Relaxed Luxe

Fashion has recently learned to take itself less seriously. After the dark and minimalist streak of the fallen economy, designers have found a lightness in their work. We are able to have fun with our fashion, but there is now a certain sense of practicality infused in clothing today.

It is time to embrace this in our clothing. It is time to throw caution to the rules of fashion and embrace palazzo paints, flowy dresses, and lower heels. We are energetic, busy creatures and sometimes we need clothes that adapt to movement. Sometimes fashion and comfort do go hand in hand.

1. Crumpet knitted cashmere dress 2. Tory Burch sandals 3. Missoni wide-leg pants 4. Diane von Furstenberg sleeveless top 5. Dolce & Gabbana coat 6. Aubin & Wills striped blouse 7. Day Birger et Mikkelsen striped cardigan 8. Stella McCartney tote bag 9. Jil Sander shift dress 10. Etoile Isabel Marant smock top 11. Tibi wide-leg jeans 12. Emilio Pucci lace shorts 13. Pierre Hardy studded sandals

(all items from net-a-porter.com)

High in the Sky

Lucky guests of the Chanel Spring 2012 Haute Couture Show were treated to an out-of-this-world experience. Guests entered an oversized "space shuttle" and watched models walk down as the shuttle simulated a trip into space. Think of it as a Space Mountain for the couture set.

Everything seemed to be blue. A million shades of blue. Or at least one hundred fifty shades, as Tim Blanks states. From the palest of sky blues to icy Atlantic shades, the azure spectrum was presented in full in Paris. Though slightly futuristic in cut, I personally feel that the collection is much more current than the space shuttle setting might infer. The subtle shades and moderate simplicity, combined with an innovative use of fabrics -or rather, materials substituted for fabrics- actually brings up the world's current state.

Here we are, the last frontier before us, the possibilities of our endeavors more numerous than the stars. What will we do with the ability to expand our horizons but perhaps not the resources to practically do so? We must be innovative, as Lagerfeld was here, substituting cellophane and other non-fabrics as if they were fine silks. And he does so flawlessly. The age of innovation is here. You must be ingenious and thoughtful if you wish to truly get ahead. 

This, my friends, is the reality of our very near future.

Of course, there can only be so much practicality in a couture show. The later half of the show was strewn with glitter and sparkle, almost like the twinkling stars in the dazzling night sky. Still keeping with the blue theme, these party-ready dresses were my favorites in the show and I hope to see the likes of Elle Fanning and Diane Kruger out and about in these numbers.

As always, Lagerfeld kept with the Chanel staples of boy-meets-girl silhouettes with boxy, drop-waist dresses, and a casual strut. A personal favorite was the French cuffs in exit 11. Also noted: the stiff necklines vaguely reminded me of Zenon (as in, girl of the twenty-first century, particularly in this stunning get up)

And, of course, what is a couture show without a few red carpet-ready gowns? This show offered a brilliant array of options for Oscar-bound starlets, though my word of warning is that couture dresses are especially hard to pull off without any alterations. Take a cue from Julianne Moore, who flawlessly altered her Chanel Fall 2011 Haute Couture gown to make it more practical for an off-the-runway setting. Luckily, these gowns actually require few alterations if worn by the right girl, so we can only hope that the right girl does indeed wear one of these dresses.

Mister Lagerfeld, as always, you have a reason to smile. Now please, give Bill Gaytten some notes on how to successfully execute a couture show.

(images from style.com)

Just Can't Get Enough

Hey, guys! Guess what?

I'M A SECOND SEMESTER SENIOR!!

Yeah, just had to get that out there. Finally I have some time to myself and I can once again enjoy the year. There's so much I've been obsessing over, but I just haven't found the time to post about my latest loves, so now, voila! Here's one of the things I just can't get enough of lately.

Leopard Print Coats

Moschino Cheap & Chic PF 2012; Nina Ricci PF 2012; The Row AW 2011

There's something so glamorous about leopard print, and yet also something fresh and youthful. I love the way Moschino and Nina Ricci did their leopard coat looks with a big coat over a mini skirt or feminine dress. It totally reminds me of a young girl playing dress up with her mom's old pearls and ballgowns.

Leopard is always nice because it transcends seasons, which is always nice when decided to invest in a fur coat. Here are some of my picks if you feel like getting a little wild:

 

Dress Up Time

Tara Jarmon tunic (underneath dress)

vest from Anthropologie

Betsey Johnson party dress

With finals almost over I've been yearning to get all dressed up and not have a care in the world, so I frolicked around the house studying AP physics formulas in a party dress while dreaming of the party-filled weekend I have ahead of me.

TWO MORE TESTS AND THEN I'M DONE!

Golden Globes 2012 Red Carpet Review

Ah, the Golden Globes. The official kick-off to awards season, the Golden Globes is the slightly less formal sister to the Oscars, but that isn't to say the dresses are not as daring. There were plenty of hits tonight, and many improvements from last year (the host, however, seriously needs some updating). Let us look at some of the most stunning -and surprising- looks of the night.

Baring it All- As a fan of Showtime's Homeland I was proud to see Clare Danes win for her riveting role in the show, and even more delighted to see how well she looked in this J. Mendel gown.

The Avant-Garde Girl- You can count on Evan Rachel Wood to take a daring fashion risk on an otherwise safe red carpet, and this Gucci number certainly is worth the risk.

Most Overrated- I've never really understood the Angelina Jolie appeal. Yes, she is gorgeous, but she always looks so bored and unamused by everything. This Atelier Versace dress would have been stunning had that red band at the top disappeared, but it is nothing special.

The Triumphant Win- Another woman I'm glad to see win: Octavia Spencer. Her role in The Help made the movie fantastic, and she looked beautiful in a pale lavender Tadashi Shoji dress.

Questionable Taste- Had Natalie Portman taken the side hump off of her Lanvin gown, I maybe would have liked it, but that asymmetric bump is just too distracting.

One of a Kind- Tilda Swinton is certainly the only one who can pull off this Haider Ackermann skirt suit like she does, but damn, aren't we glad that she does!

You and Madonna Should Have Traded- Someone needs to tell Lea Michele that she should take advantage of more youthful dresses while she still can! Lord knows Marchesa has plenty of poofball dresses that would be more flattering for such a young actress.

She's Back, Baby! Last year I sadly announced that Nicole's reign as a fashion force had ended. Today I am back to say that this Aussie has come out of fashion retirement and has stunned us all with this gorgeous Versace number.

 Swingin' Sixties Girl- Zooey Deschanel, everyone's favorite quirky girl, wowed in black and green Prada and a hairstyle evoking, as my mom pointed out, the styles of the sixties TV show That Girl. It's nice to see Zooey more coquette than kooky and I hope she continues with this retro-glam style.

Most Improved- Julianne Moore has finally stepped away from Lanvin and into Chanel Haute Couture and the result is perhaps one of the most beautiful looks of the night. The simple waves of her hair, the fabulous peplum skirt, the emerald earrings- everything looked flawless. I have always adored Julianne as an actress and as a woman, and I am just so glad to finally see her in a gown that accurately depicts her as the beautiful woman she is. Here's to you, Julianne!

(all images from hollywoodreporter.com and zimbio.com)

Watermelon Smiles

Zara Sweater

Juicy Couture Cardigan

J. Crew Shorts and Sandals

Vintage Hat

Today was a day when I pondered if going to the East Coast for school would be worth it. Let's see: seventy-seven in SoCal or thirty-seven in New England...hmm...Well, we shall see if I even get in to any East Coast schools before I start worrying about the weather. 

But yes, today's outfit was inspired by watermelons. An ode to summer when January feels like summer

Surfer Blood

Whenever my brother comes home I always feel more in touch with the surfer culture of our town. Being a tiny island on the Pacific, it is hard not to appreciate surfing, even if you personally cannot even stand up on a board. I've watched many a surf video over winter break, and I must say it is an incredibly remarkable talent to be able to ride the waves.

The typical surfer is laid back and down-to-earth, and the fashion world has adapted this mantra in its attempt to mimic surfer style, but the runway version is a bit sleeker than the true rip curlers. Think primary colors, body con, and color blocking, like a perfectly slick wetsuit.

 Diane Von Furstenberg; Marni; United Bamboo; Versus

The key is to go for a shiny fabric -like leather- in a neutral or pattern and pair it with a bolder accent. Things that remind you of swimsuits and rash guards are perfect to achieve such a look.

Derek Lam; Nanette Lepore; Stella McCartney; Versace

Ready to hit the waves? I've pulled up some gnarly pieces that will have you looking totally cool wherever you go.

(all images from style.com, tumblr, and net-a-porter.com)

Sports Authority

I used to hate all those "sporty" editorials that Vogue and Teen Vogue featured at least once every two months because they tried so hard to make normal clothes "sporty," and somehow "sporty" clothes had to be blindingly neon. This spring, however, it seems that sporty clothes have gone uptown, and I much prefer this style to Vogue's. "Sporty" clothes suggest comfort, and even in fashion comfort and wearability have their place.

That's why hip designers like Isabel Marant and Philip Lim have made sweatshirts and tennis shoes into fashionable must-haves by using sleek fabrics and muted hues to appeal to a more sophisticated set. Who says we must always suffer for fashion?

ADAM; Alexander Wang; Derek Lam; Rag & Bone

 (images from style.com and net-a-porter.com)

Good Day

Black embroidered cardigan by Tabitha via Anthropologie

"The Help" dress made by me

Black floral gladiator sandals via Anthropologie

Today has been quite the lovely day for me! Still seventy and sunny here in coastal California, I've been making the most of the great weather and showing off all my fashionable Christmas gifts. Today I decided to wear this dress I made for two reasons:

1.  I had an interview with a Brown University alumni and wanted to show off my favorite dress I've made; and
2. The yearbook staff was taking pictures of all the senior standouts, and yours truly won "Best Dressed"!

With applications winding down and finals preparation revving up, it's been hard for me to catch my breath lately, so I apologize for the lack of blogging recently, but I promise I am doing my best! I hope all is well with those who are not so fortunate as to live in sunny California and if all goes as well as I thought my interview did, I may be joining you East Coasters next year in the snow and rain!

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!