LOOKS I LOVE...COLOR LIKE NONE OTHER

     Upon seeing this collection of rich colors that I would touch frogs and lizards to be able to own, I began to drool slightly from one side of my mouth (KIDDING). But honestly, if I was going to drool over anything (and I cannot stand saliva) it would be on all of THIS. Gucci's Fall 2011 collection has left me in a state of absolute awe. My jaw has already fallen to the ground and is staying there for awhile.
     The collection began with a luxuriously colored teal feathered coat and slowly begins to incorporate flowing, piecey dresses with many a slit up to there. Gucci took usually neutral colored furs and matched them to make them equally as drool-worthy as the other color saturated pieces. The combination of deep mustards with gray and shades of purple brightened up the fall palette. Last season, everything fall was black, black, and black. Though I absolutely loved all of it, somebody needed to take us up to the crazily colored heavens for a fresh, new season!
     Let's discuss the dresses in this collection for a bit. Yes, I do realize they may not be practical to wear to formal events that many would normally wear a "fuller coverage" dress to, but if given the opportunity to sport flowers or fur on a dress that billows so beautifully in wind or in air conditioning, I would recommend doing so. They all bring emphasis to the waistline and are made in a fabric that is flattering on any mammal in the book (yes, I do believe elephants would look nice in these ensembles). Of the dresses, my favorite is the last one-the combination of goldenrod and black makes me MELT (then again, any saturated shades make me sigh wishfully). I even like the polka dotted dresses. Polka dots in 98% of forms are a no-no for me, but in this case, how could I help myself?
     And those coats! Who said blacks and greys had to be just that? Why not throw some gorgeously dyed feathers, crazily colored furs, and tantalizing textures into the mix? Pairing colors of similar families in the same ensemble is a trend that I am absolutely loving. Each color plays the other one up and gives the wearer a multidimensional POP. Even us regulars can try this out! I did it just the other day with some red cigarette pants and a purple top! Though I received a few odd stares from those unfamiliar with the idea that yes, this is an acceptable concept to be trying out in public, I felt incredible dripping in color as I walked to class alongside a sea of students who just rolled out of bed (attractive).
     Try some crazy combos like Gucci did this season! No matter how odd you may feel initially, you will always look better than the guy wearing a raggedy t shirt and improperly fitting jeans next to you :)

LOOKS LIKE...YSL was feelin' a little bit hairy back in 2010

     I stalked. As I was stalking past YSL collections in my overwhelming amount of spare time, I came across this: a shoe mohawk. Though I've seen many a mohawk on oddball individuals, I can't quite say I've spotted one on the runway, let alone sprouting from the back of a cobalt blue pump. I wonder if the intent was to make it look as though the model was in hyper speed and was sprinting down the runway. Maybe the hairstylist was upset and decided to quit last minute, so of course an adequate substitute in the form of shoe hair had to be employed. Yes, I do love the fierce color of this pump and would pair it with any dress on any day, but I might consider shaving it first. 

     Are you a fan of such a furry shoe? Try wearing a pair of these on a date and play footsies across the table. You may frighten your company as he wonders how many months it has been since your last shave. Maybe the extra layer of hair will keep you warmer during cold months...or not. Either way, as much as I love YSL and the Fall 2010 collection I found this shoe in, I'm going to go ahead and say PASS on this lovely little number :).

WE WANT WEDGES

     THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. Wedges are as in as chocolate is in my mouth and are easy to wear, incredibly gorgeous to look at, and fun to flaunt! Afraid of wearing platform pumps that will teeter your tower? Check out these for an update. Maybe it isn't worth it to topple over on a big night out. The exciting part about wedges is that they can be worn with...ANYTHING. Short, skirts, flowy pants, skinny jeans, club attire, no attire (kidding), and everything else you could imagine are possibilities included in this deal!
     Another variation of the wedge is the super-chunky wedge/heel which is a mix among a clog, wedge, and regular heel that allows you to stroll down the street without strain. If a strange man happens to whistle at you while you pass by in these babies, you will be able to retaliate in two ways while wearing these shoes: 1) run away swiftly because such shoes make this possible or 2) batter his head with your sufficiently equipped feet-believe in these babies!
     Try out this trend anytime and feel free to 70's it up all the way! Warning: make sure you scuff up the bottoms of your wedges and practice waddling in them before struttin' down the street-you will go flying at an exponentially higher rate while wearing wedges than if you were to wear other shoes. This statement is based on personal experience :).

LOOKS LIKE...redundancy and a big dose of Lanvin are in store for tonight

     Yes, I KNOW I post about Lanvin all the time, but is there anything at all not to love? I'll answer that for you if there are any arising question marks within your head-NOPE. Who else can create an endless supply of basic for a multitude of seasons without them all looking exactly the same? Who makes sure all black isn't just that? Lanvin adds a kick to the monotony of this upcoming Fall 2011 season with this collection. Floppy hats no longer have to be just for summer. They add an air of mystery to this collection alongside some serious sassy SWAGGER (not expecting to hear that from me, right? haha...).
     I especially love the lines of the second to last dress. They taper from wide to narrow but still flow beautifully and mysteriously. The first dress shown combines an edgy black dress with a rocker hairdo to inject some "Lanvin juice" into what would otherwise be just another black dress in just another fall collection. His use of minimal jewelry is made up for either in pre-bedazzled dresses or in a a funky texture and fabric.
     Try any of these looks out and you may be mistaken for a a hooded robber/suspicious looking individual-KIDDING. Although, if you plan on wearing the all black and the floppy hat, some people may take a double look at you to make sure they can cite your physical attributes if questioned near a crime scene (jokes, again :)). These looks can be worn with extra jewelry or even worn as simply as they are on the runway. either way, keep it chic and classy by NOT mixing colors with this stuff...I know I'm all for it with regards to certain pieces, but doing that with these looks would be like smearing jelly and mashed potatoes on a bagel-BAD. Check looks like these out and have fun with it!

FOR FUNSIES...I'd like to try this out...

    
     This is a creation of my own (though I'm sure someone, somewhere has tried it) that I would, when exposed to the proper resources, love to try. In my case, proper resources is referring to a few pieces of ribbon. I am the kind of person who loves jewelry as much as babies love binkies, but because I am an artist who uses her hands frequently, I'm not exactly a fan of banging, bejeweled bangles that jingle around on my wrist all day. I'm all for an obnoxious necklace or pair of earrings, but prefer to stay away from large rings and bracelets that get in the way of my daily whatever.
     SO-I propose a new way to wear a POP on my wrist...in the form of a ribbon bangle. It can go with any outfit on any day-just slap on a thick ribbon and wrap it around your wrist a few times, extending it halfway up your forearm. It will have maximum visual impact, minimal physical impact, and just multiple kinds of impact in general :). Try it out in any bright color on your wrist or even on your finger as a new kind of ring. Sick of swollen knuckles? I have found the cure.
     Try this out in a million different colors and have fun being THE only one with this original "RIBBANGLE" bedazzlin' up your forearm. Warning: if you choose to keep this ribbon on for an extended period of time (days, weeks, months), you may experience the molding over of your once-beautiful accessory. Please do not maim the pristine image of such an accessory and love it like you would a two-thousand dollar Chanel bag :).

WHAT I DO WITH MY NON-EXISTENT SPARE TIME-doodle...?

     I know you do it. We all do. When we sit in the most boring of classes and take notes, or not, we tend to..."visually elaborate" on those pieces of information somewhere along the margins. For me, I like to turn to the act of "hardcore doodling" with my fashion sketches. Here's a few more I've been doing while frantically running cross campus to do this, that, and whatever other assignments I am ordered to complete-WOOF?
     The first look, though relatively difficult to see without the contacts belonging to some sort of extraterrestrial, is a neon yellow, super-short dress that takes care of the jewelry hassle for you. It flares out at the ends and is complemented by nude, mesh gatherings and ragged edges on the sides. Black stones contrast with these two tones and are brought out by the knee-high, cage wedges stuck on her tootsies.
     The second dress features an obnoxiously large, deep purple flower that could probably be properly utilized while in combat with another creature of sorts. Though I haven't decided if the large purple blobs should be paint splotches or pre-printed shapes, there would presumably be some sort of purple splotches incorporated into this dress. The ocean blue adds a spring-ish touch to this flowy number. Doesn't it make you want to go sway in the wind...?
     Aaaand...the last look. This dress, I will admit, was partly inspired by the structured aspect of some of Alexander McQueen's Fall 2011 dresses. Unlike his, this dress is actually completely wrapped in a subtly shimmery orange ribbon. The purple flowers are not printed on the dress. They, instead, literally pop off the dress in attempt to convince others around you that yes, you are in fact a walking garden. Take the compliment and continue to casually walk down the street as others wonder why your "soil" is orange.
     Hope you like these sort of...It's harder than one may think to draw a relatively normal looking human figure. TRY IT.

100th post! HERE WE GO-LOOKS LIKE...Alberta Ferretti decided to jump into a mixed bag for this fall!

     Stretchy. In order to include so many wildly varied fashion statements in a single collection, you must be (A)-incredibly...incredible/somewhat omni-loving/a little strange and (B)-the one and only Alberta Ferretti. This Fall 2011 collection is all encompassing to say the least. Feeling the urge to try some velvety, over the knee boots or a funky printed dress? What about a floral gown? A fluffy, brightly colored jacket? Wait a minute-I even see a floor length leather skirt in there! In summation, Alberta Ferretti just felt like being quite the mixed bag this wonderful fall season.

     Though I'm not too sure I would wear velvet boots in combination with a wild print or...anything for that matter, I love the eclectic color and fabric mixes Miss Ferretti blessed the runway with this season. I do love the first brightly colored look I posted, but sadly, I cannot bear to look at the disproportionate awkwardness/oddities of how those strangely colored boots were paired with a modern-day Little Bo Peep dress. Quite the ensemble, may I say. 

     One of my favorite looks in this collection is the teal, leather, metallic coat. What more could one ask for to be covered in? Along with this beautiful coat, though I will not special mention every single piece (that would defeat the purpose of the "special" part), I would love to let the world know my affection for the leather top, the pants it is paired with, and the luscious orange and magenta patterned dress above. Thank you once again Miss Ferretti for providing me with too many things to blog about in one ridiculously jumbled post.

-I'm out :)

LOOKS LIKE...I'm on a leisurely Lim spree!

     Gotta love the Lim. Though I disrupted the natural chronological order of my fashion shows by blogging about Fall then Spring, what breathing individual could resist such an action upon stumbling over another brilliant collection? I apparently have no self control, but once again, restraint and self-control are two words not deeply incorporated into my vocabulary. 

     The concept of layering and asymmetrical beauty are two concepts that Lim used in his Spring 2011 3.1 Philip Lim collection that I cannot get over. Aside from my having the mind of a four year old, I love to play with shapes even as a grown being. Matching oddish shapes in a beautifully cohesive manner catches my eye and screams "something new, finally!"The chic, sheer materials used float over the models' forms and lay oh so gently under these innovatively textured materials.

     Afraid you will appear as though you are wearing an apron if you try one of these pieces? So long as a bonnet or makeup-less face is not present in conjunction with it, you will most likely pass as a functional person who is flaunting her inner fashionista. Pair a breezy neutral with another rich neutral and some earth accessories or even with an off and unexpected color like the baby blue featured. Play up the color of your skin and let that exterior organ bust out a fashionable move for everyone to see :)!

A little somethin' extra...

     As I like to do, I was researching designers and how they arose from the midst of millions to make themselves known to all and stumbled upon a wonderful article about none other than the design team at Proenza Schouler. This article talks about Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez and exactly what their deal is. Check out what's up with one of my absolute FAVORITE design teams.

CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THIS POST TO BE DIRECTED TO THE LINK!

LOOKS LIKE...I need to fly over to China and get myself a little of whatever Phillip Lim's got goin' on!

    Simple. This one word describes exactly what I am not but what I would like to TRY to incorporate into my life and clothing. They aren't kidding when they tell you to take one accessory off before you run out the door. I, unfortunately, am unable to abide by this law and instead add one more accessory to my absurdly large compilation of such items each time I get ready. 

     Phillip Lim's use of clean cuts, the appropriately placed color, and a varied type of fabric allows him to soar above other designers who try with all their might to out-sequence one another. Each time I look at another collection in the 3.1 Phillip Lim archives, I gasp in amazement of how someone can make so many simple outfits, let alone whole collections, that are largely different from one another. How many ways can you tie a bow? Exactly...I didn't think you could think of more than approximately...two! 

     Each piece in this Fall 2011 collection is as luxurious as the diamond engagement ring I would like to possess. The simplicity of each piece is complemented by the perfectly fit ways they are combined. If you think about it, you wouldn't want your ring to be too ridiculously detailed either, right? You might come off as a little tacky and that 50,000, five pound rock on your finger might look a little fake. And how unfortunate would that be? 

     Want to try this look out? Take a luscious neutral, layer in a deep color that can pass as a toned neutral, and pop on a green (or other brightly colored) shirt, pair of pants, or scarf. Less is always more and people will take you a little more seriously than they probably do now (KIDDING) if you tone down your wackiness ;).