Category — Annie Ladino: Chief Stylist

In honor of our inaugural Treat Yourself Tuesday, our intrepid Chief Stylist surprised a few of her fashionable friends with very special hand-picked prezzies. With her ne’er do well assistant Mark by her side, things didn’t go off exactly as planned. Nonetheless, we thought you’d get a kick out of seeing Annie’s personalized “Treatings Greetings” for veteran stylist Sasha Charnin Morrison and Manrepeller Leandra Medine.

Want to see the real treats that Annie Sent along? Click HERE for Sasha’s and HERE for Leandra’s.

As  you may have seen, today we are kicking off our first Treat Yourself Tuesday with curated picks by our Chief Stylist, Annie Ladino, and a rad boot giveaway! But the fun doesn’t stop there. We’ll also be hosting a twitter chat with Annie at 12pm PST/3pm EST TODAY (Tuesday, 11/29).

Here’s your opportunity to pick Annie’s brain on all things fashion/style-related. She’s dressed fabulous celebs like Brooklyn Decker, Becki Newton, and many more — now you can take advantage of her expert styling services for free! Find out what you should be treating yourself to this holiday season…

Here’s how it works:

• Follow @AnnieLadino and @ShopItToMe on Twitter
• Tune in at 12pm PST/ 3pm EST on Tuesday, Nov. 29th
• Annie will be asking and responding to fashion/shopping-related tweets. Just include “#TreatYourselfSITM” in your tweets
• Tip: To follow the entire conversation, visit search.twitter.com and enter #TreatYourselfSITM

We look forward to tweeting up a storm with you!

Thanks to Jenn Falik for the Shop It To Me shout-out on her TODAY show segment featuring where to find great coats for under $100.  You can check it out here.

We love that Jenn’s choices align with Shop It To Me Style Director Annie Ladino’s top outwear picks for fall.  Annie called out seven trends for the season, and here are 14 of our favorite bloggers who rock these looks.

Capes

A cape is a great way to stay warm and toasty without compromising style.  An effortless style choice, a cape can refine denim to give you a polished look.

Chiara of The Blonde Salad and Liz of Late Afternoon

Utilitarian/Military

A jacket with military detailing should be a staple in everyone’s wardrobe. Give flirty sweet looks a touch of ruggedness with this transitional piece.

Tieka of Selective Potential and Taylor of Sterling Style

Biker

Choose a leather motorcycle jacket as the core piece and use it to create an unexpected look by layering it over a flirty dress or feminine skirt and blouse.  The contrast makes it exciting.

Jennie of Going West and Jen of Jen Loves Kev

Shearling

A shearling jacket can update any look.  Paired with a sexy dress or mini skirt, it’s a piece that strikes just the right note.

Whitney from Britt + Whit and Blair from Atlantic-Pacific

Houndstooth/Tweed

Give an otherwise neutral look an element of excitement with texture.  A tweed jacket is the perfect partner to colored denim.

Anh of 9 to 5 Chic and Britt of Britt + Whit

Parkas

To make a statement, partner a parka with unexpected pieces.  Ditch the denim and wear a pencil skirt or a trouser. The combination was hot in the F/W runway collections.

Helena of Brooklyn Blonde and Annabel of Blushing Ambition

Faux Fur

Opt for a glamorous cover up while saving the world.  (Ahem, one stilleto at a time)

Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly and Lindsey of Saucy Glossie

While October and November aren’t the best months to find great deals on outwear, if you keep an eye out for “friends and family” sales, you just might be able to score your trend of choice at a great price in time to stay warm this season.

As the sign moved to Libra this week, I’m continuing to shed light on astrological style, this time sharing what the Libra woman is all about. Gals born between September 23rd and October 23rd, listen up!

Leave it to a Libra, child of Venus, to make anything look chic and sexy, from a silk ball gown to jeans and a beautifully cut tee. Libra will never cross the line into questionable taste.

Libras are a sign of beauty and elegance. They have extremely lavish tastes and value quality and price over trendiness.

Theory pastel dress, Rag & Bone lace-up pants, Brian Atwood open-toe boots, Tory Burch link waist belt, Sonia Rykiel faux fur

top

Planet: Venus

Venus, Libra’s ruler, gives the Libra woman an appreciation for pretty things that have a sensuous appeal. Although looking current is important to her, she is brave enough to go against the grain when her heart tells her to.

Fendi platform booties, Burberry Prorsum blouse, Marni ruffled bracelet

Symbol:  The scales

Signifying balance, equilibrium and order

Birthstone: Opal

Symbolizing fidelity

Metal: Copper

Stephen Webster astro necklace, Judy Gieb opal earrings, Gap chain bag

Color:

Libra colors, ruled by graceful Venus, are the soft pastels found in the Rococo Period, particularly the pale blues, pinks and rose, considered shades of social refinement.

UO tassel earrings, Stella McCartney dress, LOFT knotted necklace 

Animals ruled by Libra:  Snakes and Lizards

The Libra puts a personal spin on whatever she wears, and it always looks effortless.

MICHAEL Michael Kors clutch, Kate Spade pumps

The Libra is one of the most up-to-the-minute and “in the know” signs when it comes to fashion, books music or other indicators of popular culture. Libras are the arbiters of taste and they are very much on the vanguard of what is new and hot. It’s true that if the rest of us are searching for the best newest boutique, the trendiest restaurant, and the hot new band –we soon learn to simply ask a Libra. Libra has an uncanny ability to pick up on trends before they fully manifest by the masses.

Classic Style Icons:

Bridgette Bardot – September 28, 1934

Rita Hayworth – October 17, 1918

Catherine Deneuve – October 22, 1943

Famous Stylish Libras:

Serena Williams – September 26, 1981

Gwyneth Paltrow – September 27, 1972

Naomi Watts – September 28, 1968

Marion Cotillard – September 30

Gwen Stefani – October 3, 1969

Mia Wasikowska – October 4, 1989

Kate Winslet – October 5,1975

Rachel McAdams – Ocober 7, 1976

The crowd around Beyonce and Jay Z

The one and only Jay-Z with Annie’s friend Steve Gold, model and real estate agent

Annie’s favorite looks from the Tory Burch Spring/Summer 2012 runway show

I made a mad dash out the door to J.Crew to see my friend Somsack Sikhounmuong, the Women’s head designer.   I caught a quick peek of one of my favorite retailers’ collection until the crowd went wild.  Beyonce and Solange Knowles had entered the building.

Friend and J.Crew Designer Somsack Sikhounmuong

J.Crew Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

And then there are times when we are able to run backstage.

Preen!  one of my favorite London based designers shows in NY now.

When I was in college I crashed their show during London Fashion week.  After college, a friend ended up doing their PR.

Kaitlyn Nagy (on the left side of Justin and Thea) studied Advertising and Communications at FIT with me.

The thrill and energy backstage is always well contained at shows.  It’s always great to see the fun chaos after a show, and congratulate the content and relieved designers.

One look at my friend Gabrielle Bernstein–whom I have the pleasure of dressing for the official launch of her Spirit Junkie book tour tonight–and you will see the answer is an unequivocal yes!

“Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say? And what would you have me wear?” (Adapted from A Course in Miracles.)

Gabby’s Spirit Junkie Look #1: Flirty dresses, platforms, chain purses

Prada Wedges, Originally $895, Now $716

Nanette Lepore Dress, sold out

Kimchi Blue Hard Heart Purse, sold out

I Love Me Ring (Be Well With Arielle), $275

Get The Look:

Dresses

Stella McCartney Dress, Originally $1,735, Now $607

French Connection, Originally $228, Now $99.99

BCBG dress, Originally $398 Now $178.90

Shoes

Steve Madden Platform Sandals, Originally $130, Now $97.50

Gap sandals, Originally $89.50, Now $38.99

Chain Bags:

See by Chloe, Originally $325, Now $194.90

Calvin Klein Suede Small Shoulder Bag, Originally $149.50, Now $99.99

Nine West Small Shoulder Bag, Originally $69, Now $49.99

Jewelry:

Kenneth Jay Lane Coin Necklace, Originally $125, Now $89.50

Marc Jacobs Thorn Necklace, Originally $78, Now $62.40

Dannijo Arrowhead Ring, Originally $139, Now $76

Dannijo Necklace, Originally $195, Now $97.50

Gabby’s Spirit Junkie Look  #2: Casual glam, Love Tshirt, Skinny jeans and trendy sneakers

Isabel Marant sneakers, Now $725

SONIA by Sonia Rykiel tee, Originally $295, Now $206

7FAM Roxanne Skinny Jean, Originally $189, Now $119

Get The Look:

Tops:

Lauren Moshi Love Slub Tank, Originally $99, Now $69.30

Marc by Marc Jacobs Navy Heart Print Sweetheart Blouse, Originally $128, Now $64.99

See By Chloe Heart-intarsia knitted cotton cardigan, Originally $360, Now $162

Bottoms:

Acne Skinny Jeans, Originally $260, Now $182

Current/Elliott skinny jeans, Originally $238, Now 87.99

Cheap Monday Zip Low Jeans, Originally $65, Now 49.99

Sneakers:

Sam Edelman Studded Sneaker, Originally $149.95, Now $99.90

Frye Cutout Sneaker, Originally $98, Now $65

Converse Jack Purcell, Originally $75, Now $25.20

After a long hard and exhausting week I finally got down to business.  It is fashion week after all, and I’m out to support my friends as much as possible.

Sunday, I made it out to my friend Tawfik Mounayer’s presentation for Tribune Standard.  I love a presentation as much as a fashion show.  You get a broader window of time to come in and out as you please without the pressure of missing a show.  I have in my days missed a show by a millisecond, and a presentation leaves little room for that.

Tawfik’s line had a number of carpet worthy dresses as well as editorial pieces to be used in a great fashion shoot.  I look for all of this when I’m viewing a collection at fashion week.  Sometimes a look as cool  and graphic as it is just won’t work on the red carpet and therefore I have to keep my eye out for both.

I view a collection with a different eye. My job as an editorial and celebrity stylist is to seek out amazing wearable clothing as well as collections that are pushing boundaries.  I loved Tawfik’s take on the St. Tropez woman who lounges in a sexy cover up, but really fell in love with his collaboration with Manolo.  it’s been quite a while that I have embraced a classic and appreciated a staple.  Here he took an original Manolo style and altered it to fit his collection with a print.  As I’ve said before, a great investment is a shoe that goes with nothing and therefore goes with everything!

Another collection that blew me away was Rachel Roy’s.  Her nod to Asia, it’s prints and silhouettes have always been favored in my eyes.

Being a freelance stylist tends to pull you in different directions at any given time.

After Joy’s show on Friday I thought I would have the weekend to hit shows and parties all weekend.  Instead I received an urgent email to dress Brooklyn Decker for the Altuzurra show.  Her busy schedule and the US Open allowed for only one show to Fashion Week.  Altuzarra has been a fresh new designer I always look forward to at fashion week and was excited she would be there to see.

Saturday AM after a quick coffee I headed up to the showroom.  Binta, the publicist for the brand, helped me go through the collection and pick a few looks.  Although a swimsuit model, Brooklyn has impeccable style and was veering in the direction of something a little more casual and chic.  Since we working with a F/W collection she chose to wore a tweed blazer, with a lemony colored Equipment blouse and her Thakoon skort (yes I said skort – a skirt/shorts combo) and paired it with the sexiest off-white pointy toe Gianvito Rossi for Altuzarra stilletos.

After the show I rushed to get ready for the Barneys party at Westway.  My friend Steve Gold and I watched Carine Roitfeld and Valentino Garavani karaoke “My Way.”