1. Leather inspired leggings.
2. Huge ruffles. Use them only as accents.
3. Fluorescent clothing. You can use these colors for accessories though.
4. Bold lips and eyes.
5. Thin strapped heels.
6. Wool and heavier fabrics.
7. Minis are out of style in favor of longer skirts.
8. Cardigans are out and blazers are in.
9. Military inspired styles are out.
10. Matching color for head to toe (mix it up).
11. Out for hair: black.
12. Straight long hair with no layers.

11. Metallics are in for everything from clothing to accessories to make-up.
12. Neutral make up tones are in.
13. Bondage inspired shoes.
14. Harem pants are hot but skinny jeans are still in style too.
15. Every woman must have a jumper.
16. Oversized buttons, zippers, and buckles will adorn all types of clothing.
17. Long hair with razored layers or curls.
18. Bobs with layers or kinks at the end.
19. Red is the hot hair color. If you are going blonde think overlaying a mixture of shades. With darker hair think dark chocolate or aubergine rather than black.

Up next, What’s Out!

1. One shoulder/asymetrical tops and dresses are hot and sexy. This trend also extends to bikinis. Summer 2009 has a much more modern approach than we have seen in previous seasons.
2. Tasteful see-through, sheer, and nude fabrics. Draping and layering will be utilized as to not expose women.
3. Backless will also be popular.
4. Grecian dresses, both maxi length and short, are in style. This is a perfect carry through to the one shoulder styles.
5. Jeweled clothing carries through with more vibrant and bold colors in a more sophisticated style. Encrusting rather than embellishing will take center stage.
6. Tribal and Ethnic inspired trends are slated for this Summer 2009, as well as Summer 2010. Items that will inspire a safari or travel to an exotic location will be all the rage.
7. Bold/Statement jewelry is also still in style. Think huge earrings, cocktail ring or large cuff. These are not to be worn all together though.
8. Gladiator style shoes, with and without a heel, are a must have. Strappy and sexy is the look. Some of the shapes will be very avant garde.
9. Super high platform shoes.
10. Highly colorful footwear.g and layering will be utilized as to not expose women.
3. Backless will also be popular.
4. Grecian dresses, both maxi length and short, are in style. This is a perfect carry through to the one shoulder styles.
5. Jeweled clothing carries through with more vibrant and bold colors in a more sophisticated style. Encrusting rather than embellishing will take center stage.
6. Tribal and Ethnic inspired trends are slated for this Summer 2009, as well as Summer 2010. Items that will inspire a safari or travel to an exotic location will be all the rage.
7. Bold/Statement jewelry is also still in style. Think huge earrings, cocktail ring or large cuff. These are not to be worn all together though.
8. Gladiator style shoes, with and without a heel, are a must have. Strappy and sexy is the look. Some of the shapes will be very avant garde.
9. Super high platform shoes.
10. Highly colorful footwear.

Style and comfort reign supreme with the Seashore Dress from Boy Meets Girl! This dress is perfect for running around town, a slightly dressed down evening, and travel. Plus, everyone can always have an extra black dress!

What I Love? While this dress isn’t loaded with details, it is a clean line and modern look. The details it does have are great. The slouchy pockets, hood, and flaired bottom give it a relaxed feel. The pockets have some great pewter grommets to give it some edge. The sleek a-line style is a great shape for most bodies. Combine the a-line shape with black and a scoop neck you have a very slimming style.

What I Am Wearing It With? Given the 32″ length of this dress, I opted for some flat sandals. It’s perfect to pair with some gladiator sandals. I chose silver but you could do any color (think red, bright yellow, blue purple). That is what I adore about black, you can choose any color to accessorize. This dress however would also look great with a cute pair of sport shoes. I think next time I wear it, I am going to pair it with my bright lime green, silver, white, and black Pumas. Since it may be a bit short for some women, it would work really well with leggings. If you don’t already have some, check out the Urd Leggings by Goldencut at Artfulwears.com.

The Basics: The Seashore Dress from Boy Meets Girl is made of a substantial French terry that is 95% cotton/5% spandex. This fabric doesn’t wrinkle so it’s great for travel. It’s 32″ long.

How To Get Yours: Artfulwears will be featuring the Seashore Dress, as well as 4 other great dress from Boy Meets Girl from Sunday June 14 to Sunday June 21, 2009 starting and ending at 7:00 p.m. EST.

The Story Behind Boy Meets Girl: Designer/Creator Stacy Morgenstern Igel has had a clear vision of her career path since nursery school, where she outfitted her pre–K classmates with make–shift designs and home–made charm bracelets. Stacy and I would have gotten along well! Her designs are all about comfortable clothes that make you feel happy and sexy. Inspired by a variety of eclectic influences ranging from unique vintage styles to the cutting edge music and art scenes of downtown NYC, and all the way back to the glamorous Hollywood icons of the roaring 20’s. Boy Meets Girl radiates an effortless lifestyle brand. Boy Meets Girl is for every girl—she can define herself hundreds of ways—as eclectic, as edgy, as demure or as casual cool, or perhaps some combination of them all.

Re-mix is a dream come true for women who love shoes. They are not only beautiful and chic, but mostly importantly they are COMFORTABLE!

I had the pleasure of reviewing the fabulous Veranda Wedge in red and I have lots of great things to tell you about these shoes. Versatility and comfort are key here. They are perfect for a variety of casual occasions including work, dinner, errands, etc. You can easily pair them with a variety of skirts, pants, and dresses. The wedge design gives you so many options. I love the red because it’s fun and a great neutral alternative. Red looks great with almost everything. However, if you are in need of a neutral they are available in brown, black, and sand.

What I Love? Perhaps my favorite thing about the Veranda Wedge is that they are a great alternative to heels. If you have been following my advice, you know that your pants or jeans should hit just above the floor. This means that you may have had your favorite pair of jeans hemmed to wear with heels which is fine if heels are approriate and/or comfortable for your day. For me, that’s not always the case so the Veranda is perfect.

What I Am Wearing Them With? I love them with jeans and a top. For me they would be a perfect shoe to wear for a long day of buying. Believe me ladies, buying trips are murder on the feet. Most recently I paired them with a denim skirt just above the knee and a flirty red crinkle top with white polka dots. They look great with black, white, or denim and a printed tank.

The Basics: The Veranda is an all leather wedge that is about 2 1/2″ high. They are available in Cherry, Black, Sand, or Brown. The contrast stitching adds a little extra interest. The padded foot bed is great for all day wear.

About Re-Mix: Re-mix takes it’s inspiration from the early to mid 20th century.  Many styles are very accurate replicas of styles from those periods.  From the 1920’s on, modern, never before seen fashions were being developed that have now become classics.  The intention of most fashion then was to flatter the wearer and provide function and wearability.  That is why many of my styles have to be seen on to appreciate how good they look (and feel). I saw pictures myself but when I tried them on, it was truly a love affair!

The Re-mix customer is a woman that knows how she wants to look;  fashionable and distinctive and a little “fun”.  She is not a follower.  She wants something that is fairly timeless, not in one season and out the next.  The customer can be urban or “artsy”, but the looks appeals to many women from all over the country in a large age range.  Think  smart, cute, sexy…comfortable.

Other Great Style From Re-mix: The Studio Wedge from Re-mix has a similar place n your wardrobe but a little more “Summery” as it is a strappy sandal. This also has a great wedge to give you height while not causing you high-heel pain. We LOVE the pewter color. It can literally be worn with anything.

The Taxi is a great “heel” that is still very comfortable. It has that timeless vintage feel. We love the combination of metallic leather with patent leather trim.

Most women I know are thrilled when Summer arrives to shed their heavy layers and show more skin. To make sure you are doing it the right way, here are some great trend tips for Summer 2009:

1. One shoulder/asymetrical tops and dresses are hot and sexy. This trend also extends to bikinis. Summer 2009 has a much more modern approach than we have seen in previous seasons.
2. Tasteful see-through, sheer, and nude fabrics. Draping and layering will be utilized as to not expose women.
3. Backless will also be popular.
4. Grecian dresses, both maxi length and short, are in style. This is a perfect carry through to the one shoulder styles.
5. Jeweled clothing carries through with more vibrant and bold colors in a more sophisticated style. Encrusting rather than embellishing will take center stage.
6. Tribal and Ethnic inspired trends are slated for this Summer 2009, as well as Summer 2010. Items that will inspire a safari or travel to an exotic location will be all the rage.
7. Bold/Statement jewelry is also still in style. Think huge earrings, cocktail ring or large cuff. These are not to be worn all together though.
8. Gladiator style shoes, with and without a heel, are a must have. Strappy and sexy is the look. Some of the shapes will be very avant garde.

Great news! The Jae Basilio Trunk Show at Artfulwears.com is now 40% off. Check out the 3 great dresses and take advantage of this great deal. Trunk Show ends Sunday May 24 at 7 p.m. EST.

It’s a special week at Artfulwears, as I have two beautiful dresses to tell you about. Even more beautiful is that they are eco-friendly. Jae Basilio is a beautiful eco-friendly knit line that is modern and contemporary.

If you like short, we have the Trey Shirt Dress. It’s relaxed and comfortable, yet very sexy. If you are into the maxi trend, we have the James Maxi Dress. It’s a colorful and fun but can definitely take you from day to night.

What I love? Both the James Maxi Dress and Trey Shirt Dress have soft and sumptuous knits. They simply feel amazing against your skin. Plus, I personally feel better knowing my skin is not absorbing toxins from my clothing! These dresses are both incredibly versatile.

Mostly every woman I know loves a piece that you can easily take from day to night, like you can with both of these dresses. They would also be GREAT for travel since they don’t wrinkle. Which also means after you wash them (by hand of of course), you don’t have to iron them. Last but certainly not least, the fit of both dresses is fantastic.

What I am wearing them with? The Trey Shirt Dress, looks full on the hanger but is completely sexy on. I paired Trey with a gorgeous pair of multi-color heels, a great layered necklace, and a brown clutch. One of the things I love to do with a solid dress is a print or multi-colored shoe. You could easily pair this with a flat sandal for daytime too. Perhaps you want to take this into Fall, try pairing it with tights and some high-heel boots. I would tend to lean towards dark browns or greys to perhaps tone down the fuschia. If you are looking to dress it up for a more cocktail look, try a hot pair of oversized “diamond” hoops and a some black patent heels. You will not run out of options with this dress. It can be easily reinvented by changing your shoes and accessories.

The James Maxi Dress and I went out completely casual. I did a flat Born black flip-flop and tossed on a cropped denim jacket over top. However, if I was looking to take it for a night on the town, I can see it with my HOT gladiator style purple snakeskin heels or my black Kenneth Cole wrap suede heels. I was pleasantly surprised at how many shoe options I had for this piece. If you want to make it ultra-summery, you can try a white strappy sandal as well. The maxi dress is high-fashion this season so you can’t go wrong. The dress is well designed to accommodate a busty girl and the style is an easy fit.

The Basics: The Trey Shirt Dress is made of 55% silk and 45% cotton. The weight is fabulous and it’s very breathable. I have fuschia but it’s also available in Plum, which I love, and black which is obviously incredibly versatile. The style looks great on a variety of bodies and is generously cut. It hits just above the knee.

The James Maxi Dress is 93% cotton and 7% spun silk, make it uber comfy! Did I really say that? The multi-color stripe fabric has black, white, blue, purple, yellow, red, and grey. Like I said, this gives you a lot of shoe and accessory options. This dress is ankle length but can easily be hemmed to suit your body. You can tie the straps as a halter or simply cinch them and tie them to wear the dress strapless.

How To Get Yours: Artfulwears is having a Jae Basilio Trunk Show from Sunday May 17 to Sunday May 24, 2009. All trunk shows begin and end at 7:00 p.m. Both of these hot dresses as well as as one other great style will be available.

Why Eco-Friendly? Like most people, you probably think cotton is natural and “healthy”. In reality, growing of non-organic cotton is a toxic nightmare. Over one quarter of all the pesticides used in modern agriculture are applied to the cotton plant. So while it maybe comfortable, it’s an environmental nightmare. Not only do these toxins get into our water table they also absorb into your skin!

These pesticides used contain some of the most dangerous compounds known to man, including cyanide. Of the nine major pesticides used on cotton five are proven cancer-causing chemicals and all nine are classified by the EPA as type 1 and 2 – the most dangerous listing possible.

About Jae Basilio: Janet “Jae” Basilio is a gradaute of the Fashion Institute of Design. She brings her west coast style and travel inspirations together to create this chic and modern line of knitwear. Her designs look equally fabulous paired with denim for a casual look or standing alone for a more formal occasion. Launched in 2007, we expect to see a continued array of fabulous garments from Jae Basilio.

The Crash Graffiti Totes by Sobella certainly make a statement! For those of you who don’t know this about me, I am ALL about making a statement. Truth be told, before my Train North/South Tote arrived from Sobella, I wasn’t sure what I would think about it but now that it’s here I am completely in love. I was pleasantly surprised by so many things about this tote, particularly the number compliments I got from the New York City design contingent! They can be a very tough crowd.

What I love? First and foremost, the graphics. These colorful, vibrant, and fun designs are the work of artist John “Crash” Matos. This truly is art to wear. It was not until I touched this bag that I could have envisioned how delightfully soft the canvas would be and how extremely lightweight it too. Most everyone I know is always searching for a lightweight bag and they seem to be hard to find. The Crash Totes are extremely well crafted, as you would expect from an Italian design. What’s even more fabulous is that it works equally well for work and play. There is plenty of room to put a portfolio or file folders inside and still zip it. It’s great for shopping and carring any small purchases with you. While it’s very roomy, it has a slim profile as to not make you feel like you are carrying a huge bulky bag.

The comfort factor for me critical and the big test is a buying trip. I carried it ALL day and found it to be extremely comfortable, even with my portfolio full of paperwork inside. The handle length was perfect and again, I love the weight.

What I am wearing it with? This is important. While this tote can’t be paried with anything in your wardrobe, it’s a great addition to a wardrobe a simple or solid outfit. For my customers who wear all black, I highly recommend a Crash Tote.  It will give some life to your outfit. I love it paired with black and/or white with a splash of color. You have to let Train Tote be the center of attention and not to try and fight with it. I first paired it with white pants, a yellow/gold tank, with a black v-neck long sleeve tee over top. The second time, I added it to a white tank, denim skirt, black belt, and green shiney jacket. It’s a great Summer bag and one you would definitely need to store for Fall/Winter.

The Basics: The Train North/South Tote (as well as all the North/South totes in the Crash collection) is 18″W x 14″H x 8D. The handle is 18″, which I found to be perfect and very comfortable.  It has a sizeable inside zipper compartment, as well as two pockets for cell phone and lipgloss. Isn’t that what everybody puts in their purse pockets? The BIG bonus feature of this bag is that it has a small makeup bag attached inside made of black leather. It’s awesome. The bottom of the bag, trim, and zipper are also all leather. It is extremly well constructed and durable.

About Sobella and the Crash Tote Collection: Based in Arezzo,  Sobella handbags are inspired by the latest fashion trends in Italy;  including a sense of beauty, mystery, and Italian history. They combine functional style and clean lines with exquisite leather or beautifully woven fabrics. The Crash Collection was a collbaoration with world famous graffiti artisit John “Crash” Matos, who’s work  was first noticed through his murals on subway cars and dilapidated buildings.  As he got older he transferred his art to canvas and has now exhibited at museum’s world wide.  In 1996, Crash painted a Signature Stratocaster for Eric Clapton and gave it to the artist as a gift,  which Clapton used through his 2001 tour. In total Crash has created 5 guitar’s for Clapton and was commissioned by Fender Musical Instruments for 50 guitars he titled the “Crashocasters” Today  Crash is not only recognized as a fine artist, he is also regarded  as a pioneer of the Graffiti art movement.

How  To Get Yours: The Graffiti Totes By Sobella will be on sale at Artfulwears.com for one week only: Sunday May 10, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. to Sunday May 17, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

1. Eco-Friendly - Eco-Friend is definitely chic for Fall 2009. All the designers are incorporating eco-friendly and organic products into their lines. In it’s infancy, eco-friendly was relatively dull but now it not only feels great, it looks great too. Don’t miss out on this trend.

2. Plums,  Purples, Dusk, & Gray – Rich plums and purples will be juxtaposed with soft dusty pinks, grays, and cement tones.

3. Sequins & Embellishments – The trend continues…yay! Who doesn’t like to sparkle? Well apparently, designers aren’t done with the sparkle. Look for these embellishments incorporated in new and creative ways, such as sequins just under the fabric for a more muted look. While embellishments and sequins are still hip, it’s toned down a bit for Fall 2009.

4. Zippers - Zippers will be incorporated both for function and fashion.

5. Bubble Hems – Look for dresses, skirts, and tops with bubble hems.

6. Layers – Designers will be incorporating  the layered look right into their garments. Picture a great lightweight knit top with a contrasting “cami” underneath and a scarf attached. This takes the brain work out of making sure you layers work together.

7. Metallic Fabrics – Again, metallic fabrics will be HOT. However unlike previous seasons, they will be muted not flashy.

8. Sweater Dresses – What took designers so long to figure out that women love a sweater dress? Well they are on it this season. Look for a variety of shapes including a-line with a hood or cinched waist. There will be great options for women with a variety of body types. We are mostly seeing them above the knee, so polish up your boots!

9. Convertible Pieces – Convertible is not just for cars and sweaters anymore. Think sweater dress, top, or skirt all in one. How is that for budget friendly?