PRINTS, Prints prints are everywhere this spring!  And they are very eye-catching.  Recently I saw a super cute Alice + Olivia top while out shopping.  It was a very pretty large scale bright floral print, similar to this one.

Some brands are iconic for the colorful use of prints.  The shirt below is by Dolce & Gabana, they do prints so well. Did I buy the printed top?  No.  Yes, my eye is drawn to the prints, but my pragmatic wardrobe-building mind says no.  The cost per wear is less simply because a large scale print or dramatic colored print is so darn memorable.  People will remember you wearing it and so its’ wearing must be widely spaced in your style schedule.

What about you, are you investing in the bright floral prints of Spring 2012?

Last year on the Carissa Rose blog:
Moms and What they Mean

Two years ago on the Carissa Rose blog:
Highlight the Positive

Three years ago on the Carissa Rose blog:
They come in all Shapes and Sizes

This is going to date me, but … when I was in high school I had a navy and white striped peplum dress I loved.  The peplum had box pleats, followed by a pencil skirt that I shimmied down the hall in with my spectator sling back pumps.  Sheesh, the effort to look good and I was a sophomore in high school.  I hope my daughter doesn’t follow my footsteps.

Everywhere this season peplums are showing up on celebrities.  Most recently, Kate Middleton converted a suit into a peplum dress by buttoning the jacket over the dress and belting it.

And on the red carpet young(er) stars are wearing the peplum in a color blocked style, whether classic black and white or shocking pink.

I prefer my Miranda Peplum Shirt Jacket with trousers that are cut close to the body. Skimming ankle jeans paired with platform pumps is an on-trend look also.  She feels so ladylike, stylish and secure.  Basically, I love Miranda.

Last year on the Carissa Rose blog:
A Queen like no other
Two years ago on the Carissa Rose blog:
Standing up Tall
Three years ago on the Carissa Rose blog:
Books on Boobs

That’s what we do with Carissa Rose, we sculpt the body using strategically placed darts, seams, stripes, at certain points we add extra fabric allowances, and we cut certain parts of the garment closer to the body.

Maybe its our aversion to shapewear, resorting to only wearing it in a do-or-die situation.  Or just a really fat day (or week, or month).

Christian Dior is a commonly known designer now, but he first became known with his New Look.

The sculpted effect of the New Look was achieved by rounded and sloping shoulders (no inset shoulder seems found in most button-down shirts and jackets), cinched waist and a full hip.  The wearer looks like she has a tiny waist (this was helped with her underpinnings).

When we first launched 3+ years ago, one of our two shirts we had was the Carissa Shirt.  We adjusted the pattern for a subsequent production run and with that adjustment the shoulder line became large, too wide for a lot of women.  But, that wide shoulder line sure made the waist look small, especially combined with the bell shaped hem of the shirt.

The Carissa Shirt has been updated with the fit issues corrected and is now Sabrina (and Olivia) and no wonder she has sold out the fastest.  She sculpts the body so marvelously, no shapewear is required.

Last year on the Carissa Rose blog:

Quizzical Contest Winner

Two years ago on the Carissa Rose blog:

Carissa Rose White Shirts on TV

Three years ago on the Carissa Rose blog:

Jump in the Water