So what might the trend mean? Elephants have been connected with wisdom, long memory, power, and royalty among other symbolism. Elephants are revered in some Eastern cultures, figuring largely (no pun) in the history and culture of countries like India. In fact, Indian people and culture are increasingly visible in Western popular culture, which plays such a big part of forming fads. Yet trends are more than fashion fad. A real trend is a vibration that can be felt throughout. In fashion, music, cuisine, design, politics, social structures, everywhere… What does the image of an elephant mean to you?

Pictured, clockwise from top left:
Topshop pendant necklace, Tarina Tarantino earrings, Sevan Bicakci amethyst ring, Dannijo Necklace, Hermes Charm, Alkemie cuff bracelet, Sakdidet Road ring

Shop more elephant jewelry items below.

Elephant Cornelian Cameo Pendant / Pin Del Gatto’s highly skilled master artisans select and hand-carve every shell using century old techniques. This beautiful cameo with an 18K gold frame can be worn as a pendant or pin and is part of the Corniola collection which uses South East African sea shells. Made in Naples, Italy

TARINA TARANTINO ” Tilt-A-Whirl” Blue Elephant Drop Earrings Slip the TARINA TARANTINO “Tilt-A-Whirl” Blue Elephant Drop Earrings into your ears for a fashion statement no one will forget! Each rhodium-plated silver post with a friction back holds a sparkling light-blue crystal. A bright turquoise blue Lucite elephant charm dangles below from a single chain link for a whimsical touch. Measuring more than 2-1/2 inches long, these charming earrings will add a fun and colorful element to any outfit. Pair these earrings with crisp white shorts, a loose patterned top, and strappy wedge sandals for an outdoor lunch or garden party.

Vanessa Mooney Brass Elephant Charm on Tube And Ball Bead Bracelet Vanessa Mooney jewelry is hand made in Los Angeles, CA. The pieces are created to feel unique and one of a kind.

DOMINIQUE LUCAS – ELEPHANT NECKLACE Yellow gold plated sterling silver. Made in the U.K.

Elephant Charm Bracelet This style worthy elephant charm bracelet is a bold and beautiful piece ready for any occasion. Day or night, easy or elegant, the gold large open chain links make a rich statement as the gold and black enamel elephant hangs charmingly for a playful touch. Bracelet fastens with a simple toggle clasp.Metal: Gold platedMeasurement: 7 ¾ inches longPendant dimensions: 1 ¼ inch wide, 1 ¼ inch long

Elephant Pendant Necklace The elephant pendant necklace lets you have fun with your accessories. The abstract black elephant hangs at the bottom of the long chain and pops with 18k yellow-gold plate details. Layer this irresistible piece with your other fashion jewelry necklaces for a bohemian chic look.

Double Elephant Pendant Necklace Double elephant pendant necklace is a perfect gift for your best friend. A stylish 14k yellow gold disc is engraved with the image of two elephants with their trunks interlocked with one another. Because the trunks of the elephants are linked, they symbolize friendship. The pendant measure 5/8 inch in diameter as it dangles from a lovely 16 inch chain that is also crafted of 14k yellow gold. Necklace fastens with a lobster claw clasp.

The Paris Uniform by eighty jane

A few days back from my trip to the fashion capital of the world, I’ve had a bit of time to reflect a bit on my experience. I was surprised (and maybe a little disappointed) to find that Parisian fashion didn’t seem to stand apart from the global crowd. It might be a result of the nature of fashion these days: We all read the same magazines (the same publisher, at least) and, perhaps more importantly, we read many of the same blogs.

My trip consisted of days in New York City, Paris, and Amsterdam – and each seemed to be a mosh of the same H&M-informed style palettes. To be fair, each of these cities has more than their share of tourists, and each is a “Western” city. Perhaps if my international jaunt had included Merida or Calabar or Jakarta I might have gotten a bit more variety.

Above, see a Polyvore representation of the most common look I saw on the streets of Paris. I wish I could say that the striped shirt was characteristic of the classic Paris style we all think of, but I think it’s just a reflection of a global trend toward horizontal stripes. The look lost it’s jazz after seeing it for the 88th time, but it’s made up of good foundation-like pieces, so I’m not mad at it. Click here to shop the look.

I’m always first in line to defend fashion against assumptions that it’s a frivolous enterprise with no intellectual or cultural content. I cannot, however, ignore that the mainstream – or pop fashion – is extremely guilty of promoting glamour over health. The weight issue has been beaten to near death, but another thing I’ve noticed recently is the pervasiveness of cigarettes. So many fashion editorials these days show the model holding a lit cigarettes as she would a handbag or some other expensive accessory. With heaping amounts of non-chalance, of course. It’s impossible to avoid the fact that these images will make people (especially youngsters trying to keep their weight down) want to smoke. In this case, though, the expense is much greater than a lump of cash. This fashion status symbol will cost you your health.

Photos: style.com, Fashion Gone Rogue, williamyan.com, Fashionologie, northerndrops.wordpress.com, & Tumblrs @ thereisnotme, myblackeverything, blackblonde, cross-stained, thefashionreblog, and deipnophobia

Katie Lee, Selena Gomez, Nancy O’dell, January Jones, Kyra Sedgwick

Black:

Jayma Mays, Piper Perabo, Giuliana Rancic, Julianne Hough, Jane Lynch

Eva Longoria, Kelly Osbourne, Halle Berry

Green:

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Elizabeth Moss, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis

Orangey Pink:

Rhea Durham, Emma Stone, Lea Michelle, Natalie Portman, Claire Danes

photos: zimbio.com

The irresistible ball of cuteness you see above is from a holiday gift guide list presented by Style.com. The site asked a number of fashion industry insiders what gifts they’d like to give and get this year and Christopher Kane CEO, Tammy Kane, listed a French bulldog puppy as one of her big wishes. This was a blatant confirmation of a trend that I’ve seen brewing for a while.

The craze is one that’s especially near and dear to my heart because an awesome Frenchie named Marilyn (she was “blond”) was a part of my family for 13+ years. As a result part of me is repulsed by the fad – taking a bit of offense to what looks like it might turn into what we saw a few years back when every other celeb and fashionista was toting around a little Chihuahua. I’d rather not even say her name in this space, but at the height of that trend a certain hotel heiress was known for changing her little pooches like she changed handbags. Disgusting. Dogs aren’t accessories, they are living souls and hopefully this trend won’t lead to any breeding exploitations. Trust me, these dogs are just as cute and even greater companions as adults. Check out the French Bulldog Rescue Network for info on how to adopt a dog that needs a home.

As all true trends do, French bulldogs have invaded many facets of popular culture. Below: a fashion editorial; Martha Stewart and her dogs do a Pet Smart commercial; and the movie poster for “Due Date” which features a Frenchie in a starring role.

Right: An embellished gown and cape from Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2010-2011

	Mcq Alexander Mcqueen Tiger Stripe Sweater
	McQ – Alexander McQueen Fair Isle Sweater
	McQ – Alexander McQueen Short Tweed Coat
	Alexander McQueen – McQ Tromp L’Oiel T-Shirt
	Alexander McQueen – McQ Grey Flannel Jacket
	Mcq Alexander Mcqueen Bat Sheer Dress

Take Kelly Kapowski here, for example. She’s stuck in an endless loop of doing the heartthrob shimmy. A hellish reality, I’m sure, but at least she’s got an eternally flat tummy. And she needs it to wear that crop top – the height of hip fashion in her late 1980s, early 1990s existence.

While Kelly’s frequency is just over one per second, it takes the fashion world two decades to repeat itself. Consistently, every 20 years a certain style perspective gets another shot at the mainstream. Five years ago (fewer for the less enlightened) this midriff-baring, colored denim, high-waisted floral jeans ensemble would have been an absolute don’t. Today the elements are very trendy. You might not see them all together, but the pieces are popping up on runways and on pop culture trendsetters. One of the easiest of these to find right now is floral jeans and pants. See the selection below, powered by Polyvore.com. Animated gif spotted at You Are What You Create

Kelly was a starring character in “Saved by the Bell” – early ’90s hit show. The show’s title card seen to the left uses colors and patterns that are also seeing a resurgence in popularity right now. Fashion isn’t the only sector that’s feeling this affinity for what’s often referred to as Aztec style. The trend can be seen in interior design, the social sciences, and in fine dining.

Of course, fashion has a way about amplifying and focusing energies so that they are crystal clear (to the inclined, at least). Every garment and accessory you can think of is being covered with Aztec-inspired prints, and the trendy set is even getting Aztec manicures! It’s true that this fad is a part of a broader move toward appreciating so-called “ethnic” patterns in contemporary and designer fashion. However, it’s important to note how similar the choices are between now at 20 years ago. Around we go again…

Chanel 'Essential' Bag, Large - SS2009

Sometimes the parallels are much too literal. Case in point: luxury “paper” bags. The phenomenon started with Chanel – the Fashion High prom queen 100 years running. Bags given to shoppers at the brand’s flagship 31, Rue Cambon location in Paris had themselves become a sought after item, when the savvy house decided to go ahead and sell them, but in leather and for up to $3,000. Talk about selling symbols…

It reminds me of being in jr. high again, when all the cool kids brought their gym clothes to school in Gap bags. You know, those navy ones with the drawstring tops (do they still make those?). Mind you, I grew up in the middle of the corn belt, i.e. Gap was as close to haute as my little hometown had back then. It wasn’t uncommon for we preteens to go buy something at the store just for the bag. If Maureen Chiquet had been around the company might’ve had a thriving side business with some killer profit margins.

But enough about me.

Now several brands are creating bags like look like paper, but are made from luxe materials. Trendy newcomer Proenza Schouler made one for it’s Pre-Fall 2010 collection and the bag sold out the same day it premiered on on net-a-porter.com, where it retailed for $615 this summer. To Hernandez and McCollough’s credit – this has loads more style then last year’s “Essential” bag.

And there’s more! Loewe, Spooner + Watts, and Slow and Steady Wins the Race all have paper bag styles on the market this year. Thankfully, for those of us with Givenchy tastes and Gap budgets the entry price point is within reach. But then, who wants what’s within reach?

photos: purseblog.com, slowandsteadywinstherace.com, spoonerandwatts.co.uk, loewe.com

One of the most inescapable trends this season is the skintight jersey t-shirt mini dress. These will be found everywhere this spring – from the mass market bargain bins to the most overpriced ready-to-wear boutiques. These dresses have a wonderful simplicity that makes them easy to wear in a variety of ways. But as most are made without the benefite of lining, darts, or even a bit of ruching, they are certainly not so forgiving of figure flaws. So any attempts to wear this (without some strategic layering) should be preceeded by fashion-inspired fitness prep… else, plan to have a few pairs of Spanx on deck.

Above L to R: T by Alexander Wang, Theory, James Perse

HOW TO WEAR IT:

If your body’s up to the challenge (and the attention), keep it super simple. Wearing it with flats for flip-flops and accessorize with a statement necklace. Be careful wearing this look alone with heels. The line between sexy and trashy is razor thin here.

To hide love handles or back chub layer on a vest or a blazer. These pieces are also popular this eason and will be easy to find. Get something oversized to turn down the vamp factor and get more room to play with high heels.

For tomboy types throw on a denim jacket and some sneakers (Chuck Taylors are perfect). The jersey fabric is comfortable enough for a anyone still in girly training wheels.

From dusty aluminum to deep charcoal, grey is the biggest neutral of the Fall/Winter season. And designers aren’t just using the cool hue as a background to make colors pop: male models were literally doused in grey from top to bottom. Sportswear, three-piece suits, and onsies alike – all were crafted in grey then styled with more grey layered on top. Click collages below for larger views.

SUITS

OUTERWEAR

WEEKEND/CASUALS

photos: WWD.com, GQ.com