autumn in the air – what to look forward to

When you live in a city like San Francisco, it’s really difficult to tell when the seasons change. Unless of course you are completely in-tuned with nature. Either way,  Autumn has become one of my favorite seasons and one that I look forward to, almost secretly.

Autumn is an inspiring season for many reasons:

fashionable, warm, colorful sweaters and fun patterns

first chance to cuddle underneath a throw blankets on a chilly evening

best time of the year to bake warm apple tarts

enjoy a hot cup of english breakfast tea with a hint of cinnamon

the most picturesque walks to refuel one’s  soul

photo credits and merchandise information:
photo 1 – click here: photo 2 – click here: photo 3 – click here and here: photo 4 click here: photo 5 – click here

fall 2012 fashion loves from banana republic

Fall, definitely, is my favorite time of the year in fashion and there is no better place to shop for my fall ensemble then Banana Republic.

I love the fact, BR (which is how the company is known in San Francisco) has maintained a high standard in manufacturing their clothing line,  while staying tastefully fashionable.  I have shopped with them for several decades and hope to remain a loyal client for decades to come.

Check out some of my favorites which are versatile enough for the woman over 40 to consider.

inspiring fashion details

Sometimes just the simplest accessory or a designer shoe make all the difference in the simplest every day wear.

The Scarf, The right shade of lipstick

Sparkle shoes with your favorite jeans

A fashionably colorful handbag

A gold tie belt

Costume or designer jewelry in abundance

Dress up stiletto  shoes with ankle length slacks

Creative costume jewelry added to a symmetrical fashion ensemble

the right closed toe shoes to create a visionary balance

vacation a.k.a holiday travel wardrobe – part 1

Every year we contemplate a handful of destinations to travel to, but end up rediscovering different parts of  Europe. We don’t mind it, in fact when we go down the list, at the end of it, we smile to one another because we know deep down Europe will always win.

Anyway, I have actually become an expert traveller, in the sense that I know exactly  what I need to take and what should be left behind for a 2 week trip in most any predictable and unpredictable weather.

For this year’s trip I have selected the following travel wardrobe from here and here:

Colorful tops in different styles from here

Jeans, Khakis and shorts and capri pants from here

Comfortable dresses which do not take up too much space from here

Sweaters for the evenings and chilly weather and 1 all-weather jacket just in case from here

Comfortable all-day walking shoes and sandals and beach wear from here and here, since heels don’t work well on cobblestoned streets

Conservative yet sexy swim or in my case beachwear (for the woman over 40) from here

wool and other blend sweaters for winter 2011

Finding just the right sweater for Winter is probably the most challenging, in my opinion, since there is always some sort of drastic temperature change going from outdoors to indoors. I, for one, would prefer to dress in layers just so I can peel them off when it’s too hot indoors and put everything back on when it’s too cold outdoors.

But once in a while I do enjoy wearing sweaters throughout the entire day, no matter how hot or cold I am throughout the day. For that, I have selected some of my favorites from here:

fall fashion 2011: fashion jewelry – bracelets

I have always appreciated fashion jewelry, especially bracelets. So this year I  decided to invest in a few new pieces to accessorize my Fall to Winter wardrobe. I found at least 10 from here which I liked. Now the hard part is deciding which to actually buy. Let me know what you think?

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fall fashion must have

Some items of clothing  tend to never disappear from fashion, year after year and while I do appreciate colors and trends, I do create a simple wardrobe based on that fact, which I certainly wear year after year. 

Here is one outfit, minus the trendy bags, which I have seen on the racks for the past, at least five years, and one that is simply easy to accessorize to give it a fresh look from one year to the next.

1. Sweater: Carven Ruched Stretch Wool Top $550
2. Skirt: Giambattista Vali Printed Wool Pencil Skirt $1155
3. Michael Kors block heeled suede ankle boot $950
4. Ralph Lauren Collection Corrine Suede Knee boots $1150
5. Top left: Tory Burch Carlin Two-tone leather tote $650
6. Top Right:Reed Krakoff boxer leather and wool tote $990

intro to spring 2011 fashion trends

Although it may seem a bit early to think about Spring fashion, since most of us can’t seem to stay warm enough during this Winter season,  in reality it is actually the perfect time. Well, maybe not from the consumers point of view, but for sure from the retailers perspective.

So with that seed being planted in your minds, I have included some photos of the Spring 2011 collection from the various designers for your viewing pleasure. Check them out and tell me what you think?

Also, in the next few weeks I will be discussing the fashion trends in great detail, so stay tuned!

new years eve shoes and clutch glamour

I know most women, who plan to attend some formal event this New Year’s Eve, have  already planned out their New Year’s Eve attire. But,  just in case the shoes and clutch have not yet been considered, I have included some  of my favorite pairing suggestions for 2010.

Oh and just in case you are wondering about the photo above  left, it is Jimmy Choo – Marine Jeweled evening shoes. I know…breath taking and I wonder where were these shoes when I was in my 20′s?

new years eve and black-tie event dresses and gowns

I know I have stated before, if all else fails, consider the color black in fashion. Believe me a woman over 40 can seldom  go wrong with the choice of color, because no matter how self-conscious she may feel about her figure, black has a way of smoothing out the edges.

However, choosing age appropriate black dresses or gowns is  very important for the woman over 40 because, selecting the wrong cut, length or style , can surely be the most damaging.

Since choosing the dress or gown is a hit or miss in some or most cases, I have included one of my favorite designer’s website here to help guide the process. I have also included some of my favorite selections (below) from the site to consider or duplicate (depending on one’s budget)  for that special soiree. Enjoy and let me know what is your favorite gown from the selection.