Modern Navajo

My cool hat and Dori Csengeri necklace! photo by Amanda Martin www.fillmoremartinphoto.com


I think the "neo navajo" trend is very cool- it definitely appeals to my inner bohemian. Years ago, I got an amazing turquoise bracelet from an American Indian festival that took place outside the Grand Canyon National Park. (I swear, it doesn't matter if I'm hiking or in a remote area of Arizona, I can still find something to buy.) And I like floppy, 70's style, hats, fringe, suede... you get the picture. So I read with interest this piece by Net-a-Porter.

http://www.net-a-porter.com/magazine#/101/5

I love these pieces but they are all soooo pricey. Here are a few I found that are much more affordable and will get you exactly the same look.

Modern Navajo by Milk.Bread.Fashion. featuring feather earrings

Grey handbag
$76 - topshop.com

Ben Amun metal chain necklace
$230 - maxandchloe.com

Dara Ettinger oversized ring
$60 - urbanoutfitters.com

Zara feather earrings
$9.90 - zara.com

Bucket hat
$95 - calypsostbarth.com

Distinkt feather shawl
$89 - pinkmascara.com

Girls' Minnetonka® Tramper boots
$40 - jcrew.com

Menswear That Doesn't Make You Look Like a Man

It's a big trend for Fall, this whole menswear thing. And, if you were crazy enough to style yourself like the fashion spreads you see in the big magazines, you would look... not very attractive. Sure, I guess it works on the 6 foot, 110 pound model, but it just doesn't have the same effect if you're not built like that. Here are my suggestions for making it work for you.

1. Pick one or two menswear-inspired items and keep the rest really feminine.
2. If you are doing a flat shoe (like a brogue), pick something else to be a little sexier. This doesn't have to mean a mini skirt. It could just as easily be an extra button open on a button down shirt. (You can always use a tank underneath if you feel self-conscious.)
3. If you are wearing a tie, wear heels.
4. If you are wearing a longer, boxier jacket, wear something underneath that is feminine. Don't wear a tie. Wear heels.

Remember the movie "Some Kind of Wonderful"? Mary Stuart Masterson's character, Watts? She was so cute and I thought she was much prettier and cooler than Leah Thompson's character. This outfit is kind of an ode to Watts if she was all grown up. My favorite part is the "diamond" stud earrings- another Watts reference if you remember the movie!

Trend: Menswear (An Ode to Watts) by Milk.Bread.Fashion. featuring rick owens jacket

H M printed top
£9.99 - hm.com

Rick owens jacket
£660 - theoutnet.com

A.L.C. flare pants
$395 - net-a-porter.com

Lace up heels
£55 - freemans.com

Miss Selfridge clutch handbag
£22 - missselfridge.com

Miss Selfridge black jewelry
£6.50 - missselfridge.com

Meadowlark stud earrings
$76 - superette.co.nz

Dolce Gabbana suspender
€323 - luisaviaroma.com

Ferris Bueller

Ferris Bueller's Day Off was on VH1 yesterday and so I was sucked into watching it for probably the 100th time. I've always thought Sloane, Ferris' girlfriend, was the coolest (too cool for Ferris, truth be told) and even considered that name for my second child had it been a girl. But this time, I was really struck by her outfit. For a movie that has major influence on pop culture even today, I admit that I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to the costumes other than the obvious fringe jacket. But Sloane's look is suddenly so "in" again. Here's my take on it, updated. It's the perfect transition outfit to early Fall.

Modern Sloane by Milk.Bread.Fashion. featuring a suede leather jacket

J Crew cashmere top
$198 - jcrew.com

TopShop blue top
$70 - topshop.com

Acne suede leather jacket
$849 - mytheresa.com

Elie Saab cuffed shorts
$420 - boutique1.com

Frye bootie boots
$298 - nordstrom.com

Orange handbag
$56 - topshop.com

The Secret is in the Details

The real secret to style is in the details. Once you've embraced it, it's impossible not to address it in every aspect of your life. With this in mind, I was flipping through the new J Crew catalog today. As I've expressed before, I'm a big, big, big fan of Jenna Lyons, their Creative Director. Under her direction, J Crew has really become a staple in many people's wardrobes, including mine. For a few years in the recent past, I regularly visited the store for clients because it was such a good building block for wardrobe updates. But now, I find myself choosing things for clients and throwing in a piece or two for me, too! So I was loving a lot of what I was seeing in the catalog (especially this jacket)


and set it down to start making dinner when, there it was- the back side picture. It is of this amazing luggage called the Abingdon Collection. Waxed cotton canvas in khaki with leather and cotton handles and strap give it a relaxed, well-worn feel. I think it totally exemplifies that chic-without-trying look that can be so hard to achieve. And that is what I mean- when you're willing to care about even the luggage you are carrying, you may be obsessed. But, in my opinion, this is one obsession that is worth having!

A Fall Full of Color

As so often happens (thank god or we'd have to buy new wardrobes every season), the bright color trend from spring is seeping into fall fashions. I've really enjoyed this brighter outlook on my clothing, especially since I was a pretty hardcore black/white/gray kind of dresser at one point in my life. It's so much more cheerful.

As I've gotten more used to it, I've also gotten more adventurous with pairing multiple colors together. But never more than three at a time and sometimes the color might be in something as simple as my nail polish, shoes, or jewelry. Now that the fall season is coming- which seems insane given the 100 degree weather outside- there will be new ways to combine multiple colors. I like this outfit because it's grounded with some beautiful neutral camel and linen colors. It keeps the whole thing from looking like a crayon box.

Fall Color by Milk.Bread.Fashion. featuring heel booties

Proenza Schouler scoop neck t shirt
$275 - barneys.com

TopShop cropped jacket
$100 - topshop.com

Alice + Olivia high waisted wide leg pants
$198 - shopbop.com

Mimi Loves Jimi heel booties
$90 - generalpants.com.au

Brunello Cucinelli weekender bag
€2.025 - unger-fashion.com

Solange Azagury Partridge lip jewelry
$1,500 - net-a-porter.com

Kate spade jewelry
$148 - katespade.com

Beach Wedding

In 1840, Queen Victoria married in a white wedding gown which changed the trend from then until now. Before that time, many brides wore blue as this was the color that symbolized purity. White actually symbolized wealth. Blue as a part of a wedding hasn't completely disappeared- "something borrowed, something blue" is a tradition many brides still honor today.

I love the idea of blue in a wedding dress. Actually, I love the idea of a totally blue wedding dress. But with this dress, I feel like I've found the best of both worlds. It would be perfect for a beach wedding. So easy and comfortable!

Beach Wedding by Milk.Bread.Fashion. featuring long pearl earrings

Thurley zipper dress
£342 - theoutnet.com

Mystique ankle wrap sandals
€155 - pret-a-beaute.com

Miriam Haskell long pearl earrings
$288 - charmandchain.com

Mother of Pearl

I love mother of pearl. This is due in no small part to the fact that my daughter's name is Pearl so I am, in fact, THE mother of Pearl. Ha! Anyway, you can imagine my thrill at finding this beautiful necklace at one of my favorite stores, The Shoe Hive. The pendants featuring the zodiac signs are by designer Asha by ADM. It is 14k vermeil mother of pearl on a 30" chain. So cool!

Zodiac pendant by Asha by ADM available at The Shoe Hive, 703.548.7105, www.theshoehive.com