and paris.

Paris!

Just as good as last season's much-talked-about collection. This one almost felt like it could be a part of last season's, maybe it's just me. Even with the same aesthetic, it was a breathtaking collection that everyone will be attempting to DIY. Christophe Decarnin has this amazing talent for making the most girly things rock-and-roll. That pink dress! Even the frilly white dress had a bit of an edge to it. The proportions of the oversized jackets and destroyed pin-thin jeans were perfect. Oh how I lust for the jeans...

For Christian Dior, it just seemed too normal. It wasn't a bad collection, it was actually quite pretty, but it missed all the extravagance. Where was the enormously teased hair, the overdone eye makeup, the explosion of neon color? While we missed it now, I'm sure we can expect this from John Galliano's signature collection. But besides that, the clothes were beautiful, even though I felt like I saw way too many short flippy dresses. John did do sheer fabrics in a very classy way, unlike some of the completely bare things that I've seen so far. My favorites would have to be the last cream dress and the chartreuse 60's-ish ensemble.

This is too good. Gareth Pugh used entirely black and white, and it did not disappoint. The clothes were unbelievable- the architectural feel of them, the optical illusion it seemed to present, the strategic placing of each piece of fabric so it resembled something that you couldn't imagine fabric could be. With all the same elements and colors, this collection had mostly futuristic clothes, but with Victorian influences too, with the last dress. Even with this, it was completely cohesive and actually awe-inspiring. So nice.

Most of Nina Ricci was long gowns, cut very short with a long train, with sheer tights underneath. I liked this look, it was very ethereal and floaty, but as everyone has said, Olivier Theyskens needs to show something new and different. We have seen this from him before and it's not making us any more excited. Beautiful clothes, but nothing new from him. But I still love it. A lot, actually. It's gorgeous.

Another black and white, but this time more black than white. This would have been more suited for a fall collection, the only spring I could see was the white dresses. These just looked so dark and depressing. I don't want to be depressed in spring. I want to be happy and bright and cheerful. Getting past the season, these were my favorite looks from Yohji Yamamoto.

and...

Margiela deserves something special. Like Martin Margiela himself, the models went completely incognito and had their faces completely covered. For me, this wasn't focusing on the clothes, it was more about these amazing images that were presented, like the big diamond, model-in-box, the big t-shirt with words, etc. (although I did adore the brown and white gown and black zipper dress) Wow. I am speechless. Just speechless.

xoxo
fashionista

revamp

As much as I love my puff skirts, I wear them so often that they get a tad dreary. A few days ago I layered two of them to make a type of strapless dress. I think it's adorable, actually. Without the belt, it has no shape whatsoever but with it- lovely. I haven't actually put it on myself but when I do I'll give an update.

xoxo
fashionista

lime green inside

Can I tell you how happy and satisfied I am this moment?

Very.
Do you want to know why?
Of course you do.

I have been without good jeans for quite a while now. I've tried to find them, but none ever feel or fit right. Until yesterday! I went shopping with my friend and decided on a whim to go into Intermix, which I rarely visit. And what a good choice that was. There, I found these beautiful jeans. I wasn't expecting any jeans to be under $200, which I wasn't exactly ready to fork over that day. These were $78. I know. They're a mix of gray and very light blue, and have so many details that make them amazing. For example, studded pockets, lime green lining, and my favorite, the fact that when you cuff them, they're a completely different color! I love this because my jeans are usually a little too long for me.


Is it love? Yes. Yes it is.

My outfit with the jeans from yesterday-boring, I know-I slipped on the middle shirt just to see how it looked and I very much like it.


blazer: urban renewal by way of urban outfitters, tank top: nordstrom, jeans: blank from intermix, middle shirt: american apparel

And just for fun-


Teehee.

Oh, but that's not all, kids! I also bought a white knit beanie/beret from Forever 21 for the upcoming fall. So cute.

As well as my new favorite beauty item, the Stila Cherry Crush lip + cheek stain. I put this on my sidebar a few weeks ago and had been curious ever since. I decided to buy it yesterday and I am so glad I did. This stuff is fantastic. My other lip/cheek stain was Benefit Posietint and although it's good, I always thought the application of it on the lips was difficult and much too messy. With Posietint, I got a nice color on my lips but it always seemed to end up around my lips too, not a good look. Stila's is a pen rather than a brush that dips into the stain, which I find so much easier. With Stila, I just have to click, a proper amount of stain comes out, and dab it onto my lips. It looks so pretty! It's like a completely natural red lip. I LOVE IT.


xoxo
fashionista

versacepradamarniguccifendipuccibottegaferretti

Milan Fashion Week-

As beautiful as this was, I still prefer Spring '08 Versace to this. The one recurring detail that really tied the show together was the heart crafted out of zippers, which I thought was genius. It just flowed so beautifully and made it a bit more childlike. Most of the collection was black and white, with colors here and there (I loved the color, so I picked those ones out). I would have loved to see more color, which is one of the reasons I loved '08 so much. My favorite dress would have to be the blue that Lily Donaldson is wearing- the high neck is gorgeous.

I wasn't that impressed, but it was still a very pretty show. Like Versace, this had a common element throughout- the crinkled silk material. I do like this a lot, though, the whole disheveled feeling of it. It's much more casual and relaxed than last season's uptight lace. These pieces are actually pretty wearable, now that I look at it.

My favorite Milan collection- by FAR. The bright neon colors, the mixing of every pattern you could imagine, the perfectly placed accessories. Everything about this was marvelous. Even with so much color and pattern, it never looked overdone or tacky. It was still kept elegant. I love it so much.

Not as good as last season, but it still made me want a suit. The show was based off of mainly the blazer-and-skinny-pants suit, with safari influence later on. I thought I was sick of the safari, but it actually looks very good here. I found it hard to put a name to this collection. This was nothing groundbreaking, but each piece was pretty. I would love to have seen something as big and trend-setting as last season.

Another one of my favorites, Fendi was all about light and airy. Nothing too heavy, nothing too dark, nothing too tough. It was a floaty, ethereal, almost angelic collection. The color palette was mainly light pinks, blues, and beiges. When black occasionally stepped in, it was still kept delicate. The belts were a standout to me, they completely finished each look.

I always look forward to seeing how Matthew Williamson can manage to reinvent the Pucci print. It's never been one of my favorite designers, but it's pretty amazing how he can work with that same print each season and it never gets boring (to most people, at least). As usual, it was a jet-set, bound-to-Capri collection, with Miami brights and lots of them. My favorite looks were the turquoise top and beige skirt, as well as the turquoise jacket with the purple dress.

Beautiful and very minimal, but what else can you expect from Bottega Veneta? It was a timeless collection, none of these pieces have a feeling that they could go out of style anytime soon. These were classic pieces that could be for any age. The color palette was pretty, but nothing we haven't seen.

This comes in a close second for my favorite Milan collection- I always love Burberry Prorsum. Christopher Bailey just has this thing with making girls look so unbelievably cool. These were simple pieces, but the way they were styled makes me want everything. Everything looked like they had been worn and loved- a perfect model off duty uniform.

Alberta Ferretti is one of my favorite designers. Everything she makes is so ladylike and undeniably beautiful. The collection was, according to style.com, a mix of Grecian and flapper. You could definitely see the flapper in the 4th and last look. Oh so lovely. ButI can't decide how I feel about the loose blue tights in the second to last outfit...

xoxo
fashionista

quote of the day

"We are lucky enough to work with some of the most esteemed mills in Italy. We're crazy about this crackle-gold leather- it only looks expensive."

-J.Crew catalog on their $495 Jamie bag. Jerks.

xoxo
fashionista

the debut

First of all, this is my 160th post! Whoooo!

I missed the 150th. I always seem to do that, forget the actual landmarks of the blog.

But anyways.

My outfit today, and an attempt at a more interesting photo.

Wow, I'm a dork. This is actually the first day that I've worn the American Apparel leggings out in public, and I'm excited.

vest- urban outfitters, flower t-shirt- urban outfitters, tank top underneath- jcrew, leggings- american apparel, shoes- converse (taking a hint from my last post..)

xoxo

fashionista

Update: So these didn't get half the stares I expected them to, especially in my safe-fashion city. I got more looks while wearing one of my puff skirts and a tank top in the middle of the mall than I did wearing lame leggings in Target. I don't understand the logic.

kick back

After all of our ballet flats and high heels, sometimes all you want to put on is a perfectly broken in pair of sneakers. Of course, Converse is the classic. Instead of the normal black, I love the stepped up versions of the All-Star, like metallic silver or pink/black sequins.

I so want the silver high-tops to wear with my AA lamé leggings, the pink sequined ones are just adorable, and the dusty pink-purple ones are just cool. These just make me realize how much I love sneakers- just completely laid back and casual. I want to buy myself a pair of these lovelies and bask in the simpler shoe-days.

I'm sorry about all of these mini-posts, once I get a better idea, wordiness will come.

xoxo
fashionista

miraculous

I have found the miracle that lies within Sephora.

Tarte The Eraser concealer. When I use concealer, it's only for dark circles under my eyes. I don't really get blemishes, so when I do, I freak out a lot. This happened yesterday- a little zit, nothing big, but I made a big deal about it... I have had this concealer for about a month, just for my undereye circles, but I had never used it for a blemish. I put it on, then did my normal stuff. After a few hours, the zit was completely dried out and faded. It was no longer raised, but a flat, faded red dot. Before it was sore and bright red. I was AMAZED. I read on the package that it helped to heal blemishes, but I was skeptical. This does some amazing stuff. Before, I used some Clean & Clear gel stuff, which worked but only if you used it faithfully for a few days. This works fast and much better than the Clean and Clear.

Buy it NOW.

Tarte, $19, Sephora

xoxo
fashionista

let's recreate luella

I am loving the Luella collection so much, I decided to try to recreate the look with a few items. I used mostly florals and bright colors, with the exception of the gray tank top, which she used to layer under many of the floral dresses. I added bows, corsages, and belts to add to the whimsical feel of the whole collection.

Purple coats, orange ruffles, and coral pink pumps are adorably juvenile details that add to the childish ladylike feel. I feel like all of these pieces can be mixed and matched to make a perfectly Luella-esque look.

xoxo
fashionista

you make me merry make me very very happy

Luella! Luella! I have found my love! Luella and Topshop are the only reasons I look forward to London Fashion Week, and she absolutely did not disappoint this season. This collection actually made me smile with every outfit that came down the runway. It was just happy. All of the colors, all of the whimsy, it was adorable. This is the Luella I came to love. This collection makes me want lavender, light pinks, and oranges in my wardrobe! It makes me JOYOUS.

Keep it up, Miss Bartley.

xoxo
fashionista

the balmain lookalike

I am absolutely in love with skinny plaid pants right now. After I saw them on Chanel Iman during Fashion Week, I couldn't get enough. Topshop has a version that are nearly identical, and I want them badly. They have an amazing hard-rock feel to them, and perfect for recreating Balmain's fall collection that everyone is obsessing over.

xoxo
fashionista

P.S. This was supposed to be a scheduled post, but it doesn't want to cooperate and didn't post. Can anyone advise?

the clashing of patterns

What I wore today. In the morning, I went to a costume shop to look at costumes for our school musical. Yes, everyone else was in Nike shorts and camp t-shirts, but I always like feeling overdressed. But can I tell you how cool that place was? There was every piece of clothing you could possibly think of- I saw this silvery gray nylon vest with these grommets that I actually kind of wanted, I think it was from a Grease outfit or something, haha. Anyways, it was really fun. I added the cardigan for dinner that night, I'm not sure what look I like better.

top: madewell, skirt: made by me, belt: dad's, cardigan: madewell

Also: a close up of my skirt pattern. I love it!


Topshop.com's USA site is open!

xoxo
fashionista

i think we should play dress-up

Experimenting with the "leather" leggings from American Apparel.
The white cardigan is from Madewell, the sweater vest from Urban Outfitters, and the blazer from a Theory suit.

What I wore to dinner tonight.

tank top: j.crew, sweater vest: urban outfitters, skirt: made by me, belt: dad's

sweater: urban outfitters, t-shirt: gap, skirt: made by me, tights: american apparel

t-shirt: gap, skirt: made by me, sweater vest: urban outfitters, tights: american apparel

xoxo
fashionista

the fashion week mashup

Since I've been gone all week, I've compiled some of my favorite shows from the week into one post. Now I'm not sure what days each one is, so these are kind of all over the place.

Enjoy.

Non-trashy Hollywood starlets, rejoice! Marchesa debuted a gorgeous collection of mainly dresses that will definitely appeal to their main crowd. There were less rosettes and more unique details that we hadn't seen from them before. There were dramatic gowns and elegant cocktail dresses. Everything was quite perfect.


I LOVED Anna Sui. Her collection this season was less crazy than previous seasons, but it was still bright and colorful and completely cute. It was definitely a folksy hippie look, but not the Gucci-like luxe hippie, more like a fun hippie, a little less put together. I adored all the colors and prints, I want everything.


Another hippie collection- still an ongoing trend. As usual, Diane stuck to her prints and colors, and it never bores. I could definitely see a 70's influence in the purple velvet blazer and flowy print dresses.



I loved Jonathan Saunders so much. Everything that came up, my mouth dropped open at the sheer beauty of it all. It was all exquisite- the ombre dresses were gorgeous and the colors were all so vibrant. I'm lusting after the pink printed blazer. A girl can dream, right?
I liked MbMJ a lot better than the Marc Jacobs signature collection. The soft pastel colors were just lovely and the layering of everything really appealed to me. I'm never great at layering, so this is perfect to look for how to get it right. It was casual but still really girly and kind of sporty in a way. Marc even ventured to a ruffled denim dress that made it look so easy to achieve.


These were my favorite looks from the signature Marc Jacobs collection, I didn't really like it as a whole. It's not that it was a bad collection, just that it's not as great compared to his other fantastic seasons. Even so, he works incredibly hard and the clothes were definitely thought out. I loved the first jacket and that last pink gown. Beautiful.

Like DVF, Oscar de la Renta stuck to his signature- the uptown New York socialite type and it still didn't bore anyone. The color palette was so pretty, with pinks, reds, olive greens, and greys. Everything was beautiful and perfectly tailored, classic Oscar. As style.com said, "Everything was perfectly beautiful, maybe a bit too much so. You wanted to see de la Renta loosen up, play more to the J.Lo crowd (the pop diva's appearance caused quite a commotion) and less to the ladies who lunch. After all, he doesn't have to work for the latter's devotion; he owns it." Captures it perfectly, although the collection was still just GORGEOUS.


More sticking to the classics- Michael Kors with his Americana sportswear, this time in an almost completely red, white, and blue palette, with touches of yellow. Everything was adorably retro, like the maillot swimsuit and polka dotted swing coat. There were polka dots and stripes galore, and gowns that will definitely attract some red carpet attention.


I loved it. In a way, it felt a little tough, but there was still girly details. I loved the khaki lace skinny pants and the lattice jeans with the silk top. And that orange dress...WOW. I loved the cutouts. I've seen a lot of them in the fall shows.


Yes, more hippie/bohemian, but each designer seems to have their own take on it. None of them are the same. Rebecca Taylor's was a very feminine hippie, with some worldly, ethnic looks (2 + 3). I loved the pink and blue paisley dresses and brown tribal-inspired skirts. This collection has made me yearn for a khaki blazer for this fall. Oh yeah.


Vera Wang has this knack with colors that can't be beaten. Both with putting them together, choosing them alone, they all blend perfectly. The organza layers were so airy and looked beautiful. The statement jewelry added an edge to the otherwise delicate pieces. The last gown was one of my favorites out of the collection. How BEAUTIFUL.

xoxo
fashionista

will be back friday

Sorry for the lack of posts this week.
I will be back Friday with ALL of the Fashion Week coverage :)

xoxo
fashionista

day3

Today's profile of designers: Alexander Wang (!!!) , Karen Walker, Boy by Band of Outsiders, Vena Cava, and Alexandre Herchcovitch.

This is a first-ever moment. Alexander Wang using...turquoise? orange? HOT PINK? Yes, this is the same designer who, last season, showed an almost entirely black collection. It's refreshing, but it didn't lose Alexander's signature boyish grungy feel. I loved everything- the tailored turquoise blazer and shorts, the hot pink blazer and orange shorts, the denim shirt over slouchy black pants...ahh. The show felt like it was directed towards an athletic, tough girl who still cared about fashion. One of my favorite looks was the sequined double breasted coat (or dress?).

I was a little surprised by Karen Walker. Her clothes are usually colorful, mixed-up, crazy patterns. This season it was extremely toned down, very minimalist. I had hoped for something a bit more like her last collections, but I still thought this one was great. I loved the first boyish blazer and pants outfit. Although most of the show was simple, she spiced things up by adding patterns, like the leopard print that I actually like, and that last floral top. She let the prints take all the attention by pairing it with unembellished pieces.

I didn't like this one as much as Fall, but it was still undeniably cute. Kirsten Dunst was cast as the face of the lookbook and she was half the reason that made me love it as much as I do. She made all the clothes look totally effortless and like her normal street style. I thought it was a perfect fit. My favorites out of this collection were the first look, with all of the layers, and the last, with the casual acid yellow hoodie paired with a more sophisticated skirt. This was a very easygoing, carefree collection that completely said Spring 09, baby.

Vena Cava's collection had an Egyptian influence, as we saw in the tribal prints in skirts, pants, and dresses. I loved the 70's inspired loose flared pants and silk gowns. A recurring theme in the collection was skinny leather pants, mostly the khaki ones, shown under dresses. The short sleeved leather jacket is delicate, unlike most leather jackets. I want the printed pants...



Alexandre Herchcovitch was mostly a futuristic feminine, with a pixelated floral pattern repeating throughout the show. He also incorporated utilitarian pieces, like the first jumpsuit and the panel of khaki on the third floral dress. I loved the second pink dress, it's adorable and I love the high khaki neckline.

xoxo
fashionista