W2WW News Flash - Milly launches Limited Collection at Banana Republic

One of our readers texted me that this collection is in stores now!  Milly, a collection of 'bold, advanced contemporary fashion with a graceful edge', created a line to be sold for a limited time at Banana Republic.  

I must say, please check it out.  Milly style + Banana Republic price point = some summer must-haves.  Some of my favorites are below, and note that the elephant print shorts are ALREADY sold out.  Boo.  What are your favorites? ~ JH

All images from bananarepublic.com.

...It's Fall 2012: Leather

Most of us, at one time or another, have had a piece of leather in our wardrobes, other than shoes or handbags that is.  My first piece of leather apparel was purchased in high school; it was the leather bomber jacket that all the kids had, that I practically begged my parents to get for me.  Since then, there was a random pair of suede pants, back in the early 2000s (and only because they were on super sale!), and then a few years back, a lovely Vince jacket, sleek with paper thin leather - perfect for chilly New England spring evenings.  I've never been a huge leather girl.  Until now.

My obsession started slowly last winter.  I noticed there were a couple of cool dresses with leather trim on the cuffs of sleeves, some great jackets, and I found myself picking up a black Rag & Bone dress with leather trim.  I love it.  

And then, this spring, I found the holy grail.  A pair of Vince leather, cropped leggings (bootcut, not tapered to ankle).  On S-A-L-E.  50% off.  My size.  I was actually scared to try them on at first. Who was I kidding?  Can I really be 40+ and wear leather leggings?  Once they were on, I was surprised at how well they fit, how comfortable they were, and  (not bragging) how great they looked.  They smoothed out bumps and the boot cut ankle balanced them out on me.  Lisa was with me and I remember her looking me in the eye and saying "friends don't let friends leave these leather pants behind".  

Image from vince.com.

I didn't leave them behind, and my cost-per-wear from this spring has them almost paying me.  With a boxy linen sweater and heels, a white blazer and lace top under, or a draped blouse, these pants have been worn to death.  If you know me well, you are sick of seeing them.  

I honestly do not know how I functioned before them.  As they sit tucked away in my 'off season' closet (code for: my bedroom closet is ridiculously small for a clothes horse like me), I know I'll be breaking them out this fall as soon as the temperatures dip.

Fortunately for me and you, the stores will be FULL of leather this season.  And not just the expected jackets and skirts.  Pants, dresses and tops are all having leather moments this fall and winter.  With pants, it's just a different black/grey/brown pant with the leather making them interesting.  Dresses become edgier (read: I am less of a suburban mom with my leather trimmed dress on) and tops even more so with leather trim or in full leather.  Do not be scared!  Try a piece or 2 on!

This leather pant from Milly (yes, Milly, preppy designer is turning out leather leggings) appears to be really practical.  Wear them like you would wear jeans.  With ballet flats.  With pumps.  How cute are you at Back-to-School night in your leather pants?

Image from nordstrom.com.

Since not everyone is going to find a 50% off pair of leather pants/leggings, here are some real options too.  Zara has a pair of leather leggings for $399 that look really great. Definitely worth a look.

Image from zara.com.

Zara also has a faux-leather alternative, their rubberized leather effect leggings, for $79.90.  I'd want to try them on, but they look really good online and you can't beat the price.

Image from zara.com.

If the faux leather is too 'out there' for you and you're not sure if the real deal is a budget-buster or not, try some coated jeans - they give you the look of leather, but not the price!  These leatherette leggings by AG Adriano Goldschmied are super cool.

Image from agjeans.com.

Now, onto dresses.  You will find both leather-trimmed and full leather this season.  One of the best looking dresses, age-appropriate for us 40-somethings (i.e. an appropriate length), is by Banana Republic, and it might just be the deal of the year at $298.  Can you see this paired with cheetah print pumps?  Nude pumps?  At a cocktail party?  

Image from bananarepublic.gap.com.

If you want to go faux leather, this 'Vegan' dress by Sanctuary is a great option and a great price at  $159.

Image from piperlime.com.

And if full leather isn't your thing in a dress, there are tons of dresses out there with leather trim, partially done in leather, etc.  Theory makes a great option; this dress has a jersey top and leather skirt.  You can pair it with flats for a casual look or with pumps for an out-at-night look.  I kind of love it.

Image from net-a-porter.com.

Tops are even more interesting and edgy.  This Vegan leather peplum top by Tinley Road takes care of both the leather trend and the peplum trend this fall.  Affordable at $98, it looks cute over a pencil skirt, skinny jeans or over a black pant, creating a long and lean look.

Image from piperlime.com.

Finally, you can go really casual with the leather, and opt for a t-shirt with trim (the non-t-shirt-t-shirt!).  Patterson J. Kincaid makes a really cute leather-trimmed top that I can see easily over jeans.  Just hip enough for running around town.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Whatever your whim, seriously think about adding a piece of leather apparel or leather-trimmed apparel to your closet this winter.  You may find, like I did, you can't do without! ~ JH

...you are traveling to Paris - daywear.

Oui!  I'm heading to Paris in a couple of weeks and I cannot wait!  Over the next few weeks, I hope to write about the questions we all ask ourselves when preparing for a trip like this:

• What do I wear on an overnight flight?
• What on earth do I pack?
• How many bags am I allowed to check? (Ok, might not write about this, but it's a question that has been frequently popping into my head!)

Let's start with what to pack for daywear.  I'll be walking miles everyday and will want to be blister-free and look fashionable at the same time.  Whether I'm going into Boston, down to New York, or over to Paris, it's the same look.  In Paris, there's a little more pressure to be tailored and elegant.

So - since it's April, I'll start with outerwear.  After all, I'll be in some kind of jacket most of the day while traipsing around, and it needs to look good.  I'll start by packing my rain jacket, a Postcard one I found in New York last spring when I found my winter coat.  It hangs to mid-thigh, stylish, cinches at the waist, and was a GREAT purchase.  It looks similar to this Moncler one at Bloomingdale's:

Image from bloomingdales.com.

Additionally, I'll be packing my short cotton trench coat.  I purchased it about 3 years ago at Comptoir des Cotonniers, after trying on every Burberry short trench I could get my hands on, only to find that they really didn't fit me well at all.  (Altering was an option, but Burberry trenches have very narrow shoulders, so the entire body of any trench I purchased would have needed altering.)  So, I settled on this one, and love it:

Images from comptoirdescotonniers.com.

Between those 2 jackets, I think I'll be set.

Now, onto outfits.  I'll have to pack scarves, and layer, layer, layer.  I'll be out the door of my rented apartment relatively early and out all day, so I need to be prepared for cooler mornings and warmer afternoon temps.  Back to playing meteorologist.

The good news it that Parisians have embraced jeans!  Phew.  10 years ago, not so much.  2 Thanksgivings ago, jeans everywhere.  That's a huge relief, since I kind of live in them.

So, I'll be packing some white jeans - my J. Crew Bootcut white denim...

Image from jcrew.com.

...and some AG Ballads...

Image from agjeans.com.

...and some DL1961 straight-leg jeans that look great with ballet flats.  That and a couple of black ankle length pants should do the trick.

Next, tops.  There will be navy v-neck sweaters in my bag, along with a chambray blouse from J. Crew, a crisp white blouse, tank tops for layering underneath, some linen Vince sweaters, and scarves, scarves, scarves.  Some fun day jackets, like that Milly one I picked up during my Nordstrom shopping appointment back in February.

Image from nordstrom.com.

I won't be packing any t-shirts.  Blouses (with scarved tucked in the neckline) and spring sweaters are the way to go in the day.

Shoes are the last important piece of the puzzle.  While I've been on a heel-craze, it's not really going to help me out in Paris during the day (but stay tuned for dinner attire!).  Too many cobblestones and miles to cover.

I have been on a hunt for a great neutral wedge to wear during the day...any of you who follow my Pinterest boards have been inundated with images of neutral wedges.  I think I've finally found the pair.  These Tory Burch Sally Wedges are just what the doctor ordered!  2 1/2" heel, relatively neutral color tan (I wish it was lighter), a rubber sole, comfortable, and all of my longer pants fall perfectly with the heel height.  So, I'll be traipsing around Paris in these in a few weeks!

Image from toryburch.com.

To cope if the weather is less than perfect, I'll include some patent leather ballet flats for those days.  Similar to these French Sole ones at ASOS, the patent is great in wet conditions while continuing to be stylish.  And most Parisians are running around in ballet flats too!

Image from asos.com.

Finally, I just might back a pair of booties I purchased this past fall - Comptoir des Cotonniers tan suede booties - I have a feeling that they'll come in handy on a cooler day.

Image from pinterest.com.

That's it for daywear!  I guess I'm going to have to print this as my packing list. :-) ~ JH

Demystifying personal shopping - Part 3.

Holy cow.  That was so much fun!

I arrived at Nordstrom in the Natick Mall at 11:00am on Monday, all ready.  Skinny jeans in bag?  Check.  Snake skin pumps?  Check.  Lisa en route?  Check.

I found Amy Swartz, the stylist with whom my appointment was, as I turned the corner from the elevator, we hugged, and she took me to the dressing rooms in the Collection section of the second floor.

This is what I found.  Dozens of outfits, all in my size, all waiting to be tried on! Outfits hanging,

shoes, accessories, handbags lined up in front of the mirror,

and more outfits!  Look at all those skinny, black cropped pants!

90% of the items that came home with me I would have NEVER picked up from the rack!  That's the beauty of personal shopping.  Amy hit the ball out of the park!  

The Highlights

I don't own anything green, so this was a stretch.  But a great one!  Put a white tank or camisole underneath, tuck in (yes, tuck in!) to white pants, and I have a fabulous cocktail party/dinner outfit.

Photo from joie.com

Next up, a jacket from Milly.  Cute over navy pants, cute over white pants, cute over jeans with a navy tank underneath.  Love.  Would have never picked it out in a million years.

Another great jacket, by Elie Tahari, over the most fabulous pair of black skinny pants by Rachel Zoe.  Those are my own snake skin pumps too.  And I will replace the fabric belt with a 'hard' belt, probably a matte black leather one.

I also picked up a couple of transitional sweaters (great for layering well into May here in New England), a couple of my favorite tank tops to refresh ones I have, a cute black jersey dress, the white Tory Burch cropped jeans I wanted, and this cute set of gold, hammered bangle bracelets.  They were too cute to leave behind, and for $38, a deal.

Photo from nordstrom.com

The Low Lights

And, for all of those clothes, there were definitely 'low lights'.   One thing to keep in mind about personal shopping is that not everything in the room will look fabulous on you.  I can't believe I'm even posting these photos. Here's a sample of what I will NOT be wearing this spring.

Drab, grey blazer.  Weird cut in the front.  Very bad.

Really bad Tory Burch dress.  Frump central.

What's Next?

While I knocked quite a bit off my spring shopping list, there are still some holes to be filled.  The appointment was a little too early in the season to look for non-tee-shirt tee-shirts, so I'll be on the lookout for those later in March, early April.  I tried on several pairs of neutral wedges/espadrilles only to find my foot is 'in between sizes' - how can that be?!?  So bummed.  There were so many PERFECT pairs in the room.  

And, of course, other 'must have' items have come to light.  Great orange cork wedges?  Did I know I needed these?  Not until I tried these on.  A small part of me is grateful that they didn't fit.  Another part of me is already adding them to my mental 'to search for' list.

Stay tuned for a Part 4: our first guest blogger! Amy will offer her inside view as a stylist on the finer points of working with a personal shopper.  If you're curious how personal shopping works and looking for inside tips on styling for spring, this is one post you won't want to miss. Thanks to Amy for a great morning!

Off to unpack the shopping bags.  He-he-he. ~ JH

Unless otherwise noted, photos are Jennifer Houston's.