Author: Louis Dell'Olio

“Sneak Peek # 13” is the LAST sneak peek for the month! Yes, all of the sneak peeks 1-13 are scheduled to be on my April 26th two hour show…….if everything goes as planned. This is the BIGGEST show I will have for the season. May is a much smaller presentation…. so plan wisely. Sneak peek # 13 is my TIE DYED sweater, A223654. Actually, it isn’t tie dyed at all….it’s PRINTED to simulate the tie dye effect. The print is engineered, meaning the pattern is planned and placed, and then printed on each sweater…… so each sweater is exactly the same….no guess work as to how the tie dye will come out. It’s a fun summer sweater in YUMMY COLORS!

This sweater is 100% cotton. The size XS is 22 inches long, and it has an elbow length sleeve. The hem of the sleeve and body of the sweater has rib starts and the jewel neckline is trimmed in the same  rib. Each sweater is also trimmed with contrast  GROS GRAIN RIBBON plackets, like the butterfly sweater. It also has the little BUTTON CANDY buttons. The colors are BLUEBERRY/LIME with lime grosgrain and blueberry buttons, PINK/PEACH with peach gros grain and pink buttons and MINT/AQUA with aqua ribbon and mint buttons…..they do look good enough to eat. This is definitely a shorter  sweater than the butterfly and has more of a retro look…..sort of those 50’s bobby soxer cardigans. It is just the right length to wear under your IVORY CREPE blazer with the PEARL buttons as you see in the upper left and lower right photo. Wear it simply with a pair of white Capri pants, a pair of shorts, over your white tennis dress, or over you long white georgette peasant skirt with the elastic yoke. The gros grain was meant to be seen! so there are a few ways to wear this cardigan…….fully open with a tank………the top 2 or 3 buttons open and the bottom 3 open……..the top 2 buttoned and the rest opened, worn with a tank or cami. This is a true SPRING and SUMMER sweater and one that you will look forward to unpacking each season…….with a smile on your face…..thinking of the beautiful warm weather to come. It brings to mind summer vacations in places like Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard…..sitting on white painted benches, in front of Victorian ice cream parlors….enjoying a big  cut glass dish of delicious of ice cream with all the toppings…………yep….good enough to eat!………..Enjoy, Love Louis

“April Sneak Peek # 12”, is the A223661, PEBBLE CREPE skirt. For me, this is an essential skirt and a silhouette many of you probably do not have in your wardrobes. The closest thing you may own to this skirt is your BOHO. Why this skirt and silhouette now? With the importance of LONGER lengths….the MAXI everything, and after giving you the essential  LONG SLIM pebble crepe skirt A221804 [please don’t look at the QVC picture of this skirt….it’s horrible and does this skirt ZERO justice]……… it is a natural progression to introduce a “fuller” longer skirt. It also has a retro vibe…..very “MAD MEN”………and they are just fun to wear…as many of you have dubbed this type of skirt…”THE SWIRL SKIRT”. The mastery of creating this kind of skirt is controlling the amount of fullness! Too little and it looks skimpy…..too much….well….is too much. I think the balance of this skirt should and will work for most women. If you can wear the Boho, I see no reason why you can’t wear this. If you have never worn a skirt like this before….it’s time to step out of your BOX….wear it with a wonderful belt and you will look like Scarlet O”Hara…..well…..it does make you look like you have a smaller waist! There was a reason for those extremely full skirts.

Again, this skirt is made in my PEBBLE CREPE fabric that so many of you love. It’s all about comfort. The colors are AQUA [or Aquamarine] which is the exact same color. Anything you may own from me in this color, such as the A215163, georgette peasant shirt or the A215172 , P.C. shirt/jacket will all match. The piece I especially love with this skirt is the A213621, crop tunic with the pockets in the same pebble crepe…..the aquamarine and black will match this skirt perfectly and it makes for one wonderful two piece dress. The other colors are BLACK and SAND. This skirt is a pull-on with an elastic waist…..no lining required! It is a total of 31 inches long with the first tier starting 5 1/2 inches below the elastic. From the photos above you can see the black skirt worn with my tank bodysuit, any black tank will due. Don’t forget to take my A223660, black [or any color] shrug to go over it. This look calls for “over the top” accessories. I paired the  Aqua skirt with a vintage Linea JADE tank and the IVORY FAUX DE CHINE shirt, A219796….tied at the waist. The sand….for a more relaxed  look….. I paired with my Linea LAVENDER TANK, A221797.and my faux de Chine KHAKI SAFARI SHIRT JACKET [the OLIVE, WHITE and NAVY look great too]. This is a terrific travel skirt, as all of the pebble crepe pieces are. Wear it bare foot on the beach to a summer destination wedding….they are usually on some beach……wear it to work, a dinner out with friends at your favorite outdoor bistro….or dress it up with high heel or tea cup heel sandals and you are ready to go anywhere. This skirt gives you INSTANT DRAMA!…………. This may easily become your FAVORITE summer skirt!!……………………………ENJOY…..Love, Louis

“Sneak Peak #11” is A224278, the tweed tank. This is a very special yarn and was created to go with the lace cardigan/jackets, however, you will discover what a useful little piece this becomes. I am sure you will find many things you already own to wear with this tank . Where you compromised before by putting an outfit together with a tank that didn’t quite please you……..this one will.

The tank is made in 100% polyester. It is a very light weight knit and something you will reach for whenever you need a tank in that hard to find flax color…..it is the perfect neutral and the little black flecks makes it a STANDOUT PIECE…… For me, this tank works perfectly will all of the lace jackets. I could have gone another route by offering a tank in all of the colors but, when you wear a matching tank the lace disappears and all you see is the lace on the bare arms……this way the jacket looks the same all over and the lace really stands out. The natural color of the tank blends beautifully with the trims and buttons of the cardigan. If you own the black cardigan with the flax color lace emb…..this tank looks like it was made to go with it. I am sure when you get this little tank home you will discover many uses for it…..so much so ….you may want two……………….enjoy, Love Louis

“Sneak Peek #10” is my little LACE, unlined, un-constructed jacket, A223652. It is  inspired by a French couturier…….but quite unique. The details are superb and the workmanship is perfection. I have to say….something you have  heard from me before…….this would be 4 to 5 times more money, as it is, in any high end store or boutique.

The colors of this lace cardigan jacket are RASPBERRY, TERRA COTTA and MOSS…..however, moss is an unfortunate name as it is more of a spearmint than a moss. I know someone will ask which of the colors in the photos best represents the true colors of the jackets……I would have to answer…the DEEPEST SHADES are the truest. Each jacket is trimmed in LINEN and a miniscule BROWN and IVORY GINGHAM CHECK RIBBON. It has tiny faux horn buttons to reflect the gingham check. The jacket is shaped with beautifully constructed darts. The trim borders the 3/4 length sleeve. I am always challenging myself to come up with a jacket……with sleeves…. that you can wear in the hottest  most humid climates. I think this certainly answers that challenge. Please….I know you will immediately think….LACE….DRESSY…..I challenge you to come up with casual ways to wear it. A “TWEED” tank and linen shorts….the mocha Boho…a  T-SHIRT and………………This is a timeless special item I think you can get a lot of use out of…..it’s definitely a “boutique” cherry on the top piece, but one that you and you alone will make a very special statement wearing.

Please notice the two swatches, or photographs of swatches  at the bottom center. You will see one on top of the other. The bottom swatch is of the “Tweed” sweater that I made reference to. It is actually a light weight tank in a natural flax color with black specks in it. This is a VERY IMPORTANT TANK, as it not only goes with every color lace jacket above, but it will go with the  natural linen pieces [for you linen lovers] that you may already own, and many new things to come. For those of you who own my black cardigan with the flax color lace emb…..this tank is perfect. This tank will get it’s own sneak peek!………next….the swatch of the herringbone fabric……you will swear it is linen or a linen rayon blend……I thought so when I discovered it. Well it’s 100% polyester. If this doesn’t change the minds of the polyester naysayers….nothing will. I only show it here because it works perfectly with the tank and the lace jackets. It’s a marvelous mix of fabrics and again, pure designer. The herringbone will be avail in July in a wonderful pair of unlined trousers and a terrific un-constructed, front lined only jacket.

If you own the sand pant in either the crepe or the side zip style in the poly/rayon/span….they both work with the jackets….if you don’t own them and can’t get them….these herringbone pants will fill that need and then some. I’ll give you all the details in July.

This lace jacket is one of those pieces that doesn’t come around to often……it’s very special….I hope you think so too!…………..Love, Louis

“April Sneak Peek #9” is a two for one! They are my MOROCCAN TILE PRINT shirt, A223655 and my MOROCCAN TILE PRINT skirt, A223656. One of the greatest things about traveling is the inspiration I get from the places I visit. Morocco provides me with an endless source of ideas……especially the TILE WORK and the COLORS. The pattern I used for the print is authentic…..though the colors are a mix of what I have seen and  my imagination.

The fabric is my poly crinkle georgette…..by now most of you are very familiar with it and the  wonderful way it feels on the body….how easy it is to pack for your travels and its easy care….. without any fuss. The colors for both pieces are either TURQUOISE or ESPRESSO. The Turquoise combination has black, fuchsia, magenta, deep red, lime emerald with a white that looks like white mortar. The espresso, which is a chocolate color…..has orchid, gold, ivory, terra cotta, rust and two shades of a dusty rose.

A223655, the  Moroccan tile print shirt has a classic straight shirt body…..no darts…no shaping. It has an open notch collar and a 3/4 sleeve finished with a loose elastic….nothing binding or tight. The shirt has side slits. I chose to do this shirt UNLINED for true summer dressing…..though you could certainly wear it year round. Wear it open as a breezy shirt jacket or buttoned up on it’s own. Wear it out with it’s own SELF BELT, or tuck it in and wear your own ethnic looking belt. ……worn loose is always an option. I have shown  the Turquoise shirt tied at the waist with a black tank, and the Espresso shirt worn belted on the outside with the A199257, the Espresso peasant skirt. Take note of the TANK under the Espresso shirt, A224278…..it’s new and it is made in a very special yarn. It will be offered on this show too…..a sneak peek is coming. You can wear the shirts with your bohos, your short  georgette double flounce skirt, your pebble crepes etc. etc. I’m sure you have many things you have already collected to wear with these shirts.

A223656, is the Moroccan tile print skirt is a pull-on skirt with a full elastic waist. It is lined in a poly georgette to keep the skirt feather weight and breezy…..a swirl skirt. The skirt has two tiers…..the first starts 6 1/2 inches below the waist band and the total length is approx.28 inches long. The types of footwear you can wear with this shirt is limitless…..from flip flops to jeweled sandals. Wear it with the matching blouse or chose a solid shirt, tank, or peasant shirt from a number of tops you already own. I do suggest the A215163 top in black or the A213616, jersey black top to wear with the turquoise………even the new black georgette peasant top with the satin stripes would work with the turquoise skirt……you must experiment with what you already have hanging in your closets……..you may be very surprised with what you come up with. For me, I place these print pieces in the same category as my Ikat print separates…..they are pieces you collect and wear year after year…………..they never go out of style………..like the beautiful tiles of Morocco……….enjoy, Love Louis

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