It’s a nice day for a . . . White Bootie!!!

Don't call it a boot!

Alrighty, darlings. Brace yourselves: just when you thought the open-toe craze couldn’t get any more fabulous or seasonally relevant, out pops the beige bootie.

Now this is genius: there is absolutely no confusion as to whether we have accidentally worn last season’s footwear for Spring. The white pseudo-boot, as I am calling it (see CoutureCarrie’s March 19, 2008 post!), is the cleverest, chicest way to pick up on this trend and still sashay swimmingly into May without looking overly bundled up.

One thing I find notable and deviously delicious about these little booties is that, in order to market them for Spring, designers are calling them anything but "boots". As you will see below, remove the toe (and oft the heel) and the boot becomes a "pump" or "sandal". You say tomato, I say BUY THESE BABIES IMMEDIATELY!

I absolutely ADORE Givenchy’s knee-high gladiator sandal (shown on the runways in beige, black, and baby blue, and featured prominently in all the go-to glossies), but who can afford those?

Better options include Chloe’s Patent Triple Strap Zip Back Sandals (top right). In searching for this picture on line, I realized how difficult these are to come by!! I finally found them at the Intermix.

In addition to our tried and true designers, there are some new footwear designers out there who are really shaking things up and impressing the hell out of us! I am totally enamored of Camilla Skovgaard and her Ankle Strap Bootie. So sexy! I love how the strap hovers above the top of the boot and can be adjusted to really hug the body, for that soft bondage effect.

See also Derek Lam's Aurora Tie Front Open Toe Pump (the warm-weather take on last season's spectator bootie, pictured at top left), and Banfi Zambrelli's Kelsey Teardrop Open Toe Pump, with yellow patent leather covered cone heel.

Fashion credits: all of the above except Chloe Boot available at shopbop.com.

Get Layered!

Now that winter has come and gone, it may seem ludicrous to speak of layering as a necessity. But we live in an unpredictable age, where global warming and office cooling are at constant odds. Why do employers insist on keeping us at a chilly 60 degrees in the summer, btw? Moreover, there is no better way to look fabulously put-together than to expertly layer your best pieces.

Here’s a seasonally appropriate look at layering:

1) Blazer over dress, or vest over dress. Whether it’s for warmth or for cool points, this look is a winner! Check out the Thayer ensemble at right, available at shopbop. The look below, an army green Pencey Vest layered over a printed Karen Zambos Vintage Couture Dress, is also a winner, and available at the same fab online shop.
2) Lovely summerweight scarf with a tee or a light jacket. I adore the variety of ombré wraps out there right now, in places as low end as Old Navy and as high end as Montmartre. But any solid or patterned cotton or sheer scarf will do the trick, either with fringe or without. Look at this lovely M Missoni zig-zag wrap, available at intermixonline.com!

3) Leggings under a skirt or dress. I know that Lindsay Lohan is coming out with a line of legwear just as everyone is saying, “We are SOOOO over that!” But perhaps the gal is onto something! (For a detailed look at Li-Lo, check out http://www.couturecandy.com/celebs/lindsay-lohan-celebrity.html )
It is a brave soul who will go skin to the wind with pasty white legs in mid-April. A pair of chic leggings or patterned tights go a long way toward mediating between our desire to don our spring finery and our need to stay toasty at the bus stop.

4) Multiple sheer blouses. . . This is a superb way to get in on the “totally transparent” craze without being overexposed. Or try a sheer shirt or lace top under a strapless dress – bold!

CHUNKY STYLE (necklaces, that is!)

Behold Summer’s Best Necklaces!

A splendiferous way to take your plain white tee from drab to daring... Or pair these outsize collars with a dainty dress for an edgy look.

They are bigger, bolder and frankly, better! And fortunately, we can all afford them!

Paste and plastic baubles are no longer unsightly. Go ahead, dolls: raid grandma’s jewelry box! Hit up that estate sale down the block. Stock up on faux pearls and un-precious gems. Oversize stones will do nicely as well.

I love Lee Angel’s chunky red stone piece (at top right, available at shopbop.com). The complimentary green bits really throw it into high relief, non?

Or try Subversive's new line for Target, with amazing finds like this multistrand turquoise and amber necklace, with gold leaf (literally!) and red stone bauble. And, in true Tar-jay style, all styles are well under a hundred bucks! Go to target.com immediately, lovelies!

Even J. Crew has some rather splendid offerings, such as this coral-tone bubble necklace (at right), which is also available in turquoise at jcrew.com.

Finally - chunky is good! Enjoy . . .

OUT is the new IN!

Get OUT! (picture Elaine screaming this while pushing George on Seinfeld.)

I have always been intrigued and inspired by William Safire’s New York Times Magazine grammar and word usage commentaries, so I thought I’d try my own version, inspired by the omnipresent root word “out” (as in “out there”, “get out”, “outsize”, “outré”, etc.) as it applies to fashion.

It seems that out is really in.

1. When it comes to large accessories, it is so OUT to call them oversize. The new term is outsize, to describe the chunky bangle, multistrand paste bauble necklace, the shopping-bag size envelope clutch, or Victoria Beckham's I'm a Superstar Shades.

2. Things are no longer strange or unique. They are simply outré (violating convention or propriety; bizarre).

3. Thanks to Heidi Klum and her Project Runway catchphrases, “You are out” has become even more embedded in the national lexicon. So much so, in fact, that it even appeared in the color comics section of my local newspaper this Sunday, in “Fox Trot,” of all places, in reference to baseball!! I love it when fashion pops up (or out!) in unexpected places.

While OUT has numerous negative connotations [he was “outed”; she’s so “out there”; I was “down & out”], it carries some positive meaning as well. For example, we all aspire to be invited on a lovely “outing”. And on Saturday nights we head “out on the town”. Find the right man and “go out” with him, etc. Etymology is nearly as exciting as fashion! CoutureCarrie OUT!

Fashion Credits: Images from Project Runway courtesy bravotv.com.

Stick a Pin in it!

What better way to doll up a basic cloche or coat than with a one-of-a-kind brooch? This is an instant way to transform an outfit, or to take a cheap piece and make it chic. Par example, I have a cute royal blue newsboy cap from Urban Outfitters. On its own, it looks a tad “Gossip Girl” for me (mid-30s & fabulous, thanks). But with an interesting Swarovski jeweled “feather” pin, it is trés terrific!

"Getting pinned" also works for blazers, wraps, cardys, or any outerwear (except a jean jacket, which you shouldn’t really be wearing anyway).

See the runway look at right by Twinkle for Fall 2008, courtesy nymag.com/fashion. The bold animal silhouette pin makes this a far more eye-catching ensemble, don'tcha think?

A good source for inexpensive pins is Forever 21. Also try The Icing. If you want to invest, browse the lovely cases at Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue for one-of-a-kind brooches by hot young designers.

That is SOOOOO SATC!

As former Supreme Court Justice Stewart once said in a concurring opinion about obscenity : "I know it when I see it." We can all spot a Sex & the City-inspired piece a block away, for better or worse!

Or, as Karen’s maid, Rosario, put it in an episode of Will & Grace (on rejecting a pair of pumps at Bergdorf Goodman): “Nah, too Sex & the City”.

Whether it’s a compliment or an insult, we can’t help but reference the Patricia Field-esque fashions in our midst. And with the SATC movie coming out in just a few months (yay! I am first in line for that one!), I simply must take note of Carrie's Fashion Legacy. She is my namesake, after all!


Here are some of Carrie's Signature Looks:

• The Poncho. Not a great look (and far too referential now that it’s been abused on Ugly Betty), but Carrie wore it quite swimmingly in several episodes. I guess you have to be rail thin and absolutely undaunted by large swaths of striped fabric. See shopbop photo at right of Elizabeth & James' Woven Tee Blouse.



• Anything with a huge flower or a floral motif. See Loeffler Randall's Bunny Metallic Rosette Mini Bag at right, available at shopbop.com. Of course, this look is featured prominently in the upcoming movie (see still at upper left).




• Multiple necklaces – what Carrie termed “Ghetto Gold”, which is rather offensive – many gold chains, of differing lengths, preferably one of which bears the wearer’s name.



• Fabulous IT Bags (though they have now gone the way of the dodo, the Status Bag – at once beloved and maligned – was featured prominently on Carrie’s arm, whether it was the Dior Saddle Bag or the Fendi Baguette, we could always count on out girl to somehow afford luxury handbags on a staff writer’s budget!)



• Inappropriately short skirts and dresses. Remember the green satin bunny-tail skirt Carrie wore to dinner with Big? Or the “naked dress”? Risque, but somehow inoffensive!



• Absurd Hair Accessories, such as the Aunt Jemima Bandana and the Fabric Headband across the forehead. Also, note variety of adorable hats . . .



• Mismatching. Carrie was forever wearing multiple patterns and clashing colors, but it worked!

• Crazy buns (the hair, not the derriere). I believe that these beehive-like monstrosities owe something to hair extensions. Their girth is impressive nonetheless. Remember Carrie’s updo at Charlotte’s wedding?



• Oversize bows. For a modern [Spring 2008] take, refer to the lovely See by Chloe Sleeveless Bow Pleat Top pictured at top right (also for purchase at shopbop).

Check out this Classic Carrie Combo. at left, from Episode 34: Asymmetircal Minidress, High-Heeled Boots, Huge Flower Pin . . . need I say more??

And see the left hand column of CoutureCarrie for more still shots of SJP in character, courtesy HBO.

We are living in a material world!

Time to get some new material!

Of course, we have all seen that famous dress made of American Express cards, and we’ve been privy to at least one toilet-paper bride. And who can ignore the bevy of “green” clothing out there, made of hemp and bamboo and such.

But there are some crazy new materials out there that are actually meant to be worn! Our modern age is reflected not only in our gadgets (just try to pry me away from my iPhone; I get separation anxiety!), but in our futuristic garb. Here are some of the metals and plastics that we’re adorning ourselves with these days:

1) Polyurethane. I picked up a fantastic pair of leather-look shiny ANLO jeans with this magic ingredient. And check out Tory Burch's "double poly" (-ester and -urethane!) dress at right, available at toryburch.com and featured in In Style's April 2008 issue.

2) Plexiglass. Not just for industrial use any more! See Yves Saint Laurent's naughty plexiglass and metal top (at top left, appearing in W Magazine's February 2008 issue, photographed by Juergen Teller).

3) Laminates. At Rodarte, Kate and Laura Mulleavy have taken to using laminated rayon in their dresses. And you thought that laminator was just for fake IDs!