New trends and Project Playhouse auction time

The weather is still warm, fall is nearly upon us and a trip to

Fashion Island shows the latest trends have hit the stores to herald

the arrival of the new season. The hot looks for fall include

feminine styles with ruffles and lace, turquoise rings and bracelets,

necklaces with large crosses or other adornments, anything orange,

suede jackets, clothing and handbags and leather accessories and

boots that are hand-tooled with a Western influence.

Romantic and feminine fashions for women can be found at Sara,

Parallel and Cheri. Combining two hot fall trends, a current

bestseller at Parallel is a suede ruffled camisole that is soft and

comfortable with a great fit. For eveningwear, Icara has everything

from classic cocktail attire to beaded ball gowns for social galas

and holiday parties. The store also has exclusive European

collections as well as handbags, jewelry and other accessories to

complete your look.

Beautiful turquoise jewelry can be found at Fashion Island

boutiques such as Modern Romance, True Blue and Priorities, as well

as at The Museum Company.

For men, fall brings a return to more classic looks. According to

POSH, one of Fashion Island’s most popular men’s stores, luxury

fabrics such as cashmere, alpaca and fine cotton twills are all being

shown in a variety of deep colors.

For children, anything in denim will continue to be hot this fall.

According to representatives at The Children’s Place in Fashion

Island, jeans with rinses and washes to achieve a worn look will be

seen on campuses from elementary school to college. The store is

showing jeans in carpenter style, with a relaxed fit and also flared

legs. Other must-haves include rhinestone tees and plaid skirts for

girls; rugby shirts and sweats for boys and girls; and sport pants

for boys.

At This Little Piggy Wears Cotton, there are classic fashions with

a twist being shown for fall. The store carries clothing for newborn

to 12, and is showcasing funky prints, more textured fabrics and

other accents to set these standards apart. Other top items will

include Juicy velour jackets and pants in limesicle (bright green).

Popular colors this fall include hot pink and black for girls and

root beer and olive for boys. According to representatives from This

Little Piggy, there is less trim and more embroidery this fall, all

paired with great fabrics and vibrant colors. New lines being offered

for fall include Betsey Johnson, Wild Child and Toes on the Nose.

Other great stores at Fashion Island that offer the latest in back

to school fashions include fun clothing and accessories from Girl

Mania, Hawaiian prints and hot surf looks from Quiksilver Youth,

casual and formal shoes from Newport Children’s Bootery, and colorful

dresses, tees, shorts and more from H.U.G.

For casual looks, the new boutique Sunshine in Newport has a great

line of matching mother-daughter fashions. April Cornell also has

matching mother-daughter outfits, including a selection of beautiful

floral dresses.

12 ELABORATE PLAYHOUSES ARE READY FOR AUCTION

Fashion Island, along with HomeAid Orange County, is also gearing

up for the 11th annual Project Playhouse, one of the area’s most

popular fund-raisers. Project Playhouse brings one-of-a-kind

playhouses to Fashion Island in Newport Beach where the public can

view the elaborately designed, pint-sized mansions and have the

chance to win one of their own, as well as bid on them for charity.

Last year, more than $468,000 was raised to help temporarily homeless

individuals and families rebuild their lives.

This year, 12 elaborate playhouses have been constructed and will

be on display at Fashion Island for four weeks starting this

Saturday. The mini-mansions are then sold to the highest bidder at

the HomeAid Orange County Project Playhouse Auction Party on Oct. 12.

Many of these unique playhouses would cost between $50,000 and

$100,000 or more to build. The builders, designers, suppliers and

trades generously donate their time, labor and materials every year.

The public can also have a chance to win a Victorian charmer built

by Shea Homes and designed by Bassenian/ Lagoni Architects, by

purchasing opportunity drawing tickets for $2 each at the Fashion

Island Concierge or by calling HomeAid Orange County. The drawing

will be held at the Auction Party at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October

12 at Fashion Island. The winner does not need to be present.

HomeAid was founded by the leadership of the Orange County Chapter

of the Building Industry Association of Southern California in 1989.

The organization provides housing for the temporarily homeless,

including women in crisis pregnancy; victims of domestic violence,

the mentally challenged, homeless youths; adults living with

HIV/AIDS; and those who find themselves homeless as a result of job

loss or catastrophic illness.

-- Submitted by a retail consultant