la joueuse... aux jambes nues

photo by mario testino

I seem to be very tom ford nostalgic these days...at any rate, please check out my latest article featured on I want to be a roitfeld. this month, I take an in-depth look at carine roitfeld's february 2003 vogue paris editorial entitled la joueuse...aux jambes nues. the title simply translates as the player with bare legs. if you love that nonchalant, and sexy-chic type of style that carine roitfeld does so effortlessly well, I highly suggest you have a read. this is just one of the looks featured...I so appreciate the styling of this tom ford for gucci silk kimono from his spring/summer 2003 collection. this is probably, one of my favorite gucci seasons ever and I can't help but admire the humor, wit, and imagination that carine roitfeld put into this look as well as many other ensembles in this layout. spring/summer 2003 will always be such a memorable season in fashion...especially with carine roitfeld's unerring eye!

here is the link:
http://www.iwanttobearoitfeld.com/journal/2013/2/21/vogue-paris-february-2003-la-joueuse-aux-jambes-nues.html

the cape dress

gwyneth paltrow (2012)

with the academy awards this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to pay homage to one of my favorite looks from last year. there were so many generic gowns that night, but this striking white dress and cape by tom ford totally stood out from the crowd. I so love too see red carpet fashion that is both unique and understated and this dress certainly fits in that category....she is a complete vision in white!

gwyneth paltrow looked so statuesque and I love how the gown is both modern and sculptural...it fits her to perfection and there is a total tom ford allure about it, as well. I also admire how she limited her jewelry to just a sparkly cuff bracelet and left her hair sleek, in a low ponytail. from head to toe, this look is a complete winner and I so appreciate all the imagination and sophistication that tom ford put into the styling...this is why we need him in fashion! he truly understands how elegance and individuality should be done! on a side note, for all those who cannot break away from the layers of organza and voluminous tulle, please watch and learn! this is what glamour is all about....

remember this?

gucci fall/winter 1996

looking at gywneth paltrow in that stunning tom ford white dress and cape, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic for his early days at gucci. I will always have a fondness for tom ford's fall/winter 1996 collection that was such an amazing season and he totally pushed the fashion envelope that year. he totally reinvented the idea of 90's sexiness! this gorgeous white cut-out dress will always be imbedded in my mind. I remember seeing so many different versions of this dress...long sleeve, short sleeve, and even a halter version...I believe toni braxton wore the halter one in her un-break my heart video. I always think of that cut-out dress when her song comes on in the car...probably, the best she has ever looked!

personally, my favorite style of the cut-out dress is this long-sleeved version as seen on model carolyn murphy. she looks so sleek and I so appreciate how the dress is covered up, but not really...its a total fashion illusion. I think what I admire most about this dress is how elegant, sexy, and futuristic it is, yet it is still so minimal in terms of design. I don't know how tom ford was able to combine all that together...but I applaud him for doing so, this will always be a 90's classic!

white hot

gucci spring/summer 2013

I love a beautiful white dress for the spring and what do you know frida giannini at gucci designed my favorite of the season. I think this white frock works on all levels....the plunging neckline, the soft ruffles, and of course that silhouette. also, the fluidity and flounce of this gown is absolute perfection. I am not sure if frida giannini took inspiration from tom ford's famous fall 1996 gucci white cut-out dress, but I certainly see a connection. even the model anja rubik (as seen in photo) looks very reminiscent of the way model georgina grenville looked back in tom ford's iconic fall 1996 gucci campaign....perhaps, it is the hair and eye make-up? whatever it may be, I must admit that ever since tom ford left gucci in 2004 I have not been keeping up with the label...for some reason, I felt that no one could replace him, he totally defined an era of fashion that was all about glamour and sex appeal. such difficult shoes to fill, but I think after 9 years, I am now more willing to accept frida giannini's vision at gucci....I believe this dress says it all and somehow I think tom ford would highly approve of this look...its modern, streamlined, but still very sexy. exactly the way, a true gucci girl should dress!

interview

photo by my sister

to all our readers, please check out this unique Q&A interview I did for I want to be a roitfeld....its an in-depth look at my style background. I talk about some of my favorite photographers, artists, style icons, and even mention some quirky facts about myself that you wouldn't expect. kellina de boer, the editor-in-chief came up with the intriguing questions and I must thank her for putting it all together so elegantly...this is one of the images featured in the interview and in case you were wondering that is a $40 dollar little black dress I bought at topshop in chicago...I wore it this past summer while in italy and I can't wait too wear it again...a very chic, yet cheap, fashion discovery, my favorite! at any rate, please have a read, more fashion and style in my interview.

here is the link:
http://www.iwanttobearoitfeld.com/journal/2013/2/18/iwtb-interview-dara-block.html

rachel in fur

painting by john currin (2002)

as much as I love to take style inspiration from fashion magazines....sometimes a painting can be just as influential. recently, I have been observing the work of artist john currin and I have been liking his visual style. there is something very exaggerated, but still very renaissance-esque about his painting technique. its very strange how he is able to combine the two together in such a refined way. this oil painting entitled rachel in fur has totally caught my eye. I assume it was modeled after his wife, rachel feinstein. I have always liked rachel feinstein's personal style, so it is no surprise as to why I admire this piece. there is something extremely peculiar about this portrait, but I think it somehow works. yes, her forehead is abnormally large, but I love the shine of her pale skin, that simple gold necklace, her fur coat, and of course those oversized sunnies. I am always looking for a new and interesting pair of sunglasses and I think this may be the year for a square-shaped pair. not sure if I can actually find these, but if I can, this is the exact look I am going for. I love it when art meets fashion!

human canvas

photo by rineke dijkstra

I seem to be totally inspired by the idea of a great portrait. over the holidays, a dear friend of mine sent me a book on dutch artist rineke dijkstra. it is actually a retrospective of her work from the 90's till today. I was not very familiar with her, so naturally I was very fascinated to look through her photography and to read about her creative process. her photographs mainly focus on people poised on the cusp of change...such as adolescents on the beach, mothers clutching newborns, and bloodied bullfighters. her subjects are aware of the camera, but it is all done in a very natural and realistic manner. there is also a slight 17th century dutch master painter quality to her work that I so appreciate.

oddly enough, I was surprised too see rineke dijkstra's photography featured in the january 2013 issue of w magazine. she collaborated with actress jessica chastain for a series of photos. this was my favorite image from the editorial. she looks stunning in that green valentino lace dress and there is something very raw, but yet vulnerable about this pic...it almost even looks like an oil painting with her radiant natural beauty. I was totally inspired by the way w magazine described rineke dijkstra's collaboration with jessica chastain:

"there has to be an interaction for the photograph to work," dijkstra says. "we have to be interested in each other." intrigued by chastain's porcelain-pale skin, dijkstra wanted to shoot her wearing subdued colors that set off her red hair and blue eyes. but beyond the palette, the artist didn't know what she was going to do until she and chastain met in the studio. "I always work from observation and try to capture something from the clues I get," notes dijkstra, a master at conveying psychological nuance. "if you plan everything, there's no room for interpretation. and jessica was really open. she wasn't hiding."

this was such a brilliant pairing and I love how the magazine chronicled their creative process together...on a side note, its always a great feeling to discover a new and interesting artist, much like rineke dijkstra. her retrospective is beyond amazing and I love that I am now getting too see more of her photography featured in the pages of w magazine...it was indeed a strange coincidence, but I believe everything happens for a stylish reason...especially in the fashion and art world!

on the beach

photo by rineke dijkstra

looking at that stunning portrait of jessica chastain, I couldn't help but be reminded of this beach image from my rineke dijkstra: a retrospective book. perhaps, it was this little girl's green dress and her stare that made me see some kind of connection to jessica chastain. whatever it may be, there is something very interesting about the way rineke dijkstra portrays children and adolescents standing on the beach...especially with this pic. I so love the way dijkstra has left the ocean, sky, and rocks in such soft focus....the little girl stands out in such full detail.

from what I have read, to get the ultimate photo, dijkstra would ask her subjects to swim out and swim back to the shore and then photograph them as soon as they got out of the water. I think all of that is perfectly displayed here. her emotions really shine through and djikstra captures so much with this little girl all through a simple gesture. she is somewhere between natural and posed and I love the way her dress blends in with the sea. what I appreciate most about this pic, is the way she depicts that uneasy passage from childhood and adulthood. yes, this girl embodies youth, but there is something very adult about her body language. it makes me think of sofia coppola's the virgin suicides and also kate moss and those early corrine day pics featured in the face magazine back in 1993. its always intriguing too see teenagers, who have a very mature aspect about them. I don't know about you, but I am totally inspired by the way rineke djikstra photographs youth especially with her beach series....reminds me of my childhood, for some reason...perhaps, that was her aim. I love photography that makes me look beyond the surface and rineke dijkstra certainly does that!

real love

photo by annie leibovitz

I have been meaning to share this genius image for awhile and with today being valentine's day...I thought the timing seemed perfect. this is one of those photos that just gets better with time. there really is so much beyond the surface and if you know the story behind this photograph I think you will understand why!

for those of you who do not know...here is what happened. in december 1980, annie leibovitz was assigned by rolling stone magazine to photograph john lennon and yoko ono. at first, annie leibovitz was supposed to photograph john lennon alone, but he insisted that yoko ono be on the cover, as well. with the two of them posing together, annie leibovitz wanted to create an image inspired by his double fantasy album cover. she thought perhaps, they should both pose nude together...like a lover's portrait. yoko ono was not into the idea of taking her clothes off and a disappointed leibovitz insisted that she leave her clothes on...meanwhile, john lennon disrobed, curled up beside her and wrapped himself around a fully clothed yoko ono. right away, leibovitz knew she captured their relationship, exactly the way they both wanted.

sadly, the strange part is after several hours of this photo being taken john lennon was assassinated in front of his apartment. this tragically-romantic image ran on the january 1981 cover of rolling stone magazine to commemorate his life and legacy. I think there is something very haunting about this pic and it wasn't till I watched imagine the brilliant 1988 john lennon documentary that I started to appreciate the melancholic-beauty behind this image. to be photographed as husband and wife with such intensity and emotion, certainly memorializes their relationship. I don't really like to praise celebrity couples, but I always felt like there was a unique artistic connection between yoko ono and john lennon and this is such a strong, daring, but most of all striking portrait that truly captures their unyielding adoration for each other. its no wonder why this is still considered one of the greatest magazine covers of all time....certainly, this looks and feels like real love, if you ask me!

love connection

photo by phil poynter

looking at that iconic annie leibovitz photograph of john lennon and yoko ono I couldn't help but think of this phil poynter image from the december 1999 issue of the face magazine. I don't know if photographer phil poynter had that annie leibovitz pic in mind, but I can definitely see a subtle influence. when comparing the two, it feels as if supermodel giselle is even dressed like yoko ono in her black turtleneck and jeans. also, that nude male model is certainly doing a very good impression of john lennon....the body language is practically the same...very uncanny! perhaps, the only difference between the two images is the choice of background. I like how in this image they are surrounded by autumn leaves...there is a total young-love vibe going on that I so appreciate! it feels like these two are caught in a moment of bliss and I love that stare giselle is giving to the camera....her eye liner really adds a little something extra to this pic. perhaps, a romantic-mysterious feeling. its interesting how this image captures all those qualities. on a side note, I so miss the face magazine...I first discovered it in the 90's and fell in love with the way this publication incorporated fashion, music, and style trends of youth culture all into one. very rare to see a magazine combine all that in such a sleek and cool manner....so ahead of its time! this magazine so needs to come back....not sure if that will happen, but either way, I would really love too see more john lennon and yoko ono inspired images, much like this!

blending in

photo by tim walker

since december of 2012....I have been thinking a lot about this w magazine image of marion cotillard from the december 2012 issue. lately, w magazine has been so awe-inspiring with their editorials...I truly can't get enough and it brings me such pleasure too see a photo like this....especially in an age when people don't seem to care so much about magazines....I hate to have to admit to that, but it is the truth...its sad, how publishing has changed!

with all that said, I must note that I have always been obsessed with the idea of blending in. there is something so mysterious and beautiful about camouflage...it not only works in nature, but in fashion, too. I love the whole red on red concept as seen here. what is not too love about this image.....its glamorous, mysterious, and even a little dark. marion cotillard looks like a renaissance painting....very delicate, and ethereal. I don't know about you, but I always like too see editorials that incorporate both fashion and art and this image truly embodies those two motifs...thank you to w magazine for keeping us sisters in black so visually stimulated....by far, this is one of those unforgettable editorials that will only get better in time. hold on to this one...a true collectors issue!

sister in red frock

in my maison martin margiela red dress

just this past december, out of sheer curiosity I decided to look inside h&m too see if any of the martin margiela special collection was for sale. and of course, what do you know, there were racks of extra margiela ensembles for half the price. most of the looks I didn't care for, but then I spotted this red dress and I entered martin margiela heaven. I didn't think I could top my margiela sleeping bag coat...but apparently I found something just as dynamic. immediately, I loved the color, length, silhouette, and the overall draped effect. naturally, this was a statement piece and I had to see how it would look. when I tried it on, the size was a little too big, but I figured I could take it to a tailor and have them adjust it to my figure. a month later, I got it altered and voilà it is everything I could have wanted in a dress.

I thought it would be interesting to do a test photoshoot in my parents moroccan-red tile bathroom. I totally wanted to depict something loosely inspired by that brilliant tim walker editorial of marion cotillard from the w magazine december issue....of course, I did not have a red veil, but I like the idea of blending into the background....especially with a red dress and red interior. the idea of camouflage has always interested me. of course, my version is not really like tim walker's, but I always like to take inspiration from layouts and make it my own....its all about personal style and incorporating that perfect background....that is where the originality comes about. on a side note, not too sound materialistic, but this dress is pure happiness and I am so pleased to welcome this avant-garde red number into my wardrobe....I just hope my other black frocks will approve!

red on the red carpet

giulia bevilacqua (2012)

just in case you need a better view of the maison martin margiela red dress...here it is! in november of 2012, italian actress and tv host giulia bevilacqua wore it to the rome film festival. in the past couple of months, lots of well-known women have been spotted in this dress, but I thought giulia bevilacqua wore it best. she definitely adds her own personal style, which I admire! I totally love how she wears the dress and the dress does not wear her. the gown has a lot of volume, asymmetry, and drapery going on, but she manages to pull it off in such a sleek, sophisticated, and subdued manner.....I think the best part is how she pairs her red margiela dress with those tall brown boots and matching leather purse.....its all about those tiny details! this is really a perfect example of how to wear a red dress on the red carpet....an inspiring look, indeed!

skirt with pants

christian dior pre-fall 2013

I don't know about you, but I feel like fashion moves so fast these days....I have trouble keeping up with everything, especially with all of the pre-collections. this whole 'pre' concept is kind of new to me, but I am liking all the shows I am discovering. just last week, I was browsing through the christian dior pre-fall 2013 collection and became totally enamored with this look. I love this concept of a skirt with pants....it has a very japanese aesthetic, but still very polished and refined. there are elements of classic dior, but I like how modern it appears. I must admit I have always admired the skirt with pants look...I think it all started in the 90's when I was watching an episode of friends. I believe rachel went to the airport to pick-up ross and she was wearing a flowy form-fitted half gray skirt with some black pants. or maybe, it was shorts!!!? whatever the exact outfit may be, I remember thinking to myself, wow this look is so cutting edge for friends...and it was from that moment on that I really started to appreciate the whole skirt with pants concept. sadly, I never saw this skirt with pants ensemble in any stores, but I am glad too see that raf simons is bringing this cutting edge look to christian dior. this was just one of the gorgeous looks featured in the collection and I highly suggest taking a glimpse if you have not seen...its a very casual and glamorous collection, done with a very belgian-cool sensibility...what raf simons does best!

updo nostalgia

photo by patrick demarchelier

I always love it when I find a photograph in a magazine and it somehow makes me nostalgic! just last week, while in line at the supermarket, I was looking through the current february issue of US vogue and came across this image of supermodel hilary rhoda. totally love the incognito chic aspect of this pic....with her matching purse, shirt, and those dark nails. plus, I also love her eyebrows...such an amazing shape. I don't know why, but looking at her hair bun made me reminiscent for the days when I use to have long hair. now, I have a simple shoulder length cut and I cannot wear an oversized topknot like I use to. lately, I have been thinking how I would like to sport this type of bun look again. I have tried wearing an extra hair bun piece, and it works, but it is definitely not the same. there was something so easygoing and chic about my old high buns days...reminds me so much of my late teen years, for some odd reason. not sure if I will grow my hair long again, but I always like it when a photo conjures up so many feelings about my style past. I guess that is the power of fashion photography....it can affect and inspire in so many unexpected ways!

italian topknot

a woman on the street in rome

perhaps, I read too many street style blogs, like the sartorialist and tommy ton, but I love to take photographs of random strangers if they have an inspiring and unique sense of style. I guess that is one of the perks of having a camera phone...you can photograph anyone at anytime. I always like observing style when I travel, there is something quite fascinating about examining the way people dress in other parts of the world...especially when it is a completely different lifestyle from your own. case in point, last september, while in italy, I had an interesting time photographing so many distinct individuals on the streets of rome and capri. this woman (as seen above) immediately caught my eye. I had no idea what she actually looked like from the front, but I admire her look and pose from this angle. her topknot was simply beautiful and a total artwork within itself. I am not sure if her hair was even real, but I kind of like how statuesque she looks standing next to her bike. her oversized bun corresponds so well with her black dress. still to this day, I wonder what she was thinking....I don't think I will ever figure that out, but at any rate, a very inspiring sartorialist hairstyle moment on the streets of rome....always love it when that happens!

the man bun

olivier theyskens

I don't know if this is an obscure subject to talk about, but my sister and I have always loved the way men looked in buns. I guess the term is better described as a man bun. we both grew up in the 90's, during the height of grunge fashion....men had such long hair around this time. guys would either wear their hair down or put it up into a male topknot of some sort. we have always felt there is something kind of casual chic about this look. some might say the man bun is too effeminate, but we disagree. the man bun goes back for centuries and has a very distinct masculine tradition. sikh men have long tied their hair in a bun, covered by a turban. also, centuries ago, the samurai wore a topknot. so the look is actually very mannish, if you look at it from a historical standpoint. either way, we have always admired the hair of fashion designer olivier theyskens. yes, we know and love him for his impeccable eye and design aesthetic, but let's take a moment to appreciate his hair. he truly knows how to style and wear the man bun. just observe this photo of him in full-on design mode...love the way his mane is slicked backed and placed in such a perfect high bun. its effortless, nonchalant, and it totally makes a great male fashion statement. we are hoping that this becomes a major male hair trend in 2013. we loved it in the 90's and we still love it today...thank you olivier theyskens for perfecting this look...very sisters in black approved!