*we are all screaming... [for ice cream]

***

soooo I think it is like officially the hottest day of the year...

All over Manhattan, people are sweating as they bustle through the cityscape getting about their business.

Thank God for shade, Starbucks and the odd breeze...

And who can forget...

ICE CREAM!!

[yup...that's models 'eating' ice cream #whowouldhavethunk]

“Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos.” ― Don Kardong

“Ice cream is happiness condensed.” ― Jessie Lane Adams

“My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate.” ―Thornton Wilder

Go treat yourselves! [I know I will!] Have an ice cream cone kiddies!

Keep cool!

 xx

***

*the last of the couture.

***

Hi darlings,

Here's the last of my fave shows from Paris Fashion Week held two weeks ago....

...and naturally I saved the most blinged out and glamorous ones for last!

These absolutely breathtaking gowns are the creation of two amazingly talented coutouriers who ironically enough are neither Parisian, but Lebanese.

Any thoughts on who I could mean?

None other than Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad of course!...Kings of couture!

While I have had my eye on Elie Saab's designs for a while [his name becoming almost synonymous with red carpet], Zuhair Murad, who is somewhat of a recent discovery of mine, seems to be doing amazingly detailed work on par with that of Mr. Saab.

So, grab a bowl of popcorn, cosy up with your computer screen and open that savings account...cause I guarantee you'll want AT LEAST one of these jaw-droppers.

Enjoy the pretty kiddies!

Murad's "darkly sensual" embroidered creations.

Saab's "royally opulent gowns"...fashioned after crown jewels; emeralds, sapphires and rubies

...featuring simple, soft silhouettes to pull focus onto the embroidery and bead-work.

Oh and before I forget...

...Elie Saab's showstopping finale piece...

..couture bridal gown with bridesmaids in tow.

See the rest of the collections here.

...now you have something to work towards!

Be inspired! Be productive!

xx

***

*centennial

***

Hundrenth post y'all!

Who would have thought that when I started this blog just about a year ago that we'd be here today?

So, in celebration, have some cake! [but not too much..wouldn't want to ruin your figure :)]

...just the beginning kiddies...more to come!

xx

***

*Buy or Bye?! Round 2!

***

Here' we go again kiddies!

You know what to do.

Funky? Or fresh?


*This edition's 'Buy or Bye?!' cover was specially requested by a close friend @morphinejosh *wink*.Haha.

xx

***

*dress you up [in my love]

***

Morning lovelies!

After yesterday's mega-post about Paris,

a) I missed Paris
b) I decided to give you more couture!

Today's pretty comes from none other than Roman couturier Giambattista Valli's Fall/Winter 2013 showing last week in Paris.

Inspired by porcelain china, Valli is quoted as saying, "flowers and colors are what women want from me," and he certainly gave just that! It's a shame that the pictures do not aptly showcase the craftsmanship and delicate details that have gone into these dresses, each having layers upon layers of silk flowers and embroidery.

Nothing to describe this collection as except pretty...[or sweet...or beautiful], I wonder which celebrities will be lining up to snag a dress for an upcoming appearance.

Enjoy!

xx

***

*throwback thursday_paris

***

Grr...

You would not believe how long it has taken me to sit and construct this post...but with it being Thursday and with Paris Fashion Week recently concluding, I thought no time like the present, right?

So, let's get to it, shall we?

For those unaware, during the Fall 2012 semester, I did a study abroad in Wroxton, England, that afforded me the wonderful opportunity to travel and experience new and unseen things [which can only be a plus, right?]. I knew that, having such wondrous adventures, I would be changed; documenting that became the inspiration for this blog!

While the school provided many excursions within England itself, we were also given the chance to spend one weekend in Edinburgh and one in Paris...

...clearly, I put off writing about Paris...till now.

Paris was unique.

What I found was that, amongst my travel companions, the group preferred Edinburgh. However, I do think that this was for two main reasons.

1: the existence of a language barrier [but I'm sure that would be a turn off for most of you]
2: people had low expectations for Edinburgh [maybe not the first place that comes to mind, especially when you are at Europe's helm] and found themselves pleasantly surprised, but had high expectations for Paris and found themselves slightly disappointed.

I thought that it was different. While it wasn't what I expected, I [would like to hope that I] appreciated it for what it was. It was a gorgeous city, with beautiful architecture, lots of culture and there was creativity in the air. On the other hand, I guess to be expected of any metropolitan area, it wasn't the cleanest place I've been and the crowds were so massively unbearable.

Cute! A little cartoon replica of the city!
NB: La Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, Le Louvre et L'Arc Triomphe

But enough of my experiences, we all know what you are here for; the fashion.

To be expected, there was lots of shopping...whatever you desired, from high-end to couture to thrift-shop goodies.

And with clothing options in abundance, the street style was out of this world. You could tell that Parisians live up to their reputation of being fashion forward. Everyone was so well put together, down to the little shop assistants! Everyone was stylish but still managed to be unique. Isn't that what fashion aims to impart?

I was fortunate enough to find this little online guide book created by the Paris Convention & Visitors Bureau which has a link to the different types of styles or personalities one may encounter in Paris and a large selection of boutiques where one might find clothing to suit.

The unique aesthetics, adapted from the guide, include;

*Les Sélects | The Selective Ones
      -You like French elegance and style, established brands and clothing that never goes out of style.
*Les Trendys | The Trendy Ones
      -You keep up with the latest trends by browsing through the newest glossy magazines; thus your wardrobe changes every season.
*Les Créatifs | The Creative Ones
      -You are a trendsetter, putting together your own style; you wear today what others will wear tomorrow.
*Les Bobos Chics  | The Bourgeois-Bohemian Chic Ones
      -You take care of your appearance but are not too concerned with your look. You mix timeless basics with designer pieces blending classic and modern.
*Les Ethic Ethnic | The Ethical-Ethnic Ones
      -You are a globetrotter with a conscience and your style reflects this. You wear ethnic mix-and-match prints and support organic and fair-trade associations.
*Les Astucieux | The Clever Ones
      -You are the smart shopper, always hunting for a bargain to find the next cute dress or designer accessory.

Hmmm.. I wouldn't exactly say I'm solely one of these; most probably fitting into Creative and Bobo Chic [and I would think most college students are naturally the 'Clever Ones'].

Which one do you relate to? While I can't tell from the collages which personality matches each image...maybe you can...

Isn't the style gorg?! I would love to return just to be inspired by the various street style exhibited.

Phew! Ok...I think I did Paris justice...

Have you been? What did you think of the city? If you haven't, would you like to go? Why?

Have a ponder kiddies.

xx

***

*couture collections

***

With the closing of Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2013 last week, I thought that I, as a blogger [as many do many others], have a duty to cover, give my opinion on, or at least acknowledge the occurence of one of the 'Big Four' Fashion Weeks...

Of these major Fashion Weeks, Paris Fashion Week, with all it's haute couture shows, is especially looked forward to, as it is a major stage for Parisian couturiers to showcase their talent.

Dozens upon dozens of edgy, avant-garde, and just plain gorgeously detailed and meticulously handcrafted clothes glide down runways, depicting designers' visions and painting fashionable fantasies for those in attendance.

And, with gorgeous one-of-a-kind pieces, lavishly hand-tailored by the best ateliers [workshops] in the business, it is no wonder why a number of celebrities attend these shows to scope out their next 'Award Season' looks.

I'm not really going to review the collections as much, cause I think that they're all beautifully made clothes and, even if a collection does not align with my aesthetic, one cannot deny the true skill and craftsmanship in designing true haute couture.

Instead, I'll post a few of my favorite looks, from a few of my favorite shows! Deal?

Starting with....

Dior!

Gorgeous clothes; gorgeous color story....and there's those stripes again!

A more modern take on couture, designer Raf Simons, who's inspiration was 'freedom' noted that, "if we don't adapt to what women in society are now about, couture might disappear..."

See the rest of the collection here!

A salute to modern freeness!

Enjoy the pretty kiddies...more to come!

xx

***

*karolina; sea and sand.

***

Back for more pretty?

If you insist...

Dress by Thom Browne; SS13.

Here's Czech supermodel, and former VS Angel, Karolina Kurkova on the June 2013 cover of Vogue Ukraine.

And, cause I'm missing the beach....her fun-in-the-sun, mermaid inspired, summer editorial.

Gorgeous, no?

Hmm...makes me wish I was by the ocean running around in really expensive clothes...

Sigh. One can only dream. 
 

“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” ― Unknown

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choice-less as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea.” ― Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me.” ―
Isaac Newton  

xx

***

*Spring 2013 Trend Alert: stripes [+stars].

***

And a happy new week to all! [even though it's Tuesday]

Hope you are all back on that work flow after what hopefully turned out to be a relaxing and enjoyable 4th of July weekend.

[reminds me of a certain *americana post, no?]

Maybe you spent it barbequing with fam, lounging by a pool or [like me] sleeping the weekend away indoors in front of an ac unit.

But regardless of how you spent the holiday, it is a time to marvel at how far this great country has come in the past 237 years...and wonder how much further it can go in terms of development.

Hmm...so, in celebrating ye old stars and stripes...how about another Spring 2013 Trend?

Yea?

Hitting the runways last season's fashion weeks, we saw a reemergence of Stripes on the runway. Not exactly having gone out of style, as various fashion mags have reported them to be a trend in Spring 2009, 2010, 2011 and both Spring AND Fall 2012, it is clear that these bold lines are here to stay. 

Angular. Sophisticated. Chevron.

Furthermore, with designers constantly challenging themselves to reinvent the wheel [or in this case the line] collections are featuring a lot more color, as opposed to the traditional b&w stripes, a combination of horizontal AND vertical all in the same look! and even the increasingly popular chevron stripes.

Designs by Dolce and Gabbana, Christian Dior, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Paul Smith.
Images courtesy Style.com and Google.

So go out! Raid every H&M, Zara and Topshop...I hope you each start rocking some bold, linear looks serving zebra crossing realness!

And, just cause I can...

"Stars" in Stripes! Ha!

Top L-R: Chanel Iman, Rihanna, Cassie, Hailee Steinfeld
Bottom L-R: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Blake Lively, Olga Kurylenko, Katy Perry

Enjoy!

xx

***

*Buy or Bye!

***

*meep*

So, here I am once again introducing a new element to this blog.

It's only going to be a trial..and depending on kiddy participation will hopefully become a fun and regular feature.

The game is called "Buy or Bye!"

Here's a magazine cover followed by a quick-click poll...

...see where this is going?

Let's get to it then, starting with this month's issue of US Vogue!

Remember kiddies, vote on the cover not the mag!

Would you stop and shop? Or keep on trucking? Let your clicker do the talking!

xx

***

Spring 2013 Trend Alert: Metallics

***

Eek!

So, it's definitely been a WHILE since I've updated you all with the current goings-on in the fashion industry [not like you need me to tell you what's going on anyway...]

Maybe you've all noticed lately an increase the need to wear your sunnies due to glare? No no, your eyes haven't become more sensitive to light...it's the resurgence of Metallics!

*insert collage here*

 

 *haha I'm actually pretty proud of this one*

*ahem* So yes, while metallics have been around since the dawn of...metal, many designers have felt the creative pull towards these radiant and reflective materials, featuring them in their last-year's-to-be-worn-this-year's collections.

These include Diane von Furstenberg, Blumarine and [maybe my fave of all] Burberry. [maybe you remember some shiny, colorful Burberry pieces from a previous post?]

In fact, part of the reason that I react particularly well to their collection, may be due to the fact that I love color; bright, bold color...and that these "metallics" are not simply the golds, silvers and bronzes we have become accustomed to... Yes, classic and as chic as ever...but these nouveau metallics force one to step out the box and opens up so many new and exciting styling possibilities.

So, while you let that sink in and decide to step away from the blacks, tans and neutrals in your closet...I'll be out searching for the brightest, boldest some easy-to-integrate pieces to mix into my existing wardrobe.

And, just for fun...celebs wearing shiny clothes!

L-R Top: Camilla Belle, Emily Blunt, Nicole Richie, Kirsten Dunst
L-R Bottom: Elizabeth Banks, Naomi Watts, Carey Mulligan, Gisele Bundchen

*shine bright like a diamond*

Ciao!
xx

***

*switch it up

***

Hey all,

Really making the effort to post more and keep you all entertained.

What do you fancy?

You've had your daily fabulous....how about some fierce?

"Neo Couture." by Karl Lagerfeld ft. Karlie Kloss, Saskia de Brauw, Lindsey Wixson, Aymeline Valade and Daria Strokous. Numero 131.

"Neo Couture." by Karl Lagerfeld ft. Karlie Kloss, Saskia de Brauw, Lindsey Wixson, Aymeline Valade and Daria Strokous. Numero 131.

xx

***

*[pride]

***

As most of you know [unless you've been living under a rock], yesterday was NYC's annual Pride Parade.

A celebration of community and equality, qualities that we should all aspire towards, NYC's week long of  festivities ends in a culmination of colors and love.

However, despite it's apparent beauty, one must always be mindful of the underlying meaning of Pride week. It is not only to celebrate how far we in the LGBT community have come in the fight for freedom and our rights, but also to recognize how much further we, as humanity, have to go.

I believe that the words of one of my very close friends aptly summarizes this ideal...

He says,

“PRIDE has meant many things to me in my life, but never has it just been about being a fag or not. It’s a celebration of us, of humanity no matter where we come from , what we look like, or what or who we do… this past month I have seen love and hate, People holding prejudice where you least expect it, and acceptance and tolerance from where you least expect it… this weekend I was able to celebrate with friends and strangers, gay, straight , black brown red yellow and blue all the same, in each and every party and place the breeze blew me… I was reminded of one thing though, the hope for a better world, belief in humanity and belief in a generation all come from belief in oneself… If we’re lucky and believe in ONE love and the effervescence of a generation, we will live to see a world that shines with more resilience than can even be dreamed of- a world for our children to grow, love and be loved in all the same…”

 Thus, in commemoration of this rainbow event [and what would pride be without some colorful fashion], here's a few fabulously fashionable and, better yet, colorful clothes.

                               “What have you done today to make you feel proud?” ―Heather Small.

xx

***