Baroque Era

Opulence is all the rage these days, and it is time to get out the embellished sweaters, decorated headbands, and heavy, rich prints. Dolce & Gabbana was the leader of the trend, with Oscar de la Renta and Balmain following suit. Will you bring on the glitz this season with your most ornate outfits?

 And if you want to get the look:

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burgundy & leather

Looking for an investment piece this fall? Take a fall staple (leather) and dye it a deep wine red. Dresses, jackets, bags -anything is fair game for this dynamic duo!

all items available on net-a-porter.com

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let me be your national anthem

One of my favorite holidays, the 4th of July, is just around the corner. I love finding the perfect red white and blue ensemble to rock while biking to the parade, hopping from barbeque to barbeque, and watching fireworks. Here are some fabulous patriotic picks for those of you still looking for perfect Americana pieces. 

all images from net-a-porter.com

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essentials only

Bags seem to be going in two directions these days, depending on the user. For the practical woman, there seems to be no end of hyper-functional totes, complete with phone compartments, fabulous hardware, and perfect extras like compact mirrors and key chains. These bags are perfect for airplane rides and lugging work materials. But as you all have probably experienced, a full tote is a bit of a burden on the shoulders and arms, and while they are practical in many occasions, schlepping your massive tote around town all day and night isn't the best solution. And so, in order to solve our problem, designers have hatched up the mini shoulder bag.

Mulberry $435 at net-a-porter.com

The mini shoulder bag: what happens when a cross-body satchel takes the shrinking potion Alice drinks in Alice in Wonderland. Unlike the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-carrying tote bags, use of the mini shoulder bag requires extreme editing expertise. Only the essentials are allowed. At best, you can squeeze in an iPhone, a few credit cards, and a vile of lip gloss. Maybe you can get some keys in there. But not a whole lot. 

While the mini shoulder bag doesn't leave a lot of room for extras, the concept is brilliant. When you hit the town or even just walk around a bit, you don't want to be burdened by a whole bunch of crap jammed into your big bag. While walking my dog this week up to a coffee cart for a tasty drink, I found myself realizing the beauty of the mini shoulder bag, which I have begun using whenever I walk my dog, go on a hike, see a concert, etc. In these situations, you really just need your phone, some money, an ID, etc. The mini shoulder bag makes it so convenient because it is so light on your shoulders -trust me, you will never want to go back to a normal purse- and you don't have to do the painstaking digging around a cluttered bag to find car keys, phone, whatever. 


I wouldn't toss out the old Celine Shopper just yet, because in many cases the mini shoulder bag just isn't big enough. But when you need the essentials only, there's nothing better than the mini shoulder bag.

Deena & Ozzy $29 at urbanoutfitters.com

Kate Spade $178 at katespade.com

Will you be using a mini shoulder bag any time soon?

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Essentials for Every Girl

There are fabulous new pieces for every time of summer girl! From tanning at the beach to roaming the city to dining at a garden party, these clothes will have you vying for oh! those summer days and nights!

 Bohemian Child

Preppy Sailor

Floral Romantic

(Images from net-a-porter.com)

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