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