Haute Splurge: Nanette Lepore Hush Hush Leather Jacket

Michael Jackson popularized the little red leather jacket back in the 80’s and we’ve been coveting them ever since. But the key is finding that just-right shade of red, and a cut that works with everyday looks. Nanette Lepore’s Hush Hush Leather Jacket is one of the best red leather jackets we’ve seen in some time, and should be made yours (and ours!) this fall. The merlot color is as lush as the wine itself, and blends right into the mix of standard fall hues. The luxe leather is slightly wrinkled, giving it that favorite, worn-in look. And the cut – oh, the cut! The front features a pleated shawl collar and pleated vertical flaps complete with a Victorian-style hook-and-eye closure. The back is the best part – asymmetrical, off-center pleating and slightly ruffled detail draped to one side. This jacket is lovely - tough and girly all in one.

Buy for $848 at shopbop

Fall shopping at Marshall’s

Several weeks ago, What’s Haute Magazine was invited to a red carpet fall shopping event at Marshall’s. We joined a very small, hand-selected group of fellow bloggers, including Eye 4 Style, Style IT, Felicia Sullivan, I’m Not Obsessed and Nanodism with host, Alison Deyette, to get a behind the scenes look at off-price shopping and “shopportunity”.

I’ve always been a fan of both Marshall’s and TJ Maxx. Though off-price shopping is not for all, it’s great for those like me who love the thrill of the hunt. In my lifetime I’ve found tons of amazing authentic designer picks at both stores, including everything from Dior and Gucci sunglasses, to Valentino dresses, Emilio Pucci accessories, Katherine Kwei and Michael Kors handbags - you get the picture. And this instance was no different. We saw everything from Calvin Klein dresses, to Coach bags, to Diane von Furstenburg shoes gracing the racks.

In case you thought off-price meant “last season”, you’d be surprised to know that Marshall’s provides clothes that are in season. They have buyers that visit manufacturers all over the country looking for stylish finds. When designers have an excess of shirts, shoes, bags, etc. from their designs not selling out in department stores or boutiques, the clothes are returned to them and they need to figure out an alternative to selling it. This is where Marshall’s comes in.

After department store or boutique buyers place their orders, Marshall’s buyers purchase the excess and put them in stores right away. (Marshall’s and TJ Maxx get 10,000 pieces of new merchandise each week, spread out among their 1,600 stores.) That means that you can get the same pricey department store or boutique clothes in Marshall’s at the exact same time and for a much lower price! And they don’t return any clothing to the designer - they just mark it down until it’s sold and if it doesn’t sell, they eventually donate it.

And a great little shopping tip we learned is that you can always ask Marshall’s salespeople if they have your size back in the storeroom. Alison took us on a tour around and in the back of the store and we saw tons of recent deliveries, and more to come that day! With all that merchandise, they couldn’t put everything on the shelves so some of it stays in the back, just waiting for you to ask!

Speaking of merchandise, I picked up some gold DvF strappy sandals, an awesome black designer jumpsuit and a purple and black print dress – totaling only 120 bucks!

What “shopportunities” have you discovered at Marshall’s?

Five reasons to ‘Fall’ in love with H&M all over again

How do I love thee Fall collection at H&M? Let me count the ways:

1. It’s the perfect special occasion dress, $49.95
2. Haute couture that’s hotly priced, $59.95
3. A woven knit dress that looks chic with a blazer taking you through the workday; ditch the blazer and add statement jewelry and kitten heels for a sultry look for dinner and drinks, $49.95
4. The only accessory you’ll need with your skinny jeans, $49.95
5. A comfy, chunky knit dress is a staple for Fall, $59.95

Check out H&M.com for more haute Fall fashion.

‘Back to school’ fashion - Twinkle pencil box skirt

Remember when Fall was on the horizon and you looked forward to back-to-school shopping? For me that meant not only clothes and shoes, but cool new school supplies like Trapper Keepers and pencil boxes. But now that I’m “all grown up”, the only Fall shopping I’ll be doing is in the clothing store. I’m loving this fantastic skirt from Twinkle by Wenlan. The Pencil Box Skirt only slightly makes me think of school with its classic pencil shape and knee-length, and smart detailing along the top and bottom. Made of cotton, the skirt will take you into Fall but you can also stash and save it for next summer. The two front slit pockets and art-deco cut-out detail add some pizazz to the traditional grey pencil skirt so it’s perfect for the office but you can sex it up for a night out too!

On sale now for $39.60 (Regular Price: $198.00) at Goldyn

Going gaga for green…nails? Chanel’s Jade polish is coming soon

We thought we’ve seen every nail color known to man (or woman) but Chanel recently anonounced that it’s going green this Fall. Not eco-friendly, but the actual color green. It’s releasing Peter Philips‘ (Creative Director of Chanel Makeup) Jade Green nail polish from its Fall 2009 collection as a limited-edition this October. If green nails sound horrid to you, don’t worry, it sounded that way to us too but once we saw the bottle we were sold! The highly coveted minty green shade will be joined by a Jade Rose shade as well (wonder what that will look like?) and we are anxiously awaiting the launch of both. Will you be adding chanel’s Jade to your polish collection this Fall?

Shop Chanel beauty favorites at Nordstrom.com

Tibi - Fall 2009 Fashion Week

For Fall 2009, Tibi designer Amy Smilovic presented a colorfully cohesive collection based on “a lighthearted moodiness influenced by the Russian fairytale, “The Tale of the Firebird“.” Smilovic’s jaunt to Russia resulted in a vivid display of satin dresses, chiffon tops, chicly cut wool coats a peacock-style prints throughout in hues of blue, black and gold.

Though heavily incorporating this Fall’s ‘black is back’ trend, Smilovic’s frequent pops of color and punchy cut pieces set her collection apart. Asymmetical cuts, and carefully placed beading, embroidery and ruffles reminded us of why Tibi remains a go-to designer season after season.

Nanette Lepore - Fall 2009 Fashion Week

Nanette Lepore is known for creating ultrafeminine pieces and her Fall 2009 collection was no different. The designer told media sources that she was inspired by “opulent women who mix and match pieces, travels a lot, collects and keeps clothes and mixes something fabulous with something old and vintage.” In her runway show, it was obvious to see the touches of vintage influences in the fabrics, silhouettes and color choices. But Lepore managed to put a modern glamorous spin on it all.

Rich color combinations were utilized – gold metallic accented black, brown and coral tones in ethnic printed shift, chiffon blouses and plaid shorts and skirts. A heavy use of plaid was also incorporated into the collection as well – everything from asymmetrically cut dresses to softly cut blazers to skirt suits accented with feathered hems. Shades of royal blue and mustard yellow were mixed with khaki and black and leopard printed accessories, including belts and open-toed booties. Chunky wool hats provided a stark yet perfect contrast to the ladylike silhouettes.

Jordi Scott - Fall 2009 Fashion Week

Here we are in the blender. Many of the downtown up and coming designers and the clients that wear them are consistently combining the rebellious looks of the past as a way of striking out at the homogeneity that was constricting fashion. What happens when designers like Jordi Scott and Starr Rinaldi of Jordi Scott get a hold of the uniforms of rebels past is they become style terrorists and use design to attack the numbing fog of blandness that is commercial fashion. As with many designers who have been marginalized and denied exposure, for Fall/Winter ‘09 there was a strong sense that they are now bathing in the blood pouring from the the collapse of the marketplace that was built by the very same “commercialistas” that rejected them.

For Fall/Winter ‘09, the deviant duo of Scott and Rinaldi served up their classic mix of 70s and 80s punk and pop art but with a stronger cohesiveness and a more mature sense of who they are as designers. The collection was still raw and in your face with all of the great punk swagger and oozing sexiness that is their hallmark. But this time gazing through their looking glass though the message felt stronger and the clothes were somehow more substantial and less pop. The show opened with a video encouraging all of us to dance and party. And at a Jordi Scott show it felt fitting to swill and sway while the economic crisis and the cultural carnage it is spewing cast a pall over the city. Then the models stomped and slammed their way down the runway wearing clothes that were sexy and bold. Distressed leggings and faux leather mixed with chain prints and glittering fabrics. Electric colors screamed from underneath black blouses. P.V.C trim adorned shirts and skirts and in one creative touch mimicked electrical tape. Many pieces were perfect for all the bad boys and nasty girls but none more so than the skintight pants and jackets that just sent a ripple of sex through out the crowd. Overall the show was a great step forward for this talented and fierce design team that is just on the edge of being the next big must have for the dangerous, dirty, and fabulous.

Christian Siriano - Fall 2009 Fashion Week

Typically reality show winners suffer the curse of the sudden death of their careers once the show ends. But Christian Siriano seems to have shaken and broken the curse and his meteoric rise in the fashion industry has been something worth watching.

Siriano won last year’s Project Runway and since has reached celeb status, partly due to his fierceness, but mainly due to his incredible talent as a fashion designer. His over the top creations on the show won him fans but we all wondered if he was a one-note. Well, his Bryant Park debut proved otherwise. It was great to see Siriano duplicate some of the things that made him famous but also to see his ready-to-wear pieces that the everyday woman could actually wear.

His color palette consisted of primarily khaki, brown gold and blue tones but that did not limit his imagination. Designing everything from gowns to suits, Siriano certainly put his stamp on every piece in the collection. Present were the expected puffy sleeves and ruffles, but also present were asymmetrically pleated skirts, skinny pants, cape jackets and shirred and ruched satin dresses.

Though you may forget about those other reality show winners, Siriano continues to make his mark on the fashion industry and he won’t let you forget about him and his fierce clothes anytime soon.

Me pictured with Christian Siriano at Bryant Park

Concordia/Wireimage

Ports 1961 - Fall 2009 Fashion Week

Applause is due to Tia Cibani of Ports 1961 for shifting her inspirational focus to a climate that is far, far away from both her home and the home of her last Fall/Winter collection. The choice of India was a risk as far as fabrics and cuts. I really liked the softness of the color palette and the materials looked very soft and luxurious. Being luxurious these days is akin to a mortal sin as well, so hats off to Tia for that choice as well. Some of the dresses were lovely and feminine, but overall far too many of the pieces looked as if the cuts had just missed the mark in terms of fit. I am unsure if it was struggles with the material or simply appearance caused by ill-planned use of volume. I do want to stress though that I feel that there was a strong evolution taking place in Tia Cibani’s personal aesthetic. Also again let me say that the pieces that I did like, I enjoyed a great deal. I am still excited to watch this young talent as she grows and matures and continues to master her craft.

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