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NOTHING QUITE EQUALS THE POWER OF TV shows and movies for moving accessories off retail shelves and into the homes of celebrity-awed consumers. With advertising money tight, the cost of interesting the entertainment media in using a particular product often looks downright frugal. And the results? They can be impressive.
Take Rebecca Minkoff’s Studded Rocker bag. It was worn by “The Hills” star Lauren Conrad in May. The next day, 300 of the bags were picked up by Minkoff’s top accounts. This isn’t the first time Minkoff has tracked a TV show/product sales connection. Apparently Lauren wearing anything generates major sales.
–“It’s weird how much consumers are tied to that show,” Minkoff says.
But, it’s not the only hot program heating up accessories sales action. Minkoff’s Morning After clutch enjoyed a significant sales spike after being featured in a “Gossip Girl” episode. Then, there is the story about Minkoff’s market bag style. She was on the verge of discontinuing it when Samantha Jones popped up wearing it on an episode of “Sex and the City.” Sales rocketed up, and Minkoff’s discontinuation plans went out the window.
And then, there is the wildly successful tale of Avelle (formerly known as Bagborroworsteal.com.). It seems that new membership in the internet club tripled in the year following the release of Sex and the City movie. In the film, Louise (played by Jennifer Hudson) borrows a Louis Vuitton bag from the site.
—Its effect on the trendy bag was dramatic, as the site’s membership zoomed skyward from 250,000 to over a million.
FEW HANDBAG STYLES ARE AS HOT OR AS TRENDY AS TOTES, AND CELEBRITIES CAN BE SEEN CARRYING THEM EVERYWHERE! HERE ARE SOME YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER:
- Large embroidered cheerleader tote bag.
Tally Up Your Benefit
HOW CAN YOU BENEFIT FROM ALL THIS? Pay attention to what is being shown on the big TV programs and in major film releases. What are the characters wearing? It will impact styles. What jewelry and handbags are the lead actresses wearing? That, too, will show up on sales receipts. The more an accessory is featured, the hotter it gets, and the bigger the sales impact.
You might also check out celebrity publications where many super stars can be seen wearing statement pieces of jewelry that are on a fast upward trend.
–A recent issue of Star, for example, showed Medium star Patricia Arquette wearing a gorgeous, chunky, medium length turquoise necklace. Very hot!
–Tiny blue pearl beads in a multi-strand choker gave Spanish actress Elsa Pataky a classy, finished look.
–And celebrity Anna Faris showed off a stunning Michael Kors red and black striped dress with multiple and diverse gold and silver bracelets plus rings on several fingers, too. Don’t miss the fashion implications here!
Blogger Benefit!
The benefit of being seen on shows and movies involves more than immediate sales, marketers agree. Also important is the longer term exposure which keeps the product moving beyond the initial media attention. For example, there is the residual sales benefit from getting a product talked about by bloggers after it has been seen in a film. Or seeing the product show up on Facebook after exposure on TV. . When you get this combination of media exposure, you can be sure you’ve got a winner on your hands!
Of course, if a character or star lacks a “certain fashion cache,” you don’t benefit from her wearing your goods. Jewelry designer Alex Bitar remembers when one of the stars of the wacky movie “White Chicks” wore a piece of his jewelry. Oh, no!
“I remember thinking, ‘I hope my buyers aren’t watching this,’” he says.
The problem is that there is just no control over who will wear what when. You can only hope. If the accessory is worn in a high fashion environment by a celebrity people want to emulate, you’re not just safe. You’ve made it! If not, well, hope for the best….
Nancy Gonzalez of Santiago Gonzalez contends that it is all about context. “Seen in the right way, however, celebrity exposure is a dramatic sales stimulator. Celebrity is especially important to the international customer,” Gonzalez adds, “to buyers in Korea, Japan, and Russia.”
–Hey, the sales rub-off isn’t so bad in the good old USA, either!
BIG HOOP EARRINGS GOT A MAJOR SALES PUSH UPWARD WHEN CELEBRITIES BEGAN SHOWING UP EVERYWHERE WEARING THEM. HERE ARE SOME YOU WILL SURELY FALL IN LOVE WITH:
Comments (0) Posted by Mary McGarry on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
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Big, black, beautiful: New Sunglasses have a sexy Cannes mystique to them as they give men and women alike a rich, dolce vita appearance. This is sophistication at its best. No matter what you look like, put on a pair of the newest shades and you’ll walk out looking better. Look at John Galliano’s Icon Collection of sunglasses, including his sexy “Les Bitches” wrap shade with temples designed after the honeycomb fans used by flamenco dancers: they take over an outfit but, at the same time, give the whole appearance real class.
ANIMAL PRINTS are marking their territory all over the accessories field. Colette Malouf”s goose and pheasant feather hair comb is a real knockout, especially for gals with longer hair. Leopard prints are also hot on shoes, handbags, and anywhere else designers can think to put them. Pairing up with leopard for a real jungle melee are zebra and tiger skin patterns, used on bracelets, handbags, and you name it. These are all very assertive prints, just as the animals they take after. Add them to an accessory and the product really takes off!
MOVING THROUGH THE JUNGLE and even into swampy territories, we come across the really hot sizzlers of the fashion accessories industry now: Snakeskin. Is there anything that hasn’t been enlivened by the incredible iridescent colors of these often-silent but deadly predators? Snakeskin is phenomenally popular. Lelya’s water snake bag is just one example of the shimmering beauty of products made with this material. Also think about snakeskin-tooled smooth leathers. Equal beauty!
—And, don’t miss Adriana Castro’s python and horn clutch which is a real winner. But this kind of snake isn’t always a good thing to play around with. Just a couple of years ago, there were no pythons in the Florida Everglades. Today, in what is like a snap of the fingers in global change time, there are an estimated 100,000 of them, living right up against residential areas. Eeeeeks.
YOU CAN ADD THE FLAVOR OF THE UNCIVILIZED WORLD TO YOUR WARDROBE, TOO. TRY THESE:
Clustered Stones
Combining metals and gemstones in a rich, heavy cluster often makes for wildly beautiful bracelets, necklaces or earrings. This goes a long way beyond simple mixed metals! Think about Emily & Ashley’s semiprecious stone, glass, crystal, silk and organza necklace. Done in the colors of autumn, this necklace features big bunches of floral-like gems wrapped in and around each other for a really dynamic, rich look.
SHIMMER AND SHINE make their way through the new accessories field as well. Think about light reflecting gold and silver mesh handbags – especially clutch bags –fabulous satiny scarves with India-Indian-like gold threads shot through them, gemstone-brilliant crystals adhered to materials to make parts stand out with glitz and appeal. Look for workmanship on top of workmanship. Shine with more shine. Nothing is simple, it seems. With the exception of a fringe minimalist movement, a major part of the fashion world is right now very ornate and expensive looking!
Belts are IN and getting more popular on a daily basis! Most of these trendy gorgeous cinchers are done in leather and have hot embellishments on them, such as studs and metal design features. Buckles are often not quite as large as they have been in the past, but they are prominent: jewel-like buckles and closures that stand out like pieces of jewelry, themselves.
Woven leather and metal are both big in belts right now. Gold metal belts are very popular! Antiqued appearances are a growing directional. Fendi offers a great looking leather belt with turquoise and silver buckle. Rey Augousti has a stunning green-grey python belt with gold and snakeskin buckle on the market. Most of the belts are thin, skinny pieces, yet lavish in their own right.
Flea Market Fashion
Leave it to New York City, home of the status-minded, to come up with a Second Avenoo-like lifestyle that would thrill Diva Streisand to the core! As part of the trendy look: very worn-in boots (can you imagine?) big, beat-up leather totes, and denim that looks like it won’t make it to the corner. A Vintage America Collection from Nine West leads this new “homeless” fashion expression, splattering pieces of it all over the neighborhood.
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE OLD; IF IT JUST LOOKS OLD, YOU’VE GOT THE LOOK! TRY THESE PRODUCTS FOR FUN:
SKINNY LITTLE CORDS in soft material or super-flexible metal, mostly in black, are going great guns in many different parts of the fashion field. See them especially in Goth outfits, but keep an open mind! They are showing up even in classic design expressions.
The idea is to wrap a black cord around the wrist several times (or at least, make it look like that) and then hang one or two tiny stones off it for finish. Another idea involves tying dark cord onto the wrist. Or dropping thin slivers of cording from around the neck, adding on a few gemstones for pizzazz.
Comments (0) Posted by Mary McGarry on Monday, November 16th, 2009
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ON NOVEMBER 26TH of this year, millions of Americans will gather around the family table to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, just as they have done every year since the Pilgrims joined with the Native Americans in a feast of the harvest. This is a time for remembrance of good times and blessed gifts. Children learn the story of Thanksgiving in school, while friends and relatives raise their voices in yet one more rendition of “We Gather Together….” This is a good time.
To some, Thanksgiving Day is a spiritual celebration, to others a secular one. In any case, it has the singular advantage of being the only “prayerful” holiday celebrated in this country by all Americans at the same time. There is no split-up based on which religion you are or were or sometimes purport to be. There is just America experiencing gratitude.
–It reminds of something Meister Eckhart, the 14th century mystic, once said to a man who wasn’t very religious, but who was asking his advice. “If all you ever say is ‘thank you,’” he said, “it would suffice.”
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CHRISTIAN, WHAT BETTER PIECE OF JEWELRY TO WEAR (OR TO GIVE) THAN A CROSS? HERE ARE SOME LOVELY ONES:
- Rugged cross pendant in silver and gold plate.
A Little History
AND SO, WE SAY “THANK YOU,” just as we have done for a very long time. But, when did it all really start? Well, there is some controversy over that. The “pilgrim” dinner of 1621 is perhaps the most famous beginning, but most historians say that feast had little in common with our present Thanksgiving Day. Surprised? We were, too.
Many contend that the first real Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in St. Augustine, Florida in 1565. It seems that French Calvinists landed in Florida the year before, in1564, having left Europe hoping to escape the bloody sectarian fighting between Catholics and Protestants. Their feast was a true thanksgiving for a new home and country.
On an official level, however, Thanksgiving in the United States began with President Lincoln’s proclamation in 1863. And despite changes and evolutions and ball games and parades and big turkey dinners, it has stayed pretty much the same all through the years.
WHEREVER YOU ARE ON THANKSGIVING DAY, IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN YOU’LL BE DINING ON TURKEY AND ENJOYING GOOD COMPANY. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING YOU’LL BE DRESSED IN YOUR FINEST. HOW ABOUT ACCESSORIZING THOSE OUTFITS WITH THIS JEWELRY?
Here Comes the Big Parade
ONE OF THE MOST DELIGHTFUL national events on this day-of-days is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year marks its 83rd proud march through midtown Manhattan, as it carves out a slightly new route along 7th Avenue to 34th Street, site of Macy’s famed flagship store.
The extraordinary parade is filled with balloons, floats, bands, and singing and dancing stars from a bevy of Broadway shows. It is a fantastic exhibition, and people flood into New York from all over the world to personally view it. More than 44 million people watch the 3-hour event on television each year.
Here comes Ronald McDonald. Mr. Potato Head. Sponge Bob Square Pants. And dozens and dozens more. Felix the Cat was the first balloon to enter the big parade, back in 1927. In 1934, Mickey Mouse came on the scene.
Visitor from the North Pole!
There is one over-riding parade event that thrills the body and soul and brings us all back to childhood again. That is the arrival, at the very end of the parade, of SANTA CLAUS! Oh…has there ever been a more magnificent Santa? Has he ever had a more glamorous red outfit, a more fabulous big white beard, a merrier, jellier belly?
Santa is back again and with all of this, the Christmas Season, 2009, begins. How wonderful that, with all our present day problems, we still choose to start it with gratitude. With Thanksgiving!
–Happy Day, everybody!
Comments (0) Posted by Mary McGarry on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
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WATCH OUT BAD GUYS! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman! And this year, the American master-crimestopper of DC Comics fame is marking his 75th anniversary with a Christmas celebration by Bloomingdales in stores around the country. Bloomingdales is partnering with Warner Brothers Consumer Products with a special collection of merchandise to highlight the big anniversary.
“We started working on this several months ago,” Kevin Harter, vice president of fashion direction at Bloomies says. “So we went to our designers and partners and asked them to come up with merchandise.”
The exposition has already started in most Bloomingdales’ stores, and the windows of the New York 59th Street’s flagship will highlight the collection beginning early November. The products, centered mainly on men’s and children’s items, include Ts and hoodies, bags, ties, scarves, and a bevy of other fun, Superman-oriented things.
So far, the promotion has gone so well that “We’re already reordering,” Harter says. Among the DC Comics most widely known Superman characters are Superman himself, Wonder Woman, and Batman. No one superhero is outselling the other.
Pick out a number of fun accessories; show them off with a handful of Superman comics, and Voila! You’re in on the anniversary special, too!
HERE ARE A FEW GREAT ITEMS TO START THE SUPERMAN PROMO ROLLING:
MILAN MAKES COMEBACK STATEMENT: Exports to major countries such as Russia, United Arab Emirates, and Japan continued to drag down Italian leather and accessory goods sales in the first half of the year, and industry observers say they don’t expect any major improvement before the end of 2010. Still, there was an air of undaunted optimism at the big Mipel exposition in Milan last week, as exhibitors put forth collections filled with innovation and creativity. Styles tended to be practical, rather than dramatic, with one manufacturer explaining that customers are turned off by too much craziness these days.
Major trends included roomy, deconstructed designs and embellishments such as studs, sequins, embroideries, and fringe. Natural materials, such as hemp and raffia, were important. Faux snakeskin, often washed, and perforated open work calfskin received a good deal of attention. Alexandra Gucci put forth an interesting handbag collection, including a silky python bag with napa leather in powdery sky blue.
Color received a lot of attention at the Show. Pop colors were hot, especially metallic blue, fuchsia, and pink. Feminine styles were also apparent at the show, along with stonewashed denim items and heart symbols.
PINPOINTING PARIS: Here’s some more fashion breaking news from the City of Light. Pleats are IN. Very IN. We’re talking about all sorts of pleats, tight and Scottish to flouncy and Gallic, all expressed in short to very short skirts, with updated, if not wild, wardrobe accoutrements.
From Chanel comes a little ladylike black dress, naturally short skirted, with a faux-pleat material pattern, worn with black enameled bangle bracelets running half way up the arm. Also part of the story is a little black wrist bag. Very demure.
Hermes centers his attention on a tennis-like outfit in pale grey, with short pleated skirt and blousy shirt top. With it: A wide head band, a small white pearl necklace wrapped around the neck, a smallish handle bag, and big silver bracelets, one with those very IN spikes.
YOU CAN LATCH ONTO TOP DESIGNER-LIKE STYLES FOR A FRACTION OF THE BIG PARIS-PRICE. LOOK HERE:
GOD’S COUNTRY: If you’re going to promote cold weather gear, what better place to focus on than Mount Everest, high in the Himalayas, and known for its monastic caves, frigid weather, and off-beat mountaineers? The company involved is Hanesbrands, and it is making its top-of-the-world bid to put special spotlight on its athletic Champion and Duofold brands.
The company will finance and outfit a special expedition to scale Mount Everest in an attempt to leverage its history and expertise. The ascent will begin in the Spring and will involve a team equipped with special gear incorporating new fabric and design technology meant to withstand high altitudes and frigid temperatures.
To add to the excitement, consumers will be able to monitor the team’s progress by way of video and audio updates on the Website, ClimbEverestWithUs.com. Jamie Clark, who has already made three attempts at Everest, will lead the team.
—Retailers interested in getting in on the action – and hopefully selling some mountain climbing accessories themselves –might consider bringing in TV monitors so consumers can watch the team from inside the store.
Comments (2) Posted by Mary McGarry on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
Filed under Fashion Accessories
DID YOU KNOW? The legend of vampires began in ancient Persia where a vase was found depicting a man struggling to free himself from the clutches of a blood-sucking creature. It was a frightening piece of folklore that caught the imagination of the people at the time, and continued on its terrorizing journey even up to today. Throughout ancient Asia and the Middle East, legends of vampires dotted the historic landscape for centuries. In Mexico, the Aztecs often fed their young to the gods to assure that the earth would produce good crops each year. In both Greek and Roman mythology, bloodthirsty goddesses can be found waiting to suck human blood and steal earthly bodies.
Ohhhh, the horrors of the vampire class. But none – NONE – could compare with that dreadful old meanie, Count Dracula, Romanian Prince of Wallachia, who impaled thousands just for his own satanic pleasure.
NOW…Halloween is on its way and with it, the dark Count Dracula threatens to rise up from his dusty grave to spread horror and dismay, just as he does each year. You can join in the fun of scary stuff this year with some spooky jewelry all your own. How about:
- Boo! Halloween pendant. (You can be scary, too!)
THE BIG DAY IS ALMOST HERE!
# # # #
IN PRINT: Who would expect a new, high class fashion magazine to be launched during this economic recession, when couture isn’t exactly running on a high road to profit? And, moreover, who would expect that\ magazine to be put out by a financial publication? Well, that’s exactly what the Wall Street Journal’s classy quarterly mag is doing, as it tries to wrestle some big advertising bucks out of the World of finance as well as the World of fashion. The latest issue, just out, examines the changed state of luxury and its effect on diamonds, accessories, real estate and champagne.
PAINTED LADIES; Women might be cutting back on wardrobe expenses, but they aren’t reducing their makeup expenses one bit, according to a Beauty Barometer by L’Oreal conducted in U.S., France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The women, aged 15 to 65, say they are wearing more natural-looking makeup and more neutral colors. 72 percent of them contend that makeup makes them feel better about life. Nearly half said that wearing makeup gives them an advantage at work, and makes them feel more in control. 86 percent say it also improves their self image. What are the most popular cosmetic products? No competition! They’re mascara, foundation, and lipstick.
COTERIE ROCKS: A new and larger collection of accessories showed up at the recent Coterie Show at the Javits Center in New York City this year, as manufacturers of contemporary jewelry, handbags, belts, and the like discovered they could get good exposure to a somewhat different crowd of buyers at this exposition. As one jewelry maker noted, “There’s a different dynamic here.”
Color was the major trend in handbags, along with studded designs that gave the bags a pretty/tough look, a kind of rock-and roll aesthete, only with a softer feeling. Mini bags with long straps were also very hot, as were almost any handbags with skinny leather strips hanging down. The trend away from heavy, huge bags toward lighter, highly functional bags continued. Buffed python was a major material, especially in soft, washed colors such as mint green, or light blue. Other movers at the exposition were bucket bags, hobos, wristlets and clutches.
In jewelry, feminine, floral designs predominated, although there were still plenty of edgy
pieces on display. Studded wrap bracelets and bright bangles were hot. Vintage was big. Florals of all sorts were popular, such as necklaces made up of gold-plated flowers. A major designer name at the show was Kenneth Jay Lane, whose snake bracelet with gem-studded head was a real winner. Also part of the Lane collection: A stunning open pink enameled flower with center pearl.
NOTHING IS AS CHARMING AS FLORALS, AND YOU CAN FIND BOUQUETS OF THEM RIGHT HERE, ALL AT REMARKABLY REASONABLE PRICES. TRY THESE:
HIGH HATTED: Hats are walking away with honors this season as designers finish off their wardrobe offerings with more and more elegant and creative chapeaux. Perhaps the most charming and the most popular right now, is the classic beret. This French beauty is slightly bigger than we’re used to, and is showing in many varieties, including a few with small little brims. Color is important, too, although black is the real winner, bringing up visions of Paris in the 1920s, with all its intellectual and Bohemian wonders.
Comments (5) Posted by Mary McGarry on Thursday, October 15th, 2009
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FEW THINGS CAN UPDATE A WARDROBE FASTER than a few very trendy accessory pieces. Choose a new piece of jewelry, or a fashionable scarf. Stay classic with black or go trendy with turquoise. However you decide, match your new pieces to the newest, the latest in accessories for a truly transformational wardrobe look. Here are a handful of the latest trends working their way through the fashion field now:
PAVE JEWELRY: Updated with a definite modern touch, this classic style is shaking up the jewelry field with brand new ideas and inspirations. Pave balls are particularly hot, as earrings, rings, and jewelry pendants. Look for clear pave for very dress up occasions, but for everyday and evening wear…WOW! … the look is color all the way. Ruby-luscious colored pave big ball rings set in gold plate is an eye stopper. So are ball rings and earrings in turquoise pave, real or faux. Colored pave bangle bracelets also ring in high on popularity charts, especially in mixed colors.
LEATHER COVERED JEWELRY: This is really exciting! We’ve been talking about darker jewelry in our most recent blogs, and now the idea comes through with real pizzazz when the dark color is helped along, or established, by leather. Yves St.Laurent has terrific looking long drop earrings made up of four black leather-covered cabochons. A necklace of very large chain covered in ebony black lambskin from Natalia Brill is very NOW. And try some more of this hot look: A very Egyptian-looking pendant made up of leather covered metal with gold plate outer rim; a leather covered woven bangle bracelet striped with gold plate.
ETHNIC SILVER: It’s exotic. It’s wild. And it really defies description as it covers a broad range of ethnic expressions. You can call it tribal, but tribal what? India-Indian? American Indian? Mexican? African? Think of tooled silver mixed with silver chain for the basic piece of jewelry. Then hang off a whole bunch of mostly silver coins. Or rings. Or little silver squares. Clump all of that together and let it hang down from little silver circles for earrings, or drop down to form a necklace. It’s the kind of thing you might see on a Turkish belly dancer. Or an Indian Maharini. Very dramatic!
TRIBAL ETHNICITY ALWAYS MAKES FOR INTRIGUING JEWELRY, PARTLY FAMILIAR, PARTLY EXOTIC. THESE PIECES ARE NO EXCEPTION:
ANIMAL PRINTS: Grrrrrr! Elephants printed on dress material. Paw prints on a blouse. Doggies on a T-Shirt. Kittens on a scarf. Or, endangered wildlife emblazoned on tote bags (as those from World Wildlife). You just can’t get any more IN. This is a decidedly preppy look, the kind you see in and around New York’s ritzy South Hampton. You might want to take the animal look beyond prints, and see it made up into some serious or fun jewelry, like the Scotty dogs on Tiffany’s hot silver charm bracelet, or big cat images in gorgeous pins like the Duchess of Windsor made famous.
INFINITY SCARVES: These charming little no-tie scarves fit around the neck almost like a choker, giving an elegant look while keeping you cozy at the same time. They come in an endless array of prints and materials, running from silky smooth circlets of silk to thick woven cashmeres or even furry warm collars. You can find them in sexy black onyx or trendy purple, in black and white herringbone or Scottish plaids. Whatever your choice, these scarves are a thorough delight and a whole new direction in accessory trends.
SUEDE BOOTS: Sure, you love shiny black leather, but this is the year for suede! These newest of the new boots stretch up to the knee and beyond, are almost always a very dark color, and were born to be worn with leggings or skin-tight pants. Their main appeal (besides looking great) is that they make your legs look long, long, long! Oh, yes. The heel. Well, of course they aren’t flat. In fact they are high, very high. And the toe? Super-pointy.
–Add long-suffering to your list of personal characteristics!
HAND (CLUTCH) BAG: If you’re still in love with valise-sized bags, that’s OK, but you must get a smaller, daintier, more feminine little bag for Autumn this year. The new bags are small to very small (slightly larger than a wallet), rectangular in shape, and really do go anywhere, anytime, morning until night. Colors here are often quite bright, like brilliant emerald green or fire engine red, or slippery black. Some are tooled leather. Many are patent leather. A few are rich materials, often with embellishments, like crystals or studs. They are dramatically easier to carry than those over-load handbags designers have been feeding us, and they even look better, too!
LITTLE CHARMS: These fun-loving pieces run in direct opposition to the large statement pieces we’ve lived with for many months now. They come in a wide variety of shapes, are sometimes just an etched metal, and other times, richly embellished designs. Think about a small little bow. Or a tiny posy. Or a happy face. Work with pave. Jazz it up with a few streaks of gold plate. Dangle the charms from a chain bracelet or let them drop down from a gold-braid necklace. Latch onto retro, here, too. Like slithery snakes. Or the eternally romantic heart. Get one, or get a dozen.
IN JEWELRY, OR STANDING ALONE, CHARMS ARE WINNERS. TRY THESE:
Comments (1) Posted by Mary McGarry on Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
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Flash. You know what that’s all about. The play you get when a real or faux diamond catches the light and sends it with electric brilliance zing-zing-zing-ing across a room. Flash. Like the sudden blaze of a night camera bringing darkness to life. It’s hot, but it’s momentary; strong, but never too much.
Well, that’s the message of the new embellishment. Crystals sprinkled across everything. Crystal jewelry invigorating with elegantly restrained fire. Crystal patches giving a calm but trendy update to classy little handbags. Crystal rims on sexy black Italian sunglasses. Whatever crystal touches these days, it makes it sharper, fresher, more alluring. It comes on to you. Flash. Then, it’s toned down until the next light wave passes through. Like: What was that?
–Absolute design magic!
The crystal effect in earrings is one of the most thrilling looks now. Used most dramatically in long thin drops, the clear, linear crystal drop reminds you of a spectacular waterfall, something you might expect to see cascading down a mountainside on Maui. There it is! But then, as your car swings around another curve on your mountain road journey into Hana, the waterfall is gone. That’s the idea. Swing-y, sparkly earrings flashing, then going silent.
YOU CAN GET SOME OF THE BEST CRYSTAL WATERFALL DROPS AROUND WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE. HERE ARE JUST A FEW:
The Milan Effect
Nowhere was the crystal look more evident than in Milan this past week, where one more fashion international week made dramatic impressions on the Industry. Throughout the Showings, this message came through clearly: If you want to update something, strip it down to its essentials (i.e., get rid of yesterday’s glitz and turmoil) and then sprinkle it with embellishment. Especially crystal embellishment. Easy. Vibrant. Wow power.
Overall, of course, the idea is to get that serene sparkle going. That flash. Miuccia Prada was exciting with long chandelier crystal earrings, worn with everything from evening dresses to shorts. Little sleeveless tops were at once casual and dressy, jazzed up with crystal details that gave them an updated, directional appeal. Medium-sized leather handbags — even those in cow-pasture brown — took on new significance with crystal embellishments.
Armani, the wonder boy of fashion for decades now, used wonderful, high shine materials to support the look of flash. He also played masterfully with lightly encrusted crystal-looking bangle bracelets as well as little bags and lady-like belts with crystal adornment.
–In all, the look is one of sparkle. When it gets too strong, the sparkle turns into flash. Play with it, you’ll get the idea!
Not all flash is clear, although its biggest (and often best) use this season is colorless. Still, a lot of drama comes through in black or dark gray crystal, too.
–Don’t forget, the dark jewelry look is simmering on the design platform for fall and winter, getting hotter as the days get cooler. Black is especially important, as in Swarovski’s wild Black Diamond crystal. Sophisticated and sexy!
All Day, Every Day
A particularly good thing about the new flash experience is that it works remarkably well with present-day style trends. For example, it is not that long ago that clear crystal jewelry (or crystal embellished clothing) was used mainly for the most formal occasions, such as weddings, proms, and the like.
–Now, crystal is perfect for all day, everyday wear. Notice how Prada parades the most elegant crystal dotted top with shorts, and designers from Calvin Klein to Dolce & Gabbana mix super-formal wear with everyday wear with ease.
Still, heavy, self-conscious glitz just doesn’t make for tasteful casual wear. Ahhh, but enter flash! This is an entirely new experience for formal and casual, balancing light against serenity. It is like gazing across a long, exquisitely quiet India-Indian landscape just before a storm. Almost silent. Just as intense.
YOU CAN GET A NEW FASHION EXPERIENCE WITH CRYSTAL BY MIXING FORMAL WITH INFORMAL AND GOING FOR FLASH. HERE ARE A COUPLE OF GOOD PLACES TO START:
Comments (0) Posted by Mary McGarry on Thursday, October 8th, 2009
Filed under Fashion Accessories
I. JEWELRY, HANDBAGS AT THE EMMYS
AS USUAL, THE EMMYS PROVED to be a wonderland of display space for fashion accessories this year. Worn by a bevy of stunning actresses, the big items centered on rings, bracelets, earrings, and, here and there, a good-looking necklace. Basically, the jewelry look was reserved.
Despite the rich presence of diamonds and other fine gemstones, glitz was absent. And no one wore too much of one thing, as in the recent past. Red made its presence known frequently, but other than that, even color was somewhat subdued. We saw gentle pinks, pale blues, light grays, and a good deal of white.
Blake Lively of “Gossip Girl” fame looked terrific in a fire engine red gown, long braided hair and smashing diamond cuff bracelet. In an outfit that sounds the same but surely wasn’t, Debra Messing wore another red-red long gown, this by Michael Kors and Lorraine Schwartz. Messing also wore a gorgeous wide diamond bracelet, big diamond cocktail ring, and sparkling diamond drop earrings.
–Jennifer Morrison in Calvin Klein red opted for a more minimalistic look, wearing only a huge diamond ring on her index finger. Very dramatic!
Hot Clutches
THAT SEEN-EVERYWHERE CLUTCH remained hot for the Emmys. Among those sporting the little, feminine clutch accessory were Jaimie-Lynn Sigler in a long tan Donna Karan dress with train. She held a stunning white bejeweled clutch bag matched to a large diamond cuff bracelet.
Drew Barrymore coordinated a soft pink little clutch with center diamond-like hardware to a pink ruffled dress by Monique Lhuillier. Barrymore also wore small, very demure diamond button earrings.
Holding onto a tiny dark clutch was Rose Byrne, who wore a gossamer Valentino gown. Leighton Meester was classic in a Grecian-styled white long dress by Bottega Venetta and Cathy Waterman. She held a little red beaded clutch. And Tina Fey, radiant in a long black dress by Gucci, showed off a rich medium sized bracelet by Fred Leighton. She carried a rectangular long beaded evening clutch.
WELL, OF COURSE, THE JEWELRY SEEN AT THE EMMYS WAS ALL REAL, VERY REAL. NOT EVEN PASTE. BUT YOU CAN GET THE SAME LOOK AT A TINY FRACTION OF THE COST! TRY THESE GREAT PIECES:
- Past, Present, Future CZ necklace set.
Olivia Wilde’s pale blue dress by Marchesa was full of cutouts, showing lots of skin. With it, she carried a fancy little purse and wore a rich gem platinum bracelet and earrings by Kwiat. Mariska Hargity was classic in a Carolina Herrera dress of grey white color. With it, she wore an interesting choker with diamond drops by Fred Leighton.
The celebrities looked refined, an unusual characteristic for Hollywood femme fatales recently. All in all, the Awards were fun!
II. ACCESSORIES HOT AS NY SHOW WINDS DOWN
Even as the Emmys were boasting a bevy of bright and beautiful baubles, back in New York Fashion Executives were summing up some of the spectacular show-off products and ideas set forth at Fashion Week. Here are some of the special items they centered on:
- Fabric handle bags, ruffled or ruched, with fabric tied or knotted or otherwise bunched across the front. One by Be&D was especially handsome, almost surrealistic.
- Red patent leather shoes of the very, very high variety with heavy platform, a high zipper running up to the ankle line, and cutouts creating an interesting pattern.
- A tan colored Kara Ross choker necklace made in irregular zig-zag shapes, longer in front than back.
- “Let Me Entertain You,” a pair of fun black and white harlequin gloves by Dorothy Gasper.
- A swingy necklace with leaf shaped pieces hanging down from a golden chain. By Pamela Love.
- A metallic multicolored Minaudiere with gemstone closure from Celestina.
- More solid and print pink handbags from Anya Hindmarch. These clutches are shaped with easy-to-carry foldaway straps.
- A gold Lulu Frost African-inspired necklace-bib. Very rich!
- Skinny little golden snake pins to slither across your chest.
- Ranjana Khan’s silvery hairpiece, a double strand thick necklace and matching wide cuff bracelet in diamonds and pink fabric.
- A very elegant diamond necklace in swirling pattern to wear round the neck with five large pendant emerald green drops.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE SAME LEVEL OF QUALITY, YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. WE PICKED OUT A FEW ITEMS FOR YOU:
Comments (0) Posted by Mary McGarry on Friday, October 2nd, 2009
Filed under Fashion Accessories
SHOWS, SHOWS, SHOWS! This is the season for major designer exhibitions from New York to Europe to Asia. So far, what we’ve seen of the American fashion and accessories choices has been spectacular, albeit strange in some instances!
New York offered more than we have ever seen before, and the fantastic deluge might get almost wearisome if it weren’t for the creativity and newness constantly on view. As one industry observer said of New York:
“They were trying to push forward without being too challenging. They have taken a lot of risks, but in a very smart way….”
Or, as a major industry publication aptly called the offerings:
“A tricky path between safe and surprising.” — What more could anyone ask?
Showtime Goes On and On
But…why are we so interested in Fashion Weeks? Because of a simple factor:
TRENDS!
This is where trends begin. This is where designers parade their newest ideas in fashion and accessories. This is where you watch the styles, the forms, the fabrics, the colors, the sizes. So, let’s wrap it all up with élan! Two supernova design houses, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, ring in on a final clarion note.
Lauren dedicated his collection to the American worker, and he did it with real style. Maybe the look was a bit dated, sort of 1930s retro, but it was dynamite! Pale blue was the color of choice. Soft, lived-in-looking scarves wrapped cozily around the neck. Bouncy newsboy caps. Striped menswear shirts. And overalls. No, not just jeans. Overalls!
–With it, great looking multi-strand earring drops of delicate blue crystal. Sounds strange, but oh, boy! Does it work!
Jeans with lots of cut outs and rolled up hems were Lauren biggies. Little 1930s retro print dresses with cap sleeves were charming. A gossamer ruffled bottom slip dress in fairly bright blue with spaghetti straps was a reserved tribute to evening wear, with a lacy underskirt and sparkly bejeweled neckline.
National Spirit
Overall, the theme here was America’s “resilient spirit.” The models wore quiet but lovely small drop earrings with some swing. Boys caps predominated. That orange brown, rich leather color Lauren has been known for stayed with this collection, mainly in medium width belts with square metal buckles.
GETTING INTO THE RALPH LAUREN SPRING ACCESSORY MOOD TAKES SOME DOING. THE IDEA IS TO KEEP A CAREFUL EYE ON SIZE, THINK TRADITIONAL, AND EMBRACE BLUE. FOR EXAMPLE:
Yellow Bird
FRANCISCO COSTA for Calvin Klein was arty, bohemian, sporty, and unexpected. He worked wonderfully with interesting materials. He drew huge shoulders, almost Balmoral style, and put them on a dress that dropped down to a short straight skirt with big side pockets. A tan dress seemed to further the look, with soft, slouchy jacket, very long sleeves, some ruffles, big shoulders, and a brown and grey under-dress with hitched up short skirt.
Bright yellow was Klein’s hot color, seen in such designs as a straight but full little mini-skirted dress with short sleeves and rumpled, scooped out neck. Very lived-in looking! Have you ever heard that terrific calypso song, “Yellow Bird?” Well that’s the kind of intense but still reserved yellow seen here.
IT IS ALWAYS A SMART IDEA TO COZY UP TO A CALVIN KLEIN FASHION LOOK. THIS IS A STYLE THAT MIXES NEWNESS WITH CLASSIC ELEGANCE IN A REMARKABLE, NEVER-GO-OUT– OF-STYLE WAY. HERE, ACCESSORIES WITH A KLEIN-SOPHISTICATION:
Comments (0) Posted by Mary McGarry on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Filed under Fashion Accessories
TOMBOYS ARE BACK IN FASHION! The superstar men’s wear designer Richard Chai is introducing a new collection of casual wear for women. It is directed toward “the girl who fell in love with the guy I design for,” Chai says. The fashionable separates, grouped under the name Love, feature shorts, vests, jackets, short skirts, and more. Chai zips them up with bright colors, interesting leather shoes. It all has a washed, rumpled, at-ease feel, sort of an updated take on stealing from the guys.
REMEMBER THE NAME DUNHILL? Well, it is back with an exciting, if totally traditional, collection of watches that “represents a return to the classical values of the brand as the true expression of a uniquely British point of view on modern luxury,” as a company spokesperson puts it. The new Dunhill Facet watch is a slim, rectangular timepiece with faceted glass. It was first introduced in 1936 and is returning now in an updated design of stainless steel or pink gold with a black matte or matte chocolate alligator strap.
Also in the collection are the Dunhill Classic watch and the Dunhill Moonphases timepiece. All the watches boast the famous Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber movement. The collection, made up of timepieces with a distinctively Prince Charles appearance, goes on sale in late Fall or early Winter.
WATCHES AREN’T THE ONLY ITEMS BENEFITTING FROM A SURGE OF INTEREST IN ALL THINGS CLASSICAL. YOU CAN GET IN ON THE DIRECTION WITH THESE GREAT ITEMS:
Japanese Golf Craze
AIN’T SHE SWEET? We’re talking about the oh so cute Japanese golfer in her newest athletic wear. It seems that golf isn’t the only thing that is flourishing in the Asian islands; so, too, are specialized outfits for the female golfer. More than 20 new brands of women’s golf clothes have come onto the market this year alone, helped in no small way by the recent flurry of successful women golfers, Al Miyiazato, and Momoko Ueda, among others. But, just look at these separates: sequin-covered polo shirts and pink sun visors, sneakers with pink ties, hot little crystal embellished mini skirts and trendy, colorful golf gloves galore.
—It is interesting to note that many of Japan’s city dwellers have never set foot on a golf course, but they are still wild for the sport. They apparently hone their skills on driving ranges, many with video simulators, marketed to fashionable young women.
DALLAS MARKET SOMEWHAT SLOW, BUT UPBEAT: Few buyers were looking for basics at the recent Dallas Fashion Industry Gallery exposition. It seems that novelty was the call of the day, as retailers scouted out things that were different, new, off beat. Fancy tops with formal embellishments and jewelry were the two top selling categories, along with casual jackets and no small amount of leather goods.
Retailers generally expressed an optimistic mood for the rest of the year, despite sluggish sales until now, saying that they do expect sales to pick up by the Spring of 2010. One retailer talked about a new shoe and accessory boutique she plans to open this month in Houston, saying she expects to be ready for business when the economy improves, “in the near future”.
At the product level: Sterling initial necklaces moved well. So did vintage Chanel chains. The colors were generally vibrant here, and extras like fringe and Moroccan details helped move clothing.
Won’t You Be My Bridesmaid? — aargh!
NEW LOOK FOR WEDDINGS: Is there any woman who hasn’t winced when asked to be in the Bridal party of a friend or relative? It’s the thought of those horrendous bridesmaids’ dresses that does it: Big, flouncy, garishly colored dresses, totally devoid of any design integrity, more or less chosen for you. Not only don’t you have any real choice about the dress, but you’re even expected to pay for it, upfront – a dress that you will surely want to burn the minute the ceremony and following festivities are over.
Well now, ladies, all of that is history! Swarovski, that arbiter of fine wedding fare, tells us that bridesmaid dresses have entered a new era. Fashionably designed, these handsome cocktail dresses can be worn again and again, after the wedding.
They may be short or long, and are usually fashioned on whatever style the bridesmaid, herself, wants. The popular colors are unusually sophisticated, running from black to intense orchid, deep blue or orange for Winter 2009, and from white to tan, yellow, and deep blue for Spring 2010.
— Oh, for a wedding where the bridesmaids actually look pretty!
BRIDESMAID DRESSES AREN’T THE ONLY WEDDING ELEMENTS UNDERGOING POSITIVE CHANGE. JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THESE GORGEOUS BRIDAL JEWELRY PIECES UPTRENDING NOW:
Comments (0) Posted by Mary McGarry on Monday, September 21st, 2009
