Very, Very Brief Hiatus

Not that I have readers yet, but to anyone who stumbles across this, just want to let you know that my home internet is out until Monday, so I won't be posting for the next few days. Check back next week though!

Alice + Olivia Dress

This Alice + Olivia dress is perfection in my book. I love how the sweet, feminine shape is balanced out with the sleek sheen of the square pattern on the fabric. At $445, it's not exactly out of reach, but still a bit more than I'd prefer to pay. Maybe it'll go on sale soon...

The Summer Concert

Everyone loves a good concert, but I think the Summer ones are best--fewer worries, catching up with old friends, and great line-ups! Since it will most likely be very hot, I went with a relatively simple outfit--ballet flats for comfort (don't even think about sandals unless you want your toes to die from being trampled-on too much), a headband to keep your hair out of the way, and bangles (as many or as few as you want) as embellishment. Also, in these large crowds, I'd do my best to stick with using your pockets instead of a purse, so I chose a cute, breezy dress that's practical, too. Since the dress is pretty feminine, I upped the rocker-edge with a vest.

And most importantly:
(1) Don't forget your sunscreen. I speak from personal experience.
(2) If you want to be at the very front for your favorite band, you'd better get there way before (hence the comfortable shoes). And be prepared to deal with unpleasant people sweating all over you. Again, I speak from experience.
(3) All of that is totally worth it, especially on the off-chance someone comes down from the stage to the front of the crowd. :o)

In case you were wondering, the festival I went to was Sasquatch 2008. Ozomatli, M.I.A., Blue Scholars, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Death Cab for Cutie (!), The Hives (!!!)... Just to name some of my favorites. But my all time favorite: FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS!!!

Bright Orange Things

Bright colors are big this Spring and Summer, but few colors will make as bold a statement as bright orange. Erin O'Connor rocked her tangerine Ashley Isham gown at a recent red carpet even, and there are plenty of orange dresses out there if you're willing to look. If you, like me, are a bit intimidated by the idea of all-over orange, there are plenty of chic accessories and shoes that come in this neon shade as well!

Tory Burch

Tory Burch recently won big at the CFDA awards in accessories design, beating out Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors. Not too shabby for a socialite-turned designer!

Tory Burch was born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and currently lives in New York City. She launched her brand in 2004, although she has worked in fashion (but not design) for all of her career, including stints at Harper's Bazaar, Vera Wang, and Ralph Lauren.

Burch's aesthetic and inspiration comes from the 1960s and 1970s, and her style is also influenced by photography, art, vintage clothing, etc. Her designs are a mix of classic and modern, with some bohemian elements thrown into the mix. She hopes to cater to a sophisticated American aesthetic.

In addition to winning in accessories design at the 2008 CFDA awards, Burch has also won an award for Accessory Brand Launch of the year in 2007 from the Accessories Council of Excellence. In 2005, she received the Rising Star Award for best new Retail Concept from the Fashion Group International.

To see Tory Burch collections, click here.

Source

Vogue Australia, July 2008

I came across this amazing picture and I had to share...
Emma Karlsson by Troyt Coburn, "Some Enchanted Evening"

Source: foto decadent

Givenchy Fall 2008 - Necklaces

Runway picture from Style.com

I had the sudden urge to layer on all of my gold/pearl/cameo necklaces (a la Givenchy Fall 2008) while I was reorganizing my jewelry box. I love the look, but probably won't be rocking it anytime soon, since I started to sound like I was wearing a cowbell...

Inspiration, 5/31-6/6

This week's images from: FabSugar, Just Jared, TFS, The Sartorialist

Inspired By

If you, like me, believe that fashion is an art, then inspiration is key. I love seeing how other people have interpreted clothes and put together outfits - there are so many unique styles out there! I'll be collecting images that inspire me and collaging them on a weekly basis (every Friday!). Click here to see what I'm inspired by!

Burberry Studded Platform Sandal

Remember these? When I first saw them, I thought I didn't like them because I'm over my hardcore studded-everything stage. How wrong I was... These may be sold out everywhere online, but I came across them at Nordstrom Rack the other day, and they are glorious. I tried them on and I swear they gave me about 5 extra inches of height. Too bad they're still about $400 - otherwise, I would have snatched them up and paired them with anything and everything from skinny jeans to frilly dresses.

Virtual Closet

If everything worked the way I wanted it to - unlimited money for clothes in a world where nothing ever sells out of my size - this is what would be in my closet. Even in my dream world, I'm limiting myself to one item a week (I'll update every Thursday!), or else things would probably get way out of hand. Click here to see what I'm lusting after!

Or, if you're into organization like me, I've separated the items into categories as well:

Tops
Sweaters
Pants
Skirts
Dresses
Coats
Shoes
Purses
Jewelry

The Graduation Party

If you're around high school or college age, odds are you've either been invited to a graduation party or you're throwing one yourself. It really all depends on what kind of party the graduate decides on, but I put together a semi-formal look that could potentially transition between casual and fancy or day and night with some quick accessory swapping.

I think the key with this kind of event is to go for a more classic look - there will be lots of pictures, so leave the crazy trends at home (I would also advise keeping jewelry and makeup to a minimum). For this outfit, I went with a pretty, feminine strapless dress (but kept it modern with the gorgeous yellow color!), but dressed it down a little with simple flat gladiator sandals. To balance the frills on the dress, I threw in some clean, structured pieces with the clutch and the blazer.

What to Wear

As if deciding what to wear on a day-to-day basis isn't hard enough, there are all sorts of special occasions that we have to worry about, ranging from casual get-togethers to formal parties, but every fashionista wants to look as stylish as possible in any situation. I'll attempt to make our lives easier with my take on how to dress for certain events, brought to you once a week every Wednesday. Click here for ideas on what to wear!

The Maxi Dress

The maxi dress is a perfect, easy-breezy option for those not-too-hot spring and summer days. Depending on the fabric and the cut, their style can range anywhere from Grecian goddess to boho chic. For a casual look, just throw on some gladiator sandals and you're out the door, but you can also dress them up with heels and some glam accessories, like Kristen Bell did at a recent red carpet event. Best of all, these dresses are available at any price range - personally, I'm loving the print on the T-Bags dress!

Style Shopping

So many clothes to buy, so little time. As a self-proclaimed shopaholic, I find it very helpful to have some sort of guide to my various options. What's in right now, what's available in stores, what are the prices like? I'll bring you weekly installments (every Tuesday!) on as many items as I can! Click here for stylish shopping!

Yves Saint Laurent

"Fashions fade, style is eternal." So said one of fashion's greats, Yves Saint Laurent, who passed away in Paris on June 1. He will be missed.

Yves Saint Laurent was born in Oran, Algeria, where he spent all of his youth. He began his long and illustrious fashion career in 1954, when he moved to Paris to attend the Chambre syndicale de la Haute Couture school. In Paris, he met Christian Dior and immediately became his assistant. Three years later, he took Dior's place when the older man passed away.

In 1961, he created the Yves Saint Laurent couture house (with Pierre Bergé), and presented his first collection in January of 1962. Four years later, the first Saint Laurent Rive Gauche ready-to-wear boutique opened in Paris.

Saint Laurent continued to awe and impress with his collections, and at the 20th anniversary celebration of his couture house in 1982, he received the prestigious CFDA award. A year later, he became the first living artist to have his works exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The French president awarded him the Legion of Honor in 1985.

The fashion legend retired in January of 2002 and is now no longer with us, but his label lives on. His work has been showcased all over the world, from New York to Beijing to Sydney, and everywhere in between.

To see Yves Saint Laurent collections, click here.

Source

Designer Bios

You can never know too much about fashion or the designers behind it. I'll be researching and posting on as many designers as I can, so that I can learn as much as possible. Posts should be up once weekly, on Mondays! Click on the designer below to view his or her bio:

Yves Saint Laurent