theasceticlibertine

Fallspiration

The oh-what-to-wear dilemma is one that I have often, even though it can never be said of me that I don't have enough clothes.  Even with all of the stuff that is out of season or in the laundry basket or doesn't fit, I still have plenty.  But lately I found myself scrambling to leave on time in the morning, and therefore just grabbing whatever was handy and sorta matched.  This meant a lot of pants, boring shirts and random sandals or flats.  There was no "style" involved.  Even my outfit yesterday, which involved a modicum of thought (light-wash wide-leg jeans with a blush colored tank and a big grey-green cardigan that is perfect for summer coolness beause the breeze blows right through it, but it also keeps me warm, since I work in a fridge) didn't have that extra oomph factor because I didn't even try with regard to anything else.  My hair, a flat, just-washed mess that got slightly frizzy.  My face, no make-up, not even lipstick, and I'm usually a girl that remembers the lipstick.  And it struck me, with some horror, that I looked blah, and sort of dowdy, and if I had run into an ex or basically, anyone I was trying to impress, I would have run in the other direction.

The realization I had was this:  how I looked was not representative of me, or how I want to appear to the world.  And that's important, even if you pooh-pooh fashion.  And I haven't been in the greatest of moods lately and I do think, as silly as it sounds, that dressing like I'm a soccer mom shuttling 5 kids to school and practice everyday (no disrespect to moms, but when you have no time to dress, you have no time to dress) isn't helping matters.  I am not wrangling a brood to various activities, so I have no such excuse.  I was just being lazy.

So today I made an effort, which is to say I'm dressed like a French schoolgirl, which is probably not age-appropriate but is a heck of a lot better than just pants and some shirt.  And I am wearing the awesomest oxfords ever, and polka-dot happy socks, and I actually did something with my hair, and I feel pretty, which is important.  I was validated by the construction dudes on my block going out of their way to say hello and good morning.

And it occurred to me that the schoolgirl thing is just part of what I do; its uniform quality appeals to me.  And I wondered how that could ever possibly be done in enough of a grown-up way so that I don't look like I'm 16.   A friend had donated her Net-A-Porter Fall/Winter magazine/catalog to me, and as I browsed through it on the subway, I saw Giulietta.  And I realized it can be done. 

Perfect tailoring is a must.  Basic shapes also.  I was really, really impressed with the clothes.  Out of my price range?  Definitely.  But a great inspiration for fall, and for working with what I already have to create something similar.  Here's what Net-A-Porter has to offer from Giulietta:

 
 
 

 

Basically, I love all of it.  :)  That's the woman I want to look like.  Here's to that.

The Wishlist So Far...

I think I'm growing up.  I went into H&M the other day, just to see what was on hand, and there were exactly two items that I would consider wearing:  a leather shift dress that was really cool, and a split-pleat skirt that looked well-made.  Otherwise everything left me cold.  And Banana Republic was no better; the quality of clothing was so shoddy it might as well have been H&M.  

I find that the three "affordable" retailers that really have me coveting their clothes are J.Crew, Zara, and Uniqlo.  The clothing is well made, using (mostly) natural fibers and fabrics.  Zara has a lot of runway-inspired stuff (some lovely Miu Miu-esque blouses and dresses, and another leather-sleeved coat that I want immediately and must have), as well as just amazing basics like silk blouses and well-tailored jackets.  Lots of jewel tones, lots of deep color.  Some gorgeous fur coats.  I was very impressed:

 

And J.Crew isn't far behind, IMHO.  I love this skirt:

And the slouchy, oversized Merino Boyfriend Sweatshirt in deep turquoise is definitely tempting:

I'm glad fall is gearing up to be about color.  It'll be nice to get out of the grey and black.

As for Uniqlo, the +J collaboration with Jil Sander is seeing its end as of this fall, so I'd love to get at least a couple of pieces before it's over.  I have such a weakness for the color green, and for down jackets in interesting shapes:

And for asymmetry:

I am so excited for fall, but you know, right after we get seemingly endless months of crappy winter, so... it's a tempered excitement.

The Last Mistress

Every once in a while a film comes along that stuns you with the beauty of its costume design.  Movies like this get it so right that even if you normally don't give an eff about fashion, or clothes, or anything related to it, you notice.  I think The Last Mistress is one of those movies.  Of course, costuming buff that I am, I'd notice anyway.  But I seriously think this is one that just knocks it out of the park.  I read an interview with the director, Catherine Breillat (quite a controversial filmmaker; it appears TLM is rather tame compared to the rest of her oeuvre), and she said that she chose the fabrics for the clothing, and that the silver belt I now completely covet was something she picked up at a vintage market (and that she may bring it back in another one of her films).  So the costumes were a labor of love for the director, and it's interesting to me that it's so seamless, because there aren't too many costume designers who would be thrilled about the director taking over most of that role.  But the collaboration between Breillat and her costume designer, Anaïs Romand, really works.  Here are the looks worn by Asia Argento's character, la Vellini, a Spanish courtesan living in Paris (the first featuring the silver belt I can't stop obsessing over):

I love that these first two images represent her Spanish heritage; the outfit above mirroring Goya's Clothed Maja, and the one below giving her a female matador vibe.

When she returns from Morocco, the influence is seen in her clothing:

And finally, her makeshift outfit at the seaside:

And here is another view, with the coat off, so that you can see her arm coverings, the rest of the skirt, and the red boots:

All pictures and screen captures courtesy of the Costume Captures blog.  Check it out--there are a few other movies in there (all gorgeously costumed, natch) and more screencaps from The Last Mistress, including other characters. 

Red is for Rainy

I guess I'm not a proper fashion blogger, since that title assumes that I would post pictures of myself in various outfits, and considering my job and my life, well... that's just not gonna happen.  But I can *tell* you what I wore, and I like today's outfit, even though it's not super exciting save for one tiny detail:  my awesome tights.  I got a super special deal on these Happy Tights in red:  

and I'm wearing them today with:

 

 

and last but not least, utterly boring boots:

 

 

The reason for the boring boots is, alas, practicality (it's raining; they're waterproof).  With this outfit, I'd prefer to have worn these:

 

But they're suede and the rainy weather is staying in NYC today, so I had to trot out in my LaCanadienne rain boots. 

As to why I'm sharing this outfit with you, well... it was a challenge to come up with something that would go with those tights.  In my head I loved them so much, and then when I mentally tried to combine it with something, nothing worked.  The interwebs were also no help--most of the places I looked for inspiration just paired similar tights with a black dress.  Bo-ring.  But I have that great denim skirt (mine is in a bit more of a faded wash than the pic above, and it has zippers instead of button pockets) and I realized it'd go perfectly.  But I was definitely flummoxed on what to wear up top.  The white button-down and grey cardigan go really well with the faded blue of the skirt and the bright red of the tights, so I'm glad my instincts were right.

As to my post on The Last Mistress and its glorious costuming, it'll have to wait since Photobucket wouldn't let me upload the pictures.  But it's on its way. 

The September Issue

Fall is without a doubt my favorite season, for everything.  For clothing, for weather, for holidays--everything.  So when the little present that is the September issue of Vogue--chock full of the new ads for the fall season--landed in my mailbox, I couldn't wait to rip it open and see what's in store.  High fashion trickles down so quickly, especially these days, to more affordable retailers like Zara, H&M and Topshop, so it's good to have an idea of what the season's going to look like, so that you can make your shopping decisions wisely.  If you're anything like me, with a magpie-eye that gets easily distracted by the shiny, then it's even better to know what to buy and what to go back into your closet for.  These were the ads that left me drooling...

 

 

The best for last, since I'm loving Miu Miu's gorgeous ladylike, 40's inspired dresses:

So you SEE...

When I went to Miami earlier this summer, I ended up buying a new pair of shades, and deciding to buy new glasses.  The Rx shades I had been sporting up until then were a prescription behind, and about 7 years old, so it was time.  The regular glasses had a lens half popped out, so it was time for them, too.  (While I'm at it, can I plug my friends at SEE?  I've been going there for glasses for ages and they are always lovely and the frames super affordable, including Rx.  I know Warby Parker is cheaper--and they do donations--but I really have SEE brand loyalty, not gonna lie.)

I love change, I really do.  But it takes getting used to.  And even something as silly (and fun!) as new glasses took some getting used to.  The shades I picked have a masculine, 50's vibe and aren't something I would "normally" wear, or consider my usual style.  But they worked really well with my face, and were different enough that I felt really drawn to them.  As for the regular glasses, those were picked by one of my dearest friends, who had them on her face and as soon as I saw them, it was love.  The saleslady had been trying to get me into these small, rectangular frames that I just didn't like, and considering glasses are something you wear on your face all the time, every day, I knew whatever I picked had to be love.  And so it was.

At first it was super weird because they are a damn sight bigger than my old ones, which were dainty and small.  These new frames are big, but they don't overwhelm my face, and everyone that sees them thinks I am instantly 100% cooler and more interesting than I actually am (kidding!) which is what I was going for, so yay.  Last night a friend who hadn't seen them yet got her first glimpse and she was so funny--she said something along the lines of, "Oh my god!  Those glasses!  They are so sexy.  Oh my god, they're amazing on you.  I kind of want to date you now."  Which is the effect I want to have, but on dudes and not my married girlfriends.  :)

Here is a visual of my new regular glasses: 
I got the ones in the middle, with the blue on the inside.   I can't really describe to you how much I love them.  That's how much.  But the interesting thing is, my brother hated them on sight and said he couldn't get used to me in them and in his typical blunt manner (we are blunt in my family) said, "I think they're too big and in a few years you're going to look back and say what was I thinking." 

So here's the style lesson for you all--as long as I let what he said get to me, I couldn't get used to myself in these glasses.  I felt not like myself, but not in that great way where you feel like a new person, but in that doubting way of "maybe he's right and these are *totally* wrong for me."  And then I said fuck it.  I knew it was love at first sight, I knew that they worked on me, and I loved them, so who cares if he didn't?  And ever since then, I have owned my new glasses and owned my new look and I keep getting reactions like the one my friend gave me, saying my glasses are the coolest thing ever and omg I look awesome and like someone you'd want to get to know, which is the whole point of style, is it not? 

I believe that what we put on our person, on our faces, in our hair, on our feet--that all of it is a form of artistic expression, and a form of personality expression.  Yes, there are days when all I'm wearing is something really boring because I woke up late and couldn't be bothered to think and hadn't shaved my legs so I couldn't wear a short skirt or dress and blah blah.  But when you care about what you put on, even if it's just one item that's special to you, I think you are putting that out in the world to be seen, to be a bit of your personality that people can instantly grasp. 

I love what my new glasses say about me and the type of person I am, and maybe that's why I love them so much.  I would love to show you a picture of me, but I was cyber-stalked a couple of times pretty fiercely, so anonymous is the word for now, possibly ever.  Sorry if that disappoints. 

In another personal-style news, I am probably, 99.9% going to get my hair ombre'd.  If you've read this blog for long, you know my love of ombre in general, so to have it in hair form is just fucking cool.  I read somewhere that it was a trend on its way out, but I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not someone who "follows" trends.  I like what I like and if it happens to be "in," great.  And I'm not saying I'm not influenced by trends, but something not being trendy isn't going to stop me if I really like it.  I've been debating the ombre hair thing, just because I don't have a colorist at the moment and was worried it would be super duper expensive, but I found a good, affordable place that everyone raves about on Yelp, so I'll let you know.  This is an example of what I'd like:

 

Biel can't act, but damn she's got a good colorist.  The effect on her is my favorite.  I would ideally like blue mermaid hair like Claire Barrow, but really can't do it with my job.  Plus my hair is very fine and bleach would kill it.  So ombre highlights it is!  I think the biggest plus is that it's a change, but it's subtle, and can be grown out easily or cut off without having an "awkward phase" replete with roots. 

That's me for now.  I've got another post coming up about the costume design in The Last Mistress, which was amazing.  Expect it sometime this week.

John Fluevog Sale

As I have repeated ad nauseum on this blog, I do love me some John Fluevog.  And they are having a sale right now that is tempting me silly but alas, I am a) broke and b) sort of on a shoe-buying moratorium.  But if I had all the monies, as I frequently dream I do, these would be my picks:

 
 

 

 

Blogger Style Shoutout: From (and for) Barcelona, With Love

It's rare, believe it or not, for me to find a style/fashion blog that I really love.  The list is small, especially considering the absolute plethora of fashion blogs out there at the moment.  There are some that might mildly fascinate me for a while, but there are truly only 5 or 6 I keep up with on a regular basis.

However, I do keep looking, because I like to see what's out there, and sometimes I am led from link to link to link until every once in a while someone exceptional crops up, as happened today. 

What is style?  You certainly can't buy it, even if you have a lot of money.  You can try to buy someone else's taste, I suppose--get yourself a savvy buyer or personal shopper who knows your body type and what would look good on you--but style is more ephemeral, and if you don't have it, it is woefully obvious.

Those that do, the Kate Mosses among us, are enviable precisely because they seem to grasp some sartorial magic that lets them express themselves through their clothes, so that everything they wear seems intrinsically *them* even if it's not something you would think they would wear.  A person with style can making anything her own. 

I have no idea who the blogger is behind Views From My Window, except that she lives near or in Barcelona, Spain (one of my favorite places on the planet), that her name is Laura (I think), and that her style is, in my opinion, impeccable (and at the very least, enviable).  Someone who can wear something you think no one could possibly wear, and not only that, make it her own and look good doing it--well, that's style.  Laura has style in spades.

She's pretty but not supermodel gorgeous, with a very nice figure that shows off clothes that fit her well, and compliment her best assets:  those mile-long legs that actually look good in short-shorts, something that hasn't been said about me since I was about 13.  And yet if I saw her on the street, she would turn my head.  That, too, is style.  And style can elevate.  Style can take a girl from a 6 to a 10. 

The lesson for today is:  try to develop your own personal style, whenever and however you can.  Some people think it's hopeless--it's not.  Like anything, it takes time to learn, and it's good if you know yourself, and your body type and what looks good on you.  If you are absolutely clueless, bring in a savvy friend.  Looking at style and fashion blogs helps, definitely.  Keep track of what catches your eye.  Notice what you like and dislike.  Figure out why.

Let's take some lessons from Laura.  I'm sure if you showed me this shirt she wears here on a hanger, I'd have absolutely no idea what to do with it, and much less how to wear it.   Check it out:

 

It opens on the sides to reveal whatever you're wearing underneath, and it has a bottom tie, and the whole thing forms a batwing-type sleeve.  I guess it's sort of an exhibitionist blouse or a chic bikini-top coverup.  It is the type of blouse that can easily overwhelm someone, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was purchased on super sale because people had no idea what to do with it.  And yet, Laura looks amazing in it.  Paired with dark blue H&M cutoffs that she D.I.Y'd herself, with gold jewelry to bring out her skin tone and complement the ivory of the blouse (and gold-rimmed aviators, a nice touch), with kick-ass biker boots that are the last thing you would expect to see on a beach and yet are in a lovely (and also complementary) flesh tone, she has managed to look impossibly chic--and clothed--on a windy beach day.  I don't know about you, but when I go to the beach it's usually in a cover-up type cotton dress that I don't mind getting sand all over.  I don't high-style it up for the beach.  But I am super inspired by Laura's outfit.  She's the kind of dresser that if you saw her on the street, you'd go, I want to be her.  (Or maybe that's just me.)  :)  Here are a couple of other pictures (all courtesy of her blog) so you get the full effect:

 
 
Gorgeous, right?  So yes, you really should check her out. 

I'll end with another short-shorts example, but trust me that she wears anything and everything and it all looks fab.  So here's our 2nd lesson (no pics because they are private on Flickr, but you can see them here so you know what I'm talking about), where she wears light-colored high waisted denim shorts (just the horror of writing that sentence!--in less capable hands, this look would be a disaster) with what appear to be dark, navy blue tights, a red and navy printed blouse, camel-colored shoes and a matching belt, and a dark brown saddle bag.  And let's not forget accessories--a nice pair of black cat-eye shades, with a big, circular black-and-ivory ring.  If I could wear this outfit today, I would.  I love her attention to detail, and how the navy is brought out in her blouse and tights, complementing the light blue of the shorts.  And she doesn't go with a typical shoe color--the camel is not something I would have picked but it works really well--then ties it in with a cute little braided belt.  I mean, it's a complete lesson in color and style and how to make your best features work for you.  I'll stop gushing now, but I really can't stand it!  Total girl/style crush.  Big time!

 

Small Screen Style

As you all know, I am an avid watcher of the guilty pleasure Gossip Girl.  I watch it for the clothes (Blair Waldorf's wardrobe is just amazing) as much as anything else, I promise.  And it's not the only show I've watched for the clothes.  Long before GG, there was The L Word--quite possibly the worst show ever to have aired on television.  It started out promisingly enough and soon devolved into a plot-challenged mess.  The writers changed character personalities from season to season, as if in the meantime they (the writers and the characters) had gotten lobotomies.  It was nuts.  I always admired Mia Kirshner for rolling with the crazy punches in the writing.  Her character, Jenny Schecter, might easily go down in history as the most hated TV character ever, but Jenny Schecter was the reason to watch The L Word for me.  And the reason was:  her clothes.  Whoever did the costuming for Jenny just nailed that vintage-cool-glam-but-not-trying-too-hard vibe that a lot of us aspire to get right.   To this day, if I see a dress or blouse or skirt somewhere that says "Jenny Schecter" to me (that is, vintage or lacey, or deco, what have you), I instantly buy it.  I'm too lazy to insert a bunch of pictures of Jenny, so just click on the links I've sprinkled throughout and you'll see what I'm talking about.  Here's a hint of what I mean, though:

 
Ever since The L Word ended, I've been at a bit of a loss for a vintagey-crazy style muse.  I have now found her, you'll be glad to know:  Cassie Ainsworth, from the UK teen drama Skins.  Yes, Cassie's a teenager, but she dresses just like Jenny Schecter (and how I would ideally love to dress, except I have an office job and can't).  Lots of vintage, lots of cool pieces unexpectedly put together that work beautifully.  When we first meet Cassie, she's dressed for a party in a black tailcoat (very cool accessory) and gold sequin dress:

 
Later on, we see her in the lunch room at school with the boy she has a crush on, as she explains exactly how she's able to pretend to eat and have no one notice she didn't touch a bite (her character has anorexia, among other mental problems):

 
I love that she took a patterned skirt and still wore patterned tights with it.  Cassie sports a printed dress and gold shoes in another scene:

 
 
I love this vintage sailor blouse:

 
 And in another scene (when she goes to her eating disorder clinic to weigh in), she wears an accordion pleated midi-skirt with a bright t-shirt and cute mary jane shoes:

 
I'm telling you, I just love everything she wears.  Apparently most of the clothes belong to the actress playing her, Hannah Murray, who does an amazing job portraying Cassie's humanity and vulnerability.  Cassie could have easily become a caricature of the Anorexic Teen, and instead she is a nuanced, surprising and engaging character.  The clothes are all a part of that; apparently Murray does her own styling, or works with the show's costuming team and her own wardrobe to give Cassie that faded 20's movie star aspect.  Sartorially inspiring, and adventurous. 

Sequins by Day

"Whenever women ask me for a life-changing nugget of fashion wisdom, a single, rock-solid rule to live by, I have, for decades, always given the same response: 'Girls! Go home and separate your clothing into two separate piles: WORK and PARTAAY. Take all the sensible work clothing, career skirts and corporate blouses, and give it to the Goodwill. Now you are free to wear party clothes for the rest of your life. Yay!' -- Simon Doonan, former creative director at Barneys New York

I kept Doonan's good advice in my mind today.  Am having dinner or drinks or something or other with a friend later on, so I used it as an excuse to dress in something that had a little bit "more" than my usual office attire.  I really do wish I could take all my "sensible" clothes and throw them out the window, but, alas, I work in an office and really can't wear too  much crazy.  I get by with enough crazy as it is.  Today it's sequins.  Yes, sequins.  By day.  It's awesome, and you should try it.

Granted, I'm wearing a sequined T-shirt, not a gown or anything super out there like that, but still.  Sequins are sequins.  I took a cue from a fellow blogger, Tania of What Would a Nerd Wear, when she put together this outfit.  I mean, that's basically my T-shirt (same color), except hers is a tank.  In blatant style thievery, I also paired it with a heather grey cardigan, although I went for a black pencil skirt instead of a full, A-line one with accordion pleats.  The only reason for that is that I don't own that skirt, but if I did, I would totally have ripped off the look entirely.  I think the olive/brass color of the top is hard to mix.  You can't go gold and you feel weird going silver, and although the grey is in that family, it still works.  Rather than sandals, I wore these pale green flat boots (this color, but not that boot).  It works, it mixes color well, and I get to wear sequins in the day time.  Everybody wins!

A secret I'll share with you, pursuant to the Doonan quote--I did actually once upon a time have a closet like that.  Party clothes only.  I worked managing events at night (concerts, etc...) so I had a lot of lovely dress-up clothes, and zero office wear.  Part of me feels like that's exactly the kind of wardrobe I should have, always (to be fair, this is the part of me that thinks I should be a lounge singer), and part of me is aware that I need more practical clothing for my now more practical life.

And speaking of (sort of) practical, I have a wish list of necessary items that I will also share with you:

1.  Raglan-sleeved grey sweatshirt-style top.  I love this kind of thing, super easy and casual.  Summer-weight of course.

2.  A white, V-necked T-shirt.  A classic, really.  Can you believe I don't own one?  (I'm actually completely bad about T-shirts because I normally don't ever wear them.)   I want it a little over-sized, to wear with skinny jeans and a little jacket.

3. Celine wedge ripoffs.  It was curiousity at first sight, and now it's turning into love.  You know my obsession with wedges.

4. Opera-length pearl necklace.  What?  I've wanted one since forever, and am just waiting for this place I like to have a coupon, which would put it in the $100 range.  Probably not Mikimoto quality, but I'm a beggar, not a chooser.

5.  Tomesode Kimono.  Silk, of course.  And I'm waiting to find one with just the right illustrations on the edge.  At around $80-$100, it's really not a bad price to pay for a silk kimono.  The Tomesode Kimono was usually worn by older or married women.  I'd love one with a red silk lining.

Ok, wish list portion completed!  Hope you're enjoying the sunshine.