fashion

Fashion December 18, 2018

Winter Style Is Like an Onion – It Has Layers

If you’re living in the Northern Hemisphere at least one thing is probably obvious to you: It’s December and that means it’s winter around these parts and even if you live in a hot and steamy locale like lovely Texas, and winter might not be as cold as your mental image of a white winter, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get just a little chilly occasionally (think- those days where you walk outside and you don’t instantly start sweating). And when it’s chilly, layers become an integral part of your style choices because they give you the option to add or subtract warmth as you go, which can be very convenient if you traverse in and out of doors with frequency.

I happen to love fall and winter fashion precisely because of the layering. The more layers, the more possibilities- and one of my favorite things to do is figure out ways to wear my clothes that I’ve never thought of before. I put together a few outfits that make creative use of layering to celebrate the colder weather. Check out my creations below:

Velvet and Faux Fur: A Match Made In Heaven

Velvet is one of the most indulgent materials of the winter season and it pairs so well with the shabby-chic vibe of my thrifted, faux fur jacket. Plus, I layered a sheer, high-collared shirt underneath for an extra layer of detail that really made this fancy look pop.

Festive (?) Black

Are you questioning whether or not black can be festive? This is an interesting question, one that perhaps deserves a separate discussion. For now, check out the way I layered this flowing velvet/satin shirt over a high-collared, vintage Victorian shirt which I thrifted in high school to play an 1800s rich woman on the go at our annual art gallery event. A red plaid jacket, some glittery sock boots and a gold key pin worn directly over the heart finish off this otherwise understated look with festive flair.

Sexier-Than-Normal Librarian

When I first styled this outfit, I was really skeptical that it would actually look good, and to be honest, the jury is still out. I paired my long, thrifted plaid, pleated skirt (honestly a dream find that has been rotting in my closet since high school before I rediscovered it) with a velvet mock-neck top and a funky loose-knit blouse. Some dangling tassel earrings were the finishing touch. Perhaps the best part of the outfit are these cute little block heels- they remind me so much of Barbie shoes that they never fail to make me smile!

Bombshell Ingenue Looking For Love

Honestly, I might have saved the best for last. Just look at how cute this ruffled, green dress is layered over a mock-neck, short-sleeve sweater. And with a black peacoat on top, I look like I belong in a romance novel, searching for love during the loneliest season of the year. Of course I added a white rose to the look, just to drum up drama. Why not?

If you liked these outfits, thanks! I appreciate it! If they’re not your thing, that’s totally fine because most of the fun of fashion is having different perspectives and learning and collaborating with each other! Stay tuned for even more styled shoots in the near future!

Runway December 14, 2018

Malamute Spring 2019 Shows Us the Meaning of Knitted Perfection

While everyone is moving their attention towards the incoming Pre-Fall 2019 collections, I’m still caught up on Spring/Summer 2019. There were so many amazing collections, and many of the smaller ones did not receive the recognition they deserve. One of my favorite small collections from the season was Malamute Spring/Summer 2019 which brought us a cultivated collection of fun, preppy looks mixed with impeccable knits all inspired by Christopher Nolan’s movie Memento which explored the thread of memory and repetition.

Although this was Mari Odaka’s ninth collection with Malamute, this collection was the runway debut of her stunning knits and gorgeously-tailored dresses that perfectly suit the female form. The looks that shone the most, in my opinion, were the retro-looking linen dresses with fringe across the bodice- they had such a charming, western vibe that was hard not to admire.

Other standouts included two fitted knit dresses and plenty of distressed denim outfits to inspire my off-duty wardrobe. And the red details sprinkled throughout the looks really served to bring everything together into one refreshing collection of western-inspired looks to lust after. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more from Odaka’s Malamute in the years to come!

Check out a few of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All photos found on Vogue.com

Runway December 7, 2018

Ancient Egypt Gets a Makeover with Chanel Pre-Fall 2019

The Chanel Pre-Fall 2019, Métiers d’Art show was a momentous event that transported viewers back to ancient Egypt with a catwalk that appropriately took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Temple of Dendur exhibit. Models slunk across the runway shimmering in all manner of gold and adorned in accessories that nodded to ancient Egyptian culture (see scarab beetles galore, pyramid-shaped purses, round hats and elaborate collars.)

chanel pre-fall 2019 métiers d’art fashion runway egypt style — A shendyt-inspired skirt and large, sweeping collar/shoulder silhouette gave this classic Chanel Tweed suit an Egyptian twist. Plus those gold tights- wow! (Photo: Vogue.com)

While the clothing certainly looked striking on screen, the pieces are best appreciated up close, as to observe the great amount of handmade detail that went into them. The gold-woven tweeds were made with tulle, sequin and metallic ribbon, while some gauzy gold materials are an elaborate mesh of tiny golden beads and each knit is encrusted with shimmering paillettes to imitate ancient Egyptian jewelry. Each look in the collection is an impressive work of art that deserves appreciation.

While ancient Egypt has had its influence in popular culture throughout the past century, this collection has brought many interesting aspects of Egyptian style back into the limelight, including skirts with a slight rise in the front in imitation of the Egyptian kilt-style wrap skirts. One of the styling choices that interested me the most was the layering of the classic Chanel tweed suits over the ankle-length wispy, white skirts that nodded back to the styles worn by Cleopatra and her women.

The collection also managed to meld aspects of 1980s NYC (Chanel’s showing in New York was a first for the brand)- with wide, sweeping shoulders, oversized blazers and loud prints that echo back to those popular in the ’80s, which were also a celebration of graffiti art.

While this collection was a triumph of artistic endeavor and luxurious craftsmanship, it didn’t pique my interest aesthetically. Although the liquid-y, gold tights were gorgeous, I’m not the biggest fan of gold in fashion, as I believe it can easily look cheap, tawdry and make any well-meaning outfit look like a costume. I do believe some of the gold details in this collection cheapened the looks, but perhaps that is because I didn’t experience the show in-person and was not able to see the work put into each piece. Pictures can only show so much!

Overall, I do think it was a success. Fashion should transport and delight the senses, just like any other art form- and even if this collection doesn’t interest me on a personal level, I appreciate what it has done in bringing ancient Egypt back to life.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All images found on Vogue.com

Runway December 5, 2018

The Mythos of Artful Layering With Givenchy Pre-Fall 2019

The beauty in myth is that they all serve to teach us a valuable lesson- Icarus let his hubris launch him into the sky, only for him to come crashing back down, a beautiful, blazing glory. While Clare Waight Keller used Icarus to inspire the Givenchy Pre-Fall 2019 collection, it did not fly too high for its own good. In fact, it too, has a valuable lesson to teach- the art of layering.

In the Fall and Winter seasons, it may be tempting to put style aside and just focus on keeping warm, but this collection serves as a reminder that Winter fashion is just so damn fun, so why not take advantage of it? One look sees a cinched dress pulled over a high-neck collared top for a prim, pressed style. Another pairs a soft, slouchy knit sweater with a crisp, pleated skirt. Every outfit plays with your expectations of color, pattern, line, material- begetting looks that are chicly unique.

Perhaps one of my favorite looks sees a structured, super-cropped jacket paired nicely with a long, classic-looking, yellow dress, creating a stimulating juxtaposition of length. Plus, the collection employs one of my all-time favorite shoe looks- a tall, slouchy boot coupled with a long, flowing dress.

While myth and legend can serve as muses for the most dramatic of collections, Givenchy’s newest collection is understated and sleek- a modern crash course in how to put together a thoughtful outfit. I was struck and inspired by the smart use of length and layers, married gorgeously with architectural lines and varying delightful textures. This collection proposes a thesis we should all heed- when consideration goes into the choice of each piece in an ensemble, the results will be nothing short of elegance. Excellent tailoring helps too.

Check out a few of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All photos found on Vogue.com courtesy of Givenchy.

Fashion December 2, 2018

Green Is the New Millennial Pink

Millennial pink- that powdery, light, almost-salmon pink that projects a sense of innocence, purity and ironic prettiness- has been all over the runway and in every fashion magazine and blog for the last couple of years. It’s chic, yet playful- polished, yet accessible. Then, what Man Repeller dubbed “Gen Z” yellow came along- a more, bright, fun and laid back shade that gave millennial pink a run for its money. Now, a new color has arrived that may just dethrone them both and become the new *it* color.

Green- a natural, fresh shade that begets an attitude of renewal and growth- the perfect shade for this generation of movers and shakers. Green has been burning up the runway, and not just any green- a light, lime, almost-neon green, an eye-popping shade that will imbue any ‘fit with a chic trendiness and a streetwear-cool vibe.

All of this to say, you need to get this color in your wardrobe ASAP because it will be the next big shade. Here are some of the best “futura” green (hey, every new trendy shade needs a name, right?) looks seen on the Spring 2019 runways:

Emanuel Ungaro
Mulberry
The Gigi Collection
Veronique Leroy
Veronique Leroy
Anais Jourden
Balenciaga
Beautiful People
Blumarine
Gucci
Hermes
Maison Margiela
Manish Arora
Paul and Joe
Saint Laurent
Stella McCartney
Thom Browne
Valentin Yudashkin
Valentino
Versace

All photos found on Vogue.com.

Runway November 30, 2018

The Art of Imperfection in Valentino Pre-Fall 2019

It was easy to fall in love with Pierpaolo Piccioli’s latest collection for Valentino- a sharp, red collection rife with snappy pleats and plenty of Valentino’s signature ruffles. And while the fashion world reels in the wake of the Dolce & Gabbana controversy, Valentino’s show was a rousing success, leaving the crowd awestruck at the finale, as red petals rained from the ceiling.

valentino pre-fall 2019 tokyo fashion show runway — Valentino’s crisp Pre-Fall 2019 collection emphasized the beauty in imperfection and featured plenty of pretty pleats and ruffles. (Photo: Fashionista.com)

Shown in Tokyo, a first for Valentino, this collection celebrated the intricacies of Japanese culture by honoring the concept of wabi-sabi, or finding beauty in imperfection, and kintsugi, the art of repairing broken porcelain with molten gold, a theme that Piccioli feels is very timely.

“Western culture is about symmetry, perfection, static beauty, while wabi-sabi is more close to the idea of harmony, of inner grace. Time goes by and it adds, it doesn’t take away. It’s really interesting for this moment—in the past, beauty was perfection, but I really feel beauty is about diversity, that this idea of wabi-sabi is very modern in this moment.”

The show itself thrived off its many juxtapositions- the bright red printed against a deep black, the neutral makeup with the blue lip, the extravagant quality of the clothing and the plainness of the industrial warehouse venue. Every aspect of the collection served to bring to light another feature, making the clothing a joy to bring the eyes across.

And while much of the collection was rendered in a pure and piercing red, there were many moments of softness and pause, like with a short baby-blue dress and another soft, millennial pink ensemble. And while there were a ton of frills and downy jackets that floated down the runway like a puff of smoke, the looks were almost always grounded with some sturdy-looking shoes- another detail to fascinate the gaze.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the show below:

All photos found on Fashionista.com, courtesy of Valentino.

Fashion November 28, 2018

Dolce & Gabbana’s Great Fail & Why Stefano Gabbana Is Garbage

If you are in any way connected to the fashion realm, then you’ve probably already heard all about Dolce & Gabbana’s latest blunder with their Great Show planned in Shanghai, China. An enormous fashion show was planned, boasting over 300 models with thousands of Chinese stars and Key Opinion Leaders (their term for influencers) set to attend. Unfortunately for Dolce and Gabbana, the universe had other things in mind.

Leading up to the show, Dolce and Gabbana released a series of three promotional videos on Chinese social media and their Instagram that featured a Chinese model attempting to eat oversized Italian cuisine with chopsticks, all while a male voiceover attempted to tell the model how to eat the food in a very patronizing, and semi-creepy-sexual tone. As you might expect, this did not go over well, as Chinese people took to social media to denounce the videos as racist because they relied wholly on stereotyping and infantilized the model and Chinese people overall by suggesting that they would not know how to eat foreign foods if presented with them.

View this post on Instagram

#DGlovesChina ? More like #DGdesperateforthatChineseRMB lol. In a bid to further appeal to luxury’s covetable Chinese consumers, @dolcegabbana released some hella offensive “instructional” videos on the usage of chopsticks. Pandering at it’s finest, but taken up a notch by painting their target demographic as a tired and false stereotype of a people lacking refinement/culture to understand how to eat foreign foods and an over-the-top embellishment of cliché ambient music, comical pronunciations of foreign names/words, and Chinese subtitles (English added by us), which begs the question—who is this video actually for? It attempts to target China, but instead mocks them with a parodied vision of what modern China is not…a gag for amusement. Dolce & Gabbana have already removed the videos from their Chinese social media channels, but not Instagram. Stefano Gabbana has been on a much-needed social media cleanse (up until November 2nd), so maybe he kept himself busy by meddling with the marketing department for this series. Who wants to bet the XL cannoli “size” innuendos were his idea? Lmao. • #dolceandgabbana #altamoda #rtw #dgmillennials #stefanogabbana #shanghai #chinese #italian #cannoli #meme #wtf #dumb #lame #chopsticks #foodie #tutorial #cuisine #italianfood #asianmodel #asian #chinesefood #dietprada

A post shared by Diet Prada ™ (@diet_prada) on Nov 19, 2018 at 6:39am PST

Enter Stefano Gabbana- the decidedly filter-less cofounder of the label that has a long history with taking criticism poorly… really poorly. In response to someone letting him know why the campaign was racist, Gabbana responded by saying that China is a “country of s***” and that Chinese people eat dogs. Apparently he didn’t get the memo that blatant racism isn’t good for PR.

In another amateur bad PR move, Gabbana later claimed that those comments were not made by him because his account was hacked, even though, as the much-revered Instagram fashion blog @diet_prada pointed out, Gabbana posted screencaps of the very same Instagram DM conversation on his stories. Mixed messages much?

After enormous outcry and an onslaught of entertaining videos of Chinese influencers destroying their D&G goods in a variety of ways, Dolce and Gabbana’s dreams of holding their “Great Show” died, leaving us with a half-assed apology video and a ton of questions like “Why do we even still put up with them?”

That’s right, folks- the fact that Dolce & Gabbana is problematic isn’t news. The infamous duo (but mostly Stefano Gabbana) has been offending various audiences for years and here are a few of the best (worst) examples:

5 Reasons Why Dolce & Gabbana (But Mostly Gabbana) Are Trash

1. Internalized Homophobia and War On IVF Children

In 2015, Dolce & Gabbana showed their blatant homophobia when they stated that they do not believe that gay people should be able to have and raise children because it went against nature. To make matters worse, they also referred to children conceived via IVF as “synthetic.” Yikes!

Elton John, who had two beautiful sons with his husband through IVF clapped back- “…Shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children.”

2. #DGHatesNaples

In 2016, Dolce & Gabbana created the #DGLovesNaples campaign, where they photographed a slew of models dressed to the nines in D&G with Naples locals. While the idea seems charming in concept, it was deemed offensive in its execution because it often showed the models photographed with Neopolitans in stereotypical roles like pizza maker or peasant.

When the Neoploitan people pointed out why they didn’t appreciate the campaign, Stefano Gabbana responded in the only way he knew how, by further insulting them, saying he will never visit Naples again and that Neopolitans are “the disgusting of Italy.” The D&G PR department should really consider taking Gabbana’s social media privileges away.

dolce and gabbana naples italy fashion editorial

One of the images from the Dolce & Gabbana Napoli campaign that featured a Neopolitan pizza maker.

3. Even More Racism

In a recent interview, Stefano Gabbana admitted that after he and Dolce are finished, he does not want a Japanese designer to design for the label. And this comment came soon after the label staged a show in Japan to court the Japanese public. Gabbana really has a terrible track record for showing basic human decency.

4. Body Shaming Lady Gaga

After Lady Gaga’s dynamite halftime performance in 2017, Stefano Gabbana took to social media to criticize her choice in showing her stomach, later retracting his comment and issuing an apology: “I know it’s strange, but finally something real not retouched! The truth, reality. Yesterday I criticized it too, but I thought about it and I was wrong!!!”

While some may credit him for issuing an apology, that doesn’t change the fact that he found the need to comment on Lady Gaga’s stomach to be more important than commenting on her abilities and her outstanding performance- a common issue for women in many industries.

lady gaga super bowl halftime performance music popstar

Lady Gaga put on a spectacular show during the 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, yet received a ton of unwarranted comments about her body, rather than her kick-ass performance. (Photo: Ben Liebenberg/NFL)

5. Fatphobic Sneakers

How could you go wrong with a pair of sneakers? If anyone could find a way, it’s good ol’ Dolce & Gabbana. They released a pair of sneakers with the phrase ” I’m Thin & Gorgeous” printed on them, something that many people found to be a subtle way of pushing a fatphobic message.

So what did Gabbana do when faced with criticism? You guessed it- he made matters worse with more hateful comments like:

“u think is better to be fat full of hamburger??? Stupid” and

“When idiocy distorts reality!!! incredibile!!!! Next time we’ll write LOVE TO BE FAT AND FULL OF CHOLESTEROL.”

dolce and gabbana fashion sneakers fatphobic

The infamous sneakers that boasted the questionable phrase “I’m Thin & Gorgeous.” (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

You can’t make this stuff up, folks. If you decide to support Dolce & Gabbana, then that’s your decision, but in my personal opinion, jerks like Gabbana don’t need anybody to stroke their ego. Just let it die.

Runway November 27, 2018

Revisiting Miu Miu’s Cheeky Resort 2019 Collection

On November 22, Miu Miu re-staged their Resort 2019 show in Shanghai, China.

Miu Miu Resort 2019 runway fashion — Everything I love in a good summer outfit- light, sheer pants, sunny colors and chic shades. (Photo: Vogue.com)

It seems like the fashion industry has been all about courting the Chinese market lately, with some good and not so good results. While Dolce and Gabbana decided to cancel their show due to public outrage over Stefano Gabbana’s racist comments, the Miu Miu show went on without a hitch and reminded us of how much we loved the collection when it first premiered back in June. While the winter is just gearing up, let’s revisit the sunny collection and remind ourselves how warm and pleasant life can be.

Like all good resort collections, the Miu Miu Resort 2019 collection premiered plenty of soft colors and flowing silhouettes for easy, yet uncompromisingly elegant wearing. And while the clothes were fabulous, they weren’t the stars of the show. Miucci Prada called in a cast of influential celebrities including Game of Thrones’ Gwendolyn Christie, Rowan Blanchard, Uma Thurman, and Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink. Prada made the decision to include them at the last moment in a flash of spontaneity, a move that played perfectly with the fun and spontaneous vibe of the collection.

The collection was whimsical in that it combined the casual coolness of oversized cardigans and sporty jackets with pretty little dresses embellished with sparklies and hemmed with luxurious feathers. Almost all of the floaty, sheer pieces were even layered over playful briefs and bandeau combos for some fun juxtaposition that played into the overall carefree vibe. Plus, the collection brought new life to the shorter than short hot pants, the perfect choice of bottoms for a fun and free vacation.

Check out my favorite looks from the show below:

Cover photo from Marie Claire Australia. All other photos from Vogue.com.

Fashion October 28, 2018

Halloween Inspo: A Dispatch from the Future

I have arrived to Earth. The year is 2018. I must succeed in my mission to save the human race from a dangerous species of mind-reading aliens.

In yet another edition of Halloween Inspo, I put together a simple costume from clothes in my closet- a shimmery shirt from Zara, some pale blue slacks from Banana Republic and glittery boots from Asos. A hand-made tinfoil hat completed this silly sci-fi look. And while I didn’t bother putting on any makeup, I totally encourage you to go wild on the glitter and highlight!

Unfortunately, October is almost at an end, which means so, too, does our costume fun. But that won’t stop me from wearing what I want and coming up with a ton of outfit creations! Stay tuned for more!

Fashion October 27, 2018

A White Blouse Love Affair

The White Blouse is one of the most classic wardrobe staple. It’s been around forever, and shows no sign of disappearing anytime soon. To put it simply, it is versatile. The perfect base to build an outfit around. It never offends, matches nearly anything and never fails to elevate an outfit from casual to “they care about how they look.” And it happens to be something I have a bit of an addiction to.

Looking in my current wardrobe, I have 16 white blouses (five of which are thrifted) and I have another one on its way in the mail. I might have a bit of a problem. But honestly, who can blame me? You can never go wrong with a white blouse, so I get a ton of use out of them. Plus, vintage white blouses are any fashion-lover’s dream, so I pick them up anytime I come across a good one.

Below are eight (!) of my favorite white blouses to encourage you to invest in this timeless wardrobe essential:

Pearls & Pastels

This thrifted, vintage blouse features pale, pastel floral embroidery on the chest and a lacy collar embellished with pearls and more gorgeous embroidery. I got this one at Savers for probably $5 or $6- THRIFT YOU GUYS. YOU WILL FIND SO MUCH GOOD STUFF.

Whimsical Collar

One of the newest additions to my white blouse obsession- I mean collection, I fell in love with the ornate, frilly collar. It’s so whimsical and fun! Any outfit that would have looked drab with a regular white blouse is instantly made a ton more memorable and even though it’s a statement piece, it still goes with everything!

Fun Floral Details

Another thrifted gem, I had to repair this vintage beauty by replacing a missing button (seriously- don’t let the fear of a little needed repair stop you from getting that dream thrifted piece!). The addition of the floral, cutout panels around the collar and over the shoulders just adds so much style to an otherwise-boring white blouse!

Frills and Chills

You might recognize this top from my “Dreamy Dolly” Halloween look that I recently posted- and what can I say? This sheer, frilly Forever 21 top makes an excellent layering piece and adds so much drama because of its high collar and bleated, bell sleeves. Wearing this shirt under a dress instantly adds so much interest, I will probably hold onto it forever!

Girly Gingham

While this blouse isn’t exclusively white, I thoought it still deserved a spot on the list because LOOK AT HOW DARN CUTE IT IS! I first picked this up in the thrift store to have a good laugh at how old-ladyish it was, but then it smacked me in the head with all of its adorable charm. Gingham hearts and all-over looping embroidery? Come on, you can’t get more innocent and playful than that!

Layers of Drama

When I ordered this shirt from Nastygal, I honestly didn’t think I would like it as much as I do, but I DO. The pleated layers make for such a fun, textured look and are so voluminous, so this shirt is definitely a statement piece that dresses up any outfit. I even pair it with slacks for a fun workday look!

A Schoolgirl Fantasy

This incredible blous is YET ANOTHER vintage, thrifted piece. And these types of finds are why I thrift in the first place! I love the bib-like, square collar with lacy, embroidered edges. It gives me major schoolgirl vibes and feels so dreamy and sailor-esque! Plus the sleeves are loose around the arm for a little flow!

Elegant Eyelet

loft white blouse layering jumpsuit fall fashion — Trying to escape the wrath of the sun on blue eyes.

This last blouse was a gift from my mom from Loft, which shows how well she knows me! Not only is it sleeveless, which is pretty much my favorite type of sleeve, it also features some eyelet frills over the shoulder, which add so much charm and girlishness to any look! And, if you have a dress with spaghetti straps, it makes an excellent layering piece!

At the end of the day, the white blouse is what you make it. It can be the building block of a good outfit as a simple layering piece, or it can make a statement with its vintage charm, or over-the-top details. There are no rules, and there are no ways to style it wrong. So go nuts and find some that you truly love!