I welcome Fall and Winter. I never thought I’d ever say those words in earnest but yep, I said it! All throughout summer I praised the heat and the fashion that hit the street. Now I welcome fall & winter with the same warmth and positive gusto (fashion wise of course). I no longer fear the dropping temperatures, because no matter what, I have the latest styles to keep me warm. For once sweaters are not that complicated to me. Cropped Dolman sweaters with curved shoulders, low v-cut backs, and short waists are trending in neutral peppered tones. Interestingly enough, features that are not appealing for winter clothing are now popular. For example, remember those little fuzzy balls of fluff that popped up on worn sweaters that you’d instantly pick off? Well that look is trending, but in pastel colors and soft grays. The Cocoon knitted dress is my favorite trend so far. It’s so quick for days were you have to get up and go. Just throw on some leggings, a scarf, earrings,  and a hat, then you’re good to go!

The loose and large look is trending with tunics; wrap coats, and thick cable knit sweaters are high in demand. Those 70’s inspired sweater vests are also hitting the scene, and are being layered over cotton buttoned down shirts in white or light color tones. In the juniors market you’ll find lots of grunge inspired looks in classic tartan plaid fabric with black leather. Block statement shirts with creative quotes will definitely be a hot commodity, mainly because of it’s versatile styling approach and instant youthful appeal.

I do want to talk more about the statement  shirts and how for some reason they resonate such a vibrant energy in the fashion industry right now. This generation wants fashion to be more literal. The consumer wants more expression as well as individualism. This task will be difficult for the buyers since they cater to a mass market. Really it’s all about offering more individual exclusivity. Meaning providing less of a certain item and more of a  variety of looks. For example; only stock maybe 4 of a certain dress, but provide consumers with 14 designs to choose from. Store mannequins need to showcase versatility rather than just product. The consumer KNOWS that they don’t have to settle for…well…anything really. They understand the the world wide web can provide them with anything the brick and mortar can’t. Boutiques and Mall stores need to focus on giving the consumer MORE. But what exactly is MORE? Thank God people still love to shop. They want some reality, and need to feel and touch the clothing. So the focus should be on giving shoppers a unique experience.  Tablets are becoming more and more affordable, gas is still a little high, and people who once dreamed of having their own boutique can do so now by calling a web host and setting it up for under $2o dollars a month. So yeah, competition in retail is steep. The web is getting more accessible to people too. As someone writing from both ends of the table, it’ll be interesting to see how retailers and designers will satisfy the new age consumer. 2014 and 15 will be a very interesting year in fashion! I’m excited :D

Since fashion week pretty much wrapped up in the first week of October, I decided to incorporate a few trends of my own that I thought would be hot on the streets. I base my predictions on what I saw was the MOOD of Autumn/Winter 2014. People already feel the absents of the warm beautiful summer days, and often rue the thought of enduring the cold. The second picture above infuses the Yellow and Gray in a playful scheme where the bright yellow is prominent, but the gray is subtle. This style sort of “eases” the public into fall before the full on blast of winter hits. Then you’ll see people start to get into fabrics that are heavier and of more dark tones. Also I’ve noticed some masculine elements in womenswear in the form of classic suites and traditional mens  hats. Tweed will be coming back too, but not so much in an “Audrey Hepburn” sort of way. Tweed jackets and coats will be heavily ornamented with broaches and beautifully decorated large buttons. Also The mono-chromatic neutral color palette is trending. As usual, the designers are sneaking pops of color throughout their collection for that bright burst of sunshine. Oh and never ever forget sexy. As you can see, the black suit craz will be hitting the scene hard. The quickest way to get one is by just purchasing it used at the second hand boutique, then  tailoring it to look a bit more sleek. Yep, there’s nothing quite like a tailored black blazer. Till next time!

I got inspired to write this post because of a blogger I’ve followed for quite a while now. Karlas Closet did a post about her personal style. It was very sultry, sexy, and fashionable.  I love the modern clothing mixed with vintage photography. There was a lot of nude bodies too. I didn’t feel any way, but evidently some people had an issue with it. The title of her post was “Do You!”. She expressed how it’s her site and the post reflects her style right now. WHATS WRONG WITH BEING SEXY?!!! Even Song of Style did a post of herself on vacation and she wore the booty shorts with the cheeks hanging out and she looked great, but people felt it was too bold. Nah, I thought it was cool. And so I decided to write a similar  post  on the topic of my own style.  My fashion taste has changed over the years, but not too much. It got more mature with a hint of sexy. My aesthetic hasn’t changed though; I still love humor and “quirkiness” in my fashion, and of course pink, with feminine elements. I love unusual patterns in sexy fitted silhouettes and cuts. I’m The Quirky Bombshell for a reason. And the pictures above are where my personal style is right now. Look, if you think this is too risky, then oh well. I love the kids, but I didn’t sign up to be their mentor, that’s  the parents job. Me, I’m doing what I wanna do! Thats all. ;) Express yourself no matter what!

These are items I want right now. I posted an article about finding neutral clothing that have interesting aspects to them. The items above are prime examples of that. I love the cream colored cable knit sweater. It has versatility and looks cozy. It’s perfect for cool fall weather. The bag is an obvious statement piece (Key Item) and can be combined with anything. Black and white is so easy to style. Then the shoes look really formal, but with the right items (denim of course) it can instantly have a relaxed vibe. The skirt is just too precious. I’ve actually recently ordered a skirt like this, but in a softer fabric that looks like leather. Can’t wait to style… Maybe I’ll Post a Look. We will see. :P

And I’m back rollin’. As promised with more hints on neutrals. I really wanted to go into more detail about neutral tones. The pinks, peaches and taupes are considered neutral tones too. I could care less about what the traditional definition is. Remember I said earth tones. There are precious stones and gems that have a light pink or even red hues, so why not? Generally pinks and red are not considered neutral tones, but I decided to leave that opinion to the observer. I personally can’t imagine having all my neutral clothing (or Basic Pieces) in black and muddled browns. You need to have that feminine element to off set the hard textured fabrics and dark colors. Even in the summer months, the easiest look to achieve is a nice tank under a neutral toned sheer buttoned down blouse. Not to mention the the fact that red, peach and berry shades coordinate well with almost any  neutral tone. I know white and black are pretty much iconic together, but for a smoother less harsh statement, try pink and white, taupe and white, pink and black etc. I suggest you find sheer  light weight fabric in those colors and layer them. THEN get a great pair of heels (like the one in the picture above) and rock a sexy formal look. And of course, don’t forget the gold jewelry. I personally think the one in the picture above is a bit too chunky. Oh, well…to each his own?/p