t-shirt dress

photo by steven meisel

I remember back in the 90s I was so obsessed with this photo....I so love the way supermodel bridget hall looks in that comme des garçons shirt dress...her expression and pose perfectly represent the look of that outfit. this was definetly the moment when I first started to understand the beauty, comfort, and ease of a t-shirt dress. growing up, I use to go to the gap and buy shirts similar to this comme des garçons one and style it with a pair of adidas or sandals. interestingly enough, years later I still am still following this fashion philosophy....I guess some rules on style never change.

lovely in lang

I admire minimalism...that is when it is done correctly. I think helmut lang is definetly one of those designers that truly understands simplicity. I recently came across these two photos of supermodel carmen kass from vogue italia january 1999 and I couldn't help, but love the length of this dress and all those intricate tiny details.....if you look closely you can see all the craftsmanship of that sleeve, and of course those lovely strappy heels, which I am still trying to find, today!!!! together, they are the perfect added elements to that dress....definetly a suitable look for this time of year!


photos by peter lindbergh

minimal bride

stella tennant on her wedding day (1999)

june is coming to an end and I somehow totally forgot that this is the month where a lot of women will be walking down the aisle...personally, I am a little sick and tired of princess wedding gowns. I like to see a bride that is willing to take a risk and do something a little different from the so-called traditional bridal look.

I will never forget when supermodel stella tennant chose to wear this minimal helmut lang dress on her wedding day in scotland to photographer david lasnet....I think she wears this lang creation beautifully. its simple, chic, and 100% stella. I love to see brides wear something that truly represents who they are as individuals...I hate it when brides look as if they are wearing a stage-costume. I think there is a lot to be learned from stella tennant...if anything, future brides should understand that sometimes less is actually more!

what goes around comes around

look at this comme des garçons sweater dating back from 1983. proving that some things never go out of style.

grown up wallet

i can't take my mind off of the wallet and coin purse collection for comme des garcons. it took me a long time to really become a fan. now i've discovered its simplicity, elegance, fashion forwardness, and classic appeal. whatever type of girl you may be, there seems to be a pattern, or color to suit. my personal favorite may be the black patent leather, with the surprising hot pink interior!

submission

enjoy this video and music, created by my husband danny, featuring sister in black, dara.

flipping out

photo by steven meisel

lately, I have been thinking that I need to start collecting more issues of vogue italia....my vogue paris collection seems to be pretty complete, so now I think I am ready to move on to a different country. the issue that I am currently eyeing is june 2005 ...I so love this editorial featuring supermodel carolyn murphy....her hair, her face, and that splashing blue water is all too perfect....I think this has to be one of my all-time favorite steven meisel photographs.

prada in the summer

prada spring/summer 2010

today marks the first day of summer! I can't help but think of miuccia prada's highly visual spring/summer 2010 collection....its not really my type of style, but I so appreciate the manipulated photographic prints of beach towels, sand, ocean, and lounging vacationers applied to some of the looks from that collection....such a brilliant collection for a day like today!

summer shades

the graduate (1967)

I have always liked this moment from mike nichols film the graduate....such a perfect photo for the start of the summer. personally, I feel like this film is a little more style than substance.....but, at any rate, I can still appreciate the look of it.

I so love the way dustin hoffman looks in those sunglasses contrasted with that blue pool water....it almost feels like a tom ford for gucci ad from the 90s. I am still to this day looking for a chic pair of sunglasses quite like the ones dustin hoffman is wearing here...stylistically, it really is such a quintessential summer scene, its too bad I didn't quite understand the film!

gucci glow

photo by mario testino

looking at that photo of dustin hoffman in the graduate....I couldn't help but be reminded of tom ford's clever voyeuristic fall/winter 1997 ad campaign. I know its not exactly a summer ad, but I have always thought there was something hot and summer-ish about this photo. I guess it has to do with that glow on her lips and those incognito black frames....I so love that sun reflection on her glasses....such a sizzling look and an unforgettable gucci campaign...tom ford definetly knew how to heat things up!

what suits you

photo by steven meisel

happy father's day! I always think about a well structured suit on a day like this...I was looking back at my vogue archives and came across this photo of supermodel amber valletta from the first annual age issue from august 2001. love the way she is posed in that plaid wool suit with structured vest and blazer paired with those high-waisted trousers....totally relaxed and cool! I don't know about you, but I so feel like celebrating father's day in a suit!

masculine-feminine

photo by craig mcdean

whether you love or hate her, you must admit that the fashion evolution of madonna is quite interesting...she always seems to be inspired by something. I will always love her ray of light era the best....but I still appreciate all her other fashion phases she goes through. I came across this photo from a vanity fair editorial from 2002 and I must say I so admire the way she wears this suit...she looks so confident and the styling of that blazer, vest, and tie is really quite perfect. its such a look that so few people can get away with ...but madonna really does it right...love how she looks so feminine with her hair and make-up, but yet so masculine with that suit.....a winning combination!

a rebel from the start

frida kahlo self-portrait with her hair cut off (1940)

looking at that photo of madonna in a suit reminded me very much of this self-portrait of mexican artist frida kahlo. its no surprise that madonna, herself, is a huge admirer of frida kahlo....as an artist and as a style icon. I see many similarities between the two....both were a bit rebellious in their days and very much ahead of their of times.

I have always liked this painting of frida kahlo....love the way she is seated in that chair, looking a bit sad, dressed in her husband's (diego rivera) oversized suit with her hair cut off, and that scissor in her hand....its quite obvious that she was a bit upset with her husband....I think her actions show it all.

personally, I think this painting is quite daring....normally we see frida kahlo all dressed up in accessories and tehuana style dresses, but this portrait goes in such an opposite direction. we see the masculine side of frida kahlo in a suit. nowadays, this mannish look is quite normal, but I love how frida kahlo in 1940 was rocking this look before anyone else.....she was always such a fashion rebel!

that little black dress

renée zellweger at the berlin film festival 2010

its been more than a year and I am still very much inspired by this black dress renée zellweger wore to the berlin film festival back in 2010....I never found out who made this dress...I assume the designer was carolina herrera....renée's favorite. at any rate, this image has been such a beautiful source of inspiration for me and my sketchbook....I have studied this dress countless times, that I had no choice but to draw my very own....I am all about a sleek shape with bell sleeves!



a drawing from my sketchbook inspired by renée zellweger's LBD

the perfect hat

image courtesy of the sartorialist

I do love to see women in hats....especially in the summertime. I am all about a hat that is both mysterious and alluring. I think those two qualities are perfectly represented in this photo of carine roitfeld. I am so inspired by this look....carine proves that all a woman needs to feel sexy and confident is a sleek dress and a perfectly shaped incognito type of hat....this is probably one my favorite sartorialist moments...if you never considered yourself a hat-person, this photo perhaps, may make you change your mind!

moreau mode

there's something about that photo of carine roitfeld that reminds me so much of jeanne moreau's style in jacques demy's 1963 film bay of angels....I must admit that I love films that feature leading actresses with a chic inconspicuous type of style....this is by far one of those type of films. I so admire the way jeanne moreau looks in that hat...the shape is perfect and I love how form-fitted it is! I think the best part of her look is that headband placed under the hat....its the perfect added element. I am so using this film as my summer-hat inspiration....j'adore jeanne!


la baie des anges (1963)

elegant, yet effortless

lauren hutton

lately, I have been very much inspired by the look and style of model lauren hutton. she really is the true definition of american style...her look is both sporty and elegant....and I must say I think she gets better with age. I love the way she looks in this photo with that blazer, cropped pants, high-heels and of course those sexy heels....and let's not forget that hat....love the way it is tilted, a bit...so chic!

lauren hutton is quite the natural beauty. I've always admired that her look is both polished, but never overdone...such important fashion rules that I wish more women would understand. personally, those are the two key tips I try to follow when putting an outfit together.

hutton inspired

stella mccartney spring/summer 2009

whether you realize it or not, lauren hutton's approach to dressing has had such an impact on fashion....there are certain collections that I always see a little bit of her style in....just look to designers like michael kors, ralph lauren, or even phoebe philo and you can understand what I am saying.

I think if there is one collection that has lauren hutton written all over it I would have to say stella mccartney spring/summer 2009....this look in particular. I love the way model magdalena frackowiak looks in that long boyfriend jacket paired with those cropped pants. the look is slouchy, but still completely tailored. I could easily see lauren hutton wearing this outfit in the 70's and today, as well.....

casual cool

ashley olsen

it is quite interesting to watch the style evolution of both mary-kate and ashley olsen....I must admit there was a time where I didn't care too much about the twins....but with time, my views on them have changed. throughout the years, their style has become quite sophisticated and I must admit their clothing line the row is quite impressive. I would gladly wear many of their looks....its a bit dark, edgy, but above all chic and wearable.

as of now, I prefer the style of ashley olsen. I find her look a little more focused than mary-kate....I came across this paparazzi photo of her and I couldn't help but think of lauren hutton....those pants and blazer are something I could easily see hutton, wearing herself....very casual, cool. I see so many similarities between the two and I know that she is very much influenced by the iconic model's sense of style. after all, hutton is featured in the row spring/summer 2009 collection movie....I think it is so inspiring to see women who are not in their 20s modeling....its great that mary-kate and ashley understand this philosophy...I would love to see more magazines and ad campaigns go in this direction!

blending in

photo by mario testino

its that time of year when bougainvilleas are in full bloom.....love the way supermodel daria werbowy looks in that red dress and how she blends perfectly with those bougainvilleas....such a gorgeous photo. I don't know about you, but I totally feel like posing with some bougainvilleas and doing the same....a very inspiring pic for this spring and summer!

hair inspired

photo by stéphane sednaoui

I am cutting my hair this weekend....nothing drastic, or anything. normally, I go for a carine roitfeld type of cut, but lately I have been feeling like I want to emulate this look from björk's 1995 album cover entitled, post....love the look and style of her hair in this photograph....so natural and vivacious...definetly the look I am going for!

sui sensation

anna sui spring/summer 1993

happy birthday to my fellow sister in black...I recently came across this image of kate moss from anna sui's spring/summer 1993 collection and I couldn't help but think of my sister. this was so her style in the 90's...a little bit of biba mixed in with grunge. I remember as tweens we use to look through the pages of vogue and harpers bazaar and talk about what looks we liked the best...and I always remember this anna sui collection being one of her favorites....somehow, I think she still thinks about this collection....I am hoping, in the near future, this image will inspire her to do an anna sui make-up homage.

on a side note, my sister and I share so many great fashion memories...and I so cherish those moments. as I get older, I start to really appreciate those early years. whether my sister knows it or not, she has been such a creative influence in my life. she was the first to expose me to fashion magazines, independent films, and of course, mtv's house of style. thank you for being such a cool and unique sister....you were always so ahead of your time....love you!

cargo time

photo by steven meisel

I love a chic pair of cargo pants!...the look and feel of them are so perfect this time of year. I recently was looking back at my vogue may 2002 issue and came across this photo of linda evangelista in these pink balenciaga cargo pants. I remember at the time, I was so in awe of this image. I never really thought about these pants before....but I knew after observing this photo, that this was the kind of look I was going for....

there was something so calm and comfortable about the way linda evangelista looked in these pants. normally, I go for black pants, but I love how vibrant they looked in that pale pink.....soon after viewing this pic, my quest for the perfect cargo pant was on....I always love it when I am inspired by a look in a fashion magazine...it always keeps my sense of style so fresh and new!

my dream cargo pants

a page from my sketchbook

I am quite obsessed with drawing cargo pants....I must admit that after seeing linda evangelista in those balenciaga cargo pants in the pages of vogue I for sure thought I would never really find a pair quite as cool as that....well I guess I was wrong!

it just so happens that in the following year, while on vacation in saint barthélemy I happened to find an interesting boutique with the most amazing cargo pants....I really wish I knew the name of that store....I so need to go back!

still to this day, I am wearing these pants...the cut, shape, and look are all so perfect. there is something quite effortless and cool about them, that I can't describe....they only way I can describe them is through my drawing.

loosen up

for some odd reason, whenever I wear my saint barthélemy cargo pants I always think about this balenciaga fall/winter 2004 collection. sometimes, I find that menswear can be equally as inspiring as womenswear.....this is definetly one of those collections that I always like to reference. I particularly admire these two looks on these male models. I love those curly goat-hair jackets with those drop-waisted pants paired with those sneakers.....the look is a little nonchalant, messy-chic, but most importantly loose...the key ingredient to wearing cargo pants. I think women can learn a lot about style through menswear....just look at this collection, for starters!

on a side note, I would love to see more men dressed like this....its totally masculine, yet cutting edge. I don't know about you, but I still haven't quite adjusted to men in skinny jeans. why not keep it loose like these balenciaga models....



balenciaga fall/winter 2004

iconic shades

photo by alain dejean

I will always be inspired by jackie o and her sunglasses...she could always work a pair of oversized sunnies. this photo is really quintessential jackie. I so admire the way she looks with that headscarf and those round shades paired with that leather jacket. there is something a bit grey gardens about this photo that I so love....nobody could do incognito quite as graceful as jackie!

woulda, coulda, prada

photo by steven meisel

I am delighted to share with you my new sunglasses....just in time for summer. they are from the current prada spring/summer 2011 collection and I must say they are quite the sensation....I have been getting so many complements on them...I am bit surprised by how supportive people have been of this look. the shape is quite unique, the tint is perfect, and they are light on my face....and let's not forget, they are black, the best color for a pair of sunnies. I am so proud to welcome them into my sunglass collection...this summer will be very stylish!


photo by my sister