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Trends to look out for for Spring / Summer 2012. 50s retro revival Hollywood glamour, boxy cuts like 20′s jazz age revival. Neutrals will be mixed with canary yellow and  ice cream palettes. Two distinct silhouettes are popular for spring / summer 2012 : One will be  dropped waist with clean lines reminiscent of ’60s fashion. The other has a retro  ’50′s feel to it with nipped waist with belted look,  peplum skirts, wide hips with broad shoulder look.

2012 is very retro influence with modern takes to it. There are a lot of  mix matched prints.  Continuing on from the fall winter looks, Androgynous pleated trousers, jackets with mens tailoring will be quite popular.

Lot of different references going on but figure out what works for you and wear what you feel comfortable wearing, not what you think you should wear.

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Designer Jean Charles de Castelbajac is known for designing clothing that has a theme to it that is atypical to other fashion houses. In the past there has been Muppets as well as Africa as the theme for the collection. For the Spring 2012 collection there was the return of Mickey Mouse.

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Between being a new mother and dressing some of the biggest names in Hollywood, you wonder how Rachel Zoe found the time to create a fashion line. Presenting for the first time at New York Fashion week, Rachel unveiled a great Spring Summer 2012 clothing collection that was inspired by Brigitte Bardot, running around the south of France in the late 60s / early 70s. The collection has long and short dresses both loose and flowing as well as fitted, leather shorts, great blazers, and all of it is clothing Rachel herself would wear. The majority of the colors are red, royal purple, creams, and metallics.

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The Spring Summer 2012 clothing collection from Victoria Beckham is getting quite the buzz. Girly feminine dresses and jackets with a sporty edge to them make up a lot of the collection. There is a perfect balance of hard and soft in this collection. Also keep a look out for Victoria by Victoria Beckham which will be a dress line out later this year.

Clogs have been around for centuries and were originally created for workers to protect their feet at the farm or the factory. Over time though clogs have become fashionable and mainstream. Top designers like Chanel and Louis Vuitton have put models in these shoes to prance down the runways in Paris, Milan, and New York. As the shoes have become more fashion than function the look of clogs has changed drastically but the common ground for all clogs is that they are comfortable, slip on shoes though currently designers have stretched this definition a bit and created clog sandals that has a strap that needs to be buckled. Most of these new clogs have wood heels and stapled or riveted uppers which are common to a clog.

The Tuleste Market Brooke Rosette Clog Wedge Sandals are a high wedge sandal with metal rosettes on the ankle straps. The neutral color leather uppers make these sandals a great shoe for summer and will match almost everything. Though the Brooke Sandals have an ankle strap, they have rivets along the sidewalls like a traditional clog shoe.

tuleste market Brooke Rosette Clog Wedge Sandals

The Ash Vicky Crisscross Clog Sandal is another great wooden shoe with studded sidewalls. This shoe is more of a sandal than a clog and a great all around shoe. I love the crisscross straps and double buckle closure. This clog sandal is available in black and in natural.

Ash Vicky Crisscross Clog Sandals

The Giuseppe Zanotti High Platform Clog Sandals is a 5.5″ high sandal with 2.5″ platform. Like a classic clog the base is a solid wood and the uppers are attached with studs. These are the perfect shoe to wear with a maxi dress.

Giuseppe Zanotti High Platform Clog Sandals

The Diane von Furstenberg Flynn Clog Sandal resembles a clog the least of all the shoes mentioned. It is a great sandal with sidewall studs like a clog and does have a wooden heel but the overall style and shape of the sandal does not resemble a clog. The Flynn is rather easy to slip on and off since it has an elastic sling back strap.

Diane von Furstenberg Flynn Clog Sandals

All of these  great clog sandals are perfect for summer outfits especially if you are going for a retro 70s look.

A swimsuit is something that most people only have a few of,  so they are constantly in rotation for wear. One way to expand your swimwear wardrobe is with a reversible bathing suit . Wearing a reversible bathing suit gives you two suits for the price of one. Even better are reversible two piece suits where not only do the tops flip over, the bottoms do as well. These type of suits actually give you 4 suits in 1.

The Marc by Marc Jacobs MJ61262 Reversible Tie Shoulder Maillot One Piece Swimsuit has an asymmetrical neckline that ties at one shoulder. The pattern of the suit is a colorful zig-zag pattern with a contrasting color trim. The suit then reverses to a solid color suit with contrasting trim that ties on the opposite shoulder.

Marc by Marc Jacobs – MJ61262 Reversible Tie Shoulder Maillot (Pure Blue)

Even though it is a one piece suit, the Volcom Tiki Streeky Reversible Swimsuit has many cutouts and an open back. This vibrant print suit has ties at the sides, back, and neck making this suit as close to a two piece as possible. The reverse side of the suit is a sold black.

Volcom – Tiki Streeky Reversible One Piece (Multi)

The Vitamin A Silver Swimwear Minx Flipside Reversible Ruffle Halter is an update to the standard animal print pattern. The halter top style top is white and gold animal print with a hot pink trim while the reverse side is solid pink with a peek of animal print around the edges. The bottom of the suit is reversible as well so this suit is a 4 in 1 combo. If you want a top that does not have as much coverage there is a triangle top of the same pattern.

Vitamin A Silver Swimwear – Minx Flipside Reversible Ruffle Halter (Minx)

Tropical prints are a big trend this season as well as bright colors. The Lole Tropic Triangle Reversible Two Piece Swimsuit captures both of these trends. Available in many colors, and priced very affordably, this is a must have suit for this summer. The bottoms of the suit are reversible as well so you will get so much wear out of this suit.

Lole – Tropic Triangle Reversible Halter Top (Scuba Leaf Combo)

I love that there are so many options when it comes to picking out a bathing suit and that there is a reversible suit for everyone’s taste and desires. You can get a sporty suit perfect for playing at the beach in, a sexy bikini that is great for tanning, or a suit that fits somewhere between the two extremes.

Shorts are the perfect choice to wear on a hot day when it is too hot for pants and you do not want to wear a skirt.  To be specific, a walking short is the best choice when it comes to shorts because they are long enough to not expose too much of the leg. Walking shorts tend to be not as casual as other shorter shorts so they can be worn for so many occasions, day or night.

A pattern short is a great change from the usual look of a basic short and a print top.   The Milly City Shorts are fun and bright floral print cotton shorts with yellow flowers all over them.  Wear these shorts with a simple top and a pair of wedge sandals and you are ready for any activity.

Milly City Shorts

A good basic everyday, goes with everything, short is the J Brand Houlihan Cargo Short that comes in both black and white. Personally I am drawn to the white shorts but the black ones are equally as great. The Houlihan Cargo shorts are a washed cotton twill and are on the longer side compared to other walking shorts.

J Brand Houlihan Cargo Shorts

The Jen Kao Phantom Tie Shorts are a very unique short because they are detailed and intricate. These short have an asymmetrical hem, side draping, and an attached pleated waist tie. Since these shorts are so detailed you will want to keep your top to a minimum and let these shorts shine.

Jen Kao Sand Phantom Tie Shorts

One of the biggest trends for this year is wide leg pants and this look can be seen on shorts as well. The Vena Cava Weimer Culottes Shorts are nude color silk-chiffon ultra wide shorts with metal bead charms at he waist. These shorts are more formal that most, so they perfect to wear at night.

Vena Cava Weimer Culottes Shorts

No matter the occasion, there is a great knee length walking short available. These shorts are perfect for spring and summer 2011.

The brand Furla has been around for over 80 years but it has really been in the last 30 years or so that the brand has really taken off.  Furla is known for their exquisite handmade handbags made from the highest quality Italian Leather. These bags are elegant, feminine, classic in style, and technically detailed. Even  though they are pricey, you are assured that the bag will stand up over time and will look just as great in a few years as the day you bought the bag. One of the styles of bags that Furla is best known for are their shopper bags. A shopper bag is a great style of bag if you tend to need to carry a lot of items with you.

The Anemone M Shopper is a crocodile print leather shopper bag that is a gorgeous blue grey color with contrasting brown trim around the top. Flat bottom feet protect this bag when set down so there will be no damage done to it. Something that makes this bag a bit unique is that it has a twist closure, while most bags zip or button closed.

Furla Handbags – Anemone M Shopper (Marang)

The Furla Carmen Shopper is a fun and casual bag. Available in 4 colors: black, white, green, and purple, this is a great everyday bag to carry.  I love the crinkle texture of the bag and the handles that are woven through the top of the bag. The bag has a magnetic closure  and interior pockets so your contents can stay very organized.

Furla Handbags – Carmen L Shopper (Avacado)

A white bag of any size is something that every woman should have at least one of. A shopper style bag is not a must but the Furla Anthea bag is a classic bag that will take you from year to year and never go out of style.  The Anthea is a smooth leather bag with twist lock closure and interior pockets to keep everything organized. If you are not comfortable with a white bag though, you can get this bag in black.

Furla Handbags – Anthea East/West Shopper (Zenzero)

Most Furla bags are all leather but the Furla Bahia bag is a canvas bag with leather accents. This is my favorite of all of the shopper bags. I love the colorblocking on the bag and the colors are perfect for spring and summer. There is no top closure for this bag but the design of the bag stays closed on its own.

Furla Handbags – Bahia L Shopper (Naturale Acai)

Spring is a time when the temperatures can  fluctuate immensely  from one day to the next as well as from  hour to hour  in the same day. It is a little hard to dress for such changes but a great solution for this problem is to wear a shrug. Winter Kate, the clothing line created by Nicole Richie, has a amazing collection of shrug cardigans that are trendy as well as practical for temperature fluctuations.

A shrug is a short piece of clothing ( usually a knit ) that is open in the front.  Most have  sleeves that are made from the same piece of material as the back and the front. While the majority of shrugs are usually very short, tending  to stop towards the top of the ribcage, the Winter Kate shrugs are longer and could be considered a cardigan.  All of the Winter Kate shrugs that I have seen actually are called a shrug cardigan.  The reason that they are called a shrug and not a cardigan though is that a cardigan has some sort of closure from top to bottom and a shrug tends to be open or have a very minimal button to hold it closed to a degree.  These shrug cardigans are perfect for because they will  keep you warm when you need to, are not heavyweight so you will not get hot too fast, and are easy to remove or put on when the temperature changes.

The Winter Kate Condor Shrug is a sheer pale mint green silk shrug with lace trim. The sleeves are elbow length and have open plackets, exposing the majority of the arms. The shrug has an asymmetrical hem as well. Since this is so delicate and exposing, this is not a practical shrug in terms of giving you warmth when needed It is best to wear this as a fashion shrug. It is a great choice if you are wearing a strapless dress and want to cover your shoulders.

Winter Kate Condor Shrug

If you prefer a more practical shrug, the Winter Kate Flying Fox Floral Shrug is a great choice. This shrug cardigan has an all over abstract floral print and single button top closure. The dolman sleeves are ruched at the shoulders and the cuffs. To break up the pattern a bit, the top of both the shoulders and the back are crocheted.

Winter Kate Flying Fox Floral Shrug

Sticking with a floral pattern is the Winter Kate Floral Condor Shrug. This shrug cardigan is identical in style to the regular Condor Shrug but has an all over floral pattern as opposed to the solid color and lace combination.

Winter Kate Floral Condor Shrug

My favorite of all the shrug cardigans is the Winter Kate Tamarin Floral Shrug with Neck Tie. This shrug does have an all over floral print but what makes it unique is the shawl collar with long neck tie. You can wear it untied, tied like a men’s necktie, in a bow, or many other ways. This is a vivid red shrug cardigan so it will brighten up any outfit.

Winter Kate Tamarin Floral Shrug with Neck Tie

Whether you are looking for a practical and trendy shrug or just something that will make an outfit pop a bit, Winter Kate is the go to brand for shrug cardigans this spring and summer of 2011.

Rebecca Taylor is a New Zealand born fashion designer who grew up  in what she calls a fairy-tale village. This ethereal village has influenced her immensely because all of her clothing has a fairy tale feel to it. Rebecca Taylor dresses in particular,  have a feminine fit and feel to them making every woman feel their best when wearing them. Rebecca has a great eye for the smallest of details so when you wear her clothes you can be sure that all pleats, panels, ruffles, and hems are carefully placed to enhance the shape of a woman and not just look great esthetically.

The Rebecca Taylor Pom Pom Halter Dress is floral midi dress, with its bottom hem hitting the  upper middle calf of your legs. This is a very feminine dress with a ruffle overlay at the top of the dress and an elastic belt at the waist. Though this is a halter dress, the string is detachable so you can wear the dress strapless if you  prefer. I love that this dress has hip pockets, that is something that is unusual with most dresses.

Rebecca Taylor Pom Pom Halter Dress

Another great Midi dress is the Rebecca Taylor Nouveau Ballet Dress. The top half of the Nouveau dress V neck silk and is a jacquard tulip pattern. Below the waist this dress is the same tulip pattern and color but is a smooth silk. The smocked bodice and ruched waist allow  the dress to accentuate your body shape.

Rebecca Taylor Nouveau Ballet Dress

Continuing with the floral prints but in a different length is the Rebecca Taylor Rose Print Gown.  The dress is a silk-chiffon blend maxi dress that has asymmetrical ruffles at the V Neck bodice. A smocked waist and back panel allow this dress to be a bit fitted in those parts which in turn gives the dress a great shape that is very feminine.

Rebecca Taylor Rose Print Gown

Though it is not a floral dress, the Rebecca Taylor Grecian Strapless Dress is just as feminine and colorful as the previous dresses. I love the ruched sweetheart neckline, the  pintucking at the front of the dress, and the hip pockets. My favorite part of this mini dress is the bright fuchsia color that will look great on so many skin tones.

Rebecca Taylor Grecian Strapless Dress

Rebecca Taylor truly is a must go to brand for a dress that is feminine, ethereal, and fits well. I am very excited to see what Rebecca has in store for the future in terms of her clothing.