|
|
|
|
All Tied Up: The Essential Scarf
For women and men alike there is no single accessory more important in the colder months than a scarf. The scarf, like the ever-handy towel in Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ( ... the most "massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have comes in handy in most every situation"), tops off your look, keeps you warm and can be styled so many ways from Sunday they should add another month to the calendar.
A scarf alone can take you from day to night, from city to country chic. Wear it like a necktie, a shawl, a belt or a bandolier. Tie up your hair or tie down the strap of your handbag. They come in silks and wools and cottons, patterns and plain colors, and all varieties of texture.
A number of new pashminas recently arrived at Lori's Shoes that would set any stylist's heart a-flutter. Their tapestried fabrics provide rich color and texture while a 28" width gives plenty of accessorizing latitude. Thus inspired, here are some styling options to make the most of this all-important piece!
The lush textures in this burgundy pashmina activate a simple outfit.
Wear it in generous, thick folds as a neck scarf (right) or tie a simple
overhand knot for an over-the-shoulder casual bolero (left).
The drape of this paisley pashmina makes it a superb layering tool.
Thinner than the tapestry pieces, it has excellent flow and a shimmery finish.
Wear it like a Roman Patrician (left) or bundle-knotted like a kiffeyeh.
Leah Benjamin wool scarves mix complex patterns and colors with lovely sheen.
The wool threads fall straight and flat, letting you style these scarves with the foppish
fling of a Barbary corsair (left) or as a sloppy-chic, once-around choker (right).
|
|
Give an Inch ...
Super sexy heels have enjoyed special attention this year as they rise to the improbable six-inch mark and beyond. It's all over the runway, the magazines, the fashion sites. (Just ask Bill Cunningham.) We see it on pumps, on boots, on, well, everything except flats. For a moment I wondered if all the teetering and tottering and inevitable sore feet were worth the look. Then I came to my senses. Of course it is worth the look. The answer to "height" is always "yes." And as the DOW Jones continues to plummet, heels are only getting higher.
I'm going off the assumption that Christian Louboutin's Babel boots ($1,425 at Net-a-Porter) might be a smidge pricey, given that, personally, I'm saving to cover my $2,300 share of the SEVEN HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS needed to bail out Wall Street, so I found some more affordable options.
Daino's 2850s are similar in style and height to the Babel with a nearly four-inch heel. It's leather forever as these knee-highs lengthen and cover your legs. This look references the Goth trends we've been seeing this fall -- a heavy influence of blacks and leathers with an emphasis on hardware and layered jewelry. It's darkly sophisticated, but paired with a long, flowing skirt(s) you'll mute the gloom and create a sealed and polished look that bespeaks your urban sophistication.
 Daino 2850 with fall looks by Marios Schwab and Halston.
Likewise, who wouldn't love a pair of Missoni's crocodile booties ($5,695 at Missoni), but since I'm currently down more than 5% net worth and the government just bought my bank, we're just as happy with Pour La Victoire's Lea in black patent croco print.
The four-inch heel gives you lift while its sexy curves finish off the lines of your calf, ankle and down through your heel for a sleek, polished look. Love -- LOVE -- the wide-cut opening here which makes the foot look smaller, draws attention to darling ankles while evincing a general playfulness. The purposeful gapping and brassy pattern plays off against pencil skirts and streamlined, basic silhouettes for a sexy-librarian chic.
 Pour La Victoire's Lea and Missoni's salivatingly beautiful crocodile boot.
|
|
Boots Are a Battlefield
'80s Looks and the Women Who Work Them
While the grunge chic trends issue from the muddy banks of the Wishkah and earlier British punk influences, a concurrent fall trend grew out of a reaction to punk's early-'80s dominance.
We're talking New Wave; we're talking shooties, hero boots and glam grrrls.
New Wave's distancing from punk pushed it toward an embrace of mod's tailored, even dandyish lines mixed with influences of then-contemporary late '70s-early '80s scenes.
The shootie, a mash-up of shoes and boots with the coverage of an ankle boot and a pump's silhouette, fits right in. Steven's Midory is a pitch-perfect example. The deconstructed upper with leather tab and spike heel are lovely. They make me yearn for the old CBGB . The peeptoe is a nice touch. Wear with tights. Who owns this look? Pat Benatar. (Black PVC optional.)
Over-the-knee hero boots are showing up this season, most famously in Christian Louboutin's suede thigh-highs. The look is the murky intersection of Punk, Disco and New Wave with touches of glam, military and romance dominating. Love Lorenzo Masiero's 6730s in chocolate leather. Wear this look with a short skirt or dress, flaps flipped up to cover the knees. Again, tights here in a bright color or pattern will be a bold and brief pizzazz. Who owns this look? Deborah Harry.
Glammed-up combat boots perched atop platforms and lug soles are required uniform for punk/pop crossovers that take the attitude of Brit-punk and run it through American New Wave toward a brighter pop sound. These boots also commandeer a typically masculine style and convert its aggression into sassy feminism. I think a dose of Zamagni's 10410s in black patent is in order here. The tall shaft sports paratrooper details like a side zipper and an equestrian harness, all balanced on a 3-1/2" chunky heel and one-inch platform with lugged sole. Who owns this look? Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's.
|
|
| |
 |
John Coyle Steinbrunner is the former online creative director for Active Endeavors and Jake. He currently consults for fashion designers and boutiques in Chicago and New York. And, yes, he does play the banjo.
Mr. Steinbrunner pursues his career in painting, examples of which can be seen at jcsteinbrunner.com
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
