Dress of the Week: Karen Walker...or Flannel?

Try as I might I could not decide. 

So, this time it is Dressology HQ's DRESSES of The Week.

Perhaps we can vote? Which dress do you choose?

First up we have this lovely Karen Walker Dress. 

Check out its gorgeous ruffled collar and hem detailing 

and the delicious red & white print. Cherrylicious!

Karen Walker's Betsy Cherry Dress $215NZ

Next up...Ordinarily I'm not a big fan of blue—or bows—but 

this sophisticated midnight blue hammered silk dress from Flannel with that amazing oversized bow has convinced me I've been wrong all along! Elegante!

Karen Walker Extract Dress $320

I love hearing from you all. It's such a pleasure!

Please tell me which you would choose 

in the comments section below. 

And if you're new to my blog, please follow, leave your details and I'll be certain to follow you back!

_________________________________ Why not look your best every day?

What's Old is New Again...Part Deux

There's a bit of 50s, 60s & 70s in this 

gathering of vintage-inspired beauties. 

Each brings with it a contemporary, modern twist.

How would you style and make these looks your own?

Asos Flower Embroidered 50s Dress, approx $115US

ModCloth's Honolulu Holiday Dress, approximately $160US

Mrs Press sleeveless Stell Dress, approximately $270AU

Net-a-Porter vintage-inspired by Steven Alan, Louisa Plaid, approximately $300US

Rebecca Minkoff at Revolve Clothing, approximately $295US

Nordstrom Laurence Dolige, approximately $135US

Off the Stands—A Monthly Magazine Review

May 2011
Cosmopolitan
Shop til you Drop
Harpers Bazaar




Most women are too time poor to flip through even one fashion magazine a month, let alone several. Welcome to Off the Stands, a monthly magazine review featuring reviews of a selection of fashion magazines currently on the stands.


As an avid reader, shopper and blogger, I dig through the month’s magazines and pull out the highlights—saving you time and money.


This month, three trends are reported in multiple mags— velvet making a resurgence, patterned pants are coming on strong and (my personal fave)...the color orange as  a must-have!

Cosmopolitan cosmopolitan.com.au

D Leather Bottoms Abound —especially shorts!
D Capes in various forms are a MUST! Long, short, solid, patterned, simple, embellished. 
D Something new and fun? Go for the belted trench vest. Hip & happening!
D It's a Ruffle Revolution! Find them on tops, skirts, sleeves, hemlines...everywhere.

Shop til you Drop shoptilyoudrop.com.au

D The entire May issue is dedicated to online shopping! Whoop WHOOP!

D Trend alert — the Peter Pan collar. Not sure about this one...tread carefully!

D Loungewear as daywear. Upstyled trackies & sweats? Hhmmm...

D Love the workwear section with lots of helpful how-to's for different career vibes. 

D Diggin’ the navy and kahki color combo recommendation accented with gray. 

Tres chic!

Harper's Bazaar harpersbazaar.com.au

Sleeveless Blazer at asos.com

D Must see the delicious photo feature on the color white.
D Sleeveless blazers as a chic new alternative.
D Fashion feature on never-out-of-style stripes! 
D Unique color combination on trend? Cobalt and black...Joan Jett here we come!














__________________________________ Why not look your best every day?

Did Somebody Say Zebra? What's Black & White &...

What is it about black and white? 

The timeless combination of ebony & ivory

survives trends & looks good 

on every skin tone.

Black & White has also inspired some pretty good kiddy jokes...

Tracy Reese Black & Ivory Tribal $349US at Revolve Clothing

JcPenney's 2-piece Floral Dress with Jacket, Approximately $60US

DVF Elalia Dress at ShopBop about $465US

Seduce Aviatrix Tunic Dress $190AU at Three Wishes

Banana Republic's BR Monogram Silk Dress, about $115US

What's Black & White & has 16 wheels?

Eight Nuns Riding Bikes!

_______________________________________ Why not look your best every day?

Maxi Skirt LOVE, Maxi Dress...not so much

Confession time...I loathe the maxidress. 

I cannot wait for the trend to go away. It is, in my opinion, 

the modern-day muumuu. 

There have been too many examples 

of the maxi dress worn badly for too many seasons 

and it has made me maxi-bitter.

Not every trend should be embraced by every one...

AAAhhhhhhhh......Thank you for letting me get that off my chest.

That said, can I please share my unreasonable 

affection for the maxi skirt? Yes, you need some height to carry it off, but I am in love x 1million.

Aiko Drawstring Maxi about $140US from Saks Fifth Avenue

Desert Florals Maxi Skirt at Free People about $95AU

Tube Maxi Skirt by KJ Kirrily Johnston $198AU at MyCatwalk.com

Rag & Bone Bequia at Saks about $511AU

The best advice I've seen on maxi skirts? 

The look already has a Woodstock vibe, 

so keep more city, less hippy. 

I think another good tip is to 

avoid solid black....it's just too heavy. 

And unless you're approaching 6 feet tall, less than 100 pounds and often mistaken for a runway hottie, a fitted top (and if the season allows bare arms) are necessito to give the look some shape. 

_________________________________ Why not look your best every day?

Off the Stands—A Monthly Magazine Review

Inaugural Edition—April 2011

InStyle x 2
Madison
Marie Claire
Vogue Australia

Most women are too time poor to flip through even one fashion magazine a month, let alone several. For this reason, I'm welcoming you to the inaugural edition of Off the Stands, a monthly review of four to six fashion magazines currently on the stands. 


As an avid reader, shopper and blogger, I will dig through the information and share reports, trends and highlights. Please email me with recommendations or suggestions on how I might improve this regular DressologyHQ feature.


Lets get started! 

Fabulous DVF

All the publications report the 70s chic trend remains strong with super-wide-leg pants and jumpsuits at the forefront. If there's one thing to be learned....embrace mixed patterns and wild (especially animal) prints! Also evident is the continuing strength of metallics, with an emphasis on gold. Dresses, my personal fave, continue to dominate with longer hemlines making a return.

INSTYLE, March and April 2011 instylemag.com.au

InStyle knows how to present fashion for the every day woman. The very best part of this, is providing readers with website information in the photo credits! How utterly modern! 
MARCH
D Pair camel and gray. Classic, elegant & easy because most of us already own pieces in these colors
D Anoraks as competition to trenches as the (Southern Hemisphere) climate cools
D Significant wedding dress feature for future brides
D Photo shoot with Rose Byrne featuring Marchesa, Mulberry, Alberta Ferretti & Isabel Marant
D A behind-the-scenes Oscar feature with backstage photos—but for last year?

APRIL

Katherine in brogues...and tailored menswear

D Longer hemlines, brogues, khaki urban chic....and tweed? All trends easily embraced

D Don't miss 28 Days of Outfits. Very easy to duplicate adding your own style & using your wardrobe basics

D Loved Transformations an instructional, useful explanation of how to wear key pieces like leggings, pencil skirts & metallic tanks

VOGUE, April 2011 vogue.com.au

I think Vogue needs a facelift or maybe botox, from dry editorial to what feels like a dated format, it just feels tired. Having said that, the beauty of a Vogue photo shoot cannot be beat and they remain Tastemaker HQ.
D Red, black and gold as a new color combination trend
D Eastern-ethnic and Asian influences and tailored, menswear-inspired as hot trends
D Something I've seen nowhere else (go Vogue!) but very wearable is the “doubling-up” of belts, scarves & even purses. 
D An entire photo shoot of dresses. Gucci, Stella, Bally.....beautiful dresses as art!
D Opening of a new Hermes boutique in Paris in a disused art deco swimming pool

MARIE CLAIRE, April 2011 marieclaire.com.au

Always appreciate MC including brands like Witchery, Country Road and David Lawrence in their photo shoots bringin' it for us common folk! Their tagline is 100% truthful: Celebrating style and substance. Great features as always.
D  If you’re a Kylie fan, RUN, don’t walk to the photo feature with Dolce & Gabbana 
D  Heaps of dresses & jumpsuits reinforcing the 70s vibe with high waists & fringe
D Love the 101 Ideas section which provide inspiration for every day dressing
DOut of all the Runway Reports, they did it best. Interesting, fun & accessible

MADISON, April 2011 madisonmag.com.au

I’ll admit, the photo feature with fashion photog Ben Baker kept me busy. The boy is from Adelaide....so he has my heart.  
D Accessory report includes impressive statement shoes, belts & bags from affordable to designer & in between
D Love Cheap Chic for outfit ideas you can actually go out and buy
D  Trend report  featuring berry as the new fall color and colorblocking madness
D  One-page feature on Bally of Switzerland? I heart those guys.