Posts tagged menswear

Get the Look: Spring 2013

The snow is melting (for now) and the flowers are blooming…spring is officially upon us! And in the fashion world this means, pastels, floral prints, bold neons, and skirts sans tights. This spring, with trends coming from every angle - from super masculine to extra feminine - opposites really do attract!

Stripes are always a must come springtime, but this year say goodbye to nautical themed stripes and hello to the big and the bold. Wide, statement-making stripes can be found on everything from leggings to bathing suits. Try subtlety mixing this pattern into your current wardrobe by pairing a striped tee with a boyfriend blazer and cropped pants. Or if you’re the more fashion forward type, fully embrace the look and go for stripes on stripes. Go for the runway-popular black and white look paired with a sharp red lip for an instant ensemble.
To put even more of a masculine edge in your closet, this season is all about the suit gone short. Mixing up your nighttime ensemble has never been easier thanks to suits that incorporate shorts rather than pants. Ease into this trend by donning the shorts by day and adding the matching jacket for a night out.

If you gravitate towards more feminine trends, then spring is your time to shine. With warmer weather approaching, sheer details and cutouts are back. A great way of showing a little skin without being too revealing, try sheer sleeves for daytime and sheer panels for night. To take it to the next level, go with intricate cutouts on a skirt or a dress, a trend that popped up consistently during NYFW.
To embrace the feminine side of spring, in a more unexpected way than florals, try out the ruffle trend that swept the runways. From skirts to necklines, ruffles and origami-like folds are adding new dimension to any outfit this season. If you happen to like non-sparkly embellishments, this is a fresh take on adding a little extra to your ensemble.

Whether you’re all about raiding your boyfriend’s closet or stick strictly to girly shapes, there’s something for everyone this season. Remember, spring is the time to try new trends and embrace what works for your style!

Countdown to NYE: Part 2, Menswear at its Best

Yesterday, we dished some tips for the glitter girl heading out on the town to usher in 2013. What if sequins aren’t your thing? We have a few ways to incorporate menswear-inspired pieces (one of our favorite trends!) to your knockout New Years Eve ensemble.

A crisp tuxedo jacket serves as the perfect foundation for a New Years Eve look. For just a spritz of glamour, this Rag & Bone style features a gold collar. We love it paired with a skinny black pant or tonal sequin short, and patent black heels. Think you can’t handle shorts for a semi-formal occasion? Trust us, slip a pair on with black (or colored, for the bold) tights and just go with it. Whatever uneasiness you may have will quickly disappear when you start fielding compliments and officially assert yourself as a style star. Top it off with gold earrings, a bold clutch, and a vivid manicure, and you’ll be ringing in 2013 in the most fabulous way.

Stay tuned as we bring you NYE-worthy loungewear choices this weekend! And as always, you can find more New Year’s Eve inspiration on our countdown Pinterest board, as well as with our daily NYE tips on Twitter!

~Meredith, fashioniSTA

March Madness: Round 1 Winners

Round 1 was a tough first battle, with our Sweet Sixteen Trends competing against each other to be the top spring trend of 2012. From the celebrity endorsements to the accessibility to women everywhere, these trends broke out the big guns to make it out of the gate. Check out how each game turned out:

1. Top Knots vs. Crop Tops
The Knot trumps the Crop when women everywhere realize that only celebrities and people with personal trainers on speed dial can actually wear crop tops.
2. Peplum vs. Marni for H&M
The hottest silhouette goes up against a designer with a cult following now at lower prices (which is still all relative). It was a pretty dead-heat battle until Peplum whipped out its ability to flatter anyone’s midsection. Game over, Marni.
3. Neons vs. Art Deco jewelry
Right out of the gate the Neons powerhouse slams down Art Deco jewelry’s effort. Even with the backing of Rachel Zoe, since no one has the time to search for Art Deco jewelry – and it hasn’t made it to H&M just yet – it proves to be no match for the rising publicity and street cred that Neons has gained.
4. Day clutches vs. Shorts/Menswear
The nighttime-gone-day accessory (Day clutches) goes up against the daytime-gone-night trend (Shorts/Menswear). This is a decent competition, what with celebrity endorsements on both sides. Ultimately, Day Clutches squeak by as a winner as soon as we (as in all womenkind) realized that our legs weren’t quite shorts-ready just yet.
5. Celebrity nail polish lines vs. Jennifer Lawrence
Yes, Celebrity nail polish lines have the backing of The Hunger Games and Nicki Minaj, but adding the over-exposed Kardashians to the mix makes this trend just a little more annoying. And with Jennifer Lawrence’s runway choices for her red carpet premieres and her growing superstardom, the girl on fire reigns supreme.
6. Hi-low hemlines vs. Pleats
A great battle with a deadlock outcome. These truly brilliant competitors form an alliance to create a superpower spring trend – Pleated Hi-Low skirts and dresses. Now they’ve set their sights on knocking out Peplum to form an alliance with Neons.
7. Mint vs. Mixing & Matching
The starring pastel of the spring (Mint) against a trend that stylized breaking major fashion rules (Mixing & Matching) was a tough battle from the start. But the infiltration of downtown divas throughout the world has made Mixing & Matching a new style art, which left Mint in the dust.
8. Fashion Star vs. Graphic prints
Graphic prints hit the runway with legitimate backers, such as Milly and Erdem, and a solid cause to modernize the classic spring floral. However, the star power and accessibility of a television show proved too powerful by helping three retailers sell out (within hours) new items by no-name designers. That’s the definition of winning.

Stay tuned to see who wins the round 2 match-up!

March Madness: Spring Trends

It’s March Madness time again, but why does basketball get to have all the fun? This year we’re turning our attention to spring 2012 trends, and pitting them against each other in our ultimate style challenge. Each week we’ll bring you the rundown from the fashion competition, as we start the games with 16 major spring players. Stay tuned as the competition unfolds, it’s going to get cutthroat.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Meet the Sweet 16

1. Neons
Likened to a “Career Trend,” it has a hidden superpower to turn into colorblocking at a moment’s notice.

Celebrity Nail Polish Lines
The latest in noteworthy nails is the influx of celebrity-based lines. In its corner is the Kardashians for Nicole by OPI, Nicki Minaj for OPI and the Hunger Games Capitol Couture for China Glaze. If nothing else, at least the Hunger Games knows how to fight.

3. Mixing & matching
You can mix prints, you can mix metals, you can colorblock by mixing solids. A solid competitor with a driving street style force behind it.

4. Crop tops
A former superstar in the ‘90s with a taste for 21st century vengeance.

5. Hi-low hemlines
New to the style game (unless you liken this to a mullet hemline…which we don’t), but it’s taking the street style world by force.

6. NBC’s Fashion Star
In its corner is a singer/designer, a model/designer, a reality star(?)/designer and a real designer. Let’s just say it’s got a lot of designing power behind it.

7. Top knots
A hairdo that has the ability to go messy or sleek, a key attribute when worn by a woman who has to look good with limited time. Which is every woman.

8. Day clutches
Another switch-hitter that has come into the running. With its larger size and diverse details, this opponent has a killer A-game.

9. Marni for H&M
A designer with a cult following. A store with a universal following. The combination will prove very hard to beat.

10. Peplum
This daring competitor has brought women everywhere a way to disguise their midsections and hips. Opponents beware.

11. Graphic prints
A new superpower has risen from basic pastel florals and springtime prints. Has the backing of designers like Altuzarra and Prabal Gurung.

12. Jennifer Lawrence
The one who took on Katniss Everdeen is out to prove she’s a style star as well.

13. Shorts/Menswear
What used to be reserved for casual wear has taken a daring turn into the formal arena. Has a leg-up with special reinforcements like tuxedo details, satin finish and a full-leather armor.

14. Mint
Saturated pastels are big this spring, and mint is definitely their all-star.

15. Pleats
This multi-faceted competitor that can go long or short when needed

16. Art Deco Jewelry
Sharp, angular designs make this competitor almost deadly, and it has additional strength when stacked.

Rank your favorites with our blank bracket below, and let us know what trend you want to reign supreme on our Facebook www.facebook.com/staconsignment.

Fall Fashion Forecast

Believe it or not, the fall fashions have started to fill the shelves and racks of your favorite stores everywhere. Since our blissfully sunny and hot summer has lulled us into a summer fashion stupor, the FashioniSTA blog is here to wake you up and get you ready for the coming season. Because it’s coming….whether you like it or not!

Louis Vuitton

'50s Louis Vuitton

The Fabulous Fifties
The glamour of the fifties is back. Select high-waisted skirts – both form-fitting and full, corseted tops, sweet cardigans, narrow belts for the waist and smart lady-like jackets if this trend is right for you.
Real and Faux Fur
Fur – both real and faux – was everywhere on the Fall 2010 runways and in as many forms, shapes and colors as designers could dream up. Get a fur jacket if you love the look. If you’re not sure, snag an item with a fur embellishment or trim and take it for a spin.
Head to Toe Color
Instead of head-to-toe black, brown or grey, dress yourself in head-to-toe color. Reds, greens and purples were favorites on the Fall 2010 runways. But, keep it interesting by varying the hue and intensity of the color from piece to piece.
Minimalist Menswear
Whether it is a suit for the office or an outerwear piece for everyday, minimalist menswear is the way to go. This may be the trend under whose umbrella you buy your investment piece for the season

Gold Rush
Up the fashion ante by adding gold to your traditionally all-neutral fall ensembles. And not just any gold.

Balmain does gold

Search out the lames, the multi-dimensional metallics and the rich and royal gold and red brocades.

“Long”term Relationship
Long skirts – either shin-length or all the way to the ankle – were shown on numerous Fall 2010 runways. Pair them with kitten heels or flat boots for easy city walking.

Luxurious Layers
Make like a nomad and pile on the layers. Use wrap skirts, chunky sweaters, tweed jackets and oversized coats – the more, the better! Add additional interest by incorporating numerous types of fabrics, textiles and embellishments in one outfit.

I truly hate when summer leaves us. But, the fall fashions certainly manage to cheer me right back up. Here’s hoping that they cheer you up too!

Shop on readers!

~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around

Mendel Fur

Rag and Bone Layers

Oxfords: My current fashion obsession.

Joie's "Louie Louie" oxford

At first I was merely intrigued, but now I am fully obsessed with oxfords. I hope to purchase a pair soon! I think that they will be the perfect transitional shoe to bridge the gap between boots and sandals as the weather slowly – but surely – improves.

I plan to pair them with skinnies, leggings or boyfriend jeans and menswear inspired tops on some days and flirty and feminine dresses and rompers on other days. They will be the gender-bending statement piece for combining the masculine and the feminine in my wardrobe.

I think that I will probably choose a solid neutral pair as they will fit best into my wardrobe, but there are some fabulous two-tone versions out there that are incredible. I have even seen a few black and white pairs which take me back to grammar school…

We would love to hear your thoughts on oxfords and the kinds of things that you would wear them with! Comment above!

-Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around