Summary Saturday
For this Summary Saturday I want to share some of the fun things I’ve been doing lately on Instagram – Pictures of the fun ringspiration challenge that I did last week, some photographs of the crazy love of my life Bones, and some other highlights from the last few week.
{JewelMint, JewelMint & BCBG}
{Rachel Roy, Vintage & ASOS}
{The king of my little kingdom}
{Closet organizing & cleaning up my jewelry collection – Stay tuned for a post, black & white stripes w/ red cropped red pants on the blog, this is a sneak peek of my collaboration with Sasha Maks Vintage – Stay tuned for some killer shots of killer jewelry, and Nina Garcia’s Little Black Book of Style from Thursday’s What I’m Loving Right Now}
- Instagram – You can follow me on Instagram @moicontrelavie
- Twitter – You can follow me on Twitter @moicontrelavie
- Pinterest – You can follow my Pinterest boards here
- Facebook– You can LIKE my Facebook page here
- Lookbook – You can see my Lookbook looks here, you can FAN me to get an email update when I post a new look, or you can HYPE my looks if you like them!
Have a great weekend!
What I’m loving right now…
I definitely go through phases when it comes to the inanimate objects in my daily life – Everything from the beauty products I use to the accessories I wear to the reading materials stacked on my nightstand. Whether you call it a rut or finely tuning your routine, I’m sure you know precisely what I mean.
So here are some of my current (new and past) loves…
{The love of my life, my new Givenchy bag – See Skulls & Givenchy for photos from the first MCLV Style post featuring this bag!}
{My newest mascara acquisition – I’ve mentioned my love of Benefit’s BADGal and Chanel’s Inimitable mascara in the past, but I also like to rotate in a drugstore brand now and again, and I’ve been thrilled with the results of Maybelline’s One by One Volume Express}
{As far as I’m concerned you can’t have enough fun, statement jewelry: Spiked Bracelet – Asos.com & Purple Beaded Necklace – Zara}
{In my opinion the only positive thing about the end of Summer are September issues!}
{SWOON! I’ve been a fan of Moroccan Argan Oil for a while so when I saw this L’Oreal Precious Oil Treatment I jumped at the chance to try it – Not only does it smell like a dream, it’s visibly nourishing}
{It’s official – I’m in love! Skull adorned Steve Madden smoking slippers}
{Fashion Books & Vintage Jewelry. Left: The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia & vintage pearl collar. Right: Parisian Chic – A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange & vintage Vendome tassel necklace}
What are you loving lately? What can’t you get enough of? Have you gotten any fun new pieces or exciting accessories to update your wardrobe or prepare for Fall/Winter 2012/2013?
Couture Couture Couture
Phenomenal. Breathtaking. Eye-Catching. Dreamy. Unbelievable. Divine.
Those are all words that I could easily use to describe the Fall 2012 Couture collections that were shown in Paris this past week. The locations ranged from the Grand Palais to the Ritz Hotel to the Musée Bourdelle, and the themes ran the gamut from old school glamour to futuristic to Game of Thrones.
Yes. Game of Thrones.
The big story this season was Raf Simons’s inaugural collection for the house of Christian Dior after leaving Jil Sander at the end of last season. The show began with classic Dior colors and silhouettes, elegant suits, ladylike dresses, and then ball gowns that I can guarantee will feature heavily on the red carpet in the coming year’s award season.
The collection was anything but boring though with metallic belts, gorgeous embroidery, dramatic peplums, oversized pockets, opera-length gloves, bold collars, tie dyed pieces, tweeds, and reach-out-and-touch-them textures. It was soft and elegant and oh-so-Dior, but with a dramatic, extravagant edge.
Divine!
I’m not sure if I can put it any better than the fabulous Mr Blasberg who proclaimed: “In the last 13 minutes, Raf Simons just single-handedly altered the contemporary haute couture landscape.” Curious how the phenomenal flower-strewn setting was created for this show? This video gives you a fabulous backstage peek at the process of creation.
New Vintage was the theme for Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel Fall 2012 Couture collection – “Vintage is depressing, but ‘new vintage’ is something to come. It’s preparation for something that could last.”
Bold plaid & checkered patterns, metal-tipped pumps, traditional tweeds, metallic silver tights, chunky knits, shimmery separates, slouchy sequined caps, oversized outerwear, maxi skirts and full pants, velvet coats, pussy bow blouses, Peter Pan collars, and dresses adorned with feathers, chiffon, tulle, and sequins all had a sassy retro feel with modern and sometimes futuristic-feeling details.
Givenchy‘s Riccardo Tisci is nothing if not detail oriented. His collections are traditionally small in size and he and his design teams & seamstresses really focus on making each look unique, one-of-a-kind, and highly intricate. His Fall 2012 collection focused on beading, heavy embroidery and brocades, leather working, fringe, and even sequins.
The restrained extravagance of this collection perfectly complemented the earthy, folksy theme that was somewhere between Little Red Riding Hood and Maid Marian. And I couldn’t have envisioned a more appropriate background than the lush green forest that these looks were photographed against.
While there was some of the famous Valentino red at the end of this show, the colors de jour were navy and creamy pink. The thick brocades and heavy embroideries in cream, peach, and pink played perfectly against the sequins, sheer panels, and flowing silks in varying shades of moody blues.
The details in these pieces were phenomenal, from delicate accordion pleats and metallic-laced brocades to dramatic floral cutouts and sheer chiffon ruffles. Chiuri and Piccioli have been getting their footing over the last few seasons and this couture collection seems to be the coming out party for the new Valentino – An opulent, dramatic twist on the old school glamour and romance that Valentino is known for.
In the world of couture Giorgio Armani’s Fall 2012 Armani Prive collection offered up something wholly different. Wearability. Given that couture is considered an art form and that pieces in these collections can range anywhere from $20,000 to $2,000,000, wearability is hardly the word de jour. But with the full, flattering cuts, cool, pale silks, and touchable, midnight dark velvets, wearable was just what he presented.
These looks were all about textures – Soft, sleek, touchable fabrics that you could almost feel against your skin. The jeweled and beaded veils were one of my favorite parts of this collection, they added serious drama and brought out a mysterious quality in the clothes that took you to another time and place.
The Versace show at the Ritz Hotel was wild and fun – Xena Warrior Princess meets Couture Barbie. The Versace woman is strong, fierce, and fearless, she embraces her sexuality and loves to show some skin. These clothes are not for the faint of heart, they were all about dramatic peek-a-boos, slashes, and slits.
Wide, tooled belts, multi-strap & buckle adorned heels, sheer cloth, sequined netting details, and spiderweb thin mesh gave this show unabashed shimmer, shine, and sex appeal.
The Versace girl is bold, uninhibited and in these clothes, she’s ready to party!
I always look forward to Giambattista Valli‘s collections – His esthetic is divine and I love how he always adds a little edge to his classic, ladylike silhouettes. And his second couture collection made me say to myself for a second time, Valli was made for couture.
And here in this dreamy place far away the moody reds and greens, organic prints, and flowing cuts & ruffles were all borrowed from nature; all-over muted floral patterns, applique and embroidered plant life, ruffles, flares, folds, and thick lace were all born of the outdoors. And with jewelry, accessories, and hairpieces evoking bugs, butterflies, and leaves, the theme was complete throughout the collection.
Rather than a fairy princess vibe the earthy tones and themes brought to mind wood nymphs and dryads – Woodland creatures who personified the various aspects of the natural world that they watched over; strong and eternal.
Sources: Fashionologie, Style.com, Tom & Lorenzo, TopCoat & FabSugar
If you’re curious to see what these designers have shown on the couture catwalk in seasons past here are a few links to try – Spring 2012 Couture and Fall 2011 Couture.
And the Oscar goes to…
Did you watch the Oscars last night? Per usual, I skipped watching the show live and merely enjoyed the highlights online and via Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook after the fact. There were some gorgeous gowns and great tuxedos out there to enjoy though, I must say. What was your favorite look?
I absolutely adore Leslie Mann and was thrilled to see her on the red carpet. I think that this sleek Roberto Cavalli gown suits her slim frame perfectly and the color is very pretty against her pale skin.
The dramatic gold detailing and flowing train on Jessica Chastain's gown made it one of the highlights of the evening. She looked absolutely stunning.
Rose Byrne is someone who I'm really enjoying lately, she seems to be trying out a new look and its fun to watch. I loved this black sequined Vivienne Westwood gown with the drop earrings, she looks beautiful & statuesque.
Another sequined stunner was Ellie Kemper, who donned a gorgeous bronze sheath that was perfectly complimented by her dramatic gold earrings, cocktail ring and clutch.
Gwyneth's Tom Ford gown was one of a kind. I loved the floor-length cape - SO Katherine Hepburn - and the cuff was fantastic.
I wish more fashion insiders did red carpets... Wouldn't it be a kick to see all the magazine editors dressed to the nines instead of just judging everyone else's looks? Anyway, Nina Garcia knocked one out of the park in this Jean Paul Gaultier Couture sheath. Gorgeous.
Polka dot gown? LOVED IT!
Octavia Spencer has been choosing some great Tadashi Shoji gowns on the way to this red carpet and the designer worked incredibly well for her yet again. Gorgeous!
Yes, this dress was very busy - between the ruffles, the diamond bow broach, the tiers and the silhouette, there's a lot going on. But it suits her somehow. Well done!
When I saw this Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown in December I knew it would make its way to the Oscars. Emma Stone has been embracing brilliant jewel tones lately with great success (remember the emerald Gucci suit?) and this frock did the trick yet again.
Rooney Mara looked head turning in her favorite designers of late, Givenchy. I like the uniqueness of this dress, yes there were other white dresses, but with her hair & makeup, the train and the intricate back of the gown, she was in her own category.
Stacy Keibler looked like she was auditioning for the role of the Oscar itself, but in the best possible way. Her Marchesa gown was flattering and fashion-forward, perfect for the Oscars red carpet.
Viola Davis was a vision in Vera Wang. This color is just breathtaking on her.
Source, Source, Source & Source
My favorite looks? Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain and the two visions in white – Rooney Mara & Gwyenth Paltrow. I loved all of these looks for different reasons and couldn’t narrow it down any further if I had to. Emma brought the standout color, Jessica brought the drama and Rooney & Gwyneth both brough the unexpected – gowns that were unique, unusual, and totally head turning.
And don’t worry my loves, I’ll cover the Oscar tuxedos and afterparty dresses in my Looks of the Week post later on today.
Happy Fashion Monday!
Moi Contre La Vie 