Shopping List: Organza Skirts

I can't believe I'm saying this but the holiday season is just around the corner. Halloween is this Friday and then, while you're still nursing your hangovers (or, you know, stomachaches from all the candy) on Saturday morning you'll stumble into Starbucks only to be greeted with peppermint and yuletide spirits (But let's be honest, I cannot wait for the peppermint mocha to make it's long-awaited return). 

Once you get used to the idea that as of November 1st, the holiday season has begun, you'll realize with horror: Shit. This means I need a holiday party dress! Because between family gatherings, office luncheons, and Christmastime galas (what? A girl can dream!) you're gonna need a new sparkly dress or two. And last year's tired version will simply NOT suffice! So what style dress should you be looking for?

How about a maxi (or midi) dress with a sheer organza skirt? These dresses have been everywhere lately, from the runways of Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino to the stars of street style.

Valentino | Anja Rubik | Stella McCartney | Hanneli Mustaparta | Erdem

Semi-see-through organza skirts are fun and festive for the season, and it's a nice way to show some leg while still covering up and staying warm(ish).

These dresses/skirts are perfect for a fancy holiday party or formal event, but I also love when they're styled with sneakers, floppy hats, and other casual accents for a dressed up/dressed down vibe.

Are you hoping to try a sheer skirt this holiday season?

SHOP ORGANZA SKIRTS AND DRESSES:

Trending: Fancy Pants

image source: Tommy Ton

Blue jeans are fantastic. A wardrobe staple, a classic, a must-have, etc. But do you ever slip on a pair of indigo jeans and feel a bit...bored? Sure, the classic pants are great, but there's got to be something more out there.

Lucky for you style stars who feel the monotony of the traditional blue jean, designers out there have similarly felt your plea and have combated the denim doldrums with new embellishments and bedazzelements.

With these jeans, you'll never feel dull again!

Thank You!

Thank you everybody! My goal was to reach 1000 Pinterest followers by the end of October and I did it! I just wanted to thank everyone for following me not just on Pinterest but on all my different social media platforms (there's so many these days, it's hard to keep up with them all!). 

I love you guys and you are the reason why I blog. If just one person is inspired to try a new trend or take an interest in fashion, well, I've succeeded.

So thank you. 

Now let's have some cake!

3 Looks to Inspire Your Fall Outfits

The leaves are changing, and so are your wardrobe options. You find yourself reaching for you denim cutoffs less and less and pulling on the oversized sweaters more as the temperature drops and the seasons shift. But after so many months of warm weather, how does one even dress for fall!?!? The change of seasons can be alarming and overwhelming when it means that the uniform you perfected for the summer months (for me, a lacy dress and a thin scarf, topped off with sandals or sneakers) is no longer of any use.

Yes, fall outfits can be overwhelming, but luckily we live in a time when we can easily draw inspiration from the style greats. That's right, I'm talking about the street style stars of fashion week/month and beyond.

So look no further for some great new ways to wear your favorite looks this fall. These girls provide the inspiration, and I'm showing you how to get the looks for yourself! Easy as 1, 2, 3, am I right?

Source: Style du Monde

No print screams "FALL!" louder than plaid does, so why not wear an outfit made of solely plaid prints to celebrate all things checked and crosshatched? The key is to make sure you have a large array of colors and widths. If you have a small plaid print button-down, throw on a buffalo plaid skirt. Variety is key.

Source: Stockholm Street Style

One of my favorite looks for fall? My oversized knit sweater and the miniest of skirts. It's a great way to look cute without showing too much skin (for modesty and warmth reasons, tbh). On-trend thigh-high boots add a whole new level to this proportion-mixing outfit.

Plus, if it's really freezing out there, just throw on some tights (patterned or solid, it's up to you!) and the effect is still the same. Chic no matter the weather!

Source: Style du Monde

No joke, I love a good Canadian tuxedo. It's a great way to look equal parts casual and polished. Denim is everywhere right now, and in new forms (eg. denim skirts and coats) so there are plenty of ways to get creative with your denim-on-denim pairings. A chambray button-down + distressed denim pencil skirt = fashion gold. Denim robe coat + raw-hem jeans = pure JEANius! 

Oh lord, I crack myself up sometimes. But yeah, Canadian tuxedos are fabulous and you should be wearing them this fall.

What are your fall fashion tips?

Oscar de la Renta (1932-2014)

source

On Monday the 20th of October, we lost a legend. I've always loved Oscar de la Renta and his fun, elegant designs. From Hollywood starlets to the fashionable First Ladies, Oscar was the go-to guy for a glamorous, scene-stealing dress.

In a fashion world that is stuck somewhere between no-frills normcore and high-concept avant-garde, there's something to be said about a designer who just wants to make beautiful things. And that is something that Mr. De La Renta did so well. One of the last beacons of the old guard of fashion, he lived for glamour and fun. We will truly miss him.

Here are a few of my favorite looks by the iconic designer:

runway images from style.com

The Most Fashionable Halloween Ever

Halloween is fast approaching, and for those of you who go for the clever and fashionable costumes over the scary and gory, this post is for you.

I always love a good fashion-related costume, and luckily there are so many lively characters with iconic looks to mimic for the 31st of October. So here it is, The Fashion Barbie's best fashion costume ideas:

Choupette the Cat

Karl Lagerfeld's pampered puss is more fashionable than like 99% of the population, so why not dress up as this cute kitty cat?

Key Pieces: all-white ensemble, white cat ears, baby blue eyes, your own makeup line
Bonus Points if: You have a friend dress up as Karl and take pictures of you all night doing cute cat things

Moschino Dress

Jeremy Scott has embraced the kitsch vibes at Moschino, which is great because he is often inspired by household items, making this a DIY-er's dream costume!

Key Pieces: boxes from your favorite childhood cereals and your imagination!
Bonus Points if: You accessorize with the $1000+ Anya Hindmarch bags that were also inspired by cereal characters. Seriously, who knew Tony the Tiger was such a tastemaker?

Cara Delevingne

She's the supermodel we love to hate (or hate to love?) and thanks to her participation in events like the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and a collaboration with DKNY, Cara is an easily-recognizable fashion figure.

Key Pieces: killer eyebrows, dirty blonde tresses, a beanie, and a model-off-duty ensemble

North West

Baby North West—offspring of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, if you live under a rock—is more fashionable than most humans, and she can't even read Vogue yet. Channel your inner baby diva with a Balenciaga ensemble and a distaste for bright colors (far too childish for this mature toddler).

Key Pieces: Balenciaga leather jacket, Yeezus concert tee, bloomers/diaper (so people know you are a baby, of course!)
Bonus Points if: You are actually the third wheel on a couple costume and said couple dresses as Kim and Kanye.

What are you planning to be for Halloween?

Would You Wear: Culottes

Giorgio Armani | Derek Lam | Philosophy | Araks | Lyn Devon | Marni

Do you remember gaucho pants? They were these horrid loose knit pants with wide legs that ended mid-calf and were all the rage in the mid-2000s. I remember them vividly because I was in middle school—a time when it is so easy to succumb to peer pressure—and gaucho pants were the trend of the pre-teen. Even back then I hated them, and it was then that I learned that just because something is trendy it doesn't mean it's a good look.

Anyways, I bring up gaucho pants because lately the culotte has made a serious comeback. Upon first glance the culotte and the gaucho pant are virtually the same: wide leg pants/shorts that end anywhere from the knee to the ankle. But the culotte is the chic older cousin of the gaucho pant, and somehow I love it while still despising the gaucho pant.

It's all in the material, and, as always, what the culotte is styled with. I'm sure Leandra Medine could have made gaucho pants look stylish with her amazing talent to create unique looks, just as a pair of culottes could go horribly awry with the wrong pairings.

In my humble opinion culottes work best with structured box tops and heels. If you want to be daring you can play up the oversized proportions by adding an oversized sweater, but for a polished, work-appropriate look I would stick with some structure and balance. Heels add sophistication to the outfit, but a smart pair of loafers or oxfords could work nicely.

Leandra Medine | Street Style | Street Style | Eleanora Carisi | Christine Reehorst

There is certainly potential for cool looks with a pair of culottes. And with winter approaching they're a nice alternative to boring structured pants if you are yearning for a break from them. 

So what do you think? Would you wear culottes?

SHOP CULOTTES:

How To Wear A Scarf This Fall

Olivia Palermo rocking a long, belted scarf

Olivia Palermo rarely makes a fashion faux pas. Her polished and poised personal style has a habit of turning whatever trend she wears into sartorial gold. When she was photographed with a long scarf slouched around the back of her neck, untied, but belted at the waist, I found myself eager to try wearing one of my scarves like that.

This way of scarf styling was also featured at the Burberry Prorsum fall 2014 runway show, which is probably where OP got the inspiration, and ever since the look has taken off.

The ideal scarf for draping is a long rectangular scarf that isn't too thick. Be warned: though fabulously stylish, wearing your scarf this way won't keep your neck very warm, so perhaps save this look for a more temperate day.

A dress will give you the best silhouette, and a belt at the waist will give definition and also help to keep your scarf in place.

SHOP LONG SCARVES:

Shear Genius

The arrival of cooler weather often leads people to find out how to best stay comfy and cozy with their clothing choices. The lazy individual will reach for a sweatshirt and some boots and call it a day, but we fashionistas know better. There is, after all, a way to stay comfy and cute.

And so the fashion gods decided shearling would be the trendy texture of the season. Thank goodness! Ugg boots are almost acceptable again (keyword: almost) and there are plenty of options if you are looking to add some shearling to your look.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Are you ready to give shearling a try, or is this a trend that you'll watch from afar?

Trending: Floor-Length Coats

Bottega Veneta | Thankoon | Tracy Reese | Christian Dior | Wes Gordon

Most of the items from the Spring 2015 collections won't be available for another six months (if you ignore the fact that brands like Moschino and Burberry released pieces immediately following their runway presentations, or that sites like Moda Operandi allow eager fashionistas to pre-order the spring collections) but that doesn't mean we have to wait until next year to start wearing the trends.

The floor-length coat gained a lot of traction during the marathon fashion month, with models at Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Dior, and elsewhere dusting the floor with their maxi coats. The coat styles themselves were quite varied—from Tracy Reese's classic trench coat loosely belted around the waist to Raf Simons' structural outerwear at Christian Dior—so there are varied ways to wear this style.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

For fall, a monochrome shirt-and-pants combination or a sweater dress can go wonderfully with a longer coat. Especially if your coat is heavy or printed, a monochrome inner layer creates a slimming effect and keeps a larger coat from drowning you.

Come spring, however, play with proportions! Peter Som and Tracy Reese threw floor-length coats over form-fitting bodysuits. Margiela used a belted coat as a top, strategically cinching it at the waist and pairing with shorts. Thankoon and Emilia Wickstead showed minidresses with long coats, creating a high-low hemline effect.

Shop Floor-Length Coats

The #1 Fall Staple

Image Source: Style Du Monde

It's October 3rd (On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was. It's October 3rd). The smell of pumpkin spices wafts through the air and girls everywhere are preparing their loose-knit sweaters and infinity scarves for the moment that the leaves start to change and they can instagram nature at its most beautiful. Yes, it seems that fall is officially upon us.

Here in Los Angeles there aren't many trees that fade into oranges and reds before the winter, and sweater weather is still a long ways away–its supposed to be in the 90s all weekend, after all–but still there is a part of me, even, that waits with anticipation for the seasons to change, because the beginning of fall means one thing for me: boots.

I love boots. Flat boots, heeled boots, long boots, short boots, black boots, brown boots. Call me the Dr. Seuss of close-toed footwear. Boots are actually great. And the best part is, with the right styling tools you can wear them long before the mercury dips below 60 (which is as cold as it will ever get here in southern California anyways).

What styles am I most fond of for 2014, you may ask? My current pick is the over-the-knee boot, a tricky style that when worn right makes any outfit look sultry and sexy. I always think of a chic Soviet spy in a James Bond movie, a femme fatale in skin-tight black suede boots that hit at mid-thigh, with a sliver of skin showing between the top of her boot and her black silk cocktail dress. But I digress.

The main point is, over-the-knee boots have the power to make you look really, really cool, so if there is one boot to invest in this fall/winter, make it this style.

Here are some of my favorite over-the-knee boots to shop from: