The September Issue Recap

The September Issue Recap

As September is coming to a close and fall is in the air you might be wondering how can I take the 1400+ pages from Vogue & InStyle and apply it to my fall 2014 wardrobe?

You might also notice that there is lots of leather, faux fir and metal used in fall fashion this year.  It looks like the models are extras out of Game of Thrones.  Here is a recap of what I saw and items you can afford in the stores.

Leather:

The biggest trend this fall is leather, leather, leather.  I have seen it in jackets, skinny pants, skirts, tops, dresses and more.  I have also seen it in black, rust, navy and many other colors.  I highly recommending investing in one new piece with leather or fake leather this fall.  Piperlime and BR , & J Crew have the best variety of options right now.

Quilted:

Another big trend I have seen is quilted.  I have seen it in skirts, vests, purses, and outerwear.   I love the texture and I bought the quilted faux leather skirt from Banana Republic since it hits two trends at once.

Lounge wear

This fall sports or lounge wear is HUGE!  It is even reported that denim sales are down for the first time in years due to lounge yoga pants & leggings! I love this more causal twist to fall fashion.  I also have embraced wearing my metallic van sneakers to work with a skirt.  It is a fun why to freshen up your current wardrobe and be comfortable.

 Houndstooth:

I  love houndstooth and I think this classic print never goes out of style.  I highly recommend picking up something in houdstooth.  I have a skirt but I love adding it in small amounts like accessories.  You see it a lot at J Crew, BR, and Ann Taylor right now.

Texture:

I love the mixture of texture this fall instead of a huge mix of color.  The biggest one used is faux fir in coats.  It adds the warm and a layer of sophistication to a classic outfit you own today.  Gap has come great outdoor coats to buy as well as BR and Piperlime

Gold:

Mixing metallic is huge but gold is the big metal used in everything.  Move over silver and gunmetal since gold is back.  It is used a lot with black, clear or pearls which adds a little edge to a classic piece.  You will also see smaller necklaces instead of the large chunky ones of past seasons.  BR, JCrew, & Ann Taylor have some great options.  Don't forget to also shop at J Crew Factory as well.  The clothes and accessories are cheaper and great quality.

Animal print

I love animal print the new print I have seen used the most is leopard or cheetah.  Great in small amounts and always in style.  Ann  Taylor has lots of options for sale now.

Mid length skirts

I love skirts and the newest length which is mid-length is a nice change for fall.  It works great with heels, boots or oxfords.  I have found Piperlime and JCrew have some of my favorites in both leather and wool texture.

I know I have been enjoying adding a few pieces here or there in my wardrobe to freshen things up for fall.  Share with me what new trends you are going to give a try.

Below are some of my favorite fall items I would recommend trying!

J Crew vest
factory.jcrew.com

Skies Are Blue fur coat
piperlime.gap.com

Gap
gap.com

Leather skirt
factory.jcrew.com

J Crew long skirt
jcrew.com

Piperlime Collection black skirt
piperlime.gap.com

Banana Republic pencil skirt
bananarepublic.gap.com

J Crew pointed toe flat
net-a-porter.com

Ann taylor pumps
anntaylor.com

Vans shoes
stories.com

Banana Republic crossbody purse
bananarepublic.gap.com

Banana Republic gold jewelry
bananarepublic.gap.com

Neutrals with spring colors

 Neutrals with spring colors
This spring there are so many colors to choice from and if you are afraid of trying color blocking (I am at times) here are some ideas of what colors to pair with our favorite and some new neutrals.

I found these wonderful tips in the March issue of InStyle magazine which I recommend picking up.

Ivory
Instead of the crisp white this year try a creamy ivory.  It brings a vintage feel to your outfit.  Ivory works great with pastel colors and also with bright bold colors.  InStyle recommends you coordinated it with a crisp color otherwise it will look murky.

Try the following colors with Ivory this spring:
Forest, cornflower, candy apple, or buttercream

I love pairing this neutral with a metallic shoe or a coordinating color so I am not matchy matchy.

 Gray
I love gray.  It can be a dark or light gray color but it is one of the most popular neutrals now.

You can coordinate pale colors or take a fun approach and use a bold primary color.

Try the following colors with Gray this spring:
Cobalt, seafoam, lavender, or lemon

I love pairing this neutral with a black heel or a coordinating color heel to mix things up.

Khaki
You can't go wrong with Khaki.  It works well with fall shades of color (which I love) and you can also have fun with bright green.

Try the following colors with Khaki this spring:
Pumpkin, violet,mustard, or lime.

I love pairing cream, brown heel with this neutral or a coordinating color like red with the orange and yellow or a different shade of green when wearing lime.  It is all about playing with combinations.

 Navy
I struggle with adding navy into my current wardrobe.  I was in high school in the early 90's when all you wore was navy, hunter green and burgundy so I had an overdose of it.

It is a great traditional preppy classic color.  You can freshen it up with new vibrant colors.

Try the following colors with Navy this spring:
Orange, bubblegum, turquoise, or Kelly green.

I would pair a fun colored shoe with this neutral or a cream/khaki heel.  Don't try to wear a navy colored shoe with navy pants/shirt. The colors will never match and it will look off.

Olive
I love this newer neutral.  It is more unexpected and military inspired.  Create a more feminine look with very light ladylike colors or take it up a notch and add a pop of red or bright yellow.

Try the following color with Olive this spring:
Cantaloupe, petal pink, scarlet, or celery.

I would pair this neutral with a cream or metallic heel.








This blog post is dedicated to my good friend Sandy who is so sweet and asks me questions all of the time about what goes with what.  I hope this helps you Sandy as you add to your wardrobe.

2012 Spring/Summer fashion color trends

 2012 Spring color trends
This week I received my spring rewards card from J Crew and they included a preview of the spring/summer 2012 collection.  This made me think writing about the Spring color trends is perfect for my next post.


Yes, some already now and others will know soon that I do like J Crew for most of my clothes.  I do shop at lots of other places but J Crew is my main store. There catalogs also do a great job noting color trends which is consistent with other stores as well.


Pantone fashion color report - Spring 2012
I also love following color trends for interior design and fashion so I found a great report from Pantone noting the2012  fashion color spring trends.  Below is a link to the full report and I highly recommend reading it.  You can even download the report for lots of detail.


Pantone Fashion color report - spring 2012 link


The Pantone color of 2012 is Tangerine Tango which is a fun orange you might have seen and will see more of this spring.  Below is a summary from the color report noting the colors of 2012.

Fashion Trends 

Below are some other trends I have found in many of my favorite stores for this Spring:

I am very pumped for this spring's fashion.  I love color and I am shocked on how much color is out there.  I am used to adding color in my tops with a neutral bottom but I see the opposite.  Lots of colored pants and skirts so have fun with it and any color can work on you. 

 Remember if the color might not work near your face. (I have red hair so I have to be careful on the color of red I wear so I now bought a pair of bright red pants and it works)  you can wear it on the bottom.  Best way to try a color is with a simple pop of color with neutrals.  After you get that down you can be more bold.  (Future post!)

Fashion trends this spring/summer

• Modern silhouettes (narrower leg lines)
• Color, color and more color!
• Bold color blocking (having more than one color in your outfit)
• Pops of coral/orange
• Pastels colors
• Sculptural accessories
• Prints with prints
• Color skinny pants and color skirts
• Ballet flats
• Animal prints
• Dangle earrings

I love colored pants and if you have great skinny legs these pants will look great on you!  J Crew has a ton of colors and patterns.  Also Ann Taylor, Gap, and Banana have colored capri's so you will find them everywhere!

If you don't have great skinny legs and want to wear color on the bottom half try a pencil skirt or a-line skirt.  I don't have skinny legs and have kankles so I stay away from capris and love wearing skirts all spring/summer.  (advice my husband gave me last year and he was right).  I own a few of these skirts and I LOVE them.  

I will post more on this topic since it really is just coming out and there is so much more to talk about.

I am very excited I started this blog.  I downloaded a bunch of ideas and questions I have already received from friends and I did not even know where to begin today.  I tend to think a little randomly so bear with.  As some of you know I am not a great writer.  I misspell words all of the time and my grammar is not perfect.  My husband says it is the my charm.  

I hope you enjoy this update on color trends and post any ideas/questions on the blog for future posts.