SPOT ON !

Not since Sex and the City have we seen a television show shape the fashion zeitgeist with quite the reach as AMC’s Mad Men. For fall it's all about the suit, tweed, polka dots and a pencil skirt, designers and fans alike can not get enough of Mad Men’s proto-feminist heroines—Joan, Betty and Peggy—with their lady like style. We are here to tell you the fashion Gods have spoken - tis the season of 'The Lady'! This Fall play around with polka dots, cardigans, full skirts (think Mad Men 2010) for instant ladylike polish and what better way then to get your hands on the uber wallet friendly finds at a|Wear!

We are absolutely head over heels in love with the haute polka dot dress we scored on a|Wear - our one stop shop for trendy looks that won't break the bank! What we here at H&S love about this trend is the experimenting - how one can translate a ladylike look, ( from being demure to showing off a bit of décolleté all with class) and make it modern - and the pieces on a|Wear do just that!

So be a lady and show off your style literately with bookish to Grace Kelly like accessories, proper polka dots, and smart cover-ups for an oh so ladylike season!

We here at H&S are obsessed with French fashion designer and legend Sonia Rykiel whom is known the world over for creating knitwear in 1962 when she was unable to find soft sweaters to wear while pregnant. Her idea was a hit— actually genius! Rykiel gained immediate worldwide attention and was crowned “Queen of Knits” in 1970. Even today, her knitwear—typically in black and gray, splashes of color,embellishments and stripes—is Rykiel’s signature, though it’s not her only forte; the flame-haired designer also produces fabulous cocktail dresses and gowns, beautifully accented blouses and skirts, and elegant suiting. A legend in France and in the fashion world, the knitwear queen does not come cheap and since we don't have a Rykiel budget we shop for our embellished knitwear at our fave online boutique a|wear!

From uber haute knits to beautifully crafted dresses and blouses a|wear is a fashionista on a budget's dream when it comes to luxuriating in couture on a buck! Sonia Rykiel represents a certain idea of deluxe which is (in our books) connected to high prices. On the flip-side a|wear offers women the possibility of owning a beautiful piece of fashion without going bankrupt. Bravo a|wear ... bravo!

Fashion—it’s big business; it’s flashy tabloid fodder; it’s on television, on celebrities and online. It’s everywhere, a high-profile feeding frenzy of dos, don’ts, high, low, conservatism, outrage, teensy start-ups, public offerings, looking ahead and in the rearview mirror, ultimately with billions and billions of dollars at stake in an ever changing global marketplace. Yet for all of that, fashion is also a remarkably intimate industry, perhaps even bizarrely so, one that in many ways operates like an idiosyncratic little club. That characteristic is never more apparent than when it comes to the four-times-a-year ritual of the major-city collections. Each season we see an array of looks, trends and sometimes bizarre offerings we mere mortals are to don. There are some classics such as polos, denim, a red gown and believe it or not prints - polka dots being one of them. This season we are all about the polka dot and we've found a extremely cute offering from none other then A|wear - a fashion gal on a budget's dream online boutique that offers everything from boho chic to romanticism to yes our current polka dot obsession at wallet friendly prices.

Whether sleek or girly, sophisticated or quirky, patterns and prints heighten the season’s chic in a big way. With A|wear's uber cute polka dot dress you will sure to turn heads... so what are you waiting for!

Everything’s coming up roses—not to mention daisies, daffodils, lilacs and peonies. During the spring collections, designers proved themselves to be an optimistic bunch, blanketing the runways in all sorts of floral flourishes. And no two catwalk wares were the same; the printed offerings ranged from Seventies flower child to sculpted power babe. Even Monet received a nod or two in arty watercolor renditions. The nature inspirations didn’t stop with the clothes— accessories also got a bloom boost. Perplexed on how you will parlay the runway to everyday life? We have the solution and it's A|wear's beautiful confection of floral dresses that will satisfy your haute couture cravings with it's amazing wallet friendly prices!

What we adore about A|wear's range of floral dresses is the versatility - you can go from day to night; work to play all in one frock! The possibilities are endless add the amazing prices that only A|wear offers for it's stellar designs and you're set to turn heads in no time!

So go ahead and get this season’s (garden) party started with the beautiful floral collection at A|wear.com !

To see all the floral designs check out www.awear.com

PIN UP GIRLS

PINUP GIRLS from V Magazine on Vimeo.

Haute Summer Sexy Accessories

The body turns electric with sensuous, strategically placed accessories this summer so ladies the next time you want to turn your paramour on take a cue from this uber sexy pics!

Cashmere jacket, $3,800, wool scarf, $790, both, Bottega Veneta, at Bottega Veneta Boutique nationwide. Coral and diamond necklace, from Fred Leighton, NYC, price upon request. Diamond and sapphire bracelet, circa 1960s, Cartier, price upon request. Pavé-diamond-case watch, Sri Lankan sapphire ring with diamonds, both, Van Cleef & Arpels, prices upon request. Lapis and mother-of-pearl bangle, from Beladora, Beverly Hills, $3,650. Floral-trim pumps, Nina Ricci, $1,295. Mongolian lamb rug, J. Mendel, price upon request.

Sequined crepe dress, Dior, price upon request. Pink-mink-trimmed silk jacket with fox-fur cuffs, Nina Ricci, price upon request, in other colors at select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Tourmaline bead necklace with sapphires and diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels, price upon request. Sapphire ring with emeralds and diamonds, Bulgari, price upon request. Crystal clutch, Yves Saint Laurent, price upon request. Textured leather case, Louis Vuitton, price upon request. Green Mongolian lamb throw, Helen Yarmak, price upon request. Mongolian lamb rug, J. Mendel, price upon request.

Grecian gown, Donna Karan New York, $3,495. Platinum and diamond necklace, Bulgari Vintage Collection, circa 1935. Diamond and aquamarine necklace with turquoise beads and chrysoprase, diamond-case watch with mother-of-pearl dial, both, Van Cleef & Arpels, prices upon request. Oval-cut spessartite garnet ring, Bulgari, price upon request. Textured leather case, Louis Vuitton, price upon request. Pavé crystal and satin box clutch, Daniel Swarovski, $4,600. Mongolian lamb throw, Helen Yarmak, price upon request. Blue fox throw, Adrienne Landau, $2,475.

Wool knit sweaterdress, Miu Miu, $1,640, at select Miu Miu Boutique nationwide. Lace panty, Eres, $160. Printed lambskin bag, $3,373, embroidered felt boots, price upon request, both, Chanel. Vintage gold owl pendant necklace, vintage zodiac pendant necklace, both, from Robin Katz Vintage Jewels, prices upon request. Gold bracelet, Van Cleef & Arpels, price upon request. Green onyx and blue enamel ring, from Beladora, Beverly Hills, $995. Wool and cashmere blanket, Hermès, $2,625. Finnish fox blanket, The Fur Salon at Saks Fifth Avenue, price upon request.

So tell us how will you accessorize?

Here’s Meredith’s look from head-to-toe, along with the pieces from the new collection.

Last week, I attended a small gathering at lingerie wonderland Kiki de Montparnasse for a showing of the new capsule collection by jewelry line Made Her Think. The sexy, edgy, darkly glamorous line (including double-band chain rings, double-band bracelets, and pyramid totem necklaces) will be sold exclusively at the Greene Street boutique in New York City. The wildly chic designer, Meredith Kahn, chose to wear a custom William Calvert gown paired with cream Christian Louboutin stilettos (I love the way the light color of the shoes plays down the dramatic look of the gown). Most striking was her layered jewelry, from chunky costume bracelets piled high on the wrist, to her double-band chain ring, a favorite of Angelina Jolie.

The Sexy Body

V66: SEXY BODY ISSUE from V Magazine on Vimeo.