4th of July Fashion Guide

The 4th of July is a few days away and Fashionistas across the Bay Area are putting together the perfect, patriotic ensemble for parade watching and backyard BBQ’s. The right 4th of July outfit needs to encompass all three of the key colors: red, white and blue. If a fashionista misses just one color, the entire outfit is wrong! Never fear, designers and stores in every Bay Area county carry fabulous red, white and blue fashion for even the most discerning fashionista.

It is always fun to have a top that display’s everything you love about the United States of America. Target has an amazing and patriotic tee-shirt  with a vintage red car printed on a blue tee-shirt. The words “Happy Birthday America” are printed on the front and there is an American flag on the hood of the car. This tee-shirt can be paired with blue denim shorts or crisp, white cotton-twill shorts from Banana Republic .

The ultimate, patriotic shoes  for the 4th of July are made by Toms. For every pair of Toms shoes you purchase, the company donates a pair to a child in need. Toms has an amazing, casual yet fabulous wedge espadrille in patriotic red and white stripes !

If you shy away from dressing in red, white and blue, you can always pick one or two of the three colors for your ensemble and add in the missing color with jewelry: garnet jewelry for red, sapphire jewelry for blue and diamonds for white! Fabulous!

Is there a pool involved in your 4th of July festivities? Juicy Couture has the perfect 4th of July bikini  for those dips in the pool during a backyard BBQ.

Looking for the perfect 4th of July fragrance? Click here to read about it!

4th of July Fashion is about looking patriotic and wearing something comfortable enough to allow you to partake in the activities of the day. The key is to integrate the mighty red, white and blue into a fabulous yet practical outfit that will take you from eating brunch in the morning, watching the parade in Larkspur-Corte Madera at noon and attending a BBQ or the Marin  County Fair  in the evening. Stay for the fireworks, enjoy the 4th of July and stay fabulous! Happy 4th of July everyone!

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.