V-Style

Top Ten Affordable & Stylish Holiday Gift Ideas

My girlfriends and I just drew our names for who gets who the big gift. You see, the six of us have been doing a gift giving Christmas party for twenty-one years. To save money, we draw names. Whoever we pick, we get a large/pricier gift for them. Then we get little gifts for the rest of the girls. It is so much fun and such a treat. Everyone puts a lot of thought into both categories of the gifts, large and small. Of course, I put a lot of stylish thought into the gifts for my ladies. For the stylish women in your life, here are some fashionable gift ideas...

1) Banana Republic Saffiano Leather Skinny Belt $24.50

Any metallic skinny belt is a great gift idea, but this BR belt is the best. It is designed to fit the high waist as well as the hip. This takes out the stress of wondering where your friends wear their belts.

2) Book: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (Metropolitan Museum of Art) $27

Although the cover is mildly disturbing, the images and words inside put pretty butterflies in your stomach. I could pour over these pages again and again. 

3) Turban Headband $28 (Discounted)

How much fun is this?! Absolutely a stylish and unique gift choice.

4) Kenneth Jay Lane Enamel Bean Black Earrings $40

It is so difficult to find chic black earrings, any gal will appreciate this gift. It comes in other colors, but did I mention how scarce awesome black earrings are? These will look best on blonds, as black can get lost in dark hair; though, brunettes could their wear their hair up...

5) Sporty Echo Touch Glove $42

For the stylish and chilly techie in your life. Now your girly doesn't have to take off her fabulous gloves to tip tap on her touch screen devices. The gloves pointer and thumb finger can be felt by touch screen technology.

6) BCBGMAXAZRIA Knuckle Clutch $160.99 (Dsicounted)

You know something is ahead of the game style wise, when there is only one decently priced version available for sale. Unless you want to spend $2000 on the Alexander McQueen version, BCBG is your knuckle clutch shop.

7) Mimi and Lu Soul Ring $30 (Discounted)

Choose the corresonding initials for your girlfriends names to give a personal touch.

8) Gap Printed Shortsleeve Tee $19.99 (Discounted)

The artistic print will wow a style maven, and its softness (50% cotton, 50% modal) will turn it into their everyday favorite Tee. 

9) Sex and the City: The Complete Series (Collector's Gift Set) $85.99

This fashionable show will always be fabulous. If she doesn't already have it, get it for her.

10) Shewants.com

This is not exactly a gift, but bear with me. Let's say you are absolutely clueless and want someone to just tell you what they want, but you still desire some sort of surprise. Have them sign up for a free profile on SheWants.com. Its a gift registry for one person. Side note, its geared towards women and this is a woman's blog, but it could very well work for men too. You just insert the links to a gift you want. The site is free and doesn't try to sell you anything throughout its process. I personally like authentic surprises, but if you don't want to waste money or fake a happy gift face, this is the way to go.

Black and Nude Dresses on Celebrities

Taylor Swift in Tracy Reese

Black dresses bore me, but a peekaboo black dress is fabulous! There are many fashion rumors about the glory of a solid black dress. It slims, it's chic etc. The reason a black dress can appear slimming is because it turns you into a black hole of nothing. The logic, if you are nothing, you can't be fat, but then if you are nothing, you can't be slim either. Chic? If done well, yes, but I much prefer a layer of black over a nude shade. As seen on Taylor Swift, Amanda Syfried and Charlize Theron, black over nude is far more unique and chic, than the average little black dress.  

Amanda Syfried in Marios Schwab

Charlize Theron in Dior

Personal Stylist Purchase - Bella Dahl Coduroy Skinnies

When you see this rich copper color on anything buy it. At least, that is what I do. It is so hard to find this hue! I swear designers are hoarding it away for a rainy day. Well, it's raining now! Kind of. Anyhoo, I rocked these Bella Dahl copper skinny corduroys during my holiday in cold San Jose. I paired it with a tucked in Gap shirt, Mia Boots and my Alfani Anarack. I felt urban, chic and warm. Beyond this combination, I plan on pairing the pants with stylish cotton tops and tees in light colors. As for shoes, gold sandals are another option. Remember, just becasue it is corduroy does not mean you have to skip summer-ish shoes, but do not pair it with heels. Corduory is implicitly casual. Flats are your friend on this baby.

Web Snob - Best Blogs This Week

Coquette wants to spruce up her pad with the colorful home decor accessories from Hammocks and High Tea.

Fashion Pulse Daily shares how to get versions of the hottest runway jacket styles for much less!.

The Jet Set Girls take a peek inside Elizabeth Berkley's carry on bag.  

Second City Style thinks it's best to shoot for the stars when making a wish list in Fashionattitude: All I Want For Christmas Is...Planting the Seeds Now.

Kate Bosworth’s brown suede ankle boots by Isabel Marant are coveted by Shopping and Info. 

StyleBakery's shopping list: 5 style buys you won't regret. 

How To Wear Fall 2011 Capes

Some may say the cape is a loitering trend, but I don't have any interest in trends, just pretty beauty. It got me thinking of the late Steve Jobs of Apple. He said, "Fashion is what seems beautiful now but looks ugly later; art can be ugly at first but it becomes beautiful later.” I have to say, I believe beautiful now and beautiful later is something to aspire to and easily accomplished in fashion with a judicious eye. Just look at Audrey Hepburn's wardrobe. 

To accomplish this through a cape, take a page out of Lindsey Lohan's book - one of the few pages that won't put you in jail. This avant garde cape will be unique and beautiful for decades to come. When wearing a large cape like this, it is essential to balance the volume of the cape with straight, skinny or tight bottoms, whether it be leggings, tights or stove pipe pants. A form fitting dress or skirt also would have worked. Another essential tip with this particular cape, the deep vee opening of the front calls for contrast with a round neckline, as shown by Ms. Lohan with her round necked, black lacy top.

Stella McCartney's cropped cape from her 2011 resort line, pictured above, lacks the theatrics of Lindsey Lohan's cape, enabling a more dressed down look. Generally cropped capes can be more casual and be put with jeans and shorts. Best to skip a dress with this one due to its structure and industrial feel. In fact, you want to skip dresses with capes in general. The cape is already very dress like with its open skirt hem, making a dress pairing redunent and won't flatter your body.

The only other thing to keep in mind when wearing a cape, the cape is the focus, everything else should cater to the cape, so no crazy sleeves. Long, short or three-quarter sleeves will all work but keep them simple and close to your arms. That means no bell sleeves, no dolman sleeves or any form of volumnious sleeves. Printed tops and bottoms can work, but it looks best with solid colors... although, a fabulous printed legging could look amazing with a solid colored cape. Something to think about.

Banana Republic Belted Cape

Tahari

Helene Berman

Target (Click on image to get to site)

Kate Spade New York

Bonnie Cashin - Vintage 1960's

Familiar Face Fashion: Calf-Length Dresses

Michelle Williams in Erdem

Demure and sexy, a dress that hits half-way down your lower leg is an elegant way to make a statement. I adore minis and legs for days, but there is something so chic and utterly feminie about a hemline that flirts with your calf. Tip to pulling it off, show some skin up top.

Rooney Mara in Calvin Klein Collection

Amy Adams in Roland Mouret

V-Style's Top Five 2011 Fall Fashion Tips

1) Pair Your Jeans with Sequins

You have been told numerous times to pair your diamonds with your jeans. I absolutely agree! Why spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on jewelry that only comes out once a year, if that? This also applies to sequins. Skip the bargain basement sequin tops of the trendy stores and splurge on a really beautiful one that you can sport to holiday parties as well as a happy hour.

2) Invest in Fashionable Long Sleeve Tops

Jackets and sweaters can be claustrophobic or too warm as the temperature slips lower, but your sleeveless or short sleeve tops are not enough. Instead, keep your ear to the ground for stylish long sleeve tops. Sadly, they are hard to find, so when you see one, get it! One option I recommend, Bloomingdale's cashmere collection. Pictured below is a cowl neck, long sleeve Bloomingdale's option I purchased for a client.

3) Colored Pants

Grey jeans, cognac suede leggings, pink cargos, red skinnies, royal blue silk slacks, whatever! Get some color on those pants, so you are not stuck in winter sporting same old jeans and black leggings all the time. Nordstrom's is a great resource for colored denim, where BCBG has a skinny pant in a lovely "heather hazelnut" skinny pants as well as faux leather leggings in grey and "dark bisque."

4) Fetch Me My Cape, please.

Don't fear a cape. Signal your inner Batman or old world British within... its time for a cape. I recently picked up a beautiful cape by Vince Camuto. I will post about some more cape options this week.

5) The Wedge Boot

The wedge boot is dangerous territory for me to recommend because there are oh-so-many terrible ones, but if done right, the wedge boot is an efficient and en vogue path to staying comfortable while getting a little height this season. It is also great for unexpected walking pitfalls, like grass. Sure, you can just skip the heeld boot and go with a flat to solve that issue, but if a flat boot is too casual for that particular day, hello wedge boot. I recently picked up these Kenneth Cole Reaction boots.

Product Review - Hanes Silk Reflections Fashion Tights

(There are black shorts under there, I promise.)

I love shorts, dresses and skirts, but I get so damn cold in the winter. Did I mention I like my legs? They are one of my better attributes and all the pants and leggings of fall and winter don't reveal my legs like I want them too. Call me a hussy if you want, but I want to show them stems. Solution? Tights, and I got to tell you I am loving the samples of Hanes Fashion Tights ($10) they sent me. I have been sporting them every day this week. I found myself going to an event last night I didn't even want to go to because I wanted to show off the look of textured tights with booties, black shorts and a breezy lavender BCBG top I just got. I feel warm, I feel sexy and I am actually comfortable in them. I have always HATED panty hose in the past. When I was very young, I had to go to church on Sunday in white tights with little red hearts on them. They were cute yes, and once they were on, I was okay with them, but putting them on was torture to me! To this day, I detest the feel of that "tights" fabric touching my skin and swallowing me up. Ergh! Like finger nails on a chalk board for me, yet, I have no problem climbing into the Hanes textured tights. When I slip the Chevron tights on, they feel like really thin, soft cotton and I love their strength. I dig my nails in them when I pull them up my legs and I am impressed with how they hold up. The control top is a bit annoying, though. It makes it a bit difficult to settle the tights around my torso, bringing the comfort level down a notch, but I am not too worried. I do have a belly that could use some pulling back.

In conclusion, the printed tight is a fashion must for fall. My absolute favorite is the chevron textured tights for its timeless print and super softness. This is a great option for anyone new to patterned tights. For the more advanced, go ahead and jump into the lace print and pin stripe. A great way to spice up a subtle dress or a finishing touch to an already fashion forward look. For instance, I'd love to see the lacy tights paired with a conservative black pencil skirt and pumps with a grey top tucked in. 

My product reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I never accept payment for product reviews although I am given the sample to keep. If I am sent something that is unimpressive or boring I don’t write about it.

Web Snob - Best Blogs This Week

Get crafty with these fashionable DIY wrist/arm warmer projects from Coquette.

The Jet Set Girls share DVF's adorable guide to packing. 

SHEfinds revealed Oprah's Favorite Things 2011 this week. Thanks, O: now we don't even have to think about what to get Mom.

Second City Style goes from Runway to Real Way. No Whips Needed: Chic Ways to Wear Black Leather.

Winter staple must haves include this Alice & Olivia Fur trimmed cashmere cardigan that is coveted byShopping and Info.

How To Create Unique Color Combinations

I see a sea of black in the season's fashion and, although it can be fabulous, there is no need for it. Don't think you have to wear dark shades in cooler seasons. Color is always a good idea. An even better idea is unexpected uses of color and unique combinations of said hues. Pictured on my clients are some of my favorite color pairings. The first one, pictured above, could be my all time favorite. First, I adore the use of a bold colored cardigan (Nordstrom.), as you see on some other clients below. Second, there is not one color that repeats, but it still works. Why? The colors used, pinks and purple, are all in the same section of the color wheel, but separated by many shades to ensure contrast.

Here we have navy and white, orange and yellow. Most unique pairings are done by using an equation like this.... Can you pair the orange Banana Republic belt  with navy? Yes. Can you pair navy with yellow? Yes. Can you pair orange and yellow? Yes. Can white go with each of these colors separately? Yes. If they all add up separately, generally they can add up all together as well. For shoes and accessories with this combo, we went with gold tones because although, navy and white can do both gold and silver equally well, orange and yellow do best with golds. 

The equation at work, all three colors compliment eachother. Note that we are using a cream tank and not white, to create a warmer tone to the entire outfit.

I adore pairing pink or purple with grey. It is so beautiful and unexpected. Whether the pink is bold or light, it will work, but keep in mind that the equation factor that I discussed before is not here because we are mixing odd points in the color wheel. When pairing grey with a girly color, stick with those colors. Repeat the grey and said girly color over and over in the outfit. Here we repeat grey with the belt and one of the shoe options, and repeat the pinky tone in the other shoe option.

The equation to use again. Does navy go with olive green? Yes. Does navy go with browns? Yes. Does cognac brown go with olive green? Indeed! Success. By the way, navy is far more versatile than black. You could not sub in black leggings for this outfit combination. Side note, we would add a nude tank underneath the top to hide bra show through.

These pictures were published with my client's verbal or written permission. No client photos are used without the client's permission.