I Dream of Draping

Carolina Herrera 

Derek Lam

Tommy Hilfiger

Balenciaga

With the continued emphasis on the economy, designers are looking to seduce women to shop with styles that are both sensual and beautiful with a dose of practicality for day & evening. Draping is one the major trends that women will hopefully add to their wardrobe this fall & winter. Draping always makes me feel like a Greek Goddess!  

Leopard Fashion trends: Walking On The Wild Side

Everyone likes to spice up their wardrobe with some spots. Leopard fashions are being seen on the streets of Chicago from scarves and coats to a dose of trim.

Just as a note of caution, when wearing leopard prints, keep your selection to just one piece and never mix your animal prints together....no leopards with zebras, please!

In the Trenches

It's that perfect transition weather from summer to fall in Chicago. This is a signal to take out your favorite trench coat from the back of your closet. It seems that some Chicago women seek to embrace the Rolls Royce of trench coats, wearing Burberry and others use the weather to define their own signature for a trench coat.

Sweater Weather

With the first hint of the colder weather to hit Chicago, women are looking to find an excuse to wear their latest sweater purchases of the season. Short sleeve bulky knits to sleeveless vests are some of the fun styles we see on the streets of Chicago.

The last picture is from the Ralph Lauren window - a sweater over a beautiful dress -apparently sweaters are being dressed up and down this season!

In Love with Leather!

Leather is one of those fabrics that weave in and out of fashion over the decades. Well, guess what? Leather is back again as part of the biker chic trend. It's definitely happening with skirts, jackets, pants and even short shorts for those who want to stop traffic. Even I am embracing this look as part of my wardrobe for fall without the Harley Davidson.

A Garden of Handbags

Color is a an easy way to punctuate your wardrobe without spending lots of money. Women are having fun replacing their traditional black handbags with a dose of color. Lucky for us the rules about matching your shoes to your handbags went out of fashion in the past century!  

Ruffle Your Feathers!

Call it a response to rebel against the "Rocker Chic Look" that has been embracing the fashion runways for fall 2009. Chicago women want the added option of looking feminine in their wardrobe on those last days of summer, wearing ruffles, bows and ties. We are never boring and enjoy marching to our own style pace!

Pencil Me In!

Blame it on the success of the hit show"Mad Men," or just the mirroring of the 60's as one of the season's biggest trends, but pencil skirts are back again!  Chicago's most fashionable females are emulating the look in solid colors, prints  & with the additon of slits. Try adding a great pair of stiletto pumps with a simple white shirt for the sassy look of Joan or Betty.  Oh, but please, no cigarettes!  

Who Wears Short Shorts!?

Shorts are no longer confined to just the daytime!  Chicago women are having fun showing a little skin by turning to shorts for both day and night.  To dress up this look just keep it simple with a cute pair of pumps, or be outrageous & add something funky like boots or hats. It's all about showing off those great legs!

Skinny Jeans = Big Style!

Put down that doughnut. No more extra calories if you want to wear one of the hottest trends in jeans. Yes, we are talking about skinny jeans & they will be around for the fall & winter. We know fashion reflects or repeats the past &, in the 80's, they were called cigarette jeans before most people nixed the habit in restaurant, bars & offices. This time around the jeans are available in a variety of colors & have stretch to help hold the shape. Get on that treadmill immediately!

We're Begging for Leggings!

For several seasons now, women have tossed out their pantyhose, opting to show a little skin with bare legs.  This summer, however, women of all ages are covering back up turning to trendy leggings to wrap their gams.  Chicago's most stylish women are pairing leggings, in all different lengths, colors and fabrics, with lingerie tops, cardigans and tunics.  The look certainly gives a woman a leg up on the competition!

Long Dresses for Long Summer Days

With hot summer days in full bloom in Chicago, women are turning to the cool long flowing dresses for comfort. Whether you favor colorful solids or print dresses, skip the stilettos for this trend & look to flip flops or gladiator sandals to complete the look.