Black & Blue is Not a Fashion "Boo Boo"

Reporting about the top trends for Fall 2012, Marie Claire said, "The 'it' color combination of the season is most definitely all about black and navy blue."

The color combination was seen on the Fall 2012 runways at Carolina Herrera and DKNY, among others:

Carolina Herrera Fall 2012

DKNY Fall 2012

The look has also been spotted on the red carpet as well as the runway. Jessica Chastain combined two fall trends when she wore a black-and-blue dress in leather from Jason Wu to Fashion's Night Out in New York this year:

JUSTIN CAMPBELL/startraksphoto.com

Actress Sarah Paulson accessorized her blue Reem Acra dress with a black belt, bag and shoes at the 2012 Emmy Awards:

Source: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images North America)

We love this trend because it looks great on women of any age, and it doesn't involve major shopping! In fact, you can try the trend right now by simply shopping your closet (or your mom's, daughter's, sister's or best friend's).  Just mix black and blue basics you already have, or punctuate a blue dress with a black belt like Sarah Paulson. 

Of course, if you do want to shop the trend, there are lots of great on-trend pieces in stores now, such as these blue heels with a black platform from Cole Haan:

Cole Haan Mariela Heels $328 @ Bloomingdale's

 Here's a color block sweater from Michael Kors:

Michael Kors Chunky Colorblock Sweater $348 @ Saks

And a fun cardigan from Gabriella Rocha, available at a discount at 6pm.com:

Gabriella Rocha Cardigan $67.99 @ 6pm.com

20 Years of Thinking Pink

Next month marks the 20th anniversary of the Estée Lauder Breast Awareness Campaign. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation was founded by Evelyn Lauder (1936-2011) who was the Senior Corporate V.P. and Head of Fragrance Development for the Estée Lauder Companies, and who helped name the Clinique Brand, and developed such globally successful fragrances as Beautiful and Pleasures. 

Lauder's personal experience with early stage breast cancer in 1987 led her to co-create, with Alexandra Penney of SELF magazine, the now ubiquitous Pink Ribbon in 1992. The Pink Ribbon is a universal icon and is recognized as the worldwide symbol of breast health. 

In 1989, she and her husband, Leonard Lauder, son of the late founder of the company, raised $18 million to establish the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, which has become a worldwide model for coordinating supportive services for breast cancer patients.

In 1999 and again in 2007, Lauder was featured in Crain's New York Business magazine as one of New York's 100 most influential women in business. In 2010 Ms. Lauder received the Fashion Group International Humanitarian Award in recognition for her work with BCRF and her tireless work to eradicate breast cancer.

Lauder's good work continues posthumously as her campaign celebrates its 20th year. This October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) there are a wide array of products for sale with a portion of proceeds benefiting the cause, including a hand cream from Aveda, hairspray from Bumble and Bumble, and blush from Bobbi Brown. You can see a selection here.

Estee Lauder Evelyn Lauder Dream Lip Collection $29.50 @ Nordstrom

At Nordstrom,  The Evelyn Lauder Dream Collection includes Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Candy, Pure Color Gloss in Pink Innocence plus a pink snakeskin-printed clutch.  For each purchase of $29.50, Estée Lauder will donate 20% of the purchase price to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation from August 2012 to June 2013.

JCPenney is supporting The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, too, by offering free styling and haircuts to breast cancer survivors at its salons, and donating $1 for every free haircut it gives (up to $50,000) to the Foundation. The store is also raising funds through customer donations, asking customers to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, with the difference going to the Foundation. 

In loving memory of our dear friend, Barbara Minsky, who we lost to breast cancer in October 1990- two years before the launch of the Estée Lauder Breast Awareness Campaign.

Immortalizing Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen with Kate Moss Photo:Anne Deniau

The friendship between a young fashion designer and a French photographer began in 1996, when the late Alexander McQueen and Anne Deniau met when she worked for the House of Givenchy where McQueen, then age 27, had been appointed Creative Director.

Love Looks Not With the Eyes: Thirteen Years with Lee Alexander McQueen by Anne Deniau @Amazon

Love Looks Not With the Eyes: Thirteen Years with Lee Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) is a new book of never-before-seen photos of Alexander McQueen's fashion shows, taken during the thirteen years that Deniau worked behind the scenes with McQueen and gained a rare view into his runway shows.  

Deniau told The Telegraph,  "People say he turned fashion into art but that is wrong.  He was an artist and fashion was his medium; that is different." 

The title of the book refers to a line from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which McQueen, who took his own life in February 2010,  had tattooed on his right arm: "Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind."

Although many considered McQueen to have a dark side, Deniau told The Telegraph, "..that is absolutely not the man I knew." She explained, "He had dark moments like any creative artist, great highs and downs, but apart from that he spread such light."  

Even those with the most avant-garde tastes in fashion will be amazed at many of McQueen's unbelievable creations captured in these exquisite photographs.

The British Are Coming (to Nordstrom!)

Topshop, on the top of our shopping list in the U.K., has partnered with Nordstrom!

Fourteen Nordstrom store locations are featuring the British brand, with 2,500 sq feet allocated to womens' apparel, accessories and makeup and 1,500 sq feet dedicated to mens' apparel and grooming items. If you don't live near the fourteen Nordstrom locations which carry the line, don't fret; some items also are featured online at nordstrom.com.   

Nordstrom is the sole department store to get the line; Topshop's other locations in the U.S. are in Las Vegas and Soho in New York City. 

Phillip Green, President of Topshop and Topman, told The New York Times that Nordstrom will be receiving weekly deliveries of merchandise so it will keep customers coming in to the store more frequently.  Kate Phelan, Topshop's creative director, recognizes that although  Nordstrom tends to cater to a more conservative clientele, "...we make them feel it is easy to mix a combat jacket with a lace skirt."

Some of our online favorites include this sequin peplum top:

Topshop Sequin Peplum Top $64 @ Nordstrom

 And this camouflage sweater:

Topshop Camouflage Sweater $80 @ Nordstrom

As a footnote to the story, Mr. Nordstrom sealed the deal with Mr. Green over lunch at a Nordstrom cafe (the Bistro) in Las Vegas, nearby to a Topshop store- the great food at the Bistro is another reason to love Nordstrom (as if the fashions were not enough)!

The Turtleneck Comeback

Everyone from Philip Lim to J. Crew is featuring turtlenecks as a must-have. Seen on the fall fashion runways, the turtleneck is having more than just a "fashion moment."

The Turtleneck Trend on HarpersBazaar.com

HarpersBazaar.com showcased the photo above in a feature on Pre-Fall Trends, highlighting how three major designers each styled the turtleneck: under a jacket at 3.1 Phillip Lim (left); under dress at Missoni (middle) and under a trench at Erdem (right).

Penelope Cruz, W Magazine Sept issue

You can wear your turtlenecks standing alone like Penelope Cruz did above on the W Magazine September cover. Cruz was styled in a Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci stretch wool turtleneck with an incredible 18k gold-plate and lapis Lynn Ban statement necklace.

Or you can wear the turtleneck as an underpinning, as shown on the designer runways featured above. This can be a great way to extend your wardrobe and transition your summer pieces into fall, which is something we blogged about the other day.

For example, the turtleneck was shown under sleeveless dresses, as shown on the J. Crew runway:

Layered Turtleneck at J. Crew

FABSUGAR has an entire feature entitled, "Celebrities Wearing Turtlenecks 2012," which highlights how 7 stars did a spin on the turtleneck in 7 different ways to kick off the fall season, with everyone from the ever fashionable Kate Middleton in an olive green turtleneck dress cinched with a black belt to Gwen Stefani in a printed turtleck under a leather jacket with skinny jeans. Check it out for some style inspiration.

Shop your closet (or your mom's or daughter's!) right now for this fall staple.

Susan Says: Kick Up Your Heels

The YSL Tribute Platform Pump $825 has a 4" heel

High heels are certainly here to stay; in fact, figures on murals dating from 3500 B.C. depict an early version of high heels.  And unless you are very tall in stature, we all want to add a little height by sporting a pair of heels of the "non-killer" type.  

Here is some sage advice from notable female podiatrists, who just happen to love wearing high heels (Dr. Suzanne Levine, NYC podiatrist, loves her heels so much that she has been known to perform surgery in her favorite Manolo Blahniks!), as outlined in the September issue of Glamour Magazine:

• Shop after lunch:  I worked in the "Salon Shoes" department of a major retailer for years and so I know from experience that shoes which fit you in the a.m. may not fit very well after lunch!  That is because the foot expands as the day progresses; also the hotter the day, the more feet will tend to swell.  

• Forget about "breaking them in:" So says Dr. Carolyn McAloon, a podiatrist practicing in San Francisco.  Dr. McAloon states "If (the shoes) hurt in the store, they will kill on the street." Dr. McAloon suggests taking your new heels home and walking around in them on carpet; that way you may still be able to return them to the store if they prove to be uncomfortable.

• Think platforms or wedges: If you like your heels to be higher than two to three inches, consider styles with platforms or wedges.  According to  Dr. Jacqueline Sutero, a podiatrist practicing in New York City,"A four-inch heel with a two-inch platform is technically only a two-inch heel."

• Know your size:  That includes width.  Wide widths can be hard to fit, especially for some notable high-end designer heels that tend to run narrow.  You might trying go up a half a size if the heels are your heart's desire.

• Mind your posture:  Shoulders down and abs, in according to Dr. Elisa Kavanagh, a New York City podiatrist who treats The Radio City Rockettes.  If you can't maintain your posture or walk properly by hitting the floor with the outer heel first then pushing off the big toe, the heels are too high.

• Think inserts:  Arch supports help toes from crunching.  Swipe soles with deodorant to helps combats clamminess. 

• Finally, when you kick off your heels, try running your feet over an ice cold plastic water bottle.

Now & Later: Wardrobe Transitioning 101

Katie Holmes, Lily Allen & Kate Moss wearing shorts & tights on People.com

Fall is synonymous with shopping for new, transitional wardrobe items, but maybe we can skip some of the shopping? 

With the arrival of the fall season, many of us tend to re-arrange our closets, relegating our summer clothing towards the back and bringing the darker hues forward. 

But as temperatures fluctuate, it is possible to continue making good use of summer favorites with just a little bit of thought and flexibility. 

With the state of the economy, Dawn Del Russo, fashion expert and author of 101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle (as told to The Costco Connection, September 2012 edition) advises: "It would be a shame to go and buy new clothing just for fall and then possibly not get to wear it because there's a sudden unexpected hot spell.  Better to save your money and splurge on solid winter pieces like boots or a coat instead of buying in-between clothing you don't necessarily need to have."

So here are some tips to extend the life of your summer wardrobe as outlined in The Costco Connection by Rachel Stafler, a fashion and beauty freelance writer:

Don't be short on shorts:  Keep shorts long into fall by wearing them with tights.  Legwear is also key to transitioning summer skirts and dresses into fall.  Look for shimmering metallics and geometric prints.  "You can completely transform your look by changing what you wear on your legs,"stated Laura Godsall, founder of online tights retailer AlexBlake.com. "With a couple of new pairs of tights you can make a statement and follow the latest trends."

Layer upon layer:  Keep your t-shirts and tank tops around in fall by adding layers like blazers, button-down shirts and cardigans.  According to Lucy Sutherland Knaus, a New York-based fashion stylist, "Start with a bright tank top, throw on a button-down shirt and then top with a sweater if needed. ........you can peel off or add layers as the weather changes through the day."

Winter brights:  Jewel colors are abundant this season.  However, don't ditch the neons ......a brown sweater works well with coral jeans.  Surely we all are aware that the "don't wear white after Labor Day" "law" has been repealed, so think white pants with boots or with a darker top and heavier jewelry. Winter white is always right!

If you do go shopping... : According to Del Russo "If you want to buy a few new pieces, keep an eye out for embellishments, like pyramid studs on jewelry and gold rim on scarves and clothing.  Fall can be a great time to reinvent the wardrobe you have."