April's Observations: Winter to Spring

1. The capsule collection for now
I was thinking about trends recently. Spring may be on the way, but Chicago is cold and windy. And icy. Snowy. And gray. Trends are all well and good, but what, I wondered, would be the best shoes for right now? The set above came to mind: Jeffrey Campbell stacked-heel penny loafers, black lace mini-wedge House of Harlows, killer Sorels and a new color of my favorite boot this season, the Vancouver.
 
A capsule set! The stack heels are for client meetings; the tennies are for of-the-second Factory inspiration; Sorels are for all the time (yes, you can be happy when it’s crappy); and a great pair of all-the-time, super sleek, platform laceup booties. Yes.

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2. Spring/Summer 2011
Onward! SS11 is full of great surprises and a lot of help for those who hate heels: the platforms are all flats and the flats are outrageous (and so are all of the heels). Here’s a round up of some favorites 
for the upcoming season:

LOOK FOR: platform flats / textured stilettos / fantastic colors / disco shoes

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3. Honor thy Sorel
Confession: as a little girl, I often found myself tromping around in the Northern Michigan snow. Getting a new pair of Sorels was, like, a heavenly moment. The whole process was a cool sensation: going to the old-time outfitter and dipping my arms up to the shoulders in fishermen's waders, then walking up the soggy old boards to the boot room. You could get a pink and white pair. A red pair. A blue and purple pair. Sorels were cool back then and I am so happy to say they are off the charts for this season of very wet, cold snow. Of course, you can always make a cute outfit based on them that’s bar appropriate.

—April Francis of Haute Closet


  

Trend Report: Handbags 2011

Handbags. At least they have no sizing issues. Will they they always fit your lifestyle? Do you desire quality pieces that transcend the seasons? Are you a slave to trends, constantly searching for your "it" bag? Either way keep an eye out for the following looks when shopping for arm candy this spring.

Burberry Prorsum spring 2011 runway finale

Multi- & bi-tonal colors against neutral backdrops

Tassels and feminine embellishments

Structured shapes

Geometric prints

Pastels/Neons

Bronzed metallics

Diane von Furstenberg.  Her bold use of bi-tonal color is right on trend.

Elly Clay. Here's another focus on bi-tonal color but in a low-contrast palette. Note the nod to the tassel trend.

This piece by Gucci is one of my favorites. Metallics are still in. The tassel makes another appearance.

This ultra-feminine, structured piece by Chloe is adorable!

Black is being shown on the runways for spring. In most cases, it is mixed with brighter colors, but Chanel goes classically dark. 

This Chloe piece is probably my favorite. I love the beadwork and the chain!

This adorned clutch by Marchesa is absolutely adorable! Very originial. Perfection. 

The neutral tote is here to stay! You can never go wrong with this type of bag. Every girl needs one! Alexander Wang.

Wang does it again, with this ah-mazing bag! I want. I think we all do.

McQueen. I mean, yeah, of course this is awesome.

—Ashley Lacey, Armitage staff and creator of Stiletto Chic

   

Sneak-Peek: New Apparel Finds in New York

Lori and the buyers are busy in NYC scouting out new trends and styles for our spring lineup of clothing and accessories. Apparel, a new addition to our repertoire just last year, it growing bigger. A big trend we're buying this season is the drapey and diaphanous Greek goddess look—lots of wraps and gathers in tunic lengths, one-shoulder tops and silky rompers. The look is easy, yet effortlessly chic.

We temper our enthusiasm for the ancients with more structured, modern pieces like a wool-and-leather panel skirt, a cowled shift dress and, why not?, black leather hot pants. Vrooom!

Color blocking and sailor stripes are emergent looks for early spring. While we would normal run shrieking from horizontal stripes, we think these picks have a jaunty, fresh vibe that really luffs our sails.

   

The Latest Resort: Spring 2011

For many, ‘tis the season for planning winter cruises and destination trips. My, what to wear? Even if you are not traveling, plan to freshen up your wardrobe in preparation for spring. Take a cue from Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Dior and Scognamiglio and go fluorescently retro. The runways are alive with prints—gingham, nautical, feminine florals, pretty pastels and other decorated extras. The "return of the stewardess" has inspired clean lines and daring hems.

Left to Right: Jil Sander, Nina Ricci, Sportmax

Left to Right: Burberry Prorsum, Christian Dior, Proenza Schouler

I love the colors here. Although some of these items may be a bit much for everyday wear (such as the Sander skirt), we can still glean a couple tips from these designers:

1. Show a little leg. The majority of these looks are above the knee, so go tastefully short. 
2. Color is your new BFF. If neon is not your thing, stick to shades that appeal to you ... but lighten up! If hot pink is a bit much, opt for a softer baby blue or green. Mix a vibrant color with a jean or dark bottom to balance your palette. And don’t be afraid of the colored slinky shoe!

DVF is everything that I love about fashion. Her designs are wearable and invigorating. Her use of print is notoriously awesome. Take a gander at my favorite looks from her Resort 2011 collection:

What's not to love about this effortlessly chic look?
This shade of blue-purple is just heavenly.
Love it paired with the white and a bit of black in the top.

I am in love with this print.
The neutral tones mixed with pale blue is amazing.
When picking your own prints make sure
they are complimentary to the undertones in your skin.

The lesson here? Super-short shorts are in!
Go with a lightweight, patterned fabric for pop
or settle on a solid, brightly colored romper for spring.
Safe to say the wrap sandal has made a comeback. 

This darling mini shift dress is great
especially when paired with shades & white gladiators. 

—Ashley Lacey, Armitage staff and editor of Stiletto-Chic


   
 

The Shoes of New York Fashion Week

One thing agreed about New York Fashion week: EXHAUSTING. And we weren't even there (physically, at least). But between live streaming shows and conferences we were very much a part of the spirit of the madness. We felt for the tired tootsies aching for nail spas and foot massages today. We share your pain ... in spirit, that is.

As for Spring runways, we learned boho chic can be sexy and cool (Odd Molly); legs have it (Christian Siriano); and we are going back to basics (Michael Kors and Donna Karan). In many collections, we saw an influence of '70s inspirations (Tracey Reese hats), elegant silhouettes with lowered hemlines (Cynthia Rowley) and leather. Gone are the short-short skirts; hello, mid-calf to maxi dress and loose-fitting, high-waisted trousers. Ahh, a relief to those of us without the blessing of thin, long legs. 

But what about the shoes?? Not the typical topic of most fashion week chatter, but as shoe lovers our eyes were wide with endless possibilities. What did we see? A huge mash-up of chunky, low-heeled sandals, narrow pumps and sky-high heels with stacked fronts. However, one style reigned supreme—booties! Yep, they are here to stay. From peep-toes and sling backs to covered flats and kitten heels, the bootie is a versatile shoe indeed. This just gives us even more reason to shop booties until we drop.

If you missed the phenomenal madness of New York fashion week 2010 and would like to catch some of the highlights check out www.fashionologie.com.


—Photos courtesy of Fashionologie

Trend Report: Leggings in 2010

Last week we took a cheap shot at denim leggings, or rather, the branding of denim leggings. (Lori’s insisting we call them “leans” in lieu of “jeggings,” but we’re having none of it.) We have nothing against denim leggings – we heart them quite a bit – but socks had to have their moment. We’ll circle around to leggings soon enough (probably at the expense of socks; we are so fickle).

In the interim we had a chance to sit down with some industry friends in New York working in the hosiery trade and talk about once and future trends. Men are not excluded: in the interest of a well-heeled (heh) story, we got the skinny on menswear trends as well.


Lori’s: Let's start with a review of 2009. What did you find were the big trends?

Women’s: OPAQUE. We had a huge push for an opaque leg. We also saw a trend in patterned opaque

Men’s: Casual. Men are dressing down more than ever and even if they are dressing up they are probably wearing casual socks, meaning heavier weights.


Lori’s: At the store we did brisk business with a lot of patterned leggings and embellished pieces – zippers, studs, sequins, etc.

Women’s: Embellishments for spring 2010 will be seen in socks using Lurex yarns in a playful way carried through into fall as a bolder spangle-like option. Still lots of shine!


Lori’s: Now that we are in 2010, how are those trends evolving or new trends emerging from them? What will be the must-have colors and textures for spring and fall?

Women’s: Spring colors will start off soft with lilacs, pinks going into splashes of dark tangerine followed by saturated pinks. We are seeing textures evolving in an interesting way by combining sheer and opaque. For fall we’re seeing a lot of deep greens like spruce, forest and loden with aubergines for a sophisticated leg using rich textures.

Men’s: Spring is “ath-leisure”: a combination of casual and athletic. This translates into casual socks with arch support, cushioning, anti-microbial and wicking properties. Fall is always the classic argyle! The argyle comes in a casual and dress weight. Colors trend towards heathered/marled looks. Brown heather, oatmeal heather, loden, wine heather. The fashion color is Royal Purple seen in pops of color on a sophisticated dress sock or a heathered plum on a casual sock.


Lori’s: Which are your favorite looks and how would you accessorize them?

Women’s: My favorite spring/fall look is an anklet peeping through ankle boots paired with cropped or rolled skinny jeans, a great tank and cardigan topped off with a cozy scarf! My favorite winter look is a mini paired with a solid opaque leg or texture leg worn with a peep toe heel.

Men’s: Socks are where men can really step out without being too much. The banker that has to wear a suit can wear an over-the-top dress sock with shots of purple in the pattern. The more casual guy can hide the pink contrast on the heel and toe of his sock in his shoe.


Lori’s: What is the "look" for spring?

Women’s: An oxford paired with an anklet or crew length sock worn with a relaxed pair of shorts.

Men’s: I think that the overriding element for spring is more athletic type socks and no-shows or peds for guys so they can wear their loafers with a no-sock look.


Lori’s: For fall?

Women’s: Dresses are still very important for fall so we will continue with an emphasis on the leg seeing rich textures and bursts of saturated colors.


Lori’s: How are leggings a part of that look?

Women’s: I still think the legging will be important in 2010. It’s an easy, comfortable wear.


Lori’s: We have a huge demand for denim leggings – the ultimate skinny jean. What's your take on it?

Women’s: Personally I love the look, paired with a comfy tee and/or sweater … making sure the length hits just right!

Men’s: The overall trend for guys are socks that work for them – anti-microbial and wicking, arch support, mesh top for breathability, placed cushioning so the sock is fit for left and right wear, socks that don't shrink when you wash them. SmartWool technology: the sock is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. A seamless toe or a reinforced heel and toe for comfort. Socks that stay up and don't fall down the leg over the course of wear.

Five Essential Fall Looks from Jeffrey Campbell

We spent some time this week chatting with Jeffrey Campbell style maven Ty McBride following his triumphant style interview on Style Like U. After the lovefest ("You're so awesome!" "No, you're so awesome!") we asked the girl to deal out his best style tips for keeping current as fall progresses. Herewith, his sage advice.

It seems that while the temperature is dropping, the looks are getting hotter. Around the Jeffrey Campbell office we are a-buzz with chitter-chatter about the hottest fall trends and how JC is hitting them. These five fashion favorites are coming at you live from the NYC office! Pencils ready? School is in session.

1. TIGHTS/LEGGINGS/LAYERING
We have produced several fall styles that are intentionally open in the front despite the plummeting temperature. We love the current boldness of color and texture in tights, leggings and layering basics. Styles like BELGIUM and POLISH play well into these looks. Peek-a-boo splashes of color let you to diversify your looks depending on your mood or time of day.

2. MIXED PROPORTIONS
We are obsessed with the ready-to-wear look of mixed proportions – giant tops with micro bottoms, skinny silhouettes on the bottom half. We love shape-driven looks that combine contrasting elements to create a refined '80s chic. We have created many styles this year that bring this trend to the foot! Styles like PHOTO and LEGAL are very "hoofy" and heavy which play with shapes and weights. Paired with leggings, they anchor a giant top.

3. AMERICANA/WESTERN
There is nothing we are OBSESSED with more than the groundswell of rugged Americana cowgirl chic. Everything old is new again, especially the Jeffrey Campbell takes on vintage favorites that use heavily distressed, oiled and preworked leathers. Styles like NEED, SUPPLY, ALL and WISHLIST top our list for this trends. This look translates to a number of ages, styles and demographics.

4. NAUGHTY (It's the new NICE.)
We are obsessed with over the knee boots (OTK BOOTS) in every shape, color, form and incarnation. Get them flat, stacked, engineered up or on a skyrise heel – we don't care. Just find a way to get them into your life. Trust us: you will feel like the PRETTY WOMAN in all of us!! Check styles like LUBBOCK, ISSUE, ZIP-005. AMAZING! OTK trends are a guaranteed TKO for fall 2010.

5. HOLIDAY OFFICE PARTY MAKEOUT!
Our fifth and final trend is for Holiday. With budgets tight and office holiday parties creeping up we offer evening shoes that serve multiple functions. Pair them with something you own using the shoes' glam-factor to breathe new life into an existing outfit!! FIGHT THAT RECESSION WITH GLAMOUR!! We love a little scandal at holiday office parties. Once that spiked eggnog is flowing Larry from Accounting is looking pretty cute!! Check out new arrivals like DOWNTOWN, QUARTZ, DOWN, and MARLY-ST. All of these styles are great for grabbing attention and can easily be paired back with tons in your wardrobe post-party.

HAPPY FALL FROM TEAM JEFFREY CAMPBELL.

Report from Fiesole

Overlooking Fiesole outside of Firenze in Tuscany.

Lori has been reporting from Italy where – in addition to shopping the trends, learning Italian and apprenticing in local kitchens to perfect her Mediterranean cooking – she will be walking the Milan footwear shows to track down the next wave of trends. Herewith, her report from Tuscany:

"Well, I have to be honest and tell you that I am enjoying my experience in Florence immensely. I have been studying Italian every morning for four hours – total immersion. When I am not studying, I am cooking at the restaurant. I normally get home around 7:00 PM and hang with my friends, study Italian and then finally lay my head down about 1:00 AM in the morning.

"Yesterday I took a stroll around the Duomo and saw a lot of the same styles that we carry. They even held over styles from last year like the man-tailored looks. They are showing a lot of short cowboy and oxfords on heels. In terms of the natives, they are just returning from Ferragosto and you don't see many of them around. (It has been nearly 95 degrees everyday so no one is wearing fall.)

"I am staying in a sweat box. No fans here and obviously no A/C so I don't want to hear anyone complain when the air conditioning isn't working for a day!!!!"

Being on-trend with our Italian counterparts during a big fall season? A/C or not, no complaints here. :-)

We Come from France: Loafers

We've got word from our correspondent in Paris that loafers are everywhere. We were surprised, but not that surprised. After all the look is casual, cute and oh-so-easy to pull off in the summer. What we've got on Paris is that our selection of loafers and driver mocs are on sale for up to 50%.

Here's the dispatch hot off the wire:

Salvatore Ferragamo loafers – very popular. Brown suede even better. I can’t stress enough how popular these loafers are. Everyone has them. Purple suede, brown suede, silver buckle, traditional penny slot. Women in little cocktail dresses and patent leather heels ... I can’t wait to go shopping in Paris!

Or Lori's Shoes, we might gently suggest.

See all our sale shoes


DMN D1023 - Black: 30% off at $89.90


Mia Madrid - Tan: 50% off at $34.00


Mia Madrid - Purple: 50% off at $34.00

Notes from New York: Fall Accessories Trends

One thing we love about the transition from season is the slow wave of color palettes as they luff up in spring bright and high-key, slowly descending over the summer months into a romantic trough of deeper, richer hues. This season is no exception as Lori and our buyers report from shopping the fall trends in New York.

Handbags are softening up. Expect unconstructed shapes, softer lines and materials, most notably roughed-out leathers and suedes perfect for a casual, slung-across look. Colors are predominantly teal, garnet, eggplant – the deeper, more saturated jewel tones – like peering at a candle through a glass of Saint-Emilion. Sangria. Raspberry. Rich and darkly muted.

Jewelry continues to edge back toward the Haight with a strong hand-made trend that includes beading and leather. Picture it on worn-out bluejeans with hand-washed short cowboy boots, plaid shirts. For the city-dweller leather-wrapped pieces are especially strong and a continuation of the natural/organic trends of this season.

Jewel-tone scarves in bottle green, teal and purple and paperboy hats with a nod toward embellishment continue to make changing up an outfit a breeze while adding some affordable personality.

While it's high sandal season at the moment, we're excited for this sneak peek at what we're wearing for fall!

The Practical Girl

The buzzword on the street may be recessionista, but that's a little too precious for us. We don't love the idea of taking advantage of a bad economy to score some deals for our wardrobe – we're all in the middle of it! But it would be a mistake to deny that fashions aren't pegged to the Dow in one way or another.

Recall that old chestnut about rising stocks and hemlines? Well, as The Dow rollercoasters around we're seeing a return to the practical girl which makes the trend toward neutral hues great for summer. There's a downplay on glitz and embellishment (though by no means gone) and a renewed emphasis on good design and value. The neutrals and nudes we're carrying are versatile and apropos the warmer months. Pair them up with bright whites for a clean, easy, breezy look as fresh as laundry on the clothesline.

Lori's current favorites:

Graffiti's 3511 in Onyx & Brown is a chic twist on a simple sandal.

Jeffrey Campbell's Tier in grey steps up the style in a fantastic dove/milk chocolate combo.

Sniks's woven wedge in taupe suede is casual sophistication with a touch of huarache trend.

A Leg Up

We were idly flipping through the September issues of Vogue and Harper's the other day (ok fine: we pored over them in avaricious, greedy glee, basking in the detailed glory, lost amongst the finery for well over a few hours) and we saw a look we really like: the legging. And, what's more, the legging under the high boot.


This look is a compliment to high boots and over-the-knee styles. Leggings provide a great opportunity to pop in bold color and bridge the gap between boot top and skirt bottom. The sweater dress is another winning top, especially something classically modern like Lutz & Patmos's Omi & Opi Sweater guest-designed by Kirsten Dunst: a long sweater or high-thigh dress perfect for this look.

The look is so easy and so versatile. Pair with a clean, structured top like a short-sleeved peacoat shape or short trench and A-line skirt. Let the tights' color lead down into your boots -- we're seeing such attention to detail and materials this year that the boots will end up carrying your look (literally).

With all the layering going on in long dresses, we were happy to see it extend to the shoe as well - layered leggings are a great way to add some quirk and edge to your look. Pull in some color with HUE's range of tights, find your favorite Gucci-inspired hyper-stud pump and overlay the Calvin Klein toeless knee highs for a new look.

Fall: A Primer

We're running willy-nilly through trends this fall, so we thought we'd pause, catch our breath, and give you a run-down of our favorite fall trends. Keep in mind that a number of shoes this season are under the influence of multiple trends. There's a lot of crossover out there, kids!

1. Peeptoe Shooties & Pumps
The Look: Pumps with coverage up to the ankle with a moderate-to-high heel, often decked with style elements borrowed from men's shoes (wingtip punching, oxford footshape, panel color contrast) and kept feminine with a cute peeptoe front.

Shown: Steven Midory
Exhibits traits of: Peeptoe, shootie, New Wave, pump

2. Spectators/Co-Respondents
The Look: Inspired by the co-defendants in British adultery cases, the Co-Respondent is defined by masculine two-tone styling, wingtip punch patterns and an oxford silhouette. This gets feminized with a heel, softer colorways and details like grosgrain bows, patent leather and that ilk.

Shown: Jeffrey Campbell Tomba
Exhibits traits of: spectator, pump, shootie

3. Equestrian/Calvary (or, Military by Way of Horses)
The Look: Thank endless wars for an ongoing military chic. This season's crop focuses on tall boots with pronounced equestrian detailing like a high front fender, harness details, a mid-height heel and cinching at shaft top. If you don't own any jodhpurs, pair with a skirt of your choice just above the knee to mid-thigh.

Shown: Frye Paige Tall Riding Boot & Progetto C482
Exhibit traits of: equestrian, calvary, hero boots

4. Grunge Chic/New Wave Glam
The Look: Goes two ways. Grunge comes straight out of Seattle Scene revival nostalgia and is a rejiggering of early-'90s work boot/industrial/Goth styles; a prettified Doc Marten. New Wave is a reaction to punk and looks a decade further back to the early '80s -- expect glam versions of Doc Martens and deconstructed, slouchy shoes.

Shown: MIA Dominic
Exhibits traits of: grunge, glam, Doc Martens, New Wave

5. Hero Boots (Over-the-Knee Boots)
The Look: Ultra-romantic boots that hike over the knee or fold down for knee-highs. Reference superheroes, Blackbeard (or, perhaps, Captain Morgan) and 18th-Century aristocrats. Often meant to slouch or scrunch for a casual look, or hike all the way up for a boot that is your look. Wear with shorter skirt/dress to draw attention to the leg between boot and hem, and thus to legs and sexiness in general. Wear brightly colored or patterned tights for a more hermetic, more put-together look.

Shown: Lamica Iride
Exhibits traits of: equestrian, hero boot, over-the-knee, purple-related colors

6. Purple
The Look: Purple is the color of royalty and Heathcliff-style romance passion (think of all those moody moors covered in heather). It's also close enough to black to work with your outfit whilst adding warmth and chroma. Look for it in hues closer to blue than red.

Shown: Pour La Victoire Ophelie
Exhibits traits of: pump, spectator, purple hues

7. Fringe
The Look: An applied-texture look ranging from your typical SF hippie moc style to more Nouveau Riche arriviste stylings taken from golf decor. Ranges from casual to buttoned-up depending on the style of silhouette it's paired to. A versatile option.

Shown: Steven Bijoux & Max Studio Daphne
Exhibit traits of: fringe, pumps, masculine styling, '80s excess, '60s hippie chic