Fashion

Our Favorite Neon Trends Spotted On Pinterest

April 5, 2012 at 4:02 pm , by Rachel Shippy

I can’t help but notice the growing popularity of neon happening lately and the electric hues are peppering Pinterest boards everywhere (including the Journal‘s!). That’s right, it’s not just for construction cones anymore, ladies! Whether it appears as a handbag, as nail polish or as jewelry, neon can freshen up any look, even in small doses. Check out some of my favorites highlighted here…

You can find more bright ideas on our ‘Neon‘ board.

 

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Our Favorite Stripe Trends Spotted on Pinterest

March 30, 2012 at 11:37 am , by Rachel Shippy

There is nothing I don’t love about a striped pattern – it’s clean, it’s playful, it can be edgy or preppy and let’s face it, the nautical stripes vibe just makes me feel one step closer to owning a boat (can you blame a lady for dreaming?). The Journal‘s fashion editors also had fun with the trend (and with 2 Broke Girls‘ Beth Behrs) in our March issue, and bloggers everywhere are coming up with their own eye-catching ways to feature this design staple. Check out some of my favorites from Pinterest this week…

You can find more on the Journal‘s Stripes board.

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Go Ask Gab: The Easiest Way to Add Some Style

March 30, 2012 at 11:02 am , by Gabrielle Porcaro

This time of year is confusing. Last week people were rocking strapless maxi dresses and flip flops (a little early in my opinion, I don’t care if the temperature is in the 70s) and earlier this week I saw someone with a hat and floor-length puffy coat (lady, it’s not the dead of winter — put it away!). Mother Nature, or shall I say Global Warming, is all over the place and it’s reeking havoc with our wardrobes — among other things. I find my go-to accessory these days is a fun scarf. I leave my collection on the back of my door (that’s it, at right) and grab one to finish off my outfit. I spend a lot of time out and about and a boring military jacket or a black blazer sometimes needs a pop or color or print. It’s also a perfect accessory on one of those T-shirt/jeans/flats days when I want to look a bit more put-together and not sloppy. Scarves also hide wrinkles, which is perfect for me since I have a no-iron policy. I’ve collected a lot of scarves throughout the years but here are a few of my favorite brands.

Echo  is pretty much the godfather of all scarf companies. They have been around for 89 years and have a wide selection of scarves for all seasons (not to mention some great beach coverups).

Theodora & Callum has gorgeous printed scarves. Their site also has videos of all the ways you can tie the scarf, which is genius because wrapping scarves may seem easy but they are often a little tricky.

Lemlem is another favorite. Made in Ethiopia, they have the most amazing white gauzey scarves with neon stripes. They are truly unique!

Ann Taylor, Tory Burch, American Eagle, Club Monaco, J. Crew and Boden all carry great scarves as well.

So when the weather is fickle, make your life easier and tie one on. It’s the simplest and easiest way to add some style.

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Our Favorite Ombré Trends Spotted on Pinterest

March 22, 2012 at 4:11 pm , by Rachel Shippy

Whether it’s my clothes or the walls of my apartment, it’s safe to say I’m typically drawn to bold, uniform colors but lately the ombré trend has really caught my eye.  If you’re not familiar with the word ombré, it is a French term referring to the gradual gradation of color and is also quickly becoming a favorite of Pinterest boards everywhere. That’s right – it’s not just for paint chips anymore! Here are some of the best ombré pins that made LHJ’s board this week…

Find more colorful pins on our Om Sweet Ombré board.

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Go Ask Gab: What to Wear with Colored Denim

March 15, 2012 at 1:01 pm , by Gabrielle Porcaro

I bought two pairs of cartoon-colored skinny jeans and don’t know what to wear with them. Do I go with a neutral, something matchy-matchy or something crazy and contrasting like I’m seeing in the fashion mags? My cream-colored sweater looked dull and all wrong. Help! — Julie

Julie, you aren’t the only one suffering from this dilemma. As I’m pretty sure everyone knows, colored denim is one of the biggest trends right now (be sure to check out my top picks) but they can be somewhat intimating to actually wear. The thing to keep in mind is that wearing bold jeans is making a fashion statement in itself so it’s ok to go plain on top.

To make your life easier, here are three shirts that will go with every shade: A simple gray tee, a navy and white striped top and a chambray button-down. From there you can dress them up with a blazer or long pendant necklace or colorful heels.

If you do want to take it to another level and wear a colorful top, go with a solid contrasting color. Think of it like color blocking (another trend that’s big right now) and pair colors that work together. For example, turquoise skinnies with a royal blue silk blouse. Printed tops are great too—as long as you match the colors right.

Be brave and when in doubt, a loose white tee always works! For more of my favorite colored denim looks, follow my colored denim Pinterest board.

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Are You An Apple or a Pear?

March 2, 2012 at 10:52 am , by Abigail Nutter

There is something magical about shapewear that is difficult to explain. It may not be something people see, and we certainly don’t want to reveal our body-shaping secrets, but it helps supports our bodies without feeling self conscious about our stomachs or thighs. I know that for me, a woman with a small waist and wider hips and rear, it is almost impossible to wear shapewear without wanting to rip it off after twenty minutes! What’s a girl to do?

Typical shapewear is one size fits all, which if anyone has ever even seen a woman, would know that one size certainly doesn’t fit all body types!  Luckily, Wacoal is  reshaping the way women wear shapewear with their fabulous new Control Freak collection.

Control Freak is designed to fit women with pear or apple shaped bodies. What makes one a pear or apple? Glad you asked. On Wacoal’s website, there’s a super cute video that helps you figure it out.  A helpful hint, pear shaped bodies have a smaller waist but with fuller thighs and rear and an apple shaped body has proportional fuller waist and hips. The collection comes in three different colors: cappuccino, black, and natural nude, and is lightweight and comfortable for you to wear all day.  No woman should ever be ashamed of her body, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need a bit of help every now and then. Luckily, Wacoal has our backs (and our waists, hips, tummies and rears) covered!

 

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Go Ask Gab: Oscar Fashion Wrap-Up

February 27, 2012 at 11:45 am , by Gabrielle Porcaro

The morning after Oscar night is always hard for me. I am exhausted from throwing a party and sad that my favorite night of the year is over.  Honestly, I didn’t think the show was that entertaining (The Bridesmaids, Emma Stone and Chris Rock saved it) but, I was pleased with the winners (Octavia, Woody, Muppets… Yay!) Overall it was a great night for fashion. Here are my thoughts:

Color winner of the night: White. Gwyneth, Rooney, Milla, Octavia, Shailene all rocked it.

Best over-all look: Michelle Williams. She had some hits and misses this awards season but in this coral Louis Vuitton gown she oozes chicness. And I LOVE how she always brings the best fashion accessory: her best friend Busy Phillips.

Best dress for your body moment: Octavia Spencer. One word: flawless. That Tadashi Shoji dress was ridiculously flattering. She looked gorgeous!

Most appropriate color choice of the night: Gold. Big winner Meryl Streep picked a perfectly draped Lanvin gown. Also wearing that color, Stacey Keibler, who by dating George makes her a winner for the time being.

Star of the night: Angelina’s right leg. Loved the dress but there was no need to stick the leg out and pose all night. There is already a twitter account for it and BuzzFeed has it’s top 10 moments of the night.

Please-put-it-away award: Jennifer Lopez. Come on! She would look sexy in a brown sack so why does she have us focused on her ladies the whole night. Poor Cameron Diaz was overshadowed by them. And what was with those arm slits? Second runner up: Viola Davis. LOVE you and the fact that you choose green but you are revealing a bit too much.

Sleeves that worked: Shailene Woodley. She looked amazing in her cream crochet detail Valentino Haute Couture gown. Usually girls her age look like they are going to the prom or 30 years older than they actually are.

Sleeves that didn’t work: Berenice Bejo. The mint green Ellie Saab gown was just wrong. The color and the cut wasn’t working for her. For her first time at the Oscars, I wish she wore something a bit more sexy. Honestly she would’ve looked amazing in J. Lo’s dress.

Most in need of a large meal: Gwyneth Paltrow. Although, I love a cape moment and loved her Tom Ford dress, I just want her to eat more. Have a burger and live a little!

Most likely to serve her the burger: Melissa Leo. What was up with that collar?

Do you agree or disagree.. let’s discuss!

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