Notes on Style and Fashion

Recessionista Fashionista

la fashionista — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:35:16 +0000

Express has one of its usual deals going: $30 off a $75 purchase; or $15 off a $30 purchase. The online code is 4325. Promotion ends October 25, 2009.

Piperlime is having a 30% off sale on boots, pumps, flats, sneakers, and handbags. Sale ends October 25, 2009.

50% off all Martin + Osa outerwear, for both men and women. Sale ends October 25, 2009

dsw.com‘s “Share the Love” deal. $10 off any purchase of $49. Coupon code: SHARELUV. Deal ends October 26, 2009.

Africa Inspired

la fashionista — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:38:43 +0000

Africa Inspired by notesonstyleandfashion featuring Acne Jeans

Une lettre d’amour à Paris

la fashionista — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:41:30 +0000

Free People, $148, piperlime.com

In DC today, it is rainy and cold and gray. A chilly 45-degrees Fahrenheit, to be exact. In Paris, it is 13-degrees Celsius with a light drizzle. With this much precipitation in the air, it is only right and fair to turn the eye towards outerwear. If you are like me, one who does not like when the temperature dips below 75-degrees Fahrenheit (or 24–degrees Celsius), then right about now you are looking for coats and jackets and gloves to wear to keep the body warm.

Rainy weather always makes me think first of Paris, more than any other city in the world. Yes, even before Seattle. When thoughts of travel to Paris come to mind, I don’t think summer in Paris, but rather Fall or Winter, sometimes even Spring, in Paris. The association with cool (weather) and Paris works for me because S/S Paris Fashion Week consistently occurs in October. And while it makes sense to explore a city when the weather is less frightful, I can only think of being a flâneuse, that quintessential lolly-gagger who, with umbrella in hand, strolls an arrondissement, stopping before glass windows of shops displaying their wares, enticing one to come and have just one of that thing.

Making one’s way around a wet and rainy Paris as the ever-thoughtful flâneuse then leads to thoughts about jackets and other types of outerwear, which leads me to the topic of today’s post: what to wear on those cool, sometimes downright chilly, days and nights.

Balenciaga’s Urban Tale

la fashionista — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:02:20 +0000

Two years ago, Balenciaga ushered in the wave of floral dresses with bulbous skirts and cinched waists. Ever the trend-setter, Nicolas Ghesquière has quite likely done it again. If what he created for Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2010 show is any indication, a harder, tougher aesthetic is what we can expect to see on the racks of high-end department stores and smaller, mall stores. Next year promises to be full of sleek leather and black fabric, a marked contrast from the florals and soft palettes typical of Spring/Summer looks past.

However, to serve as a contrast to the leather jodhpurs and tough hoodies, Ghesquière punched up the look with bits of color and sheer fabric–hard and soft. Ever the forward thinker, the designer also turned his eye to sustainable materials, using fabrics that were organic or recycled. While it may not be that Ghesquière was making a political statement–”Go eco!”–he certainly made a fashion statement, opting to use the fabrics that he did when envisioning his new look.

Be prepared to see the inspired Balenciaga look in a matter of months!

[Photo credits: style.com]

Beach Cool

la fashionista — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:47:22 +0000

The Cannes Film Festival officially began last week, and in honor of the locale–Cannes is between Nice and St. Tropez in the South of France–let’s take a look at some great fashionable wear for the beach. Whether the goal is to hit up the local boardwalk or to take a trip to Miami, you still want to look great. After all, you don’t have to go to Cannes to still look styling.

Courtesy of Polyvore (my new fixation), I created a fashion spread of beach items for my imaginary magazine, notes on style.

1. Asha Couture, White Maillot, $158, instyleswimwear.com
2. Chloe One-piece bandeau swimsuit, $255,
3. Snake Gadiator, $25, store.alloy.com
4. Solid Ruffle Shift, $48, jcrew.com
5. Everything But Water, $68, everythingbutwater.com
6. Miu Miu gold gladiator sandals, £245 (~ $483 USD), start-london.com
7. Everything But Water, $68, everythingbutwater.com
8. ‘Mandy’ Vintage Sunglasses, $13, shop.80spurple.com
9. Aviator Sunglasses, $14.99, gogglesandglasses.com

Be a Kid Again!

la fashionista — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:34:50 +0000

Check it: Polyvore
www.polyvore.com

Angelina Jolie Positively Glows

la fashionista — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:03:31 +0000

She’s carrying twins.

At the Cannes Film Festival.
May 15, 2008
Source: WireImage

Here Comes the Bride

la fashionista — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:27:32 +0000

Well, you may not be the bride. In fact, you may not even be in the wedding party. That does not mean, however, that you should forgo looking as fabulous as you possibly can during wedding season because yes, wedding season is upon us. The obvious advice is to stay away from the color white; leave the wedding day drama at bay, please. There are other looks that are great for viewing the exchange of vows, and they vary as much as a wedding theme varies.

For an evening wedding, several designers offer a glam look for the fashionista guest:

1. Banana Republic, $175, bananarepublic.com
2. J. Crew, $250, jcrew.com
3. Les Prairies de Paris, $495, shoplanguage.com

A garden wedding is a great time to try some muted tones or an eye-popping hue:

1. Catherine Malandrino, $395, shopbop.com
2. Thread Social, $644, shopbop.com
3. Jill Stuart, $578, shopbop.com

If at the beach, fabrics that flow as the breeze blows are a great idea:

1. ABS by Allen Schwartz, $306, nordstrom.com
2. Banana Republic, $130, bananarepublic.com
3. Express, $79.50, expressfashion.com

I am Gladiator!

la fashionista — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:19:27 +0000

That’s what the fashion world has said when it comes to this summer’s footwear. The temperature outdoors is rising, and for that very reason the theme is “less is more.”

In the case of fashion for the feet, the gladiator style sandal–very Roman, very minimalist–mimics that theme of very little. However, don’t forget that while there isn’t much leather to go around when it comes to the gladiator sandal, the sandal does bare much of the foot.

Pedicures are more important now than ever!

1. Via Spiga, $165, shoes.com
2. L.A.M.B, $325, shopbop.com,
3. Gladiator sandals, $78, gap.com
4. Matt Bernson, $170, piperlime.com
5. Cocobelle, $98, shopbop.com
6. Steve Madden, $79.95, nordstrom.com

Shoshanna Lonstein Trunk Show

la fashionista — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:07:07 +0000

I will admit that I have associated the name Shoshanna Lonstein (Gruss) with Jerry Seinfeld. I recall her walking the red carpet as a seventeen-year-old high school senior accompanying her 40-something year old sitcom star boyfriend to the Emmy’s. Now, she has made a name for herself as a fashion designer. Her line embodies the image that I have of her: youthful, fun, and girly. In a little under two weeks, she will descend upon Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown boutique, Urban Chic, for a trunk show. The clothes that fashionable women in the metro area have to look forward to are from Shoshanna’s 2008 Spring line.

The good news about this trunk show is that buyers will get 15% off all merchandise in addition to receiving a free gift with their purchase of clothing from Shoshanna’s line.

April 24, 2008
3pm-8pm
Urban Chic Georgetown
1626 Wisconsin Avenue