Zebra Strikes Again
I have what appears to be an enduring love for zebra print (and many animal prints in general) so today I decided to go for a "Silver" Gosh base with hand-painted black zebra stripes (Sally Hansen nail pen). For staying power I finished with two coats of Seche Vite.
As promised I said I'd deliver a verdict on the efficacy of Seche Natural, a new base coat I'm trying (instead of my usual Seche Clear). After having used it for my last few manicures I can say while I haven't noticed any huuuuge changes my nails do seem to be in better condition (less flaking and chipping, less staining). I would definitely recommend it!
Manicure: She Sells Seashells by the Sea Shore
So to my great dismay my royal manicure didn't last very long... though neither did the dismay, since it meant I got to give myself a new manicure.There are few things I love more than a nice neutral palette - I seem to live in them. A favourite colour combination of mine is a soft pearl gray with a shell pink (hence the title). Surprisingly this is a pairing I have yet to try on my nails, and admittedly I stumbled upon the idea by accident. I'm definitely pleased with how things turned out, though I do wish the Icing by Claire's polish's sparkles were rainbow like all the others - I used four different kinds of sparkles: Icing by Claire's in "Sparkle Me Happy", Revlon's "Belle", Sally Hansen's "Disco Ball", and China Glaze's "Fairy Dust". I layered them over "Silver" by Revlon and "Hopelessly in Love" by OPI. Hope you like it!
A Royal Victory: Alexander McQueen hits a home run
It is ten to five in the morning and I have just finished watching several hours of live footage of what can fairly be called the wedding of this generation. Hailed as the "resurgence of the British monarchy", the events of this morning, April 29th, have reached a rumoured audience of two billion people around the world. The pageantry, music, and setting combined to create an undeniably moving spectacle that drew upon hundreds of years of tradition and history.One of the best moments must have been the long waited for reveal of Catherine Middleton's (now the Duchess of Cambridge) wedding gown. As it turned out the rumour mill correctly guessed the dress's designer: it was created by Alexander McQueen's new Creative Director Sarah Burton. I can hardly imagine being happier with the design Kate ultimately settled on: the cut, fabric, and design were perfection. The dress balanced taste, romance, and modesty in an artful blend, invoking both a Grace Kelly-like aura and a pleasing modernity. It wisely excluded overtly trendy features which might date it (like Diana's or Sarah Ferguson's). Having watched my fair share of Say Yes To the Dress I was so delighted to see long sleeves - which I feel have been tragically overlooked in favour of strapless designs - and a higher collar. Hopefully this will encourage further innovation and variation in wedding apparel.
I would say more, but I've been awake for almost a solid 24 hours now and am having trouble stringing together coherent sentences. So, without further adieu here are some photos of what you all want to see most - the dress. Once I've had some sleep (and the photos are finally up!) I'll do another post on the fashions sported by wedding guests (Victoria Beckham's outfit was so glamorous!).
Update: Photos are now circulating of Kate Middleton's reception dress (a more modest gown for the after parties) which also happens to be designed by Alexander McQueen. While I think the dress is pretty (rather simple), I absolutely HATE that shrug she's wearing. It looks like those terrible furry sweaters that seemed to enjoy a short-lived popularity around the early 2000s. Of all the cover ups she could have picked that has to be the worst. Cringe.
Royal Wedding Manicure
Ladies and gentlemen, I have a treat for you today. You are already aware I majored in History at university, but many of you will not know that I specialized in British history or that the monarchy is one of my favourite parts of history to study (I took an entire course entirely centred on the British monarchy and it was awesome!). Anyway, as such I have a deep fondness for the institution and a fascination with it, so the upcoming royal nuptials have me very excited!Besides being an incredible continuation of ceremonies that extend back thousands of years, I also find the upcoming wedding interesting in a more social context. It's so lovely to see the world (well, maybe just the Commonwealth) get excited about something together. After so many years of endless headlines on the market crash, its consequent recession, oil spills, wars, and the usual doom and gloom it's so refreshing to finally see people coming together and being happy. Nothing gets people's spirits up quite like a wedding, and considering royal weddings only happen once every thirty or so years (I wasn't yet alive when Charles and Diana married) it's definitely something remarkable.
So, in keeping with all this my mother, sister and I will all be staying up until one or two in the morning or whenever when things will be starting live in England and we're having a little Royal Wedding Party. There will be lots of tea and we're all dressing up (my sister and I are going to do our best Kate Middleton impressions). I have a veil I'm going to bust out while I believe my sister is going to sport a hat with a whole lot of feathers. Today we picked up replica rings of Kate/Diana's engagement ring, and - the theme of this post - painted our nails Will & Kate Wedding-style. Anyway, I thought I'd share the photos of the finished result.
My original plan had been to use our nail stamper for the crowns and the bells, but it was being SO UNCOOPERATIVE so I eventually gave up and had to freehand it. So, it's not quite as tidy as I would have liked but I'm still pretty pleased.
"W&K" - the ampersand is a little blurred but ohhhh well.
The replica! Unfortunately it's a size too big, but who's going to be choosey?
Designer Obsession: Gareth Pugh
The other day I was entertaining myself by watching an old-ish episode of Fashion Television. When I started watching they were interviewing Karl Lagerfeld, so I spent a while laughing to myself at his accent, his ugly ugly clothing, and that the interviewer was asking where his "genius" ideas came from.Anyway, what caught my attention was the segment that followed, which was dedicated to up-and-coming designer Gareth Pugh (pronounced "Pew"). The episode was from early last year, and they were talking about how he was a designer being eyed to take on Alexander McQueen's design house after McQueen's suicide in early February. Anyway, while conducting their interview they were showing some of Pugh's collection and WOW. I was blown away by the lines, the ingenuity, and the variety in Pugh's designs (which are almost exclusively monochromatic and most often are black). While some of his designs verge on a fashion closer to Haute Couture, many of them are absolutely wearable and undeniably cool. He will definitely be on my watch list in the future. For your own viewing pleasure below I have posted my favourites from his Fall 2010 and Fall 2011 runways.
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
At Long Last: Christian Dior Manicure (and extras)
Okay, so I finally got around to doing my Christian Dior-inspired mani today. And when I say I did it today, I mean it took pretty much all day to do a satisfactory job. While I started out using all the colours I bought - both the blues and the mauves - I didn't like how it looked so I wound up taking off the blues and making it all about the mauves, burgundies and blacks. I used Bahama Mama and Angora Cardi by Essie, and OPI's Black Onyx and Nicole by OPI's Razzle Dazzler Matte. And, as usual, I used my beloved Seche Vite top coat, though for a base coat I switched up my regular Seche Clear and gave my new Seche Natural a try - I'll keep you posted on how well that does. For the details on my thumbs and pinkies I had started using one of my Sally Hansen nail pens, but it wasn't showing up clearly enough so I swapped it for one of the nail pens my sister and I picked up at the PNE a couple of years ago.As for how I feel about the manicure, I do like it but I figure it could be a lot tidier. While I was able to use tape successfully to do the stripes on my middle finger, it wasn't being cooperative for the matte tips on my index fingers so I had to freehand it which made it less streamlined than I usually like. Overall it's a pretty awesome mani by my standards, but I feel it's a little too wintry to be wearing with Easter just around the corner, so in all likelihood I'll take it off and do an Easter-themed manicure in the next few days.
As for these next two photos, I was editing some old Facebook photos and found these buried away. The leopard one speaks for itself (and no, that's not an engagement ring) and the other one was my manicure for Canada Day last summer - FYI maple leaves are HARD to freehand.
Manicure Preview: Inspired by Christian Dior
Ever since going through Christian Dior's Fall 2011 runway show the cogs in my head have been turning over how to incorporate that kind of awesomeness into my own style. The first thing that occurred to me was a manicure. Since voicing this plan, however, I've had a lot of questions as to how on earth you turn an entire runway show into a manicure. My thinking was that Dior focused heavily upon using different textures, patterns and colours in a really phenomenal way. Similarly, nail polish is available in a variety of textures now (matte, suede, glossy), and patterns are not a problem for me. So, much like the last manicure I posted, I'm planning on using different base colours for my nails overlaid with different patterns. But this time I'll be using different textures too!The reason I haven't already started this mani is because until now I was lacking a few crucial colours. But yesterday while running errands I had a chance to go to Shoppers and get what I needed! Below are examples of the patterns, colours and textures I'm planning to work with, as well as the nail polishes I picked up so you can have some idea of what I'm thinking. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
Essie Angora Cardi
Essie Bahama Mama
Nicole by OPI - No Limits Matte
Gosh Metallic Blue 566 (I couldn't find a pic of just the polish)
Art & Infamy: Christian Dior Fall 2011
Over the last couple of months many of you will have heard of the café incident in which John Galliano - head designer for Dior for the last fourteen years - went on an anti-Semitic rant which bought him a one-way ticket to unemployment and social exile. His termination and disgrace did not, however, stall the presentation of his final collection for Fall 2011. While there has been all kinds of debate surrounding the moral implications of supporting his most recent work, no consensus seems to have been settled upon in the fashion world or otherwise. It's a hard line to draw between appreciating art without acknowledging its source and contributing to the affluence of a shameless anti-Semite. It would be much easier if Galliano's last collection had been an unmitigated bunch of shit, but I have to admit I found it quite the opposite.My personal solution is to remove the creator from the equation and appreciate the clothes for themselves and not the unrelated ideals behind them. That said, I have to say that thus far (I have already combed through seventeen Fall 2011 collections) Christian Dior's show is my stand-out favourite.
While many other designers are pursuing a Mad Men-esque '60s look, Dior has turned the clock back to eighteenth century France. It is quite possible that I am so enamored because I have been waiting for just such a moment since I first developed an interest in fashion. For me the 18th century has always represented the most flamboyant and luxurious of historic fashion. It was the age of Marie Antoinette and the Duchess of Devonshire, two women who left an indelible mark upon the sartorial world [on that note, I recommend Evelyn Lever's Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen of France and Amanda Foreman's The Duchess, two excellent biographies]. Dior's Fall runway featured heavily-dyed luxe fabrics, jacquard patterns, silk bows, rich velvet, gauzy silk and delicate lace. Designs alluded to the unabashed opulence the mid-18th century, transitioning into the more muted romance of the late-eighteenth century's Napoleonic France, which featured the advent of the empire-waisted muslin gown (think Jane Austen). The show had drama and flair, while blending history and modernity in a tastefully grandiose ode to the glories of yesteryear. (Photos courtesy of Yannis Vlamos from style.com)
Worth the Wait
So I know I haven't posted anything today, but I have been working on some new material. For those of you who are impatient for another fashion post, something will be coming in the next couple of days. As of today I've started combing through the Fall shows and if I don't post a Runway Review or two I'll definitely be getting to a Fashion Forecast in the near future.Marvelous Manicure: Cupcake Confection
Okay, so I have something pretty awesome in the works, but it's taking longer than I thought so I figured I'd post a pic of my newest manicure. I am head-over-heels in LOVE with this one! This is the colour breakdown: pinky = 589 Sweet Rose by Gosh; ring finger = Sweetheart by OPI; middle = Van D'Go by Essie; index = Lilac Pastelle by Revlon; thumb = Passion by OPI. I decided to tie all the colours together by using different patterns with a white nail pen I picked up at the PNE a couple of years ago. As per usual I finished things off with a top coat of Seche Vite. Hope you like it!
Spring 2011 Favourites
I have now covered about all the Spring 2011 trends I plan to, and will soon be moving on to Fashion Forecasts for the Fall 2011 season. However, before I do I wanted to do a post on my favourite Spring looks. Not all of them fell into a particular trend, but they all spoke to me, whether it was through a well-chosen colour palette, graceful lines, or general ingenuity in their design. So without further adieu, these were - in my opinion - the best of Spring. (Photos from www.style.com)
3.1 Phillip Lim
3.1 Phillip Lim
Badgley Mischka
Burberry Prorsum
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Christian Siriano
Derek Lam
DKNY
Dries van Noten
Dries van Noten
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani
Gucci
Jason Wu
Jason Wu
Jean Paul Gaultier. I feel this probably needs a little more of an explanation. I love the inclusion of The Gossip's Beth Ditto because it felt like such a giant "fuck you" to people like Karl Lagerfeld who are so against using healthier-size models (not to say that Beth Ditto is exactly "healthy"). The celebration of all forms as beautiful is a big leap forward that will hopefully lead to less stress upon women to be unrealistically thin in the future.
Marchesa
Marchesa
Marchesa
Mulberry
Mulberry
Narciso Rodriguez - love love love this
Nicole Miller - I was particularly drawn to the graduated fade going the sheer skirt. Something about it is just so beautiful.
Nina Ricci
Nina Ricci
Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta
Reem Acra - this dress looks like Aztec gold work. Love it.
Reem Acra
Tory Burch
Tory Burch
Fashion Forecast: That '70s Show
So pretty much every blogger of the fashionista persuasion has posted recently about Spring 2011's return to 1970s style. Perhaps this is why I've been so reluctant to cover the trend myself: it feels a little like white noise. However, it also would feel like a glaring oversight if I didn't at least give it a cursory nod in a Fashion Forecast.In other posts I've mentioned the return to flared and wide-leg jeans, as well as the resurgence of crop tops and peasant tops. These respective trends are all part of the larger '70s trend. Big hair, flowing maxi skirts, and floppy hats all paraded down the runway this spring leaving us all with infinite ways to adapt the trend to our own personal style. The '70s style is great if you want a more bohemian edge to your look, or if you'd like to revamp your silhouette. I know I'm going to be rocking some sheer dresses to the beach this summer. Last year I actually managed to find a gorgeous Poleci silk blouse for a great deal. At the time I just loved the blue and white pattern, but now the flowy structure, sliced sleeves and '70s vibe are right on trend. I love it when that happens. All photos from www.style.com.
Badgley Mischka
Blumarine
Blumarine
Blumarine
D&G
Elie Saab
Fendi
Jason Wu
Marc Jacobs
Valentino
Fashion Forecast: Atlas Shrugged
Okay, so the Atlas Shrugged reference doesn't perfectly reflect the halter top trend, but I couldn't resist using it. If you're not familiar with the allusion, Atlas was a Greek hero or god or something who wound up with the unenviable task of holding up the world. I believe at one point Hercules (or Herakles if you prefer the Greek) had to take over this job in his seven... or maybe it was twelve? ordeals. You can tell I paid close attention in Greek and Roman Myth. Anyway, Atlas Shrugged was a novel written by Ayn Rand during the Cold War, which was essentially a really long rant about how great capitalism is and in defense of property rights. Believe it or not, the Iron Man comic drew heavily upon Atlas Shrugged for some of its material. Cracked has done an interesting article on it. I liked it because it suggested the shoulders, and as you'll know by now Spring 2011 is all over shoulders.Again and again designers were showing this rather different look. In some cases they featured genuine halter tops, which fasten at the neck and not at the back, and in other cases they seemed to take a tank top design and cut further away from the shoulder area, accentuating that feature. It's a little hard to put into words but the pictures speak for themselves. I think it's a pretty cool idea as shoulders can be very sexy. However, this style does present a little bit of a challenge when it comes to your bra straps, and I'm not even sure it's something bustier ladies like myself can pull off, but I suppose that remains to be seen. Pictures, as per usual, are all from www.style.com.
Calvin Klein
Celine
Celine
Christian Siriano
Derek Lam - one of my favourite items from Spring. This dress is Bohemian and elegant; perfect for a Summer soiree.
Gucci
Helmut Lang
Lanvin
Marc Jacobs
Oscar de la Renta
Prabal Garung
Rodarte
Stella McCartney
Versace
Yves Saint Laurent
Marvelous Manicure
Yesterday the local Shoppers Drug Mart had a nail polish sale on, so of course my sister and I swung by to see what there was to be had. I wound up getting three new polishes: 555 Silver by Gosh, Nicole's Nickel by Nicole, and Iceberg Lotus, also by Nicole. I was going to wait until closer to my event next week to do a manicure, but the temptation was too much, especially after seeing this manicure by Chloe's Nails. So, voila! I used two coats of Nicole's Nickel, which though patchy is sparkle-packed, and then did the tips using Black Onyx by OPI. Then I finished things off with two coats of Seche Vite.
Fashion Forecast: White Out
All right, so one of the most omnipresent trends of this spring was head-to-toe white. And when I say omnipresent, I mean omnipresent, because I don't think I saw a single show that didn't feature this look. As such, I have oodles of pictures and am just going to throw out a random sample.As for personal feelings on the look, I'm kinda on the fence. While I like a nice white dress as much as anyone, head to toe white feels like an accident waiting to happen. Unless you plan on sheeting yourself in plastic before leaving your dressing room I suggest that those of you who attract stains avoid this particular look. I think my favourite version of the trend was on Michael Kors, as it seemed to express a carefree simplicity that didn't seem fussy or too constructed. But judge for yourselves.
Michael Kors
Alexander McQueen
Celine
Chloe
Donna Karan
Dries van Noten
Helmut Lang
Marchesa
Prabal Garung
Stella McCartney
Versace
Yves Saint Laurent
Fashion Forecast: Still in Style
All right, so some of you may be wondering what trends from last season are still wearable. Both leopard print and lace have been extremely popular trends over the last year or so, and I can assure you that they're going to stay for at least one more season. Dolce and Gabbana, Blumarine, Givenchy, and Burberry Prorsum all featured leopard print prominently, while lace appeared often in 3.1 Phillip Lim, BCBG Max Azria, D&G, Dolce and Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta, and Valentino. So don't send them to Goodwill just yet!
Blumarine
Burberry Prorsum
Dolce and Gabbana
Givenchy
3.1 Phillip Lim
BCBG Max Azria
D&G
D&G
Dolce and Gabbana
Dolce and Gabbana
Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta
Valentino
Fashion Forecast: A Touch of Flare
Okay, so I haven't posted a Fashion Forecast in a while, so I thought I'd throw up a few more for those of you who are sartorially minded. With the '70s on the runways in a big way, wide-leg and flared jeans/trousers were abundant.While I like a good bootleg cut as much as any other, I can't say flares are a favourite of mine, mostly because they're hard to pull off if you don't have a really unhealthy BMI. So, I'll be more inclined to go with the more democratic adaptation: the wide-leg. A good wide leg jean will fit snugly through the hips, and then fit loosely through the thigh and leg. If you have shorter legs then I recommend going with a high-waisted version or have them hemmed to just brush the ground in high heels, which will give you height and longer lines.
Badgley Mischka, Celine, Christian Dior, Derek Lam, D&G, Dries van Noten and Jason Wu all showcased versions of this trend. Photos from www.style.com.
Badgley Mischka
Celine
Christian Dior
D&G
Derek Lam: This shot in particular has been featured in more fashion blogs and articles than I can count; and for good reason, since it's a great look!
Dries van Noten
Jason Wu
Monday Madness: Mission Accomplished
So as you may know, today I was in town looking for a dress for my upcoming grad event. Many of you checked out some of the dress options, and a few of you left input as to which dresses were your favourite. I can now happily say that I found a beautiful dress, though not one which was on my original list.After meeting with no success at the first boutique we tried, we (my mother, sister and I) headed over to BCBG Max Azria, which after all was kind of my number 1 choice. Within ten minutes we had a hefty collection ready, and over the course of the next hour or so we narrowed the choices down to two, and then ultimately to The One.
While I had initially intended to get something rather flamboyant and flashy, I wound up going with something much more conservative and subdued. However, I totally love it. If I were a dress, this dress would be me. It features a subtle one-shouldered look and some lace details, both of which had strong showings on this season's runway. But it also has a classic feel and cut to it - my sister's words were "It's very Audrey Hepburn". This is what I most love - a blend of the modern with the classic to create total perfection. It fits me perfectly, and for the first time in my life I can say with confidence that it looks better on me than on the model in the photo below, so don't judge too harshly. The modest cut and the black colouring mean the dress can be adapted for a multitude of events with ease, and I think I can count on this being my go-to LBD for at least a while.
I wanted to dress it up a little since it is so conservative, so I wound up getting a jeweled rose belt (also from BCBG Max Azria) to cinch in the waist a little more and to bring some sparkle. It wound up being just the right accent to bring the dress a more evening-appropriate finish. I am not ashamed to admit that the belt idea is one I got from watching obscene amounts of Say Yes to the Dress. We rounded out the day by finding a pair of shoes - my old patent ones have bitten the dust at long last - to complete the look. The shoes are BCBGeneration, and I intend to swap out the current laces in the back for some black satin ones that I think would be more appropriate. All around a very successful day.
The only thing that remains is to decide whether to go for bright crimson nail polish and lipstick or a more natural peachy-pink lip with black nail polish (to which I would apply clusters of rhinestones). Also, I need to pick a mask seeing as the theme is masquerade. The options are a royal blue mask with some black feathers and gold sequins around the eyes; black, white, and brown feathers with green sequins around the eyes; or scarlet feathers with some brown feather accents. Decisions, decisions...
Fashion Forecast: Code Brown
While spring runways were dominated by a collection of vibrant hues, there was one glaring exception to this general rule. While black and white both had noticeable places in designers' collections, brown, of all colours, was seen with the same frequency as the others. An unusual choice for spring - which is typically dominated by pastels - brown not only was present, but was often featured head-to-toe. My favourite use of brown was definitely in Alberta Ferretti's show, where it took on an almost coral tinge and perfectly complimented her gorgeous early-nineteenth-century style gowns. Photos: http://www.style.com/.
Alberta Ferretti
Christian Siriano
Diane von Furstenberg
Gucci
Gucci
Hermes
Lanvin
Lanvin
Rodarte
Fashion Forecast: Taste the Rainbow
I wish I could have come up with a cleverer title for this, but alas, I seem to have run out. Anyway, this spring's warm weather leather comes in hues as bright as the rest of spring's clothing: lavenders, turquoise, tangerine, lime, and especially red were popular colours for leather jackets this season. Coloured leather was not limited only to jackets either - purses and skinny belts were as bright as the jackets, and I'll add that they are considerably more affordable ways to update your wardrobe than purchasing a whole new jacket. It seems that the bomber jacket has taken a leave of absence from the runway, replaced entirely by the ubiquitous motorcycle jacket. Proud owner of a leather motorcycle jacket myself, I can say that they're a great addition to your wardrobe, and if you pick a more timeless colour (black is best, brown also works) than you can be sure to get good mileage for your money. Photos by http://www.style.com/.
Balenciaga
Balmain
Blumarine
Blumarine
Blumarine
Blumarine
Burberry Prorsum
Burberry Prorsum
Burberry Prorsum
Burberry Prorsum
D&G
D&G
Elie Saab
Fendi
Givenchy
Hermes
Jean Paul Gaultier
Fashion Forecast: Short Story
Again and again designers chose to clothe their models in crop tops. Before you cringe to yourself at the thought of bulging muffin-tops and exposed bellies, let me point out that this year's crop-top has several differences from the early 2000's "belly top". This new incarnation boasts a looser silhouette, and rather than being paired with low-slung jeans (with the exception of in Michael Kors' show) is worn instead with high-waisted trousers and skirts. As luck would have it, I actually bought a crop-top last April for a date, and it has turned out to be one of my favourite items despite my lack of a six-pack. Mine is more like Badgley Mischka's version than the others, and has a high boat neck in the front that drapes down to expose the upper back, with loose sleeves that just graze the inner elbow. Crop tops are a great way to update a look and still wear a t-shirt. If you want to get a '70s vibe (very big this year - more on that later), I suggest pairing the crop-top with high-waisted belted jeans. If you'd like something more modern a high-waisted fitted skirt will nicely balance out the looseness of the top (and is delightfully slimming). If you REALLY want to go '70s then have a go at the peasant top version that gathers at the bust and the shoulders. Anyway, without further adieu, here they are! Photos courtesy of http://www.style.com/.
Badgley Mischka
Blumarine
D&G
Dolce and Gabbana
Marc Jacobs
Michael Kors
Fashion Forecast: Purple Haze
Yes my lovely readers, it's another Fashion Forecast. I've already blogged about orange, red, yellow, and turquoise being popular on the runways, and next on the list of colours-of-the-moment is none other than purple. Much like the others purple was featured in the lines of Dries van Noten, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Mulberry, and others. Unlike orange and yellow, purple is a colour that can be worn by a much larger variety of skin tones in a flattering way. Shades shown ranged from a light lavender to deep plums, so you can take your pick of what works best for you. All photos from http://www.style.com/.
Christian Dior
Diane Von Furstenberg
Diane Von Furstenberg
Dries van Noten
Fendi
Lanvin
Louis Vuitton
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Mulberry
Victoria Beckham
Stealth Zebra
Not too long ago my sister sent me this link to this inexpressibly cool manicure, and when I saw it I knew that there was no way I wasn't going to try it out. The only thing that delayed me was that until today I did not have a black matte nail polish. For those of you who don't speak nail polish, "matte" refers to a nail polish without any shine. Anyway, today I headed out to Shoppers Drug Mart and got myself Razzle Dazzler Matte from Nicole by OPI, which is very close to what the blogger used (Matte is Murder by ManGlaze). Now in her version she used a Konad stamp plate with zebra pattern and some topcoat. My sister has the right Konad plate, but unfortunately has lost part of her kit so stamping wasn't an option. Instead I hunted down an itty bitty paintbrush and quite literally hand painted on my zebra stripes using my all-time favourite Seche Vite topcoat. I am totally jazzed on my results! Not only am I now sold on matte nail polish, but this manicure is just tooooo coooooool. It's very subtle, which is a nice break from some of the more elaborate stuff I wear sometimes. Plus I'm loving the way the topcoat picks up light at certain angles. Anyway, if you have a stamp plate or have the patience to paint on your stripes I would say this is definitely a manicure to try!
Best of the Worst: Spring 2011's Epic Fails
While each season's new fashions inspire many designers to create new and beautiful clothing, for some designers it seems to encourage a kind of fashion brinkmanship. Brinkmanship, for those of you not in history, is a political practice of (in layman's terms) following dangerous policies until the last possible second. Brinkmanship is often used in reference to the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Cold War. In a fashion context, I'd like to think that brinkmanship is a designer's policy of creating sensationalist and downright weird designs to the point that they teeter on the brink of total ruin. Anyway, this post is dedicated to all those designers this spring who made me question, "WTF?!"First up is Alexander McQueen. While the show did have some interesting pieces, others felt like they would have belonged better in the couture shows. This one, for example. Is that neck thingy attached to the dress or is it a whole item of its own? What is that fold doing over her crotch? And finally, WHAT is going on with that pattern? It's like a magic eye, but crossing your eyes and staring at it won't reveal anything but a headache (trust me).
As far as I'm concerned, a lot of D&G's stuff was a little bizarre. Then I came across this, and it put me over the edge. What is Snow White doing on her t-shirt with all her little critter friends? Where did that come from? The rest of the show was flowers and tablecloths (I'll get to it)! Then all of a sudden, Snow White! It's just... why? WHY?
And now from D&G to Dolce and Gabbana, another WTF moment. Hopefully you've all seen The Sweetest Thing, otherwise this wont make much sense. As soon as I saw this dress all I could think of was when Selma Blair's character got a "stain" on her leopard-print dress and had to get it dry cleaned, and then the other girls made fun of her. This looks a thousand times worse than that.
While I loved Jean Paul Gaultier's David Bowie vibe this season, much like in Alexander McQueen's show this outfit stood out as waaaaaaaayyy over the top. I quite honestly have no idea what's going on with that pattern. I think I see some rainbow prisms though... maybe. It's hard to critique the actual clothing beneath that pattern since it seems to obscure every sensible detail. I can, however, see some chest flaps, which instantly make me hate it.
Prada. Prada, Prada, Prada. Shame on you. That top looks like someone's scrubs. And the truth is no one wears scrubs because they want to, they wear scrubs because they have to. Also, what kind of neon animal did you just murder? From this angle it looks like the model is slowly strangling it to death, which is far from endearing. Way to leave the tail on. That brown and orange combo really should have stayed in the '70s, never to be resurrected.
Also from Prada: this colossal mess. Well, first off they seem to have re-used the structure of the scrubs top and thrown a collar on that thing. Then they chose banana print? Arrrrggggg my EYES! It looks like the worst kind of fat tourist apparel! What sane person would pay money for this shit? Now check out that skirt! Not only is this one of the worst combos in history, but damn, that skirt is a whole realm of ugly on its own. I think I see more bananas. While the structure of the skirt actually interests me, everything else triggers my gag reflex.
Alright, so this image from Lanvin has fine designs, what I took issue with was more... organizational. The way it worked was the first 9/10 of the models were white and emerging in a traditional "one at a time with generous space between models" format. Then, the last image of the show was this. A bunch of black women in a group. I would reaaaallly like to hear the explanation behind this one because right now I'm thinking the worst. I mean clearly it's planned. I have already checked my photo source, style.com, for an explanation of this format choice but no answer was forthcoming, so I am forced to draw my own conclusions. The style of the clothes (one-shouldered, loose, draped, secured with belts or clips) is reminiscent of Mediterranean and - dare I say it - African styles. Furthermore, the rest of the show featured solid colours, suits, and some embellished gladiator-style looks. This one group is the only occasion on which this palm frond print was used. Combined with the fact that they're all black and in a group is evocative of the word "tribe", which makes me cringe. Granted, they all look stunningly beautiful, strong, and are sporting some beautiful dresses. But STILL. I fail to understand why they couldn't have been dispersed with the rest of the white girls, and why they couldn't each have their own moment at the end of the runway like all the other women did.
Last on the chop-block is Roberto Cavalli. I was so, so disappointed by Cavalli this spring. For the last few seasons Cavalli has been one of my very favourite shows, featuring flowing silks, gorgeous luxe fabrics and patterns and impeccable styling. Then, this spring, there was this:
Fashion Forecast: The Cold Shoulder
One-shouldered tops and dresses appeared just as frequently as deep v-necks. If you're looking for a quick way to look current a one-shouldered look is a fairly simple way to go. However, much like naval-grazing v-necks it can be a difficult look to pull off if you are well-endowed in the chest department. From personal experience I find that if you're going to go for a one-shouldered dress or top the key is support: whether it's a really good bra or a very structured dress you need support unless you're really set on looking lopsided. I'm pretty excited that one-shouldered dresses are making a reappearance as it's something I haven't worn since I was in my early teens, and that wasn't exactly the high point of my personal style. Time to right the old wrongs of the past. Photos from http://www.style.com/.
Balenciaga
BCBG Max Azria
Chloe
Chloe
Christian Siriano
Diane von Furstenberg
DKNY
Donna Karan
Elie Saab
Elie Saab
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani
J. Mendel
Lanvin
Marchesa
Marchesa
Marc Jacobs
Michael Kors
Thakoon
Valentino
Vera Wang
Vera Wang
Vera Wang
Versace
Versace
Victoria Beckham
Fashion Forecast: Neck Verse
I came reeeeeeeeeeaaally close to calling this post "Rising Temperatures, Plunging Necklines", but couldn't resist the urge to share the ridiculous story behind "Neck Verse". Neck Verse is a term that comes from medieval England. Back in the old days when members of the clergy were blatantly naughty and they actually made it to trial (most of their offenses were just hushed-up), there was a special provision for them to keep them from the death sentence. They could claim the Benefit of Clergy, and if they were able to recite Psalm 51 on the spot, then they were considered pious enough that their crimes were forgiven then and there. This was used so often that Psalm 51 came to be referred to as the "neck verse", as it saved clergy members from hanging. The moral of the story is that my History degree is good only for comedic anecdotes that have little to do with anything.Now, as for the fashion: naval-grazing tops were the item-of-the-moment this season. I can't recall a single show that didn't feature some form of plunging v-neck. While it's an interesting look, it isn't that democratic. What I mean is that - much like Karl Lagerfeld's hot pants - plunging necklines are only really wearable for a specific group of women, in this case women with modest bust lines (ie not me). So, for those of us who can't go bra-less without being arrested, I would recommend a less exaggerated version of the trend, for example a deep v-neck. V-necks are a good choice if you're looking to elongate, as the converging lines accentuate the triangular shape created by your shoulders and waist. The best way I've seen it worn so far is with high-waisted skirts and pants which further nip in at the waist and add length to the body.
In the course of my runway cruising I managed to accumulate a good thirty-six versions of this particular style, and there's no way I'm posting all of them. Anyway, I'll try to pick the best examples and offer a variety of styling. All photos from http://www.style.com/.
Burberry Prorsum
Calvin Klein
Celine
Derek Lam
Diane von Furstenberg
DKNY
Elie Saab
A slightly more modest interpretation by Fendi
Gucci
Another modest incarnation - Givenchy
Jason Wu
Louis Vuitton
Prabal Garung
This version looks a little more supportive than some of the others. Also, it's totally stunning.
Vera Wang
Yves Saint Laurent
Fashion Forecast: The Karate Kid
One noticeably new trend this Spring seems to be wrap-tops with kimono-style necklines (and in some cases with belts). While some designers pulled this look off rather well - Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera - others seemed to take it from interesting inspiration to over-the-top comical (Alexander Wang, Celine). Anyway, you'll have to judge for yourself, but it's safe to say wrap-tops have a special niche in this Spring's lineup. All photos from http://www.style.com/.
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Vera Wang
Vera Wang
Alexander Wang
Celine
Fashion Forecast: Blossoming
So I thought I would take a break from chronicling the colours of Spring 2011, and instead feature one of the omnipresent prints: florals. Florals are a Spring tradition in fashion-world, and this season saw them reinterpreted. The small prints of last year were - for the most part - replaced by a style reminiscent of a botanical encyclopedia. Carolina Herrera, Dries van Noten and Dolce and Gabbana followed this form, while the florals from Alberta Ferretti could have come from a Renaissance painting. Alice + Olivia and Oscar de la Renta both chose a Betty Draper style '60s floral pattern, while Donna Karan and D&G were more evocative of the '70s. All photos from http://www.style.com/.
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Dries Van Noten
Dolce and Gabbana
Alberta Ferretti
Alice + Olivia
Oscar de la Renta
D&G
Reem Acra
Donna Karan
Fashion Forecast: the Yellow Pages
Before I get to actually discussing fashion, I'm just going to throw it out there that coming up with titles for these posts is at least half the fun. Anyway, continuing the tradition of brights for Spring 2011 is yellow. Yellow (to me) seems to look best on tan, olive, and darker skin tones. As a thoroughly pale person myself, I tend to gravitate towards pale daffodil shades rather than the ochres and sunflower yellows. Designers this season favoured the most intense yellows they could find, so if you can pull it off then by all means go for it! Yellow played a role in the designs of BCBG Max Azria, Michael Kors, Nina Ricci, Oscar de la Renta, Prabal Garung, Stella McCartney, Tory Burch, Victoria Beckham and others. All photos from http://www.style.com/.
BCBG Max Azria
Michael Kors
Michael Kors
Nina Ricci
Oscar de la Renta
Prabal Garung
Stella McCartney
Tory Burch
Victoria Beckham
Fashion Forecast: A Clockwork Orange
Alongside scarlet and turquoise was a noticeable amount of orange. Textures and shades varied slightly, but for the most part designers chose to feature a vivid tangerine colour. On that note, my original title for this post was Tangerine Dream, but about a hundred different fashion blogs beat me to the punch, so I had to settle for my second favourite A Clockwork Orange, whose connotations are decidedly creepier. Sigh. Orange was featured in the shows of Elie Saab, Diane von Furstenberg, Hermes, Oscar de la Renta, Prabal Garung, Reem Acra and many others. In my experience orange can be an unforgiving colour for certain skin-tones, so I definitely advise shopping around for a shade that flatters you. If you completely hate orange, then luckily this season has a wide selection of other colours to choose from. All photos from http://www.style.com/.
BCBG Max Azria
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera
Celine
Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Diane von Furstenberg
Elie Saab
Elie Saab
Fendi
Fendi
Hermes
J. Mendel
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Oscar de la Renta
Prabal Garung
Prada
Proenza Schouler
Reem Acra
Tory Burch
Vera Wang
Versace
Yves Saint Laurent
Fashion Forecast: Scarlet Letter
For Spring 2011 runways designers opted to use a decidedly bright palette. One colour in particular which stood out in many designers' collections was bright red, ranging from scarlet to crimson to blood orange. Reds infiltrated the clothes and accessories of Christian Dior, Carolina Herrera, Helmut Lang, Lanvin, Marc Jacobs, Valentino and many others. Below I've included examples of red in the various shows, all photos courtesy of http://www.style.com/.
BCBG Max Azria
Calvin Klein
Carolina Herrera
Chloe
Christian Dior
Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano
DKNY
DKNY
Helmut Lang
John Paul Gaultier
John Paul Gaultier
Lanvin
Louis Vuitton
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Narciso Rodriguez
Valentino
Yves Saint Laurent
Fashion Forecast: The Best Is Yet to Come
Alright, so I am very aware of how long it has been since my last Fashion Forecast, and yes, it is pretty much at the top of my to-do list. Part of the problem is that I am the only one maintaining the blog, and I do have a (rather busy at the moment) life outside of the internet. The other problem is my obsession with being thorough. Although I already have a very clear sense of the major trends of the season, I can't bring myself to post anything before I've seen all of my favourite designers' interpretations of these trends. So, be comforted, I'm at this moment about two-thirds of the way through. I'm hurrying as fast as I can given the Fall 2011 shows are already out and I'm itching to get to them. Anyway, that's about all for the moment, and here's a little preview of what's on its way:
In Celebration of Marchesa
Unlike my Eulogy for Chanel, this will actually be praise for Marchesa. Maybe it's because it's past 1am, or maybe it's because I've already combed through exactly forty-one different Spring runway shows, but when I got to Marchesa I suddenly was no longer saying "Well that's impractical," and "Wrong shapes," and "WHY ARE THERE SO MANY COLOURS LOUIS VUITTON???" and instead just loved everything.
Eulogy for Chanel
Technically, aFirst up:
I would like to meet the person who can make those look good. I remember owning a similar pair in the late '90s. They weren't nice then, and they sure aren't nice now, even with the Chanel brand backing them.
Next on the chop block is this bit of garbage. What I really love is that it emphasizes exactly nothing good about the female body. Who the fuck wants a cape draping off their breasts? Not to mention a transparent skirt so you can show off your uggo underwear. This thing doesn't even look comfortable. It's like lingerie gone horribly, horribly wrong. What are those feathers doing there? If Marilyn Manson designed a negligee I think I would imagine it looking a lot like this.
Purple Rain
So I did only do my manicure yesterday, but shortly after the lacquer dried I had a new idea. I became mildly obsessed with a deep plum purple polish with flecks of gold and purple in it. So I went hunting, but came up empty handed. Luckily, my sister is as much of a polish addict as I am and happened to have the perfect colour. It's Rimmel's Night Before, which I did two coats of and then added purple sparkles to the base of the nail. I'm not sure how old this polish is, but I found it came out rather clumpy. In it's defense it did even out after a moment or two of settling. Overall I'm pretty pleased with the result. For all of my manicures I use Seche Clear's basecoat and Seche Vite's topcoat, which has an unparalleled finish. Honestly, it dries SO FAST and has great wear.
The Elephant in the Room
So along with all my other interests, I have a passionate relationship with nail polish and nail art. As such, I'm going to try and regularly post my manicures for those of you looking for some inspiration. This week's manicure was actually inspired by an elephant bracelet my aunt bought me when traveling in Costa Rica. I used a white nail pen for the details, and the base is Particulière by Chanel, which I sorely need to wear more often to justify spending like thirty dollars on it last spring*cringe*.
Update:
I went digging around on my Blackberry and found some old-ish manicures which I think qualify as cool enough to post. First up we have my Christmas manicure, inspired by Starbucks' holiday cups. I used OPI's Malaga Wine, sprinkled ruby red sparkles over it, then used my white nail pen to do the snowflakes and gave them silver sparkle centers.
Up next is a version of a manicure I saw on Emerald Sparkled. She titled hers Whimsical (I'm too lazy to hunt her version down, but if you do a search on her site you'll find it. Hers was an interpretation of a manicure she saw on someone else's blog, but I like hers best. I used Sweet Rose by Gosh, Essie's Van D'Go, Essie's Innocent, and Sparkle Me Happy from Icing by Claire's nail polish line. The stripes and the bow I did using my white nail pen.
This next manicure was a bit of a convenient mistake. I wanted to go for a sparkly zebra print, but instead it wound up looking like a view of the galaxy. I used Lunar and Star by Revlon, then used a stamp to add a silver zebra print.
Moral of the Story: Epic Fail
Alright kids. I have an apology to make. I have been very M.I.A. over the last few weeks, and for the few of you who check regularly it's annoying. Most recently some renovating has been going down in my humble abode, and so it has taken most of my time and energy, and then last week I was off to my old Alma Mater to get my grad photos done. It was quite the trip and definitely worth the foot of snow that greeted my arrival. None of that would be toooo troubling to my blogging though. The real problem has been my hard drive's recent decision to crash. Permanently. So, off my laptop went to get fixed, where it was given a whole new hard drive. The important part is that I lost all my usernames, passwords, and PHOTOS. So all the work I've been putting in to collecting photos for the blog are now gone, and it seems like quite the Herculean task to reassemble them with all this other business going down. Pardon the complaining, but ARRRRGGGGGGGGGG. Anyway, to try and make up for my epic fail, I'll throw ya'll a fashion tidbit until I can come up with something better.One trend I've noticed emerging over the last year or so is that of cargo pants - specifically green skinny cargo pants. You may have seen such celebrities as Leighton Meester, Victoria Beckham, and Vanessa Hudgens among others all rocking this look.
I love the neutral colour and also that they're a fun alternative to jeans and leggings, which I seem to live in. What stopped me from getting them was a concern over the bulk - the flap pockets on the sides and back made me worry they would create a lumpy silhouette on anyone not supermodel slim. So for a while that was that, and I forgot about them. Then recently our (only) local clothing store went under, and so they've been having closing sales for the last week or so. Today I went to check it out, and what did I find but skinny green cargo pants! Unable to resist temptation I threw them on, and after some debate (which was quickly settled by 40% discount) I brought them home. I am now totally pleased. it seems the key to avoiding bulk is to find a lightweight stretchy fabric - I barely notice the pockets. Thanks to their celebrity following I already have lots of ideas on how to wear them and they blend nicely into my closet full of muted neutrals. I wouldn't recommend breaking the bank to buy a pair as cargo pants are generally only good for a year or two before they become dated and work their way out again. However, if you really want to, the celebrities are all wearing the J Brand interpretation. I myself went for a pair of Mavis that are very similar (both pictured below).
Top: J Brand Bottom: Mavi
If you're looking for a quick way to update your wardrobe, skinny cargoes are great for their versatility and comfort: if you live in jeans it will be a smooth transition. If you'd like some inspiration for how to wear cargoes, College Fashion has done several posts with suggestions, such as this one:
Fashion Forecast Spring 2011: Turquoise
While looking through the Spring 2011 runway shows turquoise seemed to have made its way in one form or another into everyone's lines. The colour ranged from a light turquoise used by Phillip Lim to a more vibrant incarnation which appeared on Burberry Prorsum's runway. Paler versions also were incorporated into Chanel and Bottega Veneta's shows. Whether it dominated the look or was used for accessories, turquoise had a definite presence in the Spring shows. If you're too timid to try the turquoise leopard print shown by Blumarine, I suggest following Burberry Prorsum's lead and trying out some subtler accessories. All photos from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/S2011RTW/
Top Left to Bottom Right: Burberry Prorsum, Blumarine, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Burberry Prorsum
Karl Lagerfeld: or, The Root of All Evil
For those of you who are unfamiliar with good ol' Karl, he secured fame and fortune as the designer for Chanel's fashion house, he has a self-titled line of his own, and he's a noted photographer (and probably other stuff I don't know about). If that doesn't jog your memory, you might remember him as that creepy guy with the plastic face and white ponytail who wears the same damn shirt, vest, and sunglasses every day... as a member of the fashion industry I feel that qualifies as ironic.
Anyway, I take particular issue with Karl Lagerfeld for several reasons, and because I'm petty I hope I can convince you to hate him as much as I do. My reasons aren't many, but I'd say they're fairly compelling:
1. He's like the worst kind of shallow frat boy. Some of you may know about the recent push in fashion to ensure that models are of a more healthy body weight, and many designers (Prada, for example) are now including fuller-figured models on their runways and establishing minimum weight requirements. This fairly revolutionary change was not limited to runways, either, but many magazines ran editorials with plus-size models and incorporated more realistically sized women in their content. Then along comes Karl. When the whole fashion world seemed to be buzzing about this extremely positive change, he decided to announce that fat girls just don't model his clothes right, and he communicated that he had no intention of instituting the above-mentioned changes. You can just imagine him at a kegger, party in full swing, red cup in hand and Kanye shades firmly on, sporting the "No Fat Chicks" t-shirt. Karl Lagerfeld tends to remind me in this sense of one of those awkward old people. You know, the relic of a former era, who every once in a while will say some appalling racial slur or sexist remark that has everyone loudly shushing him and giving apologetic looks to anyone unfortunate enough to have heard grandpa's latest insult. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against old people, but Karl Lagerfeld has retained those attitudes that just should have stayed in the past.
Now you may be saying, "Okay, so Karl Lagerfeld is kind of an ass and can't conceive of women as anything besides mannequins. But there are lots of those people out there, why all the hatred?" Well, that brings me to my second point...
2. Karl Lagerfeld's designs for Chanel are total shit. Chanel has a reputation for being classy; just the name evokes images of pearls and classic suits. Karl Lagerfeld is single-handedly running this great fashion house straight into the firey pits of hell. Season after season I excitedly went to Vogue's website, style.com, to see the latest shows, Chanel included. Naive as I was, I initially hoped that the monstrosity I saw was just a bad year and things would look better next season. Not so. After this pattern repeated itself for a while I lost all hope, but seemed to figure out his design strategy.
I figure what Karl Lagerfeld does is he goes to a trailer park somewhere in the United States, and on his stroll through he takes careful notes on what all the trailer trash is wearing. Then he says to himself, "I'm going to bring that back in style." This would explain why this last fall all his models looked like the abominable snowman. I had foolishly thought that those hideous yeti boots were gone from fashion forever, but thanks to Karl I get to cringe every now and again when I see a pair yeti-ing their way down the street. Karl seems to abandon all notions of form and figure-flattering (which makes you wonder why he thought healthier-sized models would have made a difference) in the interest of throwing whatever's on hand on the model and saying "Yes, so avant-garde!" To me he is the definition of the designer whose only interest is pushing boundaries and being sensational, not designing nice clothes. He's a lot like Zoolander's Mugatu, but without the advantage of being hilarious. I suppose in all fairness I should admit that I haven't bothered looking at his self-titled line, as usually by the time I've looked at Chanel all I want to do is wash my eyes with bleach.
Finally, the last reason why Karl Lagerfeld is the devil's agent:
