Ahhh the cardigan – the perfect light cover up! I can never have enough cardigans.
Best Looks: From left to right, Michael Kors, No. 21, Alexander Wang, Pringle ofScotland and Burberry. Photo: Garance Doré
A great part of any womans wardrobe. The practicality and convenience a cardigan provides is endless. Long or short, buttoned or unbuttoned, belted or not, without a doubt, classic cardigans are always in style….but some of the newer collections feature large knits with decorative fur & unusual asymmetry – some have no buttons or zippers.
You can choose to belt them or close them with a large safety pin (some would) or large broach.
They’re work appropriate but cardigans can also look sexy on top of light layers and soft fabrics.
There’s a style for every body type. Which is your favorite?
I’ve been feeling kind of blue lately – Cobalt to be specific. The shade creeps up from time to time and last year we started seeing more of this bright color.
Crazy for Cobalt: his season the intense blue made a statement on everything from cozy sweaters to swingy dresses. It seems to have edged out olive and rust as this fall’s most prominent hue.
How many shades of blue are there exactly? I don’t know but some editors seem to have a handle on it:
Meryl Streep to Anne Hathaway in “The Devil WearsPrada” – “You go to your closet and you select that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis. It’s actually cerulean. And you’re also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent wasn’t it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers.” …………………on and on she goes
With its cool undertones, cobalt complements everycomplexion from porcelain to dark chocolate.
Derek Lam
Best colors to pair cobalt with: neutrals like grey, black, white or a combo of either.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND why some women pay good money to look like she gave herself a BAD HAIRCUT!
Eva Herzigova in Prada Ad from last Spring.
I don’t know about everyone else but I’m thinking that when you go to the hairdresser you should leave feeling better than when you first walked in. For me that means taking off an inch or two to help tidy up split ends, some layers that fall nicely around the face and a blow dry that lasts for a minimum of three days. A good haircut should make you feel sexier don’t you agree? Well as it so happens not everyone’s idea of sexy is the same….
THE BAD BANG THEORY:
Herzigova is beautiful but maybe she wants to distract people with bangs that look like they were cut with safety scissors in the dark.
Weirdly enough, there seems to be a lot of deliberately bad hair around these days. Uneven bangs, lopsided looks, scissor marks & seemingly haphazard haircuts. Case in point: a stylist who created a cut for a story in W magazine of a model wearing a Dior Haute Couture dress. She may have been wearing haute couture but the effect the hair stylist (Malcolm Edwards) was going for with his zigzag coif was that of a kid who cut her hair with the kitchen scissors. But of course for that shoot, the model wore a wig. However the idea is for the reader to deliberately witness a crazy cut. As if Dior needs something to distract you from a beautiful dress?
Lena Durham in Girls – season finale
Also, in the dramatic season finale of Girls, Lena Dunham hacks away recklessly at her tresses but in the end miraculously ends up with a sassy, cute little pixie cut – which suits her quirky style.
Lena Durham’s cute pixie cut.
No longer is cutting your own hair considered a desperate cry for help (Britney??)
Erin Anderson has handled the hair of Mila Jovovich and Chloë Sevigny. She works out of Woodley & Bunny in the Williamsburg neighbourhood of Brooklyn (a part of town where the girls who look like they cut their hair themselves probably live). “The DIY haircut has been around for some time,” insists Anderson. She recalls a time when a client of hers went so far as to ask her to cut his hair with her eyes closed. Anderson’s strict rule: Never cut your own hair while under the influence of alcohol or marijuana. “Everything tends to look good if you’re drunk or stoned,” she says.
A hairdresser who goes by the name of Duffy (he’s also a classically trained stylist from the Vidal Sassoon school) has a request for a bad haircut…..he understands exactly what the customer is asking for. “We have a painting at home by an artist called Alistair Frost – a canvas with a squiggle in it,” he says. “The kid was 26 and had the confidence to make this gesture and turn around and say, ‘This is my work.’ That’s what this haircut is about. The uninfluenced gesture.” Still, it’s a hell of a lot easier said than done. “For me to forget all I’ve learned and cut your hair like a kid did it is 10 times harder than if I were just to simply give you a graduated bob,” Duffy says. He tells this customer that if she had fine blonde hair, he could make her hair look like it was chewed by a rat in six minutes but with her curly hair even if he hacked the crap out of it, it would be hard to see the damage. So the good & bad news for this customer is that it would be difficult to give her a bad haircut.
As seen in W Magazine
Lesson – a GOOD STYLIST trying to give you a bad haircut is different from a BAD STYLIST trying to give you a good haircut.
What do you think? Is the Hatchet Haircut for you?
What can we say about the Motorcycle jacket that’s new?
Hardly a trend but the Fall runway introduced fresh colors and feminine touches. This season’s versions haven’t lost an ounce of coolness with their intricate network of zippers, still keeping the bad-ass vibe.
Even though, the look is more deliberate than in the past. You can toss one over a silky dress, casual denim or even pair them with coordinating bottoms (often made of leather) for a dressier feel. Jackets were also worn zipped, functioning more as a top.
Olivia Wilde
A big trend this Fall is contrasting sleeves and to mix it with luxurious fabrics like brocade or velvet for a different take.
Some of the new selections offer easy volume, nipped-in waists and are covered in things we all love to receive…..flowers + baubles!
haute coutureJenny Packham
The dresses may be feminine and fanciful but the footwear is surprisingly utilitarian. If Mary Janes or Ballet Flats are not your thing, opt for wearing heels or ankle booties.
Kate Spade
To enhance the glamour, try wearing your hair off the face or pulled back into a chignon. Hopefully these dresses will sweep you off your feet!
Gwyneth Paltrow wears Isabel Marant – look at the shoes!
Alexander McQueen bias cut fit/flare plaid dress – elle.com
Call it schoolgirl chic if you want to, but Real Women do wear Plaid.
How can we ever tire of throwing on a plaid shirt over a pair of leggings or jeans as soon as the weather starts to cool. It’s such a cozy staple.
Photo – Garance Doré
An obvious call for weekend wear or casual engagements, although cute skirts, and a bit of pattern on shoes or bags can offer a new chicness that’s hard to ignore.
Stella McCartney BagGryphon pant – elle.com
But is plaid too prim? Hardly. Not with the modern take on tartan cropped jackets and separates. There might be something irresistibly naughty about a tartan
Reem Acra Dress – elle.com
baby-doll dress that skims the body in a quietly seductive way.
There’s nothing old-school about that!
Even the scotty dogs are looking
pretty good now!
Current-Elliott Jeans. Elle.comboucle jacket – elle.comPhillip Lim Sweater – elle.commarc by Marc Jacobs – elle.com
As much as we want to hang on to Summer, Fall is just around the corner and with these 10 investment pieces you can’t go wrong.
In every woman’s wardrobe, there are places one should splurge and places one should save. Unlike fleeting trends, closet classics—things you’ll love for years to come, regardless of ever-changing fashion fads—are the obvious best place to sink your shopping dollars. Here are 10 splurge-worthystaples that, while guaranteed to take a bigger chunk out of your budget, chances are they’ll be sticking around for awhile.
Black or Camel Coat
COAT
Outerwear trends come and go every autumn, but there are a few coat classics that never change—and two timeless hues in particular, black and camel. A Burberry duffel coat’s casual enough that you won’t have to save it only for special occasions, while a chic peacoat infuses any look with instant prep appeal. As for Max Mara’s beautiful self-belted topper, it’s the sort of piece you could pass down to your daughter or niece one day.
More practical than nearly any other piece of jewelry, a watch adds instant polish and professionalism to any look, and is something you’ll keep for years to come. Why shouldn’t yours be an absolute knockout?
from left: chronograph watch in rose gold/navy, $275, michaelkors.com; medor, $4,050, hermes.com; tank française watch, medium model, $4,700, cartier.us
Patent Pumps
PUMPS
A simple, classic pump works for everything from job interviews to first dates to black-tie weddings to girls’ night out. Find a pair that’s comfy (OK, relatively so) and take the plunge. (Side note: while I love a smooth calfskin heel too, I think there’s something about glossy patent that just adds that extra somethin’ somethin’.)
Though less overtly sexy than the aforementioned stilettos, ballet flats are (or should be, at least) the day-in-day-out workhorses of a modern girl’s footwear wardrobe. Chances are you’ll likely clock more miles in these babies than in your heels,
BALLET
so take care when shopping for them. Porselli and Repetto make beautiful, ballerina-approved versions, and many editors swear by Lanvin’s flattering hidden-wedge take on this sleek staple.
Audrey wore them. Carine Roitfeld lives in them. Kate Moss accessorizes hers to the hilt. A simple black fit-and-flare dress, body-con number or sleek sheath works for pretty much any scenario imaginable and is guaranteed to make you look your absolute best, so it’s a sound item to spend a little extra on.
That said, when you’re in the mood to make even more of a statement, there’s nothing like a boldly patterned party frock. The trick here is to choose one in a relatively classic print—think florals, polka dots or easy geometric graphics.
from left: ruby printed silk crepe de chine and cotton-blend lace dress, $3,220, erdem, net-a-porter.com; garden-print dress, $895, red valentino, saksfifthavenue.com; embellished lace and silk-faille dress, $6,990, oscar de la renta, net-a-porter.com
Perfectly-Fitting Denim
PFD
There’s absolutely nothing—nothing—like finding that amazing pair of derrière-perfecting, leg-lengthening, hip-slimming jeans. Sink a little extra cash into your blues, and they’ll pay for themselves in compliments.
from left: 811 mid-rise skinny leg, $191, jbrandjeans.com; the marrakesh, $168.30, mih-jeans.com; stretch cotton-blend leggings-style jeans, $187, rag & bone jean, net-a-porter.com
Gray Cardigan
GREY CARDIGAN
Yes, black cardigans are great too, but hear me out: when you’re already dressed in head-to-toe noir, sometimes you need another, slightly lighter neutral to keep the look from veering into Morticia Addams territory. In such cases, gray’s your go-to. Heather-colored cardis look equally great with little white dresses, too—as well as pretty much everything in one’s closet.
from left: cashmere and silk-blend cardigan, $640, miu miu, net-a-porter.com; asymmetric hem cardigan, $595, alexander wang, barneys.com; collection cashmere boyfriend cardigan, $238, jcrew.com
Oversized Cashmere or Wool Wrap
WRAP
How do we love our enormous cashmere throws? Let us count the ways: they’re the perfectway to stay warm in snowy weather (when you live in a windy city, a coat alone just doesn’t cut it), they double as blankets (and pillows!) on long plane or car trips and they sort of make us feel like Stevie Nicks. Solid.
If you’re looking for the absolute most reliable place to sink those wardrobe dollars, a classiccarryall’s your best bet. Whether you opt for a classic flap-front 2.55 shoulder bag, a quilted tote or even a tiny crossbody carryall, there’s just no going wrong with anything double-C-adorned. Proenza Schouler’s cult-forming PS1, meanwhile, has made the tricky transition from trend to cool classic with ease. And of course, few can resist the heritage-steeped house of Hermès. While Birkins and Kellys may yield the longest waitlists, we’re currently smitten with the smaller Constance crossbody.
clockwise from left: vintage constance bag, $6,700, hermès, portero.com; ps1 medium leather, $1,695, proenzaschouler.com; classic flap bag, $4,400, chanel.com for locations
so brighten up your wardrobe and perhaps your life in the process.
Can’t say I’m crazy about a man who is too too bright!
Doesn’t wearing color make you happy? I’ve never worn so much color in my life, always tending to stick with safe neutrals (which I still love) & maybe just a bit of color with an accessory. Now that August has arrived I’m eager to wear an entire rainbow while the sun is still shining. Hell I even bought an orange purse. How much is too much? I don’t know; piling on all my tribal Masai jewelry. Color is lively and it feels like being on a tropical vacation. Like Liberace said “too much of a good thing is Wonderful.”
Not your “mellow” yellow
Designers revisited glamour with ravishing reds, plush purples, bright blues and uplifting oranges and yellows ultimately redefining feel-good fashion as we know it. Strong hues are no longer solely the domain of fashion’s risk takers; they’re for everyone. Get on board and find
the shade you’ll shine in.
while on the subject – this works for some.hanky pantys seem bright on!On the bright side – you can always show off your nails. Personally I tend to wear these only on my toes, preferring lighter shades for nails.
You bet! My sister just bought me a vintage Playboy magazine. The date – 1972. The cover price – one dollar. Before you go thinking this is all too weird the cover reads “ARevealing History of Lingerie.” As most of you are aware, I sell beautiful lingerie online.
Moving right along…throughout much of human history, female undergarments could not in truth be named – for the very good reason that they simply didn’t exist. If she had to name them at all, she called them her unmentionables. Mother Eve and her sensational little micro-mini fig leaf aside, modesty has, in fact, played virtually no part in the origin of any sort of human clothing – under or outer, male or female.
From bloomers to thongs, pointy brassieres to push–upbras, the history of lingerie reveals a lot about women’s changing role in society – how we perceive ourselves and how we’re viewed by others. It’s fascinating to see how lingerie has changed over the last hundred years, but even more intriguing to note what’s stayed the same.
Here’s a brief (pun intended) look at ladies undergarments throughout history:
Late 18thcentury – high fashion called for an ensemble of whalebone-stiffened corset and puff sleeved chemise.
19thcentury – was devoted largely to achieving fullness in strategic locations. Watch- spring steel was used to make the dome-shaped “cage crinolines” & multiple layers of ruffled petticoats served the purpose for the Cancan girls of the naughty gaslight era.
1930’s – the uplift bra was responsible for the rise of a busty new breed of Hollywood star, of whom Lana Turner was the most prominent as the much photographed “sweater girl.”
1940’s – the spaghetti strap black-satin slip, once considered risqué, was memorably popularized by actress Silvana Mangano in the Italian neo-realist film “Bitter Rice.”
1950’s + 60’s – Swimwear had a mark influence in undergarment styles. The bikini – which was first seen on French beaches in 1946, was transformed into lingerie over a decade later.
The Bullet Bra (featuring exaggerated pointing or cone-shaped cups) and Push-Up Bra (by Frederick’s Of Hollywood) all debuted during this decade. Women now appeared to have breasts that almost reached their necks! Panties became more colorful and decorative.
Liz Taylor
As the ’50s went on, Elizabeth Taylor in “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” made a fashion statement (and probably scandal) wearing a custom-made-slip through most of that movie.
Slips were also featured in “Psycho” with Janet Leigh in a white bra and slip, than later as a decamping embezzler in a black ensemble.
Frederick’s Of Hollywood and Maidenform became nationally prominent during this decade. Frederick’s was created by Frederick Mellinger (he claimed to have invented the first push-up bra) in 1946. He started out with a racy catalog which quickly became popular, then branched out into a chain of more than 175 stores. You could say that Frederick’s was the Victoria’s Secret of its day.
1970’s – Freedom at last! The modern girl chucks underwear all together. Whether you see the liberation of the female form as a manifestation of women’s lib or the sexual revolution, you’ll agree that it was easy on the wallet. Of course for playboy viewing – easy on the eyes too.
1980’s – Underwear as Outerwear may have started here as Madonna began the trend by wearing her cone bra and girdles over her clothing.
MadonnaFamous Calvin Klein Ads
1990’s – Who can forget the famous Calvin Kleinunderwear ads featuring a young Kate Moss and Marky Mark (Wahlberg) showing off his Calvin Klein boxer briefs. Comfort is more in style – boyshorts for women are BIG.
2013 – As of 2009, the visible wearing of corsets had become fashionable, popularized by stage performers such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna.
And yet what goes around, comes around as they say.
Sao Paulo fashion week with Movimento label – Plushswimwear.com
Yes, every woman can be fashionable! This is getting to be the easiest part of my blogging week. The reason being is that simply put, pretty much anything and everything is in Style. You can hardly make a wrong move. There are *updated versions of last years styles but I love the fact that you can incorporate almost any print, hemline, sleeve + pant length, color and fabric into your wardrobe for a varied and interesting mix.
Pity the poor designer that must continuously re-invent a previous look. Have a peek:
Fergie, Katy Perry, Jessica Alba & Victoria Justice.Dive right in to Water Color PrintsFloral jacket & jeans – check!
*Brazilian beachwear label Movimento kicked off their very first summer fashion show with romantic florals, tropical camouflage and a unique variety of cuts, prints and silhouettes.
Their Inspiration: the counterpoint between the military aesthetic and tropical flowers, birds and landscapes. With a collection infused with feminine prints, just enough masculine elements were introduced (army-like buttons and stars, olive green & grey in the palette) to keep the line fresh with a touch of edginess.
You can choose to belt them or close them with a large safety pin (some would) or large broach.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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