Jumpsuits are Back!

Jumpsuits are in! Just ask the style experts at REDBOOK magazine, who featured metro's Dolman Sleeve Jumpsuit recently in a spread about fast fashion. They were inspired, I guess, by the idea of the modern jumpsuit. And who wouldn't be?

Anyone who owns a jumpsuit knows they are the ultimate outfit in an instant. All that's left for you to do is to jazz up your jumpsuit with a great belt, some hot heels and a rockin' bag. And your one-piece wonder is ready for anything! Now, that's what I call instant gratification...

Tapping into a Trend

According to my various fashion sources, the military look is in. I see that Gisele Bündchen wore what looks like a camo minidress, plus helmet, on the cover of Vogue Mexico in May. And then there’s Reese Witherspoon in olive drab while filming in LA in June.

So here’s my problem: how do I include this trend in my wardrobe without looking kind of silly. I certainly can’t rock a minidress like Gisele, unless I want my friends to question my sanity and to avoid my vicinity when I’m wearing it. Reese’s look is kind of more my speed. I tend to have more classic taste so I might not be up for adding the fedora, I think you have to have the right kind of attitude to get away with that.

When I googled military fashion, I think I came up with the solution. One online article suggested that you can add small doses of a trend to your wardrobe, like wearing khaki or olive or tan, to give yourself an update without being too obvious. Luckily, Metrostyle had an option for me. Or two. What do you think, the olive cargo pant or the short cargo pocket skirt in this kind of camo-like pattern? Now all I have to do is to find a top; and I’ll be, if not trendy, at least in the territory.

AEL

Ruffles on the Red Carpet

They’re all over the place! Ruffles, I mean. And not the potato chip variety, though they do take up quite a bit of space in my kitchen. One of my favorite ruffle looks was Jennifer Hudson’s ruffle skirted gown at the Cannes Film Festival. What a great LBD (little black dress) plus ruffles.

All the press and buzz that ruffles are getting made me wonder why I don’t have more clothing with ruffled details. And it also made me curious as to whether there was a time period in which ruffles were as popular. I guess I’d have to go with the Elizabethans as the folks who really loved their ruffles—for both men and women. Get this: ruffles were a status symbol worn by the upper class of both genders. The rich had these big (and I mean HUGE) ruffled collars and the woman had their ruffled sleeves, in addition to their neck wear. Thankfully, though, you don’t have to be a millionaire or a celeb to wear them now.

I’m thinking that maybe I should give the ruffled look a try. Since I’d like to start slowly with adding a trend to my pretty basic wardrobe, I’m thinking our Ruffled Sleeve Tunic in white might be a good starting point. Paired with jeans, it could be the start of a fab new look for me.

What do you guys think? Will you get all ruffled up this season?

by AEL