A Sparkling Aura

Colorful prints have almost become a wardrobe basic. They are becoming more and more ornate, none more so than the 3-D optical crystal prints seen in some recent collections. Like crawling inside a fiery crystal and looking into the sun, they glow with an otherworldly beauty.

The print of this blue dress from UK shop Warehouse looks like a microscopic picture of a snowflake at night. This 100% silk dress is a steal at approximately $40 (£20) and is available online at www.warehouse.co.uk.

In the same color family, we have this vivacious clutch by Alexander McQueen. He never disappoints.

McQueen began making clothes for his sisters at a very early age. He attended the prestigious Central Saint Martins in London, where his graduation collection was bought in its entirety by Isabella Blow.

He has often been termed the “enfant terrible” of fashion design for some of his controversial collections, including one entitled “Highland Rape.” He won British Designer of the Year an amazing 4 times.


I’m trying to figure out if I can buy this dress if I only eat beans for the next 2 months. Or perhaps I should miss a mortgage payment?

In any event, this dress rocks my world!

And, it’s on sale, so instead of $1695, it’s now a more reasonable $679. Still way out of my price range. I do like having place to live.

I will probably hold out for a really good knock-off.

Zara copycat designers, get to work! I’m about to do something with my credit card that I will surely regret.



From a brilliant, yet relatively unknown designer, Marios Schwab, we have this lovely kaleidoscope-like piece. I noticed it is sold out on net-a-porter’s USA site, and at $995, that’s a feat in this economy.

The colors really pop in the rich silk jersey.

Schwab will not be unknown for long because he has just been hired to be the new creative director at Halston. Congratulations to a deserving new talent!

Schwab is a London-based designer who also attended Central Saint Martins. He won the award for Best New Designer at the British Fashion Awards in 2006.

Schwab's dresses are popular with many celebrities such as Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, Chloe Sevigny, Thandie Newton and Clemence Poesy.

*The views expressed in this blog are solely those of Gillian Kirkpatrick and do not necessarily reflect those of Goodwill of Greater Washington or the DCGF.

Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on shopgoodwill.com funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities. Copyright Goodwill of Greater Washington.