Spring’s Must Have Fashion Accessories 2009

Accessories are rulling the Runway for 2009. Brilliant colors, exuberant prints, and statements of jewels lead off what hopes to be your best year yet.  A sophisticated and pulled together look will exude a strong confidence in any woman.  While the dress may be simple, your personality will shine through with the most current accessories.  
 Snakeskin, ostrich, crocodile, and plenty of cheetah will be found everywhere.  Shoes, handbags, bangles, scarves and belts will carry the motif in plenty, and I’ve found you can never have enough.  The fearless will wear their skin in one of the bright candy colors of fushia or canary yellow.

  Jewelry. Make a big statement with jewelry.  Make it big, and don’t be afraid to match the earrings, necklace and bracelet.   We’ll be seeing lots of colorful, painted costume jewelry make a comeback.  Natasha Leratti shows a crocodile cuff bracelet that creates a bold look at her website, Fashion Designer Accessories 

   The Clutch.  Clutches will be your go-to handbag, and are small enough build a collection to go with you entire wardrobe.  Michael Kors’ snakeskin clutch, $1395.00, adds an exotic touch that works for day or night.

  Belt.  The 2009 silhouettes accentuate the waist, and belts are an instant update.  Wrap around jackets, sweaters, and fitted dresses to create an hourglass effect.  Belts range from metal, fabric, leather, woven fibers, faux stones and jewels.   


  Color, color, color.  Nothing updates your wardrobe instantly more than the use of a strong color.  Purple, fushia, canary yellow, orange, and turquoise will be strong this spring.  A khaki shift will elevated to a new level when you add your touch with bangles, belts, handbags or heels – be sure to keep to one color and don’t overdo it.  Tory Burch’s line is masterful in showing the new colors against neutral.

  Feminine ruffles will continue to be a part of everyday dressing.   As an accoutrement on heels, Christian Louboutin’s Petal Heels show a demure yet incredibly sexy side to a woman’s style.  Ruffles will be part of necklaces and neckware, and seen in day as well as night.

  The shoes for spring take bold steps.  Architectural heels, broad straps, graphic shapes, platform soles, and the continued popularity of the gladiator sandal create bold statements for any outfit.  A strong shoe adds depth to the feminine, fluid shapes that come with the spring lines.  

  Embellishment.  Accessories, handbags, and shoes will offer up plenty more when shown with fringe, bows, flowers, crystals, and ruching.  Paying attention to the small details when dressing will add miles to your overall look.  Sequins, beads, and lame’ made everything a show stopper – Ralph Lauren showed plenty of shimmer and richness throughout his runway looks.  

  Scarves and shawls will continue to be a welcome addition to dressing.  From feminine florals to strong, abstract graphics, women will find themselves reaching for a scarf to be the ultimate topping.  

 Show your environmentally conscious side.  As more and more consumers look to conserve, save, and reuse, one of the hot designer accessories will become the reusable tote.  By appealing to our sustainable side, designers are adding these to the mix.  While Chanel’s $1,525.00 leather version seems a tad excessive, look for those with pretty prints, logos and shapes to make grocery shopping more chic.  

Today’s woman still wants to shop and update her wardrobe, even in this financially challenging time.   She will be looking for higher quality items that will be versatile and long lasting.   One of the most highly anticipated fashion influences will come from  Michelle Obama, with her focus on unusual details to liven up classic dressing.  Designers will be challenged to create a more versatile item that can work for day, office, and even evening.  
When perusing the designer sites, look  to show you chic, well made items to add to your current wardrobe.  Miami based designer Natasha Leratti knows what makes a strong women look exceptional, and pays attention to those details.

Your Fashion Designer,
Natasha Leratti