bling it on

Oh god my titles are just getting cheesier and cheesier and I can't do anything about it. I'm sorry.

But seriously, if you are looking at buyin' some Bling with a capital B then I would totally suggest Juicy Couture. I'm in love with their Fall 2012 Jewelry Collection, and I usually don't geek out over jewelry (I mean yeah I love sparkly things and all that but frankly I find most jewelry overpriced, especially for plastic pieces and fake diamonds). And these pieces are overpriced, that's for sure, but they are soooo pretty that you can kind of overlook that Juicy is asking $148 for a cuff (albeit a gorgeous cuff).

The color pallet of purple, gold, black, and silver and art-deco geometric shapes are what's got me goin' crazy (a la Britney) so if that's your kind of thing then go for it! Me, I'm now a poor college student, so I'll just oogle at these shiny beauties over cyberspace.

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burgundy & leather

Looking for an investment piece this fall? Take a fall staple (leather) and dye it a deep wine red. Dresses, jackets, bags -anything is fair game for this dynamic duo!

all items available on net-a-porter.com

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Style Crush: Elizabeth Banks

When The Hunger Games premiered in March, everyone was eagerly anticipating Jennifer Lawrence's rise to fashion fame- and rise she did. The star has stunned in Prabal Gurung, Marchesa, and Nina Ricci. But while the Lawrence certainly has lived up to her character's "girl on fire" reputation, the true star of the Hunger Games promotional tour turned out to be none other than Elizabeth Banks. Though not the star of the film by any means, Banks stole the spotlight from many of her younger counterparts both on and off screen. In the movie Banks portrays Effie Trinket, the District Twelve tribute escort and my personal favorite. It only seems fitting that Banks would mirror Trinket's whimsical, daring fashions on the red carpet while promoting the film.

But The Hunger Games has come and gone and still I'm noticing Banks everywhere. Always, she is dressed impeccably, a rare feat for actresses these days. Somehow Banks knows how to make a statement without going over the top. She knows what styles work for her and she always plays up her assets. Banks also knows how to pose with poise, always looking like she's having a blast, which is refreshing to see when so many starlets - *cough* Kristen Stewart *cough* - act like the red carpet is such a burden. 

So here's to Banks, who never fails to impress, whether it be in a bright mini, metallic frock, or feathered gown. A lesson to us all in impeccable styling and taste.

(images from zimbio.com)

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Let's go down to the Seaside

Summertime and the livin' is sooo easy. Biking around, European football tournaments, finishing dresses in record timing. Ah, the life is good! Even if you aren't traipsing around, celebrating the beginning of a wonderful summer, look at these images to get you in the oceanic state of mind.

the Kennedy Clan

Tory Burch and Son

Brigitte Bardot at Cannes

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Welcome to Americana

There is something distinctly native about the looks of Spring. The retro fifties styles do conjure images of one of America's golden decades. We had just won our second World War and had emerged as a world superpower, so I guess the people of the States were feeling pretty good about themselves. And how does one celebrate? Why, by donning pearls, curling hair, and hopping in a vibrant T-bird, of course! More than fifty years after the fact, the fifties still have plenty of lure. For spring, everyone from Prada to Juicy Couture is amping up the saturation, nipping the waist, and rouge-ing the lips. See for yourself, retro is back!

Prada Spring 2012 Ad Campaign

Karlie Kloss for Juicy Couture Spring 2012

Glamour UK March 2012

“American Pop”: Abbey Lee Kershaw photographed by Alasdair McLellan for Vogue UK March 2012

Karlie Kloss for Americans Manhasset S/S 2012 Lookbook

Lana Del Rey

Suzy Parker

Querelle Jensen by Craig Mcdean for W February 2012

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Relaxed Luxe

Fashion has recently learned to take itself less seriously. After the dark and minimalist streak of the fallen economy, designers have found a lightness in their work. We are able to have fun with our fashion, but there is now a certain sense of practicality infused in clothing today.

It is time to embrace this in our clothing. It is time to throw caution to the rules of fashion and embrace palazzo paints, flowy dresses, and lower heels. We are energetic, busy creatures and sometimes we need clothes that adapt to movement. Sometimes fashion and comfort do go hand in hand.

1. Crumpet knitted cashmere dress 2. Tory Burch sandals 3. Missoni wide-leg pants 4. Diane von Furstenberg sleeveless top 5. Dolce & Gabbana coat 6. Aubin & Wills striped blouse 7. Day Birger et Mikkelsen striped cardigan 8. Stella McCartney tote bag 9. Jil Sander shift dress 10. Etoile Isabel Marant smock top 11. Tibi wide-leg jeans 12. Emilio Pucci lace shorts 13. Pierre Hardy studded sandals

(all items from net-a-porter.com)

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Just Can't Get Enough

Hey, guys! Guess what?

I'M A SECOND SEMESTER SENIOR!!

Yeah, just had to get that out there. Finally I have some time to myself and I can once again enjoy the year. There's so much I've been obsessing over, but I just haven't found the time to post about my latest loves, so now, voila! Here's one of the things I just can't get enough of lately.

Leopard Print Coats

Moschino Cheap & Chic PF 2012; Nina Ricci PF 2012; The Row AW 2011

There's something so glamorous about leopard print, and yet also something fresh and youthful. I love the way Moschino and Nina Ricci did their leopard coat looks with a big coat over a mini skirt or feminine dress. It totally reminds me of a young girl playing dress up with her mom's old pearls and ballgowns.

Leopard is always nice because it transcends seasons, which is always nice when decided to invest in a fur coat. Here are some of my picks if you feel like getting a little wild:

 

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Watermelon Smiles

Zara Sweater

Juicy Couture Cardigan

J. Crew Shorts and Sandals

Vintage Hat

Today was a day when I pondered if going to the East Coast for school would be worth it. Let's see: seventy-seven in SoCal or thirty-seven in New England...hmm...Well, we shall see if I even get in to any East Coast schools before I start worrying about the weather. 

But yes, today's outfit was inspired by watermelons. An ode to summer when January feels like summer

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Surfer Blood

Whenever my brother comes home I always feel more in touch with the surfer culture of our town. Being a tiny island on the Pacific, it is hard not to appreciate surfing, even if you personally cannot even stand up on a board. I've watched many a surf video over winter break, and I must say it is an incredibly remarkable talent to be able to ride the waves.

The typical surfer is laid back and down-to-earth, and the fashion world has adapted this mantra in its attempt to mimic surfer style, but the runway version is a bit sleeker than the true rip curlers. Think primary colors, body con, and color blocking, like a perfectly slick wetsuit.

 Diane Von Furstenberg; Marni; United Bamboo; Versus

The key is to go for a shiny fabric -like leather- in a neutral or pattern and pair it with a bolder accent. Things that remind you of swimsuits and rash guards are perfect to achieve such a look.

Derek Lam; Nanette Lepore; Stella McCartney; Versace

Ready to hit the waves? I've pulled up some gnarly pieces that will have you looking totally cool wherever you go.

(all images from style.com, tumblr, and net-a-porter.com)

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Sports Authority

I used to hate all those "sporty" editorials that Vogue and Teen Vogue featured at least once every two months because they tried so hard to make normal clothes "sporty," and somehow "sporty" clothes had to be blindingly neon. This spring, however, it seems that sporty clothes have gone uptown, and I much prefer this style to Vogue's. "Sporty" clothes suggest comfort, and even in fashion comfort and wearability have their place.

That's why hip designers like Isabel Marant and Philip Lim have made sweatshirts and tennis shoes into fashionable must-haves by using sleek fabrics and muted hues to appeal to a more sophisticated set. Who says we must always suffer for fashion?

ADAM; Alexander Wang; Derek Lam; Rag & Bone

 (images from style.com and net-a-porter.com)

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Would You Dare to Wear: Corsets to School?

So one of my favorite movies this year was Easy A probably because is was basically one big homage to John Hughes, who is without a doubt the greatest director ever, and also because it shows teenager-dome for what it really is. The movie made Emma Stone one of my idols, too, because she is so darn funny and witty! Another reason why I love the movie: Penn Badgeley!!!

But if you haven't seen the movie, Emma Stone plays Olive, a Molly Ringwald-esque character who feels totally invisible to her peers until she promises her guy friend to help him prove that he's not gay (or at least stop the other guys at school from teasing him about it) and the only possible way to do that, of course, is to fake a tryst at some crazy house party.

Then of course the whole school knows about Olive and her scandalous Saturday night, and she instantly becomes the school tramp. Surprise! And like any high school movie, the book she's reading in English class, The Scarlet Letter, seems eerily similar to her real life traumas. She then decides 'If the school thinks I'm a slut, I shall be that slut' and buys a bunch of corsets and sews red 'A's to all of her clothes, just like Hester Prynne! Weird.

So anyways, I gave you that seemingly pointless summary to get to this point: Olive wears some pretty skanky stuff in her efforts to emulate her rep. Now, at my school, such clothing is banned, so even if I wanted to dress like Olive I couldn't, at least not on school property. But my question is, would you dare to wear the getups Olive dons just to show off your new reputation?

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