Bodywarmers (or vests) are not just a fashion statement for ladies this season. Their sporty and urban appeal makes them a stylish denim jacket alternative for men. Their breezy sleeveless styling offers a practical solution for gents who tend to get warm easily.

There are plenty of styles and fabrications to choose from. For the best look, stick to styles that are:

• Snug – wearing this item roomy is unflattering
• Loosely quilted – thick piles of down will make you look bigger then you are
• Not fleece – fleece is good for sport and outdoor activity, but not for everyday casual dressing

They are particularly fun in colours like red and orange.

Bodywarmers look best on blokes when they are layered over knits such as T’s, sweaters, pullovers, casual cardigans and turtle necks. They don’t look good over collared shirts. This often reversible layering outerwear item is a perfect addition to the modern man’s wardrobe.

Men’s bodywarmers from Gap, J. Crew and Macy’s.

Selecting the right fragrance is not always easy. You need to live with a scent for a while before you know whether it really works for you. Fragrances are expensive and this can become a costly exercise. 

Joey recently shared a comment that is worth repeating so that more people can benefit from the information: Nordstrom will make a handbag sample of the scents that you like for $6.50 each! Forking out $50 instead of $500 is much easier on the pocket. This gives you the opportunity to wear each fragrance for several days so that you can make a more informed decision.

This cost effective and experimental way of finding your scent is an excellent way to maximize the quality of your decision and minimize your dollars spent.

Opaque tights go hand in hand with mini’s and ankle booties. They are ultra-thick nylon stockings that almost look like support hose. They come in an assortment of colours with black being the most versatile and popular.

They also come in two thicknesses – normal and semi. Both are worth considering:

• Normal – will keep you warmer and offer you better coverage. They give you the slimming effect of wearing stove pipes underneath your skirt or dress. The effect is dramatic and will therefore capture this season’s fashion moment more effectively than semi-opaque tights. They are a good idea if you are self conscious about your legs.
• Semi – will not keep you as warm or offer you as good coverage; but tend to look more lady-like because of their slight sheerness. They have a classic look about them and are better suited to professional attire. 

Opaques are robust. They won’t snag easily and can be washed and worn over and over again. They’ll pill much sooner than they will snag and you’ll need to watch out for that. Enjoy the return of opaque tights!

You’ll find opaque tights (like these from JC Penny and Nordstrom) in department stores and drugstores for as little as $8.

Tucking jeans into boots stylishly this season has been challenging and is the topic of many questions on “Ask Angie“. How can we prevent “bunching”, “overstuffing” and discomfort, and get the look right?

The answer: a specific pair of jeans/pants and the correct pair of boots.

• Jeans/pants – need to be extra skinny, tapered and hemmed to your ankle. The trick is to have as little fabric as possible to tuck. If you have to fold any fabric over in order to tuck – think again.
• Boots – need to be wide enough at the calf and ankle so that your jeans lie fairly flat inside them. They can be slouchy, western, sophisticated, equestrian, knee high or calf high in style - as long as there is enough room for comfort when you tuck. 

You might find that you’ll have a pair of jeans/pants and boots devoted to this look alone. It’s always better to buy items that work across a range of looks, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. If you love this look – make sure that you match the correct jeans with the correct pair of boots.

The extra skinny ankle length jeans (Nordstrom) on the right are perfect for tucking into these comfortable riding style boots (J. Crew)

The ankle bootie is the shoe of the season. It’s not quite a shoe and not quite a boot, but somewhere in between. Ankle booties are another throwback to 80’s fashion and worn in the same way that they were then:

• For everyone – wear them underneath bootcut and flared jeans or pants like a normal pair of boots
• For the more fashion forward – pair them with skinnies, leggings and cigarette pants
• For the very daring – dress them up with opaque tights and knee length or mini dresses/skirts

Ankle booties come in a selection of styles. Those that reveal your ankle bone and close neatly around your foot and ankle are most flattering for dresses and skirts. They look best with 3 inch heels and are a good dressy option for autumn and winter.

If you are shoe-crazy and can walk in thin heels – make sure that you have a pair in your wardrobe this season. They’ll give your outfit a completely new look.

Elegant styles from Nine West are on sale for between $70 and $80.

The mini has returned. This comes as no surprise with the revival of 80’s fashion. While making a noticeable statement for Autumn and Winter, Spring 2007 fashion reports show that the trend of the mini is here to stay. Raised hemlines on catwalk collections were all the rage for the season ahead.

• Who can wear a mini? Those of you blessed with slim and shapely legs.
• What’s the shortest length you can go? Standing with your hands by your side, your hemline should never be shorter then the tip of your middle finger.

In general, the most flattering skirt and dress length for any body type is at the knee (just above, on, or just below the knee). Visually, you know your own best hem length is at the point at which your legs look their longest and slimmest. If you have superb legs – by all means raise that hemline!

Update the look of the mini this season by adding:

• Thick black opaque tights (you’ll look like you’re wearing cigarette pants under your dress) 
• Chunky heels, long boots or the new ankle bootie

Max Studio shows us how to wear mini’s the new way below.

Leopard and zebra prints are hot this season for all age groups and fashion personas – children included! You need at least one animal print accessory in your wardrobe. And while animal prints seem to drift in and out of high fashion, they’ll always be stylish for the modern classic.

Contrary to popular belief, hairy animal printed accessories are not made of real horse, leopard or zebra skin. They are usually made of cow skin (like normal leather) and printed. There are also great synthetic versions around that will do the trick.

Animal printed bags, belts, scarves and shoes are for everyone; while animal printed clothing, outerwear, boots, sunglasses, hats and hair accessories are for the more daring. Both categories are sure to increase you style quotient.

Bring out the animal in you with a few refined choices from J. Crew.

To walk in style is not enough – we have to walk in comfort. The easiest way to make a winter boot, shoe, non-athletic sneaker or dressy heel comfortable is with some form of insole, heel cup or orthotic.

These marvelous inventions can cost you anything from $3 at your local drug store, to around $50 if you have them custom made. I’ve found both ultra cheap air foam insoles and pricier gel versions just as effective – your fussy feet will quickly let you know which they prefer.

Check out specialty stores (e.g. Dr. Scholls  and SuperFeet), drugstores and footwear stores. You might be surprised at the range of solutions available to you. Ball of foot cushions, massaging gel heel cups, diabetic insoles, tri-comfort orthotics and dress-fit high heel insoles are to name but a few.

Personalized fit insoles (SuperFeet) and dress-fit insoles for high heel shoes (Nordstrom).

Insoles that target the ball of the foot and the heel (Dr. Scholls).

Wellington boots, galoshes or rain boots – they’re all the same thing and an absolute must if you live in a rainy or snowy area in winter. They are best worn with skinny or straight leg jeans to prevent excessive bunching when you tuck them in. Bootcut styles will also work; but might not be as comfortable. Wearing wellies underneath your jeans kind of misses the point – your jeans or casual pants will still get wet.

Wellies are a win if…

• you’re an urbanite and commute on foot
• you take your dogs on winter walks
• you take the kids to the playground
• you like to garden
• you work with children or animals
• there are times when you walk in rain or mud

There are fabulously fun and stylish versions at stores like J.Crew, Banana Republic, Zappos and Nordstrom. You can choose to either keep your wellies playful and short, or sleek and tall.  Either way – you’ll ooze with style that’s practical and chic.

Trendy options from Banana Republic, Tretorn, Zappos and Nordstrom. Wellies don’t come in half sizes so you might need to try on a few styles before you find the right ones.

Gap Inc. recently started it’s forth chain store – “Forth & Towne”. It’s been open for about a year in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, New York and Chicago, and has recently opened its doors in Atlanta and Seattle. I went to have a look.

Forth & Towne was created to capture a slice of the market that Gap Inc wasn’t reaching – women over the age of 35. Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic (Gap Inc.’s first 3 chain stores) capture a substantial amount of the younger market, while the so called “older women” (who generally have more disposable income) were left untapped. And so, Forth & Towne was created with the intent of luring this demographic.

Staff were friendly and informative. They explained to me that the name of the new chain store has a story: “Forth” to denote that it’s Gap’s fourth chain store (with an intentional play on the spelling of the word); and “Towne” to denote the notion that shopping is a social and urban phenomenon. The name actually sounds like a meeting destination – “I’ll meet you at “Forth & Towne”, rather like saying “I’ll meet you at 6th and Pine”.

The store offers chic apparel collections for 4 lifestyles: casual, smart casual, business casual and formal.  Sizes are based on the curvier women and run from 2-20 (with shorter lengths available in pants). Prices are set between Gap and Banana Republic, and the quality is lovely.  The store was designed with the notion that shopping can be transformed into a pleasurable communal experience. Comfy chairs and a style table laid out with fashion magazines, flowers and bottled water occupy the heart of the dressing room area. Forth & Towne will give chain stores like Coldwater Creek, J Jill, Eileen Fisher and Chico’s a run for their money. The clothing is generally more sophisticated, tailored, flattering and less expensive.

The concept of the new store is interesting. The over 35 year age group is diverse – from people like Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicole Kidman, to Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey. And whether this target market actually chooses to linger on in the store remains to be seen. However, it’s always worth taking a look at something new – if you feel that you fit the demographic, have a peek.

The first Forth & Towne store in New York state.