Update of my life. Last weekend I had a wedding, this weekend I have a wedding in Tennessee, next weekend (Labor Day) I have yet another wedding, I’m moving from Petoskey, MI to Detroit, I have a job interview, I start working at another store, I’m traveling around the state to look at wedding venues and start my registry (though I did buy my wedding dress last weekend!), Labor Day weekend will be spent driving from the wedding in Grand Rapids to Owosso to see my friend Rachel’s new home (and spend the day by the pool) and to Mackinaw to walk the bridge and go parasailing.
All of this is within a 2 week period so needless to say there will probably be no new posts until after the holiday. But I do have great fall trends to report on and I’m adding a new, exciting, and amazing contributing blogger. Amazing things to look forward to.
I haven’t been feeling very motivated to do much of anything this week so I’ve decided to strike a chord with some inspirational fashion quotes (though probably not the quotes I need since I’ve had no problem with shopping lately lol).
“The fashionable women wears clothes. The clothes don’t wear her.” – Mary Quant
“Why make everything black, black, black? Fashion should be fun and put a woman in the spotlight with a little bit of danger, you know?” – Roberto Cavalli
“The only sin is mediocrity.” – Martha Graham
“A waist is a terrible thing to waste.” – Anonymous
“There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.” – Helena Rubinstein
“Jewelry take people’s mind off your wrinkles.” – Sonja Henie
“When the little black dress is right there is nothing else to wear in its place.” – Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor
“In character, in manner, in style, in all thing, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Oscar de la Renta is my favorite designer of all time. He knows how to dress a woman. I wanted to share some information about him with you just in case you didn’t know.
De la Renta was born Oscar Aristides Renta Fiallo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father. At the age of 18 he left the Dominican Republic to study in Spain, where he studied painting at the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. He quickly became interested in the world of fashion design and began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses, which soon led to an apprenticeship with Spain’s most renowned couturier, Cristóbal Balenciaga. Later, de la Renta left Spain to join Antonio Castillo as a couture assistant at Lanvin in Paris.
In 1963, torn between designing custom clothing for Elizabeth Arden as well as designing shoes and accessories, and designing ready-to-wear for Christian Dior-New York, de la Renta turned for advice to Diana Vreeland, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, saying that what he really wanted was to “get into ready to wear, because that’s where the money is”. Vreeland replied, “Then go to Arden because you will make your reputation faster. She is not a designer, so she will promote you. At the other place, you will always be eclipsed by the name of Dior.” De la Renta proceeded to work for Arden for two years before he in 1965 went to work for Jane Derby and launched his own label. When Derby died in August 1965 Oscar de la Renta took over the label.
He was one of the three major protégés of Baron de Gunzburg; the others were Bill Blass and Calvin Klein.
Two of his major competitors are Carolina Herrera and Carmen Marc Valvo.
De la Renta’s talents receive continual international recognition. Among them, he received the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Award in 2000 and in 2007 (tied with Proenza Schouler). In February 1990, he was honored with the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award. From 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988, he served as President of the CFDA. He is also a two-time winner of the American Fashion Critic’s Award and was inducted into the Fame in 1973. From 1993 to 2002, Oscar de la Renta designed the haute couture collection for the house of Pierre Balmain, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house.
The Dominican Republic has also honored him with the Order of Juan Pablo Duarte and the Order of Cristóbal Colón. De la Renta has contributed extensively in the construction of a much needed school near his home at the Punta Cana Resort and Club in Punta Cana.
De la Renta serves as a board member of the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and WNET. He also serves on the boards of several charitable institutions such as New Yorkers for Children, the America’s Society, and is presently chairman of the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute.
His clothes have been worn by many celebrities, including Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush, Jenna Bush, and Megan Fox. (via wiki)
So I have another article on Wardrobe Wire that is absolutely fantastic. It’s all about traveling to Kalamazoo. I had some great friends help me on this one. Heather Holland, who will someday be an amazing fashion journalist, helped write it, Maggie Bradford is an amazing model whenever I need her, and Gary Converse, who is a fun loving, easy going, fantastic photographer.
Also Oscar Linares, a contributing photographer on this website from NYC, has an amazing new website. To check out some of his work you can also look in the photos section of this website.
Sorry readers for my lack of posts this month. June has been crazy with weddings, Bonnaroo, moving out of my apartment into a new one, and starting an internship up north (meaning I moved twice since my internship is in Northern Michigan and my new apartment is in Detroit). But I do have something for you to read. I did an article on www.wardrobewire.com about Bonnaroo. Here is the link: http://www.wardrobewire.com/channel/occasion/article/tourist-activities/what-wear-bonaroo/ and there are more to come so look out for them on Paige’s amazing website.
Ruffles scream femininity. These are toned down versions of ruffles that give your outfit some flair. Make sure the ruffles are placed in areas where you would want to draw attention to. They add volume so diagonally across the body like Foley+Corinna or in smaller areas are best.
Intersection: Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show
Why shop vintage? We hear from two dealers and a pair of designer sisters about the lasting pleasures of buying old clothes.
Style.com just did this amazing story about people who wear vintage and why they love it. If there were vintage shops in Kalamazoo, Michigan I would be all over that too. Unfortunately there is not. Vintage is a way to still wear designer goods, but making it your own style and giving new life and personality to something old. Great vintage pieces are items that you hold onto forever or invest now in the new designer pieces and hold onto them so one day they become the great, rare vintage pieces that people would die over.
Now that the warm weather and sunshine has arrived it’s time to show off your legs! My absolute fav for this season are silk shorts. I love how soft and luxurious they feel and look. It’s a mix of Dior’s Spring/Summer 2010 look of lingerie, but in a more appropriate manner. It’s something we haven’t really seen before and I love it. Of course there is the always the classic and timeless stand-by of jean shorts. I’m loving this seasons look of rolled up cuffs. It’s taking the rolling of cuff look from boyfriend jeans to shorts. Prints are hot this Spring, so get prints on your shorts too. Bermudas are another classic stand-by that give you a more retro look.
So we all love to wear our booties in the fall, but how do we carry that same look into spring? We do it with these super cute booties. When the warm weather comes out our toes want freedom from being cooped up in our shoes all winter so cute cut-outs, peep-toes, and slingback versions of the bootie are a great way to keep the same idea for fall, but translate it into a spring look.
The past few seasons have focused on the shoulder whether it be volume or overall attention getting. I live by the style motto less is more so embellishing is a great way to accomplish more with less. This look eliminates the need for dramatic earrings or necklaces. However this look is not for those who do want to attract attention towards their broad shoulders.
