first of all – i really enjoy typing “2010″ and i also like saying it.  twenty-ten.  much snappier than “two-thousand and nine”.  and speaking of snappy – one of my most favorite trends of 2009 that i hope continues the journey through 2010 and beyond is the ladylike sex-appeal of the Mad Men style. 

i”ve always been a sucker for retro.  and i adore thinking about a time when women wore dresses most of the time.   so feminine, so pretty, so refined.  the body looks amazing in little sheaths and pencil skirts.  not only do they harken to the feminine mystique – they are also quite powerful.

i love this Milly sheath from one of my fave portland boutiques, Mabel & Zora.

the full skirts worn by the ‘nice girls’ of the era are also a lot of fun – especially when scaled down for modern times.  belts that enhance the waist are a simple, elegant way to create shape.

loving the bright sassiness of the Lady Belle dress from my fave retro maven, Trina Turk.   perfect for an outdoor spring wedding.

and then of course, there is the skinny cropped pants – a perinneal spring favorite for me.  always chic and carefree with a pair of flats and sexy, sexy with heels and a jaunty scarf around the neck.

love this cute pair from Nanette Lepore  (her fit is dreamy and you gotta love that the modern styles come with ample stretch!).

the thing about these styles is they aren’t really trendy – they’re classics.  you’ll never have buyers remorse and they rarely end up at the consignment shop – preferring to hang in your closet for the long haul.

i’m thankful for the show Mad Men not only for entertaining me – but for bringing this style back to the forefront of fashion.

call me old fashioned – but there it is!  i love this style.

when you want to arrive looking svelte, confident, stylish and sexy…you wear Eva Franco.  it’s all about the feminine wiles.  a little modern mad men woman – retro styling mixed with contemporary fit.  the fabrics are luxe, the looks to die for. 

i used to carry this line at my boutique and every piece was the object of many an “oooh” and “ahhhh”.  if you need a last minute wow dress – they still have some immediates available for fall/holiday.  however, i’d like to share some of my favorite looks for Resort/Spring ‘10.

Behold the Cecile Dress.  wow!  this is a sexy one!  and yet very classic.  it’s perfect in black – but also comes in a vivid blue and a demure beige.

I also love the Olympia Dress in coco dots – this has the ability to what i call “flaunt and cover” – bringing out all the curviest parts of your body, whilst magically whisking away any “issues”.

My third favorite peice in this collection (and trust me   – there are many more gems!) is the Athena top.  loving the vivid sapphire blue with the edgy nailhead details.  i’d style this with some white jeans and distressed gold shoes.

Buyers:  Dying to get this collection in your boutique? contact Melanie at Pulse Showroom.  all deliveries are available.

Shoppers:  wondering where to buy these fantastic items?  check the store locator on the website or shop online!

for November – i’m thinking bold color.  i think it’s time to make a statement.  it’s getting cooler – but there is no reason to dip into drab.  it might be the scorpio in me that is attracted to the deep red, majestic purple, and perfect black.  plus – the Kate Spade coat was too fabulous!  it was the inspiration for the palette.  that – and i’m feeling that a certain modern Mad Men style is wonderful for Fall.

other things i’m loving together:

 - Taryn Rose hot red pumps(comfy, sexy – and on sale!) $266
 - Hobo International Morgan bag (ladylike & demure):  $264
 - Saks purple cashmere sweater (love the ruffly collar!):  $238
 - Stella & Dot cocktail ring (love the art deco!):  $39
 - Tattoo Socks (oh how sexy – will make the outfit!):  $23

Hope you find inspiration in this sensual palette – whether for wardrobe, home or shop!

xoxo