Kenneth Cole breaks a Guinness Record, Peta teams up with Liberty of London, J.Crew starts selling activewear brand Outdoor Voices, and more fashion news that made the rounds this week.

• What do you think of the Banana Republic Summer 2015 collection that was presented in NYC on Tuesday?
• Outdoor Voices becomes the first activewear brand to be sold at J.Crew.
• Yesterday, Stella McCartney received the Women’s Leadership Award from the Lincoln Center Corporate Fund. 
• Animal rights organisation Peta has teamed up with London department store Liberty to collect and donate real-fur coats to the homeless.
• Jean Paul Gaultier has designed a bomber jacket that can be transformed into a backpack and vice versa for Eastpak. It will be auctioned off on December, 1, and the proceeds will benefit Designers Against Aids.
• Kenneth Cole and Jill Martin have broken a Guinness Record with the creation of a 6 feet, 2 inches tall model of the designer’s Fall 2014 Otto boot.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that Japanese retailer Uniqlo supplied uniforms for South Korea, Singapore and Japan in the 2013 Special Olympics. These included “down and fleece jackets, fleece-lined cargo pants, and several items from Uniqlo’s popular Heat Tech line of thermal inner wear”.

This ensemble was inspired by the colours of Derek Lam’s Spring 2015 collection. The model is wearing a pair of toffee trousers with a white top, cognac belt and lilac leather coat. Why wait till Spring to sport this gorgeous colour combination. If you have the pieces to wear for Autumn and Winter, go for it. 

Think about combining lilac with toffee and shades of white in any way at all. I’ve started the ball rolling with three possibilities: smart casual on the left, business casual in the middle, and casual on the right. I’ve left out the option of a lilac topper because that’s a pretty tall order at the moment. J.Crew’s double-cloth lady day coat comes in a misty lilac, but in general jackets and coats are much more easy to find in Winter white and toffee. You might already have them in your closet.

Lilac Sweater, White Jeans & Toffee Topper

Pair white or cream jeans with a lilac pullover, shirt or blouse. Add light tan footwear and bag. Finish off the outfit with a toffee topper, like a coat or leather jacket. Metallic footwear and bag will work just as well as the tan.

Toffee Pants, White Top & Lilac Scarf

Pair toffee pants with a white sweater, shirt or blouse. Add a lilac scarf and brown boots to finish off the look. I chose a pair of boots with a higher shaft to offset the cropped length of the wool pants. Add a toffee, white or lilac topper, and a tan or cream bag. 

Lilac Top, Jeans, Cognac Accents & White Topper 

Pair blue jeans with a lilac top and finish off the outfit with cognac footwear and belt. Add a Winter white coat or jacket, and tan or cream bag. Throw in a lilac beanie just for fun. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired. 

This colour combination makes a statement on its own without the addition of extra bells and whistles. That’s why I chose solid clothing pieces instead of patterns. But feel free to wear a patterned top or bottom in the same palette if that’s more your cup of tea.

Everywhere I turned this week, I was bombarded with tips on how to stay cosy and warm when temperatures drop. Here are some nice ones that I wanted to share.

• From The Best Gloves for Winter to The Toastiest Scarves and Flattering Beanies for Short Hair, Refinery29 is thinking about Winter accessories.
• Glamour brings us 18 Deliciously Warm Coats That Are Also Super Stylish.
• 22 Pairs of Slippers So Warm and Cozy You Will Never Want to Take Them Off.
• 15 Cozy & Cool Sweaterdresses For Under $100.
• 10 Ways to Winterize Your Wardrobe from Harper’s Bazaar.
• 30 Work-Ready Winter Boots That Really Step To It.
• 10 Pairs of Eco-friendly Winter Boots.
• 30 Sneakers That’ll Survive The Polar Vortex.
• If you’re undecided about which Winter coat to get: a personality quiz to find “the perfect one”.

Fab Links from Our Members

Jackiec is intrigued by Canadian company Poppy Barley and their custom-made, fair-made leather boots. She’d love a chance to try some on.

Angie enjoyed reading Alison’s interesting view on why the old fashion blog “ain’t what she used to be”.  

Carole found this link on babble very helpful in figuring out how to cuff your jeans when wearing ankle boots… the visuals are great.

Laurinda was nodding in agreement with Sally’s post about muffin top: It’s not you — it’s the clothes!

Theodora loves this ad by Dear Kate, in response to a Victoria’s Secret “Perfect Body” ad! While even this ad stirred up some naysayers, she thought it was so much better.

Deborah found this post from Accidental Icon an interesting read. She discusses in brief how what we wear affects not only how we feel but how we perform.

Anna606 thought Refinery29 gave great, simplified advice on how to put together a stylish outfit.

Gryffin wanted to share Maria’s post about “Happiness is… asking the right question“. She adds: “It’s not about clothes but after all clothes are just the outer representation of who we are!”

After all the plaid shirt outfits on the YLF forum, Beth Ann and Gardenchick both wanted to share this article on “lumbersexual” style for men. 

As reported in last week’s News Roundup: new company Qcut is offering jeans in 400 sizes. Marlene exclaims: “Maybe one of these will finally fit me!”

Jorja thought Imogen’s tips on how to layer a cropped top might come in handy.

The seemingly unstoppable bumper knitwear trend continues to provide a great assortment of both essential and statement sweaters. A statement sweater is one that is beyond basic. It makes a statement because of its silhouette, design detail, trim, texture, pattern or colour. 

Remember that partially tucking the front side hem of boxy sweater styles adds just enough structure to the piece so that you don’t feel like it’s wearing you. Here are some of my top picks, and remember to browse through all colour options. 

(Here is the collection in the Finds area if you would prefer to browse visually.)

• Charter Club Cashmere Patterned Boyfriend Sweater: Soft, graphic and boxy. Fresh over white jeans or tan and grey trousers.
• Boden Cashmere Off Duty Jumper: Boden's cashmere is stunning. It's extra soft and launders very well. The looser turtleneck shape works well on a shorter neck.
• Nanette Lepore Women's Visionary Merino Wool Leather Trim Sweater Coat: A fit-and-flare mixed media piece. Great on hourglasses and pear shaped body types. Fun with leather leggings.
• Diane von Furstenberg Sweater - Ahiga Slim Cashmere: A pullover that's worth the price if lilac is your colour. To my eye, this is the shade of lilac that works on most complexions, so it's magical that way. A flattering cowl neckline for a shorter neck and larger bust line.
• Gap Holiday Stripe Wool Sweater: Festive, fun and happy.
• Diane von Furstenberg Long Sleeve Sweater: A refined and dainty piece. It looks a little less gold in person. Size up to create a fluid fit although it was intended to be formfitting. It's very long, so best on tall gals or worn untucked over bootucuts or slim bottoms.
• Autumn Cashmere Cable Knit Hi-Lo Gilet Sweater: A texture-rich piece that's as fun layered over a long sleeved tee.
• Reiss Sweater - Tessa Camouflage Knit: A dainty pullover in an interesting camouflage pattern that creates a modern look worn over a flared skirt.
• Halogen Wool & Cashmere Asymmetrical Sweater (Regular & Petite): The curved placement of the colour block creates an amazing flattering effect on the body. It visually reins in the volume of the pullover and makes you look curvy despite the boxy cut. The asymmetrical hem adds structure. Fab on a broader shoulder line, larger bust and shorter neck.
• Free People 'Sugar' Faux Wrap Sweater: An unusual piece that's best on a long neck and smaller bust. I like it over a skirt or baggier bottoms.
• Karen Millen Tweed tunic: Thick, substantial and well made. It's longer than it looks in the photo and can probably be worn as a dress.
• Boden Terrier Sweater: A basic shape with a lot of attitude thanks to the pattern. Consider this style if you have a Jack Russell Terrier. Runs small.
• Sea Oversized Plaid Pullover: A little scratchy but a fab update on an '80s look.
• Eliza J Fair Isle Sweater Dress: One of my tall clients is wearing this sweater dress as a tunic over skinnies with boots, but it can also be worn as a frock with tights. Good on broad shoulders.
• AllSaints Maraz Sweater: A digital delight in shades of grey.
• Halogen Embroidered Sweatshirt (Regular & Petite): Technically more of a sweatshirt than a sweater, but a fun dose of shine to wear with jeans if taupe is your colour.
• Eileen Fisher Yak & Merino Wool Poncho (Plus Size): Amazingly flattering and well made. I like it best over dark jeans or black pants. The shape of the cowl is brilliant over a larger bust and shorter neck.
• Wildfox Swan Dive Sweater: Why not wear a swan, just for fun. The sleeves are very long and cannot be scrunched, so consider yourself warned.
• JOA Knit Top with Check Pattern: Cropped, cute, boxy and trendy. Layer it over a shirt or blouse if baring your midriff is not your thing.
• Club Monaco Pascha Sweater: An extra oversized style with a touch of fringe. You need broad square shoulders to pull off this look, if you aren't tall.
• Zara Patterned Knit Poncho: A poncho pullover is a little more practical than a poncho because the sleeves don't flap about as much. Go Team Clint Eastwood.
• Free People Sweater Poncho - Cable Zip: A cape-style poncho with sleeves is a nice option to wear at home or out in a mild Winter climate because it does not layer well under coats, unless you're wearing another cape.
• Alice + Olivia Sweater - Allover Martini: Create a festive vibe with a Martini print. Wear this to a holiday party or out to dinner with a dressy or casual bottom. Cheers.
• AQUA Tunic - Side Zip Cable Knit: An Alexander Wang copy at a fraction of the price. Best over black bottoms and on a long torso.
• AQUA Cashmere Sweater - Asymmetric Hem Crewneck: A gentle asymmetrical statement goes a long way.
• Vintage Havana Sweater - Marled Stripe V-Neck: The cricket-inspired pullover is a unique take on the Sporty Luxe trend. Wear it layered over a camisole, tee or shirt if the V-front is too low.
• Uniq Sweater - Deep V: The colours of this cricket-inspired pullover is more authentic and classic. Great over black pants or jeans. Wear it layered over a camisole, tee or shirt if the V-front is too low.
• Alice + Olivia 'Smiley Stace' Crewneck Sweater: One way to wear a smiley face.
• Autumn Cashmere Plaid Crewneck Sweater: A plaid-light pullover that's super cute with a pair of boyfriend jeans. I love how the pattern brings life to the grey.
• 3.1 Phillip Lim Appliquéd Cotton And Cashmere-Blend Sweater: This one is for Team Poodle. The mesh inserts look just fine worn over a tank top to cover bra straps.
• Opening Ceremony Zip-Detailed Ribbed Wool Sweater: Trendy and bright. It's stiff and architectural, and not a soft and cozy sweater. But the lines are strong and quite dramatic.
• Karla Spetic Neon Textured-Knit Sweater: You'll stop traffic in this number. Fluffy and VERY bright.
• Autumn Cashmere Leather Patch Dolman Sleeve Cashmere Sweater: Tough, hard-edged and perfect partially tucked into tailored or roomy bottoms.
• Fred Perry Tartan Jumper: Tartan livens up a cold and grey day. A classic that looks modern when worn with a fashionable support act.
• Boden Textured Off Duty Sweater: Cozy, cuddly and casual. Unique in the earthy chartreuse, and gorgeous worn with cognac accents. The roomy turtleneck works well on a shorter neck and larger bust.

Remember that we are at the peak of Fall and Winter retail in the northern hemisphere. By the time our truly cold weather rolls around in January and February, the best of warm and cozy knitwear will be gone in order to make room for lighter weight Spring merchandise.