Flat WearFinish off the hippie and Moroccan...
Flat Wear
Finish off the hippie and Moroccan influences in fashions this summer with a pair of sandals that fit the look. Newports’ leather thong saturated in deep brown has ancient styling that compels a saleswoman at Patrini stores to dub them “Jesus sandals.” Made in India and selling for less than $7, they’re more akin to the footwear worn with saris.
Art for Life’s Sake
His classic clothes might endure, but true Giorgio Armani keepers are the three original signed sketches the Italian designer has donated to the AIDS Service Foundation of Orange County. The doodles will be among the many items in a silent auction Sunday at Metropolis in Irvine. The benefit will feature art, cuisine, music and a show previewing fall collections by local and international designers. “We feel a need to be a part of the community,” says an Emporio Armani spokeswoman, “to make a conscious effort to give something back.”
40 and Still Wild
While romantic dressing might be all the rage this year, it’s not new to the Anglophiles who’ve long fancied the feminine, sweet-tooth styles of Laura Ashley. Though the looks might hail from a century ago, the Laura Ashley brand marks four decades of English style this year. The limited Anniversary Collection includes pretty pieces for home and to wear decorated with the wild flowers that Ashley loved. The top seller? Manager Terry Garland of the South Coast Plaza store says the cotton sweater ($150) has “been selling like mad.”
Stripe it Rich
Stripes are stars this year in just about any width and color imaginable. Running horizontally or vertically, stripes appear on just about everything. “You can use stripes to your advantage to draw attention to your best features,” says Dianna Pfaff-Martin, president of California Image Advisors. “A person can create illusions of being thin or wider.” But she cautions their use. “A major faux pas is when a woman who’s big busted wears a striped top that’s too tight, or a petite person wears too large a stripe.”
