Spring is that incredible time of year where fashion is always fabulous. Here is a list of what I love for Spring 2010:

1. Platform Shoes – Not only are they more comfortable than a regular heel, they are also usually a bit higher. Higher is sexier!

2. Caged Heels – They were around last Spring but they are everywhere this Spring and they are hot.

3. Nude Color Shoes – Again, you saw dribs and drabs this year and you had to have one pair. Now you need a few different styles Or I do anyway…

4. Nautical – Ok, don’t go over the top crazy and be corny about it but subtle nautical inspired looks are fresh and fun.

5. Navy Blue – Navy blue or deep shades of a marine color (goes along with the Nautical trend) are replacing black. I love it and can’t get enough.

6. Neons – I really didn’t think I would see the day where I was loving neon again but the way designers are integrating just a touch of neon with neutrals is fun. I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on this trend however as I think it will be gone next year.

7. Red Accessories – Hot red shoes, an resin Apple piece of jewelry, red clutch. I love them all as a netural thrown in with anything.

8. Skinny Jeans – These are the newly discovered love of my life. You get them hemmed and can wear any heigh heel with them!

The least expensive way to update your holiday wardrobe is to stay
focused. If you don’t have one, pick a chic dress that you can wear
for a multitude of occasions and that can be transformed with
accessories to create new looks. Solid colors are best but don’t think
it has to be black.  A beautiful blue, purple, red, or teal can all be
striking and still work back with a variety of shoes etc.

If you do have a great dress, then focus on accessorizing. I suggest
2 items to spice up your holiday wardrobe on a dime: a statement
necklace and a knockout pair of shoes. This year, my key accessory is
a multi-chain necklace with pearls and a few charms on a patent
leather strap. My shoes are a sexy pair of black sequined peep-toe
heels with black patent leather trim. These items are edgy, make a
statement, and can easily be paired with a party dress or jeans and a
tee.

As I removed my new sequined high-heeled sandals this evening and looked around my closet, I became keenly aware of my total obsession with sequins. What started out as a few items has turned into literally a whole wardrobe filled with sequins. It’s total sequin insanity! I guess this is what happens when a trend lasts for 2 years. So before I get into the list of the myriad of sequined items I have in my enormous close, I want to offer up a few tips on how to wear (or not wear) sequins.

First of all, be careful of sequins in patterns. Two colors of sequins or tonal variations can work well but prints made of sequins (like zebra or mixes of bright colors) can be tacky or even scary. Limit your outfit to one sequined item. You don’t want to overdo the sequin thing. So if you are doing sequin shoes, leave the sequin top or bag in the closet. Last, consider age appropriateness and placement. Sequin pants work well when you are 20 or 30 but not very well when you are 50 or 60. Most importantly, sequins no longer have to be limited to “dressing up”. They can be incorporated into a simple outfit for a night at the movies to add a little fun to your look.

So what are all the sequined items I have in my closet and how am I wearing them?

1. Shoes – I just happen to stumble upon a FABULOUS pair of black sequin Elie Tahari peep toe sling-back heels. How could I resist? These are incredibly versatile and super sexy. While you can obviously pair them with dressy dress, you can also dress them down with a more casual dress or rock them out with jeans and a tee. After acquiring these show stopping heels, I then ran into a great pair of sequin high-heeled sandals with thing ankle straps. They were SO hot and on sale, I had to get them in two colors. Again, they can be dressed up or down.

2. Dresses – Well, the Nannette Lepore gray merino wool mini-dress with wide bands of sequins from two years ago is still smokin’ hot. It’s definitely for evening and cool weather and not as versatile as some of the other sequined items I own. I am not sure if I count the two black Summer dresses that are mildly embellished with sequins but we will put them on the list.

3. Jackets – I have two and they are both show stoppers. The first one is shiney silver sequins all over and comes right below the waist. It’s all sequins with no visibility of the fabric underneath. The other one is, yes you guessed it, black. This one is a slight wider shape and the sequins are less dense. Both work equally to go over a cocktail dress or thrown on with jeans and tee.

4. Camis & Tanks – Ok, so there are truly more camis and tanks than I can talk about individually but I believe we are somewhere in the neighborhood of 12. I generally like to wear these with jeans but a few of them look great with a black skirt for a more dressed up look. There are a few black ones that work equally well on their own as they do layered underneath a sweater or jacket.

5. Clutch – The clutch speaks for itself. It’s a chocolate brown satin with yellowish lime and metallic gold sequins on the front. It’s perfect with a simple brown or gold dress or denim. Not very versatile but fun.

6. Tube Top – This piece deserves it’s own space. My Mom had this in her drawer from the 80’s and it’s truly awesome. It’s a simple black shiney sequin tube top perfectly constructed with room for your bust. It’s a reminder that great garments stand the test of time. I love it paired under my funky gray cotton cami top dress but the options are endless.

7. Skinny Jeans – I feel like I am saving the best for last. We have all seen lots of sequin leggings out this year and I definitely dig them but I am in LOVE with my black sequin skinny jeans. They work almost identically to leggings but giving you a better look at the waist. My favorite way to wear these is with a simple white ribbed cotton tank and my black suede shoes with the sexy red heel.

While I am not suggesting everyone go sequin crazy like I have, I think it’s just great to understand that add a sequin item to a simple outfit gives you a very chic yet effortless style.

So what are the foundations of a wardrobe? Below I have listed the MUST HAVES for every woman’s wardrobe. These are building blocks. With these, you can mix in new fashion items to create a individual style.

1.  A great cami to be paired with jeans or a skirt for a dressier look. You can really choose from a wide variety of colors, shapes or fabrics. A print or a solid can be easily paired with with your favorite pair of jeans and a stunning pair of heels for evening. Or a great or pair of trousers for work. Change the look up by adding a cardigan or blazer.

2. A HOT dress for night time. A unique or funky piece can be worn over and over again! Whatever dress you choose should be something that when you slip it on you feel great! If you are truly limiting your wardrobe to ONE dress I suggest something fairly simple that you can wear with an array of jewelry, shoes, and bags to change the look up. You could also throw a great sequin jacket over top of a simple dress to create more of a cocktail look. Don’t think that your evening dress can never work for day. Depending on the dress, you can throw on a constructed blazer to go to the office.

3. Every woman must have a versatile day time dress. The more simple the dress the easier it will to change the look. You definitely want to stick with a solid here.

4. Great under pinnings are the basis for every wardrobe. They create a smooth silhouette so you will want to avoid overly thick or lumpy fabrics. Think quality, not quantity. You will want basic tanks and a few v-neck and crew neck tees in neutral colors.

5. Pair your basic tops back with a versatile skirt for work or weekend. If you go with a simple skirt you can shake it up with a printed top as well.

6. No wardrobe is complete without jeans and a denim skirt. Again, if you are limited yourself to one of each you will want to opt for a darker wash. It’s more sophisticated and versatile. The denim skirt should be just above the knee. This is appropriate for all ages. The jeans should be straight leg and simple. Denim matches EVERYTHING.

These are your wardrobe basics but ever great wardrobe should include some key accessories like a hot pair of fun heels, a great pair of earrings, a gorgeous clutch, and stunning cuff. You can mix and match these with your wardrobe basics to create new looks.

If you had to get a way with just these items in your wardrobe, it can be done. When adding to this, I suggest thinking about versatility, function, and timelessness. So before you buy ask yourself these three questions:

1. How many of the items in my current wardrobe can I pair this new piece with? If the answer is just one or two, you might look to finding an item that is more versatile. If the piece is a real bargain and you love it, then go for it but make sure your investment pieces are extremely versatile.

2. How functional is this piece? I.E. How often will you be able to wear it.

3. Is this item timeless? Will you be able to wear it for just one season or until the end of time? Save your big investments for pieces you will be able to wear a lifetime. Spend less on items that are “trendy” and will only be in style for a season or two.

It’s hard to even think about Spring fashion when most of us are just beginning to break out our Fall wardrobe. However, the fashion industry is always 6 months ahead so I thought I would share what’s hot for Spring 2010.

1. Neon – Yes, it’s true neon is back. You thought neon would stay in the early 80’s but like all other trends it came back. The good news is we are not looking at head to toe neon. We are looking at small splashes of neon details mixed with softer tones. So think of an ivory dress with a neon yellow small belt. Or a great pair of black suede heels with a neon coral heel.

2. Fringe – Fringe is adorning many items in the fashion industry this coming Spring. Again though, it’s not the fringe you saw in the 80’s or in cowboy movies. You will see more looped fabric to give the fringe effect. These details are being shown on a lot of necklines. Many jewelry designers like Chan Luu are creating necklaces that look like layers of fringe.

3. Plaid - Small amounts of plaid have found there way into most designers Spring fashion lines. Of course they are more modern and funky than your school girl type of plaid. Look for interesting color combinations or unique fabrics.

4. Metallics – Metallics are just not going anywhere. Muted metallics are still everywhere for Spring so keep all the stuff you had and get more!

5. Booties – In the footwear industry, booties are still completely on trend. Most of the booties we are seeing are slouchy with a heel and a peep toe. We can tell you this, Spring footwear looks great.

Rainey Day is the hottest new jewelry designer in NYC and I am so excited to be featuring her gorgeous collection at Artfulwears.com! I was bestowed upon me the exquisite Dripping In Chains Necklace. It is an intricately woven series of copper chains with a suede tie. It’s chic, funky, and rock n’ roll all in one.

What I Love: I am all about unique. This season we are seeing a multitude of layered chain necklaces, however Rainey’s technique of weaving the chains together gives them a bold style that is truly unique. The Dripping In Chains Necklace makes a statement, yet it is very versatile. We love the copper since most other designers are doing gold, silver, or oxidized silver. The suede tie is also a bit of twist. Not only is it pretty and a bit rock ‘n roll, it allows you to adjust the necklace to the perfect length.

What I Am Wearing It With: I happen to have the perfect rock n’ roll inspired dress by Salvage, but truly the Dripping In Chains Necklace can be paired with a great variety of clothing. I paired it with a simple white top and jeans to let the necklace by the center of attention. I love the concept of this necklace being the focal point of an outfit. It’s the perfect accessory to funk up clean basics. It really pops against white but looks great with black as well.

About Rainey Day: In Rainey’s words “Creations originally mine, now uniquely yours…accessories that reinvent creative fashion statements. I have been called the REINVENTION DESIGNER. I create fearless accessories that inspire women to confidently reinvent their own unique fashion statement. I design elegant, sculptural, high-end, limited edition artisan jewelry inspired by exquisite semi-precious stones and unique scarves of the finest silks.”
How To Get Yours: Artfulwears will be featuring a small collection of Rainey Day’s necklaces and bracelets that are inspired by Rock N’ Roll from September 20-27, 2009. Each piece is handmade by Rainey herself and they are truly special.

Set II of Artfulwears month long Rock N’ Roll trunk shows is featuring one of my personal favorite jewelry designers, Annie Hammer. Her pieces are unique, beautiful, edgy, and adorn my body on a very regular basis. From Sunday September 6 to September 13, Artfulwears is featuring an exclusive Rock N’ Roll inspired collection from Annie Hammer.

Annie’s jewelry combines a variety of metals, leather, skins, precious and semi-precious stones, and Swarvoski crystals. Each beautiful detail is well thought out and proportioned. She has a gift for creating fashion forward pieces that are still timeless. By envisioning things in a sculptural form, Annie then translates them into gorgeous pieces of jewelry.

My favorite piece from the trunk show has to be the Heavy Metal Necklace. This multi-chained, layered necklace is truly a statement piece. It can be worn with a great white shirt and jeans or put on with your favorite little black dress. It’s truly a work of art.

Don’t miss out on this great one week even!

Work appropriate used to be easy to determine but now that work places have relaxed there dress codes, determining work appropriate attire has become a bit more gray. Here a few definitive rules you should follow when dressing for a professional environment:

1. Anything that you would wear to the beach or gym is a no-no. Refrain from flip-flops, spaghetti straps, sports bras etc. You can layer a jacket, cardigan, or blazer over a spaghetti strap top or dress but please be advised you should NOT take it off at the office.

2. Don’t show cleavage. There are really no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. You can wear a v-neck but it should not be deep.

3. Super short skirts should be avoided. A general rule of thumb is 3″ above the knee.

4. Anything sheer should be layered with a slip, cami, or leggings underneath.

5. While you want to be stylish, you want to avoid extremes and over-accessorizing. Pick one statement piece and let everything else be subtle.

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!