Category Archives: Trends

Totes that Trot

Adrienne HerroThere are certain fashion staples inside every boho babe’s closet subject to heavy rotation: a too-small moto jacket that looks like she ran over it backwards in her boyfriend’s Impala, a gauzy batik mini straight from Mumbai, and—the holy grail—a slouchy sac bag. Well-crafted ones aren’t always easy to find. Luckily, Adrienne Herro has solved the carryall conundrum with Hide, a luxurious collection of top-of-the-line totes and clutches that retail from $220 to $410.

Herro first launched the line in 2005, after 15 years in the fashion trenches, where she slugged it out as a stylist. Herro crafts her bags with a less-is-more spirit: Rather than weigh her wares down with heavy hardware, she prefers instead to let the skins speak for themselves, incorporating soft-and-supple Italian leathers, decadent suedes, exotic skins and cowhide trim. “Skins definitely influence me,” Herro says. “Sometimes I design a whole bag around the texture and color of a skin.”

An accomplished equestrian, Herro draws further inspiration from her horseback-riding hobbies. “Some of the earlier bags were influenced by my equestrian life,” says the designer. “The handles, for instance, are quite similar to my riding reins.”

The Bobby Silver bag, distressed metallic lamb with contrasting handle $380).

After being slung around the shoulders of Herro’s stylish inner circle of family and friends, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood came knocking. Which it did: Hide will soon be making its feature-film debut, appearing on the arm of Lauren Graham, in her upcoming movie The Dream of the Romans.

Available at:

Mohawk General Store, 1102 Mohawk Street, Los Angeles, (213) 484-8162, mohawkgeneralstore.com.

Beige,
7274 Beverly Blvd.,
Los Angeles, (323) 549-0064, beigestore.com.


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For Margherita Missoni, La Bella Vita Means Fringe

MissoniMy name is Erin Weinger and I am a fringe-oholic.

Its true–I like anything adorned with strips of flighty fabric that makes me feel like a flapper as I move.

But last spring, after wearing my favorite black fringe tank top to the point of disgust, I decided to retire my oh-so-favorite trend.

Until today that is.

Earlier, while trolling Style.com and eating Pad Thai, I came across Alexandra Kotur’s latest weekly best dressed list. And there in the number three spot was fashion heiress Margherita Missoni, clad in a gown of red fringed glory.

For the September 28th AmfAR gala in Milan, Missoni (wearing Missoni, natch) paired the standout piece with minimal diamond accessories that made for a modern, elegant look. Anything heavier and the outfit would have crossed fringe’s fine line into Halloween costume territory.

So I figure that if Missoni can live the beautiful life in head-to-toe fringe, I can live my not-quite-as-beautiful life in flouncy goods again, too. Perhaps my fringe will help gussy up my day-to-day existence.

Right? Are you wearing fringe now or saving it for later? Opinions, please.

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Spring 2010 Fashion Shows: The Sock Hop

Picture 4Socks, socks and more socks. Socks with high heels, knee high socks, scrunched down socks, multi striped colored socks…they’ve been all over the Spring runways. And I’m into it.

And is it me, or are the shows feeling a bit more stylized in general this time out? Christopher Bailey, Dolce & Gabbana and Consuela Castiglioni for Marni are among the designers focusing on the chic little knick-knacks that really make an outfit stand out.

Now, instead of seeing a silk spaghetti-strapped black dress with a simple pair of sling-backs, we see it paired with a boater hat, a belt and socks with sandals (courtesy of Rochas).

I’m not much of a trend fiend, but I’m gonna give this sock thing a go. There’s something so subtly stylish about adding a pair of polka dot socks to my fave LBD. So maybe it’s not so practical to wear short socks with a knee length dress and open toe espadrilles. But I still respect the challenge.

Photo: Rochas’ sock-wearing savant, courtesy of Style.com.

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SPRING FASHION TRENDS 2009: White-Washed

00020mThere’s a certain confidence that comes with wearing white. After all, the non-color is famous for fattening up a figure and attracting red wine and tomato sauce. But if you’re not super stain-prone, the snowy hue adds a crispness to day and night ensembles.
The pale tone was popular on spring’s runways — at Brian Reyes, Bottega Veneta and Fendi, among others — busting the “no white after labor day” adage into smithereens (not that we’d been adhering to it since kindergarten.) Karl Lagerfeld showed a snow-white asymmetrical shoulder dress that balloons out at Fendi that had me instantly mind-styling the numerous outfits I could construct around it. With Havianas, I’m wearing it to a pool party; give me a leather jacket and over-the-knee boots and I’m yours for a swanky night cap.
My thinking is that every woman should have these basic, pure-white items in her closet: a silk blouse, a collared men’s shirt, Hanes v-neck tee, wide-legged trousers (nautical-inspired, of course), sandals, white jeans and (of course!) a white Balenciaga motorcycle bag.
Just imagine the mixing-and-matching possibilities.

Photo: The white Fendi dress of my dreams, courtesy of Style.com

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Wear This Now: Polka Dots

A spotted look from Diane von Furstenberg's resort collection

Lately, we’ve been seeing spots (and not just because we’ve been pulling multiple all-nighters for work).

And according to the recent runways, we’ll be seeing a lot more of them come spring.

At new York Fashion Week Jason Wu, Derek Lam and Erin Wasson were among the clothiers using the quirky, almost cartoon-like print on everything from whispy, sheer blouses to sophisticated cocktail dresses.

On our coast, at last Thursday’s 8th annual Susan G. Komen Fashion for the Cure breast cancer benefit, we witnessed big, bold polka dots on Diane von Furstenberg’s cruise collection catwalk.

And it was there, while watching the cancer survivors gracefully sashay the stage in DVF’s colorful, 1980s-inspired creations, that a revelation occurred.

Each day truly deserves to be lived to the fullest. So why wait until spring to start wearing the whimsical polka dots we love so much?

Personally, we plan on dusting off our vintage dotted dresses at once. Here are some options for those wanting to take on this trend a season before everyone else, too.

Above: A spotted look from Diane von Furstenberg’s resort collection

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Tel Aviv: Boyfriend Jean is So 2000-and-Late

Having just returned from a two-week vacation in my homeland, Israel, I had the pleasure of traveling through various cities and gleaning the trends du jour, spanning ultra-romantic (blouses with lace overlay and intricate pin tucking), to biker chic, with cropped, fitted leather jackets and leather gloves to match.

israel1Tel Aviv is particularly bursting with young designers and eclectic trends. One reigning look (and egalitarian at that) is the boyfriend/skinny jean hybrid. Think of it as denim that’s low-cut and dropped-crotch, yet gradually slims to a skinny fit at mid-thigh and remains form-fitting down to the ankle. Whether on a guy or a girl, it’s equal-opportunity sex appeal.

And a welcome evolution in fit, honestly. Don’t get me wrong: I love the boyfriend jean. But lately I’ve been feeling schleppy when I wear baggy jeans, as it tends to magnify my lower body by at least two sizes. But the Tel Aviv varietals concealed my bum and hips, making my legs look skinny in contrast. I rocked them with a silk tank top and high heels, and felt elegant.

israel2At first I thought that the jeans were courtesy of some obscure Israeli label. Guess again. Diesel and Lee were the most popular brands. Who knew?

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Positive Thinking and You: J. Crew Sport Coat Edition

My inspiration: Rocha's boyfriend blazer

I’ve never been huge a huge believer in the power of The Secret.

In fact, when a friend once told me about her “wish board,” I almost peed in my pants (yes, I can be cynical and rude).

But recently I attended a wedding and had an other-worldly experience rivaling the one caused by the band’s rendition of “Lets Groove”

See, I’ve been craving a big, boxy boyfriend blazer as my must-have fall piece. Since I’m short on cash (and boyfriend), I had accepted the fact that I may go without my coveted cover up until conditions improve.

But I never stopped thinking about wanting to pair the long, classic style with a less conservative item such as my favorite vintage leather mini skirt (in Secret speak I believe that’s called “putting it out into the universe”).

The morning after the reception, I scurried about my hotel room picking up the remnants of a post party that happened there the night before.

And in the corner, slumped under an empty bag of Cheeto’s and half-eaten personal pan pizza, was the most glorious site I could have possibly seen–a navy, J. Crew men’s sport coat that someone had left behind.

I put on the oversize garment, rolled up the too-long sleeves and noticed, much to my delight, that it fell to the exact same place as the leather skirt I love so much.

And so is the story of my new favorite fall piece. It seems that the power of The Secret is real after all.

But if you happened to have left a navy, J. Crew sport coat in room 1160 of the Fort Wayne, IN Hilton Garden Inn, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

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TREND WATCH: Boy Crazy

rsz_yslBalenciagaFall’s love affair with all things guy goes way beyond the boyfriend jeans you’ve been slinging ’round your hips lately.

The season’s runways were brimming over with sexy, slinky androgynous looks—deliciously slouchy trousers, pin-neat button-front collared shirts, dapper brogues and rude, lewd combat boots.

Chloe channeled Out of Africa with roomy pleated khaki pants and walking shorts, Dries Van Noten stole grandpa’s camel-colored overcoat, Yves Saint Laurent and Stella McCartney offered up over-sized “boyfriend” blazers (a trend that’s already alighted in a huge way), while Balenciaga went for trim-and-slim with menswear-inspired suiting.

I’ve been madly in love with gender-bending clothes ever since Kim Basinger, clad in a tuxedo and mustache, seduced Mickey Rourke in 9 ½ Weeks. And while I won’t be donning fake facial hair anytime soon, I get an undeniable “prrr” sensation when I trot around in a tucked-in collared blouse with the sleeves rolled up, wide legged trousers that graze the ground and five-inch patent leather Givenchy heels. Watch me work.

-Ronit Nabi

Photos, from left: Balenciaga’s cool separates; YSL’s outsized blazer.

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