The last time that the oversized boxy jacket with the oversized shoulder pads aka the “Boyfriend Jacket” was around, I was in college. At the time, I wore this trend to the extreme. My favorite was a real tuxedo jacket that my dad had tossed to the side when it no longer fit with the sleeves pushed up, crisp white shirt, jeans and flat shoes. Its no secret that I am not in college anymore and I would feel very silly trying to go back to that. Actually, it would break one of my hard and fast rules for style…never wear a trend twice! But the boyfriend jacket is everywhere and I still LOVE them….so the age old question is how to wear the trend in a way that is relevant while being age appropriate?
Two of my favorite words…princess seams. This jacket has them along with shoulder and waist darts and a slightly rounded hemline. I CAN wear the look that is tailored to my body type thanks to this ingenious construction detail that takes down the “boxiness” just a notch. It takes into consideration the silhouette of my body and allows me to follow the idea of the trend without looking like I raided the attic at my parents house! This white boyfriend jacket from Doncaster will be in my closet and the closet of many of my clients this season. It fits my life and my body now and every girl needs at least one great white go to jacket in her spring/summer closet!
Click here to put this fabulous white boyfriend from Doncaster in your Spring closet. For ease of ordering, use consultant code 1867121.
“Biker Chic” was a big trend in the Fall which has carried over into the Spring lines of many designers such as Phillip Lim, Tommy Hilfiger and the accessories of Michael Kors and Lanvin. Once again, how do we take a relevant look and apply it to the lives we lead? I advise my clients to take an edgy trend such as hardware, grommets and zippers and you soften them. Consider softer or more feminine colors, fabrics or cuts.
Which is exactly what Doncaster has done. The first jacket with grommets is made of a supple leather and soft blue. The snapdragon twinset is the ultimate “Breakfast at Tiffanys Meets Urban Chic 2010.” But this techno jacket with the ruffles, pleating, and black details is in my opinion the absolute show stopper, unexpected while totally wearable wonder!
Click here or on the pictures to learn more about the Doncaster Spring 2010 collection. For ease of ordering, use consultant code 1867121. And feel good as you wear chic to work!
I love the idea of wearing sequins all day. From work to evening. In Las Vegas and in Scottsdale. We might even see this in San Jose but I’m not expecting it to be everywhere you look. I am probably a little too classic to pull it off but there’s no question that it is going to be a hot trend for Spring. The long list of designers showing this for Spring range from the uber trendy Alice & Olivia, Anna Sui and Isaac Mizrahi to the elite establishment of Pucci, Christian Dior, and Armani. And shoe designers from Lanvin tennis shoes to Doc Martens (yep, sparkly Doc Martens combat boots!). Looks like there will also be sequin sandals!
Sequins have been popular for the past few seasons. The extension to day wear is the big news. And where they are showing up: on suit pieces tailored for business, on hoodies, and twinsets. On cute skirts, accessories, jeans and pants. And on every fabric and color imaginable.
Are there any rules to this trend? One very important one. Do not overdo it. Strictly one piece with sequins.
Here are a few sequined treasures from the Doncaster Spring 2010 line. These have classic lines with a trendy edge. Take this anywhere and wear them anytime. 
December 26th is one of my favorite shopping days of the year. I line up my gift cards all in a row and start hunting for the best online deals on the favorite items I have been following all season. When I sat down to scope out the specials today, I was initially intrigued by huge markdowns. Unfortunately, what I have also found is very low inventories. There are still great bargains to be had but patience is the word of the day. And flexibility. I did spend a few of my gift cards on treasure but most of them will be stored away for a month or two when inventories are a little more plentiful.
If you don’t see what you are looking for, many sites will let you sign up to receive an email when the products are available. I love this! Its like having my own emailing personal shopper!
Thanks to the internet, personal service and product offerings based on my preferences is back! And thanks to social intelligence, that computer even knows my name!I grew up in a small town where I went to school with the store owners who were also the store managers/cashier/purchasing manager and custodian. I grew up in the day of personal service. When I went into a store, I was greeted by name by the owner who had a pretty good idea why I was there. She usually had suggestions to guide my purchase in between questions about how my family was doing, how school was going, etc. Even the chain stores were franchises with local ownership and coexisted peacefully among the mom and pop stores.
Then big box discounters moved in during my high school years. My college roomate used to say about Walmart, “If they don’t have it, you don’t need it.” And with them, the small mom and pops became a thing of the past. There are still wonderful small stores, but they are much more gift, hobby and lifestyle oriented. And with them, relationship shopping left the landscape. You were expected to purchase with the masses as inventory became a decision of scaled purchasing on massive discount. So, if I was willing to go with the flow, I could buy what everyone else was buying from the front of the store at a massive discount.
Meet the loyalty program. The best of both worlds. I have been Christmas shopping the past few days and my email inbox is bursting from the seams. Discounts and links to items that are similar to or complementary to my purchases. Coupons to entice me into the store and to the website. And the banner advertising on my Google and Yahoo mail accounts all reflect where I have been spending money either online or in the store using loyalty cards and coupons. And when I go to the site, I am greeted on a first name basis and links to products are ready and waiting to hop into my shopping cart!
Gotta run! Some of my loyalty coupons are only good today…Happy shopping!
