Men’s Fall Fashion Trends: Corduroy

Men who love fashion are in for a treat this Fall! Corduroy is back and it is being shown on more than just pants. Corduroy is finding a dressier, crispier life for Fall in the form of structured, slim pants and form fitting blazers. Men will be able to wear corduroy for office casual looks without worrying about looking too casual. The cords are small which gives corduroy a finer, more structured look that is modern and cool.

Gucci gave men a wide variety of corduroy for Fall with different cuts of slim pants hitting at the top of the ankle as well as just below the ankle bone. The pant cuts are classic yet slim  and give men a thin silhouette. Designers are showing deep navy, dark military green, rich browns and black on corduroy pants giving men dark pants to pair with cozy cardigan sweaters, cashmere pull-overs and crisp cotton shirts.

Etro, Ralph Lauren and Dolce and Gabbana have created both pants and blazers for men made from corduroy for Fall. Blazers are being shown in form-fitting cuts as well as more casual and forgiving cuts in casual browns and washed corduroy. Men will be able to find blazers that can be worn to work and out to dinner as well as the perfect casual blazer for the week-ends. The one fashion rule men will need to follow this Fall is to stay away from pairing the corduroy blazer with corduroy pants. The blazer will work great with a dark pair of jeans for the week-end or paired with crisp, gabardine pants as shown on Gucci’s runway.

Corduroy swings in and out of style every Fall so men might be able to save some money this Fall by what women refer to as “shopping your closet.” Take a look inside your closet and see if you have thin corduroy pants stored in the back. If not, this is a great season to buy a few pairs of corduroy pants and at least one blazer. The corduroy look for Fall is a great way to look polished yet still feel comfortable. Corduroy is also a classic fabric that can be worn season after season. If you are looking for an investment, stick with classic colors such as black, chocolate brown and navy. Stores such as Banana Republic and Macy’s have corduroy blazers and pants at reasonable prices. You will never go wrong! Happy shopping!

 

Melissa Elia Founder of Mayssa Fragrance Interview

The San Francisco Bay Area is home to a few niche perfumers who create beautiful fragrances that may or may not get noticed beyond the local level. Niche perfumers are increasing in popularity as consumers become bored with “macro-perfumers” making fragrances that all smell alike and follow the “fragrance fashion trend du jour.”

There have been endless fragrance launches over the past ten years that mix and match the same scents over and over again; many of which have celebrity names attached to the bottle just to boost sales of the same boring liquid. The allure of boutique or niche perfumers has increased as consumers have realized there is a whole world of creativity out there that has yet to be sniffed. One of the local, San Francisco Bay Area perfumers worth noticing is Melissa Elia, creator of Mayssa Fragrance.

Mayssa Fragrance founder Melissa Elia created a light, floral fragrance out of love and passion.  Elia was in a classic love story with a man who spoke about future children and their future names. The girl’s name was to be Mayssa (pronounced may-ee-sah). When the relationship ended, Elia knew she needed a way to mend her broken heart. Her passion had been her love affair with a man; it was soon to be replaced by her passion for fragrance.

Melissa Elia always knew she had an inner desire to start and own something. Her entrepreneurial spirit kept bringing her into the fragrance world. Elia began to meet professionals in the fragrance industry and this was her cue to create her own fragrance.

Melissa Elia knew what fragrances she liked and what she did not like. She began purchasing essences and oils and mixing them together in her own kitchen.  Through trial and error, she narrowed down the ingredients that she and her friends liked the best. This is how Mayssa was born. Once Mayssa’s recipe was complete, Elia began to create shower gel, soap and lotion in her kitchen to complement the Mayssa perfume.

Launched in 2003, Mayssa is a beautiful, wearable combination of green, floral and citrus notes. The heart of the fragrance takes Fragrance Fashionistas through a flower garden filled with jasmine, rose and lily. The basenotes of Mayssa are smooth cedarwood and musk. Melissa Elia successfully created a light, everyday fragrance that can easily be worn to the office during the day as well as for an evening out on the town. She used a mix of synthetic and natural oils that are high in quality and long lasting.

Mayssa soon became popular and Melissa Elia realized she could no longer create the perfume in her own kitchen. She began to shop around in search of a perfumery that could produce her fragrance in small or large batches while maintaining the high quality mix of ingredients she demanded. After about a one year search, Melissa Elia found a local company in Livermore, California that could mix her perfume with high quality ingredients and create small or large batches depending on the needs of the business.

This beautiful fragrance is increasing in popularity as more and more Fragrance Fashionistas discover Mayssa. While Mayssa is currently sold in boutique hotel spas and online, the fragrance line is set to expand and be distributed nationally. Mayssa will continue to be a niche perfume while benefitting from national exposure and sales.

Melissa Elia is a true entrepreneur who found her passion and followed it. She is an inspiration to anyone looking to start a company and follow their dream.  Mayssa will not be the last perfume the fashion and beauty world sees from Melissa Elia. She has plans to create a men’s fragrance as well as continue to expand her Mayssa product line. She is definitely a business woman to follow, watch and learn from.

Mayssa

Mayssa Fragrance Line
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mayssa Fragrance

Fall Fashion Trends: Pencil Skirts

The vintage trend for Fall is in full swing and pencil skirts are taking store shelves by storm. Although designer runway shows focused more on the full skirt when highlighting the 1950’s trend, store buyers have opted to stock the shops with the pencil skirt. Perhaps buyers did not think Fashionistas were ready for the full skirt? One has to wonder since Fashionistas seem to be very excited about the vintage trend for Fall. Although full skirts are over-shadowed by pencils skirts, full skirted dresses are everywhere and might the full skirts warm-up entrance into Fashion for the upcoming Spring season.

The pencil skirt is a 1930’s and 1950’s style that offers a high level of sophistication to a woman’s wardrobe. Pencil skirts can be worn in conjunction with the minimalism look for the office or spiced up with the luxe look of the 1950’s for a dinner date or theater outing. The pencil skirt can also be played up for daytime casual looks with a chunky knit sweater, military boots and 1970s handbag.

Pencil skirts have been swinging in and out of fashion every eight years or so; much like the natural economic cycle. For some reason, they seem to enjoy a resurgence during the down cycle, rather than the up cycle. Coincidence perhaps? The last time Fashionistas flocked to stores for pencil skirts was in the late 1990’s just before the dot-boom raised real estate prices and salaries to unsustainable levels. Perhaps the pencil skirt is favored by designers during recessionary times due to the fact that is it simple, easy to sew and provides a staple wardrobe piece for women that can be worn casual or dressy with different tops, shoes and accessories. The pencil skirt is also practical enough for the office yet flirty enough for a evening out.

Designers such as Chanel, Valentino, Loro Piana, Dolce & Gabbana, Nina Ricci, and Stella McCartney are showing pencil skirts for Fall in fabrics from gabardine to lace to satin to leather. The pencil skirt length is varying from barely touching the top of the knee to barely gracing the bottom of the knee cap. This offers two lengths for Fashionistas who are not interested in visiting the alterations shop. In general, women under 5’4″ should opt for the top of the knee cap while taller women can wear the longer style without worrying about looking short.

Pencil skirts can be found in complicated fabrics such as lace and they can also be found in simple and timeless fabrics such as polyester and gabardine. If you are looking for something uncommon, it is worth spending money for an unusual or luxurious fabric. If you are looking for a pencil skirt that is timeless and simple, there are plenty of shops that offer inexpensive pencil skirts in basic colors and fabrics which will make the perfect addition to your wardrobe. Banana Republic has pencil skirts in black, grey and tan for under $100 at regular price, if you find one on sale the price could be under $30. Target has pencil skirts for under $30, but beware of the fabric and look for dark colors such as black. Inexpensive fabric looks better in darker colors. You might also try to shop your closet. The pencil skirt was huge in the late 1990’s and you might find one in the back of your closet. The pencil skirt is a great addition to any women’s wardrobe and worth investing in for this Fall. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

pencilskirt

Christian Siriano Fall 2010 Pencil Skirt, leather jacket and lady bag.
Photo Credit: Sessilee Lopez