Valentino: prêt-à-porter? Prêt –à- aimer!

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Ok, so we’ve examined pure couture so far, what do you say about some prêt-à-porter? I say TOTALLY.

Look 1

For this week, I’ve chosen my dear Valentino, and let me tell you that even though his couture is genius, the prêt-à-porter is totally breathtaking. Valentino is simply the best, I mean, if you had a million different ceremonies and parties to attend and you only had a Valentino Boutique nearby, you could totally rock it in all the events with the help of the Italian creations. Don’t buy it? Check this out!

In 60 looks, the designer shows us how amazing clothes that even wearing when walking down the streets or buying something at the 7/11, would make us feel like we’re on the runway. The colors Valentino uses in this collection are beige, black, gray, red and white, with pinches of green. He uses mostly leather and silk, along with recurring transparencies and embroidery; in other words: stylish eclectic.

Being honest, what I love the most about this collection is that it doesn’t look just wearable during fall or winter; it also would be super chic during spring or summer; it’s killing combo: versatility and flexibility, is a huge plus nobody should ignore. But enough with the talking! Lets check the Top Three, shall we?

Look 18

1) Look 1. Black and white never die! This is the proof that classics will always be classics. The skirt up to the waist ending at the knees makes the body look longer. The hood is gorgeous and it’s perfect for any kind of body, because due to its shape, it will always look as if the part of the body underneath is slimmer. The leather is super sophisticated and the game between the collars of both, the chemise and the hood, make the neck look longer. Hello, high fashion heroines!

2) Look 18. This coat has to be like the coolest thing ever. The patterns are beyond beautiful. The collar is perfect for giving the illusion of a longer neck and, due to the divisions (the upper part of the coat and the squares at the lower), it makes the model look taller. The division at the upper part is super smart, because it’s just below the ribs and it’s sort of the new waist. A perfect piece, five stars.

Look 25

3) Look 25. Ever since I looked at this dress, I wasn’t able to take it out of my head, I mean, could you? The flowers! The flowers! It is also in leather. The division of the body is right at the waist and again, the collar makes the neck look longer. I must admit that the detail on the shoulders isn’t my thing, but in this dress it just seems like it belongs there. Whenever using this kind of detail at the shoulders, make sure they start like in this Valentino dress: right at the edge, more in the arms than in the shoulders. It’s could be inside Lady Gaga’s wardrobe, an elegant Lady Gaga, and I LOVE Lady Gaga.

So? What do you think? Valentino for Christmas? Please, please, Santa, please.

That was it my little fashionistas, hope you enjoyed the blog and loved the looks as much as I did!

Shine all over and dream on, crazy diamonds! ‘til next Thursday!

 A.C.

P.S. The photos were taken from vogue.fr http://www.vogue.fr/defiles/automne-hiver-2012-2013-paris-valentino/6246/diaporama/defile-1605/9011/pag Go ahead and take a look! It’s like eating a whole box of chocolates but without the calories!

Elie Saab: Turning Women into Goddesses with the “Zip” of a Dress

Read us here: http://wp.me/p2X2CO-8g ! It's prettier :)

This week’s blog is dedicated do Elie Saab’s work because reading the latest VOGUE, I happened to find out that this Lebanese is sprinkling some of his magic powders over Latin America, beginning with Mexico at Saks Fifth Avenue. Even though there will only be prêt-à-porter and accessories, it’s a good start, right? Quite disappointing, though, be cause Saab’s real strength is gowns, the most beautiful and dreamy dresses anyone can imagine.

The thing about this designer is that every single creation of his is pure magic. I really don’t know how he does it, because, lets just be honest, before him and Valentino brought lace back, it was only related to grannies, table cloths, curtains and lingerie. Somehow, he manages to take lace and ribbons and sequins and turn them into a perfect combination that contrasts delightfully with the contemporary and, at the same time, nostalgic romanticism of the clothes.

His Fall-Winter 2012-2013 collection was shown during the first days of July in 47 wonderland looks (by looks I mean dresses) in salmon and beige and aqua and golden and chocolate brown and baby blue and golden and beige and green and golden that pretty much confirm all I said before. Do you want to take a look?

Here you go! Ladies and (maybe) gentleman, my Top Three:

*Note: We’ll see in the following images that Saab loves to cut the figure exactly on the waist (with what seem to be colored leather belts) and to use vaporous fabrics to create a mystic yet classy effect. This killing combo is practically his trademark.

Look 40

1) Look 7. OMG! Coco Chanel used to say black was one of the few true colors and I can’t but agree. I like very much what he does here separating the collar from the cleavage. The collar is straight and goes from shoulder to shoulder and this is what makes the figure look symmetrical and exact. The cleavage, which is kind of heart shaped brings back the curves, enhancing natural womanly characteristics such as hips and breasts. The way the skirt falls is actually very helpful, because due to its wideness at the end, the upper part seems smaller. This dress is simply stunning, wouldn’t you feel like Charlize Theron in “Snow White and the Huntsman” wearing this beauty?

Look 23

2) Look 23. This one has the same collar than the one before but zero cleavage, just pretty lace with sequins everywhere and a golden belt to shape up. The lower part falls right into the body, with the cloth almost kissing the skin. The somewhat straight skirt makes the figure look taller and stylized. Isn’t it like something Ariel from the “Little Mermaid” would wear? I love the color and the best about it is that it goes with any skin. The pattern on the lace is so tenderly wavy its almost like dipping into calmed waters at dawn. I’d feel like Poseidon’s daughter in such a thing, seriously.

Look 40

3) Look 40. Look at this picture and tell me if Saab’s work of art isn’t the brightest dusk you’ve ever seen, it’s amazing. I just love how, just below the collar (straight, like the ones before) the chest is showered in some kind of golden splatter made of all kinds of textures.  Long sleeves are always elegant. The material of the lower part of the gown is heavier, so the skirt falls open, kind of like an A shape, still not as opened as look 7 or as closed as look 23. However, being the bottom wider than the top, it makes the top look smaller just like the seventh look. I love golden, but you see, it sort of scares me because it’s so strong, it’s really hard to use it without becoming cheesy or tacky. That’s why I chose this look, because it marvels me how Elie Saab is capable of using it, and still, make me feel like I’m watching modern Anastasia walk down the runway.

So here they were, my top three. As you may see, it’s obvious not every city has an Elie Saab Boutique because his creations are made to be worn at cotillions, galas, red carpets… Anyway, it isn’t a reason to avoid admiring his creations and falling in love with them; and dreaming, dreaming badly.

I hope reading this post made you realize that we all live in our very own fairytale, it’s just that sometimes we forget it because we aren’t wearing the right dress. But hey! Remember, the dress is just the core, and with the right attitude, even a bag of potatoes turns into the finest look (please don’t experiment with potato bags).

Shine all over (& dream on), crazy diamonds! ‘til next Thursday!

A.C.

P.S. The photos were taken from vogue.fr (http://www.vogue.fr/defiles/automne-hiver-2012-2013-paris-elie-saab-2/6475/diaporama/defile-1803/9319/pag) Take a look and travel to a fairyland!

CHANEL now, CHANEL then, CHANEL here & everywhere

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My first post on this blog will be about the greatest fashion French haute couture: CHANEL, my personal favourite (does it show?). Not only because the maison itself it’s a synonym of grace and sophistication, but because the founder (Coco) was and always will be one of the best role models for us all and well, she’s sort of my idol.

As most of you know, July is the month when designers present their creations for the fall-winter season. “But we’re in the middle of summer!” you may say; well, yes, but we have to know what’s in and what’s out in order to be ready for when the fall reaches us. There’s a lot to know: colours, textures, types of shoes, heights of skirts, chemises and their sleeves, etc. Though every designer has its very own style (obviously) they all share certain characteristics that dictate the tendency of the season. Who settles them? That’s a wonderful question, I wonder if they have some sort of ultra elite meeting to agree on the basics…

Karl “The Genius” Lagerfeld presented for CHANEL this year’s fall-winter season on July 1^st in 66 wonderful runway looks that include the classic CHANEL suit, coats, baggy pants, scarves tied in XXL bows, belts to the waist, pointy bicolour shoes, lots of squares, transparencies and GLOW. It invites women to feel like a fallen star when walking down the street, I mean, its almost impossible for someone wearing one of these pieces to be ignored. 

    The following are my Top Three from the runway, based on what I call “The CHANEL Basics”:   Equilibrium, chic formality and contemporaneous classicism.

1) Look 13

 1) Look 13. Why? Because it stylizes the figure (equilibrates) making it look curvier and longer, mainly thanks to the four divisions of the body: one below the ribs (the jacket), other one at the hips (the pockets), one approximately four centimetres over the knees (the edge of the skirt) and the last one, at the end of the jacket’s sleeves, what’s there? Another sleeve, more open and in what seems to be leather, which really lifts up the look, believe it or not. Also, it’s important to realise the balance of the composition: the light and smoothness on the second sleeves, the tights and the tips of the shoes, neutralize the opacity and roughness of the fabric.

2) Look 19

2) Look 19. Oddly enough this look reminds me of Ana Karenina, there’s something about the fuzziness it transmits, I guess, which brings to my mind those little round fluffy hats the Russians use when it’s cold. Besides, don’t you love the colour? It’s so bright! That’s important because most designers keep it gloomy for this time of the year, but why should we limit ourselves? Again, there’s this division of the body: one at the waist (the belt), one at the hips (the jacket), and one around ten centimetres over the knees. The stability between dark and bright colours is still there, but now the tights are what calms down the strength of the pink. The same with the texture: furry VS smooth.

Look 45

3) Look 45. This one I just love because, just look at the collar! Isn’t it just sweet? It carries that naivety all women posses, like, it brings me back to childhood; and the palette, so soft, so delicate, it just reinforces the previous idea. The creative thing at the collar is that it’s really open to the shoulders but not into the cleavage, which keeps the poise. The buttons right in the middle of the upper part of the body bring symmetry, and the belt on the waist makes anyone look fitter, because it’s naturally the smallest part of the upper body. Plus, the thing Lagerfeld does with the bagginess at the chemise and the texture of the skirt, makes the waist look smaller than it really is. Also, the open sleeves kind of make us think the body inside the blouse is smaller than it really is, which gives the illusion of being slimmer. Note: if you’re short (As I am) NEVER wear a long skirt if it’s not up to the waist, unless you want to look like a shapeless dwarf (believe me, experience speaking).

As you can see, CHANEL is one of those styles only strong women can wear, because otherwise, the clothes end up wearing you due to the vigour of the textures and the sharpness of the cuts. “But some girls look so naïve and delicate in CHANEL!” Yes, innocence can be very powerful, ask the Disney princesses!

Finally, I’d like to say it’s kind of magic how CHANEL is so European, like, a women wearing CHANEL out of Paris look like a delicate rose in a beautiful jar, but women wearing CHANEL in Paris, look like a rose in an open field: right where it belongs.

I hope you enjoyed reading the post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Any comments (good or bad, bring them on!) will be appreciated.

Shine all over, crazy diamonds! See ya.

A.C.

P.S. The photos were taken from vogue.fr (http://www.vogue.fr/defiles/automne-hiver-2012-2013-paris-chanel-2/6451/diaporama/defile-1789/9283/pag), go ahead and look to the whole collection! The ninth and the eighteenth look blew my mind. Pamper your eyes!