MCLV Style File: Flower Power
Welcome to another Style File post – Our last outfit breakdown was a killer patterned black & white dress that Poppy Delevingne wore to Berlin Fashion Week and this time we’re going to check out a bright, fun outfit that’s a great way to transition to colder weather now that Fall 2012 is upon us.
Throwing a floral blazer over a skirt & top combo is a great idea, it takes this from a basic Summer look to an eye-catching, colder-weather appropriate outfit that can easily be adapted to suit your style and the pieces that you have available in your closet.
The extras for this look are especially great – The long, layered necklaces, chunky bracelets, and oversized gold mens watch are lovely but that handbag is what really stole my heart.
{Indulgence to Savvy Shopper – Left to Right: Lc Lauren Conrad Floral Blazer – $50 (sale) @ Kohl’s, ASOS Premium Floral Print Blazer – $55 @ Asos.com & Tall Co-ord Floral Blazer – $130 @ TopShop}
The key to this look is the floral blazer, finding one that suits your coloring and shape may take some time, but it’ll be worth it since this is such a great piece for Fall.
{Indulgence to Savvy Shopper – Left to Right: Rachel Roy Quilted Wrap Skirt – $175 @ Zappos.com, Vince Camuto V-Neck Wrap Dress – $100 @ Shop The Shoe Box & BCBGMAXAZRIA Silk Ruffle Flounce Draped Skirt – $60 @ 6pm}
You could try a sweet blue wrap skirt for this look or you could opt for a cobalt dress and achieve a similar silhouette. It’s the bright colors and eye-catching accessories that make this look work so you don’t need to stress about copying it piece-for-piece.
{Indulgence to Savvy Shopper – Marmen Cross Necklace – $250 @ Urban Outfitters, House of Harlow Diamond Cross Necklace – $60 @ Designs By Stephene & Multi Row Cross Necklace – $20 @ Asos.com}
Whether you’re a fan of delicate necklaces or chunky, gold jewelry or silver, wearing a single chain or layering multiple pieces – There’s something fun in this style to suit your personal taste!
{Indulgence to Savvy Shopper – Vince Camuto Gold Boyfriend Watch – $175 @ Dillard’s, Gold and White Links Boyfriend Watch – $55 @ Asos.com & Merona Silver Tone Extra Large Boyfriend Watch – $20 @ Target}
A boyfriend watch is a funky alternative to a cuff or bangle, it adds a masculine touch without taking your look straight to made-for-the-boys territory. Gold or silver, embellished or plain, there are tons of options out there.
Curious how I would interpret this look using pieces that I have in my wardrobe? Tuesday’s MCLV Style: Factory Girl post was actually inspired by this look from Lovely Pepa!
{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Floral Blazer – Pim + Larkin from Piperlime, Pleated Black Mini – Zara (one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe, true story), Ankle Booties – Rebecca Minkoff from Shopbop.com, Floral Top – Anthropologie, and Jewelry – All from Sasha Maks Vintage}
As you can see, you can mix this look up, change colors, and adjust the jewelry to create something fresh and unique, a look that is all yours!
You can also check out past MCLV Style File looks below:
Looks of the Week
I hope that everyone had a lovely weekend! The weather is really starting to turn towards Fall here in San Francisco with crisp, clear days and shower-filled evenings. My favorite time of year!
Let’s celebrate Monday coming to a close with a handful of fashionable looks from around the globe that’ll have you as excited for Fall dressing and accessories as I am.
I love this look from head-to-toe. Pairing a floral blouse with a green & black polka-dotted high-waist pencil skirt was brilliant and those shoes are too cute!
Such a fun, eclectic look. The round retro frames suit her to a T, I love the print & pattern mixing with the tunic and leggings, and the leopard print mini Celine bag is a great final touch.
Leopard print shorts are a hard piece to pull off but this look perfectly combines the fun, eye-catching print shorts with a bright, but demure sweater & button-down combo. The addition of the lipstick red handbag and the black velvet smoking flats.
MCLV Style File: Poppy Delevingne
Welcome back to a new Style File Look!
It’s been a while since I put together one of these posts, but this recent look from British model & fashionista Poppy Delevingne really caught my attention so I’m here today to share it with you.
{Poppy Delevingne shot by Altamira: Models Off Duty}
What I love about this look is that it’s chic and well put together, but it’s also exceptionally versatile. It could easily go from a daytime look to nighttime, just as well as it could go from a Ladies Who Lunch outing to – well – Fashion Week in Berlin.
{Inspiration Board on ASOS Fashion Finder – Lace patterned dress, Marnie Leather Belt from Boticca, Black Marano Glitter Clutch by Anya Hindmarch & Pink and Slate Combo Stingray Sandals }
You could put together a similar look to this one by either belting a fun printed dress or combining separates – From the same brand or you could get creative and mix n’ match different patterns.
{Indulgence to Savvy Shopper – Left to Right: MaxMara Studio Uruguay Dress – $475 @ Matches Fashion, Tahari by Arthur S. Levine Belted Ruffle Dress – $130 @ Nordstrom & Dorothy Perkins Black & White Print Dress – $50 @ Dorothy Perkins}
This is also the type of look that could translate easily from black & white to color quite well, you just need to make sure that you’re sticking with a subtle pattern, a bold print and bold color together will make the look overly busy.
{Indulgence to Savvy Shopper – Left to Right: Alexander Wang Drape Front Print Silk Dress – $295 @ Nordstrom, DKNY Royal Blue Belted Swing Dress – $190 @ StyleBOP.com & Young Threads NYC Inc. Flame of Reference Dress – $75 @ ModCloth.com}
{You can shop similar pieces by clicking on the hyperlinks above and visiting the various store websites}
What’s your favorite part about Poppy’s fun look for Berlin Fashion Week? The subtle all-over pattern or the way she paired an understated Hugo Boss frock with fun, modern grey heels and a hippie-chic silver necklace?
{Click on images above to visit the original source}
You can also check out past MCLV Style File looks below:
Looks of the Week
After a relaxing t-shirt & shorts weekend I was looking forward to a fun, fashionable Looks of the Week post to get me back in the fashion mind-set for this week. So enjoy some of the great looks I found and get inspired!
Chic Chic Chic!
I love how from a distance this outfit looks low-key, but the individual pieces are all really beautiful and unique. The animal print ankle strap heels, gorgeous lace shorts (DIY!!!), and two-tone envelope clutch are all the perfect touches.
This is a great combination of pieces. The floral peplum top is really cute & summery, those cropped black pants are totally classic, and I love both the strappy glitter sandals and the Kelly green clutch. Well done!
Summery florals have been all the rage lately and this is a fun, fresh take on that trend. The minty green slim pants and neon yellow heels make the look interesting and keep it from being sugary-sweet.
This is such a classic, fashionable menswear look. Cuffed jeans paired with a plaid shirt is a great, traditional style, and those lace-up boots are totally covetible.
Light & breezy at it’s finest! This bubble-silhouette white midi skirt is a great focal point for this look, while the ankle strap platforms, yellow quilted iPad case, and retro sunglasses add the perfect about of individuality and quirk.
Nothing says “Summer” to me quite like a printed, flowing maxi dress. This color and silhouette couldn’t look better on her, which is the key when finding the right dress. I also like that she chose neutral hued, low-key accessories rather than picking up one of the brighter colors in the dress.
This is such a relax, French look. From the vintage bicycle to the printed pants to the chic blouse with a Peter Pan collar, this is a completely unique photo. Makes me want to rent bikes and ride over the Golden Gate Bridge for a picnic in the Marin Headlands! 🙂
Summer style is really an art. With hot weather making you want to wear nothing but shorts & tanks, coming up with a stylish outfit can be a challenge. White cropped pants are a great alternative to shorts and these bright, sunny extras are the perfect way to keep things interesting.
This is a great look from head-to-toe. Slim cropped pants, a sheer ankle length cover up, and a rouched blazer, all paired with a Balenciaga motorcycle bag and a killer silver collar. Model street style at its finest!
{Click on images above to visit the original source}
Do you wear different styles of clothing during the week than you do on the weekends? Is your vacation style more relaxed than your day-to-day personal style?
Blazing For Spring
In addition to my stripe obsession for Spring 2012, I’m also really feeling the bright blazer trend for this season (Spring 2012 Trends: What You Should Wear). There are some great versions out there, that I’ve seen in stores, in the pages of magazines, on blogs, walking down the street. From patterned and striped blazers perfect for updating a monochromatic look to denim or seersucker perfect for staying cool, there are more choices than even I can stock my closet with!
Brights:
A bright blazer can take an outfit from basic to anything but, so check out these women in their colored blazers and follow their lead – From classic navy to one-of-a-kind bright and bold colors.
Elisa embraces not only the floral trend for Spring, but takes her look to the next level by pairing her Dries Van Noten dress with a navy boyfriend blazer. J’aime!
Atlantic-Pacific is a vision in red, white, & blue. This is such a great, well put together look. The stripes look great with the red blazer and the bag brings everything together perfectly.
Not only is this a fun, flattering pink, the rolled sleeves are too cute – I love the visible striped cuffs.
This look is simple, but terribly chic. Basic maxi dress, blue boyfriend blazer, and one hell of a statement necklace. Add a personal touch or two, like rolling your sleeves up, and you’re good to go!
Prints & Patterns:
Feeling feisty? Why not pair a not-so-basic blazer with your outfit to spice things up sartorially? Bold patterns and prints are a great way to make your blazer unique this Spring and Summer.
Mad for plaid? This look is anything but boring with a plaid blazer being paired with denim cut-off shorts and a patterned pussy bow blouse.
I love polka dots and Liu Wen shows us just how to wear a fun, bold blazer in a low-key manner. She keeps the rest of her outfit basic and lets the blazer take center stage.
Such a cute, fresh look for Spring. Why not add a little floral to your life like Jules?
Stripes are a great way to go, and they can be amped up in a variety of different ways. Miss Knowles shows us just how to make a blazer nightlife appropriate in Gucci Gucci Gucci.
Summer Loving:
Not quite sure how to work a blazer into your warm-weather outfits? Check out how these ladies make a blazer work for them – paired with shorts, slim pants, and minis to keep you cool.
Kate King pairs her short-shorts with a navy single-button blazer for a great Summer look.
What says summer better than splashes of bright colors? Skip the little sun dress and try bright skinnies and a fun colored blazer!
A chic little blazer over a mini dress is the perfect way to deal with a breezy day. Or you can roll up the sleeves & pair with sandals on a warm day!
A brightly colored floral blazer with a sundress is a great way to stay and look cool!
White Hot:
If brights and stand-out prints aren’t your style, why not go for sleek 70’s elegance and glamour? Channel Bianca Jaggar, Halston, and Yves Saint Laurent in white blazers.
This white boyfriend blazer with the rolled sleeves is a little bit Miami Vice and a little bit Diane Keaton, and works quite well with her slouchy rolled pants and paisley blouse.
A white blazer (or white suit) is SUCH a statement look. Modern. Sharp. Smart. Fashionable.
This black, white, and red combo really makes her white blazer pop. This is a great example of a look that could easily go from day to night, just switch up the accessories and keep that white blazer on!
A white blazer doesn’t have to be boring, Be Frassy spices up her look with a neon top, statement jewelry, and fun platform sandals.
So what do you think? Are you ready to spice up your blazer collection and try something new and exciting for Spring/Summer 2012?
Milan Fashion Week Fall 2012 – Street Style & Front Row Fashion
One of my favorite parts of the Italian shows are the photographs of the Italian men in the streets before and after the collections. Their style is just amazing. Obviously the women do a fantastic job of putting their outfits together as well, I adore female Italian style, it’s just that on average Italian men are much better dressed than – say – American men. But I digress…
Those pants! That bag! Those phones! Yes - Phones with an "s," he has two - yellow & pink.
Model Bonnie Chen knows just how to lighten up as the weather gets warmer, she expertly paired a light, pleated maxi skirt with a striped T.
Giovanna Battaglia looking stunning in a patterned dress and emerald-colored jewel trimmed trench coat. These sorts of beautiful Spring colors were all over Milan, everyone seems hopeful that warmer weather will come soon.
First, LOVE the hair. Mine's virtually the same color these days. Second, the vertical stripes paired with a tucked in sweater is too cute.
Adorable Spring brights with a basic white button down and a classic double-breasted trench. Picture perfect. Love the sunglasses!
The Sartorialist captured Lapo Elkann on the street - I love that he paired a traditional cream double-breasted suit with a grey collared pullover. Great choice.
Who knew forgetting your socks could look so unbelievably chic? P.S. Need that bag!
A newly dark-haired Kasia Struss met the Italian winter with style between her shows. I love the ankle-length Victorian-style coat with burnished buttons mixed with the knee-high boots covered in straps and buttons.
Jeans take a stylish turn with a delicate lace top, faux fur-trimmed thick wool coat and of course a leopard print cross-body bag - it is Milan after all.
While I like that this is a fun, sexy take on the traditional skirt suit, what really caught my eye was the chic combination of the layering of a shorter suit jacket over a longer version and the contrasting belt with great hardware. Unique and eye-catching.
The mixing & matching in these looks is inspired, I really like the chunky tan ankle boots with dark skinnies on the left and the gorgeous platform Oxfords with tights and a little black dress on the right. And of course their glasses were what really stole the scene.
Ready for Spring yet? Florals, pastels, neons and colorblocking were allllll over the streets of Milan.
I love the bold mixing of prints - I feel like it can give a look a whole new depth. It takes a lot fo creativity and fearlessness to put together a look like this one - that works.
Such a chic look! I love the contrasting colored cape and the blue Capri pants paired with those adorably ornate pumps. Plus the sleeves of her brown top are covered in beautiful metallic beads - tres chic!
Model Tanya Dziahileva was all about Chanel on her last day in Milan. Her boots are killer, her coat is too cute (love the sleeves) and I cannot live without that necklace for another moment! Must. Have.
Lily Donaldson looked sweet in a vintage-style cream collared cshirt, cropped pants and cute ankle boots.This is what I picture when I think of British fashion - Sleek, stylish and minimal. (Lily's an English Rose!)
Kangaroo PJs!
Be sure to keep an eye out for Moi Contre La Vie’s Giveaway after my second Paris Fashion Week post!
10 Day Style Challenge – Part IV
This is the 4th of the five posts that I’m going to publish relating to the Freckles in April Winter Style Challenge. By way of background, the purpose of this little exercise is to challenge myself to try new styles, put together interesting clothing combinations that I haven’t tried before and learn to look outside the box when it comes to my personal approach to fashion.
If you’d like to catch up on what you missed so far, here are the previous installments: Part I, Part II & Part III.
Day 7: Bright Colors
Winter tends to be a time of blacks, grays and browns. My trips into public places have been awash in people clad in dark neutrals. It fits the weather and, sometimes, our moods, but bright colors have their place in winter too! For tomorrow I want you to add bright color to your winter wardrobe. It can be all over color or a small splash- whatever works for you.
Rather than do an all-over color or even a single neon piece, I wanted to simply do a splash of color to brighten up an otherwise traditional look. Luckily I found some great inspiration on three fashion blogs that I like to frequent on occasion.
What I liked about each of these looks – and what I hoped to achieve with the outfit that I was putting together for myself – was to use the color as a way to highlight and emphasize. A way to draw the eye to certain pieces that I wanted to show off. In this case my accessories – gloves, scarf and gorgeous faux leather planner.
Bags - Vintage & Longchamp, Coat - bought in Rome yeeears ago, Scarf - from Manila market, Dress - Max Studio, Ballet Flats - Lucky, Jewelry - Vintage & Gloves - A gift from my mother
I absolutely love this coat and I was thrilled to be able to make it part of my look after rescuing it from the depths of my closet. Which I have to admit was half the reason that I wanted to do this challenge in the first place, rediscovering buried treasure!
Day 8: Dress Up A Coat
Coats in and of themselves tend to be icing. I think just about everyone who lives in a cooler climate has a decent, good-looking coat that adds instant polish or style to their outfit. The idea of dressing up a coat hadn’t really occurred to me (possibly just because I live in AZ which doesn’t have a real winter) until I saw this post from Elsie at A Beautiful Mess.
Want to know what went through my head when I read this prompt?
THIS IS MINE!!! MIIINE!!! (Insert evil laugh here)
And why, you ask? Because right behind ‘purse addiction’ on the list of reasons why my friends and family will one day send me to rehab is ‘coat fetish.’ I kid. You. Not.
Clearly my issue was going to be narrowing it down. Then I had a moment of blind panic when I realized that I had already worn my two favorite coats. OH. MY. G*D.
P.S. I refuse to apologize for the fact that clothes, my closets and getting dressed make me so emotional – it’s just who I am. 🙂
The next step was to find some direction and then pick which coat would become the foundation of my look. Similar to the great post that Kayla found on A Beautiful Mess, I found a fab Do It Yourself style post that included one of my favorite things in the world – PEARLS. The Beaded Collar Blouse post that Moda, Moda published was a simple-to-follow How To on spicing up a standard blouse with extras like studs, beads or pearls.
Perfect! And while I’m determined to try this out on one of my blouses in the very near future, I didn’t want to do anything quite this drastic to my chosen coat yet so I used this as inspiration and went a slightly different route…
Rather than glue individual pearls to my coat lapels, I deconstructed a couple of costume jewelry pearl necklaces and sewed the strands on either side, under the adorable Peter Pan collar of my cropped coat. As a finishing touch I pinned some cute vintage heart charms to one of the strands of pearls, to give it a retro-feel.
Stay tuned for the final Challenge post next week!
MCLV’s Style File – Miranda Kerr
Welcome back to MCLV’s Style File for a breakdown on this great low-key outfit spotted on Victoria’s Secret model and busy mom Miranda Kerr in Australia a few weeks ago.
What I like most about this look is the high-low combination. The striped dress is stylish but casual and comfortable, the blazer is well-tailored and adds a bit of structure, and the red bag is an eye-catching splash of color that completes the look.
See below for some affordable picks for these pieces:
{Left to Right: G-Star – $78 @ Asos, French Connection – $78 @ Bloomingdale‘s & Swell Paula Dress – $55 @ Swell}
Depending on your mood you could rock a casual black and white striped mini like Mrs. Orlando Bloom, go for nautical-inspired navy & white stripes, or even pair a striped maxi dress with the rest of these pieces.
{Left to Right: Classic Blazer – $98 @ GAP, Boyfriend Blazer w/ Striped Cuff – $98 @ Asos & Cuffed Blazer – $80 @ Victoria’s Secret} A cropped or fitted blazer, boyfriend blazer, or even a casual rolled sleeve blazer would all work well in this outfit. You can follow Miranda’s lead and go for a classic black or navy blazer, but I think that a neutral tan or grey would look lovely as well.
{Left to Right: ADELAIDE Leather Chelsea Ankle Boots – $80 @ Asos, Sofft Cadence – $110 @ Shoebuy.com & Nina Bold – $50 @ Shoebuy.com}
You can give your look a sassy twist with a pair of flat ankle boots or lace-up heeled Oxfords, or you could even try a simple pair of black ballet flats depending on your personal style and – of course – how far you’re planning on walking.
{Left to Right: Longchamp ‘Le Pliage’ Medium Shoulder Tote – $100 @ Nordstrom, Contrast Colored Quilted Handbag – $65 @ Oasap & Kate Spade New York Tote – $175 @ Piperlime}
I know that these bags are a little pricier than the other pieces that I picked out above, but they’re all quality pieces that you’ll really be able to hang on to. I’m a huge fan of Longchamp’s Le Pliage line as well as simple Kate Spade totes, there’s really something for everyone in this eye-catching hue!
You can also check out past MCLV Style File looks below:
Moi Contre La Vie 