Must Have Accessories

They say that even the simplest of dresses can look fabulous if you have the right accessories. I don’t know about you, but I believe that this is absolutely true! With the right accessories, you can change your look at will. Take a look at these essential accessories that every woman must have in her arsenal.

A proper bag. I am talking about a structured bag – like a leather one that does not get its shape all messed up. I am talking about a bag of medium size that will hold all that you need without being overlarge. Of course, it’s got to be stylish.

Shoes! A woman can’t have enough shoes. My suggestion is that you should have a good collection of pumps, heels, and flats. This way, you can always choose a pair that will suit your mood and your activities. There’s nothing worse than wearing incompatible footwear.

Diamonds and pearls. Jewelry is always a good thing. You need not have a treasure trove of the expensive stuff – fancy jewelry will always work. However, you still need to have several pieces in diamonds and pearls – these are timeless classics that will never fail to uplift your mood and your look. Never mind if you are wearing jeans and a simple top – these accessories will give you that extra shine!

A watch. Metal watches are best. Choose a good piece that will last forever and you will never really want for anything else. Of course, a few cheap pieces that look good won’t hurt either.

Are these in your arsenal?

The Japanese Fashion Influence

The Japanese culture is so rich and dynamic, that it is not a surprise that its influence has extended throughout the rest of the world. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Japan is the leader in cutting edge technology, but have you ever dwelt on the thought that Japanese fashion is also starting to become felt in the area of global fashion?

Not convinced? Ask fashion designers from the United States and Europe, and they will tell you that they keep tabs on what is happening in Japanese fashion. This stems from the fact that some worldwide trends actually began in Japan. A classic example would be the popularity of camouflage patterns in clothing. I am willing to bet that you have at least one article of clothing in a camouflage pattern! And I bet that you didn’t know that this trend originally started in Japan!

Perhaps the same “wiring” that makes Japanese engineers and inventors the best in their game makes Japanese designers and trendsetters successful in creating unique and fashionable clothing. Indeed, it has reached a point wherein big brands recognized worldwide have placed a premium in clothing made in Japan. In the denim industry, in particular, Japan-made materials are considered to be the best in the world.

The Japanese look is not limited to clothing, however. In fact, it is more of looking at the whole get up – from clothing to hair accessories to bags to shoes to umbrellas to bags. I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear more of Japan in the global fashion sector.

To truly experience Japanese fashion, try visiting the homeland. For example, Japanican recently had a Japan tour, which included a free ticket to the trendy Tokyo Girls Collection fashion festival. The next Tokyo Girls Collection event will probably happen in March 2010 so keep an eye out for the announcement of that tour.

Photo courtesy of mynippon.com

Beat The Heat And Look Good

Summer’s here and boy, is it hot! Well, I guess it depends on where you are but for the most part, the heat waves seem to be right on schedule. You can opt to stay inside and chill out with the air conditioner on full blast (and pay for it when the electric bill comes) OR you can go dress yourself up for the summer and have fun outdoors! Guess what I suggest?

Here are some tips on how to dress for the heat and maybe get some longing stares down your way.

• Sweat much? Don’t wear silks or heavy linens. Opt for cotton and light fabrics instead. While these materials may NOT stop your glands from producing sweat, stains will not be much of a problem.
• Time to ditch the black and other dark colors. It’s common knowledge – white and other light colors are necessary to beat the heat while staying hot.
• Let the breeze in. Forget tights and body hugging clothing. While they may accentuate your curves, they just might make you feel irritable and uncomfortable all day. Instead, opt for light breezy designs that will let the air in and make you feel cool all day long.
• Go bag shopping. That is, if all that you can find in your closet are big heavy bags. You may not think much about the bag you lug around but during summer, a heavy bag can make you feel warmer and more uncomfortable. Buy a couple of smaller bags that you can use instead.

Any other hot summer tips?

Get Retro Through Your Sunglasses

I love sunglasses for three very good, easy reasons:

1. They can snazz up an outfit or look in an instant -Without glasses- ordinary Olive/ with the new Oliver Peoples – Jackie O!

2. They are the cheapest form of wearing a designer label - $250 for the latest Prada shades, $800 for the latest Prada bag

3. They serve a practical purpose – Protecting your peepers from the sun while holidaying in Martinique or from the undesirables while on a sidewalk cafe in Paris.

On Vogue’s website, I found a great article on the latest sunglasses trends, and the retro styles were decidedly my favorite for the season.  Here are my picks!

1. Ray-Ban Clubmasters – I love the candy summery colors of this Retro style, like the red ones pictured above. They’re much cooler than the Risky-business-Wayfarers I think, and can instantly make you feel and look like a Hollywood ingenue. From $120 at Ray-Ban.

2. Lacoste Limited Edition Capsule Eyewear – Stretchy Lacoste shirts are a useful weekend staple for any girl’s closet, and their limited edition sunglasses made for their 75th Birthday are a great accompaniment. I especially like the clean, understated look of these pristine white ones. The men’s versions are even more retro, with a CHiPs feel.  Sooo worth pulling over for!

3. Lulu Guinness Ingrid Sunglasses – I love, love Lulu’s ladylike styles which make me want to don a shift dress and have tea and mini sandwiches with my French poodle. These Ingrid sunglasses have the most adorable polka dots which are perfect for the summer. Around $150

Whats More Ear-isistable Than Giant Earrings?

One of the things I noticed immediately during the Oscars were Angelina Jolie’s supersize-me emerald earrings. Even the hubby, who rarely notices these things, was like “Whoh! Those can’t be real!”

Apparently, Angelina took a lot of time hunting for the perfect pair to wear for Oscar night, wanting it to be a real show stopper. Well, she obviously did the job (with $2.5 mil beauties by jeweler-to-the-stars Lorraine Schwartz) and along with Kate Winslet, who also donned large chandelier earrings, now started a fashion trend because statement earrings are now officially HOT for 2009.

Why? Well, the economic downturn is to blame (again), because look-at-me earrings can revamp a look instantly, so you can recycle an outfit and freshen it up with bold accessories – the eighties also have a big influence here. Think bright, glam and bold…okay, not flawless gargantuan emeralds, but you get the idea.

Other statement earrings seen on the catwalk were Chanel’s Mademoiselle offerings and Louis Vuitton’s colorful beads.

Add Color With Cheerful (and Cheap) Kate Spade Earrings

As I was flipping through my latest issue of O magazine, one thing that really caught my eye were the Kate Spade earrings on The O list page (what great finds!):

Razzle Dazzle ‘Em! Don’t let the fact that the economy is in recession keep your earlobes from looking like a million bucks. The jewels may be faux, but the sparkle is real.

Yes, the sparkle was definitely real! Fantastically bright colored in hues of pink, coral, red, green and blues, I could see them giving sunshine to any outfit – and the best thing about it was the price – a very credit-crunch friendly $45 a pair!! For our anniversary last year, my husband sweetly gave me a pair of gorgeous pink saphirres, which look pretty identical to the Kate Spade versions. Let me tell you, they make anything I’m wearing just that bit more elegant. Now I’ll be coveting the KS versions in all colors!!

Advice for Petite Women

Naturally, petite woman have a desire to look tall, it is not just about the clothes they wear, but the posture they hold.However, for women a sure way to create an illusion of being a little taller is to wear strips going down, never across. In addition, a good trick is to wear quite light clothes, for instance chiffon or cotton material, so when they walk they do not feel so weighed down, and therefore tend to walk tall with their shoulders and head held high.

A round neck I have always felt makes you look shorter and a little plump, go for a V-neck, or even try the Kaftans style tops could work wonders.

A very simple light jacket, nothing with patterns on or to much detail, a lot of detail closes a person in, you want people to see you for you, not be hit with to much detail, it would just be to chaotic for your small frame.

Holiday Shopping: The Dressy Pump

These days it all seems to be about the impending holidays, from my friends’ dreading opening the “Christmas List” on Facebook, to stores and malls already decked out in Christmas displays, to signs everywhere telling me its time to shop, shop, SHOP!  Not that I need my arm twisted to do the latter, but it’s a fact of the holidays, and the sooner you start, the less overwhelming the season becomes.

So let’s start with footwear.  Whatever the occasion, be it a party for the office, with friends or a romantic rendezvous, a new pair of shoes will do wonders to put you in the festive mood.  Normally, the word dressy comes to mind, and we all know that dressy usually equals = heels. Yes, we all feel sexier in them, but I’d say that the average woman, would most welcome a break from them – but only if the affair does not entail having to wear a long gown.

Flats, or should I say, “dressy pumps” are perfectly acceptable for all your December affairs, provided they are dressed up with the required sparkly embellishments that scream “holiday season”. Take these oh-so-pretty silver be-jewelled flats ($100) from Zara pictured above.  Unless you’re truly vertically challenged, they should take you through most of the season in relative comfort and safety (think slippery, wet roads due to climate change), and the object of envy from your friends and colleagues in their sexy but pain-inducing (and expensive) golden Jimmy Choo heels. Or for a more flirty look, I’d go for these sweet pink sequined Kate Spades, on sale from $275 to $165 at ShopBop.

While dressy thongs are okay in the summer months, I’d stay clear of them in the holiday season, whether or not you live in a warm climate. I just feel too much foot doesn’t work this time of the year, in the evenings at least.

Scarves, Style and Celebrities

I never thought of myself a scarf person. As a student living in Paris in the early 90’s, I sometimes donned the “cravat” look, tying an Hermes scarf (or one that looked like it) around my neck, above my navy blazer, complete with shoulder pads. Very 90’s Eurotrash. Since then, scarves have not been an essential in my wardrobe, except for when the weather dictated. Until a trip to Laos last month.

In Laos I discovered the most beautiful scarves. Gorgeous designs, intricate weaves, they were so many to choose from (at great prices), and best of all they were soft and wearable.  I went crazy in the Luang Prabang night market (a veritable treasure trove of scarves and embroidered linens) and came home with 10 scarves for me plus some for presents (which the recipients loved). What an amazing place that was.

But back to scarves. Since then, I’ve rarely been without my beloved scarves (great for all weather I’ve discovered since the sweltering heat of Laos).  I find that it completes my look and adds that little extra bit of style. Even my fashion-forward 6-year-old loves scarves, and I must say they look fab on her.

In Hollywood, scarves are almost a necessity (for the stylish at least), as seen on Nicole, Lindsay, Jessica et al. In fact, they’ve all been wearing them since last spring, by both men and women. There’s even been a book written about celebrities and their knitted scarves aptly called “Celebrity Scarves“, written by Abra Edelman. Aside from great photos of the celebs in their own creations (people like Daryl Hannah, Rosario Dawson, Eartha Kitt, Portia de Rossi and Parker Posey), it gives instructions on how to recreate the scarves yourself if you happen to be a knitter.

Donna Karan’s Zodiac Bags: Do We Want One?

The Modern Leo Large Tote

Has Donna Karan shown her creative flair, taking a chance in what could very well be a naff concept, turning it into something on every gal’s “I Gotta Have it!” list? or is it an attempt to salvage her handbag reputation by this “astrological” marketing cliche?

The Zodiac collection, which features, yes, bags inspired by the signs of the Zodiac were unveiled by the designer as part of her pre fall collection, which came out in June.

As Karan said in a WWD report:

“It makes sense — I live by astrology….I am a Libra. I can’t make up my mind. We never find a balance. We like it all.”

Picking up a Virgo handbag, she said, “I need a Virgo around me. Libras always need Virgos. My husband [the late Stephan Weiss] was a Virgo.”

“The challenge was, would I wear this bag? These I would,” she said and, pointing to a large shopper, added, “You know I will be carrying this for the rest of my life.”

The bags, which are now available online for around £1,300 or $ 2,500 at places like Net a Porter certainly don’t come at a cheap price, and now, several months on after its debut, it can be said that, in spite of their somewhat novel concept,  the bags have not arrived at the ” so last season” list just yet.

For Virgos like me, there are two models to choose from, the Modern Virgo North/South or East/West totes in waxed vachetta, which gives it a chic, weathered look.  Personally though, I prefer the Leo tote in shrunken lamb pictured above.

If you visit the Donna Karan website, you’ll find only some of the zodiac signs represented – Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Libra, Pisces, Virgo and the evening star (lovely roll clutches). Some of which, like Leo, have more than one design. You’d think they’d make one for the Taureans at least, as they’re known to have a weak spot for indulging in luxe items like these.

And lastly, I have to say that these new-fangled “exotic” names just don’t get me excited.

Shiny goat? French bull? Shrunken lamb? hmmmm….. Besides from sounding very un-Peta friendly, they remind me more of the menu of a restaurant trying too hard make ordinary dishes sound posh.