Right about now everyone starts thinking about travelling and getting away. Whether it be for US Thanksgiving long weekend or a Christmas/ New Years holiday or looking ahead and planning a January or February get away.  If you live in a place where there is winter, a get away is somewhere on your mind.

Now that we are empty nesters, my husband and I are getting away more and more often.  Sometimes for longer trips but mostly for short trips of 10 days or less. And a lot of my friends and customers always ask me what they should pack for their trips.  So I decided to do a blog about what to wear and pack for holiday trips!

So what kind of trips are we taking about? let’s go through different kinds of trips to see what your packing options are.  But first let’s talk about getting there in style.  It’s a proven fact that as a customer you get treated better by flight staff when you are well put together.  It’s not always fair but it’s true.  So even if you are not in first class you still want first class service, so try and look the part. On the Banana Repulic. com site they have their own stylists put together suggested outfits that are comfortable and look great for travelling.  They also have suggested work and weekend outfits if you are interested too.

One of my favorite BR travel outfits start around these great jeansThese are BR’s High-Rise Wide-Leg jean.  The dark denim makes them wearable for a lot of occasions too! The are pairing it with this adorable chunky Pointelle Cropped Sweater and Sherpa Cocoon Coat.  It’s accessorized with Essential leather Sneakers in Leopard Calf hair, their Leather convertible belt bag, which can be also worn as a shoulder bag and a classic fringe scarf.  This is a great look if you are travelling to a colder destination.  The Sherpa Cocoon coat will keep you super warm, the jeans you can wear over and over again, and same with the accessories.  This way when you are going somewhere a bit cooler you have a few staples with you to make you more comfortable.

Here is another look also from BR that would be great if you are travelling somewhere warmer but leaving your home which is cooler. Start with a high-rise wide leg jean.  You can also use the dark one above, but chances are we also have one in a lighter wash in our closets. Then add a colorful ribbed scoop-neck top, I like the idea of this one in Sour Cherry, giving a nod to the strong purple trend. Add a basic bootie, BR has this Everyday bootie in Pewter Suded, but any black bootie would work. And finish off with a Nylon Travel tote that can double as a beach bag and a great pair of shades.  Then add the one piece that will tie this all together, BR’s Reviserible Wool-Blend Poncho, I love it because you get two in one, a black side and a grey side.   Then you have a jacket and topper that can also be a blanket or something to throw on anytime.  I use my poncho for travelling all the time, it works over coats to keep you warm and I have even used it as a blanket on airplanes.

If you don’t want to wear Wide leg jeans just substitue Skinny jeans , a Graphic Sweater and a pair of leather sneakers.  These all look great with the poncho on top too!

So now that we have figured out our travel look, we can move on.  Just remember don’t be the person who gets off the plane in a snowstorm with a pair of flip flops or shorts on.  I can’t tell you how many times I have come home from a warm destination and seen people in the cab line at the airport with flip flops and shorts on in a snow or rain storm. Runners are a great travel option if you don’t want to take booties with you.

If you are going to a warmer destination, you want to take enough clothes so you have a few options but not so many that you have to pay more for your luggage.  A good packing list for a warm destination is:

A good bathing suit. You can decide to purchase something new like J. Crew’s Ruffled one piece suit or just wear what you have already.  But taking 2 suits should give you enough to cover a 10 day trip, even if you are in a bathing suit everyday, you can alternate between the 2 and wash one and hang it to dry while you are wearing the other.

One pair of flat sandals that you can wear with anything like these cute soft leather knotted pair also from J. Crew.  And one block heel or wedge pair of sandals  like these Cheyne Slides from L’Amour des Pieds at Nordstrom.  You could wear both of these styles daytime or evening.

One casual dress, like a midi or maxi . This is Eileen Fisher’s Midi Tank dress from Nordstrom.  You can wear it daytime with the flats or your runners and it can also be worn over your swim suit, and it can double as an evening look just by changing the shoes and accessories.  Or you can choose a button down dress in an ivory or white like this dress from Sugar Lips.  Again something that can be worn for anything by just changing shoes and accessories.

One pair of pants that isn’t jeans. I love these slim wide leg cropped pants from BR but you could do joggers or skinny pants, whatever works for you.

3 great tops. Maybe one cute tiered Tee like this Louisa Tiered Tee from Anthropologie. Maybe a cute Puff-Sleeved Tee, also from Anthro. And a long sleeve white light weight shirt like Treasure & Bond’s Gauzy Tunic at Nordstrom, that can double as a swim wear cover up or you can tie it at the waist over your midi dress.

Maybe add one more bottom, either a skirt, pant or long short depending on how you feel about your legs. Maybe a cute pair of Chambray Joggers from Anthro,or maybe a cute midi slip skirt in a daisy print from Madewell or even  a classic pair of bermuda shorts from J. Crew.  You may want a pair of bermuda shorts if you are going somewhere hot and humid.

Your poncho above can be your outerlayer if you need one and your nylon tote can double as your everyday bag too.

If you are going to a big city or visiting relatives you may want a different look.  If you are staying in a winter climate and are travelling in the first travelling outfit, sub the runners for booties on the travel day but pack a pair of runners in your bag.

Add at least one more pair of pants. The Sloan skinny fit washable pant from BR is a good compliment to a Wide leg pair of jeans. Black is a great color because you can dress it up or down.

Add a dress. BR has a soft ponte Ruffle dress that would travel wonderfully.  It’s dressy enough for Xmas and NYE or dress it down with tights and booties too. Or if you prefer a longer dress try BR’s print shirt dress, it will look fabulous with the Sherpa cocoon coat and you can where it everywhere.

Take 2 sweaters, one casual and one a little more dressy. This Ivanna Mock neck sweater from Anthro comes in many color combinations but I love the black and white dot with the dark wide denim and skinny black pants. Then take it up a notch by bringing a sparkly sweater that can immediately dress everything up. This one is from Velvet by Graham & Spenser at Anthro.  BR has them too.

I would probably add a slip skirt in either black or a print. This one is the one from Halogen at Nordstrom we have been talking about all Fall, you can also find them at Aritzia and other stores.

And one blouse and one fun or edgy top. BR has some great blouses, you can take a casual plaid blouse or take it up a notch with a great print or great fabric .  Or you can go away from the shirt style and bring something like this Angela Velvet Blouse, it can be a dressy evening look with black pants or a fun daytime look with denim.  And I always travel with a black cardigan . Something in wool or cashmere that will keep me warm and I can belt and layer.  This is the Cashmere long sweater from BR.

Again booties and runners work great with everything here.  You could take a higher heel bootie or pump if you need to.  And I travel with usually one purse or bag that is not my carry on bag that works with everything. Something like this Michael Kors small leather cross body that can be worn for dress or casual is a great option.  Match all your jewellery to either silver or gold and you are all set.

Of course there are lots of other things you can pack when travelling but I use the rule less is more.  I personally stick to a black and either ivory or white palette because it always looks good. Denim is a neutral that goes with everything when travelling,  so I always travel with at least one pair of jeans.  Boots and winter accessories are a must if you are travelling to a cold climate.  And if you are travelling to a warm one you may want to add a light pashmina that you could wear in the evenings or wrap around your waist in your swim suit and a hat to keep the sun off is a must! But I usually buy one at my destination that I toss when I leave so I don’t have to pack it. Target or any drug store ususally has great straw looking hats made out of paper so you can recycle them when you are done.

One last note, one-use plastic water bottles are getting banned at airports all over the world, so take a metal or hard plastic empty water bottle with you.  Once you are through security there are filling stations where you can fill it up.

I know this was a bit longer of a blog, but I hope I gave you lots of ideas for your travel outfits.  Keep in mind if you are travelling some cultures insist on modest clothing, knees and arms covered, that light weight pashmina can come in very handy.

I want to let you all know about something happening in Vancouver next week.  Our Jewelry expert Shoshana Lewis and some of her collegues are having a fabulous pop up shop that is not to be missed! It’s November 27 10 am to 9pm and Nov 28 10 am to 6pm at 4386 Main St. in Vancouver.   Check this pop up shop for great jewelry, clothing and even art.  It is not to be missed! 

 

Happy and Safe travels if that is your holiday plans!

Until next time…

 

 

By the middle of November the pre holiday season is in full swing.  We are already starting to see Xmas decor and holiday departments open up in most stores.  While most of us are thinking about how to stay warm and dry, the invitations to all those parties and events are getting emailed out.

Holiday dressing encompasses more than just a few key pieces.  But for the sake of this blog, we are going to talk about a few pieces to add to your current wardrobe to take some of your favorite fall clothing up a notch for the holidays.

A dressy blouse can work wonders in anyone’s wardrobe. A great blouse can be worn with denim for a casual weekend get together or paired with a suit for a holiday lunch with the office brass, or even worn with a skirt or pants for a holiday party.  Let’s look at some options.

It could be as simple as adding a satin blouse like Banana Republic’s Washable Silk Split neck blouse.  You could reinvent a blouse like this over and over, with dark denim, a suit or even with a dressy pant, like J. Crew’s Frankie Pant in Black Watch Tartan Stretch Wool.  Wearing navy and black watch to a holiday party would set you apart from everyone else wearing black.

Or you could get a blouse that is a little more celebratory.  You may not be able to wear this blouse to work, unless you worked in a creative office and can wear it with a more casual pant.  But a blouse like this would work so well with dark or black denim for a night out and would be fabulous with Flare Tuxedo pants from BR for any holiday party.  Sparkle is a great way draw attention and look fabulous at any holiday event.

Or you could meet in the middle of the above tops with 2 great tops from J. Crew.This Tie-Waist V-neck top in Metallic Dot Shimmer can do almost anything.  It would be fabulous in the office with a pencil skirt, great with wide leg dark denim and even better over velvet pants or a velvet skirt for a holdiay dinner or party.   Or you can play with one of fall’s big trends and use tartan or plaid as your holiday piece.  This blouse is Ruffle Sleeve Top in Red Stewart Tartan.  Sleeve detail is so key and this great plaid top has both balloon sleeves and a ruffle.  Wear this casually or you can dress it up by changing to a dressy solid color bottom. Red tartan is a super festive pattern you can wear all holiday season.

A holiday sweater may not have the same versatility as a great holiday blouse but there are definitely some sweaters that work to take your everyday wardrobe into holiday mode.

Again you can go big or small, maybe you want to try something a little more subtle that you can wear all year round. You can do something as subtle as a lace trimmed sweater, from Rebecca Taylor at Nordstrom. As you can see it looks great with denim, but it would also look equally great with black pants or a skirt to the office and with a lace pant or lace skirt for an evening out.  These are the Gemini Lace Pant from Veronica Beard and you can find them at Nordstrom.  I have a pair of lace pants I bought a few years ago at Ann Taylor and I pull them out every once in a while to elevate blouses and sweaters for a great look that isn’t super dressy.

Or you could take a sweater look and make it the focal piece of your holiday outfit. Last week we talked about the Metallic cardigan sweater from BR, it also comes in Emerald green.  I have the same sweater from BR from last year.  This year I added the Metallic shell to wear as a twin set.  I will wear this with my wide leg dark denim, black pants and skirts and even with my black lace pants.  Either piece can be work seperately and you can dress the look down by wearing a t-shirt under the cardi or a white long sleeve cotton blouse under the shell, wearing the shell as a vest. Both pieces also come in Emerald green.

Or once again you can meet in the middle. This everyday crew sweater with sequins would be just the perfect piece to let you inject just a little festivness into your wardrobe, it also comes in black with off-white sequins. And I love this Vanessa Sequined sweater from Anthropologie.  It comes in Oatmeal and Grey and I love the way the sequins are splattered across the top.  Wear them with plaid bottoms or denim.

 

We have refered to bottoms a lot when talking about all the above tops, but what kind of bottoms could you add to your wardrobe to take an average top or sweater to the next level for holiday?  I am going to leave denim out, if you are a follower of my blog you already have a great pair of dark denim that will work with everyhing!

How about a velvet pair of pants or a great velvet skirt? These Peyton Pull-on Velvet pants from J. Crew come in 5 colors.  I have a pair in leopard print from last year and they are super comfortable and look great. BR has 2 different velvet pants Modern Sloan Skinny Fit Velvet pants or the Hayden tapered Fit velvet pant.  Try the tapered fit for a change, it’s a little fresher than a skinny pant.

BR also has a slip on Midi flared velvet skirt that echos that bias cut midi skirt that is so popular right how.  This is a very modern way to wear a velvet skirt. J. Crew has a velvet skirt that is a little more straight cut.

Or you can choose a novelty bottom in a skirt or pant. Nobody is better at novelty pieces than Anthropologie. You could wow your friends and collegues by wearing this Chantal feathered Maxi skirt for work or out in the evening. Or you could shine the day or night away in the Orleans Sequined midi skirt, wear this with a simple turtleck to dress it down.

Or have fun with a pair of Vivian Flared Trousers, these would be fabulous dressed up with a velvet blazer!

You can even use any plaid pants you happen to have plaid is great to dress up for a festive look.  Wear these pants with a velvet top to dress them up enough for a holiday party!

 

There are lots of great pieces out there.  I only highlighted a few looks.  A great way to get outfit ideas is to look at styled outfits on different websites, Nordstrom and Banana Republic actually have styled outfits for different occasions.  I love to copy the BR ones especially for ideas for travel outfits.  But Ann Taylor and J. Crew have different shops and Anthropologie has different collections featured.  Check out each website, you can learn lots.

Do you look into your closet and wonder what you are going to wear to that holiday party? Or do you need something special but don’t know where or how to shop for it? Right now I am booking styling appointments until Dec 1, there are only a few spots left so email me soon if you want them, so book soon if you need a holiday appointment! Email me at Suethefashionista.com if you want a styling appointment. 

Until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every year after October blows by, we are suddenly thrust into the beginning of the holiday season.  Well this year, the final fall trend we are going to look at can be either a fall or holiday trend. So we will use it as our bridge to take us from fall into holiday.

Because Fall 2019 is a season of more is more, this new Shiny fabric trend makes sense.  It used to be that we only wore shiny fabrics from Chirstmas to New Years or maybe for a formal wedding.  But Shine has become mainstream, now we can wear whenever for whatever.  So where do we start?

You can do things over the top with shine, yes even a woman in her 40’s and 50’s can do an over the top shine look.  But it has to be done in certain ways.  The first way is to pick one piece of shine for your outfit and make it stand out.

If you did one piece, like your puffer jacket and no puffer is better than the tna Super Puff by Aritzia, it could make a statement for you all season long.  You wouldn’t need another piece.  Or you could do the same with one piece of clothing. You could do the Modern Sloan fit Metallic plaid pants from Banana Republic and marry shine with plaid.  You wouldn’t need to wear any other shiny piece. The same could work with a dress, this is the Zadi long sleeve dress by Ted Baker London.

Or you can take your Shine and make it an everyday thing. Try a subtle shine in a top that you can wear for work, out in the evening or with your jeans.  This is the Soft Satin Puff Sleeve top from Banana Republic and it comes in 5 colors that are all great to wear into the festive season. Or try a top like this Bristol Blouse from Anthropologie it comes in Regular, Petite and Plus so it will work for everyone and even though they call this color black, it’s more like a gun metal color that you could elevate for a holiday party or wear with denim and boots on the weekends. And you can do Shine on the bottom too, elevate your work look with a pair of pantswith cute flats and tuck in a long sleeve t-shirt.  These pants would be fantastic if your office has a creative vibe.  Or something that would be great for a weekend elevated look is  Anthro’s Cobie shimmer turtleneck, this you could wear everywhere and would look fantastic with dark denim and brown boots.

It is an easy season to find lots of Shine where ever you look.  Banana Republic has tons of pieces.Try and Boatneck shift dress that can take you from office to evening. Pick a shimmery top to wear with everything. Or go back to one of my staples in my closet a great shimmery cardigan. Or try the cardigan in an unexpected shimmer color  . And add underneath pieces to these to make a chic sweater set    .                                             You could even do a cotton turtleneck with a shimmer stripe, which would nod to the trend without actually having to wear it. And you can do a basic sweater in a metallic that comes in this warm shade or a gun metal color too!

You can visit Anthro and find lots of shine too!  Alot of their shine comes from sequins which we will talk about in another holiday blog, but they have some great items that you could keep in your closets like this Lace Sleeved sweatshirt.  Think how many times your are going out for a casual dinner but just want to elevate your jeans a bit, this top will do exactly that!If you are a jeans person and have been looking for a pair of jeans you can wear out, try these by 7 For All Mankind at Anthro, they have a shimmer dot and are perfectly high rised.

You can even wear certain fabrics that have Shine.  Look at the lace on the sweatshirt above, that has shine.  Or try a velvet top with Shine.Anthro has the Katerina Button down top that comes in 4 colors and all have a great shine to them.  This way if you don’t want a lot of shine but love velvet (who doesn’t?) you can get the look without actually wearing it.

One last way you can wear Shine without actually wearing Shine is to use leather or faux leather.  Ann Taylor has some great faux leather, these faux leather wide leg pants can go to work, out for dinner of even wear them casually with a flat bootie.  A great leather or faux leather jacket or coat can do the same thing. Try adding a look like a faux leather trench, it’s something you could wear all the time and it adds a bit of Shine to the everyday.

And finally my favorite way to add shine to your look is to buy one of the new midi slip skirts in a fabric with a Shine to it. This is the Babaton Slip Skirt from Aritzia but you can find them everywhere.  They come in all colors and fabrics and this would be a very easy way to add shine to your wardrobe.

But Shine isn’t exclusive to clothing.  You can add shine in your accessories and shoes instead. This mini saddlebag from BR in gold or blue would be wearable all year.  It would add shine very subtly.  It’s super easy to add shine in your shoes,  just pick a pair of patent mary janes from Anthro with a jewelled strap. Or how about a pair of gold tone loafers from Franco Sarto you can find those at Anthro too!  And for those of you who love booties how about these silver Chelsea boots for a casual look or take it up a notch with these golden kitten heel ankle boots.  All of the shoes above can be found at Anthro online.

And of course you can always let your jewellery make your shiny statement. J. Crew has tons of shiny earrings, necklaces and bracelets.  I am not going to go into detail about jewellery and especially not into the hair jewellery detail (very big especially for holiday) because we are going to have a guest blog later this month from Jewellery expert Shoshana Lewis and she will tell you everything you need to know!

I purposely stayed away talking about velvet and sequins and party clothes because we will be talking about them in upcoming blogs.

Do you need help navigating what your holiday wardrobe should look like or do you have a big holiday party or event you just don’t know what to wear.  Well, I can help with that! I am booking appointments up until the 2nd week of December so just email me at Suethefashionista@gmail.com to book a styling appointment! If you book before November 11 I can give you a special holiday discount on your styling, 2 hours for the price of 1!! So book soon if you want this deal!

Also if you haven’t been to the Queen and Grace Trunk show, you will want to get there! It’s only on until Thursday Nov 7 at 4305 Dunbar St. in Vancouver, that’s 27th Ave and Dunbar street.  Check it out, they have great cashmere, gifts and jewellery!

Until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone needs a great coat or jacket to get them through the winter.  If you live further south you may not need a heavy down or faux fur coat, you can probably wear coats and jackets that are just fun instead of fun and warm.

Probably the best place and best value for purchasing a classic winter coat is Aritzia. And everyone needs one classic coat in their wardrobe.  They are an original Canadian manufacturer but have stores all over North America.  Their Babaton Steadman Coat is probably the best classic coat out there.  It comes in 13 colors and if you do a classic color like Black or Grey it can last you for years.  It is also the perfect coat to do head to toe color with, which is one of this Fall’s biggest trends and certainly a very coat friendly one.  Another great classic coat style you can find at Aritzia is the Babaton Connor Wool coat, it is a mid length, cocoon like coat.  You can wear it belted or not and it comes in 12 colors.  The last classic style from Aritzia I am going to talk about is the Babaton Slouch Wool coat, it’s a great double breasted coat with a looser, more modern feel.  It comes in 3 colors and if you want something to wear over all your midi skirts and oversize slouchy sweaters this is the classic coat for you.  The other great thing about these 3 classic styles is that you can belt them or wear a plaid or patterned shawl around them to make them look more on trend if you want to.

Before we move on to other trends. Let’s talk about a huge trend in classic coats for fall and that is to do a Plaid Pattern in a classic style coat. The same classic Stedman coat above comes in a great plaid.  The wrap coat trend from last year is still important but how about trying that in a plaid? Halogen at Nordstrom has this great belted coat. Or do a very serious side of plaid and wear a great Glen Check Plaid by Carolina Herrera from Nordstrom. And of course Banana Republic has tons of coats including this Plaid Italian Melton Long coat, again great with all the longer skirts this fall and remember BR is almost always on sale.

But there is so much more to Fall 2019 outerwear than just the classics. We talked about it a bit briefly in our Utility trend, sherpa and quilted coats are very on trend this winter. If you like a fairly classic style of coat, that covers your hips there is a sherpa coat for you. J. Crew’s Teddy Sherpa Top coat comes in 4 on trend colors and will work as a casual topper for you this winter.  A lot of women who wear this trend opt for a more casual style of coat as well. Aritzia has their Wilfed Free Teddy Jacketin 5 wonderful sherpa colors and can hit every casual need of yours.  If you love sherpa take a look at both of these styles and all the colors.

The other huge casual trend in coats is still the puffer.  Quilting is huge this season and the puffer jacket fits right into that trend.  I love this Quilted Puffer Jacket from J. Crew.  It comes in one of their Liberty Floral trademarked patterns and has prima loft, which means it’s light weight but very warm. It’s a great way for you puffer to make a statement. Have fun if you are buying a new puffer jacket this fall, Anthropologie has some great whimical styles. This is their Safa Snake print Puffer Jacket.  Animal prints are huge so if you can wear an animal print in your puffer why not!  And if you want to stick with the basic puffer Aritzia has you covered again. Their Super Puff coat comes in a zillion colors and finishes that you can find the one that speaks directly to you.  It will keep you warm and dry and looking fabulous!

Faux Fur is another huge trend in outerwear.  And you can do it a lot of different ways. I have a classic style faux fur coat in Black I pull out every winter when it gets cold.  But this year if you are looking for faux fur do it in a fun color, print or pattern. Purple is the new on trend color this fall, so why not do a faux fur in a deep plum? Halogen at Nordstrom’s faux fur coat comes in great colors like this plum and yellow or do it in a leopard print. Anthro has the Mina Faux Fur coat by Graham and Spense in a wonderful Burgundy.  Or you can do a color block faux fur also from Anthro combining two very on trend colors. Probably the biggest trend in faux fur is to wear an animal print in a faux fur.  You can find them almost everywhere. Here is J. Crew’s Leopard print faux fur coat. Or stick with the animal print trend in faux fur but try something a little newer than leopard. Anthropologie has this great Zebra Faux fur Jacket by Sanctuary in a beautiful Green motif.  I love this idea for a casual, fun winter coat!

And of course no outerwear blog would be complete without talking about the Cape trend for Fall.  I am going to include Capes, Wraps and Ponchos altoghether.

Even though the Cape is the “it” trend in outerwear for fall, they are not that easy to find everywhere.   Most of the ones I found online were from designers, like Valentino’s V-Detail Double Face Wool and Angora Rabbit Cape at Nordstrom.  If you want something more affordable then there are a couple at Anthropologie online that might work for you. This Plaid Johanna Caplet is a fun, casual way to wear a cape.  Or try a solid one, I love this Bellamy Hooded Caplet! It comes in 3 great colors, Moss (shown), Black and Taupe.

The other way to wear this trend is to wear a poncho or wrap and belt it yourself. Banana Republic has some great color block and patterned Ponchos which you can either belt or attach something at the neck to hold both sides together.  Either way you accessorize it will make it look more like a cape if that is what you are looking to do. Or you can do a solid cape from Aritzia that can be belted or use a closure at the neck to acheive the same look.

Ponchos are a great option, especially to wear going into winter and coming out of it when the weather isn’t that cold yet. You can’t go wrong with a classic one in a classic color from Anthro.  Or try one with a higher neck. This one is from Michael Kors and it’s at Nordstrom. My friends at Queen and Grace in Vancouver have some great poncho’s and wraps. They have some great everyday ones in tons of colors that you can wear different ways. You can reach them online at queenandgrace.com, they will ship all over Canada.  Or if you are in Vancouver they are having a Trunk Show November 1-8 at 4305 Dunbar St. (Dunbar and 27th) in Vancouver.  Not only do they have great ponchos, wraps and outerwear, they also have tons of accessories.  I highly recommend you check them out either online or in person.

If you feel you are missing a modern edge to your wardrobe or go into your closet and think you have absolutely nothing to wear then maybe it’s time to book a styling appointment to get your wardrobe back on track. You can reach me to book at Suethefashionista@gmail.com.

 

Next week we will start off our holiday blogs with the last trend for fall and that is the Shine on Trend.  Glitz, Glam and shine is definitely what you want to wear for all your holiday events, so stay tuned.  Have a happy Halloween!

Until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not a huge print person, but there are a few prints that are classic enough to never go out of style and work across your wardrobe year after year.  Fall 2019 is no exception. This Fall is full of exceptional prints and very creative ways to wear them.  These are the prints that everyone wants to have in their closets!

There are 3 main prints or patterns that are trending for Fall 2019.  Even though this fall is wide open with almost anything goes, the 3 main groups really do encompass most of them.  The trends are: Animal Print, Plaid and Florals.

Animal Print:

One of the best things about wearing animal print is that it can work across your wardrobe from edgy to classic.  There are different prints in this family too, if you are not a fan of leopard print you may love a snake skin print or a giraffe or zebra print.  Lots and lots to choose from and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the look.

I bought J. Crew’s Tippi sweater in Leopard print last fall and it has become my go to piece to wear with everything from jeans to skirts.  I don’t believe it’s available anymore but if you want a classic style of sweater maybe trythe same sweater in a snake print.  You can buy this year’s version at Nordstrom. If you love leopard print but don’t want a sweater maybe try a blouse. Banana Republic’s soft satin smocked blouse comes in a great leopard print. Or try their washable silk version in a black and white leopard print. Or forgo leopard completely and go for a giraffe print Br has that too!  Or try something in a Zebra print instead. You could do a Zebra print in black and white or in a black camel combination at BR.

Don’t keep animal print just to tops if you are feeling more adventurous.  In either a straight leg Avery pant or a Wide leg BR has lots of different looks in animal prints.  One of my favorite things this fall is the new bias cut midi skirt. I love it in prints and solids.  I have this animal print skirt from Halogen at Nordstrom, it fits great and hangs beautifully.  It also comes in some great florals and solids so if you want a print or solid skirt that wil work with everything, get on it before they are all gone.  They are a great price so they are selling quickly. Ann Taylor has some beautiful leopard pieces and they are a little more subdued , this grey melange turtleneck is one of those pieces you could wear over and over.  Or jump on the faux fur trend and nothing says faux better than a great fuzzy animal print coat, this one is from Loft. Or try one from Aritzia, both will keep you warm on cold winter days.

Animal print can also work for accessories and shoes.  That is also on trend this fall.  A great pair of animal print booties from BR or pumps from J. Crew or even flatsfrom Ann Taylor can make your outfit work on a higher level.  Or try an accessory in animal print like J. Crew’s animal print Camera bag or their reusable tote can elevate your everyday look.

 

Plaid:

Plaid is as big if not bigger than animal print this Fall.  Plaid works absolutely everywhere from casual to formal and in every accessory and in every color combination.  Everyone needs to have plaid in their wardrobe this year.

One of my favorites is this plaid ankle pants from AT . Plaid is great on the top or bottom, and I love the idea of an ankle pant that looks great with booties. You could do the same look either in a black or grey combination plaid from BR.  Or try a plaid skirt.  This one is from ModCloth at Nordstrom. You can wear a plaid skirt a bit dressier like this Black watch plaid skirt with a velvet waist at AT. Or try a simple front button plaid skirt from Wilfred at Aritzia for the office.

Plaid can be worn on top too, in any number of style ways. Try a cropped plaid jacket from Athro in regular or plus sizes, looks great in all sizes! Or try a plaid mock neck sweater in a chestnut color combination.  Both styles are from Anthro.  And never be afraid to have a couple of plaid shirts in your wardrobe, one you can wear to work or for dressier occasions and one for casual days . You can find both these shirts at Banana Republic.

The one thing I love about plaid is that it can go to even the stuffiest office. Use Glen plaid and pair it head to toe to crush the competition.  This look is also from BR. Plaid blazers, toppers and jackets are everywhere this fall, grab one you likelike this plaid coat from Anthro and you can wear it with everything! Or take your plaid topper long, like J. Crew’s plaid stadium coat.  Or try a plaid puffer! Ralph Lauren’s plaid quilted jacket at Nordstrom is very trendy and would look great on you!  You can even make a plaid dress work no matter what the occasion. This tartan dress from J. Crew can take you to work and dinner. Or embrace your casual side in a plaid maxi dress from Anthro.

Plaid accessories will always work to your advantage. Capes and Ponchos are very fashionable this year so why not wear a plaid poncho from AT now and then over your solid coat later. BR has a great houndstooth ponch that would be fantastic over your black suit or belted over jeans. And let’s not forget about our classic fall scarves , I must have at least 10 and wear them all winter long.  Plaid works in bags as much as animal print does and is a great addition to any outfit. Both the above scarf and purse are from BR.

Who doesn’t want a fabulous pair of plaid boots these block heel plaid booties from Anthro would be perfect. Or how about plaid sneakers for your casual days, you can find these at Anthro too! Or try a pair of plaid pumpsthese are from AT.  I have a pair of houndstooth plaid pumps from last year and I wear them all the time with black pants.

Keep plaid handy this fall, it is one of the strongest trends.

 

Florals:

The Floral print for fall is more of an add on print.  You aren’t as likely to wear it in coats, bags and shoes.  It is concentrated in clothing.  This season it is almost an artisitic flair to some of the floral prints and others are dark and edgy.  Take a look at them and decide how they fit into your wardrobe.

Sometimes all you need is a fresh look in a floral top, in new on trend colors, to update your work wardrobe.  This top is by Halogen at Nordstrom. Or try a top by Vince Camuto that you can dress up or down in one of fall’s hottest colors. Or maybe even a pretty watercolor tunic from Anthro.  Pay attention to what makes the tops fresh this season no matter what print or pattern you choose, a high neck, a sleeve detail and an interesting fabric or at least a fabric that stands out besides having the print on it, is important for all your Fall 2019 tops.

But floral patterns aren’t regulated to just the top of your outfit.  How about all those wonderful bias skirts, those would be fantastic in a floral print. That same Halogen from Nordstrom skirt that I showed at the top of the blog in animal print also comes in some great floral prints. And I think it looks great in both prints!You can even do a floral pleated midi skirt, Wilfred at Aritzia has the perfect one to dress up or down for winter.  And there are also floral pants you can wear. These Devin Jacquard Utility Joggers at Anthro can take you right from daytime to evening. Or let a floral jumpsuit or dress be your calling card this fall.  You will find tons of choices in both styles in floral patterns in every store.  Both the jumpsuit and the dress above can be found at Anthropologie.

And floral scarves and wraps make a great addition to any wardrobe. A great floral wrap or banadana can work in your wardrobe not just this season, but for many years after! Wear the wrap over all your dark romantic looks, especially with lace.  And use your floral scarf underneath a plaid jacket or blazer, just make sure they have similar colors. Both the wrap and scarf can be found at Nordstrom.

Use all the patterns and prints that are strong for fall 2019 across all your trends.  Wear your animal prints with all your solid colors to break them up and plaid works so well with knits and classics.  Florals just work everywhere, they work across all the trends and are great for a casual look or dressy one.  Other that wearing one color head to toe, by the way you can do this with prints too, push prints into your everyday wardrobe.  To wear a print or pattern head to toe keep the same print and color in your top and bottom.  That too is on trend this fall!

Next week instead of diving into the Shine trend we are going to look at fall outerwear.  Which will be our last October Blog.  I am going to use the Shine trend to open up our holiday blog month the 1st week of November. So stay tuned!!

Until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated Classics is probably the largest trend for Fall 2019 besides the Color trend.  Especially for women over 40 who don’t want to reinvent themselves or their wardrobe every season, Updated Classics is a great trend for you.

There are a couple of ways you can look at this trend: 1) You can view it as a new trend and look at the sophisticated pieces that are this season’s Updated Classics or 2) You can go through your own wardrobe and add a piece or two and new accessories, and layering techniques to create your own updated classic wardrobe.  Let’s look at both ways.  And then we can talk all about the accessories and shoes that will work best with this trend at the end.

If you are starting from scratch with this trend the very first thing I would go out and purchase is a classic style blazer.  What is a classic style blazer? Well, it’s basically either a single or double-breasted blazer with lapels, long sleeves and hits your body right at your hip line.  J. Crew is a great place to find a blazer that isn’t too expensive and will work with a multitude of pieces. J. Crew’s Parke Blazer in English Wool in the color Meadow Multi would be a great starting place for something classic with the updated twist of matching all the greens that are trending right now. Or if you are a little more adventurous do the same blazer in Velvet.  Velvet blazers are great updated pieces that add texture and color and can be worn casually or dressed up. This Parke blazer comes in 5 different colors. The other J. Crew Blazer I really like is the Boyfriend Blazer, it’s relaxed fitting and slightly longer. In this Fall trend plaids and glen plaids are huge in blazers so maybe that will be the place to start for you.  One other blazer I want to show is a double-breasted one, Babaton has the Samuel Check Blazer, it comes in 2 colors, this Red Beige houndstooth or a Black Grey check.  Both would work great as a starting place.  Blazers are the go to jacket style for Fall so you will want to get one if you don’t already have one.  Pay attention to the shoulder pads, you want them to be somewhat pronounced.  Also you want your blazer to be wearable for lots of different occasions.  You want to belt it and add accessories.  For this trend as long as you keep the look prim and proper you can wear your blazer everywhere!

The next piece you want to look for is a somewhat classic pant.   You can always go back to denim with this trend.  Either a bootcut jean , like these from Joe’s jeans, the Honey Curvy Bootcut in a darker wash or something like Banana Republic’s High-Rise Wide leg in Dark Rinse are great jeans to start with for this trend.  You can always use a dark skinny you already have in your closet.  If you go wide leg, do something that slims along your hip line, these BR ones do, so you don’t look wide at your widest point.

You can use the same guideline for pants,  becareful with high waisted pants, they are super trendy right now but don’t fit everyone.  Make sure you have a long enough waist to wear them or skip them and try a more figure flattering shape like a trouser. Banana Republic has a great selection of pants, I really like their classic Logan trouser.  You can find them in stores and online.  Another great BR pant is the Avery classic pant it’s a straight leg pant that is a bit shorter.  So if you aren’t super tall like me, these work great because they actually hit me right below my ankle.  But if you want to choose one pant silhouette that is a must for fall it’s the bootcut.  Choose a high waisted bootcut pant in a solid color. A pair like these from Nic +Zoe at Nordstrom that have a bit of stretch are perfect pants to take you from casual to dressy.  If you can try a pair with a higher waist with a tie like these from Sentimental NY at Nordstrom in a techno crepe, if you are short waisted or petite, like many of us are, then skip the tie waist and just stick to a higher rise pant.  A higher rise will make you look taller and slimmer, especially if you pair it with a heel.

Fall prints and patterns really work well here too.  You can add plaid, animal print or any new and exciting print you see.  But we are going to do a whole blog on fall prints so I will talk about them next week.  But they all work back into the Updated Classics trend.

Add a shirt to your wardrobe to echo this trend as well.    A sleeve or collar detail is essential here. A high neck or tie neck is what works with this trend.  This is Ann Taylor’s Spotted Bow Neck blouse. Or go for a high neck, like this Crinkle Chiffon Dot Smocked top from J. Crew.  Or you can even opt for a blouse that has both a high neck and tie neck like Wilfred’s Trapeze Blouse from Aritzia.

The other thing to pay attention to is sleeve detail.  The Balloon sleeve or Bishop sleeve is the newest sleeve detail. Which is basically any full sleeve blouse where the sleeve is nipped in at the wrist like this All Night Long Zebra print blouse from Sanctuary.  But other sleeves are important too, like belle sleeves or ruffle sleeves. A sleeve like this ruffle one on Anthropologie’s Modern Peasant Blouse would be perfect in this trend.

 

To make this look out of things you already own shouldn’t be that hard.  Wear your wide leg pants, belt last year’s blazer and wear all your high neck tops.  I can make this look out of my wardrobe, the only thing I don’t have is a balloon sleeve top. How I am going to make it work is with newer accessories.

Buy a wider strong belt for your blazer. Pick a black belt like this one from Halogen at Nordstrom if you have a plaid blazer and if your blazer is black, either pick something metallic or with a hint of color. Something in an animal print might work, belt from Anthro.Ot try a wide suede belt in another color like this belt from AT.

Pick an unexpected twist to add to your outfit like adding two different colored metallic barrettes to your hair ( we will hear more about that trend from our accessories expert Shoshana Lewis in the coming weeks).  Or add a broach to your outfit pick something with bling or edginess to it.  I have a whole bunch of antique broaches and you can even add a short chain to it if you want to make it edgier on your lapel or top.  I even use them to keep my open sweaters closed.

Anything with a chain is a great way to add newness to your Updated Classic look. A chain belt like this one from Halogen is a great way to add that edginess to a look or how about a belt that is made of chain, like this one from Top Shop.  You can even layer your chain belt over a skinny leather belt, remember this season more is great.

For footwear, pull out all your embellished or printed or studded shoes and boots. Boots like this pair from Bruno Premi with a Lucite buckle and heel are exactly what your blazer and bootcut pant need. With skirts, dresses and shorter ankle pants try an animal print block heel pump.  Or go all out and wearplaid boots or shoes.  Keep your heels to block heels or kitten to be updated.  Or even pick a pair of embellished loafers  like these from Paul Green.  Other than these loafers all the shoes and boots can be found at Anthropologie online.

The real key to this trend is using the updates to make your classic pieces look fresh. Like adding a belt to your blazer or coat.  Picking shoes and boots with embellishments.  And like I mentioned above plaid and animal prints work really well here as pieces to add in.  But we will talk about that next week.

Do you need help updating your wardrobe? I am available in November for styling appointments.  Email me at Suethefashionista@gmail.com to book an appointment.

Next week we will dive into fall prints.  Then at the end of the month we will look at the Sparkle and Shine trend to start us onto our holiday attire.  Also stay tuned for an accessory blog from Shoshana Lewis in November.

Until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every fall we see different Utility styles become trendy.  Sometimes it’s with a militaristic view and sometimes it has an equestrian feel.  Well for Fall 2019, it has a bit of everything in the Utility trend, specifically colors and textures.

Fall 2019 is really all about colors and textures in every trend.  The colors in the Utility trend range from golds and mustards to khaki green and deep oranges.  There are prints like camoflague that work really well.  And the texture part is really all about how to wear quilting and fleece.  I know a lot of women who love fleece and quilting but really only wear them as weekend or very casual looks.  This fall you can take the pieces and mix them with your work wear or even going our styles and be perfectly on trend.

Sometimes it is as easy as adding your casual puffy jacket to a dress and boots. Or take a casual jacket and denim shirt or jacket and pair it over a dress for work. Both the above looks are from Nordstrom and feature coats and dresses you can find at nordstrom.com .

You can also use fleece to create a trendy look Anthropologie is a great place to find a sherpa or fleecy jacket that you can pair with jeans for casual or patterned pants for a night out.

You don’t have to stick to just earthy colors either.  One of my favorite looks in this trend is in black and white . Anthro has a Scotch and Soda Geo printed puffer coat pair with Bagatelle tapered leather trousers, a stripe turtleneck and white runners, and it works perfectly.

You can take individual pieces out of your wardrobe like fleece and quilting and add them to styles you may not have thought about before. If you own a quilted bomber jacket, pair it with a skirt. This jacket is the Valentia Quilted Bomber jacket from Anthro. Or you could try pairing a terry sweatshirt like this one from Banana Republic with wide leg pants or wide leg jeans. You can take something as simple as a sherpa hoodie from Banana Republic, and pair it with denim or try it with a pair of straight leg black pants and khaki flight jacket.  Change the shoe to a black leather sneaker with a bit of detail and you are completely rocking this trend. Or try the same hoodie and jacket with a tapered check pant and simple black loafer.  And voila! You have a casual Friday work outfit ready to wear.

And remember at in our very first fall blog we talked about unexpected styles being in this trend?  One of my faves is still the Dempsey Quilted A line skirt from Antho.  Wear it with an animal print sweater and booties to work and then try a puff sleeve pom pom sweater from J. Crew with heels in a patterned fabric for evening.

I am a fleece lover, I love a fleece turtleneck like this Presly Fleece pullover at Anthro with a trendy bottom in either animal print or plaid.

And let’s not forget the effect of a camo print in this trend. Anthro has Sanctuary’s Lena Camo Utility jacket that can pair with everything.  I would even wear this jacket over a black dress! You can also do camo on the bottom, Anthro also carries Sanctuary’s mid rise Camo skinny jean that you can pair with a print sweater, a solid black cashmere sweater or even a white blouse.  Tuck them into boots when the weather gets colder or wear them with a simple loafer now.

There area  little accessory details that can make or break this trend in your wardrobe.  If you already have a few quilted and fleece pieces start mixing them up with pants and skirts or even dresses and then pay attention to how you accessorize them.  A great cross body bag will always work, this one is from BR. Or grab a colorful tote that isn’t in the same pattern that you are already wearing.  Then use a hat like this suede fisherman hat from BR or grab your black beret, chances are we all have one.  Even a great looking Panama hat like this one from Treasure and Bond at Nordstrom can take your outfit to the next level.

Keep earrings fairly simple, and use your wrist as the accessory place. Try tying on a fun animal charm bracelet and then layering with a Dainty stretch crystal bracelet like these in J. Crew’s 8 pack, you can layer more or less depending on how you feel. Just try and keep them mixes with rougher textures like the leather tied bracelet above.

For shoes, keep to runners, loafers and booties.  There are so many great runners everywhere for fall. A great Zebra print leather runner like these from Superga at Anthro would be perfect for this fall’s utility trend.  And you can never go wrong with a great pair of black leather sneakers, these Essential leather sneakers would even look great with a black suit for fall. I wear my black suede sneakers all the time and this fall will start to pair them with more pants and skirts, not just jeans and sweats.  A great classic loafer can work really well too. Paul Green’s Becca loafer in either Hazel (shown) or Black would be great for this trend, I love the ruggedness of the lug sole.

And of course booties can work as well.  A great lace up combat style like these from Vagabond at Nordstrom would be great with any utility look.  Or try a bootie in a color or print or even texturethat will add another dimension to your look.

The whole utility trend can be worn with all the fall prints and patterns.  Wear your quilted jacket with plaid pants or with an animal print sweater underneath.  You can also mix it with other trends, wear a lace shirt with your camo print pants or wear knit pieces under your quilted jacket.  Fall 2019 is all about mixing the unexpected instead of wearing what is expected, so have fun with it.

 

Do you need help figuring out how Fall 2019’s trends can work for you? Book me for a styling session and we can figure it out together! I am booking Novmeber appointments right now! Email me at Suethefashionista@gmail.com to set up an appointment.

Next week we will be looking at my favorite fall trend, Updated Classics!

Until next time…