Five Essential Fall Looks from Jeffrey Campbell

We spent some time this week chatting with Jeffrey Campbell style maven Ty McBride following his triumphant style interview on Style Like U. After the lovefest ("You're so awesome!" "No, you're so awesome!") we asked the girl to deal out his best style tips for keeping current as fall progresses. Herewith, his sage advice.

It seems that while the temperature is dropping, the looks are getting hotter. Around the Jeffrey Campbell office we are a-buzz with chitter-chatter about the hottest fall trends and how JC is hitting them. These five fashion favorites are coming at you live from the NYC office! Pencils ready? School is in session.

1. TIGHTS/LEGGINGS/LAYERING
We have produced several fall styles that are intentionally open in the front despite the plummeting temperature. We love the current boldness of color and texture in tights, leggings and layering basics. Styles like BELGIUM and POLISH play well into these looks. Peek-a-boo splashes of color let you to diversify your looks depending on your mood or time of day.

2. MIXED PROPORTIONS
We are obsessed with the ready-to-wear look of mixed proportions – giant tops with micro bottoms, skinny silhouettes on the bottom half. We love shape-driven looks that combine contrasting elements to create a refined '80s chic. We have created many styles this year that bring this trend to the foot! Styles like PHOTO and LEGAL are very "hoofy" and heavy which play with shapes and weights. Paired with leggings, they anchor a giant top.

3. AMERICANA/WESTERN
There is nothing we are OBSESSED with more than the groundswell of rugged Americana cowgirl chic. Everything old is new again, especially the Jeffrey Campbell takes on vintage favorites that use heavily distressed, oiled and preworked leathers. Styles like NEED, SUPPLY, ALL and WISHLIST top our list for this trends. This look translates to a number of ages, styles and demographics.

4. NAUGHTY (It's the new NICE.)
We are obsessed with over the knee boots (OTK BOOTS) in every shape, color, form and incarnation. Get them flat, stacked, engineered up or on a skyrise heel – we don't care. Just find a way to get them into your life. Trust us: you will feel like the PRETTY WOMAN in all of us!! Check styles like LUBBOCK, ISSUE, ZIP-005. AMAZING! OTK trends are a guaranteed TKO for fall 2010.

5. HOLIDAY OFFICE PARTY MAKEOUT!
Our fifth and final trend is for Holiday. With budgets tight and office holiday parties creeping up we offer evening shoes that serve multiple functions. Pair them with something you own using the shoes' glam-factor to breathe new life into an existing outfit!! FIGHT THAT RECESSION WITH GLAMOUR!! We love a little scandal at holiday office parties. Once that spiked eggnog is flowing Larry from Accounting is looking pretty cute!! Check out new arrivals like DOWNTOWN, QUARTZ, DOWN, and MARLY-ST. All of these styles are great for grabbing attention and can easily be paired back with tons in your wardrobe post-party.

HAPPY FALL FROM TEAM JEFFREY CAMPBELL.

Time Out Chicago Fall Fashion

Notes from New York: Fall Accessories Trends

One thing we love about the transition from season is the slow wave of color palettes as they luff up in spring bright and high-key, slowly descending over the summer months into a romantic trough of deeper, richer hues. This season is no exception as Lori and our buyers report from shopping the fall trends in New York.

Handbags are softening up. Expect unconstructed shapes, softer lines and materials, most notably roughed-out leathers and suedes perfect for a casual, slung-across look. Colors are predominantly teal, garnet, eggplant – the deeper, more saturated jewel tones – like peering at a candle through a glass of Saint-Emilion. Sangria. Raspberry. Rich and darkly muted.

Jewelry continues to edge back toward the Haight with a strong hand-made trend that includes beading and leather. Picture it on worn-out bluejeans with hand-washed short cowboy boots, plaid shirts. For the city-dweller leather-wrapped pieces are especially strong and a continuation of the natural/organic trends of this season.

Jewel-tone scarves in bottle green, teal and purple and paperboy hats with a nod toward embellishment continue to make changing up an outfit a breeze while adding some affordable personality.

While it's high sandal season at the moment, we're excited for this sneak peek at what we're wearing for fall!

First Look: Steven by Steve Madden Fall

Steven by Steve Madden is shell-shocked. The New York designer has taken his fall inspiration from combat boots and paratrooper detailing. Pictured here is a short combat boot in a beautiful, muted brown. The leather is supple and looks as though it's seen more than one tour of duty.

The usual details are here: reinforced heel, reinforced cap toe, stirruped vamp, lace-up front, but taken to the next level with fantastic details. Fat leather laces knotted at the end are meant to be worn open with the laces a-jumble over the bellows tongue. This gives you plenty to work with regarding the tuck-in. The sole is nailed on bottom, a great hand-crafted touch.

Steve Madden's Vice-President of Sales Michael Fishbein personally flew in from New York to give Lori first look and picks for fall. We're eagerly anticpating getting this military look in our first fall deliveries. Expect it to be online in early August.

Word from New York

Spring is fast approaching and as Lori reports from New York on late spring and first deliveries for Fall 2009, and as the City gears up for the fall shows, we thought we'd give you a sneak peek at how the year's shaping up!

A smattering of boots continue through spring, but the big emphasis is on sandals with embellishments and lots of straps that are either architectural in detail or comprise many thinner pieces. Both serve the same function: to create an exciting peekaboo effect along the foot in warmer temps.

Fall 2009 will see a continuation of riding boots, so hold on to the ones you have (or snag some now at our ongoing sale). There is also a new pointer shape coming out which we are less excited about (and you probably will be too). We're seeing a slight turn away from the strictly tailored, OCD clean lines of last fall as zippers, roughed-up suedes and Bohemian traits (albeit with a man-tailored edge) crop up.

A stand-out for fall (and, really, when isn't it?) is Frye's boot collection. Consistently in demand since its founding during the Civil War, Frye's collection of boots are classic quality. Past years have delivered these timeless styles in contemporary colors and detailing. We're disappointed only that we have to wait until July to get them!