Collars

Collars really make an impact on your entire look. The demure "peter pan" collar coveys an innocence that can belie the true nature of the person underneath. A dainty lace collar will make you think of a few decades back and imagine that you smell dusting powder and not even think of saying the word damn in front of that person.

 The exagerated pointed or rounded collar immediately takes you to the 60's and 70's reminding you of London or Funk. I often see coats with the shawl collar and fur surrounding the shoulders and right away think of a lovely grandmother lady or a cool hipster over in Williamsburg shopping at vintage clothing stores and making the most of a decade gone by.

In Roman Holiday, the fun black and white movie from 1953, Audrey Hepburn wears a little white blouse with a small collar throughout most of the film.  The brilliant Edith Head designed the blouse to be worn in a variety of ways; open collar, buttoned up, open collar with a small silk scarf tied around Audrey's neck, buttoned up with the scarf tied on top with the collar up; such a simple variation but to marvelous effect.

Sizzling hot and seeing dots

Our style campaign this week was a whole lot of fun. I personally love, love, love red as it is such a power color. Whenever you put on some red you will automatically feel stronger. Fire! That is what we are talking about. It has always been a tricky one to wear as sometimes it wears you instead of the other way round. I enjoy wearing a nice "true" red and by that I mean a red with some blue in it. I know some of you are saying, "wait a minute, why isn't a red with orange in it a true red?" The answer is, I don't know, it just isn't!
Dots really can make you feel good and sometimes giddy as well. You can find a kaleidoscope of colors or just a mix of two. Of course, the shadow dots are sophisticated because they are so subtle and barely there - playful yet saying, I am efficient and thorough as well.

Stripes going every which way

I have a love affair with stripes but whenever I am looking at clothing brought in for consignment I find that stripes are one of the hardest things to look at. I am trying to see if I find any spots or stains and my eyes go all wonky.
Stripes can be your friend and they can also be your enemy. The line directs the eye so whenever someone looks at you they automatically go in the direction of the line. It has always puzzled me why they make larger women's clothing with broad horizontal stripes. It just seems crazy and I really don't get it.

You can direct those lines diagonally, vertically or in a mix that will enhance your figure to be more flattering. If you have slight shoulders a slash neckline with a broad stripe accenting your shoulders makes the illusion that you are broader on top then you really are. Stripes are a play on proportion; they can work for you and be really flattering and fun. You must be conscious of what all those lines are doing for or against you.
"Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions" - Coco Chanel.

Shoe size 8 1/2 red, white, black by Donald Pliner;
Skirt  size 6 - red, beige by Etcetera;
Skirt size 6 - blue, white, pink skulls by Castaway;
Blouse size xs - blue, silver, black  by BCBG;
Purse - black, beige by Eric Javits;
Slacks size 4- yellow, white by Worth.

Cotton Fabrics

 Cotton - such a marvelous fabric.

Furry -  Our first photo shows a skirt made from chenille - French for caterpillar :) The flowers are raised and look a bit like fur.

Authentic - The yellow, white and black tote is a utility cotton that is coated. The fabric is Liberty of London for Target. The details in the flowers is lovely.

Sheer - Chloe blouse is a voile cotton - sheer and lightweight. The yarns are tightly twisted which ensures a semi-transparent plain weave.

Smooth - The Lawn ombre top is so lightweight and fine. It is perfect for a day that is very warm.

Functional - Denim jeans by Paige.  The weave is dense and work-a-day. Paige denim is high quality, with lots of attention paid to the details of the slacks.

Textured - Seersucker jacket by Juicy Couture. One of my all-time favorite summer time fabrics. It looks cool, collected and makes the wearer appear calm and in-charge. Seersucker has a crinkly look to it.
The cotton Ralph Lauren polo tops are a comfortable cotton pique. These polo shirts can be worn all year round and come in a multitude of colors.

impromptu dinner

I decided to invite my friends over for an impromptu dinner last Friday. I was driving home around six o'clock and just thought I would call my friend at work and ask her and her husband over for a quick bite. We decided on a time an hour and a half hence and I ran over to Whole Foods to see what I could find to prepare for dinner.  I walked around sampling the wine, cheese, and cevechi that was dotted around the WF and finally decided on a cranberry cheese with crackers for an appetizer. I dug around in my memory for the ingredients in a ham, sherry, pasta, parsley and mushroom dish that I had not made for years, and purchased a lovely bottle of white wine as well. The strawberries smelled delicious so thought they would be yummy with some cream and pound cake.
I got home with a bit of time to spare so I chilled the wine, laid the table, freshened up and with a knock on the door, my friends had arrived. I was delighted when they presented me with a beautiful array of purple, yellow and white iris, wrapped up in newspaper, just picked out of their garden. We spent a few hours together listening to music, discussing our weekend plans and catching up. All in all I think an impromptu dinner is something that I must do more often.

Designer snapshots - Burberry

History of Burberry:

The brand Burberry was founded in London in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, a 21-year old draper’s apprentice. He soon gained a following, specializing in outwear design. As the brand continued to grow, so did it’s list of accomplishments. Burberry can be credited to the first development of Gabardine (a breathable and weatherproof material used in outerwear) and the development of the first trench coats used to outfit British officers in the Boer War. In 1911, Burberry equipped Norwegian explorer Captain Roald Amundsen as he became the first man to reach the South Pole. And once again, in 1914 Burberry was commissioned once more to adapt the trench coat to new combat developments, by adding “D” rings.

Today Burberry is still most recognized for their luxury trench coats, but the brand has recently undergone a facelift thanks to Christopher Bailey. Christopher joined Burberry in 2001 as creative director, and became chief creative director in 2009. The brand today still strongly holds onto it’s classic luxury aesthetics, but it is now slightly more current with to-the-minute trends.

Not Just a ski suit!

I have always been a fan of two wheels. The first time I road was on a family vacation in Key West and since then we rented them every vacation we took. This past July I took a motorcycle safety course, received my license and bought my 160cc scooter that very weekend. I have ridden through rain, wind and now cold and snow. When it first started getting chilly in the evenings, I would layer up. Though, I knew there was no way I could ride all through winter this way. Luck struck when a Post Card ski suit came into the shop. I toyed with the idea of wearing the suit on my scooter, but let it hang on the rack for a few days. When one of the first coldest days blew in, I tried it on and instantly love with the brown quilted suit, not only is it unbelievable warm and comfortable, but is elegant and covered in little details, like the fox fur hood and airplane buckle belt with the company logo on it. I would recommend buying a designer suit to anybody, whether it be for a motorbike, ski or a fun day out in the snow! We have two suits currently in the store, both of which are Bogner, established by Olympic skier Wilhelm Bogner in 1936.

Posted by Gechi Robertson

Designer Shapshots- Furla

Since 1927, when Aldo and Margherita Furlanetto created their own company in Bologna, Italy, Furla had produced and distributed authentic bags, shoes and accessories. Because of their carefully tailored construction, Furla has become a benchmark for Italian Style worldwide. Today, Furla is present in more than sixty countries. The Furla design is a true example of understated elegance for women around the world, maintaining relevence in this fast changing world of fashion.

Designer Shapshots- Proenza Schouler

"Lady-like cool"- Vogue

While studying at Parsons School of Design, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the men behind the label, joined forces and collaborated on their senior thesis. That collaboration eventually became the first collection for the 2002 company. The fledgling label, named after the combination of their mother's maiden names, received attention instantaneously. The first collection was bought in its completeness by Barney's New York and in 2004 they were awarded the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund award, as well as CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Award in 2007. Proenza Schouler are recognized for their use of color on hand-painted and hand-embroidered textiles often inspired by Native American artwork. They also have a distinctive meticulously tailored aesthetic, with seams always stitched to perfection. The company is making a rise with young celebrities, and you can find their bags and other clothing scattered in fashion magazines.

Posted by Gechi Robertson

Designer Snapshots - Captain Edward Molyneux

"Never falling prey to exaggeration, he continually maintained sight of the elegant."- Milbank Couture, The Great Designers

Captain Edward Molyneux - Born 9/5/1891, Died 3/23/1974

Being a true Renaissance man, Captain Edward Molyneux excelled in many aspects of his life. Being a war hero, an art aficionado, a sportsman, and dressmaker to the most distinguished of clientele (including the likes of Princess Marina of Greece, the Duchess of Windsor, and stage and film personalities Gertrude Lawrence and Lynn Fontane), he eventually opened his own couture house in Paris. He was always known for his conservative "pretty and sleek," yet never matronly silhouettes. His designs were truly classic, as many have surpassed any comings and goings of trends, and remain respectfully at the peak of beautiful design.