Whether you are crabbing on the east coast, sunning on an island or drinking wine in Majorca, CHIC is the common-denominator.

Eric is a celebrity stylist who is also regularly featured in Us Weekly’s Fashion Police as well as on TV shows with his unique take on celebrity fashion and current trends.

Women’s Winter Essentials

1. A Bright Cashmere Shawl
‘Esprit Ainou’ Shawl ($1,195) at Hermès

2. A Quilted Boot
Lacarno Boot ($895) at Moncler

3. A Sweater Dress
Colorblocked Sweater Dress ($98) at Ann Taylor

4. Arm Warmers
Fingerless Arm Warmers ($74) at Scoop NYC

5. A Dark Stone Drop Earring
Delano Rhodium Double Drop Earring ($255) at Alexis Bittar

6. A Bodysuit
Colorado String Bodysuit ($255) at Wolford

7. A Fun Suit
Co-Ord Premium Geo Tweed Jacket & Trousers ($690) at Topshop

Men’s Winter Essentials

1. A Fashionable Waterproof Boot
Earthkeepers® City Premium Warm Lined 9-Inch Boot ($225) at Timberland

2. A Snood
Grey Neppy Cable Snood ($28) at Topman

3. Shearing Gloves
Chocolate Shearling Turn Cuff Gloves ($220) at Ugg Australia

4. A Grown-Up Puffer Jacket
Tweed Down Military Field Coat ($1,295) at Burberry

5. An Aluminum Suitcase
Rimowa & Moncler Collaboration Roller ($1,700) at Moncler

6. A Wool Tie
Tattersall Wool Tie in Navy ($75) at J. Crew

7. A Knit Cap
Cashmere Watch Cap ($147.50) at Paul Stuart

This fall, it is time to shift everything you thought you knew about style from spring and summer. Pastels and bright colors dripped off ladylike ensembles while men kept it sporty infusing the “new hipster” look.

But this season’s style becomes last spring’s arch nemesis. Now, it is all about dark, serious, slightly-edgy layered luxe. Be forewarned: Black is back—in a totally new way.

From the Gold Coast to Bucktown and everything in between, here’s a look at celebrity fashion stylist Eric Himel’s not-to-be-missed stores and his favorite things about them!

The Gold Coast

Barney’s New York: Stop here to load up on candles by Diptyque, Malin+Goetz and Le Labo as they are sure to make any abode sexier….

The honeymoon… It’s perhaps the part of all this wedding craziness that you’ve looked forward to the most, a relaxing trip somewhere fabulous with your newly anointed husband in tow. Ah, if life were only that simple. The reality goes a bit more like this: You’ve reached the finish line of matrimonial frenzy and you now find yourself worrying about the liters of liquid allowed in your suitcase.

Enter Eric Himel. The incredibly likable stylist, whose clients include some supremely chic Chicagoans, offers packing services to brides, enabling them the luxury of sitting back and enjoying a mani-pedi while he packs, organizes (think label maker) and plans (weather reports, anyone?) your suitcase down to the unmentionables. If the service seems a little extravagant, Himel has a rebuttal: “You only get married once, you’re already spending money and by this point you are exhausted.” Touché.

Unless you’re an Olympian or a runway model, you probably have a zone. A certain body bulge that bedevils you in dressing rooms and taunts you at the gym.

“A very small percentage of women are perfect hourglasses; the vast majority have at least one trouble zone,” said Clinton Kelly, styling star of TLC’s “What Not to Wear.” “Some women think camouflaging means covering it up so no one can see it. That’s not always the best approach.”

So what is? Here are some wardrobe tips from Kelly and bicoastal stylist/wardrobe consultant Eric Himel, who adds that “your No. 1 thing is to find a good tailor.”

Raise your profile at work by taking on new tasks, demonstrating your skills.

Dressing the part
Don’t forget the obvious: style. Chicago fashion stylist and personal shopper Eric Himel (erichimel.com) took the Tribune to Bloomingdale’s on the Magnificent Mile to offer a few inexpensive tips for the professional ladder climber. Here, Himel turns the gray suit into a power suit.

Shoes
Women: Bring the shoes in your bag. Boots and sneakers are fine for walking in the cold, but at the office the idea is to look “done.” Himel picked muted, purple suede heels.

Men: Ditch the slip-ons and opt for patina lace-ups. Just because your office allows you to be casual doesn’t mean you should be.

Shirt
Women: You can be feminine and appropriate. Swap the button-up shirt for a shell with a scoop neck.

Men: Try the spread collar instead of the “collegiate” button collar.

Bag
Women: Save the soft “hobo”-style bag for weekends and opt for a bag with structure (think purse chain with briefcaselike bag).

Men: Clutch a briefcase instead of strapping on a messenger bag (too casual for an aspiring boss).

Accessories
Women: A thin, black belt at the waist adds a feminine cinch to a tired suit. Instead of playing it safe with a string of pearls, try a triple-stringed necklace in a conservative color. But wear studs, not dangling earrings. “Sometimes women get caught up in ‘Oh, it’s fun,’ ” Himel said.

Men: Tell a joke, but not with your tie. “The tie isn’t a place to express your sense of humor,” Himel said. Play with color with a subtle pocket square (folded to peek out of a pocket in a straight line instead of a triangle) or slip on a pair of argyle socks.

Fit

If you’re going to spend money anywhere, spend it on a good tailor. If your clothes are well-fitted, you will look more put together in the clothes you own and won’t need to buy new clothes.

From Barneys to Blake, these men rule Gold Coast closets. So, just in time for fall shopping, we give you the stats on three of Chicago’s top personal shoppers. Who’s your match? | By Elise Hofer
ERIC HIMEL

THE SCOOP: L.A. transplant and Chicago personal shopper on the rise, Eric Himel—a selfproclaimed “John Varvatos whore”—is bestknown for his signature Closet Purge, during which he helps clients weed out their ill-fitting, unflattering and outdated clothes. A School of Visual Arts alum, Himel, 42, also studiedunder Tim Gunn (pre-“Make it work!”) at Parson’s in NYC in the ’80s.

SERVICES RENDERED: Personal shopping (bringing clothing, accessories and jewelry to your home or hotel suite), styling for events and head-to-toe image makeovers. And his new Fashion 911 service is a lifesaver. “Once you are myclient, you have carte blanche to text me or e-mail me with any fashion emergency or question at any time.”

IN GOOD COMPANY: Apparently a good stylist never “dresses” and tells. “My clients are exceedingly private and I am bound by confidentiality agreements.” Ugh.

TRICK OF THE TRADE: Himel suggests shopping the sales now for next year’s basics. “! at way,when the next season comes around, you canconcentrate on accessories.”

THAT’S SO 2008: Gladiator sandals. “Don’t throwthem away, though. Store them!”

MUST-HAVE FALL PIECES: Gucci’s secretary chicspin on the spectator pump and Burberry Prorsum’s black minksweater coat. THE DAMAGE: $200 per hour or $1,750 for the day.312.450.5560, erichimel.com

Chicago fashion guru Eric Himel knows a thing or two about “making it work.” After all, he studied design under Tim Gunn at Parsons in New York. Helping Chicagoans dress to impress, Himel charges $200 an hour to shop or style you for an event. Best known for his “Closet Purge,” Himel (call him at 312.450.5560) will dig into your wardrobe and pull out “the ill-fitting, the sentimental, the inappropriate, the ‘what was I thinking’ and the ‘salesperson made me buy it!'” The fun part is re-stocking it with hand-selected apparel. With a self-described sporty L.A. style, Himel’s favorite item in his closet at the moment is a pair of John Varvatos button suspenders. We asked Dr. Fashion to help us sift through spring ’09 and pick the top trends – and the ones to run away from.

5 SPRING TRENDS TO EMBRACE:
1. Python anything
2. Cerulean blue
3. Embellished shoes
4. Ethnic jewelry
5. The safari look

5 SPRING TRENDS TO ESCAPE:
1. Harem pants
2. Ray-Ban Wayfarers
3. French manicures
4. Babydoll shirts
5. Botox