I'm Not Dead!

Jil Sander S/S 2011

If any of you are still actually following this blog, I am still alive and well and want to provide you with the best info on the world of fashion!  NY fashion week was great and I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer there.  The atmosphere of Lincoln Center was fabulous and it was so cool to see so many stylish people in an equally stylish and classic American setting.  Change was also in the air when it came to silhouettes.  I really like the direction fashion is going in now.  The loose, easiness of the clothes is something I am really drawn to.  Lately I have been obsessed with buying my shirts one or two sizes too big and I am just in awe of all the loose, slouchy pants worn down the runway.  Although there have been many great interpretations of 90s and 70s looks this season (Marc Jacobs anyone?) there have also been looks that seem new and different such as Proenza Schouler (a perennial favorite of mine if you haven't noticed.)   


On a more specific note, Raf Simons has given me a reason to love Jil Sander again (I would post this whole collection if I could).  Honestly, I was not taken by his last F/W collection.  I thought it was cold and as devoid of emotion as it was of color.  This season, however, I am obsessed!  The colors that came of of Milan for spring were so bright and happy.  An inspiring thing to look at if you are experiencing the rainy weather of NYC today! 

Room for Squares

1. House by: Claude Parent   2. DKNY F/W 2010 3. Herve Leger F/W 2010 4. Versace F/W 2010 5. Balenciaga F/W 2010 

1: Architectural Digest 

Just your daily dose of fashion and architecture inspiration!

Changes

1. Dries Van Noten F/W 10,  2. Burberry Prorsum F/W 10,  3. Zero + Maria Cornejo F/W 10,  4. Thakoon F/W 10

Well, change is upon me and many of my friends and those who went to school with me may be gawking at the difficult task of having to look perfectly put together everyday of the week.  While this will surely be challenging I have decided on the uniform that I will be wearing next year.  So I'll basically be combining comfy oversized tops with skinny pants, jeggings, leggings, or tights (I might try harem pants but don't hold your breath) and swingy short skirts.  I'll be all about comfort and proportion and I'll probably stick with my favorite fall colors of grey, navy, and black while incorporating pops of color and shine where appropriate.  This may sound a bit boring to you but trust me I have great ideas for the fall season.  And if I had to choose what to carry my books in they would be nice and snug inside this J. Crew Exhibitor Mega Tote:

J.Crew.com 

Summer, Summer, Summer Time

1. St. Augustine FL, 2. Chanel Resort 2011, 3. Pucci Resort 2011, 3. Lanvin Resort 2011, 4. St. Augustine FL.

Despite the new onslaught of Back to School promotions, it is still summer and it is hot!  In honor of the prevailing season, a compilation of Resort 2011 swimwear and images from Florida.  

Religion, Sensuality, and Spinal Pain

Givenchy Haute Couture Fall 2010

Quite possibly the most beautiful, and intricate couture collection I have ever seen (though the baboon hair was a little much for me).  Mr. Tisci has done it again, yet this is on a much higher plane than his previous work.  The level of detail here is astounding, these small pictures don't do the collection justice.  It would have been amazing to be in the Place Vendôme to view these Frida Kahlo inspired pieces.  This is true couture.  

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful

  

Chanel Resort 2011

 

Emilio Pucci Resort 2011

I've returned from a week at the beach to tell you about all the great choices available for Resort season.  There is nothing better for the summer than light, fun, clothing that is packable, printed, and versatile and designers have certainly provided that this year.  For the next couple of days I'll be posting some of my favorite looks from the season. Today's theme is light and airy, easy, breezy, and beautiful.

I wish I could sit in your garden again

 

Beaded Dress: Eci New York, Satin Slingbacks: Mootsies Tootsies, Onyx Earrings: Heigh Ho Silver, Sunglasses: Cynthia Rowley 

I'm sure at this point you were wondering what had happened to me; did I come back from my hiatus only to post twice and then fall off the face of the earth?  No silly! I have spent the last few weeks going on shopping trips that have made me actually dislike shopping somewhat.  I know, impossible right?  After visiting no less than 11 stores on at least 5 days and multiple locations of some stores, I was finally able to find a suitable dress for graduation.  I was frustrated (and somewhat depressed) beyond belief after going home empty handed time after time.  About 2 weeks ago though, I did manage to stumble upon this dress at Macy's.  The Gucci S/S 2010 like print and color story caught my eye and the beading, neckline, and overall style of the dress give even me some curves, plus the fabric is super comfy.  How could I say no?  They beautiful weather, blooming flowers, and my new haircut necessitated a backyard photo session which my mom so nicely agreed to shoot.    

Spring Shopping

Louis Vuitton S/S 10

Top Shop

I am reeeaally craving a new handbag for spring, one in a different color and style than those already in my  closet.   Drawstring cross-body pouches seem to be the bags of the moment and who better than Top Shop to supply us with affordable styles in cool colored leather.     

See Through Soul

Schuylkill River from the highway, Balmain S/S 2010, 3.1 Philip Lim S/S 2010, Rodarte S/S 2010, 

Flower Power

The Fall Collections were great but do we really want to be thinking about winter right now?? I know I don't and the 80 degree weather that had me running around town in shorts, and drinking iced coffee actually made me think it was summer already. On one of those days I snapped some Spring floral photos that inspired this post which includes looks from Erdem, Dries Van Noten, and Oscar de la Renta Spring/Summer 2010.



And for more eco-conscious floral fun at affordable prices check out H&M's Garden Collection! They have some really great pieces made from recycled materials that I REALLY want to buy.

Happy Easter!

I think this look from Givenchy Men's 2010 is appropriate for today. I hope all the Christian readers are wearing their Easter best!

Winter's Cold is Too Much to Handle (Polar Pleasures)

Does the thought of another cold winter with record snowfall give you the chills? Are you tired of freezing your arse off while trying to look cute in thin tights or itchy wool/angora sweaters? Do you wish you didn't have to resort to wearing Uggs or leggings that could cause unsightly camel-toes? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Karl Lagerfeld has provided you with a solution. Behold the Chanel furry bodysuit! This faux fur suit will keep you warm all winter long without the discomfort of the aforementioned items. Get a leg up on mother nature and purchase one when they hit stores in July. You can even get a matching one for your boyfriend!

But seriously, the Chanel show was great, as it prominently featured faux fur (yay!) in nearly every ensemble. If it wasn't on the clothes then it was on the shoes. There was also an abundance of knits, crafted with close-to-couture techniques. And of course, the set design and presentation were unique and memorable. Models walked through a Scandinavian iceberg as it melted around them. If there is another winter like the one we just experienced, we will definitely be prepared.

Pure Gold

My usual 4-5 photo summary would not be enough to show off the genius of Nicolas Ghesquiere's Fall 2010 collection for Balenciaga.



The construction, the colors, those SHOES!! People have talked of the "modernization" of fashion, but I feel that some of the collections, such as Jil Sander, that many have been lauding as fashion for the fast paced lifestyle of today's woman, are cold and stern. This collection has transformed the mundane into the beauty of right now. The shapes are new, the colors are somewhat springy and evoke a happy mood, the shoes are unique but familiar. And those pieces with the words!!! I am dying for them. I love magazines and fonts so much, that I believe that these clothes really embody my feelings towards the print media (a future paperless society-let's not get too crazy). Style.com has compared Ghesquiere to an alchemist, but he has accomplished what the alchemists of yore could never do, he has turned the ordinary into pure gold.

The Return

Sorry I've been a bad blogger lately! Especially because I've had 2 snow days and the rest of the weekend to blab about New York, London, and Milan Fashion weeks, but I could not bring myself to do it (I figured that you were already stalking the collections and might not want to see me raving about the same labels everyone else is raving about i.e. Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Proenza Shouler-LOVE- Prada- though a younger version of Miuccia's vision featuring pieces from my closet is in the works). Yes, I must say that I am liking the classic, wearable turn fashion has taken this fall season, but I can't say that I am ready to discard all of the flashy things I've acquired lately- as a matter of preference I will always love short skirts more that long ones, since they make my legs look short-but I digress. That's why it's Peter Dundas to the Rescue!!! Not only has this man made the long skirt sexy, he has breathed new life into the sequined mini dress! I am also excited about the prevalence of the high waisted trouser pant, since I bought a pair of trouser jeans a couple years ago and the trend never really caught on. I sure am rambling today (and using tooo many sets of parenthesis)!

But I digress yet again. This collection is a sensual, sexy, young, but also a bit sophisticated homage to the '70s. The scarf mini dresses are fresh, while the sequins and lace are simply fabulous. The trousers and especially that crocodile trench give the collection a more grown up feel. Even if I find the prevailing trends refreshing, I love to see a designer who gives a nod to said trends with tailoring, or a certain element such as skit length, but then decides to update what we might have already seen. Because, while we "young people" would love to have more casual, wearable clothes in our closets, we still need something sexy and shiny to party in.