Leopard Booties Love or Hate?

Leopard prints are pretty much here to stay. They’ve been so popular for so long that they’re becoming a classic. One new place we’re seeing leopard prints is on feet. Stars like Jessica Simpson, Olivia Palermo, and Janet Jackson have all been photographed wearing leopard print booties, some of which (like Jessica Simpson’s) tread a fine line between shoes and booties.

Animal prints of all kinds promise to be big next spring, too, so if you were to buy leopard print booties now, you could keep right on wearing them up until the weather turns warm. The same is true of other leopard print accessories like leopard cuff bracelets and scarves.

The best way to wear this trend is to let your shoes do the talking and keep the rest of your outfit fairly simple and monochrome. Fortunately, leopard print goes with a lot of colors, so you’re not too restricted on the color of the rest of your outfit. They also go great with outfits featuring casual jeans and simple sweaters or tees. Gold jewelry goes best with leopard, though you could go with something shiny and black instead. What’s your take on the leopard print booties trend?

Would you wear it this winter?

Credit: peoplestylewatch.com

Toggle Coats Love or Hate?

Toggle coats, also sometimes called duffel coats, feature closings reminiscent of those found on children’s coats. This year, designers have come up with a number of adult versions of the toggle coat, taking classics like the pea coat and giving them a simple update as well as touches of luxury like leather. They’ve been photographed on Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Kate Bosworth.

While toggle coats with wooden toggles are the most casual styles, dressy black toggles are available too, making the look a bit dressier. Most of these coats are hip length, with some styles hitting at the top of the hips and others reaching just below the hips. The dressiest styles have a bit of an empire waist, with the toggles all at waist level or above, to allow the hem to flare outward.

What should you wear with toggle coats? Mini skirts with black tights and heels are good, as are slim black slacks. Jeans are great too, as are sweater dresses. And you have your choice of footwear, from flats to heels to boots. All in all, this is a fun new trend that can have a place in any wardrobe.

Do you plan to wear a toggle coat this winter?

Credit: peoplestylewatch.com

Stylehive Shares with Us – Denim Jackets For $75 Or Less

Let’s bring it back to the classics with a versatile denim jacket! The thicker material, fitted cut and collar of a denim jacket makes it easy to throw on and add a little structure to any ensemble, while the jean fabric gives it a casual vibe.

It’s an All-American look that transcends generations and trends and every girl needs a comfy style in her closet! You can get as crazy as you please with color and style details, but there’s nothing better than the classic blue denim, cropped and buttoned jean jacket. Plus, the longer you own one, the more worn they get, adding a great vintage vibe and making them more and more comfortable and you don’t have to spend a fortune!

See slideshow here for some of their favorite denim jackets, some classic some unique, but all for $75 or less!

Gwen Stefani to Promote L’Oreal

Rock singer and fashion industry mogul Gwen Stefani has signed with L’Oreal Paris to promote their Infallible Le Rouge line of lip color, her first ad campaign for L’Oreal. Other celebrities who have fronted L’Oreal ad campaigns include Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé Knowles, and Eva Longoria. Stefani told People magazine, “To get to work with such a modern, talented group of people is really exciting. I’m a lucky, lucky girl.”

Stefani admits that she has always been obsessed with fashion style and makeup, saying that playing dress-up when she was little was one of her favorite things to do – and still is! “I know I’m vain,” she said. “I have so much makeup.”

Star Fashion Choices for Golden Globe Awards

Like any major Hollywood awards show, there were fashion hits and misses Sunday night at the Golden Globe Awards. Some of the gowns were designed by new fashion designers, and some by fashion designers that have been around a long time. Here are a few of the fashion dresses that attracted attention (good or bad).

Fashion, Jewelry, Shopping, Stores, Style Double The Drama with Extra-Long Chandelier Earrings

Chandelier earrings have always been an easy way to make an instant statement or add some feminine flair to an otherwise subtle ensemble. From tiered jewels to layered chains, chandelier earrings add sparkle while drawing attention to your face and emphasizing eyes, as well as eliminating the need to layer on excess jewelry and accessories. This season, extreme earrings are getting even more eye-catching (but hopefully not too much heavier!) with super-sized long styles that border on nearly shoulder-grazing. Choose something chic and vintage-inspired with tiered antique jewels or go tribal with chandelier beading. Let them peek out between long tousled locks or add head-turning drama to a soft up-do! Just make sure to keep the rest of your accessories minimal — these longer-than-long earrings don’t need competition when it comes to dazzling up your outfit!

Pictured above: Lucky Brand “Indio Ears” Tiered Chandelier Earrings, Forever 21 Rhinestone Earrings, Banana Republic Symphony Chandelier Earrings, Ben-Amun Green Glass Drop Earrings, and Miguel Ases Onyx Triple Drop Earrings.

Jewelry Designer Dauphines of New York

Hair jewelry is a concept that is becoming integrated into many more looks – both on and off the red carpet. In fact, many casual outfits today are featuring jewelry for the hair in the form of headbands utilizing metals, crystals and semi-precious stones.

Dauphines of New York is a designer of adjustable headbands that can be worn either on the head, or around the neck as a necklace. Dauphines’ designs have shown up at Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel, and worldly boutiques like Melange in Kuwait.

Headbands made with fine materials like Agate, Citrine, and Amethyst are sometimes worn in a “schoolgirl” headband style, or may be worn hippie style, across the forehead. And of course, they can all be worn as necklaces, which are perfect when you wear your hair in an updo.

Some favorites from Dauphines use materials like bronze, pearls, and agate.

Rachel Zoe: Mother of Invention

While Rachel Zoe’s biggest project is undoubtedly the baby boy that’s due this spring, it doesn’t mean she’s straying from the spotlight, as Bravo TV’s show “The Rachel Zoe Project” easily proves. Filming for the fourth season is underway, and though she does not plan to participate in New York Fashion Week next fall, her new design collection is still big news. The collection is a bit more tailored and less bohemian than Zoe’s fans may expect, but there is a very definite 70s vibe to the collection, with few exceptions. A gorgeous white trench coat is absolutely timeless (if a bit impractical), but there is also lots of patterns reminiscent of the70s such as glen plaid, super-long flared legs, and platform boots. A black-on-white graphic shift dress, on the other hands, looks very much like something Twiggy would have worn in the 60s, but is timeless enough to find a place in any wardrobe archive.