The Wonders of Lanvin

One of my favorite Pre-Fall 2010 collections is Lanvin.

The clothes, the styling, the photography…it looks so luxurious and effortless. It captures most of the fall trends and expresses them in such great ways.

Though I do look to designers for inspiration, I don’t translate their looks literally because it’s quite difficult to pull these off in real life. But taking a few cues and adding them to my own style gives a nod to the greats without ripping them off.

It might be a silhouette, a color palette, or a mix of accessories that grabs my attention. Then, I take these ideas back to my closet to see what outfits I can create.

Here are a couple of my faves and I hope it’ll inspire you too!

All photos from Style.com

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A Fall Wishlist Part 1/3

Since I put myself on a shopping ban for this month, I created a wishlist of outfits that I can see myself wearing.

It’s pretty tame, but the subtle details and pops of color reflect my personality. I tend to shy away from matchy-matchy accessories, opting for colors and materials that complement one another but still go together.

A basic work look with a blazer and trousers sounds boring, however, adding some jewel tones makes it visually interesting. There are several key elements that make this look modern, incorporating some trends without being over-styled.

• Mix materials from wool to suede for 3D texture
• Fitted/tailored pieces make the body look sleek and slim
• High-waisted wide leg pants create a sophisticated silhouette
• A blouse with a bateau neckline balances the body proportions
• Minimal but vibrantly textured accessories ties it all together

Outfit Details: Urban Outfitters blazer, Urban Outfitters blouse, Theory trousers, Madewell brooch, Forever 21 cuff, Coach satchel, Fergie Tazed heels

Not only am I creating these outfits to pine over what I don’t have, I’m using them as templates.

I love wearing pants so the outfit above is definitely one I would wear. I have some similar items, so improvising an outfit based on this inspiration shouldn’t be too difficult. I’m looking forward to fall and I don’t mind the ban so far.

How about you readers?

What’s on your fall wishlist? What trends are you excited about?

The Look: Deconstructing the Schoolboy

The other day, I was browsing through the J.Crew website and my boyfriend came by to see what I was doing on the computer. Without any prompting, he started picking out items that he thought I could pull off.

One of them was this photo.

It’s androgynous. It’s feminine. It’s classic. But it’s also very modern.

My boyfriend can usually pick out things that match my style, but he also pushes the envelope with items I don’t normally wear. He’s more adventurous with my closet choices than I am!

I let him be critical and I don’t get hurt if he doesn’t like something I really like. Plus, I try my best not to corner him with the “Does this make me look fat?” question. We can agree to disagree.

Back to the outfit photo, I think it’s too reminiscent of my private school days and who wants to wear a uniform? But my boyfriend replied that it’s a nod to the whole schoolboy look while keeping it contemporary and sexy.

The jeans make it sexy. (So he says.)

If you break the outfit down to its basic parts, it’s very simple. The white shirt and the cardigan give off the business look, but the jeans and rolled up sleeves make it more casual. Adding the tie is the final touch that makes it outfit pop. It’s a bit unusual and yet, it works in the photo.

But can I really pull it off?

I looked through my closet and I found a couple of items similar to the ones features in the J.Crew picture and I think I did a pretty good job replicating the look.

Outfit Details: Talula cardigan – XXS (Artizia), Banana Republic button down – XSP, William Rast Ultra Skinny Jerri Jeans – 24, borrowed tie, Aldo pumps

What do you think…a DO or a DON’T? And for what occasion would this be appropriate to wear?

Bandages Anyone?

I was cleaning out my inspiration folder and I came across this photo of Michelle Williams. I love her outfit and I adore her bandage skirt. It’s different yet flattering, but I can’t figure out where it’s from!

<<Source>>

I have a bandage skirt of my own, but I don’t wear it very often because I’m self-conscious of my hips and thighs, which is exactly the area the skirt accentuates. To me, they’re humungous and for a while, I was a size bigger on bottom than on top. Since I’ve been exercising more regularly, the “fatness” has slimmed down some. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to bust out wearing short shorts and such.

The beauty of camera angles is that you can “hide” your flaws but when you’re romping around town, you can’t hide anything. There is no “good side” when you’re on the street.

So how did I wear the bandage skirt?

Can Petites Wear Maxi Dresses?

Some say yes and others say no.

While doing a brief scan though the net, I found a couple of DON’Ts when it comes to choosing maxi dresses for petites. Here’s MK Olsen and Rachel Zoe showing how NOT to wear a maxi dress or a kaftan for that matter.

More fabric + Larger prints + Shorter stature = Overwhelmed Frame

Still, there are several maxi dress styles that DO work for petites.

Are you Kid-like?

Yes! The summer collection of Stella McCartney for GapKids is out!

It’s cute, it’s bright, and it’s totally summer! I know, it’s a kid’s collection, but I do fit into some of their sizes, so why not go for the more age-neutral pieces?

Personally, I find the tops and dresses to be unflattering on my body since it’s made to be boxy. As for the pants and sweaters, I fare much better. But I’ll need to head to the store to figure out my size if I’m getting any of these items. In the previous collection, I managed to snag a gray cardigan in M, but I’m an L in their regular stock. So we’ll see if the sizes are consistent because I know I haven’t changed much since the last Stella McCartney for GapKids collection.

Here are a couple of my picks:

New Year’s Resolution Part II

So, continuing on from the previous post, here’s the rest of the update on my New Year’s Resolution. (NYR)

My food budget is reining in my eating out expenses and helping me stay healthy. My stomach is weak in the morning, so multi-grain oatmeal is the only thing I can have for breakfast. I’ve been baking a lot more and making things like bread, pound cake, cupcakes, etc. I can’t eat them all at once, so I send them off to my friends.

Instead of eating at chain restaurants, I want to support the local neighborhood and find awesome neighborhood gems…so I’ll keep fast food to a minimum. So far, I’ve found some great places: Le Saint Amour, Ford’s Filling Station, and Cafe Brasil. When I eat at an independent restaurant, it feels special, especially if the chef physically works there!

Overall, I’m doing well on all fronts except shopping. It feels like I’m cutting expenses in all areas of my life in order TO clothes shop, which is not what I had in mind. So, I’ve re-vamped my goal to make it more realistic in the next couple of months. For my closet, I am limited to 30 pairs of shoes with a max budget of $100 per pair. Also, I can purchase clothing that fills the “holes” in my wardrobe such as slim-fitting trousers. As for accessories, I need a more substantial collection that does not consist mostly of Forever 21 wares. The rest of my clothing will adhere to the “one in, one out” rule.

Here’s a quick look at some recent nautical purchases:

Details: Madewell Navy Breton Tee XS, Martin + Osa adjustable belt S/M, Forever 21 fish necklace

All this budgeting, waste-reducing, healthy-lifestyle maintaining effort is not for nothing. I want to be more conscious of my purchases, where it is clothing or whether is it food. We’re so accustomed to fast-food and fast-fashion that I think we all need to take a step back. Sometimes, we’re so wrapped up in ourselves that we seldom take notice of how quickly the world is changing.

At the airport, I noticed that out of 50 passengers, half were hooked up – on the computer, listening to their ipod, or fiddling with their smartphones. Only two groups, less than 10 people in total, were having a physical conversation/social interaction.

Has technology made us socially isolated and awkward?