Channeling yourself!

Where better to take inspiration from this holiday season than yourself....as a child!  Remember when colors ruled your world, sparkles rocked your world and all things kooky were the cat's pajamas?  Most of us have toned things down a bit since those days of rainbow colored knee socks paired with the corduroy skirt with the skateboarding squirrels print...man how I loved that ensemble.  We have opted for sophistication, maturity, class and in the process perhaps lost some of the magic.  So this holiday season let's channel our inner child.  I don't think any of us is ready to completely abandon our current selves in favor of donning a tutu and wings to the grocery store a la our old-selves but I think we can take inspiration from our carefree and creative days.  Wear the LBD (little black dress) that fits your womanly curves like a glove but layer on the sparkles with crystal necklaces.  Abandon the bib that used to accompany your onesies and instead opt for the bib necklace!  We particularly love this one which is like a princess party on steroids.  If the subtle homage to yourself feels too...subtle, consider trying this Gucci inspired studded dress.  A funky little clutch like our blueQ zipper pouches can inject some whimsy into your outfit.  One of my favorite pieces I got this season is a snake ring layered with crystals (see pic above).  It's big and obnoxious and so much fun!  The holidays can be stressful so remember to not take yourself too seriously and don't be afraid to try something a little more creative, colorful, sparkly, or outrageous because the holidays are supposed to be festive.  It's time to be a little extra nice, or naughty or fashionable!  Whatever you choose to wear this holiday season we wish you health, happiness and lots of joy all while looking and feeling fabulous!

In Heaven, Masculine Meets Feminine

I remember when I was in the third grade, a boy named Corey wore a purple corduroy skirt to school.  It completely baffled the entire class. The third grade world was all a'twitter before there even was Twitter. It was all anyone could talk about. When asked why he wore a skirt to school he simply said, "I wanted to.  Why can only girls wear skirts?"  Wow!  So simple. So true.  Out of the mouths of babes as they say.  Fashion has always reflected the climate of the world; politics, art, technology.  Coco Chanel is credited as making it acceptable for women to wear pants.  Now 80 years later Marc Jacobs, one of today's most recognized designers, can often be seen sporting a dress.  The times are a changin' and the hard and fast rules of what women and men can wear, from fabrics to colors, to shapes have gone out the window leaving a veritable fashion playground, and this season women are like kids at recess!   Mixing feminine and masculine can be a fun way to dabble with your personal style.  Combining looser fits with more figure hugging silhouettes can create a more interesting look than just the expected.  Big trends we are seeing this season are men's oxford style shoes and smoking slippers being paired with softer hues and feminine lines.  Put on an over-sized sweater with your skinny jeans.  Don a tough boot with a frilly flirty dress (Frye boots have been a long time "go to" for this look. (now available at Williams Shoes).  For some much celebrated inspiration in this vain check out Diane Keaton in Annie Hall.  One of the things I personally love about this style is it portrays a confident woman who isn't afraid to challenge the traditional idea of femininity or masculinity for that matter.  A woman who knows not everyone is going to approve of the look and doesn't care is a woman I care for. It can be comfortable and stylish and so easy to make personal.  This season in fashion heaven:  Masculine meets feminine!

Fall White

Making things work from one season to the next can reaaaally stretch your wardrobe and often times lead you to new and interesting outfits you may have not considered putting together before.  You may have heard of the classic summer nautical look (navy and white) and maybe you have heard the words "winter white" being tossed around here and there.  So ladies,  what's up with fall?  Can you wear white in fall?  I say, ABSOLUTELY!  Our off white ankle jean from Blank we had all summer (now 40% off)  can easily be turned into a classy fall look with a cotton knit sweater from Wooden Ships and Whiskey colored leather boots from Miz Mooz to warm things up :) The gold cutout necklace from Fair Earth really takes the outfit from good, to, great with a splash of sass. What things will you be taking from Summer into fall?  Come in and find new fabulous pieces to fallify your old ones! To see more pics of this look check out our facebook page and to buy click here!

Fall Trends: Episode 3: Skin Is In

Skin bags when under your eyes are the devil's work and definitely not a fashion look to covet.  However when skin bags have a strap/s and you carry your stuff in it, it's totally fierce.  This season we are seeing bags made from skins real or fake everywhere.  Think python, ostrich, crocodile (preferably faux for the sake of the critters) to add depth and texture to any outfit.  Our crossbody bag from Latico available in black and brown is rich looking and, made from recycled materials, comes without the hefty price tag of a real animal skin bag.  We particularly love this because it's practical and classy. The cross-body feature allows you to have fun and book it while maintaining your "look."  What do you think?  Will you be rocking the skin bags this season?

Fall Trends: Episode 2: The Bootie Factor

Shake your booties tra la la la.  Shake your booties.  This season booties are in every company's collection, every store and on every celebrity and I am ready to join the movement...are you?  I first started noticing these on Sienna Miller.  She was photographed multiple times wearing a pair from rag and bone.  As of late I have seen even more celebrities rocking this trend like Gwyneth Paltrow and Misha Barton.  Some of us don't have legs that go on for days and may feel hesitant that these won't be the most flattering.  I say throw on a pair of tights the same color as the booties to continue the line and make your legs look longer.  Another option is to wear them with pants that flair a bit (another big trend this season which I will get to soon).  The pair we've got that just arrived today from EVERYBODY featured above is perfect for pairing with dresses or pants and a black and brown combo always feels so European to me (almost always a good thing when it comes to fashion).  Stay tuned for the arrival of more booties and more Fall 2012 trends to come and check us out on www.williamsshoesonline.com to make them yours!

The Best Accessory

The other day as I was walking down the street by my house I noticed a guy with a casual cool summer style walking down the street with his pitbull.  The two of them both looked so happy to be together and enjoying the beautiful weather.  I realized that while this guy had great style what really made me take note was his best accessory; his dog!  Putting together a great outfit that you feel good in and reflects your mood as well as your personal style is always a good thing but sometimes the best accessory is the company you keep be it canine or otherwise. If you are happy with the people you are with, they give you positive energy, and make you feel good. That is what takes you and your outfit to a whole new level of style!

Pantone Color of the Year!

It has been announced! The Pantone color of the year issssss......Tangerine Tango! This vibrant and bold color is being seen in everything from bags, to jackets, to clothes to shoes! We saw it all over our trips to look for spring goodies and we loved it. Keep your eyes open for bags from Latico, dresses from Sweet Pea, scarves from Italca and so much more. All spring items will begin arriving now through may with new shipments coming in weekly so keep coming in and checking out what's new!

How to Wear: We love the idea of this hott color with white pants (we have some coming from Blank). We would shy away from black so as to avoid looking to Halloweenish. A beautiful camel colored sweater or trouser would give it a very rich high end look. If you are looking to go for the less subtle look throw it with a green or turquoise sweater for extra color. Here is to 2012 starting out sexy and fun in Tangerine Tango!

Check out more looks for Spring 2012 @ www.williamsshoesonline.com