Happy to see a feature in the January Harper’s about jumpsuits, I knew it! See post “You Jump, I Jump: Who Knew, Jumpsuits.“ I almost interned at Harper’s right after Teen Vogue - I interviewed and was good to go until FIT wouldn’t give me credit (credit crunch, those mags don’t pay) - so it would be slavery, but I sooo wanted it. Definitely a lot of red tape at SUNY. Regardless, I feel a bit better now as there’s a typo in the January issue’s linguistics regarding jumpsuits - Sportmax is one word, not two!
Luckily for the other alma mater of sorts, Vogue’s Style.com has an easy search engine that leads you directly to a compilation of all Spring 09 jumpsuit looks from a bevy of different designers (click here to view). I would have never been lead in the direction of London designer Danielle Scutt without it (far right), so - Vogue 1 Harper’s 0.
From left to right - DSquared, Dolce & Gabbana, Danielle Scutt - view the complete collections on Style.com
Top Shop $90
Urban Outfitters $68
Forever 21 $27.80
Orange, pink, and the combination of orange and pink are spring’s most exciting and new color palette. It’s refreshing to see this kind of unexpected, neon, funky approach to a season which is so commonly saturated with florals and pastels. There are only so many times I can read about florals for spring being a new and exciting trend - florals are not trends! So - the Louis Vuitton ad for Resort 2008 is the main catalyst for this break, and accordingly Richard Nicoll (above right) and Alexander Wang (above left) followed suit. These colors scream Lily Pulitzer & Tory Burch - that polished casual prep that is usually confined to East Hampton, and while that look is something I covet for trips to the shore, there are other ways to translate bright hues into your everyday routine.
What’s so forward about Alexander Wang is that he’s thinking in terms of separates - so you can combine pieces you already have in your closet to achieve this look, an orange short with a hot pink cardigan, or picking up a new bag or accessories to transition your closet into Spring. The Richard Nicoll look is also so fresh because the look is just not preppy at all, it’s futuristic grecian with modern colorblocking thrown in - and can be translated from runway to sidewalk easily by pairing a fuchsia skinny jean with a flowy, draped tangerine sheath. Color developments are one of my favorite trends year round, because they’re so easy to execute on your own. It’s not specific to fabrication, treatment, or designer - which means you’ll not only be the most on trend girl in your hood, you’ll be the most original.
Forever 21 color splash tank $14.80
Tory Burch patent wallet $94 (orig $195)
J.Crew Crawford sheer blouse $39.99
Top Shop flower earrings $11
Old Navy scarf $12.50
Now is the time to forget about silly rules and pull out all of your white from your summer stash under the bed. Sure, a white sundress is totally inappropriate in the middle of winter, but white jeans, white sweaters, white handbags – are so polished and refined. I have a pair of white wide leg, 8 wale corduroy pants (on sale from $300 RL Blue Label, for $50) that I love to wear into fall and winter by giving it a spectator feel with black tops – the black and white combination let white appear less seasonal, more transitional.
Off shades of white are also good rules to live by in the winter – eggshell or creams – and classic silhouettes that don’t scream picnic or beach (turtlenecks, shift dresses). Some fabrication rules to live by: stay away from any cotton lawn, poplin, or gauze. Go for textured whites – corduroy, cables, & twills - the more substantial the fabric, the better. A white shoe is a lot harder to pull off than a white handbag, but can be done right by sticking to a matte finish & again seasonal shapes (booties, no open toes or wedges). If the shoe in question is not a bootie – a black opaque tight with a white Mary Jane screams tres mod chic.
Forever 21 crochet cardigan $27.80
Top Shop bracelet $40
Banana Republic Wilshire hobo $150
Newport News snake embossed shoe $39.00
Victoria’s Secret military coat $149.99
Lace tights not only bring that cozy, sexy boudoir feeling to the winter months - they help to break up the monotony of opaque tights as your go-to leg covering for chilly nights out. I recently bought a pair from Urban – about $9 – that are a fishnet lace, and at first I thought they were a little too S&M, but quickly got over it after receiving compliments from some very conservative Texans. I am immediately ordering more after seeing this feature in the Times - those Betsey Johnson heart tights have such a nostalgic vibe, I swear I’ve worn those in a white version with multi color hearts circa Kindergarten. And it’s not just lace, that sheer black that I usually steer clear of can be done stylishly – think sheer black with the seam up the back like a 40’s pin up.
I’m also pleasantly surprised to see that there is a selection of stockings beyond Wolford & Agent Provocateur – editorial seems to be realizing the recession that is clearly at hand. Lately - it seems as though fashion is moving in such a daring and dynamic direction. Erring on the side of ostentatious - exaggerated costume jewelry, vivid colors, loud makeup, and the overall idea of getting dressed up has been revived. If you think about the fashion cycle in terms of decades, it seems completely natural and on course – the 70’s were free spirited, the 80’s were all about excess, the 90’s were grunge, the 00’s were for nesting, and now that we’re approaching the 10’s - we’ve gotta make it glam.
Check out the rest of the “Fine Points - Lacy Tights” slideshow at NYTimes.com
Waterlily lace tights MyTights.com $13.95
Lace thigh high’s with bows SockDreams.com $15
Rose fishnet lace tights Top Shop $20
Whether we like it or not – sequins are going to be a staple holiday embellishment in your closet for years to come. I remember about 3 years ago, the market was flooded with glitter, lurex, sequins, all over everything – you couldn’t find a basic top to save your life. It was right before I was leaving for Italy – was broke as a joke – but wanted some chic key pieces to bring over so that I could fit into a European aesthetic. Little did I know, before visiting, that Italy is swimming with embellishments – specifically Rome. The boys love it more than the girls – bedazzled hats, hoodies, sneakers…it was crazy. I was in Charles De Gaulle coming back from a weekend in Paris when I noticed the huge difference between my Alitalia flight’s line and the others – it was the most tacky line in the airport!
So – 3 years later I’m all about sequins, for Holiday strictly. I like my sequins in chic form, however, and the silhouette has to be absolutely condusive to that shine. I’m not into colors – I like my black or gold in small doses – and absolutely die for leather sequins (yes, it’s possible and they’re fabulous). Mini sequins are also a great alternative if you’re on the subtle side – it’s a less bulky, more drapable appearance and it looks more like a treatment rather than extra hardware. When putting together a look, don’t overdo it with fashion forward pieces - if it’s a sequin dress, pair it with opaque black tights and a subtle shoe – if it’s an accessory, make that be the statement piece, not your top or dress. Think Burberry circa Sienna Miller at the Met Ball – gold sequin shift dress, opaque tights, patent Mary Janes and a ponytail.
Bebe dress $89.50
Top Shop $55
Debenham’s headband $6
Express sequin leggings $98
If I was going to live in any decade – it would be the 20’s. I can’t get enough of that flapper mentality – cutting your hair off, throwing away panty hose, and boozing and dancing all night long. It would have been a great time to be young – rather than during the Bush administration and this lovely economic downturn we have going on. We have to play the hand we’re dealt – but that doesn’t mean we can’t live vicariously through Chanel & Paul Poiret and all that they stand for! Luckily – this decade has been resonating in the contemporary market recently, and I’m not exactly sure where it came from – I can’t think of any notable designers who showed anything that would spark this revival, but that almost makes it so much better.
Some key components of the 20’s were the dropped waist, cloche hats – and an overall androgynous silhouette that freed women from corsets and their inhibitions. If you are in the market to see cloche hats in film – Angelina Jolie’s film Changeling is a perfect example. They were actually created because the forehead was considered unfashionable, strange but true. The dropped waist and shift silhouettes came from an extreme turn around in the fashion cycle, going from very tight Victorian corsets to a liberated, I can do anything as well as a man, fashion standpoint. Women actually used to bandage their breasts to make them appear less womanly. I also recently learned from my love’s grandmother that the saying “the bees knees” came from that period – when girls would put blush on their knees because it was considered an errogenous zone – the most anyone had shown at that point were their ankles. Can you imagine? Ok, we are pretty lucky to be young right now.
Forever 21 $34.80
Urban Outfitters $18
Asos $50
Top Shop $36
Go Jane $32.99
NY Times article “The Way You Wear Your Hat” - Here’s to dressing well!
Forever 21 wool cloche hat $12.80 (flapper style hat - foreheads were unfashionable in the 20’s)
Urban Outfitters leopard cocktail hat $28.00
Target wool beret $12.99
Top Shop felt trilby hat $40
A common problem with my taste is hunting day and night for a piece, and then a month or two later stumbling upon it when I’m already over it. I was searching like hell for black sequin hot shorts for Halloween (Chanel Sailor). Patricia Field was the only viable option for $80, and I just wasn’t willing to invest that - I mean it’s clearly not a basic or classic! So, cruising through TopShop.com on a regular Tuesday night - what do I see but those god forsaken hot pants, in red no doubt - just as cute as black for my sailor costume! Regardless, I’m happy with the pair I wore (homemade), because those babies are S-H-O-R-T, but it just kills me - I’m always too early!
As this off tangent dialogue suggests - this image struck a chord - I love the harlequin hot shorts (all hot shorts) and that FUR (faux). I wish you could run around in things like this on a regular basis - we are in the WRONG decade for innovative fashion!
Shop shorts $50 @ Top Shop
Leave it to YSL to make an ordinary symbol a must have. Spring 08 featured that outrageous plexiglass star necklace (see post: Seeing Stars) & strappy star shoes that left everyone salivating for more. Next, you see Kate Moss wearing the dress to her (34th) birthday party – envy inducing star face paint and all – and it just keeps slapping you in the face: You can’t have me!
Well, you can totally have it - and have it so much better because you only had to wait one season to pay sooo much less!
Asos $40
Tiffany $250
Delias $49.50
Top Shop $10
Asos $34
I saw this Unhee romper on Selma Blair - from a TRL appearance a couple of months ago on People.com - loved it, couldn’t find anything similar - and TopShop saves the day once again. They should really start paying me for this blog (dreaming). I think I’m mostly just depressed that once I left New York, they FINALLY opened their SoHo store, which delivers same day to those in Manhattan. Whatever - shipping is a small price to pay in comparison to the awful tourists clogging the streets and slowing down your stride.
Does anyone know where you can shop online for the real thing? Totally MIA.
TopShop version:
Would you pay $100 for this? (Yup, fishing for comments!)
Photo taken from People.com
