Author: Louis Dell'Olio

…………It’s a NEW YEAR….2015…….Happy New Year everyone! I pray this year is going to bring you lots and lots of good things……GOOD HEALTH to you and your family….GOOD FRIENDS to help you enjoy the good times, and to support you through the not so good times……..and hopefully a few Linea items that bring a smile to your face and help you to feel good about yourselves during the year ahead!…………………………………..

My first SNEAK PEEK for 2015 is …..THE QUILTED JACKET……A259102…….The color above is…..NAVY….The sizing is SML…..This a KNIT fabric, and the quilting is knitted INTO the fabric. It is not an embroidered quilted pattern. Quilting, in all manners, will be even more popular this year than last…..and the years before….remember my QUILTED VEST from two or three years ago?….What separates this quilted fabric from many of the others is the addition of the TINY CONTRAST DIAMONDS that are knitted into the pattern, as you can see above. I love it because it gives the look of a mens’ FOULARD ….a very “Haberdasher Look”……again, mixing the masculine with the feminine……What I also love about this jacket in this particular knit fabric is…..it can go very dressy or very CASUAL, so it should easily fit into anyone’s lifestyle. I would consider the jacket shaped or semi- fitted, and because it is a knit fabric I made it UNLINED to provide maximum comfort, stretch, and to extend it’s wearing life into late spring early summer [depending where you live]. Therefore, I would recommend buying your normal Linea size, but always look at the “CLICK HERE MEASUREMENTS ” provided to you by QVC…..The jacket is approx 25 1/2 inches long for the XS…..It has snap out SHOULDER PADS. The front is closed with SIX GUNMETAL SNAPS. I prefer the jacket closed with just one or two near the waist or one near the neck and the others open….This is something you can play with to create different looks. There are real pockets under the flaps which also close with the snaps. The jacket has front and back body seams….starting at the shoulder and ending at the hem. Top Stitching is used to define the shirt collar,  the body seams, and to accentuate  the shape of the jacket. The sleeve is long but has a CURVED SLIT that can be turned back to create a cuff….so for those with shorter arms this is ideal……It also gives you the opportunity to show the sleeve of the shirt or the sweater you are wearing.  Above, I have it worn with the WHITE WING COLLAR SHIRT, A259103, which has been reordered just in case you missed it the first go around…or if you want to pick up a second or third….just to have…….Paired with jeans and the shirt or any T-shirt or sweater you may already own is decidedly casual……………Paired with the…….NAVY/IVORY PINSTRIPE PANT…..A259099 reg.,  or A259098 for petite…..shown above, and you are ready to go to the office, lunch, dinner etc etc……The MIX OF PATTERNS is a very  DESIGNER, POLISHED and yes….”handsome” way to look. Handsome….describing a woman….. can be a good thing……Switch the pant out with the WK NAVY SKIRT, A253411, and the NAVY LACE BACK TIGHTS, A260032, [mixing the masculine and feminine again]…..and you have one fabulous pulled together look….Come spring….an ivory ponte skirt or pant, and maybe some red pumps or spectator navy and ivory heels and again, you are ready for anything. Knowing my wife she will wear it with an IVORY WK , her jeans [in the pictures] and her 6 HOLE LACE UP CONVERSE SNEAKERS…in NAVY, RED, YELLOW, GREEN……you name the color…she has them….LOL………………….As with anything I offer you…you must make it your own and wear it and style it the way it pleases you….I’m only here to suggest…………………………………………………………enjoy…………………….much Love…………………………Louis

As with the NAVY version….the AUBERGINE QUILTED JACKET, A259102, can be worn many ways……..Pairing it with many options can create dressy or casual outfits The fabric of the jacket is…..87% Polyester and 13% Cotton………..Above, I have the Aubergine jacket with the PINK WING COLLAR SHIRT, A259103, [the pale blue or white would work just as well], and for the bottoms…..jeans, the NAVY PINSTRIPE PANT, and the NAVY WK PENCIL SKIRT, A253411. The PINSTRIPE TIGHTS in NAVY would be perfection. You should never neglect what you will wear on the leg…..it can sometimes make a good outfit….a GREAT one!  I love the Aubergine with Navy…..a little preppy maybe, but definitely timeless, sophisticated and chic…..Please notice the sleeve pictures at the left. One has the sleeve down, the other turned back. Again, the Aubergine jacket has the GUNMETAL SNAPS……The DEMI HOOPS in GUNMETAL, both pierced or clip, will be back this January…..they are just enough with this outfit. If you want something bolder….the BOLD HOOP or the SWIRL BUTTON in Gunmetal  will be back in FEB and MARCH…….scroll down for more……AUBERGINE……………………..enjoy………………………

…………Two existing Linea colors that work well with the  Aubergine jacket are AUBERGINE itself and the STONE……and there are more like Perfectly Pink, Butter Yellow, Ivory, Pale Blue, and the Wing Collar shirt coming in the light tan………….Please notice in the photos above how nicely the jacket hangs worn open….. Above, I have the Aubergine WK PENCIL SKIRT, A237412, and the STONE WK SKIRT, A237412, with the NEW STONE SHORT SLEEVE, JEWEL NECK, WK SWEATER, A257382, coming this Jan. too. If you own the Aubergine tights [SOLD OUT], or the STONE ANIMAL INSTINCT tights, A260020,  you are ahead of the game……Speaking about the ANIMAL INSTINCTS tights…IMHO they are SPECTACULAR, and the most FASHION FORWARD and UNIQUE of all the “Linea Body” tights. The STONE,  BLACK and the CHARCOAL are not to be missed!!!  They go with everything and elevate the look of a solid opaque tight. Since they will probably not be reordered…I really think you should consider these if you haven’t gotten them already, and if you do own them I would suggest getting back ups….that’s how good I think they are. The black are Jac’s go to black opaque tights….she wears them with everything!………….The STONE PANT, A259702 for the reg. length, and A259705 for petite, work beautifully with the Stone WK sweater and the Aubergine jacket. The diamonds in the jacket seem to pick up the stone color and they blend beautifully. These combinations, with the Aubergine, are a nice alternative to the navy pant, skirt and jeans. It’s definitely a more dressed up look, but isn’t it a good thing for one jacket to work in so many different ways and for all occasions!…………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………….enjoy…………….much Love……………………….Louis

*****************************THE DESIGNING OF THE LABEL*******************************************

********************For 2015 I am introducing a new Linea category of clothing to you called………….LINEA LEISURE………………What is LINEA LEISURE?……..It’s a LIFESTYLE….an ATTITUDE of dressing. These are clothes primarily to wear during your free time when you’re not working, though many of you will think some pieces are very appropriate to wear to the office….that’s up to you. LINEA LEISURE is not about a fabrication, though to start……the first grouping is my 92% cotton/ 8% Spandex. As the line develops other fabrics that I feel are appropriate to the label will be added…….Attitudes of dressing have been making serious changes since the 60s…..”burn the  bra” was the anthem………minis, bare and see through clothes, hip hugger bell bottoms, gypsy and flower children were the rage…..anything to rebel against the constricting 50s. These were the “it” clothes for the new generation….OUR GENERATION……..so where has all of this morphed itself today?……..Today we don’t take dressing so seriously…..There aren’t morning clothes, and luncheon clothes, and dinner clothes etc…etc. Even “formal” as a category has relaxed over the years……………..People live a more casual lifestyle…..in my opinion….sometimes too casual. It still bothers me to see the way some dress to the Broadway Theater and such…. but that’s not here or there….I think, as a designer, I have a natural  longing for a time when people did dress up a little more. Today’s generation will have no clue what I’m talking about unless they watch old movies….. That’s not to say we don’t take the time or have the occasion to dress….there are just fewer of those times……..So….times are changing, and we all live a more casual lifestyle….you should see the way I look right now!!! No, maybe you shouldn’t…LOL…..That’s exactly why I’m doing this new division, so you will never have to say….”you should see me right now”. These are good looking casual clothes….clothes about COMFORT…..clothes you WANT to hang around in…..easy care clothes, travel clothes….Clothes for when you are staying at someones home for the Holidays, as many of you have just done, and you get up in the morning and dress for breakfast. You know exactly what I mean, because this is the life we all live…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

If I had my druthers there would have been a separate show to introduce the LINEA LEISURE line to you…….but……..I will have to present it to you…..piece by piece…………The first piece being the TUNIC, A262037……..This is similar in shape to the, A251588, so if you own it and you were happy with the size, that is the size I would recommend. If you had to size up or down, then you should do the same with this tunic. The Tunic is approx. 30 inches long….and it has LONG SLEEVES. There are patch pockets with the band set into the pocket for entry. There is also the SIGNATURE LOGO embroidered on the pocket in a tonal thread…so it’s barely noticeable. What makes this tunic different form the A251588 is that it has RAGLAN SLEEVES. It also has DIAGONAL BODY SEAMING…..meaning the seams start at the JEWEL PIPED neckline and A-Line out to the hem following the slight A-line shape of the garment. This is not a TENT shape, but “As” out just enough to give you a little added hip room……it’s all about ease and comfort. That said, if you are in between sizes, and after you have read the “click here measurements”, you may decide to go up a size. I always think it’s better to be bigger than smaller, especially with casual clothing. However, Jac and I were in Lululemon yesterday, and the way the women [even sales women] were stuffed into those clothes…..I don’t think many of them would have agreed with my fit philosophy…..LOL…….Ultimately, you know how you like your clothes to fit, and how you want to look in your clothes so whatever size you feel is the right size for you…..IS the right size…………….The colors in the photos above are …..PERFECTLY PINK………SKY BLUE……and NAVY………….Please notice with the Navy tunic…there are matching LINEA LEISURE PULL-ON pants that will be offered in NAVY, WHITE and BLACK later this month. They have a full elastic waist, pockets, and will be offered in regular length, A262070, and petites, A262072…………..I have simply accessorized the tunics with the ……SILVER FISH PENDANT, and the new GUNMETAL FISH PENDANT, which is on the Pink tunic. More of the FISH will be coming this month…………………..I know many of you have been asking for more leisure clothes and I hope this new group of clothes is what you were hoping it to be. If there are items you want please let me know….as I said this is a new venture in its’ infancy, and if it proves to be successful we can can customize it to what you are desiring………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………Happy New Year!……………………..enjoy…………………..much Love……………………Louis