Velvet, brocade and lace dominate Trends for Fall. So, I thought that would be the discussion...
Read MoreTimeless Style: Fall Trends 2016
jackets
Timeless Style: Italian Style Winter Collection
Italian Style Winter Collection
Mati Cianci, a close girlfriend who lives in Rome with her family is visiting New York this week with her trunk-show, Italian Style Winter Collection. Mati is showing a finely edited selection of elegant jackets, dresses, knitwear, shawls, leather bags and accessories made by artisans from around the globe.
Read MoreTimeless Style: Blooming Spring
Blooming Spring
Spring has finally sprung and blooming spring florals are everywhere! Minimalism for now is seen in the distance of our rearview mirror. Typically I'm not one to wear big floral prints however, I've seen such delightful styles this season that I'm willing to at least try some things on. Dolce & Gabbana caught my eye because they have such a romantic point of view and their clothes are exquisitely made. The combination of red and black along with richly intricate embroideries and hair ornamentations, enhance their definition of Italy's la dolce vita.
Read MoreTimeless Style: 70s Style for Spring/Summer 2015
70's fashion is back and for some of us there's a sense of "been there done that!" However, the silhouettes have been refined and updated - I'm loving the cropped jackets, billowy dresses, woven wedged sandals and fringed bags. Etro's collection is pitch perfect in capturing that era's carefree bohemian spirit. Fabrics have customized dyeing, braiding and intricate embroidery giving the clothes an engaging mix of Native American-style details and Zandra Rhodes' gossamer, floaty handkerchief hems.
Read MoreTimeless Style: Everyday Dressing
Everyday Dressing
Although I love high fashion, I appreciate a certain elegant simplicity in my everyday dressing. Beautiful fabrics, unusual patterns, interesting color and texture combinations and an overall great fit are the signature elements in my wardrobe. So, for me Tory Burch often fits the bill for everyday dressing as the clothes are not fussy and as her collections have evolved, her aesthetic has become less preppy and more sophisticated. I love navy and this year I'm in luck as a lot of designers seem to be loving navy too. Louis Vuitton has a gorgeous navy blazer, tapered at the waist, small shoulders and gold button detail paired with tailored jeans, which if there's an outfit I'm lusting after, this is it. It's that quintessential casual elegance that always appeals to me.
Read MoreTimeless Style: Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer
Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative and Chief Executive Officer at Burberry presented a creative re-imagining of those forever staples, the denim jacket and trench coat from the Spring 2015 Prorsum collection. The denim jacket has shrunk significantly and the sheepskin, silk, patent leather and suede details, gives this perennial favorite a new spin for Spring. Wearing this jacket immediately puts you on-trend and will remain your favorite go to piece for seasons to come. There was also a nod to the current fad for the 70's in suede for both the jackets and trenches.
Read MoreTimeless Style: Givenchy & Dior Fall/Winter 2015
Although on the East Coast it's still arctic, I'm daydreaming about this spring's fashions and the look that's resonating for me is the tailored coat and gilet. Designed to be worn as part of the overall outfit, at Givenchy it's downright rocker-chick sexy. The workmanship is practically haute couture with highly detailed black and white latticed jackets and elaborate embroidery of whipstitching and filigree. Dior's court coats and gilets were shown with silk quilted Bermuda shorts for a somewhat informal effect, but with no less attention to beautiful embroidery details. Dior referenced an 18th-century court coat, as Style.com eloquently expressed, "evoked the historicism of Christian Dior's original Bar silhouette.
Read MoreTimeless Style: Peter Copping Heads Oscar de la Renta
Peter Copping, who Oscar de la Renta chose to succeed him presented his first collection this week, just three months after taking on the role of artistic director. Previously, he was at Nina Ricci for five years as artistic director. Mr Copping managed to balance the de la Renta sensibility without being overly reverential, while subtly introducing his own. He has moved the design house forward, making it more youthful and contemporary while maintaining the elegance, meticulous details and luxurious fabrics.
Read MoreTimeless Style: Making a Holiday Statement
It's the holiday season with invitations to all manner of events, some formal, some not so much. What to wear that looks sufficiently festive and can the outfit(s) be worn to more than one event? These are the questions I ponder as I look through my closet. The very good news is that the sales have begun and most things from the Fall/Winter season are now on sale. Looking through the clothing lines of some of the designers, one that I feel strikes just the right note is from Diane Von Furstenberg.
Read MoreElegant Dressing - Part 11
Part II
Christophe Lemaire's Fall/Winter 2014 collection for Hermes was a look of seemingly effortless luxury. To quote Tim Blanks from Style.com, "stealth wealth, indeed." The styles were consistently strong, graceful, urban and elegant with lush knitwear, slouchy jackets, pants and coats. As with Bottega Veneta the hem is mid-calf, not my favorite length, but it looks so sophisticated in both collections I'm willing to try it again. Although prints were at a minimum, there was an abundance of luxurious textures - cashmere, silk, velvet, leather and mink.
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