Filed under: Fashion
I came across this Katie Ermilio dress on Shopbop the other day and I still haven’t been able to shake it from my thoughts. Not only is it taffeta (squeal!), but that lovely full A-line skirt you see is detachable, and when removed it gives way to an elegant and fitted cocktail dress.
I’m sorry, but I could rock the hell out this dress, and that’s without ever removing the outer skirt. I’m also really taken with how the deep V bustline and the same shape of the thin straps at the back exposes a lot of skin, but with such an elegant shape overall the look is pure class.
The price is quite high at $1,600 but as a fan of all of Ermilio’s past designs, and with all of the attention she’s gotten lately, I can only see investing in a piece from her as a wise one. Right about now I’m wondering how much I have saved in my coin jar….
If you’re interested in a quick rundown on Ermilio, here’s a great article. (Oh yeah, and by the way, she’s 26 years old.)
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I had been preparing myself for a less than spring-y Spring this year, but as luck would have it we’ve been completely spoiled so far. I actually got to wear shorts and skirts for the past five days! I don’t remember Seattle being this generous last year, in fact I remember something like two straight weeks of rain at one point. My fingers are crossed that this lovely weather continues. Hoping you’ve gotten kissed by the sun as well.
Kiss!
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Summer dress for an impromptu al fresco brunch. Love the kimono style of this dress, complete with the sweetest drop-waist skirt. Too bad the skirt was so short the back of my legs looked very much like the stripes on the tablecloth, thanks to the picnic-style chairs. Ah, but who cares it was a gorgeous day, and my legs hadn’t seen the sun in for-ev-er.
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On The Radio Live (1983). I’ve unabashedly confessed my obsession over disco music a few times before, so of course I was really sad to hear that Donna Summer had passed away yesterday. She has always been, and will continue to be one of my all-time favorite artists. Here’s a sweet little performance to celebrate The Queen of Disco and her talents that went far beyond that title.
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Just as I was talking up my black and yellow dress fetish, I happened upon a similar situation for shoes. This time just swap the yellow for gold and there seems to be quite a trend emerging. Also, don’t forget all the gold we saw at the Met Gala last week. Oh, and while we’re trending about the Met any of these numbers would complement a dark currant lip color so nicely.
I’m excited about this one!
Gucci Cracked-leather and suede sandals $850 / Metallic leather and suede sandals$850
I love the simple elegance of these. Very 40′s esque. (Check out those shiny heels!)
Jimmy Choo Bunting metallic leather sandals $895
I haven’t had a pair of Jimmy Choo’s on my mind in a long time. Glad to have him back. I love the idea of this cagey look with an LBD and pearls.
Yves Saint Laurent Cardinal metallic-paneled suede pumps $1695
I never would have guessed that I’d have liked these YSL’s but there’s something so bold and timeless about them. I’m thinking paired with skinny cigarette pants and some gold armswag.
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Marni Leather-trimmed watersnake sandals $1045 / Marc by Marc Jacobs Suede and leather sandals $350
I’ll always be a sucker for a T-strap pump or a chunky platform sandal.
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Miu Miu Glitter-finish suede wedge sandals $750
These are great fun and despite the glitter the cork wedge makes these guys much more casual.
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Christian Loubotin Corpus 100 leather and chain pumps $1495
I’m beyond over Louboutin’s but these shoes seem to be both classic and forward at the same time.
There’s plenty more to check out too, lots of sandals and flats that would work for summer. Hope you find something good!
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For me, the Met Gala is about the ULTIMATE dress. The one gorgeous, extravagant, daring, and innovative frock that you couldn’t wear anywhere else. Oddly enough it seems there are fewer dresses that meet these criteria each year, but there are still plenty that I would enjoy seeing at other red carpet events.
Regardless, I thought I’d collect some of the elements that could possibly end up working their way into now or seasons to come. Here are just a few examples that stood out.
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Gilded
Lots of gold and glitz, but the only one I truly enjoyed was Carey Mulligan. It’s so interesting and still so lovely. She looks great, and I adore the heavy eyeliner with the nude lips. Outside of Carey, and going against everything I just listed as Met-worthy, I’d have to go with Michelle Dockery’s gold and black number; however, I would have styled it with a bold necklace (turquoise perhaps?), a clutch and maybe more of a lively hair-do. I love the gloves though.
Everything else here is gaudy and dated.
Carey Mulligan in Prada / Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana / Michelle Dockery in Ralph Lauren / Karolina Kurkova in Rachel Zoe / Jessica Paré in L’Wren Scott / Bianca Brandolini D’Adda in Dolce & Gabbana / Leighton Meester in Marchesa and Harry Winston
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Citrus
I love the range of orange to yellow. Nothing incredible but still a couple of lovely dresses. Solange in yellow might be my favorite, and while Kristen Bell looks great the dress is almost prom-like. And now to Kirsten. Am I supposed to appreciate its intent and styling? I would love it in a movie (kind of Joan Crawford-esque, isn’t it?), but I’m so confused to see it on the red carpet.
Kristen Wiig in Stella McCartney and Fred Leighton Jewels / Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte and Van Cleef & Arpels / Katherine McPhee in Elie Saab / Kristen Bell in Tommy Hilfiger and Van Cleef & Arpels / Emma Roberts in Escada / January Jones in Versace / Solange Knowles in Rachel Roy
Currant lips
I’m most excited about this category and it might just be because I have a super dark lipstick that I’ve had forever and have been waiting to wear again. I’m sure this look won’t be a sweeping favorite but I like the darker take and think I’ll be able to try this out in the fall. As for the dresses, Camilla looks lovely, and ranks right up there with Carey. (Jessica and Lana both look lovely and also fit in the Gilded category.)
Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren / Jessica Alba in Michael Kors / Amber Valetta in Prada /Kate Bosworth in Prada / Lana Del Rey in Altuzarra/ Jessica Chastain in Louis Vuitton and Harry Winston
There are a million more dresses and trend possibilities so check them out. Outside of these you should check out Gwyneth and Beyonce.
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Beatrice Rorke
The only thing better than ogling the latest street fashion photography is finding these images from the LIFE magazine archives…all the way back from 1944! Alfred Eisenstaedt (perhaps most well-known for the V-J Day Kiss in Times Square) photographed these ladies in front of Rockefeller Center as part of a series called Beautiful Girls in New York.
I have a small collection of vintage dresses that I adore and each time I wear one I feel effortlessly stylish and elegant, just like these lovely ladies do here. There’s something magical…even ethereal about vintage dresses that just can’t be duplicated with something new. And don’t you find it so interesting that each of these outfits is still completely relevant today? (By the way, I’ve got some great vintage shops to share if anyone’s interested.)
Oh, and can we talk about the hats, gloves, and shoes? Polished from head to fingers and toes!
Delma Byron
Eileen Moore
Ginger Sokoll
Iris Abel
[via Happiness is...]
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Filed under: Fashion
On an innocent browse through Net-a-Porter the other day I was struck by this lovely little number from Prabal Gurung’s 2012 Restort collection. I have a feeling this is a love or hate scenario, but really, isn’t it interesting? So many elements I’d have never thought to combine, and to be honest if you were just to describe it to me I’d say you were schizo. But somehow the bold black and yellow paired with the floral touches, asymmetric lines, dropped-waist sash, and the ruching at the skirt all make for one hell of a party dress.
I’ve been noticing lots of black and yellow combinations lately, and if I were a bettin’ woman, I’d say that any form of yellow is a color to start stocking up on.
Rose-print silk tank dress, Prabal Gurung. $1,550.
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Ok, so it’s no secret how much I adore lusting after beautiful clothes and premiere designers; but here’s the thing, it can be discouraging to covet such lovely things and realize that the price point is higher than your wallet can take. And while I have plenty of covetous moments it’s also not completely impossible to add some great pieces to your closet.
Here’s the thing…
1. Quality over quantity. Instead of buying more pieces, save and wait to find that one piece that’s perfectly tailored, made of quality materials, unique in style, and ultimately makes you feel amazing. This means I have far fewer opportunities to come home with new goods, but for me at that moment I have the perfect piece and it makes up for anything I could have had bought in between.
2. Avoid splurging on trends. If you can try to identify ones that will have a long-life, or have classic elements to them they’ll be worth splurging on. The Cavalli dress I found buried on a sale rack definitely has a great of-the-moment print, but the classic cut (ultimately the fitted pencil-length) make it something that I’ll be able to re-purpose forever.
3. Remember it’s an investment. Buy these knowing that you won’t always be able to wear it, but hang on, they always come back around. So, I scored these Jimmy Choos at a Nordstrom sample sale about eight years ago. I wore them here and there but there definitely came a time when they seemed out-of-style (back when the platform trend was just taking off). I tucked them safely away and knew a time would come when I could pull them out and wear them again, never guessing it’d be about another of-the-moment pairing by mixing prints! And of course, because the dress is so fitted, the smaller heel is important here. (Keep it classy.)
4. Be patient. Knowing that you’re investing in pieces with a longer style life gives you the chance to wait for great sales. You can either eye a piece and keep watch (risky, but rewarding), or you can migrate over to new stores and start scoping out the sale racks to see what catches your eye. Either way know that many times you’ll be coming up empty-handed, but when you do score your investment piece it will be better that any ten ”buying just to buy” pieces you got. Forget the instant gratification and wait for the big pay-off, trust me.
5. Be confident. Only buy something if you really feel it; make sure you can see yourself in it, make sure it makes you happy . There’s nothing worse than paying top dollar for something you’ll never wear!
Next time you’re less than inspired by a quick trip for a new pair of shoes, give it a go, hold off and save your cash for that perfect pair that are waiting for you at the next Barney’s sale.
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Baggu Leather Spring Collection
I’ve written about my love affair with my Baggu bags in the past, so with the introduction of leather bags a while back, and now this new Spring color line, I realize it may be time to update my collection. The naturally milled leather looks super-soft, no?
I guess I should admit that I’m pretty hard on my nylon bags so I’d have to think about the best way to use the medium leather bag in a slightly different capacity; I’m not sure it’d do so well with the way I navigate the farmer’s market. Perhaps I’ll start with a small pouch and give it a go. Check out their full collection here.
Leather bag S $120, Leather bag M $160, Pouch S $20, Pouch M $40
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Filed under: Fashion
The standing ovation at Yves St. Laurent, along with the news of the departure of Stefano Pilati, followed by today’s outstanding showings from Chanel and Alexander McQueen have all made for another wondrous Paris Fashion Week; but for me my favorite collection came from Chloé.
Understated and sporty, yet elegant and feminine with a palate of pastels that move from sweet spring into more natural hues for the fall, and some gorgeous bursts of crimson red. I’m taken with the oversized jackets and sweaters paired with perfectly tailored pants and skirts, but then there’s also the ease of the flowing skirts (and those crimson red trousers!) that also have my attention.
While many of my other favorite designers went with more severe and intense looks, it was refreshing to see this truly lovely fall offering from Chloé.
[Images via Style.com]
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Sweet little guy. I came across this photo a few weeks ago and was instantly taken with his whole aura; the smile, the style, his tiny little fingers. After a bit of digging I traced him back to a non-profit site called Planeterra. Among their many projects he is the face of one that sponsors surgical centers in remote areas of Tibet (which has one of the highest rates of blindness in the world). I admit I felt a little guilty for admiring his fashion sense: organic, authentic, and real, but I was ultimately happy to have stumbled on such a great site.
