I do not know where you live but by me the thermometer has taken a dive and the days of wearing short sleeves and open toe shoes are most likely over until spring. It is time to start thinking about winter coats and there are so many great ones to choose from. I personally have more than one coat, a casual yet very warm jacket as well as a thinner, wool coat that can be worn when temperatures are not too cold. My wool coat is in need of a replacement and I think I have narrowed down my next purchase to a Duffel Coat with toggles.

A Duffel Coat ( also  spelled DuffLE ) is made from duffle, a coarse, thick, woollen material. The name is derived from a town called Duffel located in Belgium where the material originates from. This style coat was popularized by the British Royal Navy who issued these coats in a camel color to its soldiers during WWI. The coat was modified slightly and reissued again during WWII. Large stocks of surplus material made these style coats readily available at a inexpensive price to the general public and in the 1950s and ’60s these were a very popular style of coat.

Besides the material used to make these coats, there are a few other features that make these coats recognizable. One the the most obvious is four front wooden or “walrus teeth” fastenings with four rope or leather loops to attach them to. Lesser obvious features are two large outside pockets with covering flaps and a hood with buttonable neck strap. One of the most famous iconic characters who wore a Duffel Coat is Paddington Bear.

Click Here To Buy Rag & Bone Classic Duffle Coat

The Rag & Bone Classic Duffle Coat very close to a classic Duffle Coat. It is a double breasted wool coat with 4 toggle closure and a snap strap hood. Modern updates for this coat include: a quilted lining, welt pockets at the bust and patch hip pockets, and leather trim at pockets and toggles. This coat is a great everyday coat to wear and is classic in style making this a good investment to take you from one year to the next.

Click Here To Buy A.L.C. Hooded Duffel Coat

The ALC Hooded Duffel Coat as seen worn recently by Gwen Stefani is a updated modern take on the Classic Duffle coat. This coat has a shearling line and exposed zipper at the removable hood, fold-over collar, and storm flaps at the front. Instead of a classic four toggle closure, this has a hidden zipper closure and 3 toggles at the top of the coat. This coat also has flap pockets and welt pockets at the hip area. The coat is a bit longer (52″ long) than most other Duffle Coats as well. This is a great coat to wear for cold and windy days.

Click Here for Burberry Brit Toggle Front Duffle Coat

Available in both black and in grey, the Burberry Brit Toggle Front Duffle Coat is a very classic Duffel coat and will never go out of style. 3/4 length sleeves, 4 toggle closure, and flap patch pockets are very classic Duffle. The coat has the signature Burberry plaid pattern lining the hood. Of all of the Duffle coats I have seen this year, this is my favorite.

No matter if you are looking for a traditional, classic Duffle coat one with modern elementsw, there are plenty to choose from. If you are tired of buying a trendy jacket year after year then consider a Duffel Coat that will never go out of style.

Click Here For Rachel Zoe Clothing and Accessories

Rachel Zoe

Shut The Door….Rachel Zoe has her own clothing line

Celebrity stylist, entrepreneur, author,  designer, mom Rachel Zoe is a fashion leader. Known for styling celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, and Jennifer Garner amongst others,  Rachel knows fashion like the back of your own hand. She dresses herself and others impeccably and often her picks are red carpet best dressed dresses. The clothing choices are trend and are often risk taking. Rachel Zoe is  ahead of the pack when it comes to picking the “next big thing”.

Besides helping out celebrities she helps out everyday women by contributing to Piperlime with her footwear and handbag picks. Her picks range from everyday affordable items to splurges and she teaches you how to wear the looks and get the most out of them. Rachel also reaches out the masses with her own blog where she answers reader’s questions, talks about fashion and accessory picks, and how to make the most of an outfit.  In addition to the above jobs, she has designed her own line of clothing for QVC as well as recently launching a clothing line online and in high end department stores with the hopes of expanding to footwear, jewelry, accessories, and even home furnishings. If designing and styling is not enough she also is a doting mom to her son born in March 2011.

The recent clothing line launch has a mix of styles that has something that should appeal to everyone. The Fall 2011 collection has  a mix of dresses, pants, tops, and jackets/vest. If you are a fan or follower of Rachel Zoe you will see that all of the clothing is all clothing that Rachel would wear herself.

Boho Chic

A large percentage of the collection can be classified as Boho-Chic. There are plenty of long sleeve silk – chiffon Maxi Dresses  with animal print pattern on them.  The dresses are all designed to be worn either on or off the shoulder and have sheer elasticized sleeves so you can wear them full length or push them up if you prefer. You can wear a belt to add so more detailing to the dresses or leave them as is. You will want to wear some sort of shoe or boot with these dresses because of the length. If you like the patterns of these dresses but not a fan of Maxi Dresses there are some great peasant blouses in the same animal prints that are also designed to be worn off or on the shoulder.

Click any link to buy these and other Boho-Chic Clothing

Faux Fur

If you have even watched The Rachel Zoe Project or even pay attention to fashion / gossip magazines you will be aware that fur, in particular faux fur is a favorite of Rachel’s. For her fashion collection there is a wide selection of jackets and vest that have fur on them.  One of the common features with all of the coats and vest is that they all have some sort of dramatic collar, some have a over-sized fold-over collar and others are stand up ones. The colors for them coats / vests are neutral and can easily be worn over other Rachel Zoe clothing  or any other brand.

Click the links at the top or bottom of the article to buy these coats

Short Dresses

Though Rachel herself does not tend to wear many short dresses, she does not shy away from them when dressing her clients or recommending them for others. Her short dresses range from casual everyday dresses appropriate for work or fun to more formal ones that can be worn to parties or red carpet events  (if you are lucky enough to be invited to one).

Click the links at the top or bottom of the article to buy these and other great short dresses

Shoes

Rachel loves shoes. She may love them even more than clothing so it is no surprise to see that her collection includes many shoes. A large percentage of the shoes that she wears or dresses her clients in, are large platform shoes that are simple, meaning they are solid color or have very minimal detailing. Since the shoes are classic in style they will go with a large amount of a wardrobe as well as will not go out of style after a season or two.

Click any of the links to buy these and other great shoes by Rachel Zoe

Rachel truly is a fashionista and knows what works together and what should be left at the store. Her collection is designed in a way that each individual piece can be worn alone or with other items in the collection. Expect to see great high quality pieces of clothing from Rachel Zoe for a long time to come. Also be sure to watch her TV show The Rachel Zoe Project to peek in the life of this multi-tasking multi-talented woman.

Click Here For Rachel Zoe Clothing and Accessories       
This collection is Lit. A. Ra. Lee going to be Ba Na Nas

Spring and summer are a time when sudden rain showers can just pop up and you need to be prepared. While you can carry an umbrella around with you, you do carry the risk of forgetting it somewhere and not having it when needed. The perfect solution, especially when it is not too hot out, is a trench coat. By wearing this type of coat you will stay dry and warm. Many women shy away from a trench coat normally though because they tend to be shapeless and masculine in looks but the truth is there are plenty of great trench coats that are stylish and trendy.

The Tibi Bow Trench Coat is a great coat if you are looking to stand apart from the crowd. This Terra Cotta (also available in Khaki ) coat is a mid thigh length trench coat that has a feminine cut due to pintucking at both the front and the back so it flatters your shape. In terms of detailing, the Tibi Bow Trench Coat has tie and ruffle trim at the collar and neck adding a unique style to this coat. 3/4 Length sleeves also add a great detail. I love that while this is not a traditional trench coat color, it is bright enough to draw attention but at the same time is a color that will compliment so many others, allowing it to match so much of your closet. Since this is a short trench coat, keep in mind the hem length of any skirt or dress you wear with this coat. You will want to make sure that the base hem is longer than the coat to avoid the appearance that you are not wearing anything underneath. In terms of tops to wear with the coat, you will want to stay away from bulky, sleeves because they will not feel comfortable under the Raglan sleeves nor will they look good puffing out from the bottom of the sleeves.

Click Here to Buy Tibi Bow Trench Coat

Trench coats by definition are a heavy duty waterproof coat that are usually knee length.  Most trench coats are designed for function rather than fashion. This spring / summer 2011 season though has a lot of twists to these traditional style coats. You are seeing more interesting cuts and colors to these coats, as well as bows and ruffled pleats on trench coats making them more feminine. One of the most unique twists these jackets is that there are many cropped trench coats available today. A cropped trench is going to allow you to show off your outfit as opposed to keeping it covered up. Since these coats are waist or hip length it is important to pair them correctly with your clothing. You can wear these shorter coats with a skirt or dress, sleek and slim or full. Unlike a longer trench the hem length of your bottoms is not too important because these coats are not going to look like you are bottomless unlike some traditional trenches.

One of my favorite cropped trench coats is the Mason by Michelle Mason Crop Trench Coat. This coat has 3/4 length sleeves and a double breasted closure. Four buttons at the front close the coat and there are decorative buttons and a pleated flap at the back. This really is not a very functional trench coat for rainy days but it is a great cot to wear when it is cool outside and you do not want to wear a sweater or long sleeves.

Mason by Michelle Mason Crop Trench Coat

ASOS Drapey Cropped Trench is another favorite of mine. This camel colored coat has an asymmetrical bottom hem as well as asymmetrical buttons throughout. The sleeves are full length and there is a rain shield in the back so this is a very functional coat for wet or cool weather.

ASOS Drapey Cropped Trench

Though it is a bit longer than the previous two trench coats, the Burberry Brit Belted Trench Jacket is a great short trench coat. This coat is very detailed and has a bit of a vintage military look to it. There is a leather belted collar, waist, and sleeves and the gold tone hardware makes this look like a very put together and polished coat. The button down epaulets give this coat a military look to it. This  is a great coat to wear year round, with the exception of perhaps really cold winter days.

Burberry Brit Belted Trench Jacket

Whether it is for function on a rainy day or for fashion on a cool one, a cropped trench coat is the perfect answer for time when you are looking for a practical yet highly in fashion coat.

Spring and summer are a time when pop up rain showers are quite common. It can be a bright and sunny day and then all of a sudden the skies turn grey and buckets of rain come crashing down. It is best to be prepared for this type of weather with a coat of some sort. As practical as they may be a beige trench coat is not always the most attractive and fashionable choice.  The good news is that there are so many other colors of trench coats that you can wear. These brightly  colored coats will may a dreary day bright and enhance your outfit.

The ASOS Pleated Swing Trench Coat is available in a bright blue color that will be sure to brighten up the dreariness outside. Most trench coats are shapeless and a belt is needed to create any sort of shape but this trench  is pleated at the skirt and  has a defined waist so it will enhance your figure. The gun flaps at the shoulders and belted cuffs add to the style of this coat.

ASOS Pleated Swing Trench

Though it is available in camel as well as black, the green ASOS Classic Trench Coat is the perfect choice for a coat that is traditional in style but not in color. This coat is a belted double breasted cotton trench coat with a pleated vent at the back to allow movement. The gunflaps at the shoulder are button down adding to the style of the trench. The sleeves have a belted buckle detail that matches the belt at the waist.

ASOS Classic Trench

Orange is one of the “IT” colors for spring and summer 2011 so it is great to find a trench coat in this vivid color. The ASOS ’60s Trench With Contrast Trim is the perfect shade of orange and has a modern 1960s feel to it. This A line coat with a large vent in the back is very figure flattering. The contrasting black piping on the rounded collar, shoulders, and neck area give this coat a very mod vibe to it. If you like the style and shape of the coat but are a bit hesitant about the color, this is available in a great shade of blue as well. This trench coat is a bit shorter than others so keep that in mid if wearing a mini skirt, you want to make sure the hem of the skirt is longer than the coat, otherwise it may appear that you are not wearing anything on the bottom.

ASOS ’60s Trench With Contrast Trim

Though it is not bright and colorful, the ASOS Striped Collarless Trench is vivid in pattern. With all over horizontal stripes all the way around this coat, cropped length sleeves, and no collar, this coat is far from your basic everyday trench. This coat is tapered at the waist so it will help define your shape. The collarless trench is a great coat to wear not only in bad weather but over a dress or skirt on a cool day when you need an extra layer. Like the previous coat mentioned, this is short in length so keep this in mind when getting dressed.

ASOS Stripe Collarless Trench

While a dreary day is full of grey and the sun is nowhere to be seen, a small glimmer of the bright yellow sun can be seen in the ASOS Collarless Belted Trench in Yellow. An adjustable belt with gold tone eyelets and full length sleeves make this a practical and fashionable trench coat. This is the perfect color, shape, and length coat to wear with jeans a T-shirt.

ASOS Collarless Belted Trench

The best thing about all of these coats is that since they do not look like a traditional trench coat, you can wear these coats when it is not raining and look like you are wearing a normal spring coat. These coats will carry you over to the fall and future years so you will get your money’s worth out of any of them. If you like any of the shapes of the coat but are unsure about the color, many are available in traditional beige colors as well as other bright and fun colors.

Alice + Olivia Clothing is a mix of sophistication and eclecticism. The clothes have a modern meets vintage feel to them that are of the highest of quality. When you wear Alice + Olivia know that the clothes are flattering and enhancing so you will look your best always.

Animal Print clothes have been popular for a while and the Spring/Summer 2011 Alice + Olivia Collection includes some great leopard print dresses, shirts, skirts, and a trench coat. All of the leopard print items are unique and very wearable. Even if you normally shy away from this print, you may be a convert after viewing these great Alice + Olivia Leopard Prints.

The Alice + Olivia Kelley One Shoulder Tie Dress in Leopard is a neutral dress with shades of brown and has an asymmetrical one shoulder and hemline. A great light weight silk dress and I love the oversized bow on the shoulder.

Alice + Olivia Kelley Leopard One Shoulder Dress

If you want a more fitted leopard print dress, the Alice + Olivia Nicole Fitter Dress is a great pick. This dress has a square neck and a mesh panel at the back of the dress. I love the look of the model with the bright green shoes with the dress. It just proves that you do not need to stick with a neutral color palette even with such a busy pattern.

Alice + Olivia Nicola Fitted Dress with Exposed Zip in Leopard Print

The Alice  +  Olivia Brazil Button Down Blouse is a sheer button down leopard blouse with a large fold down collar and french cuff sleeves. The back of this 6 button blouse has knife pleats. You can keep it casual with a pair of shorts but you can also wear it under a business suit to make your look more fashionable.

Alice + Olivia Brazil Button Down Blouse

The Alice + Olivia Kae Leopard Print Feather Skirt truly embodies the eclectic sophisticated look Alice + Olivia is known  for. This is a multi layer elastic waist skirt with ruching, frayed layers, and is trimmed with feathers. This is not a skirt for the timid.

Alice And Olivia Leopard Print Feather Skirt

My favorite leopard print Alice + Olivia piece of clothing is the Leopard Pleat Back Trench Coat. I love a pattern trench coat to begin with and the leopard print is great to pep up any outfit. I love the mix of patterns the model is wearing with the animal print over a floral print.

Alice + Olivia Klein Pleat Back Trench in Leopard Print

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook or Google Friend Connect so you do not miss out on all the great and new clothing, shoes, jewelry and nail polish.

This spring brings back a lot of retro styles and one of the most popular are a line coats other wise known as swing coats. This style is iconic to the 1960s and Jackie O and the style still looks fabulous as it did back then.

This spring a sleuth of designers have re-invited the swing coat. During its vintage hey days swing coats were long and were made to cover up a skirt at the knees, they also usually came in very neutral colors. Today the swing coat comes in different lengths and many designers prefer to go shorter. Bright hue are also incorporated in today’s a line coats.

These coats go great with of course a spring skirt and even pants. The form is flattering to any body type and should always be fitted right. These coats are almost always made of light weight materials which make its perfect for the spring or early fall. Its great that you can wear it for multiple seasons. That is always a plus in my eyes.

Below I put up some of our favorite styles. There are plenty more out there and clicking on the pictures or links will take you a larger collection if that is what you are looking for.

Divine Pine Jacket A line

Divine in Pine Jacket Click Here for More Info

Varying Degree Swing Coat

Varying Degrees Coat Click Here for More Info and Selection

The Swing of Things Swing Coat is so 60′s and you are going to love this coat. The coat is so fun.

The Swing of Things Coat

Asos 60′s Swing Coat

Click Image for More Info or to Buy

Asos Swing Funnel Trench. WIth this coat you get the best of both worlds for spring 2011 a trench and a swing coat. My top pick .