When the elastic waistbands of pantyhose are too tight and uncomfortable, they can dig into your flesh leaving huge red marks on your skin. Not so fab.

I recently stumbled upon a hosiery brand called “Commando” just because I liked the animal print pattern. I wore the pantyhose all day under a skirt with booties when I was at Fashion Week and they were so comfortable. The waistband elastic is designed in a way that does not dig into your flesh. In fact, I later noticed that this “dig-free” design feature is mentioned in the description of the product. 

Unfortunately, $32 is pricey for pantyhose. But it might be worth it at least once in a while. I was impressed with the silky and thicker quality of the pantyhose too. I definitely appreciated these little extras during a tiring time at fashion week. 

Do you recommend a brand of hosiery that is comfortable and a cut above the rest?

Bold striped blazers were big last year and they are still making a fabulous statement for Spring. But my eye has wondered away from the striped blazer and it is making a beeline for the soft patterned versions that are emerging as Spring collections unfold. 

Soft printed blazers were love at first sight when I first spotted them at Barneys, Urban Outfitters and Zara this year. There is something about a printed floral blazer that screams Spring to me. They are soft, lightweight and fairly floppy, feeling a lot like a fully lined blouse with extra structure. Floral prints are rife, but you’ll find polka dots, stars, animal print and conversational prints too. They are perfect for our cool Seattle Springs and Summers, providing a warm weather look with the coverage. Makes a nice change to a cotton cardigan don’t you think? 

Printed Spring Blazers have mostly been matched with short shorts, but they are going to work with skirts, trousers, clamdiggers, cropped pants, longer shorts and jeans too — just like a regular blazer. 

I saw the black and grey floral blazer pictured below at Zara last week when out and about at the New York City YLF gathering. I tried it on, and it was mine. It was hung close to a scarf printed blouse in similar colours, which went home with me too because I had the idea of wearing these pieces together. I see that Zara had the same idea and styled that exact same blouse with my floral jacket on their website. 

What’s your verdict, ladies. Fancy wearing a floral printed blazer, or any printed blazer for that matter?

Today is kick-off day for our third YLF Book Club virtual meet-up. I think it’s fitting and fun we’ll be talking about 100 Ideas that Changed Fashion right after Fall 2012 Fashion Week. The last models exited the catwalk only yesterday, I’m still dazzled by all the rich materials and gorgeous detailing of the collections, and chomping at the bit to incorporate some of the new colours and trends into my wardrobe later this year.

In this light it’s extra interesting to read Harriet Worsley’s take on the ideas, movements and inventions that “rerouted the course of fashion and without which womenswear would not be what it is today”. Between 1900 and 2010 the world at large and the fashion industry changed drastically. Quite a few of these changes have had a significant impact on women’s lives, and not just on a fashion level. 

Think about the freedom of movement knitwear has brought us, for example, or the practicality and mass appeal of jeans. From abandoning the corset, the emergence of the bra, trousers for women, the invention of the zipper, comfortable and affordable fabrics like rayon to disposable fashion and mass-manufacturing, the “rebellious” T-shirt, the internet age and eco fashion. They’re all represented in the book, each with background information and a fab, full-page picture. Anecdotes aplenty as well. For example, did you know that Marlene Dietrich was once asked to leave Paris because she was wearing a trouser suit? A very controversial look at the time!

Which garment or style invention do you feel has revolutionized the world of fashion over the last century? Tell us in the comments section, and be sure to drop by the Book Club forum to join the discussion.

Quick reminder: On the Book Club page you can find the schedule of previous, current and future Book Club titles.

Related Books

If the titles in today’s Book Nook are your cup of tea, you may also like:
 

This was our last day in New York City. I had originally planned to wear the top part of this outfit with a skirt, hose and pair of booties, but the rain ruined that idea. So I opted for my casual Seattle uniform of skinnies tucked into flat weatherproof boots. 

I didn’t think I would be as into pattern mixing as I am these days. But despite my minimal style tendencies I’m having fun with the trend because it extends my outfit possibilities. So I matched a neutral, un-tucked animal print blouse with an orange and camel argyle pullover, buttoning up the blouse and popping the collar. 

My red coat went back on and I added a Burberry scarf for extra warmth. I chose the black bag for outfit cohesion because it matched my shoes and gloves. I also changed my specs and carried a red polka dot umbrella. Too bright for some, but just right for me on a miserable grey and wet day. 

We just arrived back home, soon to be reunited with our Yorkie, Rosie. I have many more shows to watch online before I pull together my final trend predictions for Fall 2012. In the meantime, its back to talking about Spring and Summer style on Monday.

Go to our New York Fashion Week Page to see all of our coverage, including a photo stream and live Twitter updates from Angie.