Valentino Spring 2010 Collection

Just going to throw it out there, I am OBSESSED with the Spring '10 Couture Collection from Valentino. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli nailed it! The soft, matalic greys and peach hues are hindering the cold winter and eluding to a gorgeous spring.

  

    Inspiration drawn from Avatar? I think so! 

Cheers,

Bee

Images from Style.com

Response to Comment

Blogger DJ Nicholson asked us for advice about middle-aged women's fashion. Seeing as I am not a middle aged woman I had to consult my fashion go-to girl, my mom. She is definatly one of the most stylish middle aged women I know. After listening to her rant for a while, I absorbed this information: 

Shopping for middle aged women is hard because you don't want to wear clothes that are made for a 19 year old but you also don't want to look like a grandma. My mom said to"keep it modern, but discrete". An example would be pleated-front Bermuda shorts, an embellished front blouse that drapes just past the top of your hips,pick a bright color or patter to bring the attention upwards. a v neck cut is nice. a cropped fitted blazer draws the whole outfit together. Throw on some cork heeled pumps and you're good to go! Just experiment by mixing classic lines, colors and textures with bold tops, chunky accessories and funky shoes.

In conclusion stick to cuts that will flatter your shape, pair classic colors and lines with modern pieces and patterns. 

      

Shorts: See by Chloe              
Blazer: Top Shop                                                       
Top: Kirna Zabete.

Cheers,
Bee

The Misconceptions of Mens Fashion

            There are many elements to male attire that the majority of people do not fully understand. I will begin my maiden post by first clarifying some misconceptions that men have on getting "dressed up". First I must stress to men that it is not hard to get dressed up! All that you need to do is expand your knowledge of fashion history. This will not be like history class, the usefull thing about past fashion is that pretty much every man looked good and comfortable in their clothes. Today we see a huge variety of clothing styles, personally I love diversity, but to those men who dress just plain slovenly, this is for you. I hope that this can help those who want to be helped and maybe encourage those with a passion to dress well to keep to it!
            Personally I have run into alot of interesting situations by the way I dress, it seems that putting on a nice pair of shoes, suit, bow-tie and fedora is more questionable in modern mindset than somebody dressed as Darth Vader playing the Viola. More times than I can count I have been asked by a complete stranger why I was dressed like a "Gangster" (I assumed it was my hat). Honestly I am tired of this connection people have with dressing nice. I am not particularly insulted when told I look like a gangster because in all honesty those guys were very well dressed, not to mention badasss to boot!
            Many people also do now know what a 3-piece suit is, quite simply it is a suit that has 3 parts; a Jacket, Vest and Trousers. A 2-piece has just the Jacket and Trousers, and a 4-piece is the same as a 3-piece but with an extra pair of Trousers ( it was common practice to sell an extra pair with a suit in and around 1900-1940
            The next concern that I have is that most men say they don't know how to dress up, and therefor do not. It is actually very simple, but take it in steps, it is best not to immediately jump from skate shoes, jeans and a hoodie to a full blown Morning Suit, including spats, cane and top hat. First I would recommend you look through some past decades in time at their fashion and see which one you like best, try adding some elements of that era to your attire, doesn't have to be big, maybe a hat, tie or jacket. Gradually you can add more and more elements in whatever way you see fit,  get creative!
             I highly recommend men open their minds to past fashion, be it 80's, Victorian, or Renaissance, whatever interests you the most.  

Cheers,
Mr. Speakeasy




http://www.revelinnewyork.com/sites/default/files/capone6.jpg

Elizabeth & James Blade Runner Blazer

           

I love Ashley and Mary-Kate Olson's male-inspired line. It's got a lot of really strong, structured, simple staple items that every woman MUST have! I just love the simplicity and the cut of this jacket. Too bad it's 500 bones...

• H&M Faux-Fur Vest

• Jannuzzi Tutu skirt

• Miu Miu gloves

• H&M Sunglasses

This is a great example of a Faux-Fur vest and a skirt with sexy volume. I used to be a ballerina so I have a soft spot for leotards, white tights and tutus. I thought that the gloves and glasses added a cute touch to this out-there look. Now all this outfit needs is a pair of McQueen's haute lobster heels.

Cheers,
Bee

Top Ten, Bottom Ten

We have composed a list of the Top Five and Bottom Five Female trends, and the Top Five and Bottom Five male trends

Female Fashion DO's

1. Fitted Blazers- A fitted blazer or Tuxedo jacket can add structure to a flimsy outfit 
2. Skirts with Volume- Volume can give you curves where you need it and hid unwanted extras. Be careful to not over do it though. The key is balance. If you have volume on the bottom, keep it sleek on the top. 
3. Faux-Fur vests- Spice up an average cocktail dress with a faux-fur vest. Belt it for shape
4. Strong Shoulders- They're back! A jacket with structured shoulders is a revamp on the classic 80's look. Strong angles and cuts are really flattering. 
5. Bows- It you're having a bad hair day, throw your hair into a high bun and add a big satin bow. Instantly your hair revised. 

Female Fashion DON'TS 

1. Ugg Boots- They were never stylish and they never will be. They were created as Australian house booties and should stay in the confines of Australian houses. Not street appropriate! 
2. Over-sized, fake prescription glasses- If you don't need glasses, don't wear them. It's not like they're protecting you from the sun! 
3. Athletic pants- If you are going to yoga or sitting on your couch, all the power to you. If you are out shopping or going to dinner, please leave the spandex at the gym and put on some real pants! They are unflattering to the majority of the public and cling to places you really don't want to be drawing attention to. 
4. T-shirts with sayings on them- Nobody cares about your "Attitude Problem" or how much you think "Boys Suck". Frankly, I'm on "Team Let's Not Look Ridiculous" and not "Team Edward"
5. Short Jean Skirts- They reveal too much and leave little to the imagination. Not sexy. I'm a firm believer that tight, short skirts MUST be paired with tights or leggings.

Blazer from TIBI, Skirt from ACNE, Boot from UGG


Male Fashion DO'S

1.  Fitted Clothing- The difference between a well fitted suit and an ill fitted one is almost immediately identifiable. A well fitted suit also helps the silhouette of the clothes and makes the outfit much more flattering. 
2.  Nice Hats- The addition of a nice hat can in the majority of cases, make or break the outfit. As well, one should experiment with different hats, as different cuts and shapes are better suited for certain face shapes. Not-nice hats: Baseball, Beanie, "Hot Hat", or dunce cap. 
3. Ties- Modern ties are of simple design and often don't add anything to the overall look. personally my favorite era for ties is the 1940's, where hand painted pictures turned an often rudimentary item into a work of art (as well as a great conversation starter).
4. Vests- Rarely do I leave the house without some form of waistcoat (vest). A nice vest can add a fantastic snap to complete a good suit, it can add either color, or in colder weather a well needed layer of warmth. 
5. Boots- A good pair of mens dress boots are an essential article for the well dressed man. While the popularity of good quality lace up, or button boots have lost their appeal as they take a little while longer to put on, they retain their original class.

Male Fashion DON'TS

1. Improper Trouser Placement- Today's men wear their pants in a way that often leaves passers by wondering either if the pants will rip if they bend over, or if they will fall down any second. Pants should do up and stay at the waist, not halfway down ones rear! Skinny Jeans also have somehow found their way back from the dead and back in male popular culture, but while skinny jeans are considered "Hip", they should stay on women.
2. Shapeless Clothing- Many of today's popular clothing is mass produced and therefor made large and bulky, it only looks like it fits if you were to weigh 400 pounds. I can see that it is comfortable to have such loose baggy hoodies and pants but if you have that much space between the fabric and your skin you might as well wear a robe.
3. Sideways/Backwards Hat- Whats the point in even wearing a hat if you point the brim away from being useful? One can only pull off a jaunty angle of a hat if it is in good taste, men of the roaring 20's were often seen with their straw boaters as a slight angle, as this could either help deflect the sun more or to show a youthful playfulness. But with that said, it does not have the same effect when worn with baggy jeans and a hoodie... which brings me back to my previous DON'T.
4. Spiked Hair- Why? That is my first question to those with spiked hair. Is it Rebellious? Fashionable? Or was it some sort of accident? A man with nice hair has timeless class, spiked hair will quickly date you, and when it goes out of style you are left with having to change your whole look.
5. Square-toed Elongated Shoes- Having such long shoes with such an unflattering cut to the toe leaves the wearer looking like a semi-styled bigfoot. However, I do not completely discourage men to wear these shoes, it is certainly a step forward from wearing skate shoes. But there are a few more steps to take after that, I will elaborate on this at a later post.
 

http://upscalemenswear.com/images/Zota/Zota%2010088%20Black%20Bone%20Square%20Toe%20Leopard%20Hair%20Shoes.JPG