Some final thoughts on Autumn/Winter 2006 that I could not leave unshared: 

Rant:

• Real fur – the explosion of rabbit, fox and raccoon fur on clothing prevented me from buying items that I loved. The abundance of it in mainstream retailers like Arden B and Bebe surprised me. There will hopefully be a wider assortment of faux fur next season.

Rave:

• Neutral palette – I did personally miss the colours, but on the other hand it is easier to put looks together in black, white and grey. It’s a good idea to have the neutral palette represented in your closet, and this fashion statement encouraged me to buy a few items that I wouldn’t have otherwise considered. 
• Animal prints – this wild, timeless and forever-chic trend is especially stylish as you get older. Animal shoes and accessories always kick your outfit up a notch and I enjoyed having a wide selection to choose from.

Feel free to share any last rants and raves before we put this season to bed and start concentrating on the glorious Spring collections that lie ahead.

Timeless Donald J Piner giraffe-inspired (not real giraffe) leather accessories from Endless.com (which offers free shipping and superb prices on designer brands).

Bored with what’s in your closet? Mix it up! The best thing about this season’s Winter looks: there isn’t just one way to wear them. Mixing trends will keep you going before you start to update for Spring.

Creating a contrast is one of my favourite ways to mix trends. Here’s how:

• Add lace to the androgynous look
• Add ruffles to the military look
• Add a touch of mod to vintage
• Mix preppy with glam 
• Wear pearls with fashion sneakers
• Wear colours that clash, but work
• Experiment with layers

Stand in front of your closet tomorrow and come up with a new combination of clothing and accessories. Invent your own way of interpreting a trend. Designers look to street fashion for inspiration all the time and you might end up being somebody who starts a hot new trend.

While white dresses were the favourite at the Golden Globes, nude, red, black and gold were popular choices at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards last night.  Long or short, ruffled or sleek, Grecian or vintage, black or metallic, all seemed to have their place on the red carpet. I enjoyed the variety and had my favourites.

• Anne Hathaway’s gown was a sculptured work of art. Her long black tiered, rosette-inspired Marchesa dress was perhaps a little over the top for the SAG awards (one wonders what could top this at the Oscars) but an exquisite garment to behold none the less.
• Cate Blanchett is the new supermodel of the stars (watch out fellow Australian Nicole Kidman). Long and lean in liquid gold and 5-inch gold platforms, Cate’s style is never conventional but always glamorous. The back of this dress was also a geometric masterpiece.
• Reese Witherspoon was petite and perfect in a slate crystal-encrusted strappy sheath.
• Eva Longoria was pretty in an asymmetrical, Grecian inspired grey gown.
• Helen Mirren sported the latest fashion colours in an elegant, alluring and age-appropriate midnight blue dress carrying a bright yellow clutch.
• Becky Newton was in the best red dress on the red carpet. The clean and uncomplicated lines of her strapless a-line gown were fabulous.

What were your favourites?

My red carpet favourites, as seen on People.

Stacey and Clinton, hosts of the American version of “What Not to Wear“, are adamant when it comes to polyester. They maintain that it’s a big “no no” and that you should rather stick to luscious natural fibers. I beg to differ.

There is a time and a place for polyester. It’s true that polyester is not the best choice if you’re after cool and breathable clothing for scorching summer temperatures (100% cotton and linen items are better choices). However, you can’t go wrong with clothing that’s made of polyester and blended with rayon, wool, viscose or spandex.  It’s the polyester component in a garment that will give it its pristine drape and often crease-free finish. Natural fibers do not possess this incredibly appealing attribute.

You’ll need to be discerning when it comes to polyester. Sometimes clothing that’s made entirely of polyester can look ghastly and feel flammable, but then there are polyesters that look and feel fabulous. Ann Taylor offers impeccably tailored suits and blouses made of 100% polyester every season.

I’m thankful for Polyester. It keeps the price of clothing affordable and the wash care easy.

We might still have a good few months of winter weather ahead us, but we’ve seen the last of this season in store. Spring 2007 is about to explode and I can’t wait to see shops filled with the promised eruption of colour and print. Every season has its share of good and bad trends and this one in particular was rife with watershed changes in fashion. Here are my feelings on the best and worse trends of Autumn/Winter 2006.

Best:

• Longer length tops - Hallelujah! The extra coverage meant that I could say goodbye to drafts up my back and down my bottom. This fundamental shift in fashion made dressing in layers easy, flattering and comfortable.
• Ruffles and volume – ultra feminine styles like these were welcomed by my girly side.
• Skinnies – initially my heart sank at the prospect of having to wear what I did 25 years ago. But wearing skinnies tucked into a pair of fabulous boots made me love this trend and I was converted.
• The resurgence of red – it took 12 years for red to come back as a major fashion colour and I love it. There is a shade of red for everyone.
• Patent – gloss is great. It always seems to add an extra dimension to your outfit (even when it’s black on black).
• Flat Riding boots – chic, sophisticated, elegant, comfortable and practical. Who can’t love a trend like that?

Worst:

• Black, black, black – I enjoyed this season’s monochromatic palette, but I missed the colour. Trying to find great items that weren’t black was very hard.
• Mini skirts – very short skirts are only for those of us with beautiful legs. I think that mini-skirts are harder to wear than a pair of skinnies. Skirt lengths are most flattering somewhere at the knee.
• Skinnies – I loved this trend when tucked into boots; but it also makes my “worst” list because I saw too many women wearing the style in a less flattering way.
• Black nail polish – it looks evil no matter how beautiful your hands.
• Platforms – I’m just envious that I can’t walk in them.

How did you feel about the trends this season? I’d love to know what made it to your closet, and what got left dangling on the store rail.

Black nail polish, platforms and mini dresses were hot in Autumn/Winter 2006, but never made it to my personal shopping list.

Does your briefcase add that extra bit of sass to your look? If it doesn’t, think again. Confident, chic, creative and sophisticated women shouldn’t be carrying boring black canvas laptop bags sold at office supply stores. If you mean business – make sure that your briefcase also reflects your own personal style.

Whether you are classic, funky, artistic, trendy, bohemian or retro – there’s a briefcase or laptop bag out there that’s perfectly stylish for you. An oversized, long and lean tote might also do the trick if you need to stow away books and papers instead of a laptop. You might even find a fabulous messenger bag to hold your professional daily stash if you work in a more casual setting. With today’s range of options, your stylish briefcase might double as your handbag during work hours.

The best assortments of briefcases are usually found online. Try sites like LeatherTree, LuggageOnline, BagsBuy and eBags. Brands like Coach and department stores like Nordstrom also have good online selections.

A few less conventional styles to whet your appetite!

One of America’s largest retailers is in trouble. After experiencing negative sales growth over the last 2 years, the company has announced management changes and is reviewing its Gap and Old Navy brand strategies (The Gap Inc. includes Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Forth & Towne chains). Rumour also has it that the company is considering a sale.

When was the last time that you bought anything for yourself at the Gap? Unfortunately, it’s been years since I’ve done so and this makes me sad. I’ve always enjoyed the Gap’s consistently good quality and casual all-American style. But their clothing collections have gone from bad to worse. Criticized for having bland apparel for youths, and fashion-forward apparel for baby boomers, the chain seems to have lost its target focus. 

Where is Gap’s gap? Perhaps it is that they are no longer the destination store for jeans and t-shirts. The Gap built its reputation and profits on selling the best basics in the business. Perhaps “basic” is the problem. People today seem to want more for their fashion dollar, and they are getting it from stores like Zara and H&M. It is being left behind in spite of the millions it has spent on its celebrity advertising campaigns.

The Gap is definitely having a hard time defining its position within the retail sphere and sales are eroding because of it. Whether it can be rescued remains to be seen. What would you do to save the chain?

Transitional merchandise has begun to blossom in stores and it’s all about the nautical spirit. Dark navy and white basics are highlighted by a few touches of red, jade and lemon. The shade of navy is virtually black and I particularly like that aspect of this trend as lighter navies tend to look less rich and more uniform-like.

On the other hand, I’m not sure whether the nautical collections give us enough of a change from all the black, white, red and striped merchandise we’ve seen in store for the last 6 months. Transitional collections are most effective when they contrast with the season that’s on sale. But the newness of colours like jade and lemon, and silhouettes like wide-legged sailor pants, might be fresh enough to entice us to buy the odd item before Spring merchandise really hits stores.

There are modern classic and trendy interpretations of the nautical look:  

• For a modern classic look, combine navy and white basics with a striped knit top, cream/ navy trench coat, pointy toed boots and an oversized leather tote.
• For a trendy look, match sailor pants with a ruffled shirt, cropped cardigan, funky short trench coat, converse sneakers and lemon accessories.

Nautical looks are versatile and easy to put together. The theme is timeless and always open to re-invention.

	Striped knitwear (Bebe)	Plain knitwear (Bebe)
Short Trench and Sailor pant (Anthropologie)	Yellow coming in (Old Navy)	Converse sneakers (Nordstrom) White & lemon tote (Nordstrom)

Have a bash at experimenting with some of the transitional season’s trendier silhouettes with items like these.

The headband is back. Narrow, broad, elastic, scarf-like, patent, plastic, patterned, jeweled or animal print – the choice is yours if you have the head of hair that suits this look. It seems to work best on women with long thick hair, either curly or straight. 

Headbands can be chic if worn a certain way. The trick is to keep your hair looking crisp, neat and in place when you wear them. Headbands won’t look elegant if your hair looks straggly, flat and unkempt. By all means sport the look if you have short hair, but you might find that a dainty style will work better.

Remember that less in more when you wear a headband. Leave off the earrings, specs and necklace and make a stylish statement with one bold accessory at a time. 

Impeccable looks with beaded, silk and polished animal print headbands (available at Nordstrom).

On one of her recent shows, Oprah talked about finally discovering the combination of high heels and comfort in a single shoe. More specifically, a boot in the Nike Air collection by Cole Haan (a wholly owned subsidiary of NIKE Inc.). The shoes in this collection have an engineered “air bag” in the fore part and heel of the shoe, thereby providing a comfortable cushion for your feet.

Gordon Thompson, the man behind the creation of this special footwear range, spent 10 years developing footwear for Nike before becoming the creative director of Cole Haan shoes. Originally trained as an architect, Thompson had the vision of marrying running shoe technology with luxuriously crafted high heels.

When Oprah said “This is life changing. It’s not a cure for cancer, but it is a cure for your feet“, I felt compelled to see for myself. After trying a few styles, I too was convinced that these shoes are more comfortable than other high heels. Trouble is, there isn’t a heel in the collection lower than 3 inches, which makes for difficult walking no matter how cushioned and comfortable the interior. I’d love to see Cole Haan come out with a 2 inch heel using the same Nike Air technology.

You might want to give these shoes a try if you can walk in 3-inch heels, but unless this collection brings out a lower heel, they’ll stay in the category of “great sitting shoes” for me.

The boots that changed Oprah’s life, and pumps and wedges from the same Cole Haan collection.