Whether it's periwinkle or plum, this cool hue is fall's hottest color
Purple, people.
It's going to be the color this fall, and it's one all ages, sizes and complexions can wear.
So if you want to skip this fall's trendy ankle boots, go ahead. But you definitely need to pick up some purple.
Other hot trends for fall: scarves, vests, plaid, chunky necklaces and colorful purses - all of which come in various hues of purple.
Some pretty purple pieces we've seen:
•The purple frames from eyewear designer Alain Mikli's Twist collection, $545. Available at Contacts and Specs, 3144 N. Broadway, Chicago.
• The purple pieces in Olsen Europe's fall collection, which are classic enough to last for a few seasons. The chevron scarf ($59), purple satin bell-sleeve blouse ($159) and mod zebra empire print top ($99) are among the highlights. Available at the Olsen store in the Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie.
• Gap has perhaps the largest selection of purple-hued clothing for both men and women. Their purple plaid shirts match well with their scarves, so you can wear two trends at once. Available at all suburban Gap stores or gap.com.
• You'll find an assortment of purple pumps from Stuart Weitzman's fall collection, especially the violet suede pleated peep-toe pump ($335). Available at Stuart Weitzman, 900 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago.
One-day sale
Nika le butik, the hip women's clothing boutique at 143 N. Northwest Highway in Park Ridge, is having a big one-day only sale. On Saturday, Aug. 9, everything in the store will be sold at or below wholesale prices. That includes new arrivals, and some of the same items you've seen celebrities like Paris Hilton and Eva Longoria wearing lately. Check them out at www.nikabutik.com.
Straighten curly hair
Mario Tricoci Hair Salons & Day Spas have a new Hair Therapy treatment - offered only in the Chicago area - that claims to eliminate up to 90 percent of frizz and 80 percent of curl in hair. The system relaxes the curly hair and conditions each strand, and lasts longer than a blowout.
So if you're a curly sue who wants hair like Cleopatra's, perhaps this will be your secret. The service starts at $300 and takes about two hours. Call (800) 874-2624 to book an appointment.
Maybe we were No. 31?
The yearly ranking of the top fashion cities for 2008 is out, and despite Chicago's efforts to boost its fashion community, we didn't crack the top 30.
According to the Global Language Monitor's survey, the top tier features the obvious: New York, Rome, Paris and Milan.
Which towns broke into the top 10 this year? Sydney and Berlin.
Who broke into the top 25? Dubai (12), Madrid (15) Stockholm (20), Cape Town (23) and New Delhi (24).