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.

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

ah shucks.  this little diddy of a line  called Dainty June is overrunneth with cute.  i just think it’s the epitome of adorable.  the names of the items alone are precious enough!  then you add a retro cool cuteness that i haven’t seen since grade school in the 70’s.  love it.

the vontrap jacket is a modern take on the Sound of Music and i think it inspires a little yodeling down hills, don’t you?

i’m really loving the dervish skirt and the rolf top.  elegant and sophisticated with a dash of girlish flair.  the whole outfit comes in a heathered red too. 

The whole line is super!  Friends Jennifer, Jennifer & Erica launched the line earlier this year with much aplomb.  their Fall/Holiday collection is only their 2nd – but it sure looks like something much more established.  it certainly has it’s own unique look  and stands out like the cool new girl at school on store racks (i know – i saw the spring collection at a local store and went ga-ga!).

if you’re a boutique interested in the line – contact sales@daintyjune.com (not very saturated yet – would be a nice new line for your clients)

if you’re just a gal who loves fresh, adorable clothes – check out their stores page….growing steadily, i imagine!

did anyone say “cocktails?”  when i see Trina’s collection – it makes me want to have the glamorous life i used to have pre-baby.  the dresses are such a scrumptious mix of modern + vintage + sexy + classic.  it’s pretty close to perfect, in my opinion.  her new collection (9/30x) dubbed Cocktails Remixed is not as holiday-ish as previous years.  naturally, there are some smashing dresses – but the collection is geared to last beyond the party scene.  which is smart given what i call the “economic situation.”

i just can’t get over how cool this dress is.  i crave it.  it’s the perfect retro – not too sexy – but ooh!  a little shoulder surprise!  reminds me of the hijinx dress = which was a great seller the last few years.

by the way – the photo shoot for this collection was at Trina’s personal residence.  tres chic, naturally.

contact Nicole (or your local rep) at Trina Turk for orders and inquiries.