HOT 5 - 9/18/23
Dear Hot Friends,
First, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of the wonderful readers who took the time to answer the Hot Survey I shared a couple of weeks ago. Your answers are greatly appreciated! They will help me plan content for future communications and it was gratifying to learn that most of you want the HOT 5 to stay close to what it is now. I hope that all of you who participated took advantage of the discount coupon code to purchase something on the site, we have a little something for everyone!
Starbucks has released its pumpkin spice menu, it's Fashion Week in NYC as I write this, and Halloween costumes are in all the windows, so I guess September is here, whether we're ready for it or not! I'm super excited to welcome September this year because I'll be spending 2 weeks in Sicily where I've never been before. I'll be sharing my packing and touring adventures here in the next Hot 5. (Well you did say that you want more of my personal style stories! :)
Here is this week's Hot 5:
1. Fall '23 Fashion Trends
2. Fall '23 Collaborations
3. Hot Pick - Polka Dots!
4. Hot Shops Lingua Franca
5. Don't Miss Docs
1. Fall '23 Fashion Trends
Ever since the Pandemic changed the world, we've been asking, "Now what do we wear?" At first, we clung to our comfort clothes, then we went a little crazy trying to figure out our new (old?) selves. Finally, it seems we've landed and, fittingly, the biggest trend for Fall 2023 is WEARABILITY. It's all about pared-back, everyday clothing, executed in best-in-class fabrics. It’s time to focus on getting core essentials for our closets, which means tailored staples like trousers, trench coats, structured blazers, and luxe leathers. Here are my top 8 Runway trends presented with Real Way suggestions:
1. RED!
2. BLACK COATS
3. WHITE SHIRTS
4. LUXE LEATHER
5. PEPLUMS
6. FITTED JACKETS
7. EXTRA LARGE SCARVES
8. BROOCHES ARE BACK!
2. Fall '23 Collaborations
The Fall fashion season always brings exciting and creative designer collaborations and this fall is no exception. I present you with the ones I'm especially looking forward to shopping. First up is Clare Waight Keller x Uniqlo: C. She's the wonderful designer who revitalized Chloe and worked at Givenchy where she designed Meghan Markle's wedding dress. This is the one not to miss! Next is Gabriella Karefa-Johnson for Good American. Gabriella is the stylist and Vogue Global Contributing Fashion Editor-at-Large who is incredibly well-known for her indelible personal style. Her collaboration with denim company Good American is sure to be special and I can vouch for the remarkable fit of Good American jeans. Next up is Steven Meisel for Zara dropping 9/18 and it's certainly an unexpected one! Fashion photographer Steven Meisel who is known for transforming his subjects into the most beautiful versions of themselves, has created a collection for Zara based on his own personal style. Last but not least is Rowing Blazers x Target launching on 9/23. Known for taking the classics and making them fun, interesting, and approachable, the brand has redefined old-school American style. The collection includes over one hundred pieces, including apparel for adults and kids, home decor, outdoor and pet accessories, and more. Sounds great to me!
3. Hot Pick - Polka Dots!
You can never go wrong with classic polka-dot-printed fashion. There's a reason it has been a fashion motif forever. I've always loved dots for their fun graphic nature and how easily they inject personality into your look. This fall there's been a resurgence of this timeless favorite and the fun-loving design motif can be found on just about everything! Fashion heavy hitters, Miu Miu, Comme des Garcons, and Yves Saint Laurent have filled their collections with the debonaire dot as well. I guess we shouldn't be surprised after this happened. See below for a few polka-dot printed items I've chosen for you:
4. Hot Shops Lingua Franca
The HOT Shops feature is a year old this month and I haven't run out of great stores for you to shop yet! :) For this HOT 5, I want to tell you about a wonderful, smallish clothing company called Lingua Franca that has a charming boutique here in New York City's Greenwich Village. If you can't get here, the brand has a great website too! You might recognize the Lingua Franca cashmere sweaters which are embroidered with cheeky slogans, many of which are political. The brand started as a small line of sustainably sourced, fair-trade luxury cashmere sweaters, all hand-stitched by women in NYC, and has grown to include several categories of hand-embroidered customizable items as well as seasonal ready-to-wear collections, accessories, and wallpaper. Founder Rachelle Hruska MacPherson has created an amazing community of people who care about a wide range of important causes and Lingua Franca has raised over a million dollars for more than 200 charities.
5. Don't Miss Docs
Launched just in time for Fashion Month, I'd like to recommend these three fascinating and eye-opening documentaries:
1. Invisible Beauty in theaters - This memoir by fashion pioneer Bethann Hardison is essential viewing for anyone interested in learning about one of the true fashion icons of our time. Bethann walked in the famous Battle of Versailles Fashion Show in the 1970s and hasn't stopped breaking down barriers and challenging the fashion industry in order to bring about change since. We love Bethann!
2. Donyale Luna Supermodel on HBO - This documentary chronicles the remarkable life of Donyale Luna the first Black model to appear on the cover of both Harper's Bazaar and Vogue in Europe. Born Peggy Ann Freeman in Detroit, Michigan, Luna became a larger-than-life character who broke barriers in the fashion industry, challenged the prevailing ideals of beauty, and influenced culture — all before her untimely death at age 33.
3. The Super Models on Apple TV+ - A look at the careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington, revealing how they dominated the modeling world while forging a bond that shifted the power dynamic of the industry. And who can forget this which started it all 33 years ago?
Terry xoxo
P.S. I'll leave you with this fashion-themed laugh, enjoy!