The butler bag is apparently the world’s first compartmentalized handbag. It was designed by Jen Groover who “was inspired by the common problem of digging through a purse in panic wondering whether something was lost or if she was holding up a line of people while her children were screaming.”  She was convinced that a handbag could be functional and fashionable at the same time.

Groover’s original idea was to put a dishwasher tray into her diaper bag. It was like magic! Everything had it’s place and was at her fingertips. She realized that this compartmental divider was also the answer to her bag problem. The butler bag comes in two timeless leather designs and an assortment of colours. You can buy the smaller version on-line for $95 and the larger one for $150.

I switch handbags often, so I keep the contents of my handbags to an absolute minimum. The butler bag is not be the best solution for me because I couldn’t fill it up (and it would get too heavy if I could). But it might be the perfectly practical and stylish solution for you if you like to use one bag for long stretches of time. Is anyone out there using one of these bags? I’m curious to know whether the contents remain compartmentalized once it’s in the swing of everyday use.

The Classic and Hybrid Butler bags are available in an assortment of colors.

Generally, single breasted trench coats are more flattering than double breasted ones. This is particularly true if you are well endowed or carry a little extra around the middle. But even slim and well proportioned women sometimes don’t look right in double breasted styles. So I’ve been puzzled in the past when I’ve dressed curvier women in double breasted styles that have worked really well.

The secret lies in the relationship between the height of the person and the horizontal distance between the double row of buttons.

Buttons that are widely spaced on double breasted items tend to have “a widening effect”. Taller women can carry off these styles because the larger spaces are proportional to their height. On the other hand you’ll automatically get “a slimming effect” once those buttons are pulled in closer together. In the extreme a single row of buttons is still the most flattering option for shorter and curvier women.

There are no hard and fast rules dictating who can wear yellow and who can’t. Whether the colour will flatter you depends on your skin tone, eye/hair colour, which shade of yellow you choose and what you wear it with. I’ve dressed pale-skinned, green-eyed blondes in mustards, saffrons and neon tones with mod black and white. And I’ve dressed olive-skinned brown eyed brunettes in canary with cobalt.

Consider a yellow accessory if you love the color, but feel that you can’t wear it close to your face. There are plenty of sunny shoes and bags to choose from that are guaranteed to instantly refresh your Spring look.

Yellow sandals and flats (Zappos.com), Tommy Hilfiger satchel (Macy’s) and Maxx New York oversized tote (Nordstrom).

I adore spots. Like stripes, polka dots are a “timeless and of the moment” choice. They are fun, graphic, modern, age-less and always a statement. Polka dots come in various sizes, forms and colours. Some spotted prints are loud and extreme, while others are soft and subtle. There aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the best spot for you. Large or small, contrasting or tone-on-tone, equidistant or unevenly spaced, and overlapping or uniform, your choice of polka dots this season is abundant. Think of spots on items like girly blouses, cardigans, dresses, skirts and jackets. And if you still can’t get your head around actually wearing dots, there’s always the option of a stylishly spotty accessory.

Spotted Spring statement pieces from Louben, Charles Gray (Nordstrom) and INC. (Macy’s).