Why So Monochromatic?

How befitting is it that this post is about a monochromatic look versus the colorful printed look of my last post? But there is something to be said about how a monochromatic guise can make you look sophisticated, chic. Black on black is always a classic, but what about other colors? This season it seems as though beige and grey tones are the must have staple for your fall/winter wardrobe. Check out some of these monochromatic looks for youself. Which one can you see yourself in?

Michael Kors- Fall 2010 Collection

For more of the collection, which I recommend taking a look at, just click below.

Michael Kors Fall 2010


Stella McCartney- Winter 2010 Collection








3.1 Phillip Lim- Fall 2010 Collection





Chloé- Winter Runway 2010-2011 Ad Campaign


Chloé Winter 2010/11 Ad Campaign


Céline- Fall 2010 Collection

It's the Printsipal of It!

When I think about prints I usually think of only wearing them either on a dress, skirt or a top, because on pants it would just be too much; even shorts I'm just now coming around to like. But lately I'm rethinking the whole philosophy of no printed pants! Prints done right on pants add a little spice to an otherwise plain pant collection. Other than color, style, or texture, how else can your pants vary? Blue-jeans, khaki's, black, white, business, casual....etc. Some small details, add a zipper here, a flare there.

But designers and clothing boutiques across the board this season are paying special attention to the printed pant. Check out Style.com's roundup of runway looks of the printed pant.

http://www.style.com/stylefile/2010/07/prints-charming/slideshow?loop=0&iphoto=0&play=false&cnt=172

What do you think? A Do or a Don't?

False: The Clothes Don't Make the Man/Woman

Now, I wanted to take the first half of the quote and make it the second out of the two posts because I wanted to establish the importance of the self as being primary, and the clothes as being secondary; meaning the clothes should be an extension of who you are and illuminate your personality, or your mood that day. It should never give you a sense of self importance, or an 'I'm better than thou' attitude. If it does, then take a good look in the mirror.

However, it is important to have good quality clothes. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT HAS TO BE DESIGNER CLOTHES! Designer clothes are a luxury not a necessity. Some people seem to think that there is a linear relationship between price and clothes; that the more expensive the garment is, the higher/better quality it is. In some cases that may be true, but not always.

"Well, but…you get what you pay for," some say. That is partially true. If you buy 5-7-9 or Rave clothes, you get 5-7-9, Rave quality. But having worked in retail for several years, and noticed huge mark-ups on items that have less than quality materials and workmanship, higher price doesn't always mean better quality. I think some people forget that a lot of the times the pricing is based mainly on the name and not quality. Name/Brand plays a huge role in pricing.

Now pricing is also determined by the type of fabric that's used. Your cashmeres, silks, and wools are a few of the more expensive fabrics. And yes if you want those fabrics, then yes you’re going to have to shell out some money. But there are always alternatives.

You obviously want to invest in clothes that are going to last, and good quality fabrics will do that. No one wants their money to go down the drain by constantly having to buy the same thing over and over again because something tore or fell off; the same can be said about buying an expensive piece of clothing that you didn't need to spend as much on it as you did. One of the things I hate is when you find a shirt or pair of pants that you just bought at a store/boutique and you see it somewhere else, for cheaper! Eek, and then of course you have to ask yourself, what was I thinking when I bought it at that price?? Lesson learned right? Let’s hope so. :)

So here’s me having learned my lesson:

Me, left, Dana, right

One of my best friends and I wore these adorable printed dresses out one night. We were looking for something that stood out (prints are a good way to do that), that looked good on us, and that wasn't expensive. Lucky for us we were able to accomplish all three. But you'll never guess how much we paid for our dresses!!! With tax, less than $20. This will last a few years, as a throw on and go kind of dress. My point is, this dress is good enough for its purpose, and it didn’t have to cost me an arm and a leg.

Just know what you’re willing to splurge on and what you're not. Make sure it's about the garment and not whether or not it's expensive or designer.

True: The Man/Woman Makes the Clothes

I'm sure by now we're all familiar with the phrase "the clothes don't make the man, the man makes the clothes," right? To some extent that is true. It doesn't matter so much who you wear, rather, what you wear and how you wear it. Now that's not to say you shouldn't own good, quality clothes, because you should. There's nothing like a good fabric against your skin, or a nice silhouette in a material that hugs your body so right, even you can't keep your hands off yourself. But don't fret because it doesn't have to cost you thousands of dollars or even hundreds of dollars to get good quality clothes.

Now let's start with the true part of that statement: the man makes the clothes.

Now we all know there are just some things that look better on other people, and you won't know until you try it on. But once you've tried it on and it's pretty clear that, that particular item is not going to work for you, don't feel discouraged because there is something out there that looks better on you. It may not look as good on you either because of your height, the cut of the garment, your complexion, or its fit on you, but that shouldn't hold you back from looking for something that is comparable. Just be mindful that just because it is a beautiful, hot, etc. (pick any adjective you want) garment, does not give reason enough to get it! Here are a few examples of stylish outfits that look great on one person but not as much as on the other.

In this picture you have Eva Longoria on the left and Kim Kardashian on the right, both wearing an Emanuel Ungaro dress. The dress is very pretty on both, but the fit and cut of the dress looks better Kim. That dress hugs Kim's curves in all the right places. It doesn’t look bad on Eva; she just doesn’t fill it out as well as Kim.

This next photo is of Padma Lakshmi and Kim Stolz

This is a beautiful aqua colored dress. With a dress like this there are multiple things that you need to look at. One is the color; whatever you complexion is, you want to make sure that the color garment you choose pops against your skin. You don't want it to look dull, or too close to your own complexion, nor do you want it to wash you out. Second is, does the fabric/material have any sort of special affect to it; draped, cinched, pleated, ruffles, or layered. If it does, then you want to make sure you pay attention to where this detail is and where it sits/lays on your body. And last, but most importantly, cut and fit. You can usually tell at first glance if the cut is going to look good; to determine proper fit, you'll obviously have to try it on. This qualifier I'll go into a lot deeper later on.

But if you look at these three components, Padma Lakshmi has done well in all three areas. The color looks amazing on her, the drapery looks great on her body, and cut and fit also look great. I think if Kim had gone for a different color and the draping wasn’t done in the way it was, the dress would have worked fine on her. It's all about what fits your body, what brings out your individual style, and what shows your personality that helps you to feel comfortable and confident in your own skin.

So next time you go shopping, try and consider those three criteria. And hopefully that will take some of the guess work out it. So stay tuned for the other half of the phrase.

Style Icons

What is it that makes these women stand out from the rest? "Their sense of fashion" you might say. While I would definitely agree with that answer, I'm actually looking for a couple of commonalities that are less apparent to the eye: their confidence and poise.

Confidence, poise and fashion have sort of an interesting relationship. Certain styles, looks, or trends require an existing level of confidence to pull off; while on the other hand, clothes can sometimes give us that added confidence and poise. Depending on what you’re wearing, your confidence and poise can change, as evident by the way you stand, walk, or present yourself; which in turn can make the difference in how someone perceives you.

I, like most, see Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Coco Chanel and Princess Diana as timeless, beauties that exuded confidence and poise. These women were more classic and traditional in style, but never hesitated to break the mold with their own unique version of it. The trendier, fashion-forward females of today have that same confidence about themselves; they just work their poise a little differently. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and SJP know how to rock the latest fashions and push the envelope. And in that way, they and others help spark the latest trends.

So don't be afraid to be you and push the envelope! If you've got the confidence and poise to back it up, by all means, wear it.

Not pictured Style Icons:

Coco Chanel
Grace Kelly
Sarah Jessica Parker
Katherine Hepburn
Jane Birkin
Princess Diana
Chloe Sevigny
Gwen Stefani
Bianca Jagger
Clemence Poesy
Elizabeth Taylor
Carla Bruni
Brigitte Bardot
Iman
Sienna Miller
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis