Even though fall has just begun, we already have a lot to look forward to when it comes to spring fashion. One common look coming down the Spring ’09 runway was soft, draped fabrics in creamy neutral shades.

I’m loving the breezy feel of these pieces. The looks are fluid and comfy, but the colors keep the clothes looking crisp. Here are some of the flowy looks from the past week:

Who says high fashion can’t be comfy?

Congratulations to Zahira, the contest winner of Shop It To Me Battle of the Brands Round 1!

Battle of the Brands is a 5-week bracket pitting designer Shop It To Me brands against each other until only the top label remains. Zahira voted on her favorite designers and won an adorable Marc by Marc Jacobs key ring.

“I can’t believe I won!” she told us. “I just entered the contest because it was easy and I didn’t have anything to lose, but I didn’t think I’d win anything at all. I’m stoked!”

Want to get in the action? Check back every Monday and vote on that week’s match ups to be entered to win. There are 4 weeks left of the competition and we’re giving away another Marc by Marc Jacobs accessory each week.

Happy voting, and good luck!

photos courtesy of New York Magazine

Saying goodbye to Summer isn’t always easy, but having a fabulous Fall wardrobe certainly takes the edge off. Our Trendsetter Jeri from Pink & Posh is here to share a few of her favorite stylish textures for Fall! Be sure to check out their blog on keeping up with the latest trends for yourself, your family, and your home.

As the seasons change, so do our wardrobes. With Fall quickly approaching, it’s out with the light weight fabrics and in with the warmer and more textured materials. Some of my favorite textures for fall 2009 are seen by designers and brands including 1. Christian Siriano, 2. Rag & Bone and 3. Yigal Azrouel.

The Textures:

Wool

Wool is a versatile material that has been used over the years to be a practical, and more recently, fashion forward material for staying warm while showing a unique style. There are many materials you may recognize that are made from authentic wool such as chenille, flannel and tweed. Adding wool to your wardrobe is as much an investment as a fashion statement. It will be in style for years to come.

Cashmere

As comfortable as it is gorgeous, Cashmere is one of my favorite Fall textures. A classic cashmere sweater takes me back to sitting by the fire with a pair of super thick socks while drinking my grandmother’s hot chocolate… yummy! Authentic cashmere is a bit expensive, but there are several affordable alternatives to this fabric such as cotton, cotton flannel, polyester fleece, and synthetic shearling.

Leather

Leather is another classic texture for fall -  for practical purposes as well as trendy ones. Designers have done so many things with leather which leaves you with lots of ways to incorporate it into your wardrobe. I keep a leather jacket, a pair of skinny leather pants and of course knee-high and bootie leather boots in my closet. No matter what is in style that year, all of these pieces will coordinate my style with the current trends.

Silk & Satin

Instead of cleaning out your silk and satin tops and dresses, I would suggest wearing them with any of the other Fall textures, such as wool or leather. But, if you are looking for the perfect colors for Fall, I would choose a deep purple, gold or maroon. All of these colors scream fall fashion, and what better way to make a statement than with a super feminine material when all your friends will be adorning their thickest knitted sweaters.

Metal

Whether its sequins, studs, or jewelry, the metal look is definitely one I love. A harder texture that gives a youthful appearance, metal is a great way to show your personality. You could be a girly girl or a hard rocker and get away with adding a little metal to your style.

Denim

A given texture for every season, denim is a casual texture that can be worn almost anywhere. The pieces I would suggest for fall would be a great denim jacket or vest, and the perfect pair of wide leg, slim boot cut or my favorite, skinny jeans all in darker washes.

These are just a few of my favorites, but there are many textures for Fall that make for the perfect fashion statement. One of my favorite things to do with any of these textures is to mix, match and layer them. Be sure to choose the textures and colors that best suit your personality and situation and you will be an instant Fall Fashionista!

Photo credits: www.elle.com, www.bluefly.com

With leather, studs, and ’80s fashion making a strong comeback, it’s time we take a look at where these styles emerged from. Musicians have been rocking wild looks for decades, heavily influencing the fashion industry. Our Trendsetter Susana from The Stiletto Effect is here to talk musicians and singers with great style.

The more distinctive musicians or bands are in terms of style and identity, the easier it is for a record company to market and project their image. That’s why many musicians are very dependent on clothing to enhance their performance and project the right attitude.

Throughout the years, there have been singers and bands that have influenced the fashion industry with their great style. Will anyone be able to forget Michael Jackson’s gloves paired with his white socks and fabulous jackets? Since his death, many designers and magazines have dedicated collections and editorials to his style. Madonna has also had a strong image since the beginning of her career. From her ’80s look, which is back in stores, to the many other looks she’s adopted through the years, she is definitely a fashion icon. This is mainly because she has a keen aesthetic and keeps reinventing herself.

Looking back in time, there are many great bands and singers that have created trends. Take The Beatles, for instance – remember the frenzy around their haircuts? Even today many bands continue to adopt their look – just think of Oasis or Arctic Monkeys. Others, like Joy Division, Sid Vicious, Blondie or Kurt Cobain, have also hugely influenced the fashion industry today. And their clothing illustrated exactly what they and their music was about! Their style was so cool back then, and now, the clothes aren’t so far-fetched that the fans can’t imitate them.

I’m a big fan of the rock ‘n’ roll look. I love the messy haircuts, paired with cool tees, tight leather pants and fabulous biker jackets and boots. From Jim Morrison or David Bowie from past generations, to Jack White or Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince of today, rockers all have this cool style we want to imitate. And we are lucky because this season on the runways, it’s all about rock, punk and gothic looks.

We’re excited to welcome four new Trendsetters to the Shop It To Me community this week!

Fasshonaburu is a shopaholic’s blog on fashion news, trends and great buys she can’t afford (but will probably get anyway).

La:Dolce:Vita is a chronicle of all things fashion and style related. A haven of inspiration featuring editorials, campaigns, and our ideal looks.

Style+Trend Report is dedicated to reporting the latest styles and trends in fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle for a better you.

WIT & Whimsy is a lifestyle blog for urban girls who enjoy living life like it’s going out of style!

*Want to be a Shop It To Me Trendsetter? Email trendsetters@shopittome.com with a link to your fashion or lifestyle blog to apply!

Narciso Rodriguez = affordable??  Not until now!

The Cuban designer’s name made front pages nationwide after dressing Michelle Obama in her red and black election-night dress.  I vividly remember scratching my head in contemplation and eager anticipation that evening as I guessed which designer she was wearing – and then saw his name everywhere the next day.

Pictures courtesy of The Cut

Yesterday, at his Bryant Park Fashion Week show, Narciso Rodriguez confirmed that eBay will offer a capsule collection of his styles this coming Spring 2010.  Did you hear correctly?  Yes — the designer whose dresses typically go for $1,800 and up is offering eight styles (3 dresses, 2 tops, a skirt, jacket, and trenchcoat) to be sold on an eBay exclusive store ranging from $75-350.  Interestingly, according to the WSJ, the designer has previously shunned the idea of doing collections for stores like H&M or Target, but is now turning over a new leaf.

eBay’s site itself promotes the collection here!  Also, check out these preview sketches:

Pictures courtesy of MediaBistro

Will you be buying??

UPDATE: Voting is closed for Rounds 1, 2, 3 & 4. Vote on the final round!

—–

Presenting Shop It To Me Battle of the Brands! Each week for 5 weeks, pairs of Shop It To Me brands will go head to head. Your votes will determine the last brand standing.

Vote on your favorite brands and you could win Marc by Marc Jacobs accessories! We’re giving away a MBMJ wristlet, umbrella, and key fobs. On each Friday of the contest, we’ll conduct a random drawing from that week’s commenters and give away another accessory.  So come back each week for 5 chances to win!

To enter:
1. Leave a comment on this blog post listing your favorite brand from each match up, #1 – 4 below.
2. For an extra entry: Follow Shop It To Me on Twitter.com, if you’re not doing so already, and tweet this sentence: Just entered the @ShopItToMe Marc Jacobs giveaway at http://bit.ly/cRnt9 #ShopItToMe

Important notes:
1. You must be a Shop It To Me subscriber to win. If you’re not a subscriber, visit www.ShopItToMe.com and click Start Now. (It only takes 2 minutes!)
2. Marc Jacobs accessories will be sent to US mailing addresses only.
3. Limit one blog entry and one Twitter entry per person each week.

Here’s a look at your Battle of the Brands ’09 bracket:

Happy voting, and may the best brand win!

It’s day five of New York Fashion Week, and we’ve been scouring the web trying to keep up with all the excitement! Here are a handful of my favorite designs thus far:

photos courtesy of New York Magazine

Seeing the incredible collections almost makes me want to skip Fall altogether to start sporting these Spring 2010 styles! I simply can’t get enough of Karen Walker, ADAM, and Richard Chai. Any favorites so far? Please share!

Another reality TV show star launching a fashion line…  legitimate designer or just another way to claim celebrity?

Since she’s one of my personal favorites, I was actually excited to hear about Whitney Port’s new line, “Whitney Eve”. I instantly wondered if her line would feel true to the character we know and love from “The Hills” and “The City”.   As part of Fashion Week’s Day 1 agenda today, I was pleased to read that it sounds like the line held true to Whitney’s persona of girly romantic glam, LA-come-NewYorker!

Reviews shared:

“Classic, Chanel-esque. Lace, suit jackets, playful strapless dresses with tulle and frilly blouses, glittery…” – OK Magazine

“Whitney Eve mixes silver and gold metallics, airy fabrics and draping and details like slits, ruffles and cutouts for a girly, put-together look. Several modern takes on the business suit were shown, pairing slim pants and feminine boyfriend-style blazers. And the look got a little edgier with a party dress or two that had exposed zippers.” – MTV News

Her inspiration, she says, is a word she made up: “funderland.”  “We’re doing kind of like Alice in Wonderland goes to a really chic cocktail party,” she explains. “It’s really fun and playful and feminine and flirty.”  – E Online

Other fun facts: Whitney incorporated music from the Rolling Stones among others, and oversaw the musical supervision of the show, and her “City” co-stars Jay and Olivia attended and showed their support..

Check out these photos (courtesy of OK Magazine):

While the line seems to convey her persona, and her creative inspiration, (and is quite cute!) I’m not convinced that Whitney will be taken seriously.   Seems to me that Fashion Week should be highlighting technical design skills, and I don’t know how those of TV stars can even come close to trained designers.   Thoughts?