It’s funny how a fashion enthusiast’s mind works. It is the second day of Summer and I find myself already thinking about Fall fashion! One can never prepare enough and one can never start preparing too soon; well… within reason. But one does not want to miss indulging themselves in the trends that are happening in the present. So why not equip yourself with transition pieces that you can wear with your summer dresses and match with a slick fall suit?
When looking for a good transition piece, color, shape, and functionality must come to mind. Luckily color palettes do not drastically change from one season to the next. With that said, what is the Summer to Fall 2010 transition colors of choice? I must say I have discovered some colors that tantalize my taste buds. I’d like to call the color duo ‘milk and honey‘. The two flavors can go with a floral dress or a grey wool tweed suit and it would be a step up from repeating the grey and black duo from 09′. I rounded up some favorite ‘milk and honey’ accessories from the Spring/Summer 10′ runways. When I gathered these images I started day dreaming about the suit jackets I would like to match with dark denim and ‘milk’ colored shoes. But no! I must stop myself and focus on accessorizing my white Sass and Bide summer dress I just got. Ooooh the trials and tribulations of being a fashion enthusiast! Click here to see the ‘milk and honey’ selections.
I wanted to give everyone a sneak peek of what’s to come for Chocduchic.com. Since it’s inception we wanted it to be a place where you can learn, explore, critique fashion; accessories specifically. However it’s main intention is to be a place where you can buy unique pieces. Furthermore we are creating a unique online experience where you can navigate through and buy a curated collection of accessories that you can’t live without. There are lots of content so bare with us but the launch date is approaching very quickly. I grabbed some images we intend to use within the site. Check them out! Read the rest of this entry »
I am sure all of you will agree that Fashion has been regurgitating ideas every few seasons or so. It has become commonplace where if you missed a trend like the military jacket, you know you’ll be able to choose from a large selection in a couple years. Granted there is a large gap in between but the anticipation is there nonetheless. I personally am not opposed if the decided trend is updated. So now we have a few old/new trends this season. One being this bohemian trend and another being grunge. Take grunge for example. Has anyone approached this trend from a new perspective? I believe so but you have to read the fine print to find it. That is the key with fashion these days. Finding and understanding the fine print. Now that everything is accessible to everyone (information at least) there are less secrets in fashion and less people, whether they are designers or consumers, standing out of the crowd. Only the clever can find that fine print and only the clever can be fashion pioneers. Now pioneering can be as subtle as a color shift. Speaking of shifting colors, Valentino has successfully given their nod to grunge in their new ads. What happens when a grunge girl grows to be a sophisticated socialite (I can’t believe I am using sophisticated and grunge to describe the same woman!)? You get this Valentino girl. She is dressed in an outfit designed in Valentino’s typical flare but with a slightly harder edge. But her odd colored hair is the icing on the cake. Put it all together, you get the 2010 grunge sophisticate.
Another major player that has successfully redefined what it means to be grunge is Tom Binns. He has made his mark in the jewelry world on the very fact that he infuses grunge elements in his exquisite pieces. He gives us a plethora of bling but if you look closely, the crystal housings are made of patina metal and there are skulls dangling from a few of them. I am in love with these ear cuffs I came across that are telling within themselves because they retail for quite a bit of money so you must imagine the Well-To-Do wearing these. Well-To-Do and grunge?! That is what I want to be.
One of the newcomers who has gotten it right is Pamela Love. Like Tom Binns, she has a very defined aesthetic throughout all of her jewelry that is rooted in the dark and mysterious. Her miniature metal taxidermic pendants and natural stone rings are fit perfectly for the new grunge generation. People are taking notice of her unique accoutrements. She recently collaborated with Zac Posen for his Fall 09′ runway show as well as collaborated with Purple Magazine to create a purple crystal and silver snake pendant necklace.
I could not talk about this new grunge sophisticate without talking about Mr. Wang. I know I have talked about him quite a bit but he is deserving of all the talk! For clothing and leather goods, he is the go to designer whether the consumer is well-to-do or just a lover of fashion (who has a couple of hundreds to burn). His collection of washed and perfed leather handbags with bullet-like studs are genius and are not jarring like the overly studded accessories you see everywhere these days. They are just pure perfection.
I am traveling a bit at the moment (the trip has to do with the site. Stay tuned and you’ll see) but before I left I had to stop in one of my favorite stores in NYC. Bess hands down is one of the most unique stores you’ll find in Manhattan. They have such a unique point of view that is so acute it is hard not to buy into their world. In a nutshell, they are the leaders of the new bohemian goth world equipped with leather, denim, and lace frocks, combat boots, with studs, studs, and more studs. I personally have a pair of their combat boots and moccasins covered with studs and I constantly get compliments on them. But when I recently went into their store I was pleasantly surprised by the collection of jewelry they had at the cashier. They all had a transcendental quality about them as if they were found in a witches cauldron. I think they would go well with this new bohemian look emerging this summer. Check out pics from their S/S 2010 lookbook here.
A few months ago I put up a picture of a woman wearing multiple rings on the blog. Since then, I have been noticing more and more that fashionistas are experimenting with combining different shapes, styles, and size rings. I find it interesting to play around with combining this type of jewelry. When I shake some one’s hand or make one of my typical big gestures, people always comment on one or all of my rings. Your hands can be the most noticeable part of your body . Adorned with interesting rings can make a big statement. In a strange way it is an empowering thing and can immediately reveal some one’s taste or status. There is something to be said about wedding rings versus the idea of a wedding necklace. It is hard to say but I don’t think a wedding necklace would hold as much weight if such a thing existed, nor would it be easy to wear the necklace with every outfit. In many ways you lead with your hands through gestures, a handshake. Many actions are based on how you use your hands. I gave a guy my friend introduced me to a handshake the other day while wearing a triangular stone ring. I felt it graze against his hand and it was if more intrigue sparked immediately in his eyes. Nonetheless, it prolonged our small-talk session as he immediately asked me about my ring. It shows a small addition can make such an unexpected difference sometimes. See more ring combinations here.
Christian Roth dead stock sunglasses. They may look familiar or most likely will. Sunglasses with a straight bridge (or flat top) are popping up everywhere. Versace has a pair in their Spring 10 collection and Linda Farrow for Alexander Wang has an exaggerated version in their collection. Although not straight, his pair has a strong emphasis on the bridge. Click here for pics. This sunglass shape is reemerging this season and will most likely pop up in many more collections.
La Tentation du Diamant by Cedric Buchet for Vogue Paris. When nuns are supposed to be modest, this nun is embellished with the most opulent jewels that have a slight dark side to them. Model Lara Stone, with her perfectly stained pink lips, plays this alluring unsanctified nun perfectly. Click here for more pics.
A friend of mine told me I needed to check out this collection of leather goods called Lost Art and I was amazed! This line is named soo appropriately! New York based former model Jordan Betten started by making his own leather portfolio. Years later he has made custom made leather frocks for the likes of Lenny Kravitz and Shakira. His collection of men’s and women’s wear, hats, bags, jewelry, and belts are crafted from the finest of exotic leathers. Each piece maintains the integrity of the leather like displaying the alligator’s spine down the center of a bag or the tail around a bracelet. They are one of a kind and carry a special quality that will last an indefinite amount of seasons. It’s no wonder that celebrities pay a hefty price for some of Betten’s creations. I hope to acquire one myself one of these days. See more pics here.
