I am noticing a definite shift in Pro Basketball away from the completely HUGE shorts and Tees to a slightly closer to the body uniform.

NBA Rollout video

I first took note of this shift watching the Olympics. Team USA and others wore almost skin tight tee- shits fitted like an Under Armor tank, tucked into their shorter, slimmer shorts. The shirts were also made from a jacquard pattern the subtly used the Olympic logo faintly with the Teams logos on top. Subtle, something you rarely see in sports. Check out this video when they showed off the uniforms for the first time:

Introducing the U.S.Olympic Basketball Team

The I started watching the College ACC Tournaments and decided that that tighter fit was debuting with the college kids.

And now here it is NBA playoff season, and the dudes are decidedly getting more body conscious. Hey, if I had limbs like Dwight Howard, I’d want to show them off too!

We saw some bold colors and some funky shapes from designers OGI and Gee Vice. Women are wearing reds and blues and even patterns on big frames that hark back to the Sixties. Men are snapping up chunky, heavy-at-the-temple styles that are big in Europe.

Special thanks to Elizabeth from Vision Park and Michele from the blog One Chic Mama.

Witness: Ballet flats, the return of leggings (all lengths- wear what works for you) as well as so many woven fabrics that incorporate stretch.

My favorite outfit for summer outings is a pair of denim low rise Bermuda shorts (with Lycra) worn with a light weight jersey knit purple scoop neck top with a banded bottom. Easy to wear, easy to care for, and easy fitting.

In fact,  the hippest styles for spring summer are the littls drapey knit tops that have bare necklines, bare arms but don’t cling in the middle. They look great with skirts, leggings, jeans. Layer a simple tank under them if they are “too revealing”, and these little tops can transition to Fall when paired with a slim-fitting long sleeved layering top underneath.

Post by Lindsey, The Fashion Maven, on 4/28/2009

Jeans have been a stable of everyone’s since the Sixties made denim cool. But trends in jeanswear change - loose or tight, low on the hips or up to the waist.

This year’s trends are about the shape, or silhouette, as opposed to big news about new fabric blends (an evergreen topic in the jeans industry).

The two standouts this year:

The Cigarette Jean - you can’t smoke in a bar, but this skin-tight shape is sure to be smoking on nights out.

The Boyfriend Jean - Distressed, loose and rolled at the cuff, these are the jeans you’d expect to pick up off a guys floor. But fit for a woman’s body. We wrote about them last week for North Hills Shopping.

WhoWhatWear is a fun and fashion-savvy website. Much respect on the content for sharing.

So what are the world’s coolest shades? With the warm weather returning, we’d thought we’d check in with designer and entrepreneur Wick Morgan of the Spectacle for some expert advice on this season’s hottest looks in high-fashion eyewear.

We start with an updated look for those perennial classics, Rayban Wayfarers. Everyone has owned a pair of Raybans, but what about Persol, a brand Wick calls “the Italian version of Raybans?” From Audrey Hepburn to Steve McQueen, Persol has epitomized cool for 40 yeras.

Kick it up a notch? Check out the world’s finest aviators made by Barton Perriera. Or slip on a pair of shades from Blind, the sunglasses of rockstars and glitterati.

Looking for something totally unique? How about Kieselstein Cords? We’ll show you a pair of jewelry grade specs with a sterling silver alligator wrapped around the frame.

Want to be like Karl? Lagerfeld, that it? He wears Chrome Hearts. Have a look at some frames made with laminated mahongany and oyster shell details.

All this and more in our Spring Sunglasses Special.

Thanks to:

• Wick Morgan
• The Spectacle
• Raleigh, NC

Brands in this episode:

• Rayban
• Persol
• Barton Perriera
• Paul Smith
• Blind
• Kieselstein Cord
• Chrome Hearts

Music by:

• Fool with Time

©2009 Goodtree & Co. Inc. All rights reserved.

Fragonard is a venerable Parisian perfumer now available online in the U.S.

I had a chance to visit their fabulus Museum of Perfume in Paris and was hooked.

They explained to us about “Le Nez,” the Nose, who combines essential fragrances to create perfumes, colognes and oils.

The colognes seem light at first, but have a complex subtlety that evokes the countryside - a little wild, a little cultivated.

My personal favorite is Concerto. Colognes for men are available in stylish and utilitarian aluminum canisters. Great for travel.

Forget the tie. Give Dad something unique that he’ll enjoy everyday. Cosmopolitan and upscale without breaking the bank,  Fragonard is the perfect gift for men this Father’s Day.

Fashion always has a message, especially at the leading edge. The message this year is “Stick it to the Man.”

Safe is out. Pleasing the corporate parent or formerly rich patrons is out. Making a unique and personal statement is in.

Some of the cloths are truly fantastic, like wardrobe from a sci-fi movie (or maybe some designers are angling for a little side work in Hollywood).

Other collections are strange and alien but make you think “if all clothing were like this, it would actually make more sense.”

Great content from Style.com and Vogue.

Credits:

• Produced & Directed by Hal Goodtree

Featuring:

• Fiquet
• Kristin Murray

©2009 Goodtree & Co Inc. All rights reserved.