prints – FASHIONEEKA.

Dawn to Dusk

Same outfit, two ways. The concept takes you from office to evening and is as easy as a simple change in outerwear (or for more formal occasions, a change in footwear – metallic Manolo BB pumps or a sleek evening sandal).

Statement coats were all over the Autumn 2018 runway shows back in February/early March (in all four cities) and this trench by Massimo Dutti hits all of the right points: Prince of Wales checks, pops of colour, 70s-style lapels and understated details. Until we get out of this winter weather, coats are still a must for daywear, and pairing the pastels with darker shades creates a colour-popping contrast.

I’m going through a blazer moment right now, and I fell in love with this peak-lapelled velvet number because of its Tom Ford s/s 2018 runway feel to it (minus the hot pink hue!). Blazers are foolproof for evenings and pairing a strong masculine piece with a feminine slip dress is one of my favourite combinations. The mix in textures elevates the look (velvet, evident from the runways, is here to stay) and can work just as well with a pair of dark skinnies and a slinky camisole.

P.S. Yes, navy and black do go together.

trench: Massimo Dutti/ blazer: Massimo Dutti (and on sale!)/ slipdress: Aritzia

photos: @comfycarn

Printed Pencils | VFW Day 4

I decided to bring a little work-wear for day 4 at Vancouver Fashion Week, teaming a timeless chambray with an office-appropriate printed pencil skirt. Casual fridays at the office allows a little more flexibility with my outfits, which means stepping away from corporate greys & bringing in a bit more colour, and creating an easy transition from day to runway.

Although I missed my front-row partner in crime, as Ryan decided to make a couple of catwalk appearances (he rocked the runway, by the way), it was so fun getting to spend the afternoon watching the shows with Sabrina and Jeremy from streetscout.me. As you can see from the first photo above, the pouring rain didn’t stop Jeremy from snagging an awesome shot – in 10 seconds, flat! Ryan quickly joined us for the last couple of shows and his off-duty model style was at it’s best: showing us all how to be masters in layering.

chambray shirt + assorted jewellery, J Crew / skirt, zara / boots, Sam Edelman / bag, Auxiliary at Aritzia / sunglasses, Dior

Photos: streetscout.me + Curran Sandher

New York Fashion Week Favourite: Diane Von Furstenburg a/w 2012

“Rendez-Vous” – the notion that anything can happen, that anything is possible; a sense of adventure – was the title of DVF’s fall collection which was all about seduction. The show notes of Diane and French creative director Yvan Misplaere tell us that “glamorous is at a moment’s notice… she is effortless & elaborate” and bearing “a heightened awareness to the promise of places she has not yet been“… so mysterious! – which is precisely the intended effect we received of the collection.

While we’re used to DVF’s signature prints and expert wrap-dresses, she pared things down this season, which ended up having dramatic and alluring effects, combined with the bold colour blocking. Despite this minimalistic colour trend (which wasn’t so minimalistic if you take into account the bold brights), whimsical prints were still present with jigsaw puzzles, little eyes, and chains, which symbolised the whole aura of fun, mystery and spontaneity so central to the message within the collection…

Silhouettes were sleek and languid yet had cover ups in combination, thereby presenting a “Ying & Yang“, which Diane described as “what makes a woman fun“. So she was the queen of juxtapositions: the matte & the shiny; the short & the long; the tight & the loose — each seen within the show and each invoking a sense of confidence, which every DVF girl possesses at its finest.

Finally, a review of this beautiful display cannot end without at least mentioning the delicious colours… deep magentas, peacock blues, rich maroons, mustard hues, gold, muted chartreuse… even daring to play these striking colours together in a mastery of colour blocking — “we do colour blocking with our eyes closed“… well if this is what happens when her eyes are closed, I can’t imagine what amazing things she’d come up with, with her eyes open!

Overall a very wearable collection with clean and simple elegance… smart blazers, loose trousers, a clear mix of separates, dresses, and jumpsuits (the pink jumpsuit paired with the aubergine coat is on my wish list!) — it was bold, daring, strong… evoking exactly the type of “elegant but glamorous & seductive” woman who is “ready for anything” that Miss Von Furstenburg so perfectly aimed to show us.

I don’t think the question is whether this woman is ready for anything, but rather: is the world ready for her? — I think i’d like to wear the clothes and test out the theory myself!

Are you ready for your rendez-vous?

Colour-pop & Back-Impact

There are subtle and simple ways to make an outfit POP. One of my favourites is through teaming a single-coloured outfit of grey, black, navy, or white with an eye-popping print. The understated colours work to make the graphics of the prints really stand out, without forcing a full off-the-runway statement (because let’s face it, not all of us can pull off head to toe D&G on an every day basis like Anna Dello Russo…).

If you aren’t a prints person however, you can make the same statement by using pops of brights – teaming them with the same understated colours mentioned before.

Spring is on its way, so what better way to welcome the warmth (I, personally am ready to get rid of these freezing temperatures!) and embrace the neon spring 2012 trends than by adding a bit of colour to your wardrobe? Pinks, oranges, yellows, neon purples and cobalt blues…

Oh, and for lovers of the understated sexy look (like myself) — why not go with a cut-out cashmere for a little back-impact… showing a little skin never hurt anyone right?!

I’m wearing: Wilfred Cashmere wool-blend jumper, forever21 necklace, Zara skirt & heels

Click to share:

Like this:

Click to share:

Like this:

Click to share:

Like this:

Click to share:

Like this: