Links You’ll Love
Fashion:
My Spring cleaning urges are clearly starting to kick in early this year – Check out Gala Darling’s Blog On, Babe: Get Organized! for some great ideas for organizing your work – Whether you’re a blogger, a writer, or any other creative type.
Did you enjoy my recent organizational tips & recommendations for closet cleaning {Closet Organization}? If so you’ll love these suggestions from Apartment Therapy – Get Sorted: 5 Functional Shoe Organizers.
I’m in an outerwear state of mind these days – Between San Francisco being colder than I can ever remember and a trip to New York City scheduled for two weeks – I’m determined to find the perfect coat. Stylish but warm. Leave it to Olivia Palermo to have all the answers to our statement coat questions – How To Rock: The Coat.
It’s just about time to start daydreaming thinking about planning your Spring vacation. So why not take some advice from stylist-to-the-stars Brad Goreski – How To Travel In Style.
In the market for a new lipstick? Get the right one with Cupcakes & Cashmere’s Lipstick Guide to help you through the process!
Health & Fitness:
You know that coconut oil is good for you and I’ve shared some tasty ways to get coconut into your diet, but have you tried using it in your beauty routine? Glitter Guide has the scoop in their piece 10 Ways To Add Coconut Oil To Your Beauty. Routine
Whether you’re gluten-intolerant, following a paleo/primal diet, or just interested in eating a healthier diet kelp noodles are a great new food to try out, you should read Choosing Raw’s Kelp Noodle 101: How to Prepare and Serve Kelp Noodles.
I’m always interested in learning how my nutrition affects my health & how my body feels, and clearly I’m not the only one. Check out Purely Twins’s – Day 18 interesting reads about fructose malabsorption & hormonal acne.
As we grow up we need to pay attention not only to our overall health, but to our bone health at all. You may think that eating a calcium rich diet or taking supplements is all you need to do, but staying educated and aware is what you really need – Best Foods For Your Bones.
If you’re interested in strengthening your thighs than FitSugar has the answers in their Inner Thigh Exercises post – Work it!
Closet Organization
Is there a more intimidating or thankless project than cleaning out your closet? I have to confess that I usually have it on my To Do list for weeks before I get up the courage and fortitude to tackle the project. Don’t get me wrong, I adore a well-organized closet and am somewhat OCD about keeping it clean day-to-day {bf chuckles}, but a full-on cleaning can be intimidating.
I’ve found that approaching the project with a three-fold plan of attack is what works for me. That and spending days hours on Pinterest drooling over beautifully organized closets to get me in the mood… ❤
- Love It or Leave It – First you need to go through every single piece in your closet and decide whether you want to keep it. Tears optional.
- Share The Love – Once I’ve created a pile of pieces that need a new home I set up a Closet Party with some friends and after that any remaining items will be donated to the Goodwill.
- Live The Dream – Finally, when your closet is filled only with the pieces you’ll be holding onto, it’s time to sort, organize, rearrange, and plan for the future.
Need more details? Read on…
Love It or Leave It:
I become somewhat attached to inanimate objects so after years of carrying clothes that still have the tags on them from one apartment to another, I have had to set rules for myself. If I haven’t worn it in the last year – It has to go. End of discussion.
You may have a home with more storage space or larger closets and be able to keep more clothing and accessories, it’ll be dependent on what you have available to you and how much of a “clothes horse” you are. In general, if you can’t remember the last time you wore something, you probably don’t need to hold onto it. If your shoes are falling apart, you can probably let them go. If a piece has needed hemming or tailoring for as long as you can remember and you still haven’t taken it in, you guessed it, you should probably put it in the “out” pile.
Share The Love:
My favorite thing to do once I’ve created a pile of things that I’m not going to keep is to plan a closet party – I invite some friends over for cocktails or champagne and free reign of my closets. It’s been a tradition for a few years now and I love to include new friends, it’s a fun bonding event. And what’s left over after the closet party gets dropped off at the donations center of Goodwill.
Living The Dream:
Now that you know what you’re working with you can figure out how best to approach the cleaning of your closet. I like to tackle the reorganizing process in three steps:
- First I rearrange by type & color {i.e. pants with pants, solids from black to white, then prints}
- The second step is to consider the season and organize your closet so that the clothes & accessories that you’re wearing now are most readily available. This can mean deploying under-bed organizing trays or boxes to be stacked on shelves out of reach in your closet if need be.
- Finally, after all of that work, I like to take stock of what I have and how it’s arranged and implement some changes to make getting dressed run more smoothly – Like adding accessories holders, changing hangers, or separating work clothes from play.
{All photos from MCLV’s Closet Porn… Board on Pinterest}
You can find some other tips and suggestions in Sincerely Jules’s Details or Cupcakes & Cashmere’s Closet Clean-Up or her Operation Organization: Closet Edition.
So tell me, how often do you overhaul your closet(s)? Do you have a specific process whenever you get started on this project?
Links You’ll Love
Fashion:
Finding a stylish, warm coat for Winter that you can wear in various situations – Everything from over a dress for a night out on the town to picking out a Christmas tree with your family – Can be a challenge. Too thin. Too thick. Too expensive. But Refinery 29 is here to save the day so check out their 10 Casual-Cool Coats To Keep You Warm On The Weekends and find the perfect Winter coat for you.
The oh-so-stylish Karolina Kurkova has done it yet again – It takes a master to pair plaid, white cropped pants, and flat ankle boots and look this good, so WhoWhatWear helps us out by breaking down her fabulous look so that we can recreate it ourselves in their Why It Works: Karolina Kurkova.
I like to mix up my beauty routine by changing products, trying new brands, and cycling great drug store finds into my morning routine {see MCLV’s Makeup Bag & MCLV’s Medicine Cabinet for more}. Glitter Guide agrees and have laid out all of their favorites for you to try – Our Top 20 Drugstore Beauty Buys.
If you’re like me, wrestling with your locks each morning and trying to find an acceptable arrangement isn’t your favorite thing to do each day. Luckily Style Bistro picked some great hairstyles from the runways and laid out the basic for us hair novices – 15 DIY Hairstyle Ideas Straight From The Runway.
If the studded, spiked & leather adorned world of Lisbeth Salander is your fashion fantasy you must check out Catwalk Azure’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo post for some sartorial inspiration.
Health & Nutrition:
After reading Organice Your Life’s Salad Making For Dummies you’ll have no more excuses for not making yourself a quick, healthy, nutritious dinner each night!
Eat protein. Don’t eat protein. It seems like there’s always a new study relating to protein consumption and health or weight loss, but reading up on the topic can help you make healthier choices, just be sure to keep an eye out for future research! Eat THIS, Lose Weight from Women’s Health.
Living a healthy life means more than just keeping an eye on your waistline, especially as you get older, you need to pay attention to the tests that your doctors run – Including your blood pressure. The Huffington Post’s Ways To Lower Blood Pressure: Exercise, Meditation, Diet And More.
With the hectic, non-stop holiday season upon us it’s easier to grab a sugary snack and try to relax on the couch when we have a few extra minutes but trust me, you’ll feel MUCH better if you use those few precious minutes to sneak in a quick workout! Check out Refinery 29’s 10 Minute Workout.
I’ve had a number of friends over the years who suffered from season depression – A number of whom were Southern California natives who had trouble adapting to the foggy, rainy Bay Areas winters in college. Gala Darling to the rescue! How To Beat The Winter Blues: DENIAL Is Key!
Links You’ll Love
Health & Fitness:
I was quite the little baker this Summer and I have to say that this was one of the tastiest and most creative recipes that I tried out – Dark Chocolate Cherry Zucchini Bread.
A short, energizing yoga workout is a great way to de-stress and stretch out after a long day at the office in your desk chair – Women’s Health yoga video.
Love Thy Self! Gala Darling agrees and wants to help you – 10 Radical Self Love Exercises To Boost Your Summer Lovin’!
A vegetable stir fry with either a grain or soy, tempeh, or tofu is one of my favorite quick & easy mid-week dinners so I enjoy finding new sauces and combinations to try out, like Peas And Thank You’s Szechuan Broccoli and Quinoa.
You don’t need a full hour for a workout to be beneficial, fit in some walking and short bursts of exercise whenever you can! Before work, during your lunch break, before a class starts – Get Fit In Only Fifteen Minutes.
Fashion:
Being able to break out all of your jeans is one of the fun things about Fall dressing. Check out FabSugar’s The Ultimate Fall Denim Guide — Every Trend, Cut, Color, and Fit.
My favorite part about Fall is the outerwear – I love full ankle-length coats, peacoats, trenches, blazers, basically anything that I can get my hands on – Coat Check: How to Take Your Look in a Ladylike Direction.
Most of us wish we could get more sleep, so why not save a few precious minutes in the morning by speeding up your beauty and makeup routine? How To Do Your Makeup In 5 Minutes (Really!)
Dressing for work doesn’t need to be boring, from colorful separates to chic suits to fabulous sheath dresses, Harper’s Bazaar has the answers – Stylish Work Clothes.
Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month with some stylish pink finds – From beauty products to accessories and jewelry, no matter what you’re in the mood for you can support this great cause. Mama’s A Rolling Stone – Our 6 Favorite Breast Cancer Awareness Products.
London Fashion Week Spring 2013
Today I’m going to be sharing reviews of some of the lovely collections that came off the Spring 2013 London Fashion Week catwalks – From the big names like Burberry and Mulberry to the well-loved but somewhat less established designers like Matthew Williamson and Christopher Kane.
Enjoy!
Burberry:
Color, color, and more color. The Burberry runway show was a veritable rainbow of color-drenched trench coats, dresses, and separates. Christopher Bailey also played with textures and fabrics including shimmering metallics, tinted plastic, and shiny holographic prints – Giving the classic brand a fun, futuristic twist.
Capes, hotpants, puffy capsleeves, swimwear, cropped jackets, leather, dramatic belts, lace brilliant metallic handbags, and colorful open-toed heels added to the brilliance of the collection.
Mulberry:
Fabulous outerwear seemed to be the name of the game in London and while Burberry was bright and festive, Mulberry was a bit more demure, however no less ornate. Bronzy gold, peachy cream, minty green, and blues from pale to midnight.
The brocades, embroideries, and patterns were phenomenal, very earthy and flora based, something of a mix between Fall and Spring. I loved the use of florals on the clothing, handbags, and shoes simultaneously, rather than be over the top it was totally chic. I also loved the outerwear – The oversized silhouettes and large, upturned collars were perfection.
Acne:
The clothes at Acne were bold – Dramatic stripes, bright colors, graffiti prints, colorblocking, black leather, straps & buckles, adapted gladiator platforms, and parachute silhouettes.
All in all a very wearable collection of interesting and eye-catching separates perfect for the Acne girl. I especially liked the maxi skirts, vertical stripes, and buckle adorned vests.
House of Holland:
This 90’s grunge inspired collection was one for the books – The dark, moody colors were perfectly suited to the dramatic checkered patterns, graphic tees, beanies, skater shorts, and maxi silhouettes.
These were great pieces that immediately made me nostalgic for the music of my Junior High and High School days – Especially the shrunken baby tees, slouchy knit caps, and midriff bearing tops.
Erdem:
Python prints on retro silhouettes may not sound like a winning combination, but Erdem proved that it could work and even infused the collection with hints of neon and lace.
Little details make this collection really pop – Driving gloves, sheer lace, pleats, floral applique, cut-outs, high-necklines, coat-dresses, and intricate beading. Overall the collection was prim and proper but with a fun, wild side.
Pringle of Scotland:
Pringle started as a knitwear brand and this season they returned to their roots showing a lovely collection of separates which included a number of variations on their typical belted twinset.
When you say Pringle of Scotland what comes to my mind are clean lines, a preppy vibe, belted separates, and argyle, and this collection showed great versions of all of those staples.
Matthew Williamson:
Fun prints, brilliant colors, and dramatic details are what we’ve come to expect from Matthew Williamson, and this season’s collection really delivered.
Easy separates appeared in tie dye prints and with eye-catching embroidery and beading. His party girl clients will live in the float a-line silhouettes, mini skirts, and jeweled dresses paired with gem-encrusted belts and his new shoe collection.
Peter Pilotto:
Print lovers will have something amazing to look forward to from Peter Pilotto come Spring – Digital prints, mixing & matching patterns, and bright, bold prints.
Dramatic, eye-catching, and one-of-a-kind. The pieces shown at Peter Pilotto were extraordinary, I especially enjoyed the pants, oversized peplums, and dramatic, Latin-inspired ruffles.
Preen:
Preen made a triumphant return from the New York Fashion Week with a blue and white collection highlighted with hints of yellow and red, and covered in all-over prints.
The patchwork-like use of swatches of prints, combined with the tailoring, dramatic slits, verticle white stripes, and long, lean silhouettes gave the collection an architectural, structed feel.
Christopher Kane:
The Christopher Kane show was surprisingly delicate and sweet – A full 180 from previous collections full of black, slashed fabric, and safety pins.
Pale colors, light fabrics, dramatic drapes & folds, sheer pieces, clear plastic, and slits & cut-outs that somehow appeared elegant and refined despite the skin peeking through.
Mary Katrantzou:
The Queen of Prints returns! Taking banknotes and stamps as her visual inspiration she put together a unique and dramatic collection of dresses and separates covered with intricate patterns.
These pieces could never be confused with having been created by another designer – They were utterly one-of-a-kind – Simultaneously exotic and modern but with an old-fashioned air. I adored the matching pant & tunic sets, they were divine and I can’t wait to see how Hollywood interprets them to the red carpet.
Temperley London:
The Temperley London collection was all about bright colors, fun prints, nautical stripes, and retro silhouettes for this coming Spring – All the pieces fun but a little formal, and utterly wearable.
The sundress was reworked with a 50’s vibe and paraded down the runway in a variety of colors, patterns, and fabrics. There were also jumpsuits, lace & embroidery covered dress & gowns, shirt dresses, sweater sets, and too chic for words sun hats.
Sources: Style.com, Fashionologie, The Stylist, & Tom & Lorenzo
Previous LFW & Spring 2013 Collections: New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 – Part I, New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 – Part II, New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 – Part III, New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 – Street Style & Front Row Fashion, London Fashion Week Fall 2012, London Fashion Week – Street Style & Front Row Fashion, London Fashion Week Spring 2012 Round-Up, and Streetstyle & Front Row Fashion – London Fashion Week.
Additional reviews, photographs, shows, and videos: The Best Looks from London Fashion Week: Spring 2013 from Harper’s Bazaar, Our 10 Favorite Looks From London Fashion Week from Refinery 29, and Runway Recap: The Best Shoes From London Spring 2013 from Fashionlogie.
What’s your favorite thing about London Fashion Week? The chic outerwear, bold, innovative prints, or the retro, ladylike touches?
Looks of the Week
Welcome back to another Looks of the Week post. As tempting as it was to solely feature looks from New York Fashion Week I decided to save all of those for my NYFW Round-Ups, the first of which should be up later this week. So enjoy a little non-fashion month street style from around the globe!
One of my favorite trends right now are patterned pants – I’m absolutely mad about them. From Fall-ready plaids and tweeds, to the florals and sweet prints that’ll be all over the streets in the Spring. Wendy shows us how to winterize cropped pants with this fabulous bow & flower-printed look.
How much does this look make you ready for fall? The bag is pure fun, those earrings are killer, and that coat – SWOON.
You had me at Flamingos! This is a really fun, chic look, but it’s far from boring, the mixing of great prints means it has a fun retro vibe to it as well.
Denim on denim has never looked so chic. She even accessorized her jeans and chambray button-down perfectly with tassled nude heels, a snake skin tote, and a killer brass cuff.
There are few things that I love more than a shorts suit. Except maybe a patterned shorts suit. And if you’re worried that florals or another all-over print will come off too sugary sweet, style it this way – the black shirt and bold silver accessories are a unique twist and the tights and buckle-adorned platform boots give this look a touch of rock n’ roll!
This is a gorgeous colored skirt & matching top. The hue suits her to perfection and the fun textured fabric adds a little something to the too cute Tibi ensemble.
How adorably retro is this? I love this bright cat print blouse, it’s chic but still a fun, unique piece. And those shorts are fabulously retro, they suit her to a T.
Wow. She looks jaw droppingly gorgeous in this pink Gucci gown. It’s not a look I would traditionally pick out for her – it’s a more feminine than she usually favors – but she looks stunning.
{Click on images above to visit the original source}
What your favorite way to transition into Fall from a sartorial standpoint? Trading in your shorts and skirts for cropped pants? Mixing Summer and colder-weather pieces? Or do you completely switch gears when the weather starts to get cooler?
The Man Behind The Camera
Other than my dear friend Liz, the remainder of the MCLV Personal Style photographs are taken by the current boyfriend Sean. He has written a guest post for us in the past and trained me in the ways of CrossFit, but has never been featured on the blog for his fashion prowess before.
That is, until today.
True, he spends the majority of his waking hours in workout clothes, but when he does deign to put on street clothes, he has a great personal style.
When we initially met in our senior year of high school he was extremely preppy – Polo shirts, button downs, and wool or cashmere collared coats. But over the years his style relaxed, becoming more and more low-key, and when we got back together two years ago he wore very little other than t-shirts, jeans, and flip-flops.
But miracle of miracles, over the last two years his sense of style has begun evolving again. And more than that, he has actually started to enjoy clothes and fashion more, like he did when he was younger. Now he shops online, asks for advice on putting together pieces in his wardrobe & picking things out, and genuinely has an interest in shopping and expanding his wardrobe.
These days he prefers to keep his daily look low-key and minimal, and primarily wears black, white, and navy. Jeans are usually his preference and he traditionally pairs them with a Lacoste Pima V-Neck, a button down, or a Polo shirt. As for brands, we’ve found that the shirts that fit him best are Express for Men and Lacoste, they both have slim fit versions that work well for his frame.
When it comes to shoes he’s tried virtually everything, from boots to slip-ons to boat shoes to loafers. He loves slip ons and its all I can do to make sure he doesn’t wear his rubber soled slippers out of the house. The most worn pair of shoes he has are his tan, lace-up Banana Republic loafers, but he did just get a new pair of slip-on boat shoes that are very versatile.
They can even be worn with pink!
And a style post wouldn’t be complete without mentioned his creativity, he picked a kick-ass Halloween costume last year that suited him quite well despite being an incredibly last-minute choice – The Travelocity Gnome! 🙂
In the mood for more? Check out my Let’s Hear It For The Boys post filled with tips, ideas, and inspiration for putting together a complete and stylish wardrobe.
What do you like most on the men in your life? Are there certain styles that appeal to you more than others? When it comes to mens accessories, do you think less is more?
Looks of the Week
Happy Monday!
What better way to start a week off than some great sartorial inspiration? It always gives me a little lift when I see well-put together outfits, it also motivates me to put in some added effort when it comes to my personal style choices.
What about you? If you see some great looks does it motivate you to be more creative when you’re putting together and styling your daily outfits?
This is a great example of on of my favorite ways of putting together an outfit – Camille Over The Rainbow is a master of high-low dressing. Zara, Asos, and H&M pieces paired seamlessly with a gorgeous Celine handbag.
This is just stunning. I love the unique combination of dramatic animal prints, reptilian leggings, and the sheer fabric of the blouse. It is certainly eye-catching!
She’s also carrying the Celine bag that seems to be the It Bag for Spring/Summer 2012 and which I’ve been drooling over for months. It’s a great choice because it’s large enough to tote around your must have’s but not so big that you’re carrying around all of your belongings. I’ve also been seeing it mostly in versatile neutral colors – white, tan, brown, and deep wine red – and this is such a classic style and shape that you know a neutral in this bag will be useable every season until the end of time!
I love everything about this look – From the cute black & white patterned day dress to the fringed cross-body bag to the adorable black framed glasses. The perfect outfit for a low-key day when you still want to look cute.
I’ve always admired Eva’s street style, she’s got a look that’s very much her own – ladylike with a unique twist, like her blue sunglasses here. This is a really cute sundress in a flattering pattern and length, a great look for warm Summer days.
If you’re going to go for an all-black outfit take a cue from model Daiane and keep your look interesting with a statement necklace and a great bag. Accessories can do wonders!
A standout jacket is a great way to finish off a look. Even in summer you can throw on a lightweight coat, like this gorgeous Kenzo version, and you’re ready for anything!
Could this look scream Summer more? It’s bright, fun, and a little bit sassy. I’m a sucker for shirtdresses and I really love her choice of accessories, that large envelope clutch is divine.
If hippie’s not your style but you’re planning to head to music festivals this is a great look to aspire to – ladylike chic. A trench will still be classic whether you choose pale pink or powder blue, so you can choose whatever color suits you best. P.S. LOVE those cat flats.
Sexy Summer whites! Whites are a great way to stay cool in the Summer, night or day. Throw on some great separates and grab a sleek clutch like this gorgeous patent leather version and you’re good to go.
I really like both of these dresses. Some actresses promoting a movie with a younger co-star would feel pressure to wear clothing that’s too “young” for them, but like Elizabeth Banks did at all of the Hunger Games premieres, Charlize Theron kept it classy and age-appropriate. And I love Kristen’s belted BCBG dress!
So tell me, what has been your favorite trend this Spring? What have you not been able to stop wearing or daydreaming about lately?
Fashion Inspiration
Fashion isn’t just about what you wear, what goes on your body. It’s truly an expression of yourself that extends far beyond your clothes.
“Fashion is everything. Art, music, furniture design, graphic design, hair, makeup, architecture, the way cars look – all those things go together to make a moment in time.” – Tom Ford
And just as fashion isn’t limited to the cloth that we wrap ourselves in, inspiration can also be found in many forms.
I began clipping pictures from magazines as a pre-adolescent, not so much fashion photos, just pictures that caught my eye, things that I found eye-catching or memorable or mesmerizing.
As I became interested in fashion however, my clipping habits became more focused. And while I don’t confine myself to photographs of clothing and accessories, I’ve found that my love of fashion gives this activity more direction and purpose. I’ve found that even without context, pictures can serve a creative function.
They excite. They encourage. They inspire.
The beauty and artistry captured by a photographer can be moving, regardless of the medium. Advertisements, promotional materials, editorials, art, home decor…
I’ve found that by keeping these images available to myself I can stay out of a fashion rut. They provide new ideas and inspiration, get my creative juices flowing, and motivate me to grow and evolved. I highly recommend creating and maintaining a Look Book, a collection of images that make you smile, that invigorate you, that make you push your boundaries.
Whether it’s a physical book filled with clippings like mine are, or Boards on Pinterest, this is a great creative and inspirational outlet. Keeping pictures of looks that you like, styles that call to you, photos that take your breath away, can all be great tools to keep your approach to fashion fresh and interesting.
What’s your favorite way to get inspired?
Moi Contre La Vie 