Investment Pieces

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Back in early October, I attended a beautiful Fall wedding in NYC.

The outfit needed to work for an afternoon ceremony and then transition to an evening celebration.

As I pulled items from my closet and began to style this outfit, I realized each piece was purchased many years apart!

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This Carolina Herrera silk plaid beaded coat I found on sale 10 years ago and continues to be a great novelty piece.  The shoes are Jimmy Choo bridal. I had them hand dyed in deep purple for a party 7 years ago. I found the YSL silk sheath dress marked down 60% last Spring.

Even though they were purchased years apart, each piece works beautifully together. Building a carefully curated collection over time is the best investment you can make in your wardrobe. Sure, it is fun to go out and shop for a new outfit (if you have the time, patience and budget), but, there is nothing more satisfying than shopping your closet and bringing old favorites together in new ways.

Note:
Investment does not have to mean expensive. Make a time investment to identify what pieces work for you and make the right choices with those items in building a solid and useable wardrobe.

Core Collection

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Thanksgiving is about getting back to the basics.

When I think about personal style, I encourage women to build a wardrobe around practical and timeless items that work with their lifestyle to be worn season to season, year to year.

The basics; your "core collection".

As I sat down to write this blog, I realized that this outfit exemplifies many items in my "core collection". A pair of well fitted blue jeans, classic riding boots and layering pieces such as a navy turtleneck, brown quilted vest, olive quilted jacket and a large paisley wool shawl.

By keeping everything in the same color palette, it makes dressing effortless. Think of it as a recipe, your main ingredients with some fun side dishes!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday.

Loafer Pumps

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Coco Chanel created the first pair of cap toe shoes in 1957. Some current interpretations​ of these chic, dipped toe shoes are both ladylike and subtly edgy. The pair I am wearing here is a perfect blend of a men's loafer silhouette and a feminine heel. I love the balance of these two classics – the loafer and the cap toe pump. A fun new style to wear this season.

Black and Blue

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Trending for Fall 2012 is the chic color combination of black and blue. Shades of royal blue, navy and midnight blue paired with black is very current. I played with this palette by sticking to my favorite styles in black, a classic pea jacket, stretch cropped pants and comfortable low heel booties. The gold hardware gives the items a little edge. With the splash of a blue tote, I am ready to step forward into this new season of fashion.

Valentino cashmere pea jacket, Givenchy peep toe booties, Givenchy black crop pants and Alexander McQueen handbag all available at Neiman Marcus, Paramus, NJ.

Please join me this Thursday evening at Neiman Marcus for Fashion's Night Out. I will be presenting Fall Trends and available to assist you with shopping and style questions.  

I look forward to seeing you!

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The Gates of Fall

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As summer comes to a close, I wanted to share two key trends that I have decided to "lock in" on for this Fall. Whimsical brooches worn in a multitude of ways and the rich and dramatic color oxblood. I chose to wear this vintage pin (carefully attached to a bobby pin) as a hair accessory. Brooches are very versatile and can have great impact when worn in new and unexpected ways.

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This Dolce and Gabbana slip dress is a gorgeous color and a true iconic style. D&G are known for their "underwear as outerwear" designs and the deliberately exposed bra strap (not a band-aid) is a great example of this. Oxblood, a deep rich shade of red, has great depth and warmth. I am excited to play with this shade by layering tone on tone and creating new color combinations as well.

Tip:
​When I put an outfit together, I like to work with themes and references. For this outfit, I was inspired to play with the haute hippy feel of the dress and I knew the butterfly pin would add an eclectic thrift shop vibe. 

Playing with trends makes you feel current. Choose the trends that are relevant to you and speak to your style sensibilities. At the end of the day, you want to feel authentic and comfortable.

The gates of Fall will open soon and there will be a multitude of 2012 trends to experiment with.  Be adventurous and have fun!

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The Shift

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When I saw this Plum/Navy blanket jacquard sleeveless shift by Victoria, Victoria Beckham, I loved the classic silhouette, wonderful palette and interesting mix of fabrics. The gorgeous colors and textures inspired me to style this outfit with various accessories. The multi beaded stone necklaces and Druzy purple agate ring by Stephen Dweck added to the color scheme and gave some depth to the dress.
​For a fun twist and some interest, I chose this wonderful Alexander McQueen De-Mantra clutch. The print reminds me of the elegant still life Dutch floral paintings from the 17th century. It just seemed right with the richness of the satin and brocade in the garment.

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The flaming red water snake sling back shoes by Manolo Blahnik reinforce classic design, rich textures and bold color. Playing with balance and proportion, a low heel worked best with the length and sentiment of the dress. Lastly, the carmel colored curved-temple Prada sunglasses are quiet, yet have a strong fluid design. 

All items available at Neiman Marcus, Paramus, New Jersey

Looking Back


Azzedine Alaia's deep teal cotton pique dress reminds me of Christian Dior's late 1940's signature style of tiny waists and full skirts. Early in Alaia's career, he worked at Christian Dior as a tailleur. A master at creating shapes and feminine silhouettes, Alaia skillfully referenced and designed this dress to have a timeless yet modern look. The fitted bodice and generous tulip skirt is a flattering style
for my figure. I love the exaggerated Peter Pan collar with the unexpected plunging "V" back. I chose to wear Menthe dyed python pumps by Christian Louboutin. The flash of coral at the peep toe added just the right amount of interest. A big cocktail ring and that was it. I felt any additional accessories would start to dilute the simplicity and graceful ladylike look.

Tip: If in doubt, leave it out. I have learned with certain outfits, sometimes less is more.

Azzedine Alaia dress and Christian Louboutin shoes available at Neiman Marcus, Paramus.  

Short Stories

It is always a challenge to dress stylishly in very hot weather. As one option,
I like to wear walking shorts. The slightly elongated silhouette brings casual
up a notch. Black linen shorts and cotton wrap blouse paired with neutral
accessories of straw and cork felt easy and summery.

Brown silk safari shirt and ivory shorts are a great
back drop for the layered turquoise necklaces. 

Into the Trenches

 


When you find a style that works for you, I encourage you to play with
variations of that theme. Trench coats, whether short or long, are a big
favorite of mine. This one, by Valentino, is quite fabulous. The cutout and
embroidered cotton jacket has a striking lace effect. The beautiful feminine
reinvention of this classic piece feels contemporary with just a white
T-shirt and jeans.

This shot really shows off the exquisite detail of the fabric. Not really for
cold or rainy days... just a wonderful novelty piece to add as an investment
to a wardrobe.

Valentino Trench, Oliver Peoples sunglasses and Ashley Pittman bangles
all available at Neiman Marcus, Paramus, NJ. 

Party Dress

 


Color is a big trend this season, and it is always fun to experiment with a
playful palette. This coral Azzadine Alaia cotton lurex dress certainly has
lots of punch. The accessories are bold and spirited, just like the dress.
 
The 2 gorgeous Stephen Dweck bronze bangles studded with lapis, turquoise,
blue agate and smoky quartz and the blue agate faceted rock crystal ring
connect the Crayola crayon shades of the Christian Louboutin T Strap sandal.

Tip: Try to make a connection to your style sensibilities. Think about why you
are drawn to certain things. I have always loved Azzadine Alaia. His designs,
cuts, fabrics and workmanship are beyond perfection. Yet, it wasn't until I sat
down to write this blog that I realized another reason for my strong attraction
to his body skimming dresses: his fabulous full skirts remind me of the swirl
of ice skating dresses. Years - I mean years ago - I was a dedicated figure
skater. Wearing this dress brought back the wonderful memories of that time
in my life.

All items available at Neiman Marcus, Paramus, New Jersey

Cavalli

 

I was so excited to finally wear white with this Roberto Cavalli animal print.
The jacquard pattern crop pants created a subtle weight that gave a nice
balance to the bold pattern of my jacket. A neutral strappy platform sandal
is quiet and allows the eye to travel up to the main event. A structured
clutch adds that "pop" of color and summer fun.

For my jewelry I chose two "accessory zones" to play with. With my hair
worn off my face, I thought that these gorgeous Elizabeth Rand earrings
would be perfect. The design has a strong tribal feel which works well
with the leopard pattern. The gold mesh with turquoise and pearl bib
necklace is a vintage piece. I purposefully tucked it in the jacket to just
give a hint of color and texture to the outfit. 

See how I wore the Cavalli jacket here: A Walk In The Park

Spring into Style Event

A few weeks ago I hosted a wonderful event for more than 80 women. It was a full day starting with a workshop on Finding and Refining your Personal Style. A beautiful luncheon and Spring Trend Presentation followed our fundraiser for Julia's Butterfly Foundation. Fashions were provided by Saks Fifth Avenue. It was a great day for all!


My talented and dedicated team helped make this day a fabulous success!

 

Presenting style and trends with model Keisha.

Pleats, long strands of pearls, stacks of bangles and a mix of metallic accessories epitomizes lady like glamour.

Vivid color block maxi dress with teal cuff adds that additional pop and reaffirms that color is the biggest trend this season.

I invite you to visit the link below for full coverage of the event.
http://www.bergen.com/fashion/Social_Scene_Finding_Your_Personal_Style_Event_with_Catherine_Glaser_at_Indian_Trail_Club.html 

Tap Pants

 

I've had these Perry Ellis seafoam green and cream stripe linen shorts for over 25 years! They are so much fun to wear and are reminiscent of the tap pants of the roaring 20's. Well, maybe I am stretching this a little, but there is a frivolity about these knickers that makes me think about flappers practicing their dance routines.

I took the shorts to the beach (the only place I would wear them) and paired them with a fitted oatmeal colored cropped knit sweater from H&M, a neutral floppy straw hat that I have had for way too many years and big yellow sunglasses from the Gap. Tap dancing into the sunset...

Saks St. John Event

 

Last Thursday, I was honored to host a wonderful evening at Saks, featuring St. John clothing. I created 10 looks that reflect my style and some trends that I am excited to play with this Spring.


Here is one of the mannequins I dressed in a platinum satin drape blouse and matching full pant. Easy, sexy and lounge like. I added longs pearls and a cloche hat... yes, I'm feeling inspired by “The Great Gatsby”!

I chose to wear a simple gray sheath by St. John, the dress needed some texture and interest – I thought about the outrageous beaded dresses from the 20’s – so I decided to use tons of necklaces layered long to create a liquid and sparkle like effect. Continuing this flapper look, I chose these glittery Jimmy Choo silver double banded shoes. Details at the instep are very reminiscent of this period.

Photographed with my Event Director, Audrey is wearing a vibrant coral knit dress from the St. John Spring Collection. The shade suits her spirit and one of the trends of the season – bright and happy color! A fur shrug continues my Hollywood glamour vibe. 

Images of a bygone era... one of the mannequins I styled, a black pleated chiffon skirt (pleats are a huge trend this spring) I coordinated a sleeveless cream and black stripe banded knit top (I wanted to create a drop waist dress look - very flapper) with long strands of pearls, a straw hat...cocktails with Daisy Buchanan?

Hamming it up with 201 Magazine/Bergen.com photographer, Chris Marksbury. To see full coverage of this event, please visit the link below.  

http://www.bergen.com/fashion/Fashion_Scene_Catherine_Glaser_at_Saks.html

St. John

It is interesting to see how designer brands with great heritage create new looks for each season. St. John is known for its traditional styles and easy to wear (and pack) light weight knitwear. When I saw this suit, I was drawn to the soft, delicate colors of powder blue and mocha. The pencil skirt and crop jacket felt modern and classic. It is a great investment piece that will endure for years to come.

I wanted to continue with this palette with the accessories. The Valentino Couture pearlized patent peep toe platform pumps with bow adornment in light taupe was the perfect choice for a neutral shoe. A little runway and trendy, but somehow it seems to work in a demure and delicate way. This gorgeous Gucci "New Bamboo" medium top handle bag made with vernice leather in the color soft rose is a wonderful updated twist on a iconic design. The pop of color adds just the right amount of interest. Constellation 18k gold vermeil ball necklace by Mija added a little quirkiness. Lastly, the two tone Balanciaga sunnies keep with the pastel shades.

 

Fashions Provided by Saks Fifth Avenue – The Shops at Riverside

I am excited to be hosting a special event this Thursday evening at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Please see invitation below. I hope you can join us. 

201 Magazine

I was so happy to be chosen as the cover girl for the March issue of 201 Magazine. Now I can share some behind the scenes moments of the photo shoot.

I loved this beautiful floral dress by Erdem. I was drawn to the feminine silhouette and fresh Spring colors. I chose a classic pump by Manolo Blahnik. The pearlized patent seemed quiet and current.

Working with photographer Anne Caruso was a treat. It is wonderful to collaborate with people that are open and creative. 

I loved this dress by Valentino. It felt like the Gatsby era, so I chose to play with a strand of long pearls. The T-strap peep toe patent shoe by Christian Louboutin finished the look. 

Racks of clothes and accessories filled the rooms. So many bright and colorful Spring choices from Neiman Marcus. 

Anne Caruso, Audrey Zona and I reviewing the shots of the day.

I want to extend my gratitude to Audrey for opening up her home for this photo shoot. Days of prepping, propping and moving furniture all around allowed all of us to create a cover and article that we will always remember.