Quirky Musings of a Twentysomething

Jan 15, 2012

Pretty Pale Pastels to Please Your Palette

Last year, color blocking was the trend of choice. But not just any color blocking -- these neons were bright. As in, wear-your-sunglasses-indoors bright. After a dauntless debut at the 2011 Spring Fashion Shows in the RTW collections of Haider Ackermann, Prabal Gurung, and Jil Sanders (to name a few), this trend showed up again and again on celebrities throughout the year -- remember these fearless numbers?

As ~~blinding~~ fun as that was, it's time for a color-blocked update! Say AU REVOIR to the bold & bright neons, and say BONJOUR to the pretty, pale pastels of this season's RTW! This season's fashion shows launched collections with the sweet-as-cake hues -- including 3.1 Phillip Lim, Calvin Klein, Giambattista Valli, and Louis Vuitton. Here are some of my favorite looks straight from the runway!

Vera Wang

Calvin Klein Collection

Jonathan Saunders

Giambattista Valli

3.1 Phillip Lim

Fendi

Hussein Chalayan

Valentino

Richard Nicholl

But more important than the "upscale pale" is the "retail pale." See what I did there?

So where can you find these fabulous trends? The next section is what I would call "Editor's Picks" for the pastel palette of the upcoming spring season:

I love these two looks from JCrew! Their toothpick jean in twill comes in multiple pastel hues, and those patent pumps! I die. Not to mention that beautiful waterfloral dress worn over a chambray blouse. I love JCrew's preppy take on current trends!

Topshop also has great pale pieces to add to your wardrobe! Not one to shy away from a graphic print, Topshop brings pastels to new heights in their Geo Tunic, along with their Tie-Knot Tunic, Airex Crop Top, and MOTO Striped Hotpants. If that doesn't get you in the mood for spring, I don't know what will.

Nordstrom is another great place to find the best trends. Here are my favorites from the department store:

Tarnish Straw Boater Hat

Equipment Sleeveless Silk Shirt

Kate Spade Floral Dress

Caslon Short Sleeve Jersey Tee

Free People Sheer Panel Shirt

Splendid 'Palm Desert' Belted Maxi Skirt

Enjoy putting a little pale pleasure in your spring wardrobe! (Never mind the fact that it's still the middle of winter and it's actually snowing here in Seattle...)

Jan 9, 2012

Stud Muffin

I generally wouldn't describe my style as edgy, but I do enjoy a good stud now and then. No, I'm not talking about Zac Efron, I mean a metal piece of hardware in bronze or silver.
They're everywhere! People who used to implement studs were generally typecast as bad-A, rock 'n roll rebels -- thanks to, well, bad-A, rock 'n roll rebels (Gene Simmons, Joan Jett, Led Zeppelin, and pretty much every band from the 80s). Now those rockers wouldn't be found on my list of "inspirational style," under normal circumstances. But hey, a trend is a trend, and when used sparingly, studs are cute and "so hot right now."

Some of my favorite style blogs have even included this hardware in their recent posts; enjoy!

From ManRepeller;

http://www.manrepeller.com/2011/12/thematic-repelling-birthday-that-keeps.html

From Atlantic-Pacific;

http://atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/2011/12/studded.html

http://atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/2011/10/blushing.html

From Cheetah is the New Black;

http://www.cheetahisthenewblack.com/2011/12/mini-moments.html

And from the rest of the world-wide-web;

This next one might be a bit much...

Just sayin.

Dec 27, 2011

DIY: Embellished Sleeves

So, I saw this pic on Pinterest and I have been wanting to do something similar for a while.

And badda-BLING! Inspiration for awesome-easy-fun DIY project.

Essentials:
1 basic grey tee. (I got an XL from Target for $8)
1 sequin-covered shirt or scarf you no longer want. (I had a sequin top from forever21 but never wore it)
Grey thread.
Sewing machine.
Scissors.
Pins.
A killa attitude.

Do it:
Measure your sequin top to cover the sleeves of your basic tee.
Pin in place.
Cut the sequin top to fit.
Sew! I left the edges raw cuz it's easier, but you can fold the ends under for a cleaner finish.

And voila! Super-awesome-fun embellished top.