Sunday, February 28, 2010

Fabulous Finds

In an effort to document more of my day-to-day clothing choices, and perhaps even hone my somewhat lackluster fashion photography skills, I've decided to incorporate photos of my daily ensembles into le blog. But perhaps not daily, necessarily, because in case you haven't noticed- I sometimes get caught up in the everyday chaos of the hectic Junior Year. So, here goes Post #1 of Photos from an Aspiring Fashion Designer/Fashion Journalist (I've been broadening my possible future career choices). 


Anyway, so today I arose with a gleam in my eye, anticipating the fabulous combo of my black Tori Richard dress, cinched at the waist with a red woven belt I've had since Kindergarten. So that's vintage, right? In any case it worked, and I paired it with my tan Axcess by Liz Clairborne tote and Steve Madden wedge boots. I'm honestly surprised the boots haven't worn into the ground yet, I literally pull them on whenever the temperature hits below 60. Which, I must say, Florida has been doing a lot lately. I like to combat the weather with stockings. Not combative in terms of staying warm, but in defying Mother Nature. Foolhardy, perhaps, but at least I'll shiver in style. I'm pretty convinced the warm weather today was my doing, all thanks to my passive aggressiveness. You're welcome, Florida.


And here is the Kindergarten belt. It's a lovely little thing, and by little I do mean in size. It once fit comfortably around my hips, holstering up those scratchy cardboard uniform shorts from my private school days. Now it hugs my upper waist quite nicely, I would say. Thank goodness I'm a pack-rat. This may be one of the more extreme cases though. What can I say, I can predict clothing trends ten years in advance. Or I can lose things for ten years, and then find them in the back of my closet. Which is probably the more likely scenario.

 

Saturday, February 27, 2010

My Top Ten

Just because I have about a million and one things to do, and procrastinating is my specialty, here's ten things I would love to have. Some more attainable than others.


1. Caged Heels


2. A Nice Preppy Blazer AND Oxford Shoes. Perfect Picture.


3.  Polo by Ralph Lauren Equestrian Boots


4. Sick Headphones (They make your music even better.


5. Hunter Wellies


6. This Lovely Lady's Ensemble (The whole thing) Even the clothes bag. Especially the clothes bag.


7. Shimmering 3.1 Philip Lim Trench. For you know, those time when you're, uhh a glamorous movie star. Shuffling to and from New York City parties. You don't know me!


8. This Marc by Marc Jacobs Cardigan. Or anything from Marc Jacobs. I'm not picky.


9. This Guy 


10. Headband Skinny Bow (in Navy) from The Rusty Crickett


images from streetstyles, infobarrel.com, altimiranyc.blogspot, saks.com, thesartorialist.com, rustycricketts.com, fashionising, getprice.com, intheircloset.com 

Hunter Wellies, Practically a Necessity



So, at first Hunter boots were merely a slight fixation of mine. I first saw the fleece-lined beauts in either a W or Teen Vogue spread as simply accents to whatever the featured clothing articles were, and then I saw them again (in real life) during a frigid visit to Providence, Rhode Island. Which was when they became less like one of those thousand dollar unattainable blouses you admire and more like those couple hundred dollar Coach purses. They may be a splurge, but you love them because they're practical and affordable. Two adjectives you can never go wrong with! At least not when reasoning with your parents. So price set aside, I found myself wondering if I had any need for such fancy footwear to begin with, and naturally- my Florida place of residence came to mind. With rain showers a constant during the humid afternoon summers, I knew the practicality of rain boots in Bradenton was a given, and the need for Hunter Wellies simply spoke for itself.  


Of course, there's the age-old argument that the name brand simply isn't important, and you can find a pair of ol' rubber boots anywhere. But here's my argument: A name brand (in most cases) stands for tradition, and traditions are customs that develop over time. Therefore, the products which develop under such a name have stood the test of time, and so you know you can trust the quality of their products. A name-brand like Hunter has been around for so long, because the company clearly know what they're doing. And if you think of the product in terms of an investment, the price really seems almost, reasonable... Ok, I've just memorized this because it's needed every time I browse through a magazine. But the point is that I need Hunter Wellies. Is that thunder I hear?


images from cloggs.co.uk and gardenorganic.org 

Thursday, February 25, 2010

A Parisian Palate


An ubiquitous style that's seemingly always en vogue, (but has perhaps peaked once more in popularity) has cheerfully brought the "french look" back to us again. This time leaning heavily on the prepster side of nautical, and less so on the bohemian chic, the latest wave of Parisian style is undoubtedly suiting for fashion À-la-Floride. Think the classic urban look traditionally associated with the City of Lights (beige trenches, quilted chain-link handled clutches, and feminine color-tipped ballet flats) but with a splash of modern day pop-culture. Sweaters featuring graphic prints of sailor ties and anchor patterns paired alongside seersucker laced wedges twist the classic just enough to keep it youthful and fresh. Très Magnifique, oui?

Monday, February 22, 2010

The New Face of People Tree

 So often do we see actors and actresses alike capitalizing on their names through various forms of merchandising (perfumes, skin care, clothing, etc.), that it's never too much of a surprise when a line baring a young starlet's name crops up on the racks. And more often than not, the hype these lines possess eventually fades into oblivion, along with the fleeting fame of the unfortunate starlet. However, on the rare occasion that the line does survive, triumphs even (L.A.M.B., Elizabeth and James, anyone?), the results are simply the winning combo of hard work and pure talent. Such will be the case, I believe, with fashion conscious and style-saavy young starlet Emma Watson, known for her role as book-lover Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. Always elegantly dressed in feminine frocks from Chanel to Versace, and not to mention the new face of Burberry, Watson certainly knows her stuff. Premiering this month, Emma's collaborations with fair trade and all-organic clothing company People Tree will be Watson's first (and hopefully not last) project involving apparel design. When asked about her involvement with the British company, Watson responded, "I wanted to help People Tree produce a younger range because I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty, and knew it was something I could help make a difference with." People Tree enforces its fair trade policy by starting up businesses in impoverished areas around the world, and then paying fair prices for the merchandise that the companies produce. The look (which includes soft cotton blazers, light toned skinny jeans, and nautically striped dresses) is what Watson reports to be "... my casual side, the stuff I'd wear to class." People Tree, Love from Emma is currently available at the company's website, www.peopletreeyouth.co.uk.
image courtesy of theinsider.com

Saturday, February 20, 2010

A Dream Come True

Fairytale Fashions designed by Diana Eng will definitely leave you lighting up a room. Created with the concept of incorporating technology into couture (in order to make the imagination come to life), Eng has applied everything to her line from touch sensitive conducting thread to LEDs (light emitting diodes). So what does this mean, exactly? In the simplest of terms, it means that the clothes react to the wearer. For example, the twinkle cardigan has the ability to focus on speech, shimmering in reaction to whatever the lucky gal wearing the clothes is saying. Or take the deployable headband accessory, which when inflated, creates the illusion of an organic shape blossoming right into your hair. Although she is scheduled to finish up the project this month, the line is still a work in progress. A website devoted to the designs (listed below) posts weekly videos about the technological elements she wishes to use each week, and asks the public for their ideas and advice. Incorporating a dreamlike structure into an outfit (that is actually wearable!) is something that I think fashion designers really strive for, ever since fashion became more of an art form, instead of just clothes. After watching her videos and reading about the progress she has made (in five short months), there's no doubt in my mind Diana Eng has accomplished exactly that.

Diana Eng's Website:
http://fairytalefashion.org/about.php

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Soon to be Sheer

From the Balenciaga to the Prada Winter'10 Runways, the sheer fabric trend I wrote about mid-January has hit the fashion scene much earlier than expected. Predicted to spread to the masses by Spring of '10, the style has arrived just a few months early. Seen most recently on Kim Noor and Mandy Moore, the trend has taken the world of couture, and everyday life, by storm. Even model Miranda Kerr (shown at right) was seen donning David Jones' bohemian take on the trend during the designer's Winter 2010 Show. The look featured above really stands out as one of my favorite versions of this style, however, because of its bright popping colors. The general color scheme I noticed earlier was dark pewters and blacks, but I'm hoping perhaps Jones' take will influence others. He definitely softened up the look, too, billowing fabric where it would normally tighten and creating a more flowing quality (compared to the tailored fit the style usually entails). Be it as lovely a look as any, I know there must be skeptics out there wondering just how practical thin fabrics are in the Dead of Winter. But I ask you this: When has fashion ever been about practicality?! 

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

New Dresses in at the RC!

Lovely little gowns, sun-dresses, and cocktail numbers were all abound at the Rusty Crickett this week, and I've been told even more will be arriving next week, too! Theme and Minuet (worn by Sara and Carolyn at left) seem to be two of the more prevalent design labels featured at the RC as of late, as of course are the ever-popular Voom and Betsey Johnson dress designs. My personal favorites in particular seem to stem from Voom's more casual line. Although, I must say I'm becoming more and more partial to floor length designs (by any label!)  with Prom'10 just around the corner. I hear Mrs. K has already been flooded with gown requests, so if I were you I'd take a gander through the store and claim your own before it's too late!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

A Loving Reminder

After a serene afternoon spent perusing the stores and boutiques of a somewhat chilly St. Armand's Circle, I couldn't help but feel a slight bout of nostalgia for Florida's summer heat. Dodging shadows cast by the storefront awnings and constantly rerouting one's path (so that it would coincidentally hit the sunny patches of faded red walk) sort of inhibited the whole relaxation aspect of the walk, I suppose. And I have to admit navigating between confused snow-birds and absurdly large amounts of bikes, mopeds and sports cars wasn't too great, either. I miss slipping into one of several ice cream stores to escape the heat, not flee from their open doors because the freezers feel like they're housing glaciers inside. Summer brings warmth and a severe lack of tourists (which believe me) I am anxiously awaiting! But in the meantime, I think incorporating smidgens of your summer wardrobe into your late winter/early spring attire may just do the trick. For example, this Lovebird Necklace (found at the Rusty Crickett). The birds perched atop a tree branch remind me of the robins one hears everyday during Summer singing long into the evenings. Of course, the natural aspect of the piece definitely coincides with Springtime, as well. In any case, I can't think of a more perfect way to remind yourself how close Summer is than to wear a lovely reminder in plain view for all to see (yourself included, of course)!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Beautiful Blossoms

Blossoming buds have always been a predominant fashion in months March through May, and this upcoming Spring season is no different. Soft floral patterns and delicate accessories representing the new beginnings of Spring are definitely the Season Staple. A fair amount of florals have already cropped up on the blouses and bags of fellow MHS students too, indicating the beginning of the end to another Florida winter. The departure of our only hair frizz-free season is depressing, I know. But, when you get a look at the lovely sundresses and bracelets the local boutiques already have in store, you'll be basking in it. The Flower Bangle (seen on Sara at left) from the Rusty Crickett is absolutely worth checking out, and will be an excellent addition to your Springtime Wardrobe. Since it's sure to match a formal-wear dress with its jewel insets, or even a casual look thanks to its versatile metal plating, it'll definitely be a sharp and smart look for Spring '10!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Double-Denim Don't.

I know this may come as a huge surprise to some, but sometimes what we witness strutting down the haute couture runways does not actually correlate to real life. In some instances, the clothing ensembles are there for the sheer awe factor, and no designer actually expects their consumer to wear the piece in that exact way. Although I do love fashion, as well as trends, there are some that simply must stay on the runway. If you haven't already guessed, I'm talking double-denim. I think most know that this trend died in the eighties with good reason, but the few that are trying to resuscitate it, please let it rest in peace. I've seen more and more articles concerning the layered denim look (in a negative light), but I assumed it was so commonly understood that I didn't need to mention it! Then, I saw it in person. Namely the denim jeans and jacket combo. Look, I know you're trying to give off the 'I'm a free-bird, and I don't care about what I wear let's just chill, man' vibe, but I'm not digging it, and neither is anyone else. And another thing: It does not change anything when the denim colors don't match. Just because you're wearing dark jeans and your denim jacket is bleached, we still know they're both jean. You are not fooling anyone. For the other 95% of you that know double denim is not a hot look, thanks for using that common sense. Remember, unless you're a real farmer, you don't need to dress like one!