Stripes

The Fashion Statement: Stripes, Polka Dots and Plaids

Filed under: Apparel, The Fashion Statement

'Tis the season to break out your spring wardrobe (if old man winter would ever go away). But if you don't have this season's take on stripes, polka dots and plaids, get thee to a boutique toute de suite. This is not a time for wallflowers.

These prints have very little in common with the classics. This year, designers painted stripes with a bold brush, used variously-sized polka dots head-to-toe, and paired plaids with floral blouses.

The key is to break every rule your mother taught you: Mix and match patterns. Select stripes in contrasting colors, pair the polka dots with stripes and spice up florals with any geometric design. Just make sure the contrasting patterns have a consistent theme, use the same color palette, or same motif.

Prada and Jil Sander presented some of the best collections of the season. Sander sent out a floor-length gown contrasting vertical black-and-sheer stripes on the bodice with the skirt's pink-and-white horizontal stripes. Prada took a white blouse with a navy monkey print and paired it with a black-and-fuchsia striped skirt. That same skirt served as the foundation for a blue-white-black-green striped top.

Tags: Dolce and Gabbana, Jil Sander, Louis Vuitton, Moschino, plaids, polka dots, Prada, Spring 2011, Spring 2011 Fashion Week, stripes, The Devils Cloth, The Fashion Statement

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Roberta di Camerino Carvel Intreccio Bag, Handbag of the Day

by Marsha Reid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Roberta di Camerino Carvel Intreccio Bag

We might be going slightly overboard with all the yellow handbags we've been featuring lately (Hayden-Harnett Welles Hobo and Jimmy Choo Fru-Elaphe Clutch), but as I write this, it's an extremely gloomy, dark and rainy day. And I am yearning for some bright sunshine. And that is certainly what you'll get while you wear the Velvet Carvel Intreccio Bag ($2995). It's made with velvet - which likely will not feel good against your skin on hot summer days, but it would be great for the cool summer nights – and decorated with orange (although it appears more red) and darker hued yellow stripes. The interior is lined with leather and features a zippered and open pocket.

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Tags: frame bag, Roberta di Camerino, stripes, velvet, yellow

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Summer Staple - Raffia Handbags

by Marsha Reid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

As much as we may love a gorgeous leather bag, they're not always so practical during the summer season. Having the weight of a leather bag on your shoulder along with leather against your skin during 80+ degree weather is an uncomfortable feeling. An ideal alternative is a raffia handbag. It's lightweight material, smooth texture and a hint of sheen gives a handbag a casual yet sophisticated feel. Raffia handbags most commonly are available in various shades of brown with leather or exotic skin accents to add texture and color, but dyed raffia handbags are becoming just as popular. With its malleable properties, raffia can be easily and thoroughly dyed without losing it's integrity and cheapening the overall look.

Featured above is the Large Basket Classic Bag by Balenciaga which beautifully combines two summer staples - raffia and stripes. The Basket Classic has a roomy interior to fit your necessities and features a leather double handle and leather accents with aged gold hardware, a front zippered pocket, and a leather framed hanging mirror. Price: $1015. View our gallery of raffia and straw handbags to find your next must-have summer accessory.

Gallery: Summer Staple: Raffia Handbags

Barneys New York The Tourist Fringe Tote

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Tags: balenciaga, handbag, raffia, spring handbags, straw, stripes, summer handbags

Kooba Mila Clutch, Handbag of the Day

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

The Kooba Mila Clutch is spangly and sexy.

This python-embossed leather clutch, with its demure, delicate wristlet and gold ring, is the perfect thing to spice up a little black dress -- or a little green dress, a little gold dress, a little purple dress, and so on. The stripy colors are fresh and playful, and give the bag an 80s feel, but not overwhelmingly, like say, Zubaz (warning, may burn your eyes).

We also love the stroke-me texture, the black leather whipstitching at the edges and especially the long shape, which ensures you will actually be able to put things into this bag. This would be an easy go-to for grabbing off your shelf to glam up an outfit -- even your work clothes.

The Kooba Mila Clutch is available from Neiman Marcus for $325.00.

Tags: clutch, handbag of the day, HandbagOfTheDay, kooba, purse, stripes

The Fashion Statement: Stripes Have a Checkered Past

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

Several years ago, designer Andrae Gonzalo (of Project Runway fame) sent me a terrific little book on the history of stripes called The Devil's Cloth. I fished out the book recently and inside the jacket found Gonzalo's personal note: "From one zebra to another. Now you're really ready for spring 2002!" Back then, I was reporting for Women's Wear Daily and I had been talking to Gonzalo-at that time a buyer for the American Rag boutique in Los Angeles-about the chicest look of the season: stripes.

Cut to fall 2009. Little has changed. From Christian Dior Haute Couture in Paris to New York It boy Prabal Gurung, designers continue to send stripes down the runway. Whether zebra or nautical, it seems there's always demand for the clean and crisp, yin-yang pattern. A classic.

So it might shock you, as it did me, to learn that striped cloth was once a controversial religious garment not unlike the burqa today. According to the book, a few striped-clad monks called the Carmelites moved from Palestine to Paris where they were ridiculed and jeered. They were accused of greed, hypocrisy and treachery and even seen as the henchmen for the devil and the Antichrist. All because of their stripes.

The scandal got so out of hand, a Pope stepped in to ban all monks from wearing striped habits. Here's the kicker: Some 19th Century scholars believe Western Europeans had such a fit because the cloaks–probably resembling something like striped djellabas–had Asian or Middle Eastern origins.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement: Stripes

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Tags: Black and white, BlackAndWhite, Christian Dior, ChristianDior, Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture, ParisFashionWeekHauteCouture, Stripes, Zebra prints, ZebraPrints

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Striped Beach Hut

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Garden

Beach huts are found more often in Archie Comics beach scenes than on real-life beaches, but even though they take a bit more setup than the average beach umbrella, you have to admit that they are both retro-chic and far more appealing for changing in the public or semi-public beach bathroom. This Striped Beach Hut travels easily, as it is made with a steel frame that folds flat when you need to store it. The Dolan fabric is UV and weather resistant, with a practical finish that "inhibits mould formation and decay," allowing it to stand up to the sea air. The rainbow stripes are random, so no two will be alike, although they're sure to stand out on the beach no matter what. Price: $1120.

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Tags: beach, hut, stripes, summer

Paul Smith iPod mini case

by Anne Metz (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

In honor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibit, Anglo-mania, a retrospective of British fashion, I thought I'd join in the Anglophilia with something hip and Brit: Paul Smith's leather iPod Mini carrying case.

If you're not familiar with Paul Smith, let me gush about him for a few minutes. He's best known for his tailored suits, but in the past few years, he extended his collection to include women's ready to wear, accessories and perfumes. What Paul Smith does best is basically what the British do best -- mixing subsersiveness with tradition. Smith's suits, are on the outside, exactly what you would expect a stuffy British business man to wear. On the inside, though, he includes details like lavender satin or this funky ticking stripe liner.

It's the same striped patten he uses in this iPod mini case. The sleek elastic sides enable this carrier to accomodate both the 4 and the 6 GB Mini.

Sort of mod, sort of cheeky, this pod holster gives me the feeling that I should be spending a good part of my life listening to The Kinks' song "Waterloo Station" on iPod repeat. Price: $130.

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Tags: anglo-mania, british, ipod, ipod carriers, IpodCarriers, Kinks, Met, Metropolitan Museum, MetropolitanMuseum, paul smith, PaulSmith, stripes, Waterloo station, WaterlooStation

Summer Seersucker for the Guys

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Blame it on the changing seasons, but seersucker is back in style this summer. Seersucker is no longer limited to the bold blue-and-white stripes of yesteryear. Instead, this season's seersucker is more refined and available in more styles than ever before, so it looks great while retaining its easy-to-wear comfort and cool, breathable feel.

Etro Seersucker Trousers (pictured) are lightweight, with tan and white stripes that look almost like linen from a distance. Price: $310.

The Façonnable Stripe Seersucker Shirt masquerades as a bright, but traditional, pinstripe shirt with lines of blue, yellow and white in soft cotton. Price: $115.

Kenneth Cole has Flat Front Seersucker Pants that are a pale khaki in color. The cotton cloth"s pattern is so fine that only your comfort will remind you that you"re wearing something so casual. Price: $79.

For classicists, Paul Smith still has a blue and white seersucker suit, but the stripes are narrow and the lines of the jacket and pants are clean and up to date. It's great for a summer luncheon, business travel or ever a daytime wedding. Price: $1,195.

Tags: blue and white, cotton, fashion, men, men's fashion, pants, pinstripe, seersucker, shirt, spring, stripes, suit, summer

Lux List: Top Spring Sundresses

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Sundresses are on the casual end of elegance. Largely sleeveless, they are perfect for garden parties, a lazy Sunday brunch or a picnic at the park. They should be comfortable and easy to wear, but classy at the same time; sundresses are not too casual and should look good with strappy sandals or thong flats. This spring, there are a couple of trends that are showing up in the sun. The biggest one is white. White is the must-have shade for spring dresses. It is flattering and cooling, simple enough to be paired with any other shade and bright enough to be eye catching. Large print patterns and stripes are popular, too, but are definitely coming in second to the simple white dress. Other trends to look out for are dresses with empire waists and fuller skirts, as well as easy-to-wear shirt dresses, all of which can be very figure flattering.

This white Vintage Lace Shirtdress from ABS by Allen Schwartz has a lace overlay over an empire chiffon slip. It is flowy and flirty without being too revealing. Price $230.

Tags: abs, anthropologie, blue, Carmen Mark Valvo, CarmenMarkValvo, cotton, dress, dresses, fashion, laundry, lux list, marc jabob, michael kors, ralph lauren, RalphLauren, spring, stripes, sun, sundress, sundresses, trends, white linen

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