COLOR FORECAST: S/S 2011

At New York Fall Fashion Week (September 9-16, 2010), Pantone’s color forecast was revealed for Spring 2011. There were 20 it-colors in total-10 for women’s fashion and 10 for men’s. The theme of the season is exotic lands, where there’s “an interesting marriage of unexpected warm and cool tones,” says Pantone Color Institute’s executive director.

South American, South Asian, and African Color Inspirations
The colors reflect vibrant cultures and colors found in Peru, Africa, Turkey, India, and other far off lands. For women we have:

•Honeysuckle- a warm reddish pink
•Coral Rose- a dark orange with pink undertones
•Beeswax- a honey colored yellow
•Regatta- a bright turquoise blue
•Lavender- a pale purple with pink undertones
•Blue Caracao- a technicolor aqua
•Peapod- a pale green with yellow undertones
•Silver Peony- a nude, beige color with silver undertones
•Russet- a deep brown with dark orange undertones

Men's Colors Include Rich Earth Tones
The men’s spring 2011 list shares five of the women’s colors- Honeysuckle, Beeswax, Regatta, Lavender, Blue Caracao, and Russet. The remaining five colors are:

•Barberry- a deep pink, purple color
•Firecracker- a medium orange with fiery, red tones
•Turf Green- dark green with blue undertones
•Linen- a nude color with pink and beige undertones
•Flint Gray- a light gray

Pantone also asked fashion designers, ranging from Betsey Johnson and Badgley Mischka to Charlotte Ronson and Monique Lhuillier what places these colors reminded the designers of. Responses ranged from Istanbul, Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, Brazil, Southern France, to Lima, Peru with emphasis on “gem tones,” “vibrant mosaics” and “a mix of Old World meets New World” found in all of these exotic and gorgeous locations across the globe.

Consumers take heed, this spring your wardrobe is going to need an update to keep up with Spring 2011’s jetsetter hues.

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FALL 2010's MUST HAVE ACCESSORIES

Accessories have a leading role when it comes to personalizing an outfit and taking it to a superior level in terms of complexity and elegance, originality and style. Each year fall accessories trends offer us the opportunity to renew our wardrobe by infusing it with a different set of pieces inspired from different time decades or from various unique cultures, to be able to maintain our style looking fresh. The fashion accessories of this season are no different, being an expression of style and opulence, leaving a powerful impression trough their eye catching presence.

The accessories for the fall/winter season 2010-2011 are quite contrasting being made to suit a variety of tastes and personalities. The influences are both classical and futuristic, feminine and daring, enabling each woman to embrace the style that most suits her. Some fall trends are also heavily inspired by the leading trends of this summer, a clear sign that the femininity that was characteristic for this summer will still have a strong impact for the colder seasons. At the same time, classicism and luxury are wonderfully combined creating the impression of power and modernism in a perfect balance. Here are a few of the must have accessories for fall/winter 2010-2011:

Ankle socks
Ankle socks are the perfect example of a beloved summer trend that comes back in style the next season. Designers with a resounding name in the world of fashion such as Marc Jacobs or John Galliano have ensured that this trend will be well represented for the season to come. If in the summer ankle socks were used to give a more interesting touch to heeled sandals,when the temperatures are lower ankles sock will be used to add a touch rebellion, being worn with high heeled boots. To pull off a fashionable look you can try to wear them dresses, skirts and oversized accessories.



The shoulder bag
A classical and practical alternative to more modern and heavily accessorized handbags, the shoulder bag will be one of the stars of this season, giving a chic, stylish impression being perfect for a variety of occasions, being suitable both for upgrading a casual look as well as for completing a more conventional outfit that must follow a set of stricter rules.

Leopard printed accessories
Animal prints are coming back in full force in a variety of ways, aiming to add a daring touch to more conventional outfits, being one of the simplest ways to spice up your wardrobe for the season to come. There are virtually no restrictions when it comes to choosing animal printed outfits so use your personal sense of style and choose the accessories allow you to express your personality the best. Here are a few options you can choose from:





Knitwear and fur insertions
Knits are the ultimate expression of comfort and coziness, two characteristics of the colder season we are all able to relate to. Influences of this trend can be found everywhere from knitted bags (Prada) to boots with heavy knitted applications. If knitted accessories are not exactly your thing you can opt for a variety of clothing items with these types of insertions ranging from chic vests or loose fitting sweaters. If you are aiming for a more elegant then accessories wit artificial fur insertion can be just what you are looking for.

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SUNNIES for SUMMER 2010

Nothing says summer like slipping on your favorite pair of sunglasses while sun bathing on the beach, strolling around town or driving on a highway.


The shades below are my all time favorites that I believe every woman needs to have in her sunglasses collection. Once you have these basics, you can grow your collection by getting trendy and funky ones. But these are the four classics- the sunglasses that you can rely on from season to season.

Aviator They are plenty of designers and mass retail stores that offer aviator style sunglasses- from H&M to Marc Jocobs and Lanvin, but my favourite one remains to be the RayBan version.

Wayfarer Want to channel Audrey Hepburn? Just put your wayfarers on and you instantly give off a Parisian vibe. They come in a variety of colors, so there is a color to suit any personality.

Cat Eye Mysterious, feminine and oh so 50’s! The cat eye frame is timeless style that appeals to all types of girls.

Oversized Every girl needs a pair of oversized glasses to hide from the paparazzi.

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IN THE BUFF

Getting the perfect wedges is easier said than done. It’s one of the reasons we are all on the hunt for the perfect nude wedge for Spring/Summer 2010. In a soft shade of blush, nude open toe wedges are equally lovely for leisurely Sundays or trips about town. Why go nude? First, they go with every single outfit you own. You don't believe me? Look around darlin', from a cute cocktail dress to jeans, the second thing the wedge does is extend your legs. Even girls like me who are 5'9" can take advantage of the visual illusion. Normally, I get told I have legs for days, now I have legs for weeks ;)

The best thing about shoes, is there is a price point for everyone's budget. From ShoeDazzle to Aldo to Dior, find the nude wedge that fits your style. Here are a few of my summer favorites that you will see my clients in.

1. SHOEDAZZLE, the MONA. Everyone of my clients went crazy for this cute lil nude heel, but guess what is being released in the next month's selection? Cute wedges! Sign up today- http://www.shoedazzle.com/. Price of all of our shoes $39/ea.

2. ALDO, the GEITNER. Yes, we are still obsessed with multi-textures and braids, now we love them on the ankles. The modified gladiator of yesteryear is back and better than ever. And the best part, these babies are only $90.

3. BLOOMINGDALES, the Rosegold "Cara" Cork Wedge. Bring the cutout trend to your feet. Leather and cork peeptoe wedges with cutout detail at toe and contrast piping trend. $168.

4. TORY BURCH,  "Julianne" Leather Wedge. Leather peep-toe wedges for your next board meeting or cocktail party.$295.

5. NEIMAN MARCUS, the Dior Slingback Wedge Sandal. Step into style with these beauts, The slingback draws your eye to your toes and makes you gain another 5 inches in height. Although these might be pricey, . . .remember you have to pay for Dior! $450.

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SPOTTED: HOLLYWOOD'S HOTTEST MOMS

Hollywood's hottest mommys are embracing the bleached denim trend, you should too. They are even encouraging the rock'n roll lifestyle with their children, from Gwen to Nicole, these are two hot mommys.

I'm not sure what brand of sneakers Gwen's rockin', they're probably L.A.M.B. since she always seems to give her own line a lot of love. Either way, both celebri-moms manage to pull off the light jean/light top look, which is one I usually try to avoid - too much monotony for me. They both look great, though, and I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of bleached/destroyed denim this summer.

Nicole with baby Harlow in her arms spots the savvy chic bleached out denim. Nicole is always the trendsetter, so it's no shock that she would be one of the first ones spotted in this trend. Fear not, you know that Nicole is going to teach her two little ones how to dress in style and follow in their mommy's fashionable footsteps.

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HEIDI'S LOOK FOR LESS

This month, Miss Project Runway, Heidi Klum debuts her dangerous curves on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine. Her black and white strapless bandage dress by Emanuel Ungaro is bangin', but might not be on everyone's budget. Want to steal Heidi's look for less? That is what The Glambassador's "Making Cents" Mondays are all about! We bring you the best in celebrity fashion choices but for a more affordable price. Without losing the impact, we found 2 more options that might be more in your price range and will give you the same bang for your buck!

At http://www.edressme.com/, you can get this gold/black bandage dress for $150! That is right, same affect but the colors are opposite. We think this dress is golden!

Still think $150 is a little steep, don't say another word, The Glambassador has spotted this hot black & white little number over at Arden B. for $89. With black & white as one of this year's hottest trend, we think it's a win! win!

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"TRENDY" TUESDAY

15 TRENDS FOR 2010

1. Mixed Prints

Afraid your ikat will clash with your plaids or stripes will upset your florals? Well, fear not, for this season anything goes. Mix and match your most colorful pieces and let your imagination run free.

In photo: Dries Van Noten

2. Wild Wedges

The season's coolest accessory goes on safari with patchwork big-cat prints and an edgy open toe.

Alexander Wang wedge, $650. alexanderwang.com.

 

3. Couture Clogs

Not just for hippies anymore, this boho wonder was made chic by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Céline's Phoebe Philo, and Louis Vuitton.

Clogs on the Chanel runway.

4. Red-Hot Lips

There were crimson-stained moues aplenty on the runway. The shocking yet sexy shade screamed old-world style for models everywhere from Dior to Bottega Veneta.

Backstage at Prada.

 

5. Designer Denim

Blue-jean baby. Broken-in jeans were shown with élan in New York (Ralph Lauren doing it distressed), Milan (D&G mastering the look), and Paris (Stella McCartney showing the fabric in several skirt styles).

Ralph Lauren Collection

 

6. Loving Lucite

Designers were quite clear about their love of Lucite. Check out always-chic Bakelite too.

Mark Davis bangles, $1,610-$3,200. markdavis.com.

7. Nautical Stripes

Get in line with spring's most linear look: classic stripes. Blue and white are best, but you can pull off the Breton-inspired trend with any color combo.

Michael Stars tank, $49. michaelstars.com.

8. Summer Skins

Leather looks were once reserved for the colder months, but the spring runways saw the slick material in all sorts of incarnations — from minishorts to T-shirts to full-on frocks — in a host of supple shades like caramel and rust.

In photo: Céline

 

9. Copper Tones

Not only did designers look to burnished bronze shades for spring, but the autumnal hue also popped up as a fun nail polish.

10. Fantastical Florals

Garden motifs have sprouted up again this season, with flowered patterns in full bloom.

Tory Burch dress, $465, and belt, $150. toryburch.com.

11. Jason Wu Sunglasses

Designer Jason Wu can now add stylish sunglasses to his long list of goodies.

Modo for Jason Wu sunglasses, $275. Modo, NYC; 212-965-4900.

12. David Webb

The influence of legendary jeweler David Webb ran deep this season. Think jewel-encrusted enameled animals and extras with mixed stones.

David Webb bracelet. 212-421-3030.

 

 

13. Pastel Eyes That Pop

The '80s trend has moved to makeup, with a palette of icy blues, purples, and other sorbet shadows for spring.

Derek Lam

14. Chandelier Earrings

Shine some light on opulent chandelier earrings.

Oscar de la Renta earrings, $350. Saks Fifth Avenue; 800-330-8497.

15. Going Platinum

Was it Lady Gaga or Donatella Versace who inspired the peroxide-blond locks for these lovely ladies?

Vlada Roslyakova











(Source: Harper's Bazaar)

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"MAKING CENTS" MONDAY

STEAL SPRING'S HOTTEST TRENDS FOR LESS

With the advent of spring, you might find yourself staring into the abyss of your closet, wondering how on earth you're going to reinvent those faded Levi's and gladiator sandals...again. Since assembling a new warm-weather wardrobe is out of the question, we decided to go in search of new spring staples at some mass retailers you'd never expect to find them. Didn't think Sears or Old Navy had anything cool on offer? Think again, oh savvy bargain hunters. In fact, a real wardrobe upgrade starts here at just $3.99. Trust us: You won't believe what we've found.

 Above, from left: Colorblock Canvas Tote, $34.50; Boyfriend Belt, $34.50; Denim Biker Jacket, $69.50; all available at Gap.








Above, from left: Sag Harbor Roll Cuff Jacket, $19.99; Journee Collection Sunglasses, $17.99; Lands End Regular Trench Coat, $29.99; Basic Editions Henley, $3.99; Aimee Lynn Natural Stretch Belt, $10.80; all available at Sears.





Above, from left: Purple Madras Underwire Top, $46; Summer Straw Hat, $34; Fishnet Anklets, $24.50; Giant Gingham Shirt, $69.50; all available at J.Crew.













Above, from left: Buffy Burnout Tank, $24.50; Dori Strap Belt, $24.50; Sophie Skirt, $39.50; Caitlyn Solid Shirt, $39.50; Jada Floral Dress, $44.50; all available at Delia's.






 Clockwise from top: Ruffle Collar Jacket, $29.50 (available starting next month); Envelope-Neck Jersey Dress, from $7.99; Color-Block Sunglasses, $9.50; Embellished Twill Shorts, $24.50; all available at Old Navy.





(Source: www.refinery29.com)

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