Invitation to Join Gilt Groupe

If you haven't yet joined Gilt Groupe, you should. It's a shopper's paradise. And it doesn't only facilitate daily flash sample sales for women's fashions (the sales change every day)--it also includes a plethora of sales for men, children, home goods, and even lifestyle or city-specific discounts (restaurants, vacations, discount dry cleaning, etc.). A sample of today's women's offerings includes Haider Ackerman, Ann Demeulemeester, Nanette Lepore, and fine estate jewelry (think Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels).

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Join by using this link: www.gilt.com/invite/cl221

Happy shopping!

The Rise of Falling Hemlines

Photo from Jak & Jil

Louis Vuitton fall 2010 Runway

Rachel Comey dress, available at Saks

Marion Cotillard at the Premiere of Inception

Marc Jacobs fall 2010 Runway

After what seems to be an interminable obsession with miniskirts, the fashion pendulum has swung again to embrace the longer hemline of 1950s aesthetics. Fashion editorials recreating the idyllic tongue-in-cheek idealism of Leave It To Beaver abound, announcing yet another reason for women to shop. But while this new conservatism is a refreshing directional change (I am the first to admit that I was tiring of the hard-edged rocker chick look), I am reminded of something that George Taylor, a Wharton School of Business economist, noticed in the 1920s: when hemlines rise, so does the economy.

The converse, according to Taylor, also applies, which, if we were to follow his "Hemline Theory," indicates that the fashion gods have predicted an upcoming economic slump. While fall collections tend to be darker, more subdued than spring collections on average, it's hard to deny the newfound classic quietness that dominated the shows. Whether this change is a result of sobering fiscal harbingers or fickle fashion fatigue, it's unclear how many women will embrace this slightly awkward hem length and how and when fears about the economy will fall away.

Summer Uniforms

Photo Credit: The Sartorialist

While I relish the ease and freedom of summer, I dislike dressing for the hot stickiness of summer. Most of my clothes tend to be ornate, heavy, and formal--perfect for the cold wintry months but the very antithesis of easy summertime dressing. With only three pairs of shorts in my closet (I need to buy more shorts!), I find myself limited to a couple of summer uniforms: a) a thin dress and sandals and b) a shirt (preferably collarless, like the one above), shorts, belt, and gladiator flats.

What about you? What is your summer uniform?