coats & coats & coats.

Zara has so many FANTASTC coats right now I felt it would be a crime to not talk about them. Outerwear is such an important part of a lady's wardrobe in a place like Chicago because when it's chilly (which is most of the time), it's all people see! I'm having a love affair with 3, 4 & 5. Which are your favorites?

fur sure.

The chilled Chicago Fall weather means breaking out your most beloved cozy coats and warm accessories, but what excites me the most is that it's time to start wearing fur. Fur real, folks. See what I did there? Real (sorry PETA) or faux, fur is a timeless cold weather staple that never goes out of style. Whether it's a classic floor length mink (thanks, Grandma!) or an electric blue mongolian lamb piece, there is something for everyone. Whenever I wear my favorite fur pieces it's like when people wear a snazzy pair of sunnies or eyeglasses--> everyone wants to try them on. I spent a good portion of my Saturday afternoon trying to retrieve my vintage mink collar from friends at a pulled pork extravaganza...everyone wanted a piece of the mink. So for you, my lovelies, some furspiration below from some of our favorite street style divas as well as some coats, collars & snoods that won't break the bank. 

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pfw ss13 favorite: valentino.

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Holy Moly. This was for sure my favorite of the Paris shows. As usual with Valentino, every detail was perfectly pretty. Soft lace, die cut leather, silk, chiffon, sheers, beaded embroidery... the materials used in this collection were to die for. The necklines stood out in each look, detailed with an almost doll-like, sophisticated touch that could have felt overly sweet but didn't. I can't wait to see some lovely ladies on the red carpet wearing those last four dresses.

Who do you think would look best in them? 

pfw ss13 favorite: balmain.

Confession: I reloaded style.com this morning approximately 20 times because they were instantly uploading this show. I can't help myself, the child of the 1980s in me loves a {mildly offensive} Balmain shoulder. I am also a big fan of Olivier Rousteing... and not just because he mentioned Titanic and Romeo & Juliet in his Into The Gloss interview. Or because he makes slouchy leather pants on a man look cool. It's because he had cultivated enough creative vision to be recognized and appointed the new creative director of Balmain when he was just 25. Twenty-five. Kind of makes you wonder what your doing with your life, eh? Since Christophe Decarin relaunched the brand after bankruptcy, the Balmain woman has been reinvented into a fun-loving, risk-taking, sassy french party girl, and this season was no exception. Lots of embellishments, optical illusion prints and those fancy long sleeved minis the brand is famous for. Merci, Olivier! 

nyfw ss13 favorite: calvin klein collection.

Sticking to the roots of Calvin Klein, the Spring collection was full of clean & structured silhouettes. Fransisco Costa managed to reinvent what the modern woman should be wearing... again. There was lots of emphasis on the bust & waist (hello, ladies!), but with a simplicity and taste level that was just right. Sexy, smart, polished. Calvin Klein (known to many in the fashion industry as Mr. Clean) was never much of a print man, but Costa managed to create the illusion of prints with his layering techniques and use of sheer & cut-out material. I'll take one of each look, thanks!

nyfw ss13 favorite: oscar de la renta.

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It was nearly impossible for me to pick just 8 looks from this amazing show. I love when a designer tells several mini stories in one presentation, and that's exactly what Mr. de la Renta did for Spring. He kept you guessing what was coming out next, and it was consistently fantastic. Although Oscar typically dresses an uptown lady, the materials (LATEX!), textured embellishments & feathers gave a youthful pop to this collection that was pretty awesome. Speaking of youthful, did you catch his children's show today? Cutest. Thing. Ever.

nyfw ss13 favorite: tommy hilfiger.

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Tommy Hilfiger stayed true to his preppy roots with his Spring 2013 collection. The collection consisted of mainly smart, time-honored separates given a sporty vibe with bold red, white & blue directional patterns. The man knows what works for his brand and consistently delivers on the runway.  It was classic American fashion reinvented, and I loved it.

nyfw ss13 favorite: peter som.

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Fancy florals, pastels & soft brights, structured Spring coats, lady skirts & crop tops were strutting down the runway at Peter Som. This was one for the girly girls, and I loved it. Plus, there was UNICORN HAIR.

By the way, do you follow Peter Som on Pinterest? Because his boards are insane. Get involved.

elizabeth olsen, pink haired wonder.

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I am loving this ethereal editoral and the cotton candy coif of Elizabeth Olsen in Bullett Mag's romance issue this month. I have had a serious lady crush on the Olsen clan for quite some time now... I don't care if you think MK looks disheveled, I dig it. Once upon an outdoor dining night in Little Italy with some friends, we saw the twins and their body guards walking down the street and I literally lost my breath with excitement. Really. I also found myself at the same restaurant as MK&A after they won their most recent CFDA award for Womenswear Designer of the Year. Basically, the universe wants us to hang out.

Read the Bullett Magazine article here.