SFBayStyle

Boot-a-licious at every age

With the rainy cool weather back in town, boots are the way to go in the Bay Area.  Here are my tested recommendations for great stylish boots for every age group.

Teens/Twenties: An absolutely girly look from Poetic License, the Horizon Boot in Purple has a slight wedge heel to make it totally wearable for walking all day long.  Another sassy choice is the Bronx Cody Button Boot in Black or Black Nappa, with adorable buttons along the cuff.  The Bronx Boot runs a little small and narrow.

Thirties/Forties:  For a tougher look with leggings or jeans, Fly London's Tess Casual Boot is a sturdy and hip choice.  Sleek and fabulous, the Velvet Angels Pull-On Boot can go daytime or evening, but is a real splurge at $399.95.  For a more casual look, Gee WaWa's Tom Tom Tall Riding Boot is detailed and cool but very wearable.   

Fifties/Sixties and Beyond:  Marvin K's Aquatalia Boot is chic and delicate, for those of us with narrow ankles and calves.  The color choices range from a solid sleek black, red and silver, to the on-trend ombre grey, olive and berry.  The Miz Mooz Amber Buckle Boot comes in the perfect milk chocolate brown, as well as a great lipstick red, with a medium-height heel that pairs well with skirts.

All of the above are available at www.endless.com as well as other retail and online shoe stores.  Here's to staying warm this winter and looking great the same time!

Secrets of a Stylist - The Sweat Series

I adore my clothes. I love my clothes.  I visit them in my closet.  So, I want them to stay looking, and smelling, good.  Underarm stains are impossible to remove and deodorant alone doesn't work for me.  I have a number of tricks of the trade that I use to prevent stains and to prevent odor from ruining my fabric "works of art".  One of my best secrets is to use undershirts.  This has the added benefit of keeping me warmer during these breezy Spring days in the Bay Area.

One good source is WinterSilks.  Their silk long underwear is light, cozy, and protective.  Two styles that work well are the 3/4 Sleeve Deep V Neck Top and the Short Sleeve Scoop Top.  Sometimes I will even use double-stick tape to tape the garment to the undershirt so it stays a secret when I lean over.  The Wintersilks undershirts are comfortable and machine-washable.  They work beautifully to control sweat stains on clothing and I stay cozy warm to boot!

Bouquets to Art at the de Young

I just experienced heaven on earth for flower and art lovers - the gorgeous Bouquets to Art exhibit at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.  The 5 days of the exhibition featured an Opening Night Gala, Lectures, Lunches and Teas, and of course, the stunning Floral Exhibits.  The de Young itself is an acclaimed beauty of a building, and the Bouquets to Art exhibition was my first visit.   Every section of the museum featured floral masterpieces, from the ticket area to the bathrooms to the entrance to the elevator. 

Each gallery featured a grouping of floral displays scattered throughout the space.  Many of the floral art pieces echoed the themes of their surroundings.  One of my favorite pieces, the floral piece by Kaori Imaizumi of Blooming Floral Design, flanked a stunning statue of Dalilah.  The creaminess of the marble of the statue was beautifully set off by the white and green Calla Lilies, Spanish Moss, and Silver Dollar Eucalyptus in the floral display. Another piece that I enjoyed was created by the Peninsula's own Woodside-Atherton Garden Club .  The heathery textures and gold color and berry color scheme were appealing and dramatic. 

Visitors were shooting snap after snap of the creations with their cameras, perhaps intending to use some of the ideas in their own floral forays at home.  Being surrounded by all that floral beauty made me flirt with the concept of trying my hand at floral arranging, but I know I could never hope to approach the level of artistry by the designers featured at the de Young. 

Bump up the Bust in Your Bathing Suit

First of all, my best trick is to buy those chicken cutlet thingies and have them sewn into the cups of a swimsuit by my tailor.  She puts them actually in between the two layers of the bodice and then puts a couple of tiny tacks above the top of the cutlet so they don't slide around.  There are lots of good brands out there, VaVa Voom, Curves, etc.  Some of them are quite pricey but they look great in a suit.

A fantastic resource for padded suits is Instyles Swimwear, an online retailer.  You can search all the padded suits and find a style that works well for you.  A couple of brands that I adore are Seafolly, an Australian company, and Gideon Oberson, who also designs for Gottex.

Alternatives to Zappos.com for Spring Shoe Lust

I love Zappos.com.  Everyone has heard of this uber--online-shoestore that boasts an amazing selection and over-the-top excellent customer service.  However, just like a trip to the local mall, shopping at Zappos can be overwhelming, tiring, and frustrating.  There's too much, and the design of the site itself is pedestrian and feels almost like shopping at WalMart.  Even Zappos Couture is not eye candy.  Let me share a couple of other options for fulfilling that Spring shoe lust: Solestruck.com and Endless.com. 

Solestruck is beautifully designed and user-friendly.  When I put a shoe that I like in my online shopping cart ("shoe box") in a size 9, the next time I click on a thumbnail photo of a shoe to look at close-up, the site automatically serves up the closest size to 9 that's available.  Like Zappos, it offers free shipping and returns on standard orders.  Unlike Zappos, Solestruck includes pre-paid UPS labels right insde of the shipping box for ease of use - no downloading required.  Also speeding the return process are the printouts of returns forms that are included as packing slips with each order.

Do the DDF

I must confess:  I don't wear sunscreen daily.  Every single brand I've ever tried results in redness when I apply, and breakouts by the end of the day, even Neutrogena and other "famous" sunscreens.  I'd given up even trying to find one that worked for me.  However, now that I'm starting to combat wrinkles, I started a new quest, because most of the truly effective products require daily sunscreen use.  At the Product Heaven that is Sephora, I found not just one, but two great sunscreens, both by DDF.  The first is DDF Organic Sun Protection SPF30.  Containing physical sunblocks Zinc Oxide (6%) and Titanium Dioxide (3.2%), it's light and gentle.  It goes on a bit white but dries translucent.  No redness upon application, and lo and behold, no whiteheads by the end of the day.

Even more exceptional is DDF Enhancing Sun Protection SPF 30.  It contains broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection with self-adjusting color spheres to even out one's complexion.  Also containing Zinc Oxide (6%) and Titanium Dioxide (2.5%), it takes away redness and gives a smoother look to the skin.  After applying this morning my husband asked me where I was going because he thought I had put on makeup!  More detailed product information can be found at DDF .  Even though I've found my ideal product, I'm still going to wear my signature huge sunhats from Shady Lady.   

Dahliablu Dahling

Every time I wear it, a frantic fashionista grabs my arm in desperation to have it.  Every time I wear it, my sister threatens to steal it from my jewelry box and spirit away with it.  Every time I wear it, I see even the most fashion-jaded boutique salespeople come to attention and try to steer me to their wares.  Every time I wear it, I see the other preschool moms covet.  Every time I wear it, I can't believe that my most-adored accessory cost me $48.00.

Here's my secret spot for fabulous rings and other pieces: dahliablu.  Co-founder Dollaya, a classmate of mine from business school, sources jewelry and gems from all over the world.  The designs are fresh and clean, with a range of styles from delicate to dramatic.  The Starwood Ring, available at  dahlia blu, retails for $48.00.  It's the perfect piece of jewelry: edgy but wearable.  The Silver Platter Ring is another stunner and even more attractively priced at $38.00.   The White Gold Acanthus Leaf Ring is a bit more damaging to the Nordstrom Signature Visa but still a steal at $175.00, designed by Grace Chin.  Custom pieces are also available.

dahlia blu does have a handy wish list feature on the website, so I'll be on the lookout for the Starwood Cuff in my stocking this year! 

Gettin' Leggy with it

Now, I am not a girl with curves up top.  I don't have an ounce of booty.  Nor do I have a tiny, wasp waist.  But the one thing I do have, my friends, is legs.  Long, lean legs.  Imagine my delight at the return of the look this fall that flaunts what I have - and I don't even have to freeze the aforementioned flat booty off to do it.  Tights are HUGE this season and are worn with dresses, skirts, shorts and suits.  Colored tights are especially fresh and look smashing paired with a charcoal pencil skirt and an oxford pump.  My favorite sources for tights are Wolford, Hanna Andersson, and the horribly-named Tights Online.  Special note for those ladies out there sensitive to nylon like I am: Tights online carries 98% cotton tights and organic cotton tights that are well-fitting and great-looking. Another great online source for colorful tights is Stockingirl which also stocks a wide range of lingerie sets, garter belts, and real silk stockings.

Fresh Fashion at Bloom Butik

Bloom Butik owner Charina Cabanayan has an insider's eye for fresh fashion.  A former designer herself, she stocks a selection of local and European designers that rivals that of my favorite LA haunts.  I was particularly drawn to the pieces by new designer Malene Birger and her line mb by Malene Birger.  Outstanding items include a dramatic silk dress in a creamy plum snakeskin print and a deep dark chocolate tunic dress that would serve equally well at either Cafe Borrone or Michael Mina.  Bloom Butik also stocks menswear, giftwear, and a selection of fine children's clothing, including the beloved San-Francisco-based tea collection.  Not to be missed are the fabulous bags and home goods by eco-designer Josh Jakus. 

Bloom Butik is located at 540 Bryant Street in downtown Palo Alto, 94301, between Hamilton and University Aves (650.838.9677).

Secrets of a Stylist

Savvy shopper: You may know all the great boutiques.  You may have seen the shoe salespeople at Saks more times this week than you've see your husband.  You may even have a standing appointment with the city's famed miracle-working dermatologist.  But if you don't have an outstanding tailor with whom you work, you aren't using the single best tool to look great.  A wonderful tailor can make you look 10 pounds lighter, make your legs look longer and your waist look smaller.  Clothes off the rack rarely fit perfectly, and ill-fitting garments add pounds and distract from your look.  If you don't have one, ask a stylish friend who she uses.  Or ask the Saks salespeople who they refer their clients to, outside of the in-house people.  Check out www.yelp.com for references.

My miracle-worker is Ayda, at Nouvelle Bridal (460 N. California Ave, Suite 201, Palo Alto, CA 94306. 1-650-326-6230).  She and her partner have been my wardrobe-perfecting secret since 2000.  I bought a couture wedding gown off of the sample rack ($400 - my best bargain ever!) and she tailored it to fit me perfectly.  Since then, they have reworked countless pieces for me: lined swimsuits and sewn in chicken cutlets to bikini tops; added cuffs to too-short sleeves; lengthened the crotch on dozens of slacks, shorts, and jeans; resized the clearance Indigo Hand jeans that were three sizes too bag; taken my boot-cut jeans to stovepipe style; and removed the train from a breathtaking Carmen Marc Valvo evening gown.  She is an absolute treasure. 

The cost of altering items isn't insignificant, but it makes my clothes look twice as expensive as they really are.  That, to me, is the real secret.

Give yourself a Boost

I have been searching, for years, for the perfect push-up bra.  Every one that I ever tried on created a shelf so large I could prop picture frames on it.  Finally, in my parallel quest for the perfect panty, I stumbled across an option that gives me wonderful cleavage that looks like it's all me.  It's called the Atlantis T-Shirt water bra, by Panache ($ 44 retail).  They also have a strapless version that doesn't work as well for me but it still better than the alternatives.  The Atlantis bra comes in white, black, and a shade called toffee that goes well under light knits. 

The reason it works so well is that the liquid-filled cups are fuller on the bottom so it really bumps you up naturally.  It's a little heavy, but after a couple of days I was used to it.  Now it's all I wear and I honestly have never looked so good in clothes.  Available at www.herroom.com, www.freshpair.com, and other online retailers.

Too Much Cuteness

Despite having three darling little girls, I swore up and down that I would never wear matching mother and daughter outfits, feeling that I just wasn't the type.  I'm now tempted to change my mind, after seeing the cuteness that is matching mother and daughter bikinis at Charmosa in Palo Alto. 

Brazilian swimwear maker Vix created a tiny version of several of their best-selling bikini styles for the beach princess in your life.  At least one style also comes in a child-size one-piece. The one-year-old store stocks cover-ups, tunics, and other beachy essentials that are the perfect mix of sexy casual.   Charmosa sports another rare asset: helpful but laid-back salespeople.  Be warned sizes run a bit small on some of their casualwear. 

Charmosa is located on 522 Bryant Street in Palo Alto, right near the recent fire location, so approach from the Hamilton side of downtown PA.   

Atherton Eco Fashion Show Wrap-Up

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to produce a fun eco fashion show culminating the Town of Atherton's Earth Week celebration. Along with SFBayStyle contributors, Melissa Black Palecek, who styled and emceed the show and Sharon Fotre, who trained all of the models for the runway and modeled in the show, we worked in a tight time frame to put the event together.

Valerie Gardner, an Atherton environmental leader and fellow blogger for the Silicon Valley Moms Blog, organized the entire week's festivities and Charles Marsala, former Mayor of Atherton, spearheaded the fashion show reception and dance, introducing the show and also appearing as a model. The Pork Bellies, a band led by Alan Margot, played throughout the night.

For the show itself, we set five sets to world dance music. Designers included Cari Borja, who designs intricate garments from recycled materials, Wildlife Works, a company that rescues wildlife and makes their own organic cotton shirts, Del Forte Denim, creating comfortable, organic cotton jeans, Sworn Virgens (courtesy of Pickled in Redwood City), who make luxurious pieces from eco friendly materials like hemp, Kee-Ka, an organic children's line, Lily Achatz and Charmone shoes.

Our first set was casual-chic, women in Cari Borja recycled fleece jackets, Del Forte Denim jeans and Charmone shoes. Next came the men and women in Wildlife Works tees and jeans. The kids came out in the third set wearing Wildlife Works tees and sporting Kee-Ka pants and shirt and hooded baby towel. Then we ended the show with a dressy-cocktail set including a variety of designers - Lily Achatz, Sworn Virgens, and Cari Borja.

The designers were all wonderful to work with and Melissa worked tirelessly to obtain all of the garments from them and return them in good condition. All of the models performed well and had a great time. As the original plan for the show was to do something along the lines of the Global Green "Gorgeous and Green" event in San Francisco last fall, we were lucky enough to have Nadine Weil, that event Chair, as an advisor for our program, introducing us to all of the designers. It was a great experience for all of us involved to learn more about how to be fashionable in eco-friendly clothing.

Fashion Week Live in San Francisco

Last month's Fashion Week Live event measured-up to all of the glamorous hype and advertising. The event featured a variety of American designers and highlighted models Naomi Campbell and Gemma Ward. Two other big name models in the show included Tyrese and Alek Wek. As nothing of this scale had ever been attempted in San Francisco (to my knowledge), cars piled up in the sunny Marina in anticipation of the well publicized fashion spectacle.

Bright lights, cameras galore, loud, booming 80's music remixed with a deep bass dance undertone, and Fort Mason became home to a thundering, flattering bazaar of fall's most glittering fashion designs. Peter Som headlined the event; local designers Colleen Quen and Lily Samii also presented designs. All three were present. Other designers included, roughly in order, Marc Jacobs, Anne Klein, Badgley Mischka, Tuleh, Jovovich-Hawk, Kim Jones, Isaac Mizrahi, Ellen Tracy, Chaiken, Nicole Miller, Derek Lam, Luca Luca, Nanette Lepore, Zac Posen, Calvin Klein, Bill Blass, Heatherette, Tracy Reese, Charles Nolan, John Varvatos, Rag & Bone, adampluseve, John Bartlett, Thakoon, Tory Burch, Chado Ralph Rucci, Donna Karan, Oscar de la Renta, Zegna, Michael Kors and Naeem Khan.

Several familiar faces from the San Francisco social and philanthropy scene attended, including Vanessa Getty and my personal choice for best dressed woman in 2006, Karen Caldwell. Apparently SFluxe agrees with me. An active member of the San Francisco Ballet Auxilliary, I learned yesterday from Karen that she's also mother of two boys, leaving me even more impressed as she always looks amazing.

My fashion compatriot, Melissa Black Palecek, local stylist (whose clients include both moms and dads, I learned), and I arrived just as the champagne pre-party was becoming packed. We downed some delicious appetizers served by the nicest catering staff I've ever met, then spent a bit of time people-watching as we sipped our bubbly waiting for the show to start. Not surprisingly, most attendees chose black dresses, the majority of which were well-selected. As usual, a few women selected shoes they couldn't quite navigate, so the intended effect of their ensembles was ruined by their inability to walk.

Some concoctions left us baffled - such as a blue vinyl micro mini and a cream ruffled gown - but for the most part, this crowd knew how to dress. And it was refreshing to see so many well-dressed men in attendance, I might add. Although I have to note that one man was wearing the same exact fabric in his shirt as I had two years ago in a maternity blouse.

SV moms wanted to know what we chose to wear. Knowing the fashion crowd in SF can show-up in anything from jeans to couture, I aimed for the middle ground with a Nicole Miller black skirt, a black and white print blouse, vintage Banana Republic metallic belt, my trusty black leather Manolo Blahnik slingbacks and classic, can't go wrong, black "caviar" Chanel handbag. Melissa wore a wool peasant-style tunic by French designer Manoush, with Italian over the knee socks and brown suede flat heeled boots.

As eight o'clock approached, show staff invited us into the main tent where a white runway spanned the length of an Olympic pool, surrounded by several rows of black seating on both sides. Since we procured our tickets early, Melissa and I sat centrally on an aisle, just a few rows from the front. The view couldn't have been better. First down the runway, Naomi Campbell sauntered in a sleep Marc Jacobs black knit dress, fitting her curves beautifully.

The initial segment of the show highlighted "black and white", featuring an Anne Klein cream and black ensemble, a gorgeous black wool coat by Michael Kors, a skirt by Isaac Mizrahi that resembled a crossed sheepdog and poodle. That one didn't quite make my shopping list for fall. Yaz and Eurythmics dance blends filled the pavilion as the models traversed the runway with ease and style. Hats abounded, along with svelte, long gloves. The show lasted nearly an hour with other sections featuring color, day, cocktail and evening attire.

Highlights of the show for us were pretty much everything by Zac Posen, Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta. I wanted to take home Chaiken's high-waisted, gray wool pants and Derek Lam's denim skirt. Melissa liked the glitzy cuffs and Luca Luca pieces. Gemma Ward, who is phenomenally gorgeous in person, took my breath way at the end of the show in a black gown by Zac Posen. It looked as if it was made of paper mache and had wings and a flowing, ruffled tail.

Although the show primarily profited its IMG World parent company, Children of Shelters benefited some from the event. Sponsors included Sephora, Mercedes Benz, Swarovski, and DHL. The gift bag, heavier than a backpack full of books, contained tons of make-up and skincare products by Stila, Bliss, Sephohra, Dr. Perricone and Cosmedicine, a bland Mercedes Benz Fashion Week golf shirt, notepads by DHL, blingy Swarovski keychain and a giant catalog from Saks. That's the one area where the event could have been improved.

For thirsty fashion watchers, this event served as a pitcher full of juicy eye candy and the audience was nearly as fun to watch as the catwalk. Since all of the clothes featured were from fall/winter 2007 collections, it will be interesting to see which of the pieces from the show will end up in San Francisco as August comes around. Overall, Fashion Week Live was the best fashion show I've ever seen and definitely worth the time, travel and money to attend. I'll be in line next year if they return to the Bay Area.

....
Originally posted to the Silicon Valley Moms Blog.