Looks of the Week – Menswear Edition
Most of the fashion that I feature on this site is geared towards women, but I have to confess that I do in fact love mens fashion and follow a number of male fashion bloggers. So today I thought we could celebrate some of the oh-so-stylish gentlemen out there. We all have men in our lives – whether it’s a significant other, brother, father, son – who we can use this as inspiration to shop for!
I’m not going to lie, I have a bit of a fashion crush on this blogger {he was featured in this Looks of the Week post & Let’s Hear It For The Boys}. Not only does he have a great sense of style, he’s pretty darn funny in the comments section of his Tumblr account – which is, by the way, named after his hair – Edward’s Hair.
What caught my eye here were all of the great neutral colored layers – Not only is that a killer shearling coat, he’s also wearing a button-down shirt and a sweater vest paired with a great printed scarf. If you’re interested in learning how to stylishly apply layers, My Mirror is a site that you should definitely check out.
This Italian blogger is a PhD-level accessorizer – This is such a fabulous combination of pieces, it almost looks like an advertisement for a luxury brand! Retro sunglasses, an orange cashmere tie, Belfiore shoes, Louis Vuitton briefcase, and a killer vintage coat – Utter perfection.
What I love about this is the combination of colors, textures, and prints. The blue & white Gingham button-down shirt paired with the army green suit jacket is great, but I love how he took it a step further and paired those pieces with the brown slacks.
Just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean that your personal style needs to go out the window while you pile on layer after layer. Here’s a chic example of how to casually layer and add cold weather pieces to a look without sacrificing fashion.
Suits don’t have to be boring or traditional to get the job done. Try a flattering color or an interesting cut or fun patterns & prints. Or try all three!
Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to mention my favorite male fashion blogger in this post, even though he doesn’t regularly post photographs of his own personal style, UK-based Stu Bradley of Not So Lonely Londoners {you may know him from his sensational How To Pose Like A Fashion Blogger post that swept the internet last Spring}.
Which of these menswear looks above is your favorite? And what is it about that particular look that caught your attention?
Hippie 2012 Breakdown
Coachella 2012 is days away and it has been the topic de jour online the past few weeks. What should you pack, what should you wear, which shows should you see, where should you stay… Well, with all of this hippie-lovin’ going on I thought I’d share some inspiration and suggestions for those of you lucky enough to be heading to Southern California for the festivities.
Whether you’re shopping for accessories, trying to put together a new and interesting boho inspired look, or trying to style a long weekend’s worth of daily outfits, MCLV’s got you covered for 2012.
Inspiration:
Not sure where to start? Winter Kate’s Spring 2012 lookbook shoot is a great place to get some ideas.
Who’s your favorite hippie to take inspiration from? Do you love old school hippies like musicians Janis Joplin and Aerosmith? Fashion icons like Bianca Jaggar, Ziggy Stardust and Iman? Or modern hippies like Nicole Richie, Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Johnny Depp?
{This is such a phenomenal photo I had absolutely had to include it. Flowy vintage maxi, faux fur, felt hat, polka dots AND the Alexander Wang Rocco bag I’m obsessed with? Absolute hippie perfection from Gary Pepper Vintage!}
You can also take inspiration from street style and fashion blogs:
- Garance Dore’s Garance in Coachellaland from 2011
- WhoWhatWear’s Go Buy Now: Our Picks For Music Fests
- Swedish blogger Annawii always has some gorgeous hippielicious looks so stop by for some daily inspiration
- Modelinia’s Stylish Festival Looks For Your Coachella Outfit Inspiration!
- Mama’s A Rolling Stone’s Stop In At ThreadSence On Your Way To Coachella
Clothes & Brands:
Whether you’re in the market for flowy skirts, maxi dresses, draping cardigans, faux fur vests, beautiful embroidery, tie-dye, harem pants or anything else, the brands and stores below can meet your every need.
Some great brands/stores/websites to check out are: Free People, Akiko at Revolve Clothing, Urban Outfitters, Haute Hippie/Haute Hoodie (personally, I’m MAD for this dress – swoon), Of Two Minds can be found at Revolve Clothing, and of course, ShopBop.
Handbags:
Not only are crossbody bags are all the rage this Spring, they’ll keep your hands free AND you can leave your giant, back aching bag at home! Mama’s a Rolling Stone recommends the tooled leather crossbody bag by Free People that’s pictured below.
Zappos carries the Linea Pelle collection filled with fringe-adorned hobos and clutches, Piperlime has crossbody bags galore, and Macy’s has a fun selection of patchwork Fossil bags and boho-style Lucky Brand bags. Or you can also check out Etsy for a collection of one-of-a-kind, handmade, and vintage handbags to fulfill all your needs.
Hats:
Are you a fan of the floppy boho-style hats that fashion insiders and celebrities, including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Lea Michele, have been sporting since the Fall of 2011?
Me too.
{Top Left: 70’s Floppy Felt Hat – $45 @ Asos.com, Top Right: Camel Felt Hat – $50 @ TopShop, Center: Lauren by Ralph Lauren Floppy Wool Hat – $80 @ Lord & Taylor, Bottom Left: Jessica Simpson Solid Knot Floppy Hat – $30 (sale price) @ Dillard’s & Bottom Right: Staring at Stars Cross-Tie Floppy Felt Hat – $10 (sale price) @ Urban Outfitters}
Mama’s A Rolling Stone tracks the felt hat trend here – Following the likes of Vanessa Hudgens and Jessica Szohr. Or you can check out the always fabulous OnTheRacks, who gives us the perfect California Hippie Chick look here. Her boyfriend even took the pictures in Haight-Ashbury, the San Francisco hippie epicenter – How authentic! 🙂
Accessories:
Vintage and hippie-inspired accessories have always been my favorite part of this type of style, from headbands and feathered earrings to scarves, layered necklaces, and fringe fringe fringe.
If you needa little bit of jewelry inspiration than look no further than The Sartorialist, who captured a gorgeous pair of wrap around fringed earrings on the streets of Paris. You don’t even need to have your ears pierced to rock these bad boys.
Low Luv Jewelry, created by model Erin Wasson, includes pendants, rings, and bracelets. Or you can shop Nicole Richie’s jewelry line, House of Harlow 1960, which is well-known and adored by those who admire the starlet’s personal style. And if you like a certain celebrity’s hippie-inspired style, for example Nicole Richie or Alessandra Ambrosio, you can shop “closets” inspired by them on the website Boutique To You.
Shoes:
Shoes are incredibly important when you’re pulling together a look. The perfect finishing touch. The cherry on top. Whether you want to go a little Western, keep them casual and comfortable, or go for full on glamour, there’s the perfect shoe or boot for EVERY occasion.
{Top left: Caballero Ankle Boots – $330 @ Free People, Center: Braden New Charcoal – $110 (sale price) @ Vince Camuto, Top Right: Slouchy Ankle Boots – $33 @ Forever21, Bottom Left: Hunter Lace-Up Heeled Rain Boot & Fringed Lace-Up Bootie – $340 & $150 @ Neiman Marcus, Right Center: Takohoe Moccasin – $70 @ Steve Madden & Bottom Right: Koolaburra Women’s Kythira Feather Dip Dyed Flat – $125 @ Endless.com}
Since its expected to be warm and there’s lots of standing, walking, and dancing involved in a Coachella weekend choices like sandals, moccasins, and flat boots are both comfortable and fun.
Still not sure what you should pack? See what the writers at FabSugar, Refinery29, Modelinia, and Harper’s Bazaar are bringing for their weekends of fun in the sun.
Need some more? Check out last year’s Hippie Chic and Hippie Love for more options and ideas.
Hippie Chic
With the Coachella weekends swiftly approaching and people planning their trips out to Southern California, I thought that I’d show a little hippie love with some bohemian-inspired outfits to get you in inspired and in the mood.
Rule #1:
Don’t forget your boots! As the reigning queen of music festival-chic, Her Highness Kate Moss never forgets to bring her boots. They’re key for tramping around between sets, especially given the erratic weather patterns this time of year and the random, unannounced Spring showers.
And in honor of The Queen, here’s outfit suggestion numero un – You’ll need some flattering, tiny shorts, a loose tunic, low slung belt, Hunters, a cross-body bag and hippie accessories like feathers and chains
Rule #2:
Whether you’re a fan of aviators or Wayfarers, don’t forget to pack a couple of pairs of sunglasses for your trip. Choosing a pair of shades that suits your face can be a challenge, but once you settle on your favorite style you can spice up your look by trying out everything from black & white zebra prints to classic black to tortoiseshell.
The lovely Kate Bosworth is always at the top of the Best Dressed lists after a music festival weekend and here’s yet another example of just how she makes her hippilicious outfits work. This outfit illustrates just how important sunglasses are, both to complete your look and to keep your eyes healthy and safe in the sun!
To put together similar look you should keep it simple and try a summery romper that’s spiced up with lace-up sandals, hoop earrings, a saddle bag and your favorite sunglasses!
Rule #3:
The extras are incredibly important when you’re putting together a fun boho look – You can try adding anything from the handbags and jewelry to headbands and hats. So when in doubt, pile on the hippie accessories!
Celebrities really know how to do the hippie chic look right by complementing their outfits with colorful headscarves, floral headbands, fringed pieces, hobo bags, braids, draped vests, and oversized vintage sunglasses.
For this kind of outfit you can’t go wrong with faded or distressed skinnies, a basic tank, flat Peter Pan-inspired booties, and then pile on all the hippie accessories that you can get your hands on.
Rule #4:
Why not be an undercover stunner on this trip? Avoid sunburn and disastrous fading and bleaching of your hair by adding an oh-so-chic hat to your ensemble. A floppy, oversized felt hat like below goes really well with a floaty, low-key look like a maxi, while a brimmed fedora will complement a more structured separates look better.
Vanessa Hudgens {anyone seen Sucker Punch?} definitely knows how to stay cool in the summer heat. Believe me when I say that the Southern California sun can be pretty punishing, so please be sure to pack both your hat and sunglasses!
Try mixing up your hippie chic look by pairing a flowy, ethereal maxi dress or maxi skirt with strappy flat sandals, vintage gold chains, and a fedora or wide-brimmed hat.
Now run off and enjoy the music loves, and don’t forget your sunscreen!
Moi Contre La Vie 