I'll Take the Knock-Off

I'm writing about this because it never happens: I much prefer the cheap knock-off to the designer original. Here's the copy:



And here's the Gucci version:



See what I mean? The inexpensive (£45) Per Una version is way better. While I love the knock-off, I wouldn't even give the Gucci dress a second glance on the sale rack. The Gucci dress has too much going on, causing it to upstage the wearer. One-shouldered with a bold floral print, a big knot on one side and a jagged hem, it's overkill. The Per Una version takes the best ideas from the original but is utterly wearable. The simple, crisp black and white color scheme is enlivened by large, irregularly-places sunflowers on the skirt. Simple fit-and-flare knee-length summer dresses are my holy grail and this one's a winner.

Images from British Elle, March '08.

And The Winner Is...

At this time of year the glossies are full of features about party dresses and stores are brimming with evening frocks. This makes perfect sense given that the holiday season is upon us and people have more social functions to attend. Nevertheless, something about this once-a-year display saddens me. Pretty, sexy and flirty dresses shouldn't just be for the year's end. We should be glamming ourselves up and stepping out in all seasons! (Plus, if you adopt this mindset you'll always have enough of a stockpile that you can bide your time until the lovelies go on sale.)

Maybe because many people do wait until this time of year to buy an evening dress, the choices seem overwhelming. If you don't know your taste and style in formal evening clothing, then of course it will seem like buying a costume. When fantasies play themselves out at Halloween it's expected, but for real social engagements, the fantasy element looks a lot better when it's tempered to bear some relation to your actual day-to-day fashion sense. If your usual look is sleek and black, now's not the time to go all out with a voluminous shape and a bright print. One or the other if you need a change, I'd say.

So far, amid the abundance of options, my favorite dress is this one:



I've been obsessed with feathers since my trip to Vegas and the Rainbow Feather Company (*the* place for only-in-Vegas souvenirs). The feathers at the dress' neckline are charming and the large-scale lace print at the hem is pretty, but also grown-up. The dress articulates the right kind of fantasy, not because of the whopping $13,000 price tag, but because it's in keeping with my usual style: neutral colors, classic, body-conscious shapes, feminine and, when possible, opulent touches. I imagine it would make me feel the way any good cocktail dress does: like myself only better.

Dress by Yves Saint Laurent. Image from Harper's Bazaar, December '07.

Feminine Winter Layers

These outfits, in an ad campaign for Italian design, totally blow me away. I've been trying to figure out how I want to incorporate more comfortable yet put-together, pale and feminine skirts and dresses into my day wardrobe this season, while layering enough to keep warm. These two images offer some solid ideas that I plan to steal.

First of all, notice that they both employ the 'skirt-over-a-skirt' trend that I noticed early last season and which, I'm surprised to say, I have not yet heard mentioned by a single fashion editor. I'm still loving the look. In both these outfits, the underskirt has a full shape and is made from a textured, solid-colored fabric that has a slight rigidity to it. On top of it, both models are wearing sweater-dresses that are similarly full on the bottom, with gathered waists and fitted bodices. The colors are also kept in the same family.

I like what's going on with hosiery and shoes in the second image as well. Let's leave aside the inherent goodness of the shoes, which are an interesting departure from the ubiquitous plain ballet flat and which, from the red soles, seem to be Louboutins. I love the idea of the lace-pattered knee highs but because knee highs carry a very young connotation, I would probably swap them out for thigh-highs or over-knees. I also like the way the color of the shoes repeat the color of the dress, but that of the socks offers some contrast, while staying in the same family. It keeps the look from seeming too deliberately matched, but keeps the colors quiet.

All in all, an excellent lesson in feminine winter layering.

Clothes by Romeo Gigli for Rebecca Brown. Images from Harper's Bazaar, October '07.

Head to Toe Black in Ad Campaigns

There are a couple of ad campaigns out right now that are making great use of head-to-toe black outfits. These first two images are in all the magazines right now because they're part of Gap's Fall '07 campaign:





I like this dress so much that when I first saw the ad a few weeks back, I went looking for the dress at my local Gap. It wasn't in stores then, but maybe it is by now. I'm craving a sweater dress this season, but nothing too trendy. For the past few seasons, because of the empire waist fad, it's been hard to find dresses that are fitted at the natural waist. (Shopping for summer dresses this year was such a challenge!) I think this Gap version is a simple, surely inexpensive way to work around the problem. It's so utterly basic that it could never hurt to have it on hand. At the same time, it has the potential to become a foundational favorite, depending on how it fits and the quality of the wool. I like the cap sleeves, which make it office- and winter-appropriate when topped with something long-sleeved. I think I'd be pretty quick to belt it, though it might look surprisingly good belt-free.

These next two pictures are from Moschino's Fall campaign:





Even though the first is an empire-waisted dress, I could see trying to work this item, since it doesn't scream "shapeless sack" or "maternity wear". I think what's helping it is the drape of the fabric, bubble hem and the gathering beneath the bust. There's a little more structure there than with the average empire-waist dress and the bare arms and decolletage would give some sense of the proportions of the body within. For me, it would likely remain an evening look, a way to refresh the silhouettes of my little black cocktail dresses.

Even better than the dress is the skirt and top combo in the second look. The blouse is just great: form-fitting, with delicate ruffles. I also like the textured fabric of the skirt and the overall shape.

I have a feeling that every August, after wearing pale colors all summer, I tend to look forward to the elegant simplicity of black. These images offer some nice ideas and inspiration for ways to wear the look this fall.

All images from Elle, September '07.

Chloe Sheath Dress, Unexpected Colors

Isn't this a great little sheath dress? Such a classic and versatile shape, but in an unusual trio of colors. The mix of fabrics contributes to the intriguing, eclectic element: raw silk for the bodice, velvet at the waist and nubby wool for the skirt. With so much going on in terms of color and texture, I'd stay away from incorporating a lot of pattern, and instead play up the central theme with more matte texture, especially suede. The skirt length would hit a couple of inches above the knee, which makes it somewhat more challenging to wear than if it was a little longer, but I can picture it with all kinds of non-spindly footwear. It could be worn now with either with wedges (or flat sandals, if you have great legs), and in the winter, paired with an ultra thin turtleneck, tights and flat boots. The most fun way to wear it, though, would be to play up its luxurious bohemian look for evening, when venturing out into a sea of safe black cocktail dresses. Accessorize with a streamlined clutch and chunky jewelry in gold or in colors that flirt with those in the dress without duplicating them.

Dress by Chloe. Image from Vogue, July '07.

Patterned Evening Gowns

Looking through Vogue's photographic coverage of the Met Costume Institute's gala to celebrate the opening of the Poiret exhibit, I noticed that all the evening gowns that seemed completely of-the-moment were patterned. Maybe many of the attendees were wearing bold patterns to honor Poiret but it's an interesting trend nonetheless. My favorites are the three above.

The first dress is jaw-dropping and reminds me of something out of a John William Waterhouse painting, like 'Circe Invidiosa'. There's something Art Nouveau about the pattern and the watery blues would befit the sultriest nymph or siren. Right now, the back seems to me like such a great part of the body to show off for evening: stong, sexy, mysterious, unexpected.

The second dress is demure almost to the point of severity, but the pattern saves it, making it seem opulent instead. I'm excited to see the long short sleeves, which I wrote about a couple of weeks back. I think part of what makes them work so well here is that they end right at the thinnest part of the waist and therefore help accentuate it. I love the flattering boat neck and the way the sleeves, neckline and hem are edged with white, a detail which makes the garment look particularly carefully finished.

The third gown is a total Southern Belle fantasy with its small sweet floral, tiny bodice and enormous, crinolined skirt. But the contrasting large black flower and black detailing high on the waist rescue it from the realm of historical costume and transform it into a playful, nostalgic wink at the past.

Though I don't have plans to attend a ball anytime soon, these are still a fashion inspiration.

First dress, vintage Dior Haute Couture by John Galliano. Second dress by Oscar de la Renta. Third dress by Rochas. All images from Vogue, July '07.

Missoni Dress

This dress and the belt it's shown with in the first photo make me salivate. The style is simultaneously retro, because of its fitted shape, and totally of-the-moment, thanks to its swooping, billowing sleeves. The fabric drapes gorgeously and its unique pattern combines some of my favorite warm earth tones. I love it paired with the dark, cable-knit tights as in the first image, but it would also work fine with a bare leg on early fall days. It seems like such a great work dress, and could easily be paired with some round toe pumps like the black or grey ones I wrote about a couple of days ago.

Something I find strange is that if I'd just seen the second photo in a magazine, I think I would have passed the dress by entirely. It can be hard to picture what some of the past few seasons' voluminous clothes will look like on. I guess there's a lesson here about keeping an open mind about what styles might work for you and remembering when you're out shopping that it can be good to occasionally try on shapes that you might not usually wear. Who knows, maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I'm also amused that the dress was featured in both Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. Seems like I'm not the only one crushing.

Dress by Missoni. First image from Harper's Bazaar, July '07. Second Image from Vogue, July, '07.

Beat-the-Heat Dresses

Some summer days when, like the jazz standard, it's too darn hot, you want something you can just throw on. Something as non-restrictive and non-wrinkly as a t-shirt but that wouldn't involve nudity from the waist down. And also, it goes without saying, something prettier. Here are two options.

The first is so casual you could wear it with wedge espadrilles to watch a ball game. All those poor other women have descended into baseball jersey hell and there you are, just as cute and blasé, but also well-dressed.

The second is a tad dressier thanks to its striking but not strident color and non-jersey fabric. To be a little fancier, you could swap out the string belt for a silk scarf or a ribbon in a contrasting, neutral color like navy, white or beige. And if you wanted to wear the dress again when the weather cools down, say in the evening, you could switch the belt for something wide, tightly-cinched and patent leather.

First dress by Michael Michael Kors. Second dress by Banana Republic. Images from Fashion, May 2007.

Little White Dresses

I'm a huge fan of the little white dress. And not just for summer. Why should something so simple and timeless be restricted to one season? With the proper styling, I'd wear it in the spring and fall too. Off-season, I particularly like the idea of layering a simple white dress with knit tops and possibly even cable-knit tights in various shades of cream and light beige.

Anyway, here are two great examples of the classic, unadorned for summer. Both are easy to wear shapes in cool, washable cotton. The cutout detailing at the hem of the first dress and the tiny gathers on the bodice lend delicacy to its otherwise basic design. The second dress is a little more structured: a blank, figure-skimming canvas, with the exception of the few tough studs on the waistband. Like most little white dresses, it's easy to imagine them dressed up for evening with shimmering, sky-high sandals or dressed down for a casual Saturday with a heel of a more comfortable height or utilitarian color.

First dress by Dallin Chase. Image from Lucky, July '07. Second dress by J. Lindeberg Denim. Image from Fashion, May '07.

Painter's Dress

Doesn’t this dress just seem like something out of a fantasy of an artist’s life? I’m seeing a photo shoot set in a cavernous, vaguely Parisian artist’s loft, with a model wearing it posed amid a poetic jumble of dirty brushes and palettes, rolled-up canvases and broken down furniture. The fabric is reminiscent of a canvas thickly impastoed with primary colored acrylics, the paints exuberantly swirled together…or else like history’s sexiest, paint-splattered artist’s smock. The dress’ shoulder-baring style and short length pick up on the print’s playful vibe. I could totally see Anthropologie knocking it off since it’s just the kind of thing one would toss on for a hipster-ish outing to look edgy without sacrificing gorgeous. And wouldn’t it be great with the espadrilles from the previous post?

Dress by Marni. Image from Vogue, June ‘07.

Even Better Than A LBD

Isn’t this dress just fabulous? It has such stand-alone personality and presence. The overall shape and length are classic but the flouncy skirt and textured fabrics give it an edge. The color is subdued enough to make it work on an occasion that
might tempt you to play it safe with black, but this hue is so much more interesting. The gray has a fair bit of softening mauve in it, and the ruffles on the skirt incorporate silver and bronze as well.

With so many voluminous ruffles, accessories would need to be kept to a minimum. In terms of jewelry, it would partner well with a thin gold chain or some dangly, but subtle, earrings. For footwear, I would stick to a straightforward, pointed toe pump in a matte finish like suede.

Image from Vogue, June ‘07.

Nude Sweaterdress

This is the kind of piece I’d snap up at any time of the year, regardless of what I was out shopping for, because I would just know that having it would come in really handy one day. It could be layered with other pieces or worn alone. It’s seasonless, plus it would look just as good at night as during the day. The boat neck is almost universally flattering, since it balances any width at the hips, and the three-quarter-length sleeves mean it’s particularly good between seasons and in contexts that require conservative clothes. The knit would play up curves and pockets add a little interest and detailing. It’s a little hard to tell from the photo just where the length would hit on the leg, and though I’m guessing that some might wish it were a couple of inches longer, the shortness makes it easy to style casually or if you want to play up its sex appeal.

Image from Vogue, June ‘07.

A Skirt Over A Skirt

Here is a styling idea I’ve been noticing in the glossies for the past 6 months or so: a skirt worn over a skirt or, as here, a dress worn over a dress. I have no idea why no fashion editors have called attention to it yet. I love the look because it’s
ultra-feminine, but a little quirky at the same time. It manages to be both creative and fashion-forward but at the same time looks back to a time in history when petticoats, underskirts and overskirts were the usual way of dressing.

There are a couple of tricks to pulling off the look. To begin with, you want volume, but not too much volume. A nipped-in waist is essential. Then you need to consider three things about the skirts involved.

First, how heavy are each of the fabrics? In these photos, the top skirts are made of very light fabrics, while the bottom ones are cut from heavier ones. But I’ve also seen the reverse: a heavier top fabric paired with a lighter bottom one. I think the
principle is simply that there should be some weight (so not, say, chiffon worn over chiffon) but not a ton of heft (like velvet worn over velvet). In the first case, the look wouldn’t be structured and wouldn’t lie flat, in the second case, it would be uncomfortably heavy to wear. Plus, mixing things up keeps them funky and interesting.

Second, how long are the skirts? You want the bottom skirt to be longer, but not too much longer than the top one. A four or five inch difference seems about ideal. Enough to look deliberate and not like the underskirt is a poorly-chosen slip. Also, in terms of length, the underskirt should hit right at, or just slightly below, the knee, and the right length for the overskirt can be figured from there: slightly mini as opposed to super short.

Third, you’ll want to think about the shape of the skirts. They need to be of similar shape, since you’re aiming for an unbroken line on the silhouette. That said, as here, both could be flouncy or flared, in which case, carefully considering the weight of the fabrics becomes all the more important, because there will be that much more volume and movement involved.
Alternatively, both could be fitted pencil skirts. In that case, to make the look more vintage and less sporty, the underskirt would do well to have a four or five inch-long ruffled hem. Then the overskirt would end at exactly the point where the underskirt’s ruffles start.

That’s a lot to balance to pull this look off, but the fabulousness of the successful result makes it incredibly enticing to try. If you’re game for a fashion challenge, this one’s for you.

Images from Harper’s Bazaar, June ‘07.

Peach Ruffles

There’s so much that’s fabulous going on here. To begin with: the color. Peach must be the design world’s most overlooked hue. It’s subdued, it’s feminine and it’s more original than pale pink. And the ruffles are pretty, though if the ones on the bodice weren’t there, the dress would have cleaner, more classic lines and some of the sweetness would be toned down. I also worry that the ruffles on the bodice might make wearing the dress a challenge for the well-endowed.

How would the dress look toughened up by a brown leather belt that cinches in all that volume? Or worn with slick, bright open-toed stilettos, maybe in teal or cobalt? Of course, it could also be played more straightforwardly, with beige sandals. But the skirt’s demure length just begs for a high, spindly heel.

Dress by Robert Rodriguez. Image from Lucky, June ‘07.