Valentine's Day is approaching!  It would be great if that special man in your life surprises you, but why wait?  Enter NOW to win my Valentine's Day Contest and treat yourself to this fabulous bracelet from the hip and edgy boutique in the 900 Shops, DNA 2050.   (After all, it IS Accessory Friday!)  This bracelet features red leather with gold perforated stud details, along with gold vermeil over mixed metal--SO GORGEOUS!  It is perfect to wear alone on the wrist or stack multi-layered bracelets in front to wear higher on your arm. . .

Below are the steps you need to follow to enter for your
chance to WIN the bracelet from DNA 2050:

IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE:

1.  You MUST send a short email to barbara.glass.fashion@gmail.com telling me why you deserve to win the bracelet.

2.  You MUST be a fan of my Barbara Glass, Image and Wardrobe Consultant on Facebook by clicking HERE.

3.  You MUST tell all your friends and family about the contest so they can enter too!  ; )

  

 Here at In Fashion with Barbara Glass, we are going to switch it up a little! Once a month, we are going to feature our fashionable Fashionista of the moment! This month we bring you Andrea Dykstra, top, and Kelsey Berlacher, bottom. Both of them are Fashion Marketing and Management students at The Illinois Institute of Art- Chicago, located in the Merchandise Mart. Both of them have two different views on fashion, but whatever they wear, they make it look impeccable! We just love how they accessorize with necklaces, rings, and even watches. Take some notes from these young ladies if you want to be hip and ready for any occasion! Do you have what it takes to be the next Fashionista of the moment? Keep up the great work ladies!

Chances are, if I asked you, "Have you heard of Stefani Germanotta?", your answer would be a hearty and definite "No."  Chances also are, you'd be wrong as a North Face coat in Chicago in July.  Born Stefani Germanotta on March 20, 1986 into an Italian-American family, Lady Gaga is now 23 years old and is the beneficent unchallenged ruler of the Pop world.

Described as a "shock artist" by Ms. Barbara Walters on December's "10 Most Fascinating People" interview extravaganza, Gaga admitted to Babs that she "felt like a freak" as a child; and that when her first video dropped her father thought she was "mentally unstable."   She's mended that relationship now (by caring for her father during his recovery from heart surgery ;) and the truth is, she may not have too much time to worry about what he's thinking.

While I did love the idea of bumping into celebs in Palm Springs at gallery openings, Chicago does provide plenty of glitz and fun also.  Recently I went to the Hollis Sigler opening (Jan 23- March 28) at the Chicago Cultural Center. It was packed with artists, students, art lovers, and people who enjoy free wine along with free admission. Having purchased a Hollis Sigler for my home early on in her career, it was so rewarding to see the attention she continues to garner even after her death with her beautiful images. 

Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.,
Chicago, IL 60602

Phone: 312.744.6630
TTY: 312.744.2947

Spring Ready-to-Wear runway shows have hit the marks for 2010 and I have to say, I'm more excited than I've been in years.  Flirty, feminine looks are beginning to show up again and luxury is on it's way back:  bye, bye, Recession Blues! 

Lagerfeld for Fendi:  always F(!)antastic.  His Fendi line took the gold for me this season with looks that showcase the easy, feminine drape of many Spring lines.  The ecru silk tunic with asymmetrical hem and half sleeve continues a great trend that's oh-so-easy to wear: over-sized.  In the gallery, you'll notice pales pink, teeny tiny silk shorts with a high hem and also a great drape.  Lagerfeld also masters the art of juxtaposition; the tailored white blouse with an expertly draped half sleeve and a deep keyhole detail from the prim neckline to the bust is also completely sheer.  Hot!  Paired with a paper bag waist stiff cotton skirt in chocolate brown, we get an interesting mix of tailoring with an unstructured flirty skirt.  He also shows a beautiful fringe-y, furry, feather-y jacket with a halter neck and a tiered asymmetrical hem dress in pale pink satin with a taupe organza crossed overlay around the neckline and bust.  I love it when he steps away from his traditional love of black and white to dabble in the subtlety of warm creams, taupes, and pinks.

But Karl's not the only one showing earth tones for Spring 2010.  This season you'll find low-contrast, high voltage looks from Bottega Veneta, Burberry, and D&G.  Throw on your sass-filled jacket; and let's go shopping, dear!  As evidenced by my top four jackets in the gallery below, menswear inspired pieces are still reigning supreme.  Consider a feminized, ever-so-chic Gucci motorcycle jacket, or pick an updated boyfriend blazer from either Alberta Ferretti's Philosophy or Louis Vuitton.  A rougher option is the military style double breasted offering from Comme de Garcons.

One last thing I feel compelled to cover is the resurgence of overalls. Overalls!?  I almost can't believe my eyes.  I'm reserving judgment (for now).  I love a jumper, with pants, jodhpurs, shorts--but overalls?  While a few tickled my fancy, some where down-right-wrong.  As long as we go the right direction (as one of the designs from Gaultier below seems to be doing) I may just love the look.  But, if all we have is a denim bib, I think I'll take a pass.

-Barbara

**I hope you enjoy the pictures I culled from some of my favorite designers' shows and I hope I can help and inspire you to help others on our joint quest for warmer days and hotter nights enjoyed in some of these gorgeous garments.  Stay tuned for IN or OUT? coming tomorrow and every Wednesday!**

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards were held this past Sunday. Let's just say that Hollywood's Songstress' didn't disappoint. As usual, Beyonce looked stunning, showing off her beautiful curves, while the Queen of the night, Taylor Swift, who took home album of the year, kept it simple and flashy in a gorgeous midnight blue number. Lady Gaga went for one of her more "signature" styles, then later dawning a emerald get up for her performance with Elton John.   Did you watch the Grammy's? What did you think of the music industries hottest stars? Let us know!