color is my best friend.   but every girl loves black.  i especially love to mix brights (MEGA brights) and black together.   with the weather getting warmer, i couldn’t resist a pair of super fabulous shorts from fave designer, Trina Turk.  the rest was easy – a great black top (i like something with a little slouchiness with shorts this short), some substantial patent sandals (although this would be equally cute with flip flops or converse), a bright bag (any color will do – but i am currently obsessed with yellow bags), some shades and my new favorite style of earrings – bright wood filigree!

(and i tossed in the Jantzen retro-inspired swimsuit because once this baby finally emerges – i don’t think it will be a bikini summer for this mama – and i LOVE this look!)

here are the details of the items shown:
Trina Turk shorts $158
Velvet t-shirt:  $79
Me Too shoes:  $39.95
Pink filigree earrings:  $15
Steve Madden shades:  $40
Boden handbag:  $178
Jantzen swimsuit:  $98

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.

Pantone just announced that Turquoise is the  Color of the Year for 2010! 

oh goody.  this color is dreamy, vibrant and looks amazing on everyone.  it also pairs well with a variety of colors to add visual interest and your personal stamp:

 - pair with black for a jewel-tone effect
 - pair with chocolate brown for a earthy feeling
 - pair with winter white for a crisp, clean look
 - pair with other brights (orange!  yellow!  fuchsia! violet!) for pizazz!

Whether in small doses (like a great turquoise necklace) or as a main player (like a fab sweater) or as the kicker (as in a great pair of flats!) – you’ll be wise to invest in a few turquoise additions as we move into 2010.  after all, it’s not like colors ever really go out of style, right?!

i just have to comment on one of my all time favorite designers (since it’s my birthday!).  the spring 2010 collection is why i fell in love with Trina Turk over 10 years ago (and was spending more than i could afford on a pair of crazy pants!).  the colors are vibrant, bold, sublime.  the prints are crazy, colorful, retro.  the styles are sexy, original, timeless.  but mostly, the clothes make me smile and dream about living a lifestyle that involves cabana boys, large sunhats, incognito sunglasses and cocktails.

this Wildflower dress is so bold and delicious.  perfect for beachy cocktails and a pair of flippity flops.  some crazy large hoops would complete the look.

then there’s the preppy girl on the boat.  you’d be the skipper for part of the day – and the rest would be spent giggling with the captain and sipping wine as the wind whipped through your hair.

this look reminds me of something you could throw on after a long day of work (or shopping).  a couple friends are coming over to enjoy beers on the patio and you’d be the perfect backdrop for the garden in these whimsical stripes.

peruse all the lookbooks for a variety of fantasies come to life.  and pray that a store near you buys your favorites!!

buyers:  if you don’t carry this line and it’s available – i strongly recommend it.  even though the prices are a little higher – it always sold quite easily.

shoppers:  these looks won’t be available until after March (sigh) – but there are plenty of yummies to shop for right now!

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.