Shopping Round Up: Military-Inspired Jackets

Military-inspired jackets were a bit of a trend last spring. In my mind, they're actually an everyday basic. They're so practical and olive green matches almost everything: black, browns, even pink!

These jackets could be worn with simple t-shirt and jeans, but my favorite look is military jackets layered over feminine blouses and flouncy skirts for contrast.


J. Crew utility jacket$148.00 (retail $168.00)


Joe's Jeans pant military coat, $123


Marc New York olive washed anorak, $129.00 (retail $215.00)


Merona utility jacket, $29.99

Another affordable option is army navy surplus. You can usually find a jacket for $20-$40, though figuring out sizing will be tough especially if you look online. I'd recommend checking out your local army navy surplus store, so you can try it on. Chances are you'll want to take the jacket in, but even with added cost of alterations ($20-30), it'll still be a relatively cheap piece and authentic!

Wellness: Norma Kamali Cafe

When I think of Norma Kamali, I think of the sleeping bag coat and versatile jersey pieces, garments fit for an active lifestyle, so it seemed fitting when I learned about Wellness Wednesdays at Norma Kamali Wellness Cafe.

A couple weeks ago, I attended an event with acupuncturist and spiritual counselor Abdi Assadi. Hearing him speak made me feel guilty about my stressful lifestyle, which was a nice reminder to take better care of myself. He spoke a lot about how stress is almost always rooted in ego, and he shared some helpful tips for calming the mind. He suggested taking five minutes a day to plant your feet on the ground, feel your hands and breath from your stomach rather than your chest. Most of us are shallow chest breathers.

From the event, I picked up a small bottle of olive oil and bar of soap. I won't lie; I was a bit skeptical. I wasn't sure a clothing designer had any business selling olive oil. Turns out Norma Kamali is quite the expert! Every season she picks a new harvest from different orchards. Having used the olive oil for a handful of meals over the past couple weeks, I have to say I'm totally in love! The best olive oil I've ever had. It made every dish taste better. Here's a video of Norma herself talking about her olive oils at The Wellness Cafe.



Norma Kamali Wellness Cafe is located at 11 West 56th Street between 5th & 6th Ave (212.957.9797 x111), and for those who can't visit the cafe, her olive oils and selection of wellness solutions are available online at thewellnesscafe.com.

Trends: Olive

I was recently looking at the Pre-Fall 2010 collections and I noticed a growing use of the color Olive. It's being used for a multitude of styles and should no longer be limited to fatigues. From sharp tailored looks at Burberry Prorsum, J. Mendel and Jason Wu; to casual looks at Zero + Maria Cornejo; to evening elegance at Donna Karan and Devi Kroell. Watch out for olive, coming to your closet soon.