Tag Archives: style

Fashion Week Favorites

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New York. London. Milan. While Paris Fashion Week hasn’t even started yet, there are simply too many fashion shows to keep up with. After reviewing hundreds of runway photos, my favorite Fall 2013 collections so far are from Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, and Dsquared2.

I love Anna Sui’s bold use of color and eclectic mix of fabric and textures. From the clean wingtip eye makeup on the models to down to the shoes, Anna has redone the 1960s in a very groovy way and kept it young and playful. Might it be a reminder that yours truly was swinging 60s before Ms. Sui debuted her Fall collection. Call me clairvoyant.

Badgley Mischka’s slim silhouettes, fur, jewels, and dark hues paint the portrait of an elegant lady. It is said that the duo were inspired by the female characters from Alfred Hitchcock’s films. I’ve never seen any of his famous movies, but now I will definitely check some out, just for the outfits. Oh the horror!

Dsquared2 channeled the 1940s wartime look without the seriousness of the war. They added their own whimsical twist to the popular silhouettes and styles of that decade, with pencil skirts, suits,  fedoras, and fur. I must find excuses to wear socks with strappy heels more often. I drool over the men; the menswear doesn’t look so bad either.

What are your favorite runway looks from Fashion Week?

O, Be a Lady First!

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Our country has had many great presidents, and behind each of them, there has always been a wonderful First Lady. And where there is a First Lady, there is a fabulous wardrobe. And behind that wardrobe is likely a large walk in closet. No, make that an entire wing of the White House.

When most people think about fashionable First Ladies, Jackie O comes to mind. Who can forget her pillbox hats, gowns, and over-sized sunglasses? Currently Michelle O is reminiscent of the late Ms. O, as her stylish outfits have the power to make unknown designers (Jason Wu) become overnight sensations, as well as keep longtime fashion brands (J. Crew) still relevant to the consumer. Oh, Ms. O and Ms. O, you two are kindred style spirits indeed.

I rock the presidential vote because my voice matters. But ask me to go into a political debate with you on foreign policy and I will politely decline. What I will debate on is whether I should wear a red dress + white cardigan, or red pants + blue top, or blue skirt + red top for my salute to the presidents?

I purchased this Michelle worthy J. Crew sweater jacket secondhand at Crossroads some time ago. The first time I wore it, someone commented, “You look very..…president’s wife-y.” I haven’t worn it much since then. However, with Presidents’ Day beckoning, it is my patriotic duty to honor our country’s past commander in chiefs with a little red, white, and blue. I paired it with a red sheath dress and pulled a cream vintage Anne Klein skirt over it. I love the skirt’s interesting gathering and draping – it has pockets also! Nothing declares “First Lady” better than a strand of pearls. I only wish I owned a pillbox hat to complete the look.

Go Rouge

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Mary wore her red dress, red dress, red dress. Mary wore her red dress all day long.

Miss Mary, you were so stylish for your time.

Red is not a color to be taken lightly; its intense hue is known to raise blood pressure and heart rate. For these reasons, red is often associated with many things, such as love and passion (Valentine’s Day/Singles Awareness Day), or good fortune and happiness (Lunar New Year), and even the fight against heart disease (Go Red for Women). February is definitely the month to go rouge in your outfits. My closet has so many pairs of red shoes and red dresses it would put the ladies of the Red Hat Society to shame.

I found this classic beauty at my monthly visit to the antique faire. Lucky for me, the dress fit wonderfully and the vendor was ready to make a deal for $15. This dress is likely from the 1960s due to the ruffle bell sleeves and is all sorts of awesome. I told you I was going to get a bit groovier, but you didn’t think it would be so soon, did you?

This dress is a whole lotta red and doesn’t need many bells and whistles especially because of its color and sleeve detail. I kept it low key with nude fishnets and low-heeled leopard pumps. Jewelry was kept to a minimum, but I did wear a feather headpiece for some added drama, and skipped my usual red lip. The dress was missing the matching red belt, so I added a black one with some hardware detail to define my waist.

Oh Henry with the green sneakers, I think I’m ready for my roses and candlelight dinner now.

Happy Lunar New Year and soon-to-be Valentine’s/Singles Awareness Day!

Red Dress

Seeing Red

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Shift Happens

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Growing up, my favorite pal on Saturday night was Nick. Nick introduced me to Samantha Stevens and Jeannie. I loved watching these two women use their superpowers with good intentions, albeit sometimes to spite the men in their lives. Although I did not know it at the time, those shows probably influenced my passion for vintage today.

I admit that the 1960s is not one of my favorite decades of dress, but it has been growing on me as of late. My aunt recently did some spring-cleaning and offered me her vintage shift dresses from this era. I couldn’t turn down such a groovy offer.

The 1960s were characterized by a general shift in culture, as well a growing youth generation. During this time, shift dresses became very popular, and is perhaps the reason why they are named exactly that, the “shift.” Icons such as Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick epitomized this style of dress. An interesting fact is that these frocks actually originate from the 1920s, only this time without the fringe, feathers, and beads.

How to spot a shift dress? They generally have a simple boxy silhouette that might hang straight or slightly A-line from the shoulders with the hemline above the knee. For these reasons, this dress is versatile and can be worn by many body types, especially if you have a boyish figure like myself.

My favorite details of this dress are the elegant princess seams that transition smoothly into hidden pockets at the hips. The petal collar also adds a bit of whimsy and “flower power” to the outfit. The weave of the wool is quite psychedelic; I like to describe it as herringbone on LSD. To avoid feeling like a 12-year-old boy, I wore a pair of hidden platform pumps with a very high heel to balance out the straight and conservative silhouette of the dress, and finished with a few simple gold accessories to keep the true 60s vibe alive.

Be prepared to see me in more swinging 60s ‘cause I am up shift creek without a paddle. Groovy baby!

Arm Candy

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Vintage clip on earrings I have galore, dainty pendant necklaces, chains, and pearls I have a plenty, but arm candy I do not.

One of my New Year’s style resolutions is to add some more baubles to my empty wrists. I love my vintage gold-toned cuff watch (which I wear in almost every post), but I realize I need to add a bit more pizazz and bling to my outfits. On my wish list: chunky bangles, spikes, wrap-arounds, charm bracelets, chains, and watches. I love me some studs too, but since Ryan and Joseph aren’t available, these gold ones will do.

Arm Candy

Goodwill Hunting: When Wooly Met Poly

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Harry and Sally. Sonny and Cher. Wool coat, meet polyester blouse: one a natural fiber, the other a synthetic.

I have a nasty habit of donating to Goodwill, only to turn around and purchase something from their retail store. On a recent trip there, I ambled up and down the aisles until I found this wonderful bright blue polyester blouse in a petite size (such a rarity!). I should have stopped there, but, feeling a bit empty handed, I proceeded on to the coat racks. It must have been serendipity, for I discovered this wooly coat in excellent condition, minus the mystery wadded up tissue in the pocket.

Being a petite girl, I am not usually a fan of oversized shapes, as they overwhelm my figure. However, the cocoon-like silhouette of this jacket was an exception. The roomy shape actually allows me to pile on a chunky wool sweater underneath. No need to worry about weird bunching of layers, which often occurs when you try to cram too much under a fitted jacket with a defined waistline.

The speckles of charcoal, blue, brown, and red in the coat inspired the color palette for this outfit. The rough wooliness of the coat and the smooth sheen of the blouse combine to create a texture rich ensemble.

Talk about Goodwill hunting.

Wooly and Poly

Sprung Over Spring Trends

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Before the frost has had a chance to melt, spring is already in the air. I guess global warming is a bigger problem than I thought. However, the New York trend reports are to blame for this short-lived dry winter, not our carbon footprints. Unless you’re wearing a pair of red soled Louboutins.

No time to comb through the runway shows? Fear not, for I have broken it down into digestible chunks for you. Some of these trends may not come as a surprise, as fashion tends to cycle through several seasons and repeats itself in history. For example, midriffs are back in style, and harks back to the I Dream of Jeannie days. My favorite trend so far is the peek-a-boo fishnet and web-like wovens, as if lace took a turn to the dark side.

Which trend are you dying to get your hands on this season?

cage lace: Louis Vuitton
chambray and denim: 3.1 Phillip Lim
far east movement: Prada
neon brights: Oscar de la Renta
petals and florals: Etro
global prints: Vera Wang
high contrast graphics: Marc Jacobs
homme femme: Ralph Lauren
leather clad: Jason Wu
midriff: Timo Welland
white slice: Alexander Wang
sheer: Missoni
frills: Balenciaga

You Can Toucan

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Happy New Year! Nothing like ringing in the frosty weather by bringing in pops of color and showing a little leg in my first outfit post of 2013.

I would sum up my holiday vacation to Belize in one word: ADVENTUROUS.  The sights I saw were simply unbelizable. The weather was gorgeous, the people were friendly, the seafood was plentiful, and the mosquitos weren’t really biting. What more could I ask for? Oh yes, much, much more: snorkeled with tropical fish, turtles, manta rays, and nurse sharks in the second longest barrier reef in the world; hiked through a muddy dense jungle in the pouring rain; found out what it was like to literally be stuck between a rock and a hard place as I shimmied my way through tight spaces and waded through waist deep water in dark caves; witnessed the spectacle of glistening stalagmites and stalactites; and climbed the steep ancient stairs of the Mayan ruins. There were many Kodak moments that weren’t captured on camera, so I’ll just have to rely on the snapshots in my memory.

Ready for the Amazing Race
I touched the nurse sharks
Pretty pastels
Warm clear water
Bright blue
Is that a banana in your hand or are you happy to see me?
Lamanai
Fan of the flora
Ice cold coconut
Toucan whistle souvenirs
Peppers
Tikal
Hearty lunch after Tikal
Share the road!

As for local fashion trends, there really wasn’t anything too exemplary. Even I looked a bit haggard during the trip and donned the stereotypical tourist look: hat, tank top, khaki cargo capris, and hiking shoes. Chic Vic I was not.

There was just one colorful trendsetter in Belize that was out of sight due to its fleeting nature: the toucan. The toucan is the national bird of Belize. Unless you’re an avid birdwatcher or an early bird, the sighing of this colorful beauty is rare and few to the average Joe.

The toucan is a great of example of color blocking at nature’s finest, second only to the panda bear. Color blocking is exactly what it sounds like: wearing “blocks” of color – solids only, no prints. Sorry leopard, zebra, and cheetah, you’re out of luck. I was inspired to use the colors from my souvenir toucan salt and pepper shakers to mimic a little color blocking myself. Pencil skirt, flared skirt, or skinny pants? I couldn’t decide on what black bottom to wear, when at the last moment, while digging through my dense closet, I had forgotten I owned this pair of silk shorts purchased from Express many seasons ago. And just like that, a faux romper look was created. I tied it all together with a silk scarf at my waist for a makeshift cummerbund. The blouse, silk scarf, shoes, and earrings are thrifted. Approximate cost of head to toe look including the toucans: under $50.

Unfortunately, shortly after this photo-shoot ended, both birds suffered trauma resulting from impact on concrete due to my clumsiness. Pepper survived with only minor cuts and bruises, while Salt had to undergo major reconstructive beak surgery by Dr. Superglue. Both birds are now resting and will never serve their purpose of being salt and pepper vessels.

Hey Mon, can’t wait to shake my tail feather once it gets warmer here.

Jan: You Can Toucan

Red + Green Holidaze

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There’s an elephant in the room and it isn’t white. Because white shouldn’t be worn after Labor Day, duh.

If you’re wondering what to wear to that white elephant party, look no further than your Christmas tree. The red, green, and sparkle that are associated with the holiday’s décor can be applied to your outfits as well. This is the only time of year that you can pull off these color combinations while being appropriately called the Grinch, Santa, or a Ho (ho ho). I’ve been nice and naughty; may I have hot coal with that?

Red and green can be effectively worn together with careful accessorizing. I cheated with this awesome 80s dress that has pops of bright red roses with olive green foliage, purchased at Salvation Army during one of their regular weekend sales (50% off all clothes!). All it needed was some TLC: I removed the shoulder pads, reinforced the buttons, washed, and pressed it. I didn’t think my outfit screamed Christmas until someone at work exclaimed, “What a great holiday dress!”

This dress is an example of 1980’s “power dressing.” As more women started to enter the work force in that decade, the emergence of shoulder pads became in vogue in order for women to feel equal to their male counterparts. The rise in shoulder pad popularity correlates with women’s increasing role in the work place, as evidenced in the 1940s war era as well. In fact, some fads synonymous with 1980s fashion can be traced back to the 1940s.

To soften the power-dress look and stay warm in the frosty weather, I added a vintage knit sweater cape with gold detail buttons that I found at Mercy Vintage. As there are no visible tags, I can only imagine it was lovingly knit by some adorable granny in her rocking chair with a pet cat named Sylvester at her feet. I completed the look with herringbone fishnets and a pair of high platform peep-toe pumps with rhinestone details to keep the outfit from looking dated. All I am missing is a poinsettia or mistletoe brooch on my cape.

Santa, I hope I don’t get stuck with a shake weight this year.

The Grinch

+1

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Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Jack Frost nipping at your nose.

Company holiday party time is here.

Rhyming isn’t my best suit. But I love a holiday party where men must wear suits. Anybody need a plus one?

The holidays are upon us, which means it is time to be a plus one to company holiday parties galore. Normally I find it quite awkward partying it up with other people’s co-workers, let alone my own colleagues. I often think back to my past experiences at conference room potlucks with the obligatory White Elephant gift exchange. However, when the occasion calls for “black tie optional,” that changes my perception quickly. This party went from awkward social gathering to an off the chart fancy soiree topped with bubbly champagne and delectable hors d’oeuvres. Time to bring out my shiny number.

I found this maxi romper suit at my local Buffalo Exchange. “New and recycled fashion” is their mantra. Although Buffalo Exchange mostly offers a lot of contemporary pieces, I would say that out of all the chain resale-clothing stores, you are more likely to spot an authentic vintage item in their racks for a very reasonable price. This one-piece was in great condition and fit as if it was custom made for me. I couldn’t have been more elated, especially when it was only $17.

I had a blast at the company party, and couldn’t get enough of the delicious appetizers, the bubbly, and of course, the elegantly dressed ladies and dapper gentlemen. Unfortunately as the night went on, my photographer/date’s beer goggles started fogging up. The pictures don’t do this classy onesie justice; you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Now, go on and get your fancy pants out there. It’s time to get drunk and say some inappropriate things to people you will never see again. Oh, the joys of being a plus one. Cheers!

The Holiday Party