Gentle reader,

In the final phase of preparation for the top-shelf luxury Cancun trip that the folks at Nerium are sending us on, I popped into a few shops today in hopes of finding a pair of light turquoise-colored shorts that would perfectly complete my poolside wardrobe.  Even though I know that all the high-end boutiques having been carrying only the fall collections for a month or more now, I was hoping that someplace like Zara or Urban Outfitters would still have some summer clothes, especially in the midst of the flip-flop and shorts clad Saudi and European hordes that have descended upon L.A.  Alas, I walked in from the 90-degree heat to be thwarted by flannel shirts and chunky sweaters at each attempt.

Now, I’ve often been asked by customers visiting my Rodeo Drive home base if I have anything for summer and I often felt like it was a discrete way of asking if anything was on sale.  I admit that my replies may have occasionally had tones of, “Oh, you silly non-fashion person, it may be a hundred degrees out there but everyone is carrying fall now.”  From now on, it will sound more like, “I get you, gurl!  I wish we could find some summer clothes in the summer and winter clothes in the winter, too.”

Those fall collections we were talking about need to be addressed because, like I said, that’s all your going to find when your shopping now and you might as well know what to look for.  If you remember back a few weeks, we covered three big trends for fall:  Swinging Sixties silhouettes, head-to-toe knitwear and psychedelic Rave prints.  Those seem to be the major trends that most publications are acknowledging but I think it’s important to have more to refer to when you’re putting together your fall looks.

Western:  This Western/Cowgirl thing started for me with Lagerfeld’s Metiers d’Art collection that was shown in Dallas last December and is in stores now. The show was a big tacky mess but I have to say that, on closer inspection, many of the pieces bridge the difficult gap of being both exquisite and very useful with a pair of jeans. I’m sure you’ll be able to find less financially demanding ways of harnessing this trend, if you’re into it. Just please stay off the fucking mechanical bull.

Scandinavian:  Another rugged part of the world will be represented this upcoming season with the northern European details in knitwear, most specifically.  Peter Dundas merged his Norwegian heritage with the decadent DNA of Emilio Pucci for a very different take on sexiness.  It’s kind of a granny-knitted sweater type of sexiness but, hey, whatever floats your boat.  You’ll also find these motifs at Hilfiger and Burberry and probably in your sweater drawer, too.

“Robe” coats:  In a lucky departure from the super-huge oversized outwear that has plagued women for the last few winters, we have landed in gentler territory with soft, unstructured coats that fit like cozy robes.  One of my favorite clients uses them to keep warm between takes on her top-rated sitcom, where it’s traditionally kept quite cold so that the studio audience stays livelier.  That’s about the extent of coat utility in Los Angeles but if you live somewhere colder, I have an amazing one in fuchsia double cashmere that has your name on it.

Shearling:  The other overridingly popular outerwear option this season seems to be shearling, which pops up here and there every fall/winter but doesn’t always get the attention it deserves.  It’s very soft and can be wooly on either the inside or the outside and it comes in any color imaginable.  If you live somewhere cold, it’s a great investment piece and it’ll last forever.

Stay warm, my friends.  Or keep cool.  I don’t know; it’s very confusing these days!

Much love,

xxJames

Fall Looks