Welcome back Heidi, Tim, Michael and Nina!

Yay! Project Runway started back tonight. I'm SO excited to finally get to watch it. For the first 5 seasons it was on Bravo...which Time Warner Cable didn't carry! So we finally got Bravo earlier this year, and now Project Runway is on Lifetime. Go figure! It was a great episode and some of the dresses were awesome (and some a total wreck). I loved the winning dress. So far I'm rooting for Carol Hannah Whitfield...she's from Charleston, SC, where my hubby and I got engaged and spent our first wedding anniversary. Gotta support the South!

Makes me even more excited for my upcoming trip to NYC (shopping heaven!) and for fall fashion. I've been checking out the fall issues of my fashion mags and deciding on my must haves. Can't wait to go shopping!

On the food side of things, I hope to have some new recipes for you soon. We've been cooking less since it has been so hot and just been doing a lot of tried and true favorites. I hope to get back into the kitchen and try out some new recipes soon!

Fall 2009 Fashion Week

This past week was Fall 2009 Fashion Week in NYC. Due to the economy, a lot of designers scaled back their shows and moved them to more intimate venues around the city rather than show their collections under the tents at Bryant Park as usual. There was still plenty to see though and it was easy to tell that some of the trends that are already in place will continue into fall. Keep buying feminine pieces with ruffles and boyfriend cardigans, as both were seen coming down the runways. There was also lots of big jewelry. The colors were somewhat somber, given the economy and that it is fall after all, but there were definitely pops of purples, royal blues, deep orange, red and even some neon yellow and pink. As with most fashion weeks, not all of the ready to wear things coming down the runway were something any of us would ever wear, but some collections did include items that could be translated into the normal life of a twentysomething woman. You have to remember that most of this is what inspires the designers who create the clothes for you and me though, so I think it is always worth a look. I thought Zac Posen's collection was particularly wearable as is, especially if you had a need for a gown for an event. Speaking of which...J. Mendel, Badgley Mischka and Oscar de la Renta put out some absolutely gorgeous gowns. I won't be surprised if we see some of them on the red carpet at future award shows. What I didn't think was at all wearable...the handbag hats by Isaac Mizrahi. Not sure what he was thinking.

Anyway, if you'd like to check out all of the collections in depth, I'd recommend checking out Women's Wear Daily and Style.com. They seem to have the best round up of photos and reviews from the week. If you'd like to see the Pantone report that predicts the top colors for fall, you can check that out here. I particularly like the Majolica Blue. In fact, I already own a cocktail dress in almost that exact shade. I think the American Beauty is also quite lovely.

Fashion Post #1--Wardrobe Basics

It has been a long time coming, but here it is...my first fashion post for the "style" part of the blog name. I figured for my first post, talking about fashion basics would be a good idea. Wardrobe staples would be the best term for it and is what every woman should have in her closet (sorry guys...I'll have to touch on you in another post). There are different lists that float around, but I think Tim Gunn's (of Project Runway fame...thanks Time Warner for FINALLY getting us Bravo) list is great.

1. Little Black Dress
2. Trench Coat
3. Classic Dress Pants (black, navy or gray)
4. White Shirt
5. Jeans (dark preferred)
6. Cashmere Sweater
7. Skirt (something versatile is best)
8. Day Dress
9. Blazer (fitted)
10. Sweat Suit Alternative (read: sophisticated casual outfit)

When he presented this list for In Style, he also added Trend Items, though recommended not spending so much on those. I agree. If it is going to be out of style in a season, it is not worth spending a lot on. The top 10 though, are worth investing in. Buy the best quality you can afford so it will last. I'm happy to say that I own all of these items, though I hate my current trench (and got an unremovable stain on the sleeve) so I'm looking to replace that in the next few months. How about you?

I also have a few other things I consider wardrobe staples that aren't on Tim's list: black heels, a pair of dress boots, party shoes (such as strappy metallic heels), comfy and stylish flats, good quality fitted short and long sleeved tees in basic colors, black and white camisoles, and good bras. How about you? What else do you consider a wardrobe staple?