Friday, January 3

Show Your Skin...Snakeskin That Is!

Hssss…! Snakes are not only slithering in the jungles of exotic locales, they are also making a huge imprint in fashion with this season’s most coveted graphics.  Last year may have been the year of the snake, but wearing your skins is still in for 2014.  Designers have jungle fever this season, incorporating exotic details into a variety of styles and silhouettes.  Snakeskin comes in the richly authentic luxurious version, and it’s faux alternate for us frugal shoppers. It also comes in a variety of colors and this winter it's seen on everything from boots, to belts to clutches and dresses.

An elegant dress, bag or shoe is one of the easiest ways to incorporate snakeskin into your wardrobe.  But while a plethora of python sheath dresses and clutches on the market right now are waiting to be snapped up, wearing just one serpentine element makes it more memorable.  Here are snakeskin styles you won't want to resist that will unleash your untamed and wild side.

Tory Burch
Tory Burch
Tory Burch













Tory Burch
Dolce & Gabbana
Gucci













Reed Krakoff

Milly
Diane von Furstenberg











Nina Ricci

Kotur
Jimmy Choo











Chloe

Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Furstenberg













Diane von Furstenberg



Diane von Furstenberg
Gucci



Michael Kors

Michael Kors
Michael Kors













Michael Kors

Michael Kors
Michael Kors












Brian Atwood

Alexandre Birman
Alexandre Birman












Alexandre Birman
Christian Louboutin
Jimmy Choo













Michael Kors

Thursday, January 2

Patent Perfection

Dare to be bold this season and add pieces with gloss and polish to your wardrobe.  Spice up your winter look with these sophisticated-but-shiny patent leather tops, dresses and pumps.  They're simply patent perfection!

L' Agence
Jonathan Saunders







Valentino
Valentino
Valentino



Vivienne Westwood
Valentino
Versace













Gucci

Valentino
Gucci



Kate Spade
 
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton










Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton













Tory Burch

Christian Louboutin
Valentino













Valentino

Louboutin
Saint Laurent











Michael Kors


Fallon
Tory Burch

Wednesday, January 1

New Year, New Bag!



Happy New Year everyone!  What better way to start off 2014 than with a new bag?  This year, I'm in the market for the Louis Vuitton Capucines Bag, which borrows it's name and a detail or two from the classic Vuitton totes, but expands on them to form something ladylike and luxurious.


I first spotted this bag on the arm of Miranda Kerr last fall, and it’s a perfect pick for her style – neutral, elegant and understated. The bag is an important addition to Vuitton’s lineup, because not only is it all leather (which appeals to Vuitton’s desired clientele and allows the brand to price it prohibitively for aspirational customers), but its minimally branded. The LV logo that you see above is totally optional, and if the wearer prefers, it can be covered by a flap that’s tucked inside the bag as demonstrated in the photo above. Instead of the well-known letters, it bears a more subtle star motif that plays a secondary role in the iconic Vuitton monogram print. It’s still LV, but it’s not a literal LV, which is an important distinction for many of the most high-end customers.

The bag comes in two sizes, MM and GM, with a 1.5 inch difference in width between them (14.2 for the MM, 15.7 for the GM) and a price difference of $450 ($5,150 vs. $5,600). That kind of pricing puts the brand firmly in Hermes territory, a comparison that Vuitton is likely hoping to draw with its new leather offerings and their attendant prices. Currently, the GM only comes in two colors (black and red), while the MM comes in a range of six shades, including one that’s strikingly similar to Hermes’ signature orange. The bag's hardware varies between silver and gold, depending on the leather color. Check out some of my favorite versions below or get more information about both the MM and GM versions via Louis Vuitton.