So my only real knowledge of ‘vintage’ style has been gleaned from watching Grease, Forrest Gump, and Pleasantville…accurate, yes..authentic vintage experience, not so much. Poodle skirts, house dresses, elaborate hats, and lots of accessories–that’s basically all I’ve got. I think I’ve always been nervous about wearing vintage, because being adventurous with my fashion choices is usually a gamble for me..and, yes I know it’s pretty silly, vintage just always connotes OLD in my mind. I’ll look old, the garments are old and worn, and I’ll be reduced to ‘the weird girl who has lost touch with contemporary reality and only wears clothing that hearkens back to our grandparents’ generation.’ Yes, this is my sad thought process. Yet, now, I feel I’m ready to explore the vintage unknown..perhaps, I’ve been inspired by the success of Mad Men..What can I say? The show is pretty fun..and if January Jones can pull off vintage with sass and finesse, so can I! Unlike my premiere apprehensions and presumptions, vintage style offers a great deal of diversity and appeals to the most unique of fashion senses. You can go with sexy and seductive with flapper, burlesque -inspired dark dresses with eccentric feather, bead, lace decoration. Or embrace your inside dazzling diva with a more 70s time period metallic or sequined mini or long gown. Seventies shimmer and shine, for sure. I’m particularly drawn to the 50s and 60s style pintucked designs with some simple printing (like delicate floral patterns, cherries, tiny roses, or polka dots); I think this style is definitely cute and feminine, and with the right decade-inspired hairdo, I’d feel like a young Sophia Loren. Perfect platform for my favorite jewelry: pearls. Vintage is surprisingly very fun, and when combined with some modern twists can look extremely edgy and fashion-forward. Sherri Hill has perfected the delicate balance of vintage/modern fusion with her newest line..Check out www.sherrihill.com for some killer vintage picks!

Homecoming was and always will be one of MY personal favorite memories of high school. Yes, there’s homecoming in college too..but to be completely honest, college homecoming has MUCH more to do with causing chaos than bonding with friends and celebrating one’s alma mater (if you haven’t experienced it yet, get ready.). It’s all flooding back to me…Homecoming was a week of school spirit shenanigans, dorky dress up days, and a highly anticipated football game and dance to close the week’s exciting activities. Ahh, the dance. With all the sporty occasions the week invited–I’ve definitely participated in my fair share of ‘Powderpuff’ football games–every girl looked forward to the Homecoming dance and secretly wished that she would be voted into the illustrious Homecoming Court. In order to secure one’s chances, though, shopping for the perfect, quintessential homecoming dress reserved top priority for at least a month (in my case, three). Now, I’ll probably never attend another Homecoming dance, but for the young class coming up now, these staples of high school are an exciting reality. And I must say, designer Sherri Hill has Homecoming fashion dialed in. Her line of 2010 Fall Homecoming dresses and gowns are a guaranteed ticket into the ranks of Homecoming Court. Not all the dresses are fit for a princess or queen (although her baby doll and red-carpet styles would look adorable with a tiara or crown); the collection offers a great selection of form flattering, edgy dresses that will turn heads for any fashionably late entrance! Oh to be young…young(er).

So HOT PINK..first impressions? I am ALWAYS a fan..whether it be because I MUST HAVE anything that is uber-girly or just simply the fact that as a pretty bubbly, outgoing person I like my clothing to reflect the same bright, fun feeling. It’s a pretty good guess, though, that a lot of women shy away from anything that is even remotely reminiscent of cotton candy and Pepto Bismol (yuck!) Yet, according to the fashionista squad at Glamour magazine, 79% of glamour.com-reading ladies agree that hot pink is a DO! Done in mostly short cocktail dresses, hot pink can look good on EVERY woman, not to mention, it draws attention like none other. Matched with a short, baby doll silhouette, bubble skirt design or bow accent, hot pink can communicate a sweet and spunky attitude. Alternatively, done with a longer, sleeker and more A-line silhouette (perhaps even in a deeper magenta or raspberry color), hot pink can look incredibly sophisticated. And for the more adventurous, couture-conscious females..pale rose or carnation colored gowns or dramatically infused fuchsia minis embellished with ruffles and other elaborate appliqués or cut with asymmetrical angles can be edgy and feverishly fashion-forward! If classy and posh First Lady, Mrs. Obama, can rock the pink…it’s entirely possible for us. Sherri Hill offers tons of hot pink dresses..in fact, her hot pink bandage dress is the company’s best-seller right now! Bubblegum goes Barbie chic..ahh i LOVE it!

Okay, so, when I hear the word velvet I am quickly reminded of the somewhat hideous red, black and dark emerald green holiday outfits that my mom dressed me in, as I forced a questionably genuine smile at the ‘Holiday Greeting Card’ photographer. As I look back on those fashionably flawed moments now, I really have to challenge my mother’s fashion ‘game,’ but I guess I can’t blame her..velvet was IN then, and she had to have her two girls dressed in the trendiest digs. Now, about 16 years later, I’ll use the same logic…what is IN now? Velvet. And it has made a stunning and surprising (for some) revival in the year 2010. This spring we saw a surge of prints and lots of vibrant, fun and flirty colors–for the fall, the fashion world is turning down the bright and turning up the sleekness and sophistication with a more tamed and demure color palette. Alexander Wang, Zac Posen, and Ralph Lauren all wowed NYC runways with their vivacious velvet designs for Fall 2010. While the velvet fabric is the same as it was in 1993, the style is completely re-imagined. Lace detailing over the velvet gives it more texture and improves the overall aesthetic from boring to edgy and severely sexy. Manipulating the velvet with slits, pleating, draping and asymmetrical cuts has given velvet much more personality, flair and couture credibility. Our client, Sherri Hill, is no exception to this velvet phenomenon–her collection has been touched by velvet in the form of long, classic evening gowns or sweet and sassy party dresses–both of which would be IDEAL for the holidays. Afraid of a little too much velvet? I might be… But we’re in luck – Sherri Hill offers a bunch of dresses with simple velvet accents that look great and aren’t overwhelming! I might even take one of her velvet-less dresses and punch it up with a velvet headband, clutch or bow! Velvet reconsideration? YES.

Style icon Herve Leger may have started the trend, but Sherri Hill is making it HOTTER. This illustrious trend: Bandage dresses–or as we’ve coined them, ‘Freedom Dresses.’ The bandage design is a staple of the ‘bondage’ movement in fashion and by bondage, I mean layers of elastic, Lycra banding. Overlaying the strips of stretchy, hip-hugging fabric creates a dress that literally wraps the body as a bandage would. Now, of course prefacing these dresses with the word ‘freedom’ sounds really ironic–a so-called ‘freedom’ dress that looks skin tight and constricting. Every woman is super conscious about how she looks in almost everything she wears. To achieve a svelte figure, the usual protocol calls for spandex or tight corset undergarments. Ugh. As a figure-mindful woman through and through, I’ve experienced the restricting, uncomfortable, want-to-rip-your-clothes-off feeling of spanx, but have always fallen back on THE most rehearsed of female anthems,”pain is beauty.” I’m so over letting this mantra dictate every fashion decision I make… most of the time I end up wearing something flowy and away from the body to hide my figure flaws. I’m finally ready for something different and it starts with Sherri Hill. Sherri’s original freedom dress design has a built-in foundation that conforms and moves with the wearer. Not to mention, there’s a uniqueness in each dress (either with decorated Swarovski or jewel embellishments, one-shoulder or off-the-shoulder straps, or vibrant , bold color choices) that makes the collection appropriate for any casual or chic occasion! Figure flattering, sexy and sophisticated.. and at the same time..I’m SOLD!