black dress, white collar

a sister in black

I always struggle with halloween inspired blogs, but I thought this year I would bring a little goth, religious-glam, loosely inspired by wednesday addams from the addams family, winona ryder in mermaids, and even a little catherine deneuve in belle de jour. the whole concept happened so randomly, too. a couple of weeks ago, I was looking through my closet and stumbled upon a dress I wore in my teens. I decided to try it on and surprisingly it still fit. as you can tell the dress is quite simple...just your basic LBD with a white collar....very catholic school girl. interestingly, I felt very much inspired by the experience of re-trying this dress on that I asked my sister to take some photos. I told her to capture something representative of my three style inspirations mixed in with some darkness. I think she did an excellent job of combining all those qualities together. personally, what I love most about this image is that amazing shadow on the wall of my reflection...it makes the dress appear that much more spooktacular!

that was then....

mermaids (1990)

coincidentally, today happens to be winona ryder's birthday and with that in mind us sisters thought we should pay respect. what's not to love about winona ryder? she is a true actress, and she has such a unique ability to ride the fashion trend train in first class. I guess you could say she is part gen-x icon, blended with some old hollywood glamour. better yet, she is a perfect example in elegant contradictions and I love the fact that she never works with a stylist...very rare for most actresses. its quite interesting how her birthday is so close to halloween...she certainly has a darkness about her that I find so relatable not just in her films, but also in terms of personal style.

its always difficult to pick a favorite winona ryder film, but the one I find myself always thinking about is her 1990 film mermaids. I don't know why, but recently I found myself obscurely inspired by her role as charlotte flax. I have always felt a close connection to that character. she is a bit neurotic, introverted, over analytical and I can certainly understand her fascination with nuns...I do the same. in terms of style, I like her whole catholic school girl look she conveys...the black dress with white trim collar and of course the mid-length hair with headband. her look is very plain in the film and there is nothing really high-fashion at all about it, but I like the way she does simplicity. she is herself! I totally had this image in mind when I was styling my look in the previous photo. I thought perhaps a religious concept blended together with a winona ryder edge....I know it is strange, but that is how my mind works. perhaps, it is an obscure influence but I like it when I find inspiration from the unexpected. somehow, I think winona ryder has that kind of effect on people.

and this is now...

winona ryder (2012)

what I appreciate most about winona ryder is that her look has always remained the same. she truly has such a great knowledge of fashion and personal style and I so admire the fact that she never gets bored of a little black dress. when I saw this image about a month ago of winona ryder at the premiere of frankenweenie I automatically thought of charlotte flax, her character from mermaids. she totally wore the same black dress with white collar in that film. I like that she decided to do a more modern version of charlotte flax, mixed in with a little wednesday addams. I guess you could call this look gothly glamorous. on a side note, us sisters will always have high respect for winona ryder especially when it comes to her love of a great black frock...she clearly understands the importance and value of a simple black dress that fits beautifully...brava!

part of the process

haider ackermann fall/winter 2012

perhaps, the red inspiration continues....just this past week, I was looking back at the current haider ackermann fall/winter 2012 collection. I think my favorite look from the collection has to be this gorgeous dark red sweater wrap dress. I remember being completely amazed by this look earlier in the year, but somehow completely forgot about it....not sure why?!! as of now, what I admire so much about this ensemble is all the exuberant draping and that high waisted silhouette. personally, I think that is what haider ackermann does best....his eye is truly impeccable!

looking at this dress it reminded me of a recent interview I read with haider ackermann in the august 2012 issue of w magazine. I always love to read articles with designers, but lately I have become so fascinated by haider ackermann...he always says the most remarkable statements. its as though you can almost go through his design process with him. what I appreciate most about haider ackermann is that you can see so much of his personal style and design philosophies in the clothes he makes. he truly embodies his clothes and there is always some kind of meaning and obscure influence with his designs that I find so thought provoking....this quote mentioned in the interview had a lasting impression in my mind. I can definitely see what was going through his head when he was designing that amazing blood red sweater dress. if you appreciate his design aesthetic and the creativity process do take a moment to absorb these amazing words by haider ackermann....very inspiring, indeed!

when you prick the tip of your finger, the blood is this beautiful shade of dark red. The color does not last very long—as the blood dries, it goes brownish and looks horrible, but for a fraction of a second it’s incredible. discovering that you have cut your finger can be distressing and painful, of course—but looking at that magnificent shade of red is a beautiful distraction. I long to work with fabric in that color, and I am always looking for it, but I’ve never found it. I have seen reds in francis bacon and mark rothko paintings that are as intense as blood red, with the same violence and fear and with a kind of perversion. all those layers of red paint, one on top of the other, feel very sexual.

the coat of the season

jil sander fall/winter 2012

usually around this time of the year when it starts to get a little bit colder I tend to think about a powerful, yet chic, and comfy coat. I must confess the one that comes to mind is this gorgeous crimson red coat by raf simons for his last collection at jil sander. I don't know about you, but when I first saw this walk down the runway I think a tear came to my eye. this is truly what fashion is all about....I just love that red shade and the way it covers her body like a cocoon. when observing the details of this coat I can't help but think of those classic innovative silhouettes by the amazing cristóbal balenciaga. this just looks so reminiscent of his work. I somehow think raf simons had his design aesthetic in mind when creating this look. whatever the inspiration may be, I think this is definitely the coat of the season and there is no better color (well, except for black) to make a fashion statement than in red...its not only colorful, but completely wearable and architectural, too....gotta love the forward thinking of raf simons!

italian red

me and my red skirt

when packing for italy last month, I made a deal with myself to try and wear a little bit of color. it was a difficult decision to make, but I decided that it would be interesting for me to take a colorful fashion risk. I am okay with subtle hints of color as long as it is not too over the top and it can somehow work with my traditional black uniform.

I must admit that after viewing and observing that amazing red coat from the jil sander fall/winter 2012 collection I felt motivated to go back into my closet and put on my dramatic red skirt that I bought back in the 90's at pier 1 imports. I know exactly, what you are thinking, but pier 1 imports was quite cutting edge and fashion forward, nowadays is a much different story. I have kept this skirt for years and due to raf simons' attention to detail and the way he incorporated red tones I felt totally inspired and thought italy would be a great place to revamp this look.

this was one of my favorite red skirt moments in italy...I like how you get too see the fluidity and vibrancy of my skirt from the back. on this day, I just paired the skirt with a dramatic black undulating t-shirt by splendid and some open toed calvin klein sandals. to finish the look, I accessorized with a turban headband and of course some dior cat-eyed sunnies. personally, I love how incognito chic this moment is and I must admit I do miss those cobblestone streets in rome...it totally adds such a beautiful contrast and texture to my pier 1 imports skirt!

red in motion

orpheus and eurydice

there is so much I appreciate and admire about the late pina bausch. she had such a unique gift for organizing stage space through movement as well as incorporating visual juxtaposition through choreography...very rare for a choreographer to blend all those qualities together, so perfectly. I must admit what I loved most about pina bausch was the the way in which fashion played a character in her dance productions. if you have seen the wim wenders 2011 documentary pina I think you will know exactly what I am talking about. not only do I love watching her choreography in motion, but I find still photos of her work just as powerful to look at. I recently found this image from her orpheus and eurydice dance production back in 2008 and I just love staring at it. I don't know why, but I always respond to a red dress in motion. I love the fluidity, body movement, expression, and just the overall style of this red dress. when people talk about red being a powerful color this is the kind of image that comes to mind. I could easily see designers like donna karan, haider ackermann, and even mary-kate and ashley olsen being inspired by this look for their fashion line the row. its interesting how I only hear yohji yamamoto talk about her influence, but I think the time has come for other designers to take notice...would certainly love to see more collections inspired by pina bausch's style and of course the lyrical beauty of her dance productions.

miu miu magic

renée zellweger

I so love it when I unexpectedly find a chic little black dress. I don't know why it took me a couple of years to discover this little black dress, but just this past weekend I was looking back at some of renée zellweger's greatest red carpet looks and all of a sudden this miu miu dress appeared. I always find her style inspiring whether casual-cool or dressed up. I would say this frock falls somewhere in between. renée zellweger actually wore this black dress back in 2009 to the spring/summer 2010 miu miu show. personally, I think this is exactly how one should look when attending a fashion show!

perhaps it is taboo to say, but I always love it when paparazzi photograph renée zellweger at an event or on the street...she just has a way of posing for the camera, whether in motion or just standing still. this image is certainly the epitome of incognito chic and what I love about this little black dress is how retro, cutting edge, and feminine it looks. it almost has a very belle de jour quality perhaps maybe even a modern version. I also think her choice of accessories adds a little something extra to the overall look. the leather clutch, the sunglasses, and those black heels are such great complements to her little black dress! I am glad it took me 3 years too find this look...perhaps, timing is everything when finding some little black dress inspiration!

givenchy and chickens...oh my!

with fall being here I am starting to narrow in on some of my favorite collections for the season. I don't really think about certain collections until the season actually arrives. as of now, my favorite fall/winter 2012 runway show would have to go to ricardo tisci for givenchy. I just love the tailoring and how it is a combination of equestrian and gothic glam. the collection features beautiful cocktail dresses with silk and lace embellishment. from what I have read tisci was inspired by 70's guy bourdin, who is one of my favorite photographers so naturally I am attracted to this fall season. on a side note, I must applaud tisci on those amazing jodhpur pants (featured below) and the way he styled them stuffed up into those leather knee-high boots....totally unexpected and chic!

to be honest, I didn't really notice the brilliance of this collection until I opened up the july issue of vogue italia magazine. these two photos really caught my eye. I just love all that givenchy darkness with that leather especially with those gloves and boots. I also admire the added element of those chickens in these photographs. I totally feel like chickens are the new chihuahuas especially in fashion editorials. open up any high fashion magazine right now and I guarantee you will see some fowl. oddly enough, I had some experience trying to model with chickens so I could totally relate to these images. of course, mine wasn't as glamorous, but either way I love the way steven meisel thinks. he always manages to amaze me with his sharp eye. who would ever think givenchy and chickens would work, so well together....doesn't get any more givenchy-goth-glam than this!


photos by steven meisel

chicken pose

photo by koto bolofo

apparently, its not just steven meisel who likes to work with chickens. I am always on the search for continuous artistic inspiration and recently I stumbled upon the work of photographer koto bolofo....from what I have read he was born in south africa in 1959 and raised in great britain. he has photographed and made short films for magazines such as vogue, vanity fair and GQ and has created advertising campaigns for such companies as hermès, and louis vuitton. after doing my research, the thing I admired most about his style is the way he styles and photographs animals....particularly birds. this is the image that caught my eye. there is something about this cover that is so sisters in black frocks...could it be the black dress? the way she is holding the chicken?....either way, this photo brought a huge smile to my face because it reminded me so much of our recent chicken photo experiences....this pose was used quite frequently and I could totally relate to this body expression. I am so glad I discovered this image and the visual style of photographer koto bolofo....random photography inspiration is always the best!

I know my chicken

in vintage pucci

interestingly, before seeing so many fashion editorials featuring fowl I attempted to model twice this year with chickens. the first attempt was a bit scary, but it was well worth it. with fashion shoots its always important to take risks...yes, photoshoots can sometimes be unpredictable, but I love it when something unexpected and inspiring happens....much like this moment. our dear friend cristhian has chickens in his backyard so naturally we thought to try and take some pics. in the first attempt, pictured above I am wearing a vintage pucci dress from the 80's. I thought his chicken agnes would blend so perfectly with my dress. I must admit the actual picture looks a bit awkward and uncomfortable...the reason being is that I had so many thoughts running through my head...will he poop on my pucci? perhaps, bite me? or maybe try to fly away?!!! either way, I give models a lot of credit for posing with animals, especially fowl. I really like this moment when cristhian handed me agnes the chicken. her feathers have such beautiful texture, so marvelous to stare at, and I love the way she blends with the patterns and ruffles of my vintage pucci frock....I guess I am slowly starting to realize why chickens are so popular in fashion magazines as of now...they truly make for such unique accessory statements.

the empress of fashion

photo by richard avedon

last week, on a whim I randomly decided to go see the new diana vreeland documentary entitled the eye has to travel and I must say I was so completely enthralled and inspired by it.

if you are not familiar with diana vreeland, here are the facts... she was a columnist and editor for harper's bazaar and vogue magazine from the 1930's through 60's. she was by far one of the most influential editors of the 20th century. not only was she an amazing editor, but she also transformed and brought new life and meaning to the costume institute of the metropolitan museum of art...

what I loved about the documentary was that the viewer got too see all the humor, style, and individuality that vreeland brought to whatever fashion project she was working on. personally, I loved the moments when you got too see her behind the scenes and of course all the interviews from interesting people like richard avedon, ali macgraw, and ingrid sischy... this photo above, was featured in the film and I just love diana vreeland's face in the photo. it is obvious she is in full inspiration mode and I can't help but admire dovima's expression in the mirror....I wonder what she is thinking? there certainly is more to this photo than what is on the surface!

I must admit for years I have always read such witty and humorous fashion quotes by diana vreeland and too see her say it out loud in the film was just too good to be true. if you love fashion, magazines, and overall individual style I say go see this documentary. she truly was so ahead of her time!

on a side note, here is a diana vreeland quote I have written in my notebook on my desk...I try to live my life by this motto:

you gotta have style. it helps you get up in the morning. it's a way of life. without it you're nobody. and i'm not talking about a lot of clothes

strange resemblance

diana vreeland

after seeing diana vreeland: the eye has to travel I immediately thought about a very clever harper's bazaar editorial from march of 2009 which featured sarah jessica parker paying homage to the style and originality of diana vreeland. out of all the peter lindbergh photos from the layout this was my favorite. it really is uncanny how much sarah jessica parker almost looks like diana vreeland in this photo. both are such classic images and I appreciate the styling and simplicity of the two....the hat, the rose, the crisp white shirt, plus, I love that both are not your so-called traditional beauties. I guess you could say these women are perfect examples of jolie laide. the french term translates as a woman who is attractive although she is not conventionally pretty. however, you want to classify it, what it all comes to down to is individuality and personal style. both diana vreeland and sarah jessica parker have all those qualities and I truly believe they are equally attractive in their own special ways. I think diana vreeland summed it up best with this quote.....you don't have to be born beautiful to be wildly attractive.


sarah jessica parker

the vreeland effect

vogue magazine (1968)

I don't know why, but I have always been fascinated to discover where creative people find their inspirations...that process can always be interesting. while looking through the current fall CR fashion book I totally thought of diana vreeland particularly with the editorial entitled how do hue do? photographed by brigitte niedemair. it is pretty obvious that carine roitfeld had diana vreeland in mind and most likely that striking red hair image with dramatic necklace from vogue magazine that vreeland styled back in 1968. I love the way the two photos incorporate accessories and of course the way their hair acts as a mask...both are so original and witty in their own ways. yes, carine roitfeld was very much influenced by vreeland's styling, but I admire the way in which she took her idea and transformed into something completely unique and individual. that is the thing about carine roitfeld, she always manages to have an obscure image in mind for an editorial and manifest it into something smart, provocative, and completely carine!


CR magazine (2012)

backless in black

photo by brigitte niedermair

I am still absorbing all the uniqueness and beauty that is within the pages of carine roitfeld's new CR magazine. as of now, it is just what I have been needing in my life. not to be a magazine snob, but sometimes I get tired of seeing the same photographers over and over again. I always love when magazines take a chance and work with new photographers and with CR the magazine you have just that. one photographer that is featured in the issue is brigitte niedermair. she has a really interesting editorial in the magazine entitled how do hue do? after looking through the layout I started to do some research on her and discovered some amazing photographs that I will most likely be sharing in the near future.

this is the photo I have been admiring this week. lately, I have been feeling inspired by silhouette and shape especially clothes that hug the curves of women's bodies almost like a layer of second skin. I think if you look at the last two givenchy haute couture shows you can almost understand what I am trying to say. either way, I am just really into a whole backless look that frames a women's silhouette. I think this photo really explains that whole concept....what a perfect photo discovery to help with my inspirational idea!

on a side note, if you have been feeling that fashion magazines are becoming a bit repetitive and monotonous lately... I highly suggest skimming through the pages of CR. there is so much visual stimuli, wonder, and excitement. trust me, you won't feel disappointed!

pretty in prabal

zoe saldana in prabal gurung

looking at that stunning photograph by brigitte niedermair I couldn't help but be reminded of the way actress zoe saldana looked in her prabal gurung black dress at the 2012 CFDA awards earlier this year. I have been meaning to write about this dress for awhile and now seemed like the perfect time to do so.

prabal gurung is one of those designers that I have been watching for some time now and I must say I am slowly starting to appreciate his design aesthetic. originally, when I first saw this long sleeve gown on zoe saldana I thought to myself it is probably givenchy. there is something about the cut of this dress with those sheer panels at the sleeves, back, waist and skirt....that reminds me so much of ricardo tisci's design technique. perhaps, maybe a look straight out of his givenchy spring 2012 couture collection. interestingly, it is not. this week I was looking back at the prabal gurung fall 2012 show and I could definitely see some strange connections between the two designers as far as this collection goes.

either way, I much prefer the way this body hugging dress looked on zoe saldana than it did on the runway. it appears as if she abandoned the metallic belt and double wrist cuffs, as seen in the show, which I thought were a bit much, anyway. I highly approve of how zoe saldana translated the look without any jewelry or any unnecessary elements to distract from the streamlined fit. I don't know about you, but this prabal gurung dress is definitely sisters in black frocks approved. by far, one of the best black frocks of 2012.