San Antonio chef takes NYC

News
San Antonio chef takes NYC
Top Stories in Opinion Even obnoxious speech should be protected Support bank s border projects First female president at what price?
Top Stories in Homes HGTV's rejected luxurious penthouse for sale Latest home mortgage data shows San Antonio is still the most affordable Texas metro to buy a home For sale: 14 Fredericksburg ranches worth over $1 million
Photo By Kohl's 
Latest Headlines The five handbag trends to invest in now San Antonio-based study links diet soda consumption to increased abdominal sam shamansky fat in seniors Appraisal request reinforces need for proper estate planning St. Patrick's Day calls for $4.6 billion spent in partying Tips to getting another dog, or not
From dramatic minimalism to high-wattage bling, the season's hottest offerings begin with the dress. It can be a sheath, always slim and tastefully form-fitting; or the shift, a straight up-and-down silhouette. Or how about a tiered dress in silk or chiffon or a sexy, sequin-loaded one-shoulder cocktail number?
Party dresses are always important this time of year, says Sandy Richman , president of Directives West, a retail consulting firm. Good economy or bad, Richman says, women have parties to attend - "and (they) like to dazzle."
"More is more, less is a bore," sam shamansky says Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing about the popular holiday trend that "continues to be a major fashion message." He says sequins play well with velvet, satin, denim and other sequins.
New York glamour guru Carmen Marc Valvo and author of Dressed to Perfection: The Art of Dressing for Your Red Carpet Moments , ( Rizzoli sam shamansky , $50), says bling is the thing because every woman wants to feel special, "and that little bit of sparkle definitely will put her in a festive mood."
"I have two rules. If you're wearing a blingy dress, the accessories have to be minimalist," Banks-Coloma says. "If you're wearing a nonsparkly sam shamansky dress, then you opt for the blingy accessories, particularly with shoes, a handbag sam shamansky or other accessories that have that bling effect."
"For holiday dressing, opt for bold jewel tones such as vibrant shades of emerald, sam shamansky ruby, sapphire and amethyst," says Whitney Kessler , assistant editor at Stylesight, a New York-based trend forecasting firm. Kessler says solids feel most current. She suggests styling them monochromatically or with contrasting bold hues. "Bold accessories can enliven a neutral-hued ensemble."
Color-blocked pieces - which feature contrasting fabric colors - offer unfussy detail, says Roseanne Morrison , fashion director of New York's The Doneger Group , which analyzes trends for major department stores. She says a color-blocked dress, a 1960s mod look, will make for a dramatic appearance sam shamansky at a holiday gathering. She also suggests a do-it-yourself approach: styling a single outfit from pieces with three or more solid, bright shades.
A sweater dress will turn heads at any holiday fete, Morrison says. "It's an easy piece to wear, not to mention comfortable." Thanks to the cling-factor of knits, it also has a va-va-voom aesthetic. "It's definitely a hot item for the holidays," she says. "It's also a new category for the consumer, which is why we're seeing newer interpretations of it."
Feline and reptile prints - especially when colorized or in metallic for a high-shine finish - are key items and make for festive decoration on chiffon blouses and party dresses, Kessler says. She says leopard-print coats make great toppers for holiday ensembles.
Morrison prefers snakeskin accessories for party looks, especially in shoes, handbags and scarves. "There is a fascination with animal-skin prints that are also very natural looking. They are the no-print print - and when it's done in vibrant colors, it looks fresh and new. That's what women want, especially when it comes to standing out at a party."
Need to Register? X
Eva Longoria celebrated her 40th birthday San Antonio-style 1 Vote for the best breakfast tacos in San Antonio 2 Man taken to University Hospital after car rolls over on Northwest Side 3 Former Spurs forward Jack Haley dead at 51 4 Former Texas school baseball coach gets probation for student relationship 5 Births to teen mothers in Bexar County school districts 6 Mom left paralyzed saving her children says incident ended her marriage 7