giving shoe lovers everywhere a bow, of course Blahnik never does what all of the other designers are doing, so his bow is appearing on the back of his slingback high heels. So fabulous!

The bow is here for Fall 2010 and it is definitely the highlight for Fall shoe trends. Many Fashionistas in the Bay Area may already have a pair of high heels or kitten heels in the back of their closet from earlier in the decade, while others may need to make a trip to the mall! This is definitely a trend worth investing in. If you are concerned about the longevity of the bow, or if you may get tired of the bow, make sure the shoes you purchase have a bow that can easily be removed by a shoe repair. This can give new life to a pair of shoes that may otherwise end up in the back of your closet by 2012. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

Kitten Heels for Fall 2010, The ‘IT’ Shoe

Kitten heels make a comeback for Fall 2010 as shoes fall back down to Earth after years of being sky high. The kitten heel was incredibly important roughly ten years ago as Fashionistas across the Bay Area shuffled between work and their cars. We were so busy starting companies and working for people who were starting companies, that a comfortable walking shoe was not required. Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik were on the feet of every Fashionsta from Marin to San Francisco to Contra Costa to Alameda to San Mateo and Santa Clara. The kitten heel appeared on pointed toe, clog-like shoes embroidered with beads on silk that barely let Fashionistas shuffle from their desk at work, back to their car. The kitten heel was more wearable on slingbacks, which held on tight to the heel of the foot allowing Fashionistas the ability to actually walk!

Designers thought about women’s feet this time around and have designed amazing kitten heels for Fashionistas everywhere. The kitten heel is shown with a pointed toe as a full pump or slingback. Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs dressed models in fabulous kitten heels with pointed toes and slingbacks on their Fall 2010 runways. Prada brought back the bow tie from 2003 and showed kitten heels in two tone leather; both as a pump and a slingback. Fashionista favorites such as Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo all have kitten heel designs of their own for store shelves this Fall.

This kitten heel slingback will look fabulous with Fall’s throwback to the 1950s  when paired with the perfect vintage handbag. Kitten heels also give you the opportunity to shop your closet. If you do not already own a pair of kitten heels from yesteryear, this is the perfect time to invest in a pair of feminine. kitten heels. Look for a neutral color that will be timeless such as a shade of brown or black. Cole Haan and Banana Republic also offer affordable kitten heel slingbacks with pointed toes. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.