Thanks to Coco Chanel, a black dress is not just for mourning and since the 20′s has become a must have for all women. The little black dress, also known as LBD is an essential for every sophisticated fashionista. Back in the day, black was worn by widowers for months. Thankfully, in the 1926 Chanel published a picture of a classic black dress in Vogue and the rest is history. After this fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe were caught wearing a hot little black piece on more than one occasion.

Today, designer brands like Dior, Gucci and Diane Von Furstenberg all have at least one LBD in their fall collection..So make sure you never toss that black flock!

Hey, check out these auctions:
[eba kw="bcbg dress" num="2" ebcat="11450"]
Cool, arent they?

Shopping online is so hard, especially when I try to find cheap BCBG dresses by Max Azria! I searched for hours looking at different shopping sites, and it took me to every page but what I was looking for. The web is a very intimidating place to shop, even when just trying to buy the right cocktail dress for a party

It seemed like every girl was looking for a cheap bcbg dresses for sale! I thought it was only me It was tough deciding how I wanted to look. Flirty, sexy, bitchy, or all three? And after that, did I want to be colorful, lacy, or straight black? Tons to decide just from looking at a computer screen. Upon all this confusion, I sought out some advice from some good friends to see what they thought I look good in. Since I’m petite, they suggested that I shop for a pencil inspired dress.

The more advice I received, the more specific my quest became. So, now I’m searching for a pencil inspired, cheap bcbg dress! Damn that dinner party. I decided to take a break from shopping for dresses. I was determined to find something, and I was not leaving until I had a dress in my shopping cart, so I made myself some coffee, watched a little Rachel Zoe for inspiration and headed back to that devil machine.

Realizing that in the time that I had been searching for a cheap BCBG dress I could’ve picked one up at the mall, I had to get smarter. I checked out eBay, and even though the bidding thing isn’t really for me, I learned a lot about what I could be paying (thanks SampleDesigners!). I knew that BCBG dresses under $100 exist out in cyberspace, I just had to find them. The first site worthy of mentioning is Bluefly.com. They had a good selection, but nothing really caught my eye. Plus shopping on that site was sooo boring there was nothing else to do. Hey, us girls need some distractions when we shop! After all that time spent looking for good sites, I was starting to lose hope. I thought to myself, “What would Rachel Zoe do?” Then I figured that she probably would not catch herself dead shopping online for cheap dresses.

About to give up, I stumbled across the cutest site. 365hangers.com was the solution to my needs. They feature five looks a day at unbelievable prices. They didn’t have my cheap BCBG dress today, but I did find an awesome French Connection dress for $55! They also have a forum to discuss juicy gossip and a blog that keeps me informed about the latest trends and fashions.

Compared to Bluefly, 365Hangers was at least $20-40 cheaper. I found the same BCBG dress on 365hangers that sold for $85 that was going on Bluefly for $129. No joke, everygirl must follow this site. Their deals are way to cheap to ignore. Where else can you find a Marc Jacobs top for $75?!?! It is bananas that you’d go anywhere else to look first.

If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself. Trust me, a cheap BCBG dress will only be a fraction of the items that you’ll want to buy.

I must admit- I own way too many pair of jeans. But can you blame a gal? Denim has become the main piece in our wardrobe. It is now not just for casual wear, darker denim can become a choice for the office as well. So I say the more pairs, the better. Skinny, wide leg, bell bottoms, ripped dyed.. The possibilities are endless!  What started as just sturdy trouser for workers to wear has become a trend that will last forever. In fact, after James Dean wore a sexy pair in Rebel Without a Cause, jeans became a symbol of youth rebellion and wearing then in restaurants and theaters was banned! Thank goodness its not 1950’s anymore, because I wouldn’t have anything to wear to the movies.. Let’s face it, denim is not going anywhere so stocking up on awesome brands like Lucky and True Religion is something I shouldn’t feel guilty about, right?

Bows are no longer just for little girls- its one of the biggest trends this season. Actually, the bigger the bow the better. Chanel, Moschino and Chloé are just some designers that are forcing us to love this interesting addition to our otherwise clean cut silhouettes.

The first bow appearance in fashion was our oh so loved bowtie that originated among Croatian mercenaries during the Prussian wars of the 17^th century. Little did they know that the scarf that they used merely to hold together the opening of their shirts is now the “it” design of many red carpet designers. So whether you choose to go with a more modest smaller bow like Katie Holmes or a bigger pink bow like Drew Barrymore, you will definitely be making a statement…

When I was little I loved coloring books. Not because I had any talent for staying within the lines, but because I loved coloring outside the lines. To me, that’s where the real canvas resided. I always created entire scenes behind the subject, complete with terrain, climate, and other people. By the time I was done, I had a whole story when all I started with was something as simple as a cowboy on a horse.

Just like a blank page your clothes offer a space on which you can tell your own story by way of style. Everyone’s style is unique and the way you hone yours is through details. For example, a little black dress is just a little black dress until you add interesting accents like a bubble hemline, metallic panels, a pair of shiny boots or maybe even some strappy heals decorated with precious stones. Now you have a look. Those notable details are the difference between blending into the wall at a party to having everyone compliment you on your style.

But you don’t have to go to a black tie event to show off your clever use of fashion details. Even at the office you can you can rely on geometric prints or even things as simple as zippers, buttons, bows, or ribbons to show you’re no ordinary Plain Jane. Color also can set you apart from the crowd, especially when you use it in bold contrasting pieces.

So just like coloring outside the lines shows originality, adding unique details to your look is not only creative, it also puts you on the road to finding your own personal style. And next to locating your car keys every morning, isn’t that one of biggest ongoing quests of your life?

I guess if you become somewhat famous it means you are automatically a clothing designer as well. It doesn’t matter if you have never picked up a needle to sew or a pencil to sketch. Sadly ( and unavoidably), these brands don’t stick around for too long- the name of a celebrity can only take the line so far. There are a few exceptions of course. Gwen Stefani not only rocks out like the superstar she is, but also has created a line of apparel, shoes and bags that is craved by many.  Perhaps that’s because she comes from a line of seamstresses and has had the passion for fashion ever since she was a little girl.

When you look at the brand it represents exactly who she is- hip, adventurous and sexy. She had her way with words when she first described her line as, “a little Sound of Music , some Orange county Chola  girl, some Rasta  and a bit of Th Great Gatsby.” No wonder celebrities like Reese Witherspoon  are rocking it out with Gwen’s designs..

Yesterday, when I was thrift store shopping for bowling shoes, I ran into a smartly dressed woman who told me she loved my sense of color blocking. She must’ve guessed from the WTF(?) look on my face that I had no idea what she was talking about. “You know, purposely wearing clashing colors to make a fashion statement,” she elaborated. I looked down at my orange skirt and green top and thought, whatever do you mean, crazy lady?

So of course I went home and did what any confident fashionista would do. I googled “color blocking.” Turns out it’s big this year. (Where the hell have I been?)

Color blocking is when you combine two or more traditionally incompatible color families in the same garment or outfit. Like putting orange, pink and brown together and somehow making it work. (Basically, it goes against everything our mothers taught us about fashion.) The idea is to make a bold statement without looking like a clown.

And guess what? It works.

Even though neutrals dominated the catwalk this year, designers who embrace color blocking know exactly what they’re doing. Labels like Theory, INC, and Dimri have spiced up their clothes with vibrant prints and patterns. For example, one popular new trend adorns the peasant blouse in bold geometrics. Similarly, a basic skirt in a wild print suddenly it isn’t so basic anymore. And if you decorate a solid colored dress with statement jewelry or coordinating scarves, one garment can yield many outfits.

Hmm, I guess the woman in the resale shop really was complimenting me. But just between us girls, the real reason I wore clashing colors that day was because I hadn’t done laundry in ages. But I’ll take “trendsetter” over “slacker” any day.

Prints are a huge trend right now but they can give you a headache just as big. Knowing where to draw the line when it comes to using various patterns is the key in designing a fabulous print collection. Gucci was all about the prints this year and we have to trust them- they are the biggest selling Italian brand in the world. Last year they made 2.4 billion dollars in revenue- so if they tell me to wear prints, I do it. But I am cautious about it. I don’t wear anything that will make my head spin or make it difficult for people to see the shape of my outfit.

Animal prints are coming back but in a very modest, subtle way. No more tigers walking around on the streets. Nice big spots that blend in with the color is a design of choice for celebs like Paris Hilton. (Ok, so she not always a fashion “do”, but sometimes she gets it right)…

Legend has it that fashion reflects the economy.  We’ve all heard that hemlines drop like a rock in an economic bust, but inch their way up (right along with the job market) in a boom.  If you look back in history, there appears to be some truth to that.  So I’m all for donning whatever it takes to put cash back in our pockets, but I’m sorry, I draw the line at wearing culottes.

I’ve heard that another economic indicator is color.  Fall colors on the 2009 runways included grays, olive, neutrals, and black.  Yeah, that’s all well and good if you’re going to a funeral, but if we want to get this country back on track I say we follow the lead of labels like DKNY, Ellie Tahari, and Boden (just to name a few) and introduce vibrant colors into our modest lives.  Because if tradition follows suit, color improves everyone’s moods and gets them spending again. (Hey, I’m just quoting history here.)

I’m not saying you have to unleash your inner Day-Glo.  In these economically subdued times it’s best to start out slow.  Pairing dark pants with ANY color blouse shows that you’re well aware the economy has seen better days, however you’re hopeful for a full recovery.  Wearing jewel tones that mirror some of our favorite precious stones (emerald, amethyst, ruby, sapphire, even a canary diamond) is your little homage to luxury.  In other words, if you can’t afford to sport the real thing, at least you can still shine in sumptuous color.

So be a part of the economic recovery plan by adding a pop of color to your look. You never know, wearing a lot of blue, purple or yellow, could add a little green to everyone’s else’s pocket.

“Designers like Versace are focusing on bringing back neon with style and subtlety. Lets follow this trend with sense of intricacy and focus on the details that will make us stand out and be envied…”

“Unless you are on the catwalk, please don’t overdo on multi-coloring”

Who doesn’t love color?  Spring season it all about popping, eye catching colors that will get anyone noticed. Interestingly enough these colors are meant to lift our spirits and provoke good energy into our post economic melt down lives. I am all for it, with a few exceptions that give me more of a headache than cheerfulness. There are some rules when it comes to colors that I hope all shall follow when the time comes to throw on that neon green dress. Don’t mix and match too much when you were hard colors. One makes enough of a statement-please don’t damage our vision with multi colored outfits that are brighter than the sun..

Remember back in the 1950’s when being feminine and sophisticated was all about Mom boning a duck and cleaning house while wearing a dress, pumps and pearls? Me neither. But I’ve seen it in old movies and reruns of “Leave It to Beaver” on TV Land. I mean, honestly, only in Hollywood would they have you believe a typical mom showers in the morning, puts on a full face, and then throws on some lovely couture just to clean the toilet. Ewww. Thank God I was born in the generation where moms just burned their bras for good clean fun.

Fortunately, women today know how to be feminine and sophisticated without resorting to stereotypes. Designers such as Chanel and Donna Karen provide us with great feminine fashion details such as soft pleats and whimsical prints, without making us look like poster girls for a middle school sock hop. The key to looking subtly feminine is to also keep it sophisticated.

How? Well, Ralph Lauren is the master, pairing his beautiful ruffled blouses with riding pants or full skirts and boots. He tends to favor chromatic colors (white, black, tan, gray, navy, and red) letting the ruffles and textured fabrics do the talking. However, pairing a solid ruffled blouse with a delicate, full print skirt is equally flattering, as long as the print isn’t so busy it fights with the ruffles. And bows (but not overdone) with fabrics cut in subtly rounded styles offer a soft and feminine silhouette.

So if you’re looking to show your sophisticated side, but want to keep it playfully feminine, don’t be afraid to get a little girly; but draw the line at pairing pearls with a toilet brush. ‘Cause you know, some retro fashions are better off forgotten.