Whats In For Summer 2011???

Put away your classic whites. The colour for 2011 is an intense pink called “honeysuckle”. Colour authority Pantone predicts that the bright shade of pink (described as a “sherbety shade of pink with hints of red and orange zest”), will appear on almost everything next season from designer dresses to nail polish, makeup and appliances. The colour will be a pick-me-up, perfect to lift the gloominess of the economic environment. Colour aside, playful designs, delightful colours and fun details will define 2011 fashion.

Here’s what was spotted on the Spring/Summer runway shows

Vintage: Updates of styles from the 1960s and 1970s will be big. Spring/Summer runway collections featured fun and energetic prints on dresses and tops as seen in Z Spoke by Zac Posen. Ringer tanks, jumpsuits and rompers were also a key feature with designers like Marc Jacobs evoking a 1970s casual cool with his high-waisted wide leg pants and maxi dresses in vibrant tones. Peasant necklines cinched with cummerbund belts at Fendi and Moschino hinted at hippie-chic. Accessories-wise, oversized sunhats, chunky bangles and cork platform wedges pulled all the looks together.

Nouveau Minimalist: If retro is not your thing, be glad that there were plenty of relaxed collections in a limited colour palette. The light, floating silhouettes of Alexander Wang’s nearly-white collection which showcased floor-length dresses were a fantastic alternative. Nicole Miller and Narciso Rodriguez also incorporated warm greys into their collections while Stella McCartney showed a collection of subtly sexy loose-fitting pieces.

Pastels and neons: Talk about balance: there were plenty of pastels and also lots of bright neon shades on the spring/summer 2011 runway. Cynthia Rowley played with peach and mustard tones while Mark Fast used dusty blues on his signature strappy, body-con dresses. London designers like Mulberry infused collections with a mix of warm oranges and icy pinks. Neon colors also had their place on the runways. Burberry showed lime green biker jackets, while Christopher Kane’s demure looks exploded with orange pink hues.

Lace and leather: Lace continues to be a key material and not just as a detail or trim. Erdem’s full-on lace looks features blouses and dresses in sheer lace with Peter Pan collars. Alberta Ferretti too embraced the lace craze with his Guipure lace skirts and tops. Leather may seem an unlikely choice for summer but they dominated the runways nonetheless. Cynthia Steffe’s ruffle skirts and cute dresses in tanned leather were hot as were 3.1 Philip Lim toned down black leather with lace-like cutouts.

Relaxed Pants: Good news. Next season, relaxed pants will replace the harem and legging styles of past seasons. High-waisted trousers with lightweight fabric and light denim in Marc by Marc Jacobs and Derek Lam’s collection, and Bottega Veneta’s pants with drawstring waists and cargo pockets screamed comfort (though the latter resembled pajama bottoms). Still, better than harem pants, anytime.

Ruffles and cutouts: Key design details of the season include ruffles and cutouts. Pieces are flirty, intricate and and sophisticated. Donna Karan’s ruffled floral print tops looked just stunning and Versus’ collection in Milan played with small cutouts on the collarbone, stomach and bust — sexy but not over the top.

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10 Must Have Items In Every Ladies Wardrobe



Black blazer

"A tailored blazer is classic, feminine and looks great on all body types. Pair it with anything: jeans, little dresses, trousers, skirts. Make sure to find one that fits you well and accentuates your waist as you don't want it to look like it's swallowing you!"

Leopard Print Scarf

"Even if you're wearing a basic T-shirt and jeans, use accessories like a printed scarf as the 'bright' piece to complete your look."

Red Flats

"Black is the obvious choice, but red flats provide a pop of color and work for every season. Pair them with a striped shirt and a trench coat."

Striped Shirt

"This timeless classic is having a comeback. It looks great paired with brights or prints or peeking out from underneath a blazer."

Statement Necklace

"The statement necklace can make a simple outfit look strong and feminine."

Little Black Dress

"Every woman knows she should have a little black dress, but it's important to invest in one that's special. Look for a dress with a detail with an interesting sleeve or an embellished belt that makes it unique. And remember that finding the right fit is important!"

Black Opaque Tights

"A great pair of tights can make your legs look slimmer and help you get away with wearing a dress that's a little too short. Double them up for a more opaque look and to keep you warm!"

Oversize Watch

"A watch is as much an accessory as it is a timepiece. A gold watch is a great way to dress an outfit up or try leaving it loose so it looks like a bracelet."

Flared Jeans

"This is a flattering shape for most body types. Pair them with platforms or wedges to get extra height while keeping the look casual and comfortable."

Classic Trench

"Think of this as an investment piece as you'll wear it forever, even if you fluctuate in size. Look for a classic A-line silhouette that will cinch you in at the waist and wear it over everything from suits to jeans."

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Mix & Match

" If you're a newbie to buying and wearing vintage, it can certainly be intimidating. Cuts and fit are a little different than what we're used to and styles are from days gone by, but with the right pieces, mixing a little vintage into your current wardrobe is a piece of cake. Plus, you'll never get caught wearing the same outfit as another girl at the party. "

Here are a few basics to get your started:

Blazer

Blazers are literally everywhere this season and the best way to find an affordable version is to buy vintage as it is one of a kind & way cheaper than the new one.

This plaid blazer is pretty bold but a simple navy or cream color works too if want to play safe. If you're smaller, try looking in the boys section for old prep school blazers. You can also pair the blazer with mini skirt or shorts with unique wedges & you are good to go.

Vintage Dress

Vintage dresses are perhaps the easiest to integrate into your wardrobe since most of the dresses being sold these days are vintage inspired anyways.

It's all about the fit so make sure you try before buying or measure the dimensions if you're shopping online or perhaps you can always alter it to make it fits you perfectly. Add a belt for some always-crucial waist definition, and you've got a complete vintage look.

Vest

Vests like this knit one are a great layering piece; you can also go for a menswear look with a more structured version and don't forget to check the men's section for vintage suit vests. Wide leg jeans and a sturdy leather belt give this vest a cool '70s vibe. Put on your sunnies & pair it with nice handbag & you are all set to hit the town with your bff.

Pencil Skirt

The pencil skirt is a style that is in abundance so you shouldn't have trouble tracking one down. Youd should pick the one with pop up color.

You can pair it with a button up for a chic work look or sex it up a little for a night out.

Boots

Boots like these flat brown leather pair are super versatile, you can wear them with dresses, leggings, jeans, shorts you name it. Substitute some buttery leather boots for your flip-flops and you've got an instant update for your denim cutoffs.



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How To Wear Vintage Clothing & Look Modern

Don't know where to start when it comes to making vintage clothes your own?

With just these few things in mind, anyone can wear vintage successfully.

Start small

If you've never worn vintage clothes before, it's not advisable to start off wearing a head to toe vintage outfit. It is best to ease yourself into this new world by wearing vintage accessories like scarves, hats, jewelry, handbags, or belts. But only chose one accessory at a time, as with all things, less is more. Your unique vintage accessory will stand out even more if it isn’t competing with a bunch of other baubles.

Vintage is not a costume

Don’t dress entirely in vintage from one trend or decade. If you don’t end up looking like you’re going to a Halloween party, you will look rather dated. The point of vintage is to take the best of what each decade has to offer and make it work today. Mixing one focal vintage item with core pieces of your wardrobe like jeans, a simple blazer, or with a tee shirt will make your look modern instead of looking like you stepped out of a time machine.

Be open minded and try new things

Vintage items may look strange on the hanger, and you may think "I could never wear that!" or "That’s not for me," but try it on anyways. Vintage clothes are often made a lot differently than our clothes today, but for a lot of people they fit better and are more flattering. Don’t forget that vintage is an adventure! You’re looking to add excitement to your wardrobe, and you’ll never get that effect if you play it safe or rule things out with one glance.

Stay true to your style

As is true with any trend or style, it is best to stay true to what you are most comfortable in and what looks best on you. Realistically, a kaleidoscope print silk Pucci jumpsuit is not going to look good on most people no matter how fantastic it would be to find. This is another example of how mixing vintage with your standby wardrobe is essential to a successful ensemble.

If you pride yourself on being fashionable, you may already have figured out that one secret to staying current is actually identifying styles from the past and wearing them in fresh, new ways. In fact, vintage clothing can be valuable source of inspiration. The trick is knowing how to wear vintage clothing right, so you will look modern and hip and never outdated.

Things You'll Need:

• Vintage tops
• Skinny pants
• Long-sleeve shirt
• Long skirt
• Gown / Dress
• Pants suit
• Vintage accessories
• Three-way mirror

Instructions:

1. Look in your own closet for retired items of clothing that you might be able to wear in new ways. For instance, a shrunken vintage sleeveless T-shirt can be modern when layered over a thin long-sleeve top and paired with skinny jeans, ballet flats and a long scarf wound around your neck
2. Wear full, taffeta ball skirts with unexpected casual tops and shoes to give them a second life.
3. Break up vintage pants suits and skirt sets by wearing the pieces separately with other, modern options.
4. Remove out-dated shoulder pads and replace worn or tacky buttons with high-quality new ones for an instant makeover.
5. Wear vintage pieces sparingly. Never wear vintage clothing head-to-toe, but use a great vintage item with other newer choices in your closet to achieve just the right balance.
6. Turn to modern interpretations of vintage styles. New beaded cardigans, pleated skirts, pencil skirts, capris, oxfords and t-strap shoes are all the rage in the stores again now.
7. Find a vintage purse, shoes or belts in rich textures to add a layer of interest to an all-new outfit.



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Hot Celebrities Who Wear Vintage Clothing

When you think of women’s vintage clothing what is it that comes to mind?

 Many people immediately think “thrift store”. This in turn makes them think of old clothing from Goodwill, clothing that they wouldn’t really want to wear too often although they might consider buying it in this recession in order to save some cash.

The truth is that womens vintage clothing is so much more than just used clothes. It’s clothing that had style back in its time and which continues to have style today even though the era when it was originally made is long gone.

To prove that vintage isn’t something that’s just for people with no cash, here’s a list of 5 hot celebrities who can clearly afford to buy brand new designer clothing but who are actually known to shop for womens vintage clothing instead. Of course it should be noted that a lot of these ladies are paying high prices to get the treasured vintage pieces that they want since the pieces are considered collectibles but that doesn’t negate the fact that it lends some credibility to womens vintage shopping for the rest of us.

1. Barbra Streisand.

Way back in 1997 the New York Times did an article about the increasing popularity of vintage couture. The article referenced the fact that Barbra Streisand was known to purchase and perform in womens vintage clothing. In fact, she is credited as being the first celebrity to bring vintage clothing into the spotlight.

2. Tracey Ullman.

One of the most recent celebrities to be spotted getting attention for her vintage clothing is Tracey Ullman. She was asked to host the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards this summer and rumors immediately started flying that she planned to appear wearing a vintage Claire McCardell outfit. Ullman has been collecting vintage pieces from this specific designer for quite some time now.

3. Mandy Moore.

There is a vintage clothing store in California called Anjanou which caters to shoppers who are interested in high-quality womens vintage clothing. The store has been known to sell to a variety of celebrities including Mandy Moore. Some of the vintage pieces even come from celebrities who have used them in movies and then offloaded them when they were done wearing them.

4. Drew Barrymore.

This actress is frequently described as “cute” which might be why she is able to pull off a vintage look without it coming off as old-fashioned in any way. She’s been reported to collect vintage pieces. Earlier this year she wore a vintage 1980’s dress on the David Letterman Show that got a lot of attention.

5. Nicole Kidman.

This actress gets a lot of attention for the brand-new designer pieces of clothing that she wears. She shops in upscale boutiques and spends a lot of money on her wardrobe. However, that doesn’t mean that she’s afraid of vintage clothing. She’s a frequent shopper at upscale vintage clothing stores that cater to celebrities who want to buy great vintage looks. These stores include Decades Inc. in LA and Jim Smiley Vintage Clothing in Manhattan.

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