Hi All,

I am delighted to report that our new First Lady, Michelle Obama did the United States fashion industry proud! For both the Inauguration "swearing in" ceremony as well as the ten Inaugural Balls following that evening, she reinforced her continued support of emerging American design talent. Our nation's new First Lady continued to delight "fashionistas" with her accessible style as she epitomized today's modern glamour.

Michelle has a flair for mixing classic style with a douse of a fashion twist. The fashion parade stated early last Tuesday when she appeared at the swearing in ceremony in the  glorious color of  lemongrass in a wool with lace  & netting overlay ensemble…sheath dress and matching coat, from Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo. The color was fresh and optimistic and to keep her warm in the frigid temperatures there was the added benefit of pashmina arm warmers and quilted layers. As usual the look was personalized with a bold, sparkly neck piece and complimented by her ability to mix high end with low end pieces….green Jimmy Choo pumps and matching green leather gloves from J. Crew. This is a trend that has gained much momentum in the States these days!

And of course, we can not forget the young fashionista first daughters "in training" Malia and Sasha who made quite an endearing but bold color statement themselves in custom coats and accessories from J. Crew's children's brand Crewcuts.

The culmination of the Inaugural events was the evening appearance of the First Couple as they appeared at the formal balls that evening. As expected, Michele's one shoulder asymmetrical gown in white, from up-and-coming Taiwanese American designer Jason Wu (a former design intern for Narcisco Rodriguez) wowed the audience. The ethereal white gown of silk chiffon embellished with feathery flower appliqués and Swarovski crystals set off her stately shoulders and 5'11' frame. I must mention, that our new Commander in Chief did not look too shabby himself in a custom made tuxedo from menswear company Hart Schaffner Marx…. definitely gave well needed support for the ailing men's fashion industry as well.

In keeping with the new First Lady's understanding of the codes of fashion, it's important to emphasize her fashion intuitiveness. This has already influenced Spring'09 accessory trends….pair simplistic, classic looks with extras!

With customers cutting back and rummaging through their closets to reinvent pieces from their fashion archives, it only makes sense that the "little extras" of accessorizing mean a lot. They transform your old faithful pieces with a bit of drama!

The most important add-ons are bold statements with the look of custom made, one of a kind pieces. The great news is that they can be found at Target, J.Crew, H&M, Topshop or high priced designer brands.

«     Embellish your wrists with stacked or layered bracelets or wide cuffs. Add color with gems & enamel

«     Brooches can customize a clean sheath or cardigan

«     A necklace as the focal piece …flower motifs, layered chains, charms, sphere-like shapes!

«     The "necklace" top…necklines trimmed with stones, beads, sequins

«     Obvious earrings that go to the extreme…the comeback of chandeliers

«     Exotic skins like python or any reptile pattern for handbags, totes & sandals

«     Chain-link handle bags…resurrect that old designer "IT" bag  that's stored in the back of your closet!

Let's face it; these are extreme times which call for extreme accessories! Bottom line….. If it isn't going to get you noticed then DO NOT spend the money!

Go ahead, have fun and take a risk with style …that big thrill is the best return on investment!