Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Best of Resort, Part II

Skirts really got the royal treatment, most impressively with this amazing Matthew Williamson embellished number from an over all wonderful Asian inspired collection. Pairing with a button down shirt is in line with with prim and proper trend of the season.

No. 21 gives us another lovely knee length skirt that is both casual with its pockets and loose fit but textured with fancy lace making it equally at home at the soiree of your choice. This look also comes from a great overall collection worth taking a look at for other sartorial inspiration.

Marc Jacobs juxtaposes the slate grey that permeated his collection with this fun, airy hot pink skirt that I am sure we will be seeing in the pages of the magazines to come. Again, the hi lo mixing is so much fun. I hope this trend of dramatic skirts that can be dressed up or be worn down trickles down to H&M, etc. This is one wardrobe piece I’d love to find.

A skirt of a different note is this bumblebee pencil from Burberry (yet another great collection) that manages to evoke the 1960’s while looking totally modern. Love the high waist and the bold colors and would not say no to that trench next door as a perfect walking-in-the-meadows-on-a-summer-day-after-the-rain look. Though it would probably look just as chic for a rushing-to-get-home-after-coming-out-of-the-subway-to-find-it-raining-and-I-have-no-umbrella-look that we all tend to sport one time or another.

Wearable dresses. There were lots of them and it made me very happy. We’ll start with Anna Sui, whose over styling and sometimes cartoonish looks feel dated but within this collection we find this awesome, print mixed cotton dress. I’d wear this pretty much constantly if I were able. The subdued colors are perfect and it’s effortlessly chic. Love it

Speaking of love, Rebecca Taylor does wonderful things with color with this look. It’s prairie (a trend that got a huge exclamation point on it from Rodarte’s last collection) meets the big city with the pops of brights against grey. I have nothing in these colors but will be on the look out to remedy that fact.

Chloe highlighted the wearabilty of the collection by presenting the looks in a street style photo shoot. This mint green pleated dress is just simple and gorgeous. Looks interesting anchored by those pretty fabulous buckle heels but I can see myself in something like this, barefoot for a beach wedding (now I just need to find a beach wedding to crash).

Jason Wu’s collection made me think of The Lover, a forbidden romance set in 1929 Vietnam (doesn’t everyone seem to be drawing inspiration from Southeast Asia? and doesn’t it feel perfect?). This lovely dress, paired ingeniously with that world traveler hat (ok – so I know the next hat I need to find – but anyone know what a hat like this would be called?) is so pretty and I just have to mention, speaking of pretty, robin’s egg and white wainscoting, sigh.

Dresses weren’t just pretty though. Stuff got edgy and unusual. I particularly love this hippie meets the future dress from Peter Pilotto – the print, the shape, the neckline details, everything about it is unique and awesome.

Balenciaga played with shape too and it looks radical with this sharp shoulder low waist dress that also features a trend I haven’t mentioned but still love – hints of animal prints on solids. Look around, you’ll be seeing it everywhere.

Roksanda Ilincic’s collection was sweet. She channeled the 1940’s and offered the looks of that era in an entirely new light. This bright green color block dress was one of my favorites, and of course, you know I love my turbans.

I am pro dress over pants. I know, I know, it seems like it should never work, but this look from Acne helps my side of the argument.

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Posted on June 23, 2011

Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Best of Resort, Part I

I love stripes for summer, it’s a logical choice and this Thakoon Addition look perfectly encapsulates the current Summer mood with just the right amout of them along with bleached denim, florals, and youth.

John Patrick also shows off a perfectly balanced and very simple outfit that makes one wish for more rain and an excuse to wear galoshes.

Mulberry goes less traditional with the stripes in a Bert and Ernie golden navy combo and makes a chic school girl charm that isn’t cheap or too young. Again, bleached denim- how do you suddenly look so fresh and cool?

Back to the French tradition with navy and white and red and white stripes with Sonia Rykiel, who has made a name doing stripes right. This resort season is no different as you can tell from these cheerful, slightly quirky ensembles that would be ideal for a walk along the Seine, and if that’s not possible, how about a walk to the new East River Ferry?

Yay Stripes!

Another trend was the bold, busy printed dress in unexpected silhouettes. My favorite coming from Preen who gave a moody, languid collection that was fashionable Japanese lady marooned by a lover in Southeast Asia. I love the sexy, tightly belted waist juxtaposed with the proper buttoned up neckline.

Suno, ever having fun with prints, offered this adorable Hawaiian printed mini that also manages to be short and fun for Summer but respectfully covered up up top. I’d love to go flea market shopping in something like this. They also featured some looks of plaid and floral mixed together, something I’ve been super into for Falls past, but loved seeing in a warm weather way.

Marc by Marc is of course on target with this flattering mini dress in just the sunniest, cutest of prints. The black piping is key. This row of dresses is really making me itch for my vacation, what about you?

And if that vacation were to Polynesia (it isn’t) I’d love to bring along this flower Peter Som dress so I would just fade into my beautiful surroundings.

Long, floor dusting gowns were tops for evening and none were as awesome as this animal print atop animal print Giambattista Valli number. Love the prints and the belted yet unstructured silhouette.

Erdem offered more of their artistic prints and they looked the most stunning in this cap sleeve maxi. Wear this if you want to look like a captivating painting.

Givenchy’s wild mirrored prints are likely to get into the editorial pages, but I was really taken by this strangely beautiful origami black on black.

Yellow was huge, tons of people featured the sunshine color in their collections, but this Jenni Kayne gown stuck out to me with its simple and unique sophistication.

Lots of Resort to review, so more favorites coming soon!!

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Posted on June 20, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Clarence Clemons

E Street Sax Man

I was very sad to hear of Clarence Clemons’ passing. Known as The Big Man, he was a philanthropist, a father, and an amazing entertainer.

Most notably he was the saxophonist for The E Street Band, and it’s rare that I’ll say saxophone makes things better, but Clarence could.

As one of the few of my generation that counts herself a (non-ironic) Springsteen fan, I was lucky enough to see him perform live. It was sweet. Clemons was vibrant.

He will be missed.

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Posted on June 20, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Gary Numan

Iconic Electronic Rocker

Half grumpy nerd, half stoic rock star, Gary Numan makes one unusual celebrity.

With double breasted suits, pleather jumpers, and later snow white hair he classifies as a style icon of the traditional sense, and hints of his style can be seen in The Talking Heads, Devo, and even Eddie Murphy (rent Delirious if you don’t believe me).

But he is most notably an inventive pioneer whose catchy electronica from another planet infinitely inspired the music landscape.

I am a big fan and in some strange moods only Telekon will do.

Nowadays, he looks better than some aging rock stars but seems to have thrown away the android Gary for a new Gary that screams like Trent Reznor by way of Leland Palmer.

He still tours (look out for dates this year) and a few years back performed the entire Replicas album live, which would have been super awesome to see.

Other awesome things about Numan? Well, he cameoed in the Mighty Boosh, he is openly atheist, he was diagnosed with Aspergers and proves that success is possible with the disorder, and he married a fan club member (giving hope to fans everywhere that the same could happen to them one day).

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Posted on June 9, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Sylvester

Queen of Disco

Even today many celebrities are afraid to live out and proud. That Sylvester was dressing in drag and flaunting the title of Queen of Disco in a far less tolerant era is amazing and admirable.

He’s probably best known for his hit “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” but I found out more about him as a one time member of the off the wall fabulous performance group The Cockettes.

Beginning his career as a costume designer, he knew about style From head to toe and he made everything – from bangles to flapper dresses his own.

He sadly died of complications from AIDS during the early years of the epidemic. A documentary based on his life is in the works.

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Posted on May 31, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Randy Savage

Wrestling Superstar

Randy Savage aka Macho Man was an American icon. His recent death came as a shock. Most everyone of a certain age, wrestling fan or not, knows him as the Snap into a Slim Jim guy in the series of commercials that are nostalgically awesome – “Are’t thou bored?!

It was his flamboyant, insane WWF persona however that made him a star. If you missed his antics the first time around, now is a great time to catch up on the world of Macho Man. A simple youtube search will reveal all sorts of gems.

Only in the world of wrestling can you find the drama of over the top acting, the amazement of incredible physical feats, and the pizazz of out of this world costumes (and let’s be honest, the jackets Macho Man is sporting? They’d sell for a ridiculous amounts at Opening Ceremony today). Randy Savage was a master of the all the theatrics.

So put on Pomp and Circumstance and raise a glass to a unique icon that will be missed.

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Posted on May 21, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Oskar Schlemmer

German Artist

I stumbled across an image of the Oskar Schlemmer Triadisches Ballet and was instantly enamoured of and curious about this multi talented Bauhaus artist. He lent his inventive eye to not only choreography and stunning costumes but painting and sculpture as well.

Be sure to take a look at the Ballet, which is in three parts: Amarillo, Rosa and Negra. It’s one of the strangest and neatest ballets you’re likely to see.

Click here for the rest of Oskar Schlemmer

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Posted on May 6, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Philip Treacy

Milliner Extraordinaire

With rumors circling that he is commissioned to create Kate Middleton’s wedding head piece and an upcoming Met Retrospective of his long time collaborator, Alexander McQueen, it’s just a Philip Treacy kind of year.

Taking a look through Treacy’s career, anyone could get excited about millinery arts. I am particularly hat crazy with the changing of the season and subsequent changing of head gear.

So long wool turban and floppy brimmed tweed – hello bright wide brimmed sun hats. What I wouldn’t do for some outrageous Treacy creation. His work is inventive, imaginative, daring and humorous.

The sadly departed Isabella Blow discovered the deisgner (as well as McQueen) and often donned his wildest hats including the famous feathered “Blow” head piece.

Other famous fans include Lady Gaga. SJP, Naomi Campbell and of course the soon to be British Princess.

His headpiece and her dress are the only reason I am excited to see the wedding tomorrow (though not enough to wake up at 4am).

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Posted on April 28, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Patrick Kelly

Whimsical Designer

I used to love looking at the Patrick Kelly ads in magazines as a kid. With his signature overalls and upturned baseball hat, his life seemed like a never ending party. His creations, which included lots of embellished tight short mini dresses (he height of what I considered sexy dressing then) seemed like a whimsical collaboration with the world.

Huge sewn on buttons, rainbow tutus, the Eiffel Tower – is it little wonder his designs charmed the likes of Grace Jones and Isabella Rossellini as well as a nine year old fledgling fashion lover?

He breathed so much life into the world of fashion but ironically and tragically was the first celebrity I knew and admired that succumbed to AIDS. It makes me sad still to think of the out of control brilliant fun he’d be adding to fashion week if he were alive today.

The Brooklyn Museum had a retrospective of his career in 2004 but I still feel he’s a bit unsung and forgotten by the upcoming stylish youth.

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Posted on April 19, 2011

Style Icons: Male »Sidney Lumet

Film Director

Iconic director Sidney Lumet passed away this week. He left behind some great ones so if you’re planning a Lumet marathon, be sure to include my two favorites: Network and Dog Day Afternoon as well as 12 Angry Men, When the Devil Knows You’re Dead and The Fugitive Kind. Serpico is one of his most hailed but not my personal top pick.

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Posted on April 12, 2011