the it lists – fashion & trend blog

I don’t know a single woman who will turn down a great pair of jeans when she puts them on…  No matter how much our credit card may want us to!  But as we know all too well finding that perfect denim fit can be beyond frustrating – which is why many of us stick to what we know works best for us.

This season dare to break your denim rules and source out these top premium jean picks:

• Hudson Jeans – they will be releasing a higher-end range with prices ranging from US$100 – $450
• Dior Homme Jeans – will FINALLY be available in women’s styles
• Victoria Beckham Denim – will relaunch in more modern cigarette silhouettes
• Vivienne Westwood – has teamed up with Lee Jeans for a range due to hit stores late spring/early fall

So over Boxing Day I did only a few purchases worth mentioning: one was the cashmere wrap that my dog proceeded to chew. No seriously, he took actual bites out of it (and he doesn’t even chew shoes!) So he has good taste?

The other purchase is a pair of jeans from Citizens of Humanity. Now I’ve been perplexed at the branding they’ve been trying to do with the simple acronym of COH. Pretty blah, COH what the heck is that? But OMG is the other acronym I’ll use – as it’s what came out of my mouth when I touched them.

I’ve found a few JBrand that were this velvety soft that they don’t even feel like denim, but this one topped it. It was love at first touch. The Matrix wash is pretty grand.

Can’t wait to roll these softies up and go wandering on a beach like in this pic!

Dean and Dan Caten the much loved Canadian twin brothers who create the high-end fashion label DSquared recently were honored by their fellow Canadians when they recently received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

The twins have always been open when speaking about their modest background, raised by a single father with 9 children and credit that to their success.  They stated that they started designing denim because they weren’t allowed to wear it growing up as their dad thought denim was for poor people -  and their success in the fashion industry is probably due to that very upbringing.

DSquared quickly caught on with the fashion world and soon made leaps and bounds to where it is based in Milan, and has moved way beyond denim.  Their following is huge amongst many celebrities who really gave the brand exposure and was not long until the rest of the world caught on.

DSquared’s next mission is close to home where they will be designing costumes for participants in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic opening ceremonies.  Can’t wait to see what those will look like!

It’s been a late start to summer, so if you’ve not already added these summer trends to your closet…what’s stopping you now? here are some of our favs, but also check out WhoWhatWear’s July list too.

• Over-Accessorizing: necklaces, the more you layer on, the better.
• 80’s Eye Makeup: Don’t worry about going too bold with the electric eye shadow colors—your goal is to evoke double-takes.
• Over-Size Glasses: Over the top big.
• Cut-Offs: Cut-off denim shorts are all the rage among hipsters in NYC.
• Eccentricity: Thanks to stars like Lady Gaga, dressing outrageously has never been so far over the edge.
• Neon Fashion: Go for bright colors in your fashion, from glasses to toes, and all the clothes and accessories between.
• Denim: After months of black leggings, jeans are back in, and in a big, blue way.
• Tattered, Torn and Ripped: The more ratty your jeans—or leggings—look, the better this season. Pair them with flat gladiators or daring pumps.
• Maxi Dresses: It’s been decades since dresses have been as in-style as they are this season. Summer 2009 is  all about minis to maxi dresses.

On that note, I picked up this T-Bags silk maxi dress. I’m so hyped to have the right event to wear it at. I’ll work on that! 

Source

I’m having fun playing around with blue nail polish. Blue has been big since fall runways, but I find that blue always looks a little, um, pasty on most people unless you have some tan. So now that I do – bring it on. Tonight I’ve got an outfit planned with light, aqua print sundress and turquoise accessories – so why not add in the turquoise nails with Sally Hansen #23.

On the more original spectrum for names (I hate when companies only use digits) and shades of blue, I’m going to rotate with Loreal’s ProBrights ‘Electric Blue (a deep bright blue), and OPI’s new Paige Denim pairing, No Room for the Blues (a perfect in between blue).

Heads up! rumor Chanel’s next ‘it color’ to be released this October is a mint jade nail polish. Pretty close to sea foam green….jury is not in on this one yet.

One of the hottest trends this spring/summer ‘09 has been the ripped jeans gracing the runways in collections from Balmain to Diesel.

Obsessed with this look, I quickly went out to hunt down the best pair.  I found some great distressing, but inevitably left with none. What I did leave with was inspiration.

It seemed ridiculous to me to fork out over $300 for a pair of new ripped jeans when I have so many old pairs in my closet. It’s so easy to DIY with a few tools found around the house.

Grabbing scissors and cutting away is a beginners mistake. You need:

• cheese grater
• #50-#30 grit sandpaper,
• sharp knife
• wooden block to work on.

The placement of your distressing is your call, but the grater & sandpaper allows you to achieve that worn out look by going against the grain – as opposed to a pair that looks like you were being chased by Edward Scissorhands.  Get creative by splashing your jeans with bleach or splatters of paint.  Throw then in the wash a couple times before wearing and your good to go!

Lately when it comes to the blues – denim that is – Paige or William Rast have been covering me. But my next spring pair of jeans…

To celebrate it’s 20 Birthday, DKNY has paired with Levis. Donna Karan’s creation of DKNY started with her quest for the perfect pair of jeans, so it’s only fitting to celebrate two decades later with where denim fashion started (Levis!).

Three silhouettes: Levi’s for DKNY 501 Boyfriend Jeans (the latest trendy look), the wide leg, and the skinny. And they all come in a range of washes from inky Rivington, indigo Schiller to black or white.

Madonna to design for H&M Couture in the City  (read full article)

Pop icon Madonna is to design a range of clothes and accessories for Swedish fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz, which will be launched in March 2007. "The ‘M by Madonna’ fashion line will reflect Madonna’s timeless, unique and always glamorous style," H&M said.

Designer Profile: Melody Kulp of Sweetees Omiru  (read full article)

Armed with t-shirts, scissors, fabric glue, and appliqué, Melody Kulp and her partner (and now fiancé) David Reinstein founded Sweetees in 2002.  4 yrs later, Melody Kulp’s line of of effortlessly luxurious tees, sweaters, and dresses is firmly entrenched in the young contemporary market—and in the closets of celebrity style icons from Sarah Jessica Parker to Beyonce Knowles.  Read on for Melody’s Fashion Do’s and Don’ts, design inspiration (travel), and more. 

Second City Style’s 12 Days Of Christmas Second City Style (read full article)

Second City was so excited about sharing their wish list until they realized that they’d fallen madly in love with all their things…The It Lists has to agree. These are a great way to count down to Christmas! Read the full article – here are some teasers.

John Fluevog’s Vespa Modvog, $215 Fluevog.com

Honeycrisp Sweater Coat $288 Anthropologie

Fidelity Denim Buying Tips Fashion Salad  (read full article)

Fidelity Denim dishes on fit, fabric and finish of jeans. Shelling out the “dough” on a great pair of jeans is arguably the most important purchase in a woman’s wardrobe. Think of enjoying a pair of jeans as you would a fine glass of wine….the color, the character and all the subtleties that make up something very special.