Style Icons: Female »Nancy Cunard

They Don’t Make Heiresses Like This Anymore

Nancy Cunard was an unconventional inspiration who beguiled authors (Langston Hughes, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway) and artists (Constantin Brancusi, Man Ray) with her passionate activism and unique style.

Often adorned with African bangles up and down her arms, Cunard made fashion headlines but shunned her heiress fortunes and a lifestyle of leisure, instead devoting her life to fighting racism and fascism.

Sadly, her views cost her her fortune and her addictions and gradual mental instability left her penniless and homeless.

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Posted on March 30, 2012

Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Best of Couture

Long before pre fall and fall there was Couture and these were my favorite looks:

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Posted on February 29, 2012

Style Icons: Female »Lillian Bassman

Photographer

Lillian Bassman passed away recently and I’ve been meaning to commemorate her influential and inspiring career. A giant among men in the fashion photography world, she lent mystery, dreaminess, and drama with her high contrast, geometric and experimental images.

Her photos are moody and intimate, seeming to capture impromptu moments with the models faces often obscured.

While Bassman may not be a name as widely recognized as Avedon or Himmel (both of whom she helped with their careers as an editor at Bazaar) her iconic images are instantly recognizable.

She was 93.

 

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Posted on February 25, 2012

Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Best of Pre Fall Part 3

Deranged French aristocrat going to the opera or Helena Bonham carter without her Renaissance Faire tendencies. Either way you describe this Nina Ricci look, it was one of my favorites of pre fall.

(And yes, I know Fall is already is full swing. I’m lazy.)

Lace is huge, from runways to girls on the streets and this John Galliano look is a nice take on the trend.

Even more interesting though, is this sheer Vionnet floor length gown (and you’ll be seeing more sheer long skirts with Fall collections. So take note!)

Viktor and Rolf bring a modest Romanticism to evening wear, a trend that’s far from new, but given new shapes and proportions.

Lanvin has the ubiquitous leather gloves – some thing we’ll all be wanting and adds a fabulous sleeve in simple black.

Simple and black gets the most adorable silhouette from Prabal Gurung.

I love Valentino’s retro bubble skirt dress. It takes me back to my early days of sifting through Vogue with my sister, gazing at Karen Mulder.

Alberta Ferretti visited the Jazz Age and came back with some frocks any sophisticated vintage lover would swoon over while remaining on trend (black lace, leather gloves.).

I just love this Peter Som peekaboo lace dress. It appeals to the junior high me that always wanted mini skirts and the adult me that’s more nuanced.

Polka dots, bow details, and tight mini dresses wouldn’t normally add up to my idea of cute but Tracy Reese put all these over the top girls components together and something quite subtly adorable happened.

I do not have a soft spot for minimalism, but with flattering lines and interesting details, here pleats and   Black on black layers, costume national always shows me the magic of  a little black dress.

I’m not totally proud when I love something by Roberto Cavalli but love these bedazzling leggings I do. Smartly paired with an easy mini coat. I can see sparkly leggings becoming a trend mall stores can latch on to so maybe we can all try this look out soon ( for better or worse).

Pant less with shoulder pads. I admit this regal but odd Balmain combo is a look only models and fashion elite will pull off but I love it anyways and think there’s something we normals can take from the idea.

This Pucci mini reminds me of a deck of tarot cards used by a practicing witch (not the set I got from best buy age 16). This association is of course awesome. More witchy fashion please!

Really into this hourglass, 80’s dress from Francesco Scognamigli. The puffy lace cut out sleeves, narrow waist, and slightly pleated skirt are great and it works perfectly but unexpectedly with knee high boots.

No one does animal print quite like Giambattista Valli. This season it’s short, wrapped and airy, and I want it.

The quilted jacket, the full skirt, the opaque tights – this Bally look is classy Autumn perfection.

Givenchy had a lot of neat looks, and I’m as surprised as you that my favorite was all black – but layered with those boots, that bag, those glasses, and that hat – this is anything but drab. Chic and wonderful.

Lacoste has been surprisingly cute lately as this black and white college girl ensemble shows.

More black and white beauty came from Derek Lam who does nice things with the trendy leather skirt of the season.This Antonio Marras retro suit is just the kind of gem I’d flip over on ebay (before it became harder and harder to get good deals on vintage).

Finally, a little color to these favorites, and just a little. Pedro Lourenco goes all futuristic and it’s quite pretty in it’s odd way,

This Anne Valerie Hash look is almost awkward but there’s some interesting ideas we can steal. First I love the mix of neutral colors. Subtle and beautiful. Second, I like that it layers a wrapped top over a blouse and under a long blazer.

Lastly, while this is not the most mind blowing outfit, I am really desiring a military inspired jacket like this. It would look so perfect over pretty much anything.

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Posted on February 20, 2012

Style Icons: Female »Whitney

RIP

Oh, this was such sad news.

Whitney Houston‘s life was certainly troubled, but I think everyone was still shocked to hear of the iconic singer’s passing.

Like many girls my age, I was mesmerized by her paint splattered How Will I Know and sang the Greatest Love of All in school pageants.

I also have to say that even in her crazier times, she still had a spark that was hard to not love.

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Posted on February 12, 2012

Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Best of Pre Fall Part 2

My goodness, Fall is already starting and I’m just getting all the Pre Fall stuff together.

Well, first things first – everyone needs a funky, geometric sweater in bright, fun colors. A good sweater is, in my opinion the hardest thing to find but Jonathan Saunders, master of color combos, gives us some beauties. Love the skirts too. Great mix of retro and modern.

Clements Ribeiro, on a similar wave length, gives us a quirky pairing with this geo cardigan.

And Richard Nicholl adds a bit of rust leather to the look. It seems that a leather skirt is another good thing to seek out – even better? The latest styles could probably be found in thrift stores!

Really liked Sonia Rykiel’s collection and these fashionable business looks are divine. There’s so much to steal from this image – starting with a wide leather belt (again, I’d start vintage) and that long pleated skirt is just great! Also can’t resist a suit in an unexpected pattern and fabric.

Color blocking makes me happy, especially in fresh, gorgeous colors like this white, green and navy Preen look. We can copy the idea with layering solids and trying new color combos of what we already have in our closets.

This bright red, turquoise color combo is a huge love. I even have an outfit for Van in these and it rules. Also love the shape of this dress.

This lovely Rochas look reminds me of old Prada – a good thing. Love the luxe/casual idea here that totally makes me what to go out, buy a vintage brocade skirt so I can wear it with a sweatshirt.

Loved a lot of the No. 21 looks, but their take on the trendy, girly pink is excellent. Pairing such a feminine look with black leather gloves is fab and they’ve even made wrapping a sweater around one’s waist look sexy. Not sure that will work in real life though.

This Yigal Azrouel dress is just cute perfection. Wish I could see the pattern up close.

Albino also gives us a great dress that reminds me two trends from my junior high years: baby doll dresses and velvet burnout. Yet, I wouldn’t feel ridiculous wearing this.

Balenciaga was all sorts of questionable/awesome. This kimono, zebra thing is one of the more wearable looks, but despite the collection’s wildness, I predict it will influence future collections in a big way.

Ok, now I’m torn. Is this shiny snake skin look wonderful or hideous? Maybe it would be ideal if the components were ripped apart and paired with something else? Cause that skirt is pretty sick and would look great with a heavy metal tee, and the cardigan would be great with a bright pencil skirt or even wide leg trouser. Right?

So, this is my row of ugly chic. Starting with Celine, that frankly, was weird, confusing, unflattering, yet felt strangely significant as if we’d all be wearing clothes clownishly large on us in ten years. Anyways, this look was actually wearable and I do love the print plus the longer skirt with the gorgeous white and black boots.

JW Anderson also played with frumpy shapes but had more fun with geo patterns and creepers. Love the mix of grey flannel with the funky geo.

Not my favorite Matthew Williamson collection but I can totally see myself wrapping into this sweater fur thing and grossing out every guy I know.

Marni does ugly chic best and it ends up looking just adorable. This plaid sweater, pleated skirt back to school look is a great example of that Marni magic.

Coats! Coats! Wonderful coats. Carven offered my favorite – this mustard mini coat that looks vintage and sparkly new at the same time. Would love to own this for Fall. Carven proved with this collection that they can dazzle in subtle ways too.

Kenzo’s collection was chock full of stuff that shouldn’t have worked but totally did. This coat is almost reminiscent of those weird winter jackets men (like kid’s hockey coach type men) wore in the late nineties but it’s fashionable and fabulous. Also brilliantly paired with a super short mini skirt.

This Damir Doma look calls to mind the great Iris Apfel, so of course I love it.

Louis Vuitton offers a cute, cozy coat with adorable fur pockets. Wonder if I can find a vintage fake fur one that’s similar…

Dior seems to have gotten better lately after losing Galliano as this look shows. This is how rich, effortlessly chic French women should dress. It’s not trendy but this lady would make heads turn wherever she went. Would love to find a simple coat with volume like this one.

Another voluminous but flattering jacket comes from Chloe. Perfect with the longer skirt and red boots.

Alexander McQueen was quite beautiful and this velvet dress with capris is just lovely. Who knew the dress over pants thing could look so luxe?

This Elie Saab gown is the kind that I might not think twice about on the red carpet, but on its own, I have to admit it’s very pretty and somehow makes see through lace with straps look demure.

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Posted on February 8, 2012

Style Icons: Female »Eiko Ishioka

RIP

While I’ve made costume designer extraordinaire Eiko Ishioka my style icon before, with word of her passing, I wanted to revisit her amazing, inspiring career.

I was a fan long before I knew her name as a teen watching Dracula and The Cell and was lucky enough to see her creations in person at the Grace Jones performance.

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Posted on January 28, 2012

Style Icons: Female »Etta James

RIP

If there’s one special talent I could be granted it would be to sing like Etta James.

I love her, adore her, am so sad to hear of her passing.

Simply incomparable.

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Posted on January 20, 2012

Hunks,Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Boney M

Disco Coolness

A brief perusal of the internet of Boney M videos and images will lead you to the conclusion that there’s a pretty strong case they may be the coolest band that ever was.

Singer and insanely cool dancer (just look here) Bobby Farrell is a weirdly handsome front man and the ladies dress like goddess/disco/alien butterflies most of the time.

I would have loved to have been a member. The only surprise is that they weren’t more popular outside Germany (where they were created).

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Posted on January 17, 2012

Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Best of Pre-Fall Part 1

Thick fabrics, brocade and otherwise, make prefall’s most interesting silhouettes. Starting with Proenza Schouler and their squishy, gorgeous collection. They never used to be my favorite but lately they are killing it. Lots to love in the collection but I’d most like to attend winter parties in this cozy high waisted wrap look.

Pringle of Scotland not only gave us exceptional booties but great flattering shapes like this cinched puff skirt suit. Love

I just want to take a nap in this Ports 1961 blanket coat which manages to still flatter with all its bulk.

TSE tends to be too basic for my tastes but when basic meets a silhouette this perfect magic is made. Glad subtle volume is not going anywhere this season.

Oh, Thakoon. Pretty doesn’t begin to describe. This pastel look takes elements that have traditionally been, frankly uptight (a turtle neck and a grey blazer?) and brought it to the ballet. I’d love to figure out a way to replicate the feel of this ensemble with items in my closet.

Trompe l’oeil, funky Chanel esque jackets, there was a lot of fun stuff to pick from the cheap and chic collection. But I couldn’t help pairing this with Von Furstenberg’s yellow, black and white look. A great combo that looks fresh and funky. Also note: we all need some lady like gloves.

Ok, in real life, I’m probably not on board with these shorts but I do love the mixing of black and white patterns, the jacket is fabulous and once again (a recurring theme) the turtleneck gets the pretty treatment. Good for the much maligned turtleneck!

Good for Phillip Lim adding a big dose of fun. Love the comic book sweater that is somehow still fashionable rather than gimmicky. Maybe it helps being paired with a perfect fall weather leather skirt.

These rumpled trousers toe the line of sloppy but win out thanks to the perfect cuff. Foes this mean my skills of cuffing from my ore teens years will come in handy once again? Also, adore the trompe l’oeil belt and once again another great little jacket – a piece no one can have too many of.

Am I wrong to like this all red look? I might be. But that sweater is the kind that makes it worth it to date one of those terribly hip bits you see hanging out at the Ace Hotel. Just so you can steal it. I also think this collection may have subconsciously caused me to buy a fur hat. For that I’m thankful.

Wallpaper floral matching pant suit? Who knew DKNY could get so quirky? Not only that, but get quirky so very right? This could easily look clownish but instead it’s chic and making me rethink the hated concept of matchy matchy.

Palazzo pants are another often hated trend, but I’ve always kind of loved them. Doo.Ri’s elegant belted pattern suit might even get a few new followers to the wide leg look.

While there’s nothing groundbreaking to mention about this Jason Wu dress, I do think it;s terribly adorable and flattering. I’d wear this all the time.

Burberry has been presenting some of the most wearable luxury lines now for several seasons. Pre Fall gives us this girlie but sophisticated cocktail dress. So in love.

Admittedly, I really did not like the overall Michael Kors collection but it got me right at the end with the awesome proportions and fabric mixing in this casual/dressy look. I am stealing this idea for the next time I get to dress up.

Keeping the world classy, Reem Acra! This is just lady like perfection.

Jackets seem to be getting kind of future and I like it. I’ll take this Reed Krafkoff one for milder days…

And this Blade Runner-tastic Narciso Rodriguez one for chillier ones, thank you!

I know, I know, it’s fur, but it’s also really lovely, simple, and beautiful and fur just looks great to me right now… But I only do fake, so chill.

More fur, this time simple doesn’t play any role in it whatsoever. Glad he’s still all about dressing insanely rich people with taste.

Loved Chanel. Gold and pearls might just be my favorite friends.

Well, isn’t this Donna Karan dress a joy. I finally have some weddings coming up and if I could, this would be my dress.

See more great looks after the jump!!

Click here for the rest of Best of Pre-Fall Part 1

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Posted on January 8, 2012