Best Puffer Vest of the Season

There’s a snow bunny in all of us…some of us may like to ski but don’t we all deserve to look as cute on the slopes as we do off! When it comes to gearing up for winter this year don’t be confined to the traditional idea of a full coat, instead try one of the seasons hottest puffer vests! Pair them with your favorite turtlenecks and long sleeves and you’re ready to face harsh conditions or stay and sip hot cocoa by the fire.

Lauren by Ralph Lauren Jessie
Siberian Leopard Reversible Vest $169 (Macys)
Invoke in your inner animal! This is a really fun piece, a reversible puffer vest in a shimmering metallic leopard print designed in lightweight quilted microfiber to create a stylish layering piece.

Women's Furallure Vest $199
(Northface.com)
The perfect skiers vest. This vest is the “traditional” puffer vest and no one does it better than Northface. Water-resistant and breathable, this down-filled vest has a smooth satin faille exterior. The faux fur trim is removable from the hood.


Theory Long Vest
Libbie Style $495 (Bergdorf Goodman)
More of a trendy vest piece, this vest is utterly chic and stylish. It has a natural raccoon trim hood and snap front. Drawstring detail at natural waist to give it some shape. So fabulous!

DKNY "Debra" 2-in-1 Vest/
Bomber Jacket $226.80 (Bloomingdales)
The best of both worlds! This bomber jacket has zip off sleeves. Wear it as a jacket or as a vest. Truly versatile with a hidden zipper with snap over closure and hood.

Best Deals for Wool/Cashmere Sweaters under $200

Think you can’t afford Cashmere? Think again! While yes when we think of Cashmere we think of its undeniable quality and its luxurious feel. Unfortunately, quality can come with a pretty steep price tag. So if you’ve been looking to add to your collection of cashmere or finally get that cashmere sweater you’ve been pining over, check out these three places before you go spend a fortune!

J Crew Henley V-Neck $178

J crew – Offers great styles with prices from $158 to $198. Some of my favorite detailing on their sweaters are chunky ribbed knits, tie front styles and feminine trims such as silk and satin.

Aqua CashmereTurtleneck $128

Aqua at Bloomingdales – Pieces range from $128 to $198. Aqua carries some really fun youthful pieces with cropped styling and interesting silhouettes. Check out their cashmere dresses as well.

Halogen BoyfriendCardigan $78

Halogen at Nordstrom – A truly budget friendly cashmere brand, with prices starting at $57 to $88. Halogen carries button up styles with polished details such as pearl trimmed necklines. They also offer great Merino wool pieces that layer well and come in elegant prints.

Best Women’s Indoor & Out Door Jackets

Winter; synonymous with chilly, frosty, and down right cold. You ever notice that waking up in winter is a struggle, anything to keep from pulling the covers off. Once the morning chills have passed, it’s time to figure out what to wear?

So this season while you’re out shopping for your new winter jacket or a chic blazer, consider my suggestions…its important to love this piece since it’ll be with you all season and maybe seasons to come. Think about how you can incorporate the piece into your existing wardrobe. Don’t fret about spending the money for a jacket, it’s worth it!

Theory
Knit Collar Jacket $495 (Saks Fifth Avenue)
Classic peacoats are a winter staple these days, add a modern twist and look for a cropped style. This one’s made with a blend of virgin wool and cashmere and has a double breasted fit and knit collar.

Rebecca Taylor for $395 (Nordstrom)
The Chanel inspired jackets are all over this season and I’m loving it! Isn’t this silhouette just iconic? It’s in beautiful silk blended tweed that features fringe trim with a hint of metallic shine.

Diane von Furstenberg
Amarte Jacket $745 (Barneys)This Moto-style leather zip front jacket is ultra chic. Don’t you just feel like a diva when you step out wearing a leather jacket with zipper detailing?

KORS Michael Kors
Single Breasted Trench Coat $226.66(Bloomingdales)
Not just your traditional trench! This contemporary trench has an added hood, umm FINALLY! The hood is removable and has trendy details like epaulettes, front tie at the waist and a back walking slit.

How to get the Perfect Party Look

While it might be the season for giving there’s nothing wrong with indulging a bit and giving to yourself! As 2010 creeps up on us, were wrapping up our shopping for friends and family and we’re making our plans to ring in the New Year. And if you’re anything like me that means a new party dress! What about accessories too? Need some ideas? You’ve come to the right place! Here’s what to look for as you put together you’re party outfit…

1. Find a dress in a striking color, something in red, silver, gold, purple. Try something bold. If you go with a black dress, step up your accessories to bring it to life, keep them colorful. If you get something in a solid color like this red Herve Leger dress you can have fun with the jewelry you pair with it. (Hervé Léger Open Back Dress $1,250.00)

2. Find some attention-grabbing dangle earrings. Like a chandelier style earring. Dramatic is the way to go, party time is the one time you can stray away from what you wear everyday. Like these hexagon gold earrings. (Kara Ross Hexagon Stingray Earrings $165)

3. Look for sparkly stacked bracelets. Go ahead, decorate your whole arm! But just do this on 1 arm. Cara’s bangle set is great because they come with 32 bangles. You can also try buying them separate and mix and match them yourself. You can even go with just plain gold bangles if your dress is busy on its own. (Cara Accessories Bangle Set $58)

4. Go feminine and fun with shoes. Shoe off your pedicure ladies! Wear some sexy strappy shoes to show your feet. If you can get something in metallic or bejeweled even better!(Badgley Mischka Egan Strappy Sandal $165)

TIPS:
· Look for a dress with a gorgeous neckline. If you go strapless make sure to wear a statement necklace.
· Don’t be afraid to go all sequined with a dress or exotic print. Just make sure to keep your accessory choices simple and elegant.
· Accentuate your favorite body part, whether it’s great legs or your small waist. A great fitting dress will make you feel and look great.

The Perfect Holiday Dress

Awww the HOLIDAYS! That time of the year when we break out our flashing lights, sparkly ornaments and decorative knick knacks. Oh yes, the holidays is that time of the year where too much is never enough! That goes for our holiday party attire too!

Great holiday dresses come in ravishing colors and sequins galore! The must have dresses are made in decadent fabrics like shimmering satins, silky chiffons, and sparkling taffetas and no intricate embellishments spared!

My picks come from four different lines, Diane von Furstenburg, Tahari, DKNY, and French Connection.

DVF Iridescent Chiffon "Lele" Dress $385.00

The dress from DVF has a very form fitting silhouette in a fabulous jewel tone blue. Pair it with some black stilettos and long dramatic dangling earrings.

Tahari by Arthur S. Levine Ruched Satin Dress $168

Tahari’s beautiful purple dress has a flattering fit for any body type with a ruched waist and softly flared A-line skirt. Dazzle it up with sparkly stacked bracelets and drop earrings.

DKNY "Sweetheart” Gold Dress $345

DKNY’s dress is luminous in gold brocade. Pile on the glitz with shinning jewelry, find a statement necklace to go with since its strapless, you should have some gorgeous neck wear, but keep the earrings simple or vice versa.

French Connection Femme Dress $250

French Connection’s all over sequined dress shimmers while you walk. With such a dramatic dress you can play down your accessories, try wearing simple gold bracelets and earrings. But wear some metallic gold or silver strappy sandals with a matching clutch.

Buying Button Downs that Fit!

Ever notice that womens' button downs never seem to fit quite right? Well the reason may be that you are buying one not fitted for your body shape. Did you know that all clothes are actually designed to fit a specific body shape?

Banana Republic can be a great place to look for button downs as they carry both regular sizes as well as petites. Two Nordstroms brands, Vallette and Classiques, also offer really great fits. The Classiques are especially good for women who have larger chests and need something to fit well through the torso. Nordstroms also carries a brand called Foxcroft which are wrinkle resistant, fit well with women who have full body shapes, and come in every color of the rainbow. Pink, Ted Baker, and Theory are other brands that make fun shirts that fit petite women very well.

What to watch for:

Does the shirt fit in the shoulders?
Does the end of the shirt line up with the end of my shoulder?
Do the buttons bulge across my bust and chest?
Can I move freely without feeling constricted?
If I tuck this in will it stay tucked in all day?

Shoes: Comfort versus Sassy.

It used to be that if you wanted to wear a drop dead hot pair of shoes, you prepared yourself for ending up in near tears at the end of the day from the pain and discomfort of walking in your gorgeous shoes. This, thank goodness, is no longer the case. With the emergence of some new brands over the last couple of years, you can look hot all day long and not sacrifice that much needed comfort.

The great new brands on the scene include: Corso Como, DKNY, Soft Souls by Kenneth Cole, and now Ecco. A great way to check out these shoes is to use Zappos (www.zappos.com). With free overnight shipping and free return shipping there is no harm in trying. A rule of thumb is to always walk around your home in your new shoes. If they hurt or pinch anywhere when you put them on, think twice about the purchase since this discomfort will likely never go away.