Milk.Bread.Fashion.

8.09.2010

10 Things I Love About Fall

-Butter at theshoehive.com

- Diane von Furstenberg at shopbop.com

-from The Sophia Loren Archives

- red lips on a red head!

- See by Chloe at net-a-porter.com Leopard and Day Dress= two trends in one!

August is here and while that signals the beginning of the end of summer (which makes me sad), it also signals the beginning of the beginning of Fall Fashion (which makes me very, very happy). Trends this season can seem confusing if you get too wrapped up in them. American Classic is in. So is opulence. Simple, dainty jewelry is making a comeback; so is heavily layering your chains. Sky high-heeled booties are in; so are kitten heels. All of this is an indication that, really, anything goes as long as you know what you’re doing. This is great news for our existing wardrobes because it may mean they just need tweaking. There is so much you can look forward to this Fall but here is a list of what I think are the top 10 easiest and most important trends to work in. No matter what your style, at least some of these should be easy to incorporate.

1. Military influence- Olive green, utility-like belts, combat inspired boots, cargo pants, army jackets…
2. Longer hemlines- calf length or more!
3. Camel- find the right shade for your skin tone and this is really the most sophisticated neutral around. It literally goes with every color you can think of and looks great in monochrome, too.
4. Chambray shirt- looks good with practically everything on this list and then some. Like black leather.
5. Big hair- that’s right… fullness is back. Don’t think Bump-It. Think Sophia Loren.
6. Grey- clothing, bags, shoes, even nail polish. Check out “Chinchilly” by Essie. My new favorite color!
7. Leopard print- I didn’t know it wasn’t ALWAYS in style. Just don’t overdo it, despite what some of the magazines are showing.
8. The Red Lip- it’s all about finding the right red for you. I admit I’ll struggle with this one even though I love it on other people. I plan on heading to a qualified makeup consultant to choose.
9. Kitten heels- no more excuses, all you heel-haters. If you can’t handle a half inch, I don’t know what to say.
10. The Day Dress- looking pulled together doesn’t get any easier than throwing on the perfect dress.

7.26.2010

This is too funny.

My disclaimer is that I can hardly call this a blog about fashion. But I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this tonight. Net-a-porter (which I love!) has this Roberto Cavalli shirt available right now. And, when I saw it, I KNEW Cavalli had totally stolen this design from- well... you remember. I wonder if the puffy shirt's real designer, Charmaine Simmons, has any idea. Would she be mad or flattered? Anyway, enjoy the pics. I hope they bring back fond memories of the Seinfeld episode!

7.20.2010

I'm so, so happy that hemlines are getting longer again this fall. Minis haven't disappeared but calf-length is making a comeback and I, for one, am relieved. It's important to make sure that the length works for you. There is a part of your calf that is the thickest and you never want the skirt to stop there or you'll look like you have tree trunks for legs. But full, a-line, or straight, there are some great options. You can do this with practically any of the other trends out there this season- 40's inspired, military/utilitarian, rocker a la Stevie Nicks. Regardless of your look, find a way to add a little sex appeal since the skirt length is so modest. As a side note, I think Stevie Nicks is a bit of a stretch for anyone over the age of 35. However, the outfit I'm showing here is Stevie a little more sophisticated and going to a cocktail party. If you wanted to do this for daytime, change the bustier to a tank and throw a cropped jacket on top. Keep the shoes and other accessories to a more daytime look and it could be cool. Still...I'm trying to picture myself at lunch in Old Town with a black tulle skirt on. Probably not going to happen.

Calf Length Skirts by Milk.Bread.Fashion. featuring Miss Sixty skirts

7.19.2010

2010 Espys

(AP photo/Dan Steinberg)
Will someone who has connections please give the female athletes at the 2010 Espys my number? I know that this night is not the most important night in their careers. Obviously and hopefully those nights come during play of their respective sports. But, jeez, this is a pretty big awards show. With a lot of celebrities. I'm not going to go through each and every one but Danica's dress (cheesy snooze), shoes (whatever), and hair (what the heck happened to her on the way there??!!) tops my list of Please Don't Ever Do That Again. Just goes to show that money does not buy you good taste OR a good stylist.

7.18.2010

Remember a post or two ago when I said I needed a sexy but appropriate dress in my closet for those rare occasions when dinner and dancing just might be a possibility? Well, I found the dress for the upcoming season! And I have a deep purple shoe a bit like the ones pictured that will look great with it. Love!

7.12.2010

Yves Klein at the Hirshorn and... Lela Rose

The Hirshorn has an Yves Klein exhibit right now (through mid-September) that my family and I stumbled upon a couple of weekends ago after an impromptu trip to the carousel at the National Mall. The exhibit is really interesting and provocative because there is not a lot of explanation about Klein other than his own quotes. If you don't know, Klein was either a genius (which he believed) or a total weirdo (which is basically undeniable) or a combination of both. Since the truth almost always lies somewhere in the middle, I'll go with the combo option. Anyway, he is most well known for his monochromes and the intensely pigmented ultramarine blue he created that he actually patented and named "International Klein Blue." It is a beautiful color- saturated, rich, and luxurious. Of all the different medias he presents it in, each has their own ability to suck you in. One made me want to eat it, it looked so delicious. One made me want to paint myself with it and wear it like clothing. But that would be inappropriate and probably get me arrested for touching the art. But then I found this dress by Lela Rose. It is so intensely blue and rich looking and the shimmer in the fabric so luxurious. If you've ever worn Lela Rose, you know that her fit is really flattering and I'm sure this dress is no exception. So sexy and sophisticated. I can think of 100 events for which this dress would work. And not one that I'm going to. So feel free to invite me to something fabulous soon so I have an excuse.

7.06.2010

Out on the Town and Pushing...40.

I don't actually like to think of myself as "pushing 40." I'm still (barely) as close to 35 as I am to 40. But, still. I find that I struggle with getting dressed for a night out of dancing and drinks more than any other occasion. I've never been one to go to clubs. But when I am faced with a more club-like evening, I freeze. What to wear? I don't want to be too sexy and give off the vibe that I'm available. And I definitely don't want to look like I'm trying to recapture my youth. But I also don't want to look like an old fuddy-duddy. I was recently faced with this on the beginning part of my vacation when I spent 3 nights at the beach with two girlfriends. One of the nights, we hit a "club." I'd been there the year before but, nevertheless, I wasn't prepared. So I'm going to make it a mission to pick up one dress for summer and one for winter that will fill this hole in my wardrobe so that, on the rare instance that I'm presented with this issue, I'll be ready. Here are three possibilities that look promising.