jackets

Stay bright on rainy days this spring

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion / Shopping  tagged boots / coats / jackets / outerwear / rain gear / spring 2012 / umbrellas by

Oh the rain! Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have had an extremely dry winter. The mild climate and warm sunshine have allowed Fashionistas around Northern California to start wearing their fabulous spring clothing and accessories. The bright spring 2012 colors combined with the sunny weather have put everyone in the mood for the warm summer months. Of course, the rain has decided to come now, in the middle of March. 

The March rains are seasonal. Every year we enjoy spring showers through April. The odd thing about this particular rain storm is that it just does not feel right! We have been enjoying spring weather over the past few months and going back to winter, for even just one week, feels odd.
Fortunately the bright spring colors of the season can keep us in our warm weather moods and brighten up even the dreariest of days. So toss aside that black umbrella, boring black rain boots and black nylon handbag. It is time to brighten up the grey sky!
Furla has fabulous spring handbags this season which also happen to be made from rubber. Perfect for the rain! These bright little numbers will also work perfectly when the weather is warm and sunny since a rubber handbag will survive a day at the beach and an entire summer by the pool. 
In addition to Furla brightening up the world of handbags, there are so many fabulous and colorful rain boots on the market right now. Why would you wear black? Look for polka dots, yellow, bright green, festive blues and of course the color of the year; Tangerine Tango. 
We scoured the web and found a few bright, rain friendly items to add a little sunshine to rainy days. Hope you enjoy! Stay dry and fabulous 
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The Red Coat for Fall 2010

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion / Trends  tagged banana republic / coats / fall 2010 / jackets / outerwear / red by

Minimalism of the 1990s is starting to hit the stores in the form of Pre-Fall and Fall collections. Fashionistas in the San Francisco Bay Area are seeing a resurgence of black trousers, black boots with stacked heels, turtle neck sweaters in black, white and red as well as coats in varying lengths. The quintessential outfit from the 1990s is back and Fashionistas across the bay are starting to snap up key pieces to start off their Fall 2010 collection. Some Fashionistas may already have parts of the minimalist look in the back of their closets just waiting for the revival. Although minimalism can be a bit dreary, it is welcome news for Fashionistas who have been affected by the recession. An all black outfit can be gathered from the back of the closet. The one key item every fashionista should invest in this Fall is the red coat.

The red coat or jacket will add a pop of color to any black outfit and add instant style to the minimalistic look of Fall 2010. A black and white outfit will also benefit from a red coat bringing instant flair to a Fashionistas complete look. Chanel showed red outerwear for Fall 2010 as well as a fabulous red tweed suit. The red tweed suit can be worn as a complete outfit or the jacket can be worn over a black outfit as well as with jeans for a more casual look. Ann Demeulemeester is featuring a fabulous red jacket in her Fall 2010 collection that has a slightly whimsical structure. This jacket would be a great investment piece for any wardrobe. It can be worn over a professional, all black outfit or paired with jeans for casual, weekend look. Ann Demeulemeester’s jacket will also look fabulous as a cover-up with a little black dress!

The more budget savvy Fashionistas in the bay area will find fabulous red coats and jackets at Banana Republic. The Banana Republic jackets and coats are high quality wool and will last for several seasons. The cuts are classic and easy to wear for any body type. Coats and jackets from Banana Republic are not the cheapest on the market, but they will not break the bank. Prices range from $150 to $500 depending on the size and cut of the piece.

Bay Area Fashionista Tip: Banana Republic has great sales. If you can wait until a coat or jacket has been in stores for roughly three months, there is a good chance you can snag it for 30% off. If you fall in love with a coat or jacket and cannot wait, do not feel guilty taking the plunge and purchasing a red coat or jacket at full price. This is an investment piece that will get plenty of wear during the Fall 2010 season as well as for years to come. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

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HOT Jacket Trend for Spring and Summer 2010!

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion / Trends  tagged classic style / green / jackets / outerwear / spring 2010 by

Fashionistas in the San Francisco Bay Area are constantly challenged by micro-climates. We can be enjoying 70 degree sunshine in Marin County for brunch, freezing under the fog in the early afternoon while passing through San Francisco and then seeking out air conditioning while having dinner in the South Bay. The challenge we face when getting dressed in the morning is how to dress in layers yet still be comfortable and fashionable! The last thing any bay area fashionista wants to do is tie a sweatshirt around her waist when the fogs burns off. Thankfully, the runways in Paris, New York and Milan had us in mind when they dressed the models in the Safari Jacket for Spring and Summer 2010.

Yes, it is a bit provincial to think designers from all over the world brought back the safari jacket just for fashionistas in the San Francisco Bay Area, but, we can pretend it was just for us and benefit from this fabulous trend. The safari jacket is a great investment for the bay area fashionista since it is normally made from a comfortable cotton twill fabric. This cotton twill fabric can actually be worn all year long in the bay area. The safari jacket has a great look in the Spring and Summer months when paired with a dress or khaki shorts. It also looks fabulous with denim shorts and skirts! For Fall 2010, the safari jacket will take on a more tailored look when paired with casual, slim trousers, jeans and leather skirts. Since khaki and army green are the most popular colors in 2010 for the safari jacket, this amazing jacket will carry any fashionista from season to season.

There are several variations of the safari jacket, some of which are not of the “safari style” at all! In addition to the traditional, belted version, this popular jacket can also be found in blazer styles and shorter, unbelted variations. Designers also expanded the style this year by experimenting with fabrics. The Safari Jacket can also be found in soft leather, thicker silks and of course the fabric of the season-denim!

Classic Designers such as Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors offered the style savvy shopper a more traditional version of the safari jacket. The runways of more daring designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Chloe, Prada and Gucci showed more revealing versions of the jacket as well as less traditional variations that were cropped, beltless, leather and even knee-length. Since the Safari Jacket is nothing new to fashion, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana have shown versions of the Safari Jacket on their runways frequently in previous years. Go-to shops such as the Gap and Banana Republic also carry this popular and practical style year after year. The Gap even has one on sale as we speak!

Since the Safari style comes in and out of fashion periodically every two to three years, it is a great investment for any fashionista in the Bay Area. Not only will you have a fabulous jacket that takes the chill out of the fog and is lightweight enough to carry when the fog burns off, you will have a great investment piece to enjoy for years to come.

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