For eveningwear there are many options of dresses for the season. Starting with a simple, but stand out color like this cornflower blue. One shoulder dresses are very popular though if you tend to cover your arms it’s not the best choice when paired with jackets, sweaters or wraps. Another reoccurring trend is weaving, draping, and pleating. Many of these styles were seen on the Red Carpet of this year’s Oscar Awards.

                                                                                                         (Marissa Tomei in Versace)                                                                   (Natalie Portman in Rodarte)

Welcome to 2009!

As we look to the future for what lies ahead in fashion we must always look to the past to remind us of where we have been. Last spring I took a Fashion Forecasting class to learn how to predict upcoming fashions. The final project was a presentation on where you thought Fashion was headed for a certain company. I chose Ralph Lauren because he is my favorite American designer.

What I love so much about Ralph is that he gives everyone their own unique identity in his clothing even though many pieces are mass produced and available across all income brackets. I encompassed my presentation around the possibility that there could be a female president (though I was supporting Barack in "Real Life") I shared with my peers the numerous female presidents spanning the Globe.

I also flashed back to the late 40’s when men were off destroying other nations for peace, women where cleaning up the mess they left us here at home. Referring of course to the mess Ex-President Bush left our country in today. With these factors in play I foresaw an empowered nation leaving their casual clothing at home and dressing like they mean it!

I was talking to a customer of mine the other day and she told me how sad it was that no one dresses up any more. She said the last time she went to the Opera someone had on jeans. We were both baffled…how did jeans become the new dress? Aaah the dress. It is time to welcome it back with open arms! A Vneck dress over a crisp clean white button down commands attention at an interview. That same dress without the shirt but with stringy pearls says I’m classic classy and seductive over drinks.

A dress is like your favorite pair of jeans but it can easily cover more ground. My prediction for Ralph was that he would create multiple styles of dresses for day and night. The coat and shirtdress were popular styles during the 40’s and 50’s and I believed they were on their way back in.  And I was right. The January issue of Vogue had proven it. There she was, Supermom in all her glamour. Multiple pages of dresses with reference to the late 40’s early 50’s. So ladies with that being said the time to dress up is now.  Dress up your casual, dress up your dressy. This fashionless funk is over. 

Let's dress to our potential.

(Reference) Grace Kelly

(Referene) Jackie O 

(Reference) June Lockheart