Fall Accessories Guide

Hey Glamazons!

This season, more actually is more. Ditch understated accents that just compliment your clothes. Fall's accessories are no longer co-stars, they MAKE the outfit. The accessories of choice? The thigh-skimming boot, the costume jewelry necklace, the jeweled brooch, the long glove, the oversized day clutch, the cool hat, the leopard print bootie and lots of layered chain necklaces.

Instead of buying the whole accessories section at Nordstrom, invest in these three pieces: over-the-knee boots, leopard print booties and statement necklaces. Why? Because they'll give your old Fall basics an instant update. An over-the-knee boot makes a pair of jeans look brand new in the same way a statement necklace adds pizzazz to a boring sweater. See? Totally, worth the investment.

PIECE TO BUY: Statement necklaces aren't just for the prom, gala or red carpet anymore. Glamorous bib necklaces and layered chain necklaces are dressing up sweaters, tees and tanks this season! Throw one on and bring new life to your old Fall staples.

PIECE TO BUY: Over-the-knee boots are the style of choice this season! Note: to tone down the sex appeal (read: in order to not look like a streetwalker), wear them with a pair of fitted pants or leggings. If you want to rock a skirt or minidress, throw on tights in the same color as the boots (monochromatic color is huge this season!) to keep the sexiness at bay.

PIECE TO BUY: Accessories, like leopard print booties, always do the trick of transforming a plain wardrobe. They add sexy, trendy flair to your basic black, gray and brown pieces.

Yours truly rocking the look with Kandi from Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Kisses,

Coutura

Fall Trends! If I Were A Boy...

Hey Glamazons!

Women have always brought a smoldering sexiness to menswear, and this season's no different. The boyfriend blazer and the tuxedo jacket were all staples on the catwalk for the Fall season. The secret to wearing the look well is proportion; since you don't want to get lost in the fabric, pair the oversized menswear looks with fitted looks: pants, dresses and even skirts.

Leave the over-the-top menswear costume-y looks to the fashion divas, Rihanna and Chanel Iman (below).

This season's menswear sidesteps the three-piece suits and bowties, instead giving you two pieces to match with the more feminine looks in your wardrobe: (1) tuxedo jackets (2) boyfriend blazers.

Piece to Buy: The oversized men's blazer! It's so unbelievably versatile and when worn right, adds an effortless, unstudied sex appeal to any outfit. There are so many looks you can create with the blazer, let me count the ways: wear it with a sequined blouse, a black fringe cocktail dress, an oversized top and leggings, a white tank and skinny jeans, a black shirt and fitted pencil skirt, a bright pink sheath, the list goes on.

Piece To Buy: Unlike the oversized boyfriend blazer, the tuxedo jacket should be sleek and form-fitting. And since the satin lapels make it fancy, the full look should be dressed-up. Keep it feminine with a short dress, a racy corset or a pair of slim trousers. Add a red lip, layers of pearls and even lingerie (See Rihanna's amazing Balmain outfit above) for irresistible femininity and glamour.

Kisses,

Coutura

Fall Trends! Biker Girls

Hey Glamazons!

The good-girl-gone-bad style Rihanna made famous is moving from the airwaves to the runway. The recipe is to combine equal parts sweetheart and seductress, darling and diva, virgin and vixen, you get the idea. Think leather accented with florals & lace or suede booties covered in metal chains.

Piece to Buy: (Ahem...faux) Leather, Leather, Leather!! A pair of skinny leather pants, a sleek, leather pencil skirt, a motorcycle jacket with zippers, a studded-out bootie. Rock the latter with your floral dresses from summer for the ultimate biker chic look.

Kisses,

Coutura

Fall Trends! Fabulous Forties

Maybe designers are recognizing the genius of Forties Fashion, an era where femininity was truly celebrated. Maybe designers are paying tribute to the Great Depression, as we currently face an increasingly dire economic state. But no matter the intention, there's no denying it: we're witnessing a revival of 1940's Fashion.

The glamour, the power, the elegance of the WWII era is being reborn in demure necklines, hemlines that hit just below the knee, belted waists and pencil skirts.

It's a powerful look that speaks to women in the 1940's who singlehandedly supported the household while their husbands were at war; they were sharp, feminine and in control. The key pieces? Elbow length gloves. Thin belts. Tailored Suits. Long, elegant gowns. Dramatic hats. Peplum waists. Broad shoulders. Cinched waists. Oh, and lots of fur.

Victoria Beckham in her own design.

Amy Adams in Roland Mouret

L'Wren Scott

Chris Benz

Elie Saab

Lanvin

So classy!

Here's how to make the look wearable. Invest in a thin belt to wear over sheath dresses and suits. The cinching was a staple of the classic, feminine 40's silhouette.

And embrace fall's hottest new 40's-inspired cocktail trend: peplum.

It's a single skirt layer that flares over a fitted dress or dances around the bottom of a blazer. It adds a flirty femininity to fitted looks and forms an hourglass figure by accentuating the waistline and adding to the curve of the hips.

Behnaz Sarafpour

Whitney Port

Elle Macpherson

Charlize Theron

Estelle

Piece To Buy: A peplum dress or jacket will give your wardrobe an instant update. If you have curves, the silhouette will accentuate them in the most feminine way. If you're boy-shaped, the look will create them where they didn't exist. Either way, the fit-and-flare silhouette provides a flirty, fashion-forward look that's very now.

FUR

Add a touch of forties glamour to your wardrobe this season with red-carpet inspired faux fur looks with down-to-earth price tags. Indulge in the ultimate recession luxury with the affordable fur shawls, vests and jackets below. P.S. If a fur coat, vest or shawl is too luxurious for your taste, add a small dose of drama with fur-lined purses, gloves and even boots.

Christian Lacroix

Andrew GN

Derek Lam

J. Mendel

Rihanna

Ashley Olsen

Victoria Beckham

Piece to Buy: A fur jacket or vest that's as versatile as it is affordable. Look for one that can go edgy with a tank and boyfriend jeans or full-on glamourous with a cocktail dress and stilettos.

Kisses,

Coutura