The Chuck Taylor sneaker is getting a makeover, Levi’s is expanding its recycling programme, Tadashi Shoji branches out into children’s wear, and other fashion news that caught our attention this week.

• Levi’s is expanding its recycling programme, which will be available at all mainline and outlet stores in the US.
• Eva Chen is joining Instagram as its head of fashion partnerships.
• The 10 finalists of the CFDA/’Vogue’ Fashion fund have been announced. The winner will be revealed on November 2.
• For the first time in 98 years, the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers are getting a makeover. The updated version will feature a Nike Lunarlon footbed for shock absorption, and foam padding inside at the ankle.
• Tory Burch is launching a sportswear line called Tory Sport, with a first stand-alone store opening this Fall on Fifth Avenue.
• Tadashi Shoji is branching out into children’s wear with a collection for the “on-the-move, playful girl.”
• Men’s New York Fashion Week is returning this Winter, and will take place right after the Paris couture shows and before the women’s shows in New York.

Fun Fashion Fact

According to a recent survey by research group Wristly, more women than men are impressed with the Apple Watch. 58% of the women surveyed said they were “very satisfied/delighted” with its ease of use, whereas only 47% of men said the same thing. The group questioned 800 early adoptors, 53% of them didn’t work in tech, and these were the people who liked the watch the most. “It was almost as if the farther away people were from tech or the tech industry, the more they liked the Apple Watch.”

The colour combination for this ensemble was inspired by Marissa Webb’s collection for Banana Republic in which she combined vibrant cobalt with a dark shade of olive. If you’re like me and feel that olive washes you out, pairing it with an electric blue injects the life right back into it. This combination makes me re-think olive completely. It had no place in my graphic black & white, ink, pastels, and sour brights wardrobe. But  you cannot see colours in isolation because their integrity changes when they are paired with another, often complementary, colour. 

Think of combining cobalt and olive in any combination at all. I’ll start the ball rolling with three renditions. 

Olive Top & Cobalt Bottoms

Choose a cobalt skirt, pair of trousers or shorts, and pair them with an olive blouse, shirt or T-shirt. Tuck or un-tuck the top depending on proportions. Finish off the look with a cobalt bag and olive footwear. Metallic bag and footwear are another way to go. 

White Top, Cobalt Bottoms & Olive Accessory

Combine a pair of cobalt bottoms with a white top, and either cobalt or metallic footwear. Choose a white top that works with the style of the bottoms. Finish off the outfit with an olive accessory like a scarf, bangle or necklace. 

Cobalt Top & Olive Bottoms

Combine a cobalt top with an olive pair of trousers, harem pants, jeans, cargo pocket pants, upscale track pants, skirt or shorts. Add cobalt or metallic footwear. Black footwear works well with black hair. Finish off the look with a cobalt or metallic bag. Add jewellery, eyewear, headgear and watch as desired.

Another possibility that I didn’t show is a cobalt blue dress with an olive jacket, or olive accessory like a scarf. Complete the look with metallic footwear and bag. I love how the vibrant cobalt adds a fresh and crisp quality to the olive. It looks ultra modern.

 

Photographer Justin Barbin dresses to the nines, and hopes that his kaleidoscopic and playful suit looks will “encourage others to feel more free and take more chances in what they want to wear.”

The Huffington Post shares tips and helpful visuals on how to pick a bright hair colour like pink, green or purple, without having it overpower you.

Not fashion-related per se, but after watching this video of a colour-blind man seeing vivid colours for the first time — thanks to Enchroma glasses — I’m savouring all the colour nuances surrounding us even more. (The video contains some swearing.)

Fab Links from Our Members

Kirstjen found this article about the difficulties in ethical fashion interesting.

Laurinda appreciated Janice Riggs’ careful consideration of how to mindfully shop with a department store gift card.

This article on a year of not shopping caught Alaskagirl’s eye.

Angie loves how the light blue, lemon and lilac palette in this outfit complement Catherine’s bright red locks. Nice to see flats worn with a skirt too. Lovely soft, modern dressing.

“I absolutely believe that the way we look, which means the attention and care we invest in our well-being, changes our lives.” Joy enjoyed reading Tish’s musings on the concept of style and personal branding.

SarahTheWhite is impressed with Independence Day Clothing, a clothing line started by a Mum with an autistic son, that helps children and adults with a variety of practical and sensory-related issues.

This is what you get when Stacy London comes over to help you sort and edit your closet. Annagybe felt inspired by the tips and ideas on how to streamline your wardrobe.

I was surprised by the popularity of the long cozy cardigan among my clients at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Cardigans are popular, but I didn’t think they would be THE hot ticket and far more popular than jackets and coats. My clients vary in height, age, style persona, lifestyle and body type, so it was simply a question of finding the silhouettes that were best suited to each of them. Petites can absolutely wear long, dramatic cardigans if there is sufficient structure in the garment, or if they purchase a petite length. 

Here are some reasons why I think they are so popular. 

Extreme Cozy Comfort

The soft and stretchy comfort of a cardigan as a layering piece cannot be beat. It beats the softest of knit jackets hands down. It’s an especially comfortable topper choice for driving or working at a computer all day. As cozy as your favourite pajamas, and a step up from sweats. Some cardigans are sufficiently thick and warm to wear as a coat, especially when in mild Winter weather. 

Better Suited to a Casual Lifestyle

Cardigans look more casual than most casual jackets because they are softer and less structured. That’s a good thing if you prefer to look ultra casual as a stay-at-home-Mum, gal on the go, or someone who works from home. At home, a cardigan tends to feel more appropriate than a jacket, especially when you’re wearing slippers or house shoes. Good over regular length tops or tunics.

Easier to fit a Large Bust & Broad Shoulder Line 

Cardigans are more forgiving over a larger bust and soften a broad shoulder line because the knitted fabric stretches more easily over those parts of the body. Soft fabric is also less bulky than a stiff jacket. Jackets can be harder to fit, add bulk, and often feel too constricting over the bust and shoulders. 

Longer Length is Camouflaging 

Long cardigans are a great topper to wear over tight bottoms like skinnies and leggings when you’re self-conscious about exposing your midsection and thighs. Long jackets are harder to fit because they don’t mould to the body or drape the same way a knitted cardigan does. 

Relaxed Business Casual 

Dressy long cardigans do a good job of relaxing a business casual wardrobe when you’re not in the mood for a jacket, or you simply want to change things up. A few of my business casual clients fell in love with this combination, which pairs a dressy cardigan with a matching camisole for a twinset effect. Fab over streamlined wool trousers or a pencil skirt. Adding a pair of trousers in the same colour creates a marvelously understated, chic effect, and provides the perfect backdrop for statement jewellery. 

Easy Outfit Drama

Long cardigans create instant outfit drama because of their length and drape. They are especially dramatic when they are voluminous, asymmetrical, cascading, fringed, or boldly patterned. My favourite combination on one of my petite clients who has auburn hair and green eyes was a very sour olive cardigan with a matching dress, which she wore as a tunic over leggings or Ponte pants. The tonal twinset effect looked fresh and modern. 

Easy to Carry and Layer

And last, long cardigans are an easy layer to pull on and off if your inner thermostat varies a lot during the day. They are easier than most jackets to carry in a bag, and slide on and off tops more easily too. They layer well over sheath dresses, and are also easier than a structured jacket to layer under a puffer coat.  

The long cozy cardigan is as fashionable as it is practical, cozy, comfortable, casual, camouflaging and dramatic. It’s no wonder that the trend is unstoppable. Who else bats for Team long and cozy cardigan for Fall and Winter?