Sharon Haver - FocusOnStyle.com trends posts

Top Trends from Paris Fall/Winter 2012 Menswear

Dries Van Noten While it’s true that menswear has only so much room to change each season, there was still a refreshing assortment of new ideas for Fall 2012 -here’s a look at some top trends that caught our eye in Paris. >>More Mens: Fashion Reviews & Runway Highlights Turtlenecks- Carven SHOP: MEN'S STYLE GUIDE TO EVERYDAY CHIC While the Carven man has always been a tad on the nerdy side i.e pocket protectors, practical winter-ready turtlenecks made a comeback as an alternative to bulky knits under blazers and shirts alike while framing the face in surprisingly vibrant hues on runways of all kinds. Kenzo Head-to-Toe Color- Raf Simons Color of all sorts has been a big story in womenswear

Leave it to Stella McCartney to give the digitized print craze an unexpectedly girlie, retro-minded update with vivid tropical Hawaiian prints wickedly placed throughout her Resort collection. While they hit the Hawaiian motif trend on the mark, they also happen to make for playful, statement making separates in easy-to-wear silhouettes that are as charming as they are cool. They also make for a witty take on the world of Resort itself as it's a season geared for vacations, tropical or not. -Naveed Hussain >>The Top Resort Collections of 2012 Stella McCartney's Hawaiian Print Jersey Dress (above) $395 from Net-A-Porter.com Tropical prints in all shapes imaginable are waiting for you: More Stella McCartney...

While it's true that menswear has only so much room to change each season, there was still a refreshing assortment of new ideas for Fall 2012 -here's a look at some top trends that caught our eye in Milan. Animal Novelty Prints- Andrea Pompilio Burberry Animal print motifs have been popping up in some of the best women's collections recently so it comes as no surprise that they crept their way into the men's shows this season in a myriad of ways and sizes. At Jil Sander's (top photo) wickedly fierce show they even managed to add a much need addition of surprising levity while at Burberry they had an almost childish, cartoon-like appeal. >>SHOP: MEN’S STYLE GUIDE TO EVERYDAY CHIC Updated

While fashion's come & go, they do serve as a sign of the times we live in and work as a time capsule of sorts full of memories, moments and merriment. Looking back at the sartorial world of 2011, what comes to mind may be the abundance of too much too fast (so much fashion, so many news outlets, too many designers) -that's why we've complied a shortlist of the good, the bad and the boring. From Missoni madness to celebrating fallen designers, it was definitely a year full of fashion surprises and feats. Fashion Designers Ride the Merry-go-Round- From who will take John Galliano's job at Dior (above, post Galliano) to the comings & goings of chief designers at Balmain, Chloe, Cacharel,

Printed trousers have been making their way onto runways the world over for quite a few season's and judging by the Pre-Fall collections we've seen so far for 2012, there's more to come. So how does one don prints on a part of the body most people try to distract the eye from? Here's a look at how to make them work for you while instantly updating your wardrobe and options. These days, clashing print on print head-to-toe looks are the norm however keep in mind the importance of proportion and fit for a flawless look Make sure the print and color-way of printed pants go with your own style- no need to stand out if you're uncomfortable with the

True, our love for storied French label Chloe is undying and remains unparalleled, and with varsity and bomber style jackets all the rage on and off the runways, call it a natural, obvious choice that our favorite option comes from Chloe. Ever since the label's Resort collection debuted, we've been waiting with bated breath to get out hands on their teal techno iteration on the season's must-have bomber jacket. While it boasts a cool attitude and veers on the boyish side, its Alpha coat details and rugged appeal make it a smart buy for season's to come. -Naveed Hussain A selection of Varsity & Bomber jackets to consider: More Topshop...

Think of this as your "How To Wear Low Heels" tip sheet... Blame it on the abundance of too-high heels, walking behind girls fumbling in them, or our admiration for the cool retro sophistication that Rochas has been championing as of late, but we are beginning to rethink the short heel and their recent wearable reemergence on the scene. Once matronly and down-right blase, the updates to what we consider the "smart" heel height offer an entirely new way to think about proportion and comfort. From gram to grand slam, there's plenty out there to give you an alternative to ho-hum ballerina flats. >> SHOPPING GUIDE: Low Heels We'll take the printed Rochas slingbacks above and our top three picks as featured below and

Body-defining, figure enhancing peplums have been working their way on quite a few runways over the past few seasons(including next spring) so we couldn't think of a better time to take note on how to incorporate them into your repertoire for an unexpected dose of lady-like chic. We've pulled together some of our favorite uses of peplums for Fall 2011 and jotted a few quick notes down on how to pull them off and make them work for you. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Stella McCartney (and above) For Fall, Stella McCartney managed to incorporate 80's era touchstones such as bold polka-dots, sculpted shapes and peplums for looks that were achingly feminine with a controlled sense of cool(via ingenious tromp l'oeil patterns)

Because every season calls for a bit of vintage flair we thought it would be a good time to look back at all of our favorite vintage-inspired looks from the Fall 2011 collections to cull a handy bit of inspiration to help you cultivate a look that incorporates notes from the past with a thoroughly modern sophistication. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS And since you can always use real-deal vintage pieces to pull together a completely customized look, we couldn't think of a more practical guide to get you started. From the 40's to the 70's, designers were looking at the past in ways we hadn't ever seen; here's our top picks. Miu Miu (and above) Bringing you 40's starlet glamour as

With head-to-toe prints now de riguer on runways around the world it's time to cozy up to one of our favorite fall prints and fabrications as the alluring, graphic and even sexy use of snake & python we saw for Fall 2011 felt undeniably fresh. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Use them to add texture to all of your favorite fall looks while keeping up with the trends...here's a look at how to pull it off. Prada (and above) Miuccia Prada used python coats, boots and aviator inspired headpieces to add a subversively sexy and confident bent to her otherwise ultra-femme collection of 60's inspired dolly dresses. Chloe Chloe's mad assortment of snake & python whether in print or in skin offered a

While color-blocking is no new trend story, it wasn't until this fall season that we really saw a spike in contrasts with ingenious iterations from designer's the world over. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Along with some simple shopping advice, here's a look at some of our favorite uses of color-blocking that are certain to make a graphic statement this season and most probably many to come. Balenciaga (and above) Nicolas Ghesquiere has been doing graphic sci-fi couture for many seasons and fall's addition of thoughtfully color-blocked asymmetrical layered tunics and dresses made for a bold and completely modern update to his repertoire. His use of layering also made for shapes with dynamic trapeze effects full of endless layering potential as evidenced

Leather sleeved tops, jackets and coats have been at the top of our most-wanted lists for quite a few fashion cycles but it wasn't until this season that we saw the trend really gain momentum with designers using hides of all kinds from snakeskin to lambskin to toughen up and add an edgy contrast to even the most classic of pieces. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS From heritage minded trench coats to traditional black wool toppers, outerwear of all kinds were given a dose of tough cool with leather sleeves and even epaulets like those seen at Chloe. >>MORE: Leather Style Here's a crash course on nailing the trend and a look at some of our favorite iterations of it... Chloe (and above)

After seasons of major statement making shoes with mind-boggling heel heights and preposterous ornamentation, we're really feeling the simplicity of the footwear options we saw on the runways for next spring. That's not to say that footwear has been reduced to the simplistic and merely functional, quite the contrary indeed. From YSL's shielded heeled loafers to Rochas' mirrored slides, there were plenty of options out there to lift your wardrobe's potential and your spirits too. Here's a look at the statement makers for next spring that caught our eye... >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Yves Saint Laurent (and above) With heeled loafers making the top of our footwear lists this current season and for that matter, the past few season's as well, YSL's

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Top Trends from Paris Fall/Winter 2012 Menswear

Surf’s Up… Stella McCartney’s Tropical Prints

Top Trends from Milan Fall/Winter 2012 Menswear

The Top 10 Fashion Moments of 2011- The Year In Review

Printed Matter- Mastering Printed Pants

Must-Have… Chloe’s Techno Bomber Jacket

Fashion How-To’s -Short Heels That Aren’t Short On Style

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- The Peplum

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- Vintage Inspired Fashion

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- Snakeskin

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- Color-Blocked Separates

Shopping the Trends of Fall 2011- Leather Sleeved Outerwear

Leg Work- Spring 2012’s Best Footwear -Celine, Dries Van Noten, Rochas, Yves Saint Laurent

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