Lapis...my color of the month...

As you know I love talking about the colors of the moment, and this season I have not been disappointed with the beautiful bordeaux and other fall colors that I love.  But today's color crash course is for the beautiful color lapis.  Taking it's name from the popular gemstone, this luminous purplish blue is fall's standout shade.

Why I love it - It's an eye-catching alternative to black, with a similar slimming effect (and who doesn't want to look slimmer, right?).

How to wear it - Dramatic as a monochrome, lapis also works with patterns on feminine silhouettes, such as a full-skirted dress for autumn.  Color-phobes can start with a top or skirt in the brilliant hue rather than going head to toe.  Or start small with a lapis colored accessory like a pair of earrings, purse or shoes.

Plays well with - a light gray or stark white.  For a cool, less expected contrast, accessorize with reddish purple, blue-green, or warm orange.

What to wear with lapis - a rose gold and cream cuff will warm up the cool palette; black frames won't compete with the deep blue in the outfit; a structured bag in complementary persimmon adds polish; gray pumps are a soft neutral against the blueish hue.

Remember to adjust your makeup!  To let lapis be the "voice" of your look, tone down the rest of your cosmetics slightly. Choose a transparent glossy lipstick in a cool pink that doesn't fight with your outfit's intense shade.

The Perfect Leather Skirt...

I've mentioned leather several times this fall as a big trend for the season, and today I'm going to focus on finding your perfect leather skirt.  It doesn't have to be a tough look. Be creative with color, and don't feel that you have to stick with black (which looks great too!), but leather is available in so many colors now that you can try a great tan or brown, burgundy or even a bright hue like purple or red!  For a fresh take, make note of these tips so that you look up-to-date and cool in this look instead of outdated!

The value - this rich-looking material is light, supple, and very adaptable to every climate and season.  Purchase a leather skirt now as an investment piece, and wear it forever.

The fit - you want it to skim your body - second-skin tight is dated.  Pencil and wrap styles are most slimming (for extra ease, seek out stretch leather).  Flared and pleated versions flatter boyish figures.

The attitude - Girl it up! Skip the studs and buckles on top, and go for a silk or lace blouse and a party necklace.  Finish off the heels with pretty heels.

Colored & Printed Jeans for all Tastes!

I am loving the wide array of choices that are out there right now for skinny pants.  I've bought so many different colors, textures, and prints that I'm running out of space in my increasingly crammed closet!  We all love our jeans, but now with the choices out there we can do so much more with this comfy staple.

I have bought skinny jeans in vivid colors, including blue, pink & red, as well as charcoal grey for my more subtle fashion days.  Corduroy skinny's are also everywhere and I got a great burgundy colored pair that I love.  Now there's velvet too and I got a beautiful bottle green & purple pair.  What's even more great about these pants is that they all have some stretch to them, so I don't need to worry about busting out of them if I'm going out to dinner and overdo it with the dessert!

If you're not sure about the bolder colors, try a pastel hue like a pale pink or a mint green.  And what's great is that for fall you can accessorize your skinny's with a great scarf, pin, and/or knee length boots!

I'm also really loving the ecclectic prints that are out there and I've put a black & grey animal print, a floral print & a wine & black tribal print.  And I love them all.  Leather leggings are everywhere too and I've purchased a pair but have yet to try them on, but I'm hoping I'll like how they look so that I can rock my inner rock chick!

So with all these choices out there ladies there's no excuse to stick to only wearing your safe blue jeans (though I love them too!).  Take a risk and rock those colored skinny's, prints and more...