Prints can be a very tricky thing; one person might see them as delightfully charming while the next sees nothing but your tacky Aunt Bonnie's drapes.  And no girl wants to purposely channel Maria von Trapp unless you are lucky enough to actually be cast in the Sound of Music.  There will never be a universally adored print so my advice to you:  pick one you love and have fun with it!  This season, the key message from designers was to drape yourself, pardon, cover yourself in an excess of prints.  For those unplagued by fashion fears, mix and match prints to your heart's delight.  For those, like me, who are a little more conservative, pick two prints in the same colour range and keep the rest of your look on the neutral side.  I thought that cinching this pretty dress with a subtly patterned belt was the perfect way of rocking the trend.  Someday, you knew your prints would come, didn't you?  Real Life Runway Tip:  The gorgeous bag from Roots, admittedly erring on the guilty range of 'guilt-free', is one of those investment pieces that will go with absolutely everything and last for years.  However, you can find a ton of other options out there for quite a bit less if you don't want to splurge.  Danier has some really pretty leather bags, Nine West has some faux but real-feeling beauties and Winners always carries a fantastic selection of designer handbags for less.

Okay, I know what you're thinking:  ANOTHER bangle post?!  I simply could not leave the story half-finished because mixed metal bangles (rather, mixed metal anything) are a big deal this season.  Wear them stacked in an array of metals and when your arm starts to get tired, choose your favourite one or two to add a hint of glint to any outfit. And, since this look calls for golds and silvers to be worn together, you'll never have to worry about a heavy metal clash. I am especially enamoured with the braided gold cuff from Urban Outfitters.  In a close second place:  the tiny disco bangles from Banana Republic that appear as though little pinpoints of light are poking through.  Now, you can officially close the chapter on 'Bangles 101' and start piling them on.  Happy shopping!  Fin.

Practically Perfect

L to R: Tory Burch, Anna Sui, Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Ports 1961, Rochas, Spring 2010 - photos courtesy style.com

There's just something about heels that makes you feel like a woman.  The way they change your posture, the powerful "click, click, click" that signals your arrival, that "whoops-my-heel-got-stuck-in-a-sewer-grate-and-oh-my-I-am such-a-lady-that-I-desperately-need-a-gentleman-to-dislodge-me" kind of thing.  You know, one of the items that few men, if any, can get away with wearing.  Forgive me RuPaul and Miss J.  Still, there are times in every girl's life that unequivocally call for a good, pretty flat:  grocery trips, baby-carrying, walks through the park, to name but a few.  It was astounding to see so many designers opt for flats this spring on runways so accustomed to being abused by angry, stomping model heels.  With so many girly looks out there, the masculinity of the oxford provided a perfect balance.  The ballet flat reigned supreme in all of it's comfortable, gamine glory.  And flat sandals of every description were a huge presence on the runways of Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs.  Maybe our need for practicality after the economic downturn has trickled down as far as our toes?  Or maybe we just like the idea of giving our hard-working feet a rest?  No matter how much we love our heels, it's nice to see so many options for gorgeous flats this spring.  Practical and pretty?  Now, that's something that I love to see. 

It's so hard to choose, but here are a few of the cute options out there:

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In the Jeans

Stella McCartney, Ralph Lauren, D & G, Spring 2010 - photos courtesy style.com

There was a group of boys that went to my highschool that I will never forget.  They were the nicest guys and not even all that geeky but for some reason or another, they thought it would be a good idea to adopt a 'team' uniform.  It's funny how groups of friends, particularly in highschool, latch on to a certain look and this becomes a way of defining themselves socially.  This in and of itself was not all that odd and really, a relatively harmless pubescent offense.  The unfortunate part of their decision was the uniform itself:  light denim jacket, matching light denim jeans (a little too short, a little too tight) and glaringly stark white lace-up running shoes.  Shudder.  As soon as I heard that denim-on-denim was a big look for Spring 2010, I felt a little chill run up my spine.  The verdict's still out but I have a feeling this is one trend that will absolutely not last.  What do you think of denim-on-denim?  Scary or splendid?  Real Life Runway Tip:  If you decide to go for all jean (N.B:  Real Life Runway does not endorse this look!) I would highly recommend mixing up light with dark denim.  Otherwise, stick with one piece and have fun with the endless options out there in style, cut and fabrication.  Jeggings (jean leggings, natch) are in nearly every store if you want to go super-skinny, as are distressed denim shirts and skirts and lightweight denim dresses.   I have always liked denim with caramel accessories but my new favourite pairing is denim with silver as seen at Ralph Lauren.  As for the ever-changing fit question, skinny jeans are still on-trend but www.style.com broke news today that skinnies are going out and making way for the triumphant return of flares come fall.   Are anyone else's hips breathing a massive sigh of relief?

Check out the slideshow for some of my fave denim interpretations:

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Sears gets a new Attitude

I know that when you think of Sears, it probably wouldn't be at the top of your list for fashionable finds.  I'm as surprised as anyone but I have never seen such a serious rebranding effort as that made by the team at Sears this past year.  Their Attitude line is chic, current and as you'd probably expect, incredibly affordable.   They hired a whack of young, fresh designers to reinvent the department stores rep and it's been a growing success ever since.  I love it when the underdog comes out on top!  Check out the video of Attitude's Spring 2010 Fashion Show from LG Fashion Week and decide for yourself whether Sears is more 'glamour' than 'grandma'.

For more from Attitude, visit www.sears.ca