Thrills of the Chase

Sorry for the long hiatus, but I am on the final leg of my very last semester here at Brown and I haven’t had a second to catch my breath, far less post. I went home for Spring Break a month ago and stumbled upon this old pad with a collection I sketched in ‘98!!!!!!…and the shocking things is (drum roll please…) I want to wear all of it now. And that’s not about me just wanting to love these looks because I sketched them: they really are so much of what seems right today…judge for yourself!…I give you: Ivy League Art Student

so where do you stand on this?…what old is new, for you?

PEA$E
KIBWE

I’m still thinking about droppin’ it low: my hemline of choice that is. I know it’s spring, so instinctively one would think that mini lengths would be the most suitable. But they’ve just become to0 obvious, especially in the day…

Aquascutum has shown longer lengths for two seasons now, and I am loving how casual and easy they are making the proposition seem:

spring '10

fall '10

The Olsens’ debut presentation offered asymmetrical longer length hems, and the Olsens themselves seem to have embraced the gown length for day…

fall '10

thing 1, and thing 2

Check out this genius take on the longer length that I found on Forever21.com:

at $16.90, the racer back maxi dress is both a staple and a steal. It’s 100% modal which makes it a dead ringing for far more expensive versions offered by Alexander Wang’s genius “T” line. I love the idea of wearing it with brown leather accessories, don’t you?

PEA$E
KIBWE

I will be doing my seasonal top ten wrap up of the collections soon enough, but in the meantime…I’ve been really into the longer length skirts and dresses that have resurfaced after years of mini ruling the runways…during a class today to couldn’t help but sketching some of the silhouettes and proportions that are really intriguing me right now…enjoy!

are you reading to take it to the floor next fall?…(or perhaps even this spring?)

PEA$E
KIBWE

I don’t know where you’ll be when those April showers begin to fall, but I’ll be right here in Providence, RI. Around these parts, spring doesn’t just burst onto the seen tossing buds and blossoms left and right; it kinda drizzles on in each year. This means that even when the temperature begins to warm up a bit, a puddle-riddled walk to class could spell ruin for your most prized of leather sandals. I like the idea of these injection molded sandals from Forever21.com because they are kinda like a hybrid of all of my favorite things: a Birkenstock, a TEVA, a jelly…a car seat, even?…Totally waterproof, they can stand up to just about ANYTHING, and they still have a spare minimalism (Raf for Jil?) about them that is really striking…

oh yeah, and they’re $6.80…run don’t walk!

PEA$E
KIBWE

It has been deemed the tell-tale give-away of German site-seeing on Gmerican soil: the sock/sandal combo, but due to recent collections’ reworkings of an ages-old faux pas, I can’t get enough of this charming little styling trick. It’s most obvious to go after the look with black socks, but I’m more intrigued by the taupy neutrals that have been floating around the designer collections (and on this blog) for a bit now.

Burberry took the “hooker” out of platformed sandals via adding a putty toned sock:

This is brilliant, cause it really sells the whole “coat-come-dress” concept. You could totally recreate this vibe with these “catanese” platform sandals from aldo.com:

taupe "catanese" platform sandal, $100.00

…or you could pursue the less overtly sexy look perfected at the Rochas presentation. Here a more tailored sandal invokes a feminine dandyism:

…The socks even feature a tiny picot scalloped edge: this look is at once bookish and intimately alluring…that scallop makes me think of lingerie peeking out.

these “open-toe oxford heels” at forever21.com would be a brilliant interpretation of this Rochas concoction:

Open Toe Oxford Heels $25.80

If you are like me, you can’t wait to debut your spring looks. This is the perfect way to rock a sandal before anybody else…as though we were waiting?…lol

PEA$E
KIBWE

Gone are the days when Hip Hop’s arbiters of style aligned solely with all things grimy, rough, rugged, and raw. Today’s new breed of transcontinental B-boys, bring the refinement in taste and sophistication in selection. They pursue focused color stories, subtle yet confident texture, and consider the nuances of sporty vs. athletic.

It’s like that ya’ll…and that’s the way it is!

PEA$E
KIBWE

I wore sweatpants when I was in early elementary school, then swore them off for decades deciding that they were the best friends of veal buttocked couch-potatoes. When I headed back to University a few years ago I had a brief love affair with all things Free City, but as much as I love the concept behind them, they became the uniform of the sort of girls I just can’t bring myself to fully take seriously (let’s call them “Frapaccinistas”).

I’m ready for a sweatpant again, though. Well, it’s more like I’m ready for the RIGHT sweat pant. Let these images serve as direction:

www.balmain.com

paired with  a green surplus military jacket?…say no more…

www.garancedore.com

with a little navy blazer and an unexpected boot?…I’m down

www.jakandjil.com

so many faves here: mariniere tee, chambray shirt, khaki trench…the sweats are the icing!

okay…so I had the recipes, but I was missing my main ingredient: the RIGHT sweat pant.

as usual, I found them at my home-away-from-home…Forever21.com:

Upgraded Athletic Pants $19.80

(don’t worry, I’m by no means wearing them in the uncomfortably “hoisted” manner pictured above)

I LOVE them…you’ll be seeing look photos as soon as I get back to Providence, I promise.

The only question that remains is, “are you ready to sweat?”

PEA$E
KIBWE

Jersey Shore?!?!?…fawgettaboutit!…back in the day (1986 to be precise) Madonna Louise Ciccone was the HIIC (Head Italian In Charge). She transposed her heritage from the less romanticized (but equally gritty) Michigan to the outer-boroughs of New York City  and in doing so took her look in a brand new direction. Gone were her trademark floppy lace head bows, and fingerless mesh gloves (talk about borderline bad taste?). In their place could be a found a new sleek physique and a chic/tough urban, gamine-glamour. Her hair was cropped close, her lips matte crimson, and her beauty mark accented raven. Many attempted the look, but as she most certainly would have offered, “Italians Do It Better”…

Papa Don’t Preach was directed by James Foley and is striking in it’s brilliant but simple cinematography (the opening sequence alone, blows my mind with its musical/visual synchronicity!)…and the black bustier/leggings/flats look??!?!…pure genius

Open Your Heart directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, homages Caberet’s Sally Bowles/Liza Minelli in its depiction of Madonna as a peep show burlesque performer. A seminal video in her career, it would mark the beginnings of her indefinite love affair with the conical brassiere…

Bon Magazine channels the Madonna of ‘86, in this brilliant sitting entitled Even for a Day…model Wiktor Hanssen gives good Madonna face, no?

Yet another frosty day has gone by with temperatures just making it past freezing here in Washington, DC. While I may be on a break from school in New England, I’m by no means on a break from the chill of a North Eastern winter. As I troll the blogs and peep the magazines, I can’t help but lust after the ultimate mid winter getaway.

Packing Inspirations:

I’m melding two deliveries I designed: the first for MerSoleil is very Mediteranean in energy  and attitude, the 2nd for An Original Penguin Womens is more American and preppy.

MerSoleil:

An Original Penguin:

I like the idea of fresh bright separates for warm weather travel…but we can’t forget how practical versatile black is. The key to this mix is using the black as a reverse-pop. The graphic black then acts as an unexpected focal point.

Take a look at what I found:

this sweater at Forver21.com reminds me of something that a cool Paris/Brit brand like See by Chloe, or Leulla would do:

Relax in Stripes Sweater $27.80

Relax in Stripes Sweater $27.80

Love it worn super relaxed with these easy jeans at Forever21.com:

H81 DISTRESSED BOYFRIEND JEAN $26.90

these shirt dresses from oldnavy.com work on as swim cover ups or on their own:

Women's Belted Tee-Shirt Dresses $19.50

Women's Belted Tee-Shirt Dresses $19.50

the same is true of these knit maxi-dresses from oldnavy.com:

Women's Cross-Front Jersey Maxi Dresses $29.50

Women's Cross-Front Jersey Maxi Dresses $29.50

they are great over these swim suits at oldnavy.com (black is great for these because you don’t have to worry about tanning oil/sun block leaving stains):

Women's Ruffled Bandeau Swim Top $16.50

Women's Ruffled Bikini Bottom $16.50

Women's Bandeau Halter Top $16.50

Women's Ruffle-Trim Bikini Bottom $16.50

these metalic sandals from oldnavy.com work poolside, or at dinner:

Women's Metallic T-Strap Sandals $15.00

and these oxfords at forever21.com are great for a day of shopping:

Crackled Metallic Oxford $24.80

They’ll both look great with these “denim” leggings from oldnavy.com:

Women's Denim-Look Leggings $16.50

Women's Denim-Look Leggings $16.50

they are so chic when worn with these coordinated flats at oldnavy.com:

Women's Ribbon-Trim Ballet Flats $19.50

Women's Ribbon-Trim Ballet Flats $19.50

on top try this classic white mens button-down from oldnavy.com:

men's poplin shirt, $20.00

for dinner and cocktails, these dresses (blue, black) are simple and modern, but still sophisticated:

Polka Dotted Artist Dress $27.80

Sunday Silk Dress $27.80

add some sexy with these heeled sandals at charlotterusse.com:

Metallic T-Strap Stilettos $29.99

add a touch of “fly” with this panama straw hat at express.com:

straw fedora $34.50

pack the whole thing up in these bright overnight bags from jcrew.com:

Canvas overnight bag $36.50

Canvas overnight bag $36.50

so much fun right?…aren’t you ready to get away?!?!?

PEA$E
KIBWE

I came across these striking images from a sitting titled flesh for fantasy in the January issue of L’Officiel Hommes China. They point to a new hybridization of athletic and angsty-rock energies:

In recent collections, the look has tended to meld the hard edged leathers we’ve all grown to love over the last few seasons, with more relaxed elements: grey melange scrimmage tees, sweat separate shapes, and thermals textures ease the metal aggression (or maybe just take it to the gridiron).

Isabel Marant, Fall ‘09:

taking many queues from the Marant collection, Iro’s Fall ‘09 collection explores similar territory:

For warm weather, Alexander Wang’s Spring ‘10 collection presents a unique take on this look:

will you be rockin’ your jock this Spring?

PEA$E
KIBWE