Prints On Prints On Prints

...on prints on prints on prints on prints on prints!

Well, isn't this nice? Zara's most recent collection is a nice blend of the wild prints that are in season along with the basic separates and spectacular tailoring that Zara is known for. It reminds me of Balmain's sublime Cruise 2012 collection, with a more relaxed ideology than the high fashion sensibility that collection carried. European retailer Zara knows exactly what it is, and knows exactly who the girl is that it's catering to: she's a little bit preppy, a little bit rock and roll, and this aesthetic is evidenced in slim fitting blazers mixed in with sequins, chiffon, and a muted color palette.

Zara's most recent offerings definitely speak to me personally. I've never been a fan of patterns, but these are rather lovely, especially the plaid towards the end, and I consider myself to be a bit of a rebel so the way they've played around with the styling here is quite phenomenal. The mix of day and night pieces makes almost every look interchangeable, and, even if the prints aren't for you, items like the sequined cardigan and peach blazer still make this a must-have collection.





For more images, click here

Marni x H&M

The most recent in a long line of high-profile collaborations is Italian brand Marni. The design house is known for it's brightly colored patterns and prints, and H&M's take has proved to be no exception. Founder and creative director Consuelo Castiglioni stated, 'The collaboration with H&M has been an exciting challenge... I’m very proud of the result. Everything has the same level of quality, craft, and attention to detail Marni is known for. It’s great to speak to a wider audience, and in particular, the younger generations.'

The lineup will include skirts, dresses, pants, and knits, jewelry, bags, footwear, and scarves, as well as menswear pieces, in new combinations of her signature prints and colors. It's available in stores March 12, 2012.

Western Union

How The West Was Wed

David Lauren, son of fashion magnate Ralph Lauren, and model/designer Lauren Bush married on September 4 at Ralph Laurens 200-year-old Double RL Ranch in Ridgway, Colorado, and what a wedding it was! Described as 'Western-style,' the early fall nuptials are only now being revealed to the public in the December issue of Vogue magazine, where images shot by photographer Mark Seliger show Lauren in a long-sleeved, embellished gown and David in a three piece suit and pocket watch. Other pictures show the carriage that the bride rode to her nuptials, and the couple dancing in a field in their full wedding attire.

Lauren described the ceremony as having a "rustic elegance," and designed the custom gown (which was created by father-in-law Ralph Lauren) with that in mind: "It isn’t Victorian exactly. I wanted something modern as well, so there is the high-necked collar and puffed shoulders with the large open back.” The top layer of the dress was made of tulle in antique ivory; nearly 100 craftspeople spent more than 3,000 hours hand-embroidering the tulle with motifs of flowers and Renaissance-era scroll designs in ivory silk and metallic thread, Swarovski Elements crystals and off-white pearl beads.

She paired the elaborate dress with cowboy boots, and, in keeping with the theme, shod her bridesmaids in white linen blouses, vests, vintage prairie skirts and cowboy boots. And after a honeymoon on Italy's Amalfi coast, the couple reunited in the Big Apple to do an official black-and-white portrait with Norman Jean Roy, which you can see at the top of the post; it definitely evokes an Old-Western feel.

And for the record... the brides name is now legally Lauren Bush Lauren. Let the hilarity ensue.




To read the full article, click here.

Happy Friday

A girl can't live on bread alone. She must also have Ray-Bans, pearls, and elbow-length evening gloves.

Stay Classically Happy.

Thursday Style Icon: Lady Gaga in Micheal Kors

Do you guys remember this post? We haven't seen many celebrities in anything from the down-to-Earth line, so I find it highly ironic that eccentric star Lady Gaga was one of the first to wear a piece from the collection- in an entirely Gaga-esque way, of course. This fur jacket from Michael Kors first made it's appearance on runways this past February.

Kors' Fall 2011 Ready-To-Wear line was a thing of beauty, full of sophisticated separates and tailored suits, but the furs stole the show and Gaga just demonstrated why. Decked out in a camel-colored jacket, John Lennon shades, and not much else, Gaga wowed fans after leaving the Soho Screening Rooms in London on on November 1. As gorgeous as she looked, the outfit raised more than a few eyebrows due to her infamous proclamation two years ago that she doesn't wear fur.

Et tu, Gaga? I'm still gaga for this look.

Fuzzy Slippers Tells No Lies

Erdem Fall 2011

We shall walk in velvet shoes:
Wherever we go,
Silence will fall like dews,
On white silence below.
We shall walk in the snow.
~Elinor Wylie - 'Velvet Shoes'

A fun new trend sparking just time in time for the holiday season is one that may send you skipping down nostalgia lane and back into elementary school: velvet shoes! No longer delegated to you warm, comfy slippers, velvet (and suede, to a lesser extent) is making a splash in a big way this season. Rich, textured velvet in bright jewel tones was everywhere on the runways, as the perfect 'look-at-me' accessory. Gucci sent velvet sandals out as early as 2010, for their Spring 2011 lines, and other designers like Nicholas Kirkwood (for Erdem), Dries van Noten, and Charlotte Olympia quickly followed suit.


Gucci Spring/Summer 2011

From lace-up boots to evening sandals, velvet works with every palette and style, from combat boots to strappy high heels. A touch of the plush fabric goes a long way in spicing up an outfit, and can easily transition a look from day to evening... which is a must during holiday season when you may be going from work straight to a get-together. The trick is to mix-and-match textures, so don't go head-to-toe velvet; instead, try a lace dress, faux fur jacket, and velvet booties for a luxurious and interesting ensemble.

When playing around with fabrics, it's also easy to stick with a more monochromatic color scheme, so as not to overwhelm the eye. Urban Outfitters is clutch, as usual, with a variety of styles and colors to choose from as far as velvet shoes go: my favorites are these velvet Vans (so sick!), $55, these crushed velvet wedges, $49, these velvet Doc Martens, $130... the better to kick your extra friendly co-workers ass with at the annual Christmas party, my dear.


Laura Bailey

Peaches Geldof

Versace for H&M: An Insider's Look

A Day In The Life Of A Fashion Blogger

Karen has been featured on this blog many times for her out of this world style, and she has been equally recognized by the fashion industry ever since her blog took off and catapulted her into the sartorial consciousness. So it comes as no surprise that she got invited to the launch party for the Versace for H&M line, which comes out tomorrow. The resulting pictures and video she posted on her blog were a treat to watch; the video followed her preparation for the event while the photos were all images from both the runway show and after party. I particularly enjoyed seeing the home of an established blogger (they are just like us!) and to see an industry event from a more normalized perspective.

There has been more build-up to this release than probably any other H&M line, and, judging by these pictures, it looks to be much-deserved. The clothes on both the runway models and celebrities appear to be of good quality, and manage to retain both the bold, graphic uniqueness of Versace along with the wearability that must be inherent in an H&M line. There is also a youthfulness and innoncence that the pieces have up close, with their relatively modest neck- and hemlines and refreshing use of color and print, which is also a mark of H&M's signature on what is usually a very mature and sexualized brand. This is a collaboration that has truly resulted in Versace for the masses.


Nicki Minaj





To view all of Karen's pictures, click here.

Sibling Rivalry

Shhhh...

Young sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning have a pretty impressive resume between the two of them: 17-year-old Dakota has been acting since the age of seven and appeared in movies such as I Am Sam, War of the Worlds, Man on Fire, and the Twilight Saga, while 13-year-old Elle was one of the main characters in last year's blockbuster Super 8. So it's no surprise that the young talents graced the cover of this months W Magazine, which also featured Blake Lively, Julianne Moore, and their respective sisters.

The Fanning sisters are known for their mature looks; Dakota recently came under fire for a Marc Jacobs ad that has been accused of sexualizing a child, while much has been made of Elle's adult fashion sense. This cover shoot has been no different, with the gossip sites already buzz with speculation about whether or not the spread is appropriate. I was on the fence about these pictures, initially, but the more I view them, the better I feel about it. They seem tasteful enough, and come across as cute and precocious in a 'little-girls-playing-in-Mommy's-closet' kind of way, which I think was the point.

But what do you think? Cute, or creepy?






To view the full article, click here

Happy Friday

image via Le Fashion

Winter white can be hard to pull off without it looking literally like cold, frigid ice queens, but this is a look that just screams 'Chestnuts roasting 'round an open fire...' The mix of stretchy, snow white jeans and cream colored sweaters creates a palette of soft, warm tones that are slightly blurred around the edges. The texture of the jeans also add a quirky, extra touch that elevates this ensemble from loungewear to lustworthy... I even recently ordered a pair of white pants from Old Navy on the sheer strength of this look! Hopefully it inspires you guys this weekend as much as it inspired me.

Stay Happy.

Thursday Style Icon: Keep It Moo-ving

As we all know, Halloween passed last Monday, and I finally got to do a costume I've been considering on and off for years: a cow! My mother claims she instilled the idea for a cow in my head when I was a teenager, and, while I always thought that animal costumes were a fun idea, I especially loved the cow because I so rarely saw it out and about on Halloween. Every one that I usually saw online was either an (albeit adorable) children's costume or just ridiculous. I've had a reputation for making my own costumes the last few years, and after last year's success as a flapper and flamenco dancer, I felt I had to do something really special this Halloween.

I think I accomplished my task with unique DIY getup, which was achievd by gluing black and pink felt on a white bodysuit and topped off with cow ears on a headband. I was a cowgirl a few years back, too, so it was an extra bit of fun for anybody that's seen me the last few years around this time, as well. I love tis costume soooo much, as it really is the culmination of many years of thinking about this costume and wondering what it would look like outside of my head. What on Earth am I going to do next year?








My friend Karina was a wicked cool Edward Scissorhands:



Jess was Kid Cudi:



And this years celebrations were a bit of a two-fer, like last year: I went out on Saturday night as well as Monday night, but I cheated a bit on Saturday with all-black clothes and a bit of cat make-up. Rawrrrrr.

Can you guess who my friend is? Hint: This sentence was longer than her marriage.

I'm A Good Girl

Do you guys remember this post? Well...


YSL Vavin Duffle Bag in Black Classic Leather

Now, if only I had $2,450.00 to spare. And as for the title... "The dress is Chanel, the shoes YSL..."

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Mode Junkie

Streetwear has long appreciated girls in fitted baseball caps, expensive designer urbanwear and sneakers, but a new trend that I've begun to see just peeking itself out of the blogosphere is the interesting pairing of a casual baseball cap with relaxed and simple separates; one that is to me at least, a prime example of how fashion can occasionally throw caution to the wind and come up with an inherently silly yet workable trend. At first glance, baseball caps with smart trousers, colorful sweaters, and sockless loafers seems to reminisce third grade when you wore, well, loafers with pants and sweaters... and caps. However, when styled with pieces with sharp, clean lines that are classic and mature, baseball caps really do have a sort of youthful charm about them.

They jazz up an outfit in a preppy, 'I-just-threw-thiss-on kind of way. So far, I've really only seen them in editorials, with a trickle down effect to the fashion bloggers: Mode Junkie was a unique blend of casual novelty and glam in her cloth cap and chiffon maxi skirt, and Carolina from Fashion Squad channeled her inner male in an androgynous blend of baseball fitted and varsity-inspired trenchcoat. The close-up pictures of her look appear boyish, with the hat and jacket seemingly one a high-school jock but wear; as you zoom out, however, we see the trench actually has a more adult cut than a letterman jacket, and is paired with a high-end clutch and masculine watch for a cool, funky, and sophisticated outfit.



Fashion Squad

There are some very easy rules to ensure you don't look like you're either five years old or a soccer mom in high-waist jeans once you throw your cap on. Androgyny is key for this casual accessory: try pairing a cloth cap with a nice pair of fitted trousers, cigarette pants, or even skinny jeans with a sweater and tailored jacket for a sophisticated on-the-go look. Silhouettes should be refined, straightforward, and most of all, easy, as overly designed items or ones with 3-D construction like ruffles or flares will clash with the understated nature of the hat.

A fun alternative to the preppy version is to go hippie dippie chic, with streetwear brands thrown haphazardly on with prairie skirts, Chuck Taylors, and military jackets like this (just switch out the fedora for a fitted hat). Urban Outfitters has a great selection of baseball caps and hats, with some of my favorites being this burgundy cord snapback, $20, this lightweight canvas cap, $20, and this rugged red hat from Obey, $28.







some images via Le Fashion and The Glamourai