Five Must-Haves for Fall 2012

Hurray for Fall! We have been busy transitioning the store to fall with great sweaters and jackets and coats coming out on to the floor. There are so many great pieces to choose from! I’ve also spent some time perusing the monstrous September fashion magazines and wanted to give y’all a list of Fall 2012 must-have items for your closet. Vintage or not, these are great staple pieces that can add a punch to your current wardrobe without investing a lot of money.

Leather:
Leather for fall is way in and can be seen in everything from jackets to sheath dresses to shorts. Personally, we love these leather trenches and pairing them with sweater dresses, skinny pants and boots, or jeans and a chunky sweater.

Jackets:
Probably one of our most favorite items for fall because they can transform any simple top and bottom to a put-together, polished outfit. Some of our favorites this season are cotton velvet blazers, military inspired cropped jackets and nubby tweeds. Pair with a simple sheath dress, jeans, wide leg trousers, the possibilities are endless!

Sequins:
If you read our post on Fashion Rules You Should be Breaking, you’ll know that sequins are not just for evening. Sequin beaded sweaters are perfect for the office when you need something cozy and warm. A sequin shell can go under a great blazer for day and then take you straight to Happy Hour in the evening. Opulence and extravagance are front and center this fall so don’t be shy about adding some sparkle to your everyday look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Embroidered/patterned bag:
Another big trend for fall is a patterned and embroidered bags. If you tend to dress simply or in solid colors, this is a great way to add some interest to your wardrobe. Embroidery is hot, even if you DO think it looks like it came out of Grandma’s closet. In our case, it probably did!

 

Brooches:
Yes, brooches are back. Worn in the hair, stuck on a handbag, or in the classic position on the chest of your favorite blazer, they are giving us another option to the ginormous statement necklaces that have dominated accessories over the last few seasons. Old school designers like Chanel as well as up and coming designers like DSQUARED2 both showed brooches in runway shows and we think that with so many fabulous pieces cluttering up jewelry boxes everywhere it’s time to pull them out and show them off!

Happy Shopping!

‘Put a Brooch On it!’

According to Google, the brooch is the most coveted piece of jewelry, worldwide. Most people take them for granted today, however it never goes unnoticed when I wear one with an outfit. So why don’t more people wear them here? Is there some part of the country where woman still don these wonderful pieces of fashion? One of my favorite vintage shops in Minneapolis carries a slew of vintage pins, brooches, even those funny tag line ones from the eighties. Remember the days you covered your backpack in pins with funny saying, until the adult figureheads figured out you were making those snarky comments to them, via Jansport. So much for self expression in the schools.

Brooches and pins haven’t always been as much fun, or fancy. The origin of the brooch dates back to the loin cloth. Yes, I said it…the loin cloth. Obviously those cave men needed something to keep their boys from always making an appearance. And remember those kilt wearing Scots…well, imagine trying to make 9 yards of fabric stay put on your body with out a fastener in sight. I’m pretty sure they encountered the same problem those cave men did. The definition of a brooch is actually just a pin with a clutch back. It wasn’t until the 18^th century that people found a way to make the brooch a fashionable item. It was the era of the gem that had brooches donned with diamonds, pearls, and other precious gems, hence the brooch we think of today.

Brooches were wildly familiar in the 50’s and 60’s, and almost always seen on a secretary with her work attire. Some are fancy and flashy, others meaningful. Don’t think that brooch bouquets are a new item either. Made popular again by Miranda Lambert, in her nuptials to Blake Shelton, they gained momentum and are currently offered by many designers, pre made. I even carried one in my wedding, but I made my own since I felt like it would mean more.
While I still feel the brooch is ever present in our daily lives, I still think it just gets dealt a crappy hand. Some think the brooch is just something your grandmother used to wear. Let’s not forget though, Grandma was one flashy and fashionable lady. In a world of fashion where everything old is new again, and there is no original thought in anything these days, why not bring back something as fabulous as the brooch. I’ve also seen the brooch worn as a hair piece, or barrette. But a brooch on a plain handbag and jazz it up. Instead of just tying your scarf, clip a brooch on to keep it together, and give you a looser, less uptight look. On a wedding budget? A brooch bouquet is a perfect solution, and even better, it won’t die in two days. You’ll have a wedding keepsake that will last your lifetime, and your children’s. There are so many reasons to own brooches, and so many uses for them. They are a fabulous piece of jewelry that can take your style up a few notches, and then some. Like I said, any time I add a brooch to my outfit, it never goes unnoticed. The brooch definitely falls in the hat category for me, as in I hear people say all the time, ‘Why don’t people wear hats anymore?’ I happen to think if you like something, you wear it. It doesn’t matter if people just don’t do that any more. You do it. And you look great doing it. That’s all that matters.