Little Black Desire

It's been a long time since I've done a post because school has been absolutely hectic lately (hello first all-nighter ever). But after taking a day off with my friends, I thought that instead of coming home to hit the books again, I'd end the smashingly good day with a blog post. When with friends, what else do you do but eat and shop?  Heading over to Club Monaco, I had already fallen in love with a blazer in the window front - before I had even stepped into the store!  Club Monaco has a pretty consistent track record of making me pine after at least one piece with every visit. While my friend expressed fears of trying on expensive clothing and being unable to buy it, I have no problems trying on the most gorgeous and unattainable things.  For me, it's all about admiring a garment the way it's meant to be admired: on yourself. When I leave a store empty-handed, I don't leave with a sense of longing regret, but a sense of happiness knowing that such a garment exists. So which garment made me leave today empty-handed, but with a smile? The Club Monaco Jamee Dress.

This photo certainly does not do justice to the dress. In real life, the dress is more formfitting, and in fact, it was because I could tell on the hanger that the dress was nicely cut that I picked it up in the first place. The stiff fabric tightly hugs curves in all the right ways, and even with my childish figure, I felt like such a woman in this dress. I could see myself bringing order to the boardroom in this dress, and stunning coworkers once we hit the bar for an after-work party (hey, a girl can dream, no?). The two zippers on each side emphasize the nipped waist, and I couldn't help but admire how I finally found a dress that seemed almost made-to-measure around the waist area. 

Never before have I felt the tightness of a well-fitting dress around the waist, and even though I walked out of the store knowing that I had left behind a feeling of confidence, I walked out smiling because I got a taste of what that kind of confidence feels like, and I know that a nipped-in zipper waist is not the only way to recreate it.

Image Source: Club Monaco

Golden Opportunity

I honestly tried my best to do a Fashion 2012: A Look Back post, but with only two weeks holiday, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with family and friends.  What I do have for you, however, is a recap of my Boxing Day window shopping.  The biggest trend I saw translated from the runway (namely Dolce & Gabbana) into retail stores was decadence. This Fall, it's all about gold, intricate brocade, and embellishment galore.  In other words, it's my kind of season.

7 For All Mankind

Having finally found a pair of pastel jeans over the summer, I moved on to my search for a great pair of printed pants (this is really the only downfall of fashion: my wardrobe is always missing something). I found it in 7 For All Mankind's Gold Foil Velvet Jeans.  After looking at all of Spring's floral prints, this gold brocade seemed so right.  It arouses a darker, more sumptuous appeal, and would be a fantastic casual evening look.  These pants are also worth every bit of praise for the velvet.  Velvet hugs the legs better, and for the first time in my life, I donned a pair of pants that did not bunch around my knees.  I am slightly knock-kneed from my low arches, so finding a good fitting pair of pants is difficult.  But these pants were perfectly fitted, and not to mention the perfect length!  The $300 price tag?  My only roadblock.

H&M

On the cheaper, but no less lovely, side, I tried on a pair of H&M Blue Brocade pants. My mom urged me to try the last pair of these pants, despite them being a size too big, and I'm glad I listened to her!  I instantly felt like an uptown girl lounging her way to Lincoln Centre for Fashion Week (I wish).  The perfectly placed pockets were so blasé, but the deep blue oriental brocade spoke otherwise. One day, I will find a pair of slim trousers like this worth investing in.  Watch out, Lincoln Centre, I'm coming.

Topshop

Topshop was the first stop I made on Boxing Day, but it actually turned out to be the most unfulfilling.  The sales were mediocre (although that can be said for all Boxing Day sales nowadays), and what I did try on didn't look great.  I had high hopes for this Star Glitter Velvet Bodycon Dress.  The velvet was, again, enchanting, but my major qualm was how cheaply made the glitter was.  The second I picked up the dress, gold glitter fluttered to the ground.  Don't even ask what happened when I put it on.  I spent the rest of my day with a face adorned with stray glitter.  I'm disappointed, Topshop!

Alice+Olivia

Alice+Olivia is one of my favourite labels.  Stacey Bendet always gets it right; everytime I'm at Holt Renfrew, something of hers always makes me stop and smile.  But I tried one of her skirts on Boxing Day and not even Alice+Olivia could cure me of my inability to look good in them.  The photo above is actually not the skirt I tried on, but it is similar.  What I tried on was a gold brocade print, ruffled, tiered skirt with an exposed zipper on the back.  I love skirts, but I would never wear a skirt so short I feel uncomfortable in it.  Sadly, the only way skirts look good is if they're around mid-thigh.  The shape of my legs does not allow for anything longer to look attractive, unless I'm wearing heels.  I also found the ruffles and tiers to be too childish.  It maybe would've worked if I were 10 years old and running around the playground, but if I were 10, why would I be wearing Alice+Olivia?

So it's clear by now I bought absolutely nothing on Boxing Day.  However, I have no regrets, because any money spent on the things I tried on would've been money wasted.  I gained the better reward of seeing all the rich, luxurious fashion this season.  Listen up, this season is the golden opportunity to indulge in your most succulent, opulent cravings.

Image Source: Seven, H&M, Topshop, Alice+Olivia

A Royal Review (And Rant)

I can never get through InStyle magazine.  By the time I'm a couple pages in, I already have an intense desire to whip it across the living room into an imaginary pit of fire.  Exaggerating?  Well, not really, actually.  InStyle lays claim to that middle ground between a fashion magazine and a celebrity gossip magazine.  I can handle celebrity gossip magazines because they are in their very nature sensational and completely pointless.  I would never in my life read one, but I let them be.  InStyle, on the other hand, promotes fashion through celebrity power.  Now that is annoying.  InStyle idolizes celebrities in their articles and every attempt I've made at trying to find an actual model among their pages has failed.  I'm much more interested in what an anonymous girl on the street is wearing than what some actress decided to sport while grocery shopping.  Tell me about a celebrity's next film/song/whatever it is they're actually supposed to be famous for, and I'm all ears, but what she's wearing?  Is that supposed to change my opinion of her?

So, on that completely relevant note, some may consider Kate Middleton a celebrity, but in my eyes, she is nothing like that.  She is an incredibly intelligent woman who has handled the limelight and responsibility of royalty with a sort of dignity, grace, warmth and style that not even a seasoned celebrity can aspire to. She is not a celebrity; she is us.  And because of that, I have no shame in blogging about her.  Everything she's worn has been a fashion hit, but here is a look at some of my favourites:

Alexander McQueen

As if her wedding dress wasn't gorgeous enough, her post-wedding ensemble stunned me.  The entire look is so perfectly polished it shines like a diamond, but that fuzzy cropped jacket tops it off like a cherry, exuding warmth and approachability.  Every woman wants to look drop dead gorgeous on her wedding day, and Kate can put a large checkmark beside that.

Erdem

I adore Erdem because it's a label that allows me to shamelessly indulge in my love of all things lacy.  Being one of the looks worn during her Canadian tour, this dress holds a special place in my heart despite its otherwise simple demeanor.

Alexander McQueen

This look is another simple one, but the colour is utter perfection.  The lilac, being so light as to almost pass for white, makes the gown both ethereal and glamorous - a unique combination.  On any other person, the gown might be a typical red carpet choice, but a touch of royalty makes it an instant hit.

Jenny Packham

I first saw this dress while waiting for my groceries to be scanned - no doubt it made waiting in line much more enjoyable.  The intricacy of the beading and sequin design resembles the detail of a mermaid tail.  An aquatic goddess, but in soft pink, making this yet another glamorous and ethereal combination.

Prabal Gurung

Kate shows us she can go bold too!  Admittedly, I absolutely loved the collection this dress came from (I'm still yearning for those sheer pants with dripping, purple liquid down the thighs), so I may be biased.  Nonetheless, this was a bold, artistic move for Kate and a definite eye-catcher.

Beulah London

If I ever needed something to describe the word "angelic", this would be it.  Everything about this look was so heart-achingly beautiful.  Soft, kind, respectful...never have I seen an outfit I would attribute such a personality to.  People Magazine can speculate all they want about The Most Beautiful Woman, but step aside celebrities, because the crown of that title belongs to Kate.

Image Source: Wedding, Erdem, McQueen, Prabal, Packham, Mosque

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M

I know, I know...old news yet again.  Shame on me.  But ever since I started this blog, I have not failed to do a review on every one of H&M's collaborations.  I'm not going to break that tradition now!

First things first: Maison Martin Margiela.  When I heard the news, shrieking at my indifferent laptop might be an apt description of my response.  Margiela is not only one of the most avant-garde labels out there, it's also one of the most mysterious.  With no one at the helm, it's really more of an abstract entity of fashion talent.  Just imagining a radical, yet so elusive and secretive label collaborating with H&M was too much to bear.

There really is no point spending too much time on whether the results of this collaboration are true to the Margiela label.  I think that is obvious enough.  Being the most avant-garde collaboration H&M has done, I think it's fair to say the Margiela image is undoubtedly present.

What is worth talking about, however, is the quality and style of the pieces.  With H&M collaborations, there is always the fear of a cheaply made high fashion look.  But with Margiela, there seems to be no problem whatsoever.  Perhaps it's because Margiela always focused more on construction that it's really the architecture of these H&M pieces that make it look like quality Margiela.

And that brings me to style.  These H&M pieces are beautifully dramatic; they are unlike anything you will ever find in a regular shopping mall (until now).  There will always be the critics, lamenting how unwearable these fashions are, but life would be so boring if everything you wore was predictable.  These are standout pieces made for a woman with standout taste. 

Consisting of oversized silhouettes and masculine cuts, it quietly encapsulates the love of living, freedom and expression.  They say it's a woman's character that gets her noticed, but hey, I'm just saying, these clothes help.

As I mentioned last time with Lanvin, Versace, and Marni, I had yet to see an H&M collaboration where both the clothes and the accessories were a hit.  This time, there's no question about it: the accessories are amazing.

Plexiglass heels, candy wrapper clutches, and gloved handbags.  I love these accessories beyond belief.  And much like the clothing, there's a surprising high quality feel to them.  This H&M collaboration was perfect in every conceivable way.  Is this my favourite H&M collaboration of all time?  Oh gosh, you can bet it is.

See the entire collection here.

Image Source: Logo, Fashionologie, Vogue, Flare, Shoes, Bag1, Bag2

Timely Fashion

So, you've all heard the news.  Balenciaga announced earlier this month that Nicholas Ghesquière will be leaving the label on November 30, 2012.  No reason was given for the departure or details given about either party's future.  Ghesquière has been Balenciaga's designer for 15 years, and a statement praising Ghesquière's incomparable creative contribution was released alongside the announcement.

If this had been announced literally 2 months earlier, I would have had a very different feeling towards it than I do now.  As I said in my Spring/Summer 2013 review, I finally wholeheartedly understood Balenciaga's appeal after its Spring 2013 collection.  I had always appreciated Balenciaga's innovation, but it never produced collections that I considered to be among the best.  Luckily, Balenciaga managed to open my eyes to what I hadn't been able to see all these years: the beauty of designs that speak to constantly changing possibilities.  Ghesquière's designs were always graphic and unconventional, and I blindly mistook them to be too technical.  After Spring 2013, I finally understood that Ghesquière was actually moving along with the times - with a very keen eye, might I add.

Unluckily for me, just as I was starting to look forward to following Balenciaga more closely, this announcement came along.  As it usually is with these kind of announcements, I was shocked, saddened, incredulous - probably the reaction of everybody else in the fashion world.  Some people may have never liked Ghesquière at Balenciaga, but if so, they have most definitely been dwarfed by the majority of us that do.  Ever since I started getting into fashion, I have never heard anything but praise for Ghesquière.

Over the summer, having read a couple of fashion coffee table books, I actually did question what attraction Ghesquière had considering how he had completely changed the image of the Balenciaga label.  Looking at Cristóbal Balenciaga's designs, I saw something completely different.  But now that I think about it, Ghesquière has been on the right track all along.  Both designers fully explore construction and volume.  Back in Balenciaga's time, his designs would have been innovative just as Ghesquière's designs are now.  In fact, Balenciaga's brand has never been about an image, but about keeping up with (and surpassing) changing conventions, truly transcending time.

Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3

Mini McQueen

Even though I know these have probably been around for a long time, I only just recently stumbled upon the mini Alexander McQueen Armadillo shoes The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York seemed to have given away at one point:

Absolutely adorable.  I yearn for one of these almost as much as I would a chance to see a pair of McQueen Armadillos in real life!  If you'll notice, there's a tiny hoop at the top, perfect for looping as a necklace.  Wearing a McQueen Armadillo necklace...what a great way to give edge to any outfit.  What a great conversation starter too!

Remember when McQueen skull print silk scarves were in huge demand after McQueen's passing?  I imagine this would be a more fitting tribute to the late genius.  I would love to have one sitting demurely on my windowsill, a discreet little expression of my love for high fashion.

 

In other news, I've been awarded the Liebster Award by aki!  Thank you so much!  What follows are a couple of questions she had me answer.

1) What is your favourite Nicholas Cage movie?  I haven't seen any.

2) What is your favourite Nickelback song?  I don't listen to them.

3) Do you find yourself using internet memes in daily speech?  No, I don't really find a lot of memes funny.

4) About how many make up products do you find yourself wearing daily?  None.

5) Earrings, bracelets or necklaces?  I would say all, but in reality, I only wear earrings most of the time.

6) Do you bruise easily?  Yes, especially considering all the tight spaces in my residence room this year.

7) Do you burp in front of your significant other?  No significant other, so nope!

8) Do you still lick envelopes?  No.

9) What sound do you hate?  High-pitched Barbie doll voices...

10) Where do you want to be a year from now?  Right where I am now, at school, building up my future.

11) When do you think is the best age/stage in life to move in with your significant other? When you're mature and clear headed enough to see that they really are worth moving in with.

Image Source: McQueen1, 2

Making me Blush

So on my downtime when I prowl the internet for fashion giveaways (an utterly meaningless activity, by the way, since I never win), I encounter Etsy a lot.  I discovered Etsy last year and, as many of you probably already know, it's a pretty little site where people can buy and sell homemade items.  There are actually many unique fashion pieces on that site (especially the jewelry...unbelievable), and if you're not averse to online shopping, Etsy is the place to go for one-of-a-kind pieces.  Recently, I came across this photo by Blushfashion on Etsy:

I immediately fell in love with the refined simplicity of the photo.  Of course, the mint-blue colour and Grecian draping had something to do with it, but I just adored the pure white background.  The model gives a sultry character to the photo by looking gorgeous in a pose that isn't outrageously high fashion, but still glamorous enough to capture that bit of fashion fantasy.  Desperate to see whether there were more photos like this, I scrambled on over to Blushfashion's full collection.  While not all stunning hits, there were still many beautifully shot images:

This goes to show that how you present your brand is incredibly important to both your creative and business image.  These dresses are pretty on their own, but it really takes a good model and photographer to bring them to life and turn them into something of desire.

Check out all the photos here.

Image Source: Blushfashion