Trendlight: My Faves for Spring/Summer 2010

My darling devotees,

I simply can not wait for winter to end and spring to come anymore. A large part of my impatience though, is not because I despise the cold, or because I am tired of wearing my boots, lovely as they are, everyday (both of which are true). No darlings, the source of my impatience stems from the fact I have a strong desire to see the stores revamped with their Spring/Summer merchandise. I mean, Fall and Winter clothes are great and all but nothing beats the immense variety of colours, cuts and styles available to us when the weather gets warm. So, in order to get a sense of what I would be likely to find in the stores, I hit up Style.com for their interpretations of the season's trends. According to Style, there are 4 major trends for this season and they are :

Marching Orders (Utilitarian)

Clean Energy (White from head to toe)

Game Theory (Sports wear obsession)

The Big Reveal (lingerie inspired wear, a lot of lace)

Pattern Play ( various prints)

And Pastoral Interlude.

Of all the trends they listed, the two I love the most are Pastoral Interlude and Pattern Play in that order. Why do I love them? Well...

• My personal style is something called Boho-Whimsical, which just means that I love mixing gypsy skirts, peasant tops and the likes with whacky polka-dot prints, random bows and butterfly brooches. Don't believe me? I will definitely see about doing outfit posts in the near future.
  
  
• I don't know what you think about when you hear spring but after a pretty neutral winter, all I can think about is colour and plenty of it. I will wear white but it will be as a backdrop to my rainbow acccessories. I probably won't be doing the utilitarian thing because army green and khaki tend not to work on me.
  
  
• They are just totally adorable. See...

(All images from Style.com)

I think these styles are also reminiscent of the 60s and 70s style scene, a scene I absolutely adore. I think the pastoral interlude options are probably going to be seen as boho-folk or country chic soon just because the clothes look very similar to the boho-folk trend of 2006. No matter what they are called, one thing is for sure: they speak to the romantic in me and are definitely my faves for Spring/Summer 2010.

Love you all and Stay inspired,


P.S. So let me know what you think. Are these trends you could/would follow? What's your fave for Spring/Summer 2010? How would you rock your favorite trend? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

Trendlight: Princess Pea Coats

Picture from: Overstock

Is it a dress? Is it a coat? I don't know dear readers and quite frankly I don't care. These coats are the sassy and fabulously feminine way to look gorgeous in the deathly cold of the winter while keep toasty warm. Since, I came back from Christmas holidays, Boston has gotten distinctly warmer, and I think this may be the reason for the switch from the thick North Face parkas that were dominant in December to these cuter and categorically more chic forms of outerwear. Either that, or people just decided to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales period. Whatever the reason be though, I am hugely ecstatic because of the result. Their mix of stylish elegance and quirky modernity gives me shivers and reminds me of something a present-day princess would wear for an informal occasion. Dearest devotees, I implore you to indulge and submit to the powers of cuteness of this trend. But if you're not entirely convinced yet here are a couple more reasons to hunt for your own princess pea coat.

Picture from: Guess



1. They are fabulous seasonal transition pieces: Since they are still warm coats but not bulky in nature, they are the perfect pieces to aid in transiting your wardrobe into spring. A lot of them come in really bold colours and prints that make you stand out against the dull winter days left and hail in spring as it comes. They are also really good for dressing up and down your winter outfits, in case you need to go from day to night.
Picture from: Forever 21



2. They come in a budget-friendly price range: Check Forever 21, and Macy's for easier to handle prices. If you want to splurge on the perfect one though, do it!





3. They are really good potential signature pieces: Right now, everyone is abuzz with the need to find a signature piece and I could not agree more. Your signature piece represents your personality in a physical way and becomes a key component of your personal style. The variety of colours, prints, cuts and styles of these coats available makes it really easy to find pieces that truly reflect your personality, and therefore would make a great signature piece.
   

Talking to you about my love affair with these coats has increased my desire for one. Pleated, belted, plaid and red princess pea coat, here I come!

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. Would you buy one of these adorable coats? Do you already have one? How does it look? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

Trendlight/How to Rock: Feathers and Flowers and Bows oh my!

I'm not exactly sure when it happened but somehow, over the course of the winter, statement hair accessories have risen to the top of many a stylista's must-have list. From big beautiful bows to dainty feathery hairbands, these statement hair accessories add instant glamour to any outfit and are quite easy to wear well. I adore them! When I cut my hair short at the beginning of winter, I was looking for something to accessorise and play up my new haircut and when I got to So Good Jewelry on Newbury Street I was astounded by the selection. They are like cocktail rings and dearest devotees, I love cocktail rings. If you haven't already bought some I totally recommend that you do while sales are still on because these are really good transition pieces that you can use to accessorise as it gets warmer.

How to rock

Like I said before they are relatively easy to use but here are a few tips on how to work them into an outfit.

1. Let them take centre stage on your face: I find that when you wear a really gorgeous hair accessory, earrings and make-up should be more low key, so that they don't have to fight for attention.

2. Pick a complementary or contrasting colour: Either will make a statement.

3. Be conscious of your hair style: It goes without saying that certain pieces go better with certain hair styles. Find the one that works best on your favorite hairstyle or get a variety like I have.

4. Try using using pieces in unusual ways: Why don't you work a scarf into your next updo? Or you could try attaching a flower pin to a gorgeous but simple headband.

5. Redefine the meaning of perfect occassion: Wear a vintage pearl and silver wedding-esque piece on a fun night out or a glamourous evening feathery band to class.

Photos from: glitz4girl.com and pluma

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. What do you think of this trend? Do you own any fabulous hair accessories (vintage or otherwise)? How do you rock them? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

Trendlight: The Quilted Bag

Left over from the waves of bohemian chic that defined last season, the quilted bag, as a result of its versatility and transitionability, has not only lingered on the streets but grown to serious trend status over the past couple of months. And with the presence of traditionally bohemian and hippie trends like florals on the runways for this season, I have no doubt that it has the potential to be the new 'It' bag.Although the most dominant label associated with this trend is Vera Bradley, several similar bags have been found in major stores and small boutiques alike.

I absolutely love this trend, and not just because my style has a predominantly bohemian vibe too. I also love these bags because, they add an instant punch of colour and style to even the simplest of outfits. With the amazing print found on these quilted bags, even an otherwise plain outfit can look stellar. Another reason I love them is because they are so soft and easy to carry (see comfort and style). Finally, and most importantly I think, is that they can be found in a wide range of styles, prints and prices. There's just so much variety available, especially if you know where to look. As of now, I have a quilted backpack, tote and ID wallet (backpack from Staples and tote and ID from Barnes and Nobles). And in case you fall in love with this trend and want to decorate and equip your dorm/room/locker/desk with similar Vera Bradley stationery and luggage pieces , you can. However, if going all out there and investing in the larger pieces is not your thing, they have several smaller pieces such as cell phone purses, ID wallets and clutches available too. Either way you look at it, this is sure to recapture the essence of summer as winter nights draw nearer.

(Both pictures from Vera Bradley website).

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. Is this a trend you would try/ have tried? Does it fit in with your style? And how would you rock it? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

Trendlight: Asian Fusion

Its that strange time of year again. That lingering time, when all the summer clothes are being cleared out to make space for the autumn/winter lines and almost all the fashion blogs and websites start talking obsessively about the up and coming trends for fall. I mean, I'm all for moving forward in life, but for the fact it is still Technically Summer, I'm not quite ready to jump right into the trends for fall yet. Sorry.


So what's a girl to do, if you're not quite ready to turn in your colourful tops and shorts for your wellies and trenches yet?Well one You could try out this late summer trend dubbed Asian Fusion.


This trend has been popping up in small doses around Europe since the beginning, but even more so now that people are growing tired of the Bohemian vibe. The trend mostly consists of using Asian inspired fabrics with lovely rich colours and prints on satin, to create beautiful dresses and tops, that are quite flattering to most figures. Most of them make absolutely gorgeous "night out" dresses and fabulously sexy tops. Another plus for this trend is the simple fact that it is not overworn so you won't feel like you look like everyone else on the street. Luckily, stores like Yendi, Tally Weijl, C&A and online stores like Oli.co.uk and Metrostyle.com still have some of these clothes in stock.



My friends and I discovered the potential of this look while hunting through various shops on our high street in search of inspiration. We agreed that we needed something different but still in season enough to help us transition into fall too and we believe this is it. This is definitely a lovely trend well worth picking up on, especially if you are one of the lucky few still peacefully relaxing somewhere on holiday. But even if you aren't a little change never hurt anybody.



Love you all and Stay Inspired,

Aury



P.S. So what do you think? Would you rock this look? Have you rocked it already? And do you think it can bridge the gap between summer and fall? feel free to let me know in the comments below.

(Photos- Top right- Metrostyle.com, Bottom left- Oli.co.uk via Polyvore)

Trendlight: The Longchamp "IT" Bag

Caught up in the midst of the crazy whirlwind that is my life in the past week , somehow I have been able to spot an astonishingly hot new trend on the streets of Europe: The Longchamp "IT" Bag. At the beginning of the summer season, when some of my friends obtained and presented these bags to me, claiming it to be the next big thing, it took all of my willpower to not laugh at the idea. I mean, aside from its extremely portable nature, there seemed to be nothing vaguely fabulous about this bag. So you can imagine my Immense Shock, when I realised that not only was this bag a hit, its popularity level has risen to such dizzying heights that even I recently found myself in a Buzzano store, admiring one of these bags in a light blue. Quickly coming to my senses, I hurried out of the store before any of my friends spotted me.

Now don't get me wrong. A regular traveller like myself can definitely see a lot of potential in this bag practicality- wise. It can be carried in at least 2 different ways because of its ability to fold up into a fraction of its regular size, which makes it easy to travel with as it takes up less space. Also, since it has little or no compartments in the actual bag it has a lot more space for you to pack the whole world and the moon, if you so desire. But style-wise it seems a little bland to me. I just don't see enough going on in it by way texture and colour. And the fact that I'm seeing it everywhere (and I do mean everywhere- see left), may just be putting me off it.

But who knows, I'm probably biased (I am totally in love with leather bags and so probably shouldn't judge any other kind). Some people have even found a way to work around the lack of texture and colour by using it as a blank canvas and customising it with stick-studs and pins.

If you feel like this is a must-have bag for you, there a few things you should know. First of all, for those of you who aren't aware, Longchamp is a high-end designer label, which means each bag carries a huge price tag depending on the size. Generally, if you are a college student like me this may be a bit too expensive for you (unless its your splurge item of the moment). If it is too expensive for you , I have seen a few similar versions done by labels like C&A with more affordable price tags. Also , if you are going to get the original and want to customise it, please don't do anything too outlandish that you'll regret. The bag is too expensive for you to over-customise it to the point it becomes unwearable in any other season. Finally and most importantly I believe, if you don't like it Don't Buy It. Even if all the people you know have it, it just is not worth it to buy something that does not reflect you.

Love you all and Stay Inspired,

Aury

P.S. So tell me, have you fallen in love with this trend? Does this bag call your name or do you belong to the camp of "I just Don't get it " too? You can give your response in the comments below.

Photo Credit: All photos from Creative Commons

On the Runways: Boho Fabulous!

During Fashion Week for Spring 2009, the runways were filled with flowy skirts, tunic tops and floral prints in abundance, and soon Boho Chic returned to the stores in style. Stars from Sienna Miller to Kate Hudson have been sporting this gorgeous fun and flirty look this season in a sophisticated and stylish way. In fact this look has become so chic that the maxi dress, a staple piece in every bohemian's wardrobe, has become transformed into an elegant gown that can be worn to any high end event. If u don't believe me, above are some sample pieces from my set on polyvore.com that may change your mind. I know this gorgeous Giorgio Armani Dress definitely changed mine.

But Bohemian Chic is more than just a trend! Its a whole subculture with values and belief systems reflected by the clothes they wear. The Bohemian subculutre, as we know it today, is made up of creative, artsy and individualistic people who have strong opinions and beliefs that they stand up for. They are generally in touch with nature, life and freedom (particularly freedom of expression), and this characteristics are reflected in the way they dress. Whenever I think of the Bohemian sub-culture I think of people that are constantly inspired and strive for peace and contentment. Being creatively-inclined you can see why this totally appeals to me:)
I may give more info on how to live a bohemian- inspired lifestyle in a later article.

So...if you want to learn how to rock Boho-Chic right I've got 2 important tips for you. Important tip number 1:Its all about proportion. If the clothes have bright and bold colours stick to rustic gold and metallic jewelry or earthen pieces. If they are basic, simple or neutral then go crazy with bright and bold accessories.Important tip Number 2: There has to be balance in every outfit so if your wearing billowy peasant tops stick to skinnies on the bottom and if your wearing a long and flowy gypsy skirt balance it off with a cute tank or camisole on top. For more tips on wearing this style right go to http://www.apparelworld09.webs.com/
Finally,I don't know about you but I LOVE this style!Bohemian Chic speaks to the artist and trendsetter in me. It gives you the freedom to express yourself with colours, textures, fabrics and accessories. If you do the look just right you can come off looking like a work of art. Another reason I love this look is because, when done right, it is extremely forgiving. It can skim over your negatives and emphasize your positives depending on how you wear it. And the key to wearing it right, like all good styles, depends on your knowledge of your self, particularly your shape and colouring ( I will talk more about these in coming weeks).

Love you all and Stay inspired,

Aury

P.S. So what do u think about Boho-Chic? Have u rocked it this season or do u feel this is too much flower power for you? Feel free to tell me what you think in the comments below....