Currently Loving: Lace

What I'm loving at the moment: lace. Lots and lots of lace. I know, I know, maybe I'm a bit late with this... I have no doubt whatsoever that bloggers left and right have already written about this pretty trend, maybe several times already. But, for whatever reason, it wasn't until I spotted some photos of Michelle Williams sporting this beautiful Oscar de la Renta number at the 2011 National Board of Review Awards Gala that I thought to myself, Hmm... I have yet to feature this on MY blog. And so here we are! Lace, if done correctly, is classy and elegant... yet it can also be used to give the look a bit of an edge, which I love. Which brings me to Jessica Biel, showing off a bit of skin in this gorgeous Emilio Pucci dress (pictured below) back in June. This look alone is walking proof of that old saying, "a little bit goes a long way". Jessica shows us all how to use lace to look sexy without looking, well, trashy. Personally, I love lace in classic shades like black or ivory. And, my advice would be do as Jessica does when incorporating lace into your outfit: don't go overboard with it! Pair a lace top with a solid skirt or leather shorts. Step into some lace pumps to add a little kick (no pun intended) to your LBD. At the same time, don't be scared to use lace to spice up your outfit. If you're going for an all-over lace dress, make sure it isn't too long and drapey, and that it's overall flattering for your figure, otherwise it will age you and distract from your bod. And to prove our point, we have Kirsten Dunst. I tried to like her look, but for some reason this Valentino dress wasn't doing it for me. I don't know if it was the sleeves, or the fact that the dress is a little stuffy with the tights... but the whole look was kind of a flop for me. It's just so unflattering and does nothing for her. While Michelle's lacey look is classy and Jessica's is sexy, Kirsten's is just old woman-ish. But I digress.

I will leave you all now with these stunning Alexander McQueen flesh lace pumps...

So... what do YOU think of lace? And of the looks I featured? And of these swoon-worthy shoes? Oh and as always, thank you so much for the sweet comments. xo

images via justjared.com; alexandermcqueen.com

Cover Me Up

How chic is Victoria Beckham in her pretty black coats? She's rocking a Giambattista Valli coat in the first photo, making traveling through bustling airports look so effortless... I can't help but admire her. I am currently LOVING tights, as they can be worn with dresses but also shorts.. flats or pumps or boots.. with a cute coat or cardigan. I mean, the options are endless. But I digress, because this post wasn't about VB's tights (although paired with the black high collared coat and simple pumps, they do help her look put together). I was actually going for a post about... COATS. The Burberry Prorsum she wore recently at yet another airport (as seen in the second photo) was equally chic with bare legs. This season, every time I go shopping I can't stop myself from browsing through endless options of outerwear. I just find pretty coats to be irresistible this time of year! Personally I love a classic beige trench and a nice double breasted style.. and of course, my black motorcycle jacket has become a staple in my wardrobe. I love my coats in shades of beige and grey in addition to classic black, but I also love coats that wow with a pop of color, like red. Which styles do YOU reach for, lovelies? xo

images via justjared.com; polyvore.com

Rebel Without a Cause

 WITH A REBEL YELL, SHE CRIED

MORE, MORE, MORE

Lately I've found myself really loving the tanks, sweaters and hoodies of Rebel Yell. I just love how they look so laidback, cool and comfortable. I find them perfect for those days where we just feel like throwing on our favorite pair of jeans and a hoodie with some big sunglasses before running out the door. I picked out some of my favorite pieces and played around with some fun looks centered around the Rebel Yell items.

What do you think? How would YOU wear your favorite Rebel Yell hoodies and tanks? xo

images via polyvore.com

Lanvin Lovin'

Noteworthy news of the day: a Lanvin + H&M collection due out in November! I love French fashion and H&M (although, naturally, I found the H&M stores I've visited in Switzerland and the U.K. to be far superior to the ones we have in LA.. no surprise there), so of course when I read about this I had to feature it on here. Another thing I love? Seeing fabulous designers collaborating with large stores to create accessible and affordable lines. Some people scoff at the idea, but I say, pourquoi pas? Of course, they are remaining tight-lipped about the details of the collection, so we are left to imagine (and anticipate) great things. Doubt that we will be disappointed! And, of course, I had to put together a little collage to get us all excited. Note: this is NOT the actual H&M collection (as I said, I have no idea what the actual collection will consist of). Just a few Lanvin pieces that I liked.

Thoughts? On Lanvin, on H&M... on the fact that we are now in the month of September?? Say it with me now: When did THAT happen?

images via popsugar.com; polyvore.com; video via justjared.com

Lust List: Cool & Casual

As someone who loves to shop and make fun collages and such, I can't believe I had not discovered Polyvore earlier! But now, thanks to reader and fellow blogger Vivian from Diamonds and Tulle, I have stumbled upon this Shopstyle-esque site and, as you can imagine, have been having lots of fun with it. Here's the first one I created, a compilation of items that I loved... I know it's more of a summer look rather than upcoming A/W, but with the triple digits we've been having in LA lately, it's hard to imagine shopping for chunky sweaters and boots right now (though I LOVE shopping for Autumn).

Stripe Crop Tee $26 - Metropark

Self Belt Pleat Front Shorts 15 GBP - Jane Norman

Balenciaga Arena Classic Velo $1,445 - Barney's

Tory Burch Reva Leather Ballerina Flats $235 - Net-a-porter

Loree Rodkin Lacy Bondage Ring 10,000 GBP - Browns

Marcel Drucker Women's 24-497 Gold-tone Yorkie Charm Bracelet Watch $150 - Endless

People-Ivory Super Sunglasses $160 - Gargyle

Okay so most of these items are not cheap by any means. But a girl can dream, can't she? ;]

images via polyvore.com

Back to School Chic

I honestly can't believe summer is over already and it's back to school time! Here are some items I stumbled upon that I thought would be perfect for the occasion. What do you think?

images via bloomingdales.com; urbanoutfitters.com; jcrew.com; nordstrom.com

Get the Look: Miranda Kerr

For today's Get the Look post, I decided to feature an outfit recently worn by Miranda Kerr, whose style I adore. She always looks so sweet and chic, even in the simplest of outfits. Miranda was photographed last month as she stepped out with her beau, Orlando Bloom, shortly after the two tied the knot. I love the whole maxi dress/scarf/flats combination... comfortable without looking like a mess! And not only was her outfit a hit, she herself looked so, so happy which I think is really key to a great look -- a smile.

What do you think of this look? Or of Miranda? Remember, you can click the photo above for a closer look!

images via justjared.com; gap.com; freepeople.com; stevemadden.com; nordstrom.com

Rough Drafts

Oh how I wish I wasn't so artistically challenged. For as long as I can remember, I have had no ability whatsoever to sit down, sketchbook and pencil in hand, look at a neatly arranged bowl of fruit or vase of flowers, and recreate an almost carbon copy of the object onto paper. Now, I know this feat is possibly easier said than done, and very few people can actually create said carbon copies... but I would've at least liked to possess the ability to create an image remotely resembling its original. Throughout elementary school, art class consisted of little to no actual instruction, led by a rather discouraging woman who apparently didn't believe in words of endearment, regardless of the fact that her students were between the ages of 6 and 14 and could, at the time, really use it. This coming from a private school. No matter -- from then on, I was convinced that I was incapable of creating any piece of art worth taking even half a second look at. This wasn't just in my head, either... on several occasions since those fruitless elementary school art days I HAVE tried setting aside my personal inhibitions to put in real effort and see what the end result will be. In high school, the one art class I took was one that was required of us, and even then I would actually attempt tirelessly to complete the assignments everyday... only to pass them on to my best friend later (who happens to have impeccable sketching and painting skills) to complete for me.

This all came to mind when, just recently, I was sitting in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and observing a local who looked to be around my age, standing about a foot away from a marble bust and sketching swiftly into a leather bound notebook, glancing up at her subject every so often and very rarely erasing her markings to make adjustments. I admired her then, thinking to myself how lovely it must be to pick up a book and go spend an afternoon at the local museum, sketching away effortlessly (granted, she lives in one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to, a city bursting with art and culture and inspiration, the city that was once home to Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci -- but I digress). I imagine it to be liberating, satisfying, and even somewhat therapeutic. I guess that's what writing is for me, though. I turn to writing when in need of comfort and, more often that not, comfort is what I find. So maybe we all have that sort of medium, there to serve us loyally by providing us with that sense of freedom, relief, comfort, revitalization, whatever it may be -- in the form of drawing, writing, running, creating music, cooking, twirling batons, and so on. So maybe I'm not the next Monet... there's only so much I can do about that. For now, I'll frequent art history courses in place of drawing 101, leaving the painting to the pros and continuing on as an admirer.

Oh and by the way, how great are those sketches? The first is Dolce and Gabbana, second is Christian Dior. I love looking at designer sketches almost as much as I love looking at fine art... I find them so fun and inspiring. See -- appreciation. In this particular case, it's what I do best.

So now, dear readers, I'm curious: what is that one thing YOU turn to when you need to let go and relax? 

images via celebritybridgeuide.com and christmasmagazine.com

Get the Look: Nicole Richie

One of my favorite style icons, Nicole Richie, stepped out to attend driving school earlier this summer looking effortlessly cool, as per her usual. Although I did catch myself wondering how weather appropriate the outfit was (thick black tights, a denim jacket and an oversized scarf in June? in Los Angeles??), I can't bring myself to say anything negative about her choices, as each and every piece comes together to create such a pretty look without looking like she's trying too hard... or trying at all, for that matter. The Nicole we see now seems so far removed from the Nicole who got her in this whole driving school mess in the first place -- and her style reflects that completely. Further goes to show that one's style is an extension of oneself. Nicole has embraced her current role as mother, girlfriend, designer, and philanthropist and she really looks the part. Gone are her Simple Life days of partying with Paris Hilton, and I have to say I adore this Nicole much more than the younger firecracker one. And so, for those of us who don't exactly have the Nicole Richie budget, I recreated the look using much more affordable and accessible pieces (some of which you might already have in your closet, ie the scarf or tights!). Here's what I came up with...

And voilà... a chic and easy outfit à la Nicole Richie, perfect for a lunch date or even a day out running errands (for a closer look, click on the picture to enlarge). 

What do you think of this look, or Nicole in general? Whose style are YOU head over heels for? Let me know in the comments! xo

images via popsugar.com; urbanoutfitters.com; forever21.com; nordstrom.com; fredflare.com