Outerwear for Winter Months

Ladies (and gents), I know it’s cold outside, and in some parts of the world it’s even freezing, but lets not forget that your outerwear can be stylish and keep you toasty. I am an advocate for cute outerwear (I own way too many coats, my fave being a bright blue ’60s-inspired dressy coat with a Peter Pan collar) and believe it’s worth the investment to not compromise cuteness when the temps drop. “Investment” doesn’t necessarily mean expensive, either. Stores like Old Navy and Target always have darling outerwear for under $50.

One fashion faux pas I’d like to bring to everyone’s attention is the Fleece Jacket. Unsure of what I’m referring to? Check out the photo (below).

While it’s great for those times when one is skiing, snowboarding, hiking, laying sick in bed, wearing to and from the gym, on vacation in a below freezing climate, a mom running around town (even then, maybe not),coaching an outdoor sport, or any other winter-time outdoor activity, please refrain from wearing these in daily life. Yes, they are warm, and they also look kind of sloppy. Step it up ladies, I know you can do better.

Just imagine how put-together you can look if you ditch the fleece in favor of a proper coat. Coats now are much warmer and you can look for ones that having linings in cozy material. A nice coat can take your outfit from drab to fab. Choices range from cropped to long versions, various button styles, single and double-breasted, casual pea-coats to more dressy options. There is a coat for everyone. Now just imagine running to the grocery store in a pair of jeans, cute shoes and the fleece jacket. Now imagine a quick trip to the grocery in the same outfit, only with one of the cute coats pictured below. See the difference? Instant chic and it makes you look like you actually tried!

Coats featured above are from Old Navy, Target, Burberry, Stella McCartney, Miss Selfridge, and Marc by Marc Jacobs.

P.S. Dear Men, there is nothing hotter then a guy in a peacoat.

Eau de V-day: Men

Fragrance is a great Valentine’s Day gift for yourself or a loved one. Here are my top picks for anyone close to your heart: 

1. Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme, $43-$100, sephora.com: Modern and sensual, this offering from YSL will dazzle your senses with bergamot, cedar, ozonic accord, white ginger, cedarwood, and vetiver.

2. Givenchy Play, $53-$71, sephora.com: Fresh, play-ful, and inspired by hottie Justin Timberlake, this well-rounded fragrance features bergamot, mandarin orange, bitter orange, grapefruit, Amyris wood, and black pepper.

3. Diesel Only The Brave, $53-$65, sephora.com: Bold, confident, and masculine, this fist shaped bottle with Diesel knuckles only needs four fragrance notes to get its point across: lemon, leather, amber, and cedarwood.

4. Dolce and Gabbana The One For Men, $40-$70, sephora.com: Mmmm…I saved the best for last as this fragrance is pretty much sex in a bottle. Who wouldn’t want to get close to a guy wearing The One? With its notes of grapefruit, coriander, ginger, orange blossom, cedar, and amber, it’s both fresh and woodsy all in one bottle. Or…snuggly.

Eau de V-day: Women

Fragrance is a great Valentine’s Day gift for yourself or a loved one. Here are my top picks for anyone close to your heart: 

  

1. Nanadebary Classic Pink Eau de Parfum, $98-$160, at luckyscent.com’s Scentbar 8327 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles or nanadebary.com: With jasmine, bergamot, sandalwood, and vanilla, this fem fragrance is delicate and grounded.

2. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum, $100-$150, nordstrom.com: This sweet, heady floral features notes of bergamot, orchid, freesia, and rose with a patchouli base note.

3. D & G 3 L’IMPERATRICE, $65, sephora.com: This is one of my current faves because it’s soft, modern and flirty with notes of pink cyclamen, watermelon, jasmine, musk, and sandalwood.

4. Dolce and Gabbana Rose the One Eau de Parfum, $60-90, sephora.com: I am not a rose girl in the least, or so I thought, until I tried Rose the One. It is NOT your grandmother’s rose. This version of Dolce & Gabbana’s The One opens with zesty pink grapefruit, mandarin, peach, Bulgarian rose, peony,  and closes with vanilla, amber, and musk .  

5. Victoria’s Secret Love Rocks Eau de Parfum, $39, victoriassecret.com: This new fruity floral from VS is featured in a stunning red flacon and is packed with notes of  peony, raspberry  sorbet, jasmine, peach nectar, plum, violet, and cashmere musk.

Tonight: Tim Gunn on “How I Met Your Mother”

 

I rarely watch TV nowadays but tonight I will be tuning in to How I Met Your Mother because Tim Gunn will be making a cameo on the show. Exciting! Also, check out TG’s facebook page for a video update of the People’s Choice Awards best and worst fashion. I didn’t watch the awards show and I would love to know who the  “star who looked like he came in from doing yard work” is.

EDIT: If you missed the show, you can catch the Tim Gunn scene here (@ 1:33):