Dope Ambition

In the next few weeks, I’ll be breaking trends down as I see them. Some may be insular to one city’s fashion week, while others may pick up momentum as the monthlong fashion shows continue.

I’m excited to announce that, while I admittedly prefer minimal looks with a dash of femininity, Fall 2012 looks promising in the party department. More specifically, party pants are making a debut in alluring sheers, loud prints and new experimental fabrics. Some of my favorite renditions were seen at Peter Som, Rag & Bone and Prabal Gurung. While dresses and skirts seemed to be a theme at this year’s shows, both harking back to a more feminine aesthetic while looking forward with futuristic cuts and fabrics, pants have pushed their way in as well…and thank God.

Don’t get me wrong, I love dresses. I wear dresses and skirts more than I wear pants. However, I don’t know about you, but when I go to parties, I want to be able to sit comfortably, dance without worrying about showing my fun parts, and (perhaps a bit vainly), wear a party garment that every other woman in the room isn’t wearing. With that said, the following pairs of pants were one of few in their respective collections, which reflects how your attitude should be towards an attention-grabbing pair. You can’t wear them everyday; that’s why they’re called “party pants;” save them for loud music, crowded spaces and the like.

Peter Som‘s pair of subtly sparkly pants may be my favorite. The hammertime metallic drop-crotch pants from seasons past need not apply here; these are sophisticated and subdued, only revealing their sparkle to those who will look close enough. Rag and Bone offered a few options for those with a penchant for pattern or metallics, but the sheer paisley-on-acid print, paired with a boldly graphic belted and buttoned-up jacket, are easily transferrable to “real life.” Worn with shorts underneath and a basic white T, they could make a statement without even trying. Even Jason Wu, the purveyor of new school femininity and garments-Mrs-Obama-wears, offered up a pair of loosely-slung printed pants, paired with studded shoes and jet black fur. Prabal Gurung‘s collection, too, had a few loud pairs to offer, cut in a form fitting bell bottom is lustrous fabrics that let the pattern shine…literally. (His collection reminded me a bit too much of Riccardo Tisci’s Givenchy Fall 2011 RTW collection, but that’s a story for another day).

All in all, fashion week got off to a feminine start, with lots of dresses and skirts heading the pack. But party pants? They’re going to start hitting shelves late August, so if you’re really cool and have lots of parties to attend come fall, be sure to scoop a pair. If you’re not that cool, perhaps a pair of party pants are a step in the right direction.

The phrase “do or die” takes on new meaning in the magazine publishing world, where  ”innovate or die” might be a more appropriate phrase. With Vogue still trumping other fashion publications when it comes to ad pages, its March issue will debut a whopping 442 pages of ads.

While Hearst’s Harper’s Bazaar (the first and oldest American fashion magazine) will close its March issue up 15.5 percent in ad pages from 2011, the magazine will also debut a brand new look and slick redesign. Publisher Carol Smith told WWD the mag was “embarking on a brand transformation” But aside from a few tweaks in font and less cover clutter in terms of typography, titles and hints at the inside content, Hearst is giving Harper’s Bazaar an e-commerce and m-commerce makeover.

“We are rethinking this product from magazine to mobile shopping. The new look very much calls on our past as we look towards the future,” Smith told WWD. And this makes a lot of sense for the magazine. Harper’s Bazaar has eschewed the explicit emphasis on celebrity shopping and style, and has been consistent for over a century with its focus on luxury goods and runway fashion. Because of this, the magazine’s transition to the world of mobile commerce should and can feel rather natural for the reader/user (terms which will become more interchangeable as magazines blur the line between editorial and digital storefront). I’m not sure if they’re pushing a “scan-to-buy” option for smartphones, or if they will align themselves with luxury online retailers like Net-A-Porter, but there are a few options that would make a lot of sense for a magazine that is sort of a heritage brand on its own.

The March issue of the physical magazine features a faceless Gwynth Paltrow, shot by Terry Richardson. WWD’s Amy Wicks describes the aesthetic transformation:

…it’s like the party guest who you recognize when she enters the room, but you know she’s hadwork done — a lot of work.

The magazine is larger by one inch, the paper quality is noticeably thicker and there is new cover typography. Inside the issue, the pages look less cluttered and thrown together, with more white space, while sections are more tightly edited. So far, there’s less celebrity and the related popcorn stories that can come with that.

While HB remains the fourth fashion title in terms of ad pages, behind Vogue, InStyle and Elle, I think the magazine will benefit from sticking to its focus on high fashion and letting Elle and Vogue overdo it on the celebrity coverage (though using Gwyneth as the debut cover girl is only excusable because we don’t know it’s her until we’re told so).

What do you all think?

The statement necklace, while always exciting, is nothing new. In fact, “costume” jewelry as we know it dates back to the early 20th century, where rhinestones were set in metals like pewter, nickel and brass. Today, however, we’ve stepped up our statement necklace game when it comes to materials, with some necklaces costing upwards of a thousand dollars, boasting  semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals and even leather, all co-mingling at the napes of our necks.

While the runway often shows draped, multi-strand necklaces dripping off of models’ necks, the pairing is usually a bit predictable; low cut evening gowns and silk tops with generous V necklines are to be expected. After all, these statement necklaces are often used strategically to make a statement about the clavicle or decolletage of a woman, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

But this season, one of my favorite collections was relative newcomer Guillaume Henry’s Carven Spring 2012 show , where the hemlines were flirty, legs were ubiquitous, and cutouts at the chest and midsection gave the buttoned-up looks an extremely youthful appeal the label hadn’t seen in decades. The looks I was drawn to most also featured fun, arts-and-craft necklaces tucked neatly underneath the crisp collars of the buttoned-up tops (below).

But this is just one iteration of the topped off buttoned-up look. Neck deco can be as feminine, flashy or restrained as your tastes dictate; all look equally surprising under a crisp white shirt, slouchy chambray, or even a button up under a sweater, all fastened to the collar, necklace proclaiming itself against your shirt. In this way, no flashes of skin can compete for attention. All eyes are on your necklace, weather beaded, tangled or blingy.

Below are seven of my favorite looks that employ the buttoned up, neck deco look, followed by an ensemble suggestions in case you want the look like, yesterday. (P.S. that denim top is under $30!)

images via///1///2///3///4///5///6///7///

1 - old navy denim pocket shirt

2 - rag & bone cropped mohair sweater 

3 - fiona paxton necklace

4 – asos faux croc clutch

5 - jeffrey campbell wooden oxford wedge 

6 - chuck taylor all star core hi 

7 - karen walker shades

8 - striped pencil skirt

I first noticed Barbara Palvin’s baby face and pouty lips around a year and a half ago, when I spotted her making rounds in street style blogs and smaller magazines. Her off-duty outfits still garner tons of clicks today, and even her more grown up editorials from almost a year ago pale in comparison to her appearances now, which are more overtly sexual and show the young model expressing a wider range of emotion and allure than her previous pretty-girl gaze.

Here, she dresses up in some of the Spring 2012 season’s most covetable whites, my favorite being the crisp Jil Sander dress (below). We’re watching you (in the most non-creepy way possible) Miss Palvin.

(above and below: Jil Sander look #1 from the Spring 2012 show)

see the full editorial here

Just as young boys have baseball cards, the fashion world has modeling cards. Before every major season of fashion shows (in September and February), modeling agencies send out “show packages” with models under contract. Show packages can sometimes bore, and rightfully so: agencies want to clearly communicate who a model is and what she may be able to offer a certain designer, hence the stats on usual model cards and the rather straightforward (but pretty) photography and wardrobe.

But here, IMG had a little fun with their A/W show package, with models like Jessica Stam, Frida Gustavsson and Bianca Balti getting cropped, cut and placed amidst kitschy art-inspired collages that somehow work.

more images here 

I’ll be the first to admit that throughout winter, I am noticeably more casual and feel less put-together overall. It’s somewhat difficult to wear tailored items everyday when you must throw on a coat over your pre-existing layers of shirt, sweater, blazer and scarf. In New York, especially, wearing those beautiful over-the-knee leather boots with 5-inch heels is tempting, but walking from your apartment to the subway (and actually making it down the stairs without the help of a pitying stranger) makes you want to mount the boots as display rather than show them off yourself.

With that said, while I don’t like to look like a slob, I can appreciate the thrown-together looks I’ve seen around the city with a mixture of vintage, high street and the casual shoe of choice: the Converse Chuck Taylor. When this iconic American shoe gets a little dirty, the overall looks gets even better. What other shoe can count that as a benefit? Some of my favorite looks are particularly feminine and colorful, with a pair of worn-in Chucks immediately bringing the ensemble down to Earth and giving it that chick-who-can-hang sort of vibe. There’s no such thing as a look too tailored, too bohemian or too girly for the Chuck Taylor.

Below, some looks I like.

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Apparently, mint green/seafoam green are going to be MAJOR this season. It has to be true; Lady Gaga apparently predicted it! But if you know anything about me, you know this particular shade of green has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. The details on my site, many-a-mint-green-photo on my tumblr and my constant minty green fingernails would alert anyone with wit enough to notice that I am seriously mad over mint green.

Now that I’ve said the words “mint green” more times in a paragraph than I should be allowed to in a week, allow me to turn your attention to some covetable items in my favorite shade that are out there for the plucking. One of my favorites? The cozy, oversized Acne cable knit, which can be worn slouched over denim and Docs or donned with a prim skirt and collared shirt underneath. Sometimes, however, the surprises are best debuted in the details, as with tiny trinkets and bracelets that add an affordable injection of the color into your wardrobe without going all out, as they say.

If you don’t like this color, to hell with you! It is a divine shade of green and the world will soon realize it.

clockwise from left:

acne sweater /// 1

asos mint green backpack /// 2

essie mint candy apple /// 3

mint street style look /// 4 via dam style

fath vintage maxi skirt /// 5

need supply co ambrosia skirt /// 6

mint green bracelet /// 7

vintage round glasses frame on etsy /// 8

While I was already a fan once I laid eyes upon Raf Simons’ paisley and gingham print pieces for Jil Sander Spring 2012, it was when he sent out modernist-inspired faces neatly splashed across stark white knit sweaters that I think I shed a tear.

I’m exaggerating of course, but sometimes the simplest references, especially paired with something as beautiful as a crisp white, are more startling and lasting than the most outrageous pairings seen during fashion week.

Going on recent history, the most embellished and, dare I say, cute pieces have been the ones to infiltrate magazine editorials most consistently, with Miu Miu and Jason Wu often taking the cake, in that regard. While I am a huge fan of the youthful femininity Miu Miu brings out in all of us, I can’t help but hope that this spotting of a Jil Sander sweater is the beginning of a new, more tailored season of editorials. Even if it’s not, I’m happy to see this piece amid a mother-and-child themed spread for Harper’s Bazaar Australia. And if I’m not getting ahead of myself, I bet Christine Centenera’s cool sensibilities had something to do with paving the way for the presence of Jil Sander in magazines in 2012.

Let’s see more, please.

editorial img via/// fgr

If the world doesn’t end in 2012, I think it’s going to be a pretty awesome year. In 2011, we (apparently) recently emerged from an economic recession, and the process of recovery has been a bit slow. We also saw the birth of revolution across the country, with the Arab Spring in the Middle East to the riots in London to the unwavering Occupy Wall Street Protests that picked up international momentum. And with the 2012 presidential elections shaping up to be an interesting fight for America’s trust and affection, 2012 will likely prove just as important when it comes to cultural shifts and uproar from the masses.

Perhaps I’m getting older (just turned 24!), but after following some of the trends that took shape over the past few years, I am ready to scale back to the basics. Looks I’ve gravitated towards recently are minimal in silhouette, but pack punches where it counts: in elements of design, precision and details you can admire from afar, but have to see up close to truly appreciate. The spring 2012 runway shows saw their fair share of neon and acidic hues, but many of my favorite collections were rooted in blacks, whites, neutrals and, my favorite: pastels. Cool, icy blues and minty greens look sharp against black and white, and the sumptuous leather top at Celine made me want to reach out and touch it. But the common thread between most of the looks I like are the lack of gimmicks; if I have to read how to wear an item, to hell with it. Give me craftsmanship over a trendy technique any day.

Likewise, street style exploded over the past year, but my favorite snaps are those of women who wear something well. It’s easy to stack trends on top of one another as bait for the ever-present street style photographer, but women like Christine Centenera have always managed to look like themselves, no matter how decadent or paired down their ensemble.

I guess it’s pretty simple; what I want out of my creative life is a bit like what we want out of our country’s leaders: not simplicity, but precision; not over-analytical, but meticulous; not showy for the purpose of the public eye, but appealing.

Or perhaps I’m trying to make too much of a connection. Either way, enjoy.

1 - balenciaga spring 2012

2 – carven spring 2012

3, 5, 7 - from Mr. Newton’s street style snaps for Harper’s Bazaar

4 - artworks by erika keck

6 - lingerie as art

8, 9 - celine spring 2012

10 - paintings by alex kanevsky 

11, 13  - ports 1961 spring 2012

12 - lamp lifeboat ladder -///

14 - artworks by hunt slonem 

15 - friend of mine boots 

16 - jil sander spring 2012

17 - preen spring 2012

18 - acne spring 2012

19 - YSL shoes pre fall 2012

20 - snake prints

21 – barbara palvin via tfs

22 - hakaan spring 2012

23 – anything and everywhere christine centenera wears (here, from mr newton’s  street style snaps)

A little like three blind mice…! Well, perhaps only syllabically. Pardon my inner English-nerd.

While winter weather in New York has been remarkably mild (just the climate change taking effect, no big deal), I still can’t abandon the idea of traipsing through the city in a beautiful winter coat. I actually don’t have one at the moment; my winter coat is more like a heavy fall jacket that dearly wants to be a winter coat. However, it lacks warmth and inner layers, and most importantly, it lacks stripes, something I’m obsessing over a bit at the moment.

With the mention of the word “stripes,” one might recall nautical-themed Yuppie ad campaigns, or Where’s Waldo lost in the world (word to Kanye West), or the Cat in the Hat. But this season, stripes are cooler, more tailored and anything but the default pattern for those afraid of taking risks.

Take for example, the Acne farrah-stripe coat. The rounded neckline is perfect for those of you who love peter pan collars, but the belt and the length are easily dressed up or down for those trying to optimize their wardrobe. (mucho expensive)

This Alice + Olivia one is fun, with a detachable faux fur collar for if you’re feeling a bit fahhhncy. (kind of still expensive)

This last one was a Polyvore find that is totally affordable…if you have a job and a little extra money to spend on things like striped coats.