Jillian Michaels

It’s hard to believe but we’re into the third month of this year and my fitness resolution appears to be sticking a bit. At least I’m still rolling into the gym twice a week, I’ll admit I’m not losing any weight and I’m definitely not looking any different, but I’m going to the gym.

I have noticed a few things at the gym through, my schlubby sweats are not what most people are wearing. Several years ago I was in shape and my sweats were new, since then they’ve become stretched out, stained, and basically house sweats. It’s pretty obvious I’ve gone from the couch to the gym without much effort.

Now I doubt I’m going to be one of those sports bras and leggings sort of gals, those days are long gone for me, but they’re definitely out there and it’s the buff bods that are wearing these fitness staples so if you’re going to flaunt it you had better have it.

But one sportswear trend I’ve seen that I’m willing to adopt is the little matchy matchy performance apparel outfits. I know the matching workout clothing is a little too something for ordinary wear but for the gym it somehow seems appropriate to me. I love the little matching outfits when I golf too so maybe it’s something to do with sports and uniforms, but I believe I’m beginning to see a justification for a whole new wardrobe.

Denise Richards Torn Jeans

Distressed jeans are nothing new, they started showing up last year with the boyfriend jeans.  So it should be no surprise that other items of clothing are showing up as distressed too, like distressed leggings which are cropping up everywhere and look more than a little tacky in many situations but could be a cute look at an actual rock concert or the right kind of club.

But as with any trend, some is just not enough, you’ve got to have too much before it becomes enough apparently. And so it goes with the shredded clothing trend. Bottoms are just the first to get hit with a scissors, tops are getting into the fray a bit as are dresses and tank tops.

I haven’t seen the shredded trend hit any shoes yet but the super strappy sandal is sort of a similar look, as is the cut out bootie and with those two hitting the pavement pretty hard I’d expect to see the shredded shoe showing up shortly.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker has been called a fashion icon for a long time now but, honestly, I’d almost never wear anything she work (especially her Sex and the City wardrobe) and even if I like her clothing choices (like her 2010 Academy Awards Chanel gown) there is never an occasion in my life when I could wear a similar outfit.

That is until I spotted this recent picture of Sarah Jessica Parker in New York City with her son. Her long black coat with fur collar looks nice and toasty and practical for the season. Her grey knit hat is also a practical touch that is so plain and simple you can probably either find one almost anywhere or knit  your own.

But it’s not the exterior clothing that makes SJP’s outfit so cute, it’s the Alice and Olivia cargo pants that give her style a funky little look and the particular pairing of those cargo pants with her high heeled cold weather boots. I know it’s against style to opt for heeled boots when low and flat heels are the must have boot, but I’ve got to love a woman that bucks the trends and wears what she loves, a good sexy high heeled shoe, no matter what.

Victoria Beckham Messenger Bag

For financial and practical reasons I set a challenge for myself in 2010, to not buy any shoes. Shoes are my one true love and it’s been a challenge but so far I’ve been successful. That is I’ve been successful in not buying shoes but maybe not in saving money. It appears as though my addiction has shifted to handbags.

The handbag fixation started with an oversized pink handbag because that is one of the big trends for the spring. I may love this pink handbag more than any other purse I’ve owned, but then again it hasn’t kept me from looking at other handbags.

One of the huge trends I’ve noticed this year in handbags is the way the leather is handled. Whether it’s a perforated pattern in the leather, braided straps, or leather fringe, it seems that everyone is looking for a new way to work with leather and make it more than just the foundation of the handbag. One of my favorite examples of this is the Foley and Corina Wrapped Chain Hobo with its pebbled leather, scalloped seam, wrapped leather banding and leather fringe. Somehow they managed to work a number of different leather treatments together and not make the handbag look fussy or overdone.

Another handbag trend that is moving into the staple realm is the cross body or messenger bag. Initially this handbag trend was focused on larger, more utility looking purses but now they’ve transferred the style to more attractive and pretty handbags. Long straps make any bag a cross body purse and this insures we’ll be seeing more of this trend.

The best thing about these 2010 Spring handbag trends is that you can actually find a bag that you can find a purse that features all three of these trends, like the Matt & Nat Commix Drawstring Bag.

Vera Farmiga at the Oscars

You can’t really determine what the fashion trends of the year will be based on the evening wear that the women sported on the red carpet, but I think that the majority of the actresses presenting, accepting and nominated for films this year looked so striking that we will be seeing some of those trends translating into street clothing.

One thing I noticed and loved (mostly) was the number of beautiful red dresses that the women chose to wear. One big EW in the red dress category was Vera Farmiga and her big red coffee strainer gown. I can’t help but wonder what the back of it looked like after sitting through the entire program. But other than this bizarre red dress, the rest of them looked incredible.

Another color trend that couldn’t be overlooked were the metallics or metallic inspired dresses. This color trend has already been adopted by shoe manufacturers and is cropping in all sorts of shoes this season. I think the trend will spread and we’ll start seeing street wear that features metallic hues as well.

Finally, the embellishments. Oddly enough this has also been a shoe trend that is gaining speed but it was the inspired embellished floral designs on many of the Oscar dresses that made me realize it might be time for embellishments all over. Especially with the acclaim that Sandra Bullock’s dress is receiving, I’ll be willing to bet we see floral embellishments on everything from denim to swimwear in the next year.

Tina Fey 2010 Oscars

The 2010 Academy Awards are finally over and congratulations to The Hurt Locker, by the way has anyone actually seen The Hurt Locker? But I say congratulations to most of the women who graced the stage and the red carpet, their flowing evening dresses were stunning overall. Even the mistakes and missteps in fashion were nothing too outrageous and shockingly bad.

The one big fashion faux pas was quite possibly Tina Fey, which isn’t surprising, Miss Fey isn’t known for her ability to dress herself. The Michael Kors one shoulder dress she wore, combined with her hairstyle had her looking like one of the Flintstones.

But Tina Fey was on the right track as we saw more asymmetrical dresses than possibly ever before, which was an easy prediction as this trend is really catching hold, especially for formal occasions.

Another interesting trend among the Oscars Fashion was the embellished dress with floral motifs. Most of these were incredibly successful ala Sandra Bullock’s stunning Marchesa gown but there was one that drew attention for its poorly placed flowers, Charlize Theron’s Dior dress had flowers planted right over her breasts, making them appear to stare right at you.

So overall the women looked spectacular in flowery, flowing embellished gowns making the Oscars 2010 a fashion success.

Megan Fox Short Shorts

If your New Year’s Resolution was to hit the gym I sure hope you hit it hard because you’re going to want to be in tip top shape for the latest fashion trends coming down the pipe. Spring 2010 fashion trends will be all about showing skin.

First you’re going to want to make sure your butt and thighs are in the best shape that they’ve been ever, especially if you’re going to follow the fashion trends for 2010 because short shorts are going to be everywhere. There are a whole slew of names that they’re going under, lingerie shorts, tap pants, hot pants, cut off shorts and I’m sure there will be more names before the snow has left the northern states but in the end, your end will be hanging out of those shorts and you better hope it’s a nicely shaped one.

Last season asymmetrical dresses started to make some waves, this season that trend is continuing but it’s being combined with cut out dresses to create an even greater stir. Expect to expose skin in an asymmetrical dress or a cutout dress or a combination of both. The only problem with these styles is you need to have every inch of  your body toned to prepare to wear them because you never know what little bit of skin is going to be popping out and the last thing you want is to have fat actually pushing out of the dress.

In tops for the 2010 spring season you’ll start to see some unique cuts but I don’t expect that to be a sweeping trend until summer when straps are more prevalent. What I do expect to see instead are sheer or see through elements on tops in the spring 2010. This helps hide physical flaws a little bit but not enough that you can skip those sit ups.

A couple years ago some unusual t-shirts started popping up on celebrities, the t-shirts were made of soft worn fabric and featured a graphic print on the front that was loud and busy and sort of resembled an elaborate tattoo. Printed clearly on the t-shirts was the name Ed Hardy. But who is Ed Hardy?

Ed Hardy is a pseudonym for designer Christian Audigier who burst onto the scene about seven years ago and now is the proud owner of nine international fashion brands and a slew of fans, both famous and not.  Although today Christian Audigier is known as the creator of Ed Hardy and most recognized for his t-shirts, this wasn’t always the case. He previously went under the moniker of the King of Jeans because of his signature work for Mackleen Jeans, Diesel and Levis. And today Ed Hardy Jeans looks to carry on that title and turn Ed Hardy into the King of Jeans.

Ed Hardy Jeans

But obviously, as any good designer knows, one or two lines are just not enough, you need to take that popularity and run with it as far as you can. In that spirit the Ed Hardy line is branching into clothing for women with Ed Hardy dresses, Ed Hardy hoodies and even some Ed Hardy shoes.

No matter who Ed Hardy is, one thing is certain, his signature style has some lasting power and is probably going to explode into every area of fashion, he might even create a few new ones.

Lady Gaga Lobster

Okay I realize she’s on tour and expected to be outrageous so that’s why Lady GaGa is going more over the top now than usual but the outfit she donned for last night’s trip to get take out dinner is just screaming for attention.

First of all the singer wrapped herself in a see through plastic garb of some sort. I don’t know if it was homemade or made by anyone who claims to be a designer but it’s not going to be hitting the stores anytime soon, that’s for sure.

But beyond the plastic jumpsuit, it was really the accessories that made this outfit noteworthy. For one, the rhinestone lobster planted on her head and secondly, the plastic chicken claw tied to her wrist, and the odd way she affectionately looped her finger around one of the chicken’s claws. This look simply inspires a quizzical look and a lot of paparazzi, which I’m sure was her aim.

But it makes me wonder where she finds her accessories. Most of us think inside the box when it comes to accessories but maybe we should branch out. Hunting decoys might make an interesting look. I can actually picture an outfit covered in clip on dove decoys or a Mojo Woodpecker hat. In fact, I should design these garments and pitch the idea to Lady GaGa, who knows if she’s got an outfit to wear then next time she has to run an errand.

Sweatshirt

One designer that’s creating a stir with their sweatshirt designs that go from day to night is Aiko. The fabrics they have chosen are not your standard sports team sweatshirt fabric but much more luxurious and comfortable, almost high quality in their feel. And Aiko has added embellishments in a way that is appealing, attractive and so far removed from a bedazzling grandma. Some of their outfits aren’t quite day to night quality and they’re definitely not budget conscious, but it’s a step in the right direction.

The problem with sweatshirt material is that no matter how luxurious and high quality it is, it’s still going to look like a sweatshirt. Hopefully more inexpensive designer sweatshirt looks will start hitting the racks soon and the price will more closely match the fabric and the look. Until then you’re probably stuck with old school sweatshirt fabric or overpriced new sweatshirt designs.