The Comfort Zone

On last night’s episode of Fashion Star the designers were asked to step out of their comfort zone and design something they never have before. In doing so, Orly (who did not a get a buy) and last night’s winner Luciana Scarabello helped to keep us in our comfort zone.

Both women designed light weight cropped jackets (Orly’s went from long to short her usual trend) perfect for this time of year. For most people when they head to work in the morning it starts out at 40 degrees and gradually gets warmer as the day goes on. That makes it very difficult to pick out what to wear. Not to mention the ever changing office temperature going from hot to cold to hot again. A cute cropped jacket just happens to be a wonderful solution for this time of years fickle temperatures.

Scarabello’s  jacket is full of intricate details from the fabric choice to the pointed hem, and the braided chain trim. You can purchase an affordable cropped jacket pretty much anywhere, but if you love this one it sells at Macy’s for $99, not too bad for a versatile piece of clothing. You will get your money’s worth wearing it up or down.

-Wear it over a dress for an evening out.

-Wear it with a skirt and blouse for work.

Wear it over jeans and a plain T-shirt for every day wear.

If $99 is a little out of your price range check out these alternatives:

Sandy Cropped Jacket from G by Guess (amazon.com), $50

Rounded Hem Jacket Forever 21, $28

Shrunken Leather Jacket From the Gap, $298 (This is my bad, when I first saw it I though it said $29, but it’s still fun to look at)

So grab a cropped jacket in the morning, take it off in the warm afternoon sun, and put it back on for your journey home. You’ll be comfortably adorable.

Runway for the Average Joe part 2

It’s that time of the week again fellas! Here is your second spring 2012 style trend made easier to understand. Here is a trend that has carried over from 2011 and is also one for all the seasons.

The Double Breasted Jacket:

Designers: Phillip Start and Hermès

Now this is a very classic look that won’t take too much thinking on your part, but there are a few rules for the upcoming warmer months:

1. Pair this fuller jacket with a slimmer pant. No I don’t mean skinny jeans or girl pants. I’m just saying avoid those “homie” baggy pants. You know the ones that go down past your butt.
2. Since it will be spring time keep it “relaxed”, go for a lightweight fabric like cotton. Something that will let it breathe.
3. Keep this look simple, so think a tailored fit. That just means something that was made to fit your body in particular.
4. Colors for spring: Blues, soft gray, and khaki.

This is really a look for the office or going out somewhere nice.  I feel that double breasted is really a formal piece. It can appear stiff in a casual setting.

Here is an example of an affordable double breasted jacket from H&M. It costs $59.95 on h&m.com.  If you want this look for work, here is how it should appear as part of a suit. Do you recognize the model? Yes, that Harold from Harold and Kumar.

If you want this for an everyday look go with a regular blazer such as this one from the Gap. It is simple and can be worn with pretty much anything. It even adds a little something extra to jeans and a T-shirt. Trust me girls will take notice.

Gap Classic Tailor Fit Blazer, $108 (yes a little pricy, but you will get a lot of use out of it).

One last look to consider for spring would be a double breasted trench coat. Finally, want to wear this look now go for a double breasted peacoat.

 Left: Macy’s Calvin Klein Jacket, Plush wool peacoat, $129.98

Right: Macy’s Tasso ELBA Jacket, Classic Trench Coat $117.99

This is a very easy timeless look guys. Go out and buy one of these items and they will stay in style for years to come. Spending a little extra money on something like this is well worth it.

The Best of SAG Fashion

Last night, the stars really stepped up their game on the red carpet. I sat on the couch with my “handy dandy” notebook and did not stop writing. I have sorted the information into three posts for the beginning of this week. Beginning with my favorite looks:

1. Rose Byrne in Ellie Saab. Let’s take a look at this starlet from the head down: That gorgeous mod-bob with blunt bangs perfectly frames her delicate face. The jumpsuit was a bold risk that worked really well for this relaxed award show. It had the right amount of sparkle and her skin tone worked nicely with the pale shade.

Want to recreate this look? Paler colors will be easier to find in the warm months so I went with classic and striking black. This simple black jumpsuit(NYC Collection) from macys.com can be worn to the office and then to that office party you have later on. For during the day a nice blazer over it or for a real statement go for a white blazer. For evening add fun, bright jewelry or a funky clutch. It is now on sale for $44.99.

2. Emily Blunt in Oscar Dela Renta. I want to praise Blunt for this “blunt” color choice. It follows the bold, bright color trends of spring 2012 and I cannot get enough of it. She stood out among everyone else last night. The one shoulder was sexy and stunning along with that slit up the side.

Recreate it for less: Most of us aren’t going to a prom or an award show anytime soon, so we don’t need a gown. With that said, I found the perfect cocktail party/wedding going dress. This is the Lilian, one shoulder from JCPenney.com. It costs only $65.

3. Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen. This classic black dress was fun and flirty. Perfect for the 23 year old actress. I loved the full 1950’s skirt.

Recreate it: Three pretty party dresses from modcloth.com all for under $100.

Finally, a shout out to Emma Stone’s Co-stars from The Help. Both Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer looked incredible. Spencer found a classic lacey dress in a purple gray that flattered her figure perfectly. The woman knows how to dress herself for those sexy curves. Davis’s skin tone looked radiant against that white dress.