Street Style: NYC Summer Fashion

Summer is here!!! You can feel it with the heat and see it on the streets of NYC with all the cute "tropical" outfits. The streets of New York are full of inspiration, people really try to keep up with fashion around here, its important to them and its fun for me to see what they are wearing.

Here are some of the most popular looks and items I've seen this week:

THE MAXI DRESS

Full lenght or tea lenght, strapless or with straps, this one is everywhere! Paired up with big bags and sunglasses.

THE BELTED DRESS

In bright colors and florals, these cute little dresses are flattering and shape defining, in flowy silky fabrics, cottons and jerseys. You can choose between chunky belts and small thin ones depending on the print or color, your body type and what looks good.

THE BERMUDA SHORTS

These seem to keep coming back every summer, not short shorts. These pants are a comfortable lenght for different bodies and shapes. They look pretty good on most people and can be paired with flowy sheer tops with tanks underneath or button down shirts. Pick your look depending on the occasion.

THE ROMPER

Onesies are back! Really cute! These look great in small prints or solid colors. Most times these define your natural waist, but I've seen a couple with dropped waists. Adorable, great with gladiator style sandals or t-strap sandals.

STRIPES

Stripes are very summery, usually go hand in hand with the nautical theme of the summer. I love love love nautical stripes! There are many kinds of stripes, you just need to find one that suits your body type.  Try diagonal stripes if you are plus size and horizontal if you are a smaller size.

 FLORALS

Flowers are big in Spring, but this year they have stayed a bit longer than usual. Most outfits I see on the streets of the city have some sort of floral, whether its the print or an applique. Small prints are a great option for most people, the look better with different types of bodies.

T-STRAP SANDALS

They come in a wide range of colors, in leather and plastic and sometimes even embellished with sparkly stones and fabric flowers. These are the shoe of the season! Comfortable and they go well with everything, dress them up or down.

Someone Like Her

Artist Profile:

• Full name: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins
• Birthday: May 5, 1988 (age 23)
• Origin: South London, England
• Genre: soul/blues/jazz/pop/rock
• Occupation Singer-Songwriter

          In 2006 she released her album 19 which featured some amazing songs, including Chasing Pavements and Hometown Glory. Her sound captivated people and I definitely got hooked. The best way to describe her voice is soulful, she sings and she feels it! Un-like many of the "artists" today, she actually sings and she sounds great! I love 19 and recently she released her second album 21, another amazing compilation of songs about love and heartbreak. Her first single Rolling in the Deep and Someone Like You have been playing everywhere for the last couple of months. Adele does not disappoint, she is still going strong and I personally cannot wait until I get the chance to see her live.


          Most people feel like when they talk about Adele they have to mention that "her looks are not what matter because she has talent", which is true, but they say it to explain why they like her even though she does not look like Britney or the rest of the popular singers.  I hate when people do that, why do they have to explain that, "so what!" she is not your cookie cut singer, she is extraordinary! To me she seems like she is not self conscious about her body or weight, she's just content with who she is and her success. She is someone I admire and respect,  I personally think she is a beautiful woman.

          Her personal style is simple, she often wears black tops or dresses with tights, leggings or skinny jeans and a cardigan, coat or sweater. Sometimes she adds a pop of color and uses big accessories. Adele wears really nice eye make up that shows off her green eyes and a muted lip color. She often has her hair up in a bun or pony tail. Her look is conservative, really sophisticated and elegant. I would love to create a collection inspired by her and her music, create outfits that she would wear, romantic and strong, but with a more youthful twist. She probably wears a lot of black to look slimmer, but I think she can pull off other colors as well as different outfits that will show off her curves. MISSION ADELE!!!

Watch the videos:

Royal Mad Hatters

Sophie, Prince Edward's Wife

          I'm not a huge hat wearer, but I do love watching the royals rock some funky hats. I admire how brave these women are. Its fashionable and a tradition to wear those types of hats for formal events such as polo games, the Royal Ascot, dinner parties and of course weddings. There was a sea of hats at Westminster Abbey this morning as expected, no one would be caught dead without one. This time around they were a bit more conservative, when it came to colors, but still very bold.

Camilla

          A lot of people dislike these hats and you know there will be a lot of "royal bashing" in the coming days, probably by "The Fashion Police" and other fashion "authorities" (self proclaimed or legitimate). Lots of people fail to see the art in these pieces. I can't say that I would be brave enough to wear those, but I they are something to be inspired by. The shapes, colors and materials used make these pieces a focal point and I admire the craft put into them by their designers. So much creativity goes into a single piece.

Beatrice

Zara Phillips, princess Ann's daughter

          There are many hat designers that the Brits go to for these events, but possibly the most famous is Philip Treacy. Treacy has designed hats for fashion houses and designers such as Chanel, Givenchy, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karen and, of course, Alexander McQueen. He also designed hats for movies such as Harry Potter and he also designed Sarah Jessica Parker's hat for the premier of Sex and the City. If you saw last season of Project Runway, you might remember the hat challenge where the designers had to pick a hat and design an outfit that went with it. The hats were Philip Treacy's creations, they were extremely bold and interesting.

Sarah Jessica Parker at the Premier of
Sex and The City

Lady Gaga wearing a Philip Treacy headpiece.

Fashion Designer Casanova creates an outfit
to pair up with one of the designer's hat.

Alexander McQueen Fashion Show

The Bride Wore McQueen

Sarah Burton (McQueen), designed Kate's Dress, beautiful and classic. Kate wanted to wear something designed by an English designer, so it should come as no surprise that she chose the best. If he could see this, I'm sure he would be tremendously honored:

Photos are screenshots of the wedding's live stream on 

http://www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel?feature=ticker

Royal Style Icon

          Ever since she started dating Prince William, Kate Middleton has been in the media and has become somewhat of a trendsetter, much like Michelle Obama became an icon in the US when her husband, President Obama was elected. Women want to look like her, companies made replicas of her engagement ring (Diana's ring) and some have even made a "how to" guides on the internet, showing women what to buy to look like her. Its crazy! She truly is a beautiful and sophisticated woman, nothing wrong with wanting to imitate someone like her.

          Today Kate will officially become royalty, and more than ever, she will be in the public eye, everyone in the world will be glued to Westminster Abbey. She has kept her dress choice a secret, everyone is excited and very anxious to see what she will wear. No doubt that after the dress is revealed there will be companies making the replica of the dress to go with the ring and everyone will be "Kate-i-fiyed" for their wedding.

          Everyone is calling this wedding the event of the season and lots of people can't help to compare it to Lady Di's wedding, so the expectations are high. I'm sure Kate won't disappoint, if she does, then "OH WELL!", let the luckiest girl in England have a happy day in the dress of her choice with the man she loves...and a billion other people watching.

So now...who will snatch Prince Harry? Gotta love those guys! (They really are equally as handsome in person! I got to see those beautiful men at the Queen's Birthday back in 2008 when I was in London, oh redheads...)

Here are some great looks we have seen from Kate so far:

Watch the Royal Wedding Online: http://www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel?feature=ticker

WEDDING DRESS!!! :)

HAPPY WEDDING DAY KATE AND WILLIAM

Savage Beauty

On May 2nd, at the annual Costume Institute gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will present "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" an exhibit celebrating the life and work of the amazing fashion designer. The big event will be hosted by Vogue's Anna Wintour, actor Colin Firth and designer Stella McCartney. Vogue.com will be posting updates of the event, behind the scenes and other cool stuff. The exhibit will feature pieces from his collections and it being put together by Sarah Burton and Sarah Mower, who worked with McQueen.

I'm a big fan of Alexander McQueen's work, he had such an amazing imagination. I appreciate his aesthetic, even if its so different form mine, its inspired and unique. I love to look at the shapes, colors and concepts he created. He was definitely one of the best designers of this century.

The exhibit will be open from May 4 Through July 31, 2011 (Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Exhibition Hall, 2nd Floor).


Some of the looks that will be included in the exhibit were unveiled in this month's Vogue, check it out!!!

General Information About the Museum:

Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
New York, New York 10028-0198
Information: 212-535-7710
TTY: 212-570-3828

Hours:

Tuesday–Thursday: 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Closed Monday

Cost: Adults $21

For more information visit: http://www.metmuseum.org/

Spring 2011 Trends

The 70’s are back!

Tahari A/W 2010

Day looks this season are all about clean and voluminous silhouettes with earthy colors.  High waisted, wide-leg pants belted in, bow-blouses with bishop sleeves in silky fabrics, rolled neck sweaters with vests and chunky necklaces over them, hot pants and printed jump suits help you achieve this look. Accessorize with leather bags, belts and boots. Wear a lot of jewelry; rings, necklaces and pendants make a great complete look.

Night looks are all about shimmering fabrics and form fitting outfits. Disco inspired fabrics, ruffles, blazers, tuxedo jackets, wide dress pants, long draped dresses, low necklines and slits will make for a very glamorous night time look. Small bags with long straps are great for these looks and you can add belts to your outfits to get a 70’s vibe. To compliment your outfits add rings with bold stones and neat piles of bangles.

The women of AMC'S Mad Men
(January Jones, Christina Hendricks
and Elisabeth Moss)

Feminine 50’s Silhouettes

These looks are classic; full circle skirts, cinched waists and impeccable styling. Bright colors and floral prints or stripes make these outfits very retro. Other options are straight cut pencil skirts, high waisted skirts, teacup length or just below the knees skirts with kick pleats or slits and classic three-quarter sleeve tops or dresses. To modernize these looks try adding sheer tops, blazers, trendy sunglasses, shorter hemlines, leather accents and modern hairstyles. Accessories with kitten heels, red lipstick, cat-eye glasses, belts, clutches, gloves and headscarves.

Biker Chick Chic

Burberry 2011

This trend comes equipped with leather jackets, skirts, pants and boots! Leather jackets get a boost with two tones or more, leather with more texture and accents. Leather pants and skirts come with a twist; mesh panels, zippers, quilting and padding. Boots are everywhere adorned with quilting, buckles and studs, find a statement piece and pair it up with your biker look.

Punk

The original anti-fashion movement makes an appearance this Spring.  This trend is somewhat similar to the biker look, but a bit more dressed up. Studs, leather, safety pins and combat boots are some of the main elements of this look. Studded boots, purses, tops and accessories are widely available this season. Look for Doc Martens, skinny jeans, leather pants and grungy tops. Think Hot Topic, you can dress it up or down as you like.

Some must have pieces this season:

Lace, crochet and macramé pieces; Tassels; Bellbottom pants, Capri pants and wide leg pants; Tail hem skirts; Striped clothes or accessories; Jump suits; Cropped tops; Cat eye glasses; Belt purses

Fashion in the Movies: Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants is an upcoming movie based on a bestseller book by Sara Gruen. The film takes us back to the 1930’s when a young man named Jacob (Robert Pattinson) drops out of Cornell, where he is a veterinary student, shortly after his parents die in a car crash. He joins the Benzini Brother’s Circus as their traveling vet, where he meets Marlena (Reese Witherspoon) a beautiful performer and the head trainer’s wife. They fall in love and have to deal with the consequences of her jealous/paranoid schizophrenic husband, August (Christoph Waltz).

I’m very inspired by history when I design. I love classic looks, and since fashion today lacks a lot of the glamour of the olden days, I often find myself trying to incorporate to my designs the elements that made women so elegant back then. When I first saw the trailer for this movie I was drawn to the fact that it is based off a historical novel, Reese Witherspoon looks amazing! So I started to look for pictures of her outfits online and I came across the May 2011 US Vogue, she is on the front cover rockin’ the 1930’s look and there is a beautiful editorial featuring her and an elephant shot by one of my favorite fashion photographers ever, Peter Lindbergh!

Allow me to give you a brief fashion history lesson:

1930’s fashion was very glamorous. Soft feminine styles replaced the flapper look of the 1920’s. Long and elegant gowns, lower necklines, soft gathers and natural waistlines were in style. Movies were very influential during this period, people in the U.S. needed a way to escape the harsh reality of The Great Depression and they looked at the stars of the time to help them do that. Hollywood dictated fashion; movie stars endorsed popular styles and accessories, and were often seen in glamorous evening gowns and furs. Some of the most influential actresses of the period were Carole Lombard, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Mae West and Jean Harlow.

            Accessories like brimmed hats, berets and turbans were very popular at the time. Hats were often worn tipped to the side, decorated with netting, feathers, ribbons or brooches.  Short hair was fashionable early in the decade, but long curls gradually made a comeback. Perms became popular and knotted hair nets called snoods were seen as well. Rounded toe shoes, thick heels, pumps, flats, ankle strap styles, slip-ons, lace-up shoes, two toned shoes and buckled shoes were all worn. Handbags were available in many styles and customized with the owner’s initials. Undergarments went trough some changes. Before, corsets with boning were widely used, by this time most corsets had no boning and they had evolved into brassieres and girdles with garters. Later in the decade separates were available.

Water for Elephants is coming to theatres on April 22, 2011

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz

Directed by Francis Lawrence

Watch the trailer at: 

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1397594649/

I'm so excited to see this movie because I know that the outfits are going to be amazing! I feel that it will be a nice story, maybe somewhat predictable, but I love romance, so its all good! 

References:

http://www.murrayontravel.com/carolnolan/fashionhistory_1930ladies.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930-1945_in_fashion

Vogue - May 2011 - Reese Witherspoon

http://www.touchpuppet.com/2011/04/11/reese-witherspoon-by-peter-lindbergh-for-vogue-may-2011/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067583/

Post Series: Muses

Muse: Florence Welch

Occupation: Musician

Origin: English

Best Known for: being the lead singer of the band Florence + the Machine

Prominent Physical features:  Really pale skin and bright red hair

Age: 24

If you have ever seen Florence + the Machine’s performance or a music video you know that lead singer Florence Welch sticks out! She has an amazing voice and a really cool style. She’s got a mix of styles going on, most days she is very Boho/flowerchild and others she goes into DavidBowie/Glam-Rock. I really like how many risks she takes when it comes to fashion, she is bold, maybe not as bold as, say, Lady Gaga, but still very adventurous.

Florence has a rectangle or boyish figure, this means that her bust, waist and hips are pretty similar in width, she has a very straight body. This body type can get away with a lot of things because there is no defined shape. Many women with this shape tend to create more curves with clothes. If you have a similar shape to Florence, try bias cut dresses, any skirt style, halter tops, skinny jeans, trousers with details on the hip area, flowy trousers,  tops with ruffles, bows and other embellishments, round high necklines, spaghetti straps, racer back tops, vests, tailored jackets, long tops that end at the hip and belts.  Some things that won’t look that great are very straight dresses and tops with dropped waists, big flares like cargo pants, super full and puffy skirts that put you out of proportion, if you have a small chest sweetheart necklines are difficult to pull off, baggy tops and tunics that make your torso look super straight and slouchy jackets that won’t create any curves.