Margaret Logan Style

I have this darling little girl Lila, and she loves to dance. I also have a generous and somewhat indulgent sister named Dianne who loves to spoil Lila with all kinds of things. Especially all things girly, hot pink and cute. We love that. So when Lila decided she wanted to take a dance class, leave it to Dianne to celebrate by taking my girl on a shopping trip down to the Old Port to prepare for the big event.

Enter Ms. Lulu’s, a children’s boutique at 425 Fore Street in Portland, emporium of charming gifts and delightful togs for little people, including the loveliest tutus for dancing girls this side of the Nutcracker Suite.

Like decadent confections, Sheabella Tutus are so colorful and enticing, it’s nearly impossible to choose just one. Candy pink, Tiffany Blue, soft yellow and bright turquoise combined with the most precious applique and mountains of soft tulle make for dreamy fairy tales of fun and frivolity. And the best part of these delectable creations? They are hand made in Maine. Prices start at $38.

After trying on several and feeling like a princess each and every time, my little girl decided on “Pinky,” pictured above. She loves it, and it suits her to a T. And wouldn’t you know it, as if Pinky weren’t more than enough, when Christmas morning rolled around, in came Dianne, bearing oodles of gifts, including another Sheabella Tutu.

Now we have a veritable wardrobe of styles for dance, dress up and let’s be honest, every day. Because in a girl’s world, too much is never enough.

Okay, so I was a little late to the party. But what’s that old cliche, better late than never? It’s the plight of the skinny jean. Even in the midst of my fashion heyday, I wouldn’t go near them. They just screamed “1980s” in a way that seemed cheap and, at the risk of sounding prudish, almost vulgar. Because unless one is really tiny, skinny jeans morph into an enormous billboard exposing all the world to the things better left to one’s self and one’s immediate loved ones. On a good day.

And yet, I took the Helene m. dare one day this past December and tried on the Twiggy 5 pocket legging in China Doll from James, expecting nothing short of a horror show. And much to my complete surprise, they were comfortable. I didn’t feel sucked in. They had just the right amount of “give,” as my mother used to say (we now call that stretch), and, what’s that? They looked incredible. If I do say so myself. I couldn’t wait to have them, and immediately took the plunge. I couldn’t be happier with them or receive more compliments when wearing them. These jeans have given me a boost in more ways than one, and I love them for it.

Still, when I look at the James Jeans promo shot for my newly beloved Twiggy skinny jeans, I cringe a bit. Because the old “let’s pair the uber skinny jeans with 1-800-Call-Me” high heels is really a look that begs for a street corner more than a night out on the town…

For me, the skinny jean does much better when paired with a tall boot or a flat. It’s a bit more chic and understated, which is the whole point, right? I mean, too much is just that. Too much.

But I digress. I mean, who knew that skinny jeans would rock my world, so many years deep into the great denim trend? Here’s to being open to the possibilities…

To borrow a phrase from my dear friend Sarah, I do enjoy my new nautical navy and white stripe tee by Rodarte for Target (affect French accent here, please). It’s comfy, it’s long waisted, and it’s a fun spin off of a timeless classic/wardrobe must-have.

And at $16.99, what’s not to love?

Granted, the Rodarte selection at Target is by now pretty picked over, but onward and upward, my friends. Zac Posen designs a limited edition collection for Target this spring, and it hits the stores April 25th.

Now that is something worth waiting for…

The Pantone Gods have spoken, and the good word for spring fashion is Color, and lots of it. This bodes well for retail, as in my humble experience, consumers (especially women) are drawn to color and are more compelled to buy garments in alluring shades to update and refresh old standbys, give basics a sense of newness, and enjoy a much needed emotional pick-me-up that only color can bring….

Word on the street says to watch for lots of blues and nautical references. Just the thing we need to transport ourselves from arctic cold and blowing snow to languid island beaches . If only in our dreams….

Check out Pantone’s full Spring 2010 Color Report:

http://www.pantone.com/downloads/articles/pdfs/Pantone-FCR-sp2010f.pdf