The Stress Of Halloween!

     The holiday where 'women get away with wearing absolutely nothing and don't get arrested for indecent exposure' is just rounding the corner.  If you are a women and you still dress up for Halloween then you definitely get the "oh shit, what am I going to be" jitters.  Generally, it happens a week before you need your costume, when you have already missed the 3-7 business day shipping window.  And you are screwed.  If you think I am currently describing myself...you are right!  But, if you are creative like me then have no fear.
     First stop, your childhood dress up trunk.  For those of you who still have one, I am sure that you can find tons of basics.  A tutu, witch hat, cowboy hat, old brides made dresses, perhaps even some fairy wings.  Now, pick a basic and decided on a costume.  Here is how I made four costumes just from my dress up trunk.  Of course, I had to go out to the local Wal-Mart or JoAnn Fabrics to pick up a few odds and ends, but it was cheap and easy.

Tinkerbell

     Tinkerbell, the classic All-American fairy.  It doesn't get much simpler than this.  All you need is a pair of wings, a green dress (a green tank top and a tutu), a pair of wings, and a wand.  You can get your wings at Wal-Mart or any Halloween store.  The wand can be made out of a stick that you spray paint dark green.  The dress can come from Forever 21 and you can cut the hem in a zig zag shape.  If you decided to use a tutu instead then all you need to do is dig through your tank tops and find a green one!  It's so simple.  To top it off, literally, put a cute little sock bun right on top of your head.  Some glitter to toss at your friends and voila! 

Cowgirl

     You don't have to look as Pinup as this chick here, but a cowgirl is another easy costume to pull off. Go to your summer collection and grab your Daisy Duke denim shorts.  Any flannel shirt tied at the waist, will due.  A cowboy hat and some nice cowboy boots to complete the look.  Pretty easy, right?

Bumble Bee

     If you feel like buzzing around on Halloween a bumblebee will be a nice fit for you.  All you will need is some black and yellow striped tights, a black leotard, a yellow tutu and some black and yellow wings.  If you have a black headband you get make the antennas out of pipe cleaners and add some yellow pompom balls at the end.  A simple way to add stripes to the costume is to get silk ribbon and let it hang off the tutu, the more stripes the better.  Be creative with this one.  

Witch

     Although many would say I could have gone dressed as my everyday self I thought I needed to play up the part a little more.  A tight black dress with a mini broom and my childhood witch hat did the trick.  Some tight knee high boots and dark black makeup, I looked just like the Wicked Witch of the West!  

     There are so many more costumes that you can create if you just dig through your closet and your old dress up trunk.  Don't go to those Halloween stores and spend $100 on some costume you are going to spill beer on and wear once.  Sometimes taking a trip to your local thrift store might spark some great ideas as well.  Use your imagination.  After all, it's Halloween, you can be whatever you want!

Spook ya later!

Ciao, 

Annie

The Plaid Brigade!

     Fall rolls around and the plaids come out to play, that's just how it goes.  Plaids are always the fall/winter cozy go-to, whether it be casual or fancy.  In fact, I'm wrapped up in a plaid scarf right now. Classic me, blogging about what I'm wearing.

     Ok, let's break this down a little bit.  The more casual plaids tend to be the rugged flannels worn with black leggings and some Chucks (insert my everyday look here).  I snuggle up by the fire in my flannel with a good magazine and occasionally doze off.  It's the life, right?  

     Moving on to the other side of the plaid rainbow it gets a little bit fancier.  In the past few years plaids have been being used more and more in business wardrobes.  For example, a classic pencil skirt paired with a chiffon plaid shirt.  It's kinda the classic J. Crew look, preppy upperclass society-ish.  You know what I mean!  It totally passes all office standards.

     Carrying on.  How about the short sleeve plaid look?  I know, it sounds a little strange and a little male-ish.  It's not, it's so not!  It's that 'I borrowed my boyfriends shirt and made it fabulous' thing.  Ahhh, so much potential.  You can wear a long sleeve under it or a nice bulky swearer over it.  Ohhh, it's so wonderful.  Or, if you are so fetch that you dare to wear it alone, let your elbows hang out and enjoy the air party!  As you can see, I am a little excited about it.  You should be too!

It even works from head to toe!

Plaid-erific!

Ciao, 

Annie

The Checker Board Champion!

     While Mark Jacobs started off with stripes at the beginning of New York's fashion week he ended with a checkered bang in Paris.  That will be one that goes down in gaming history.  The models stomped down the runway in unique two by two form on a yellow checked playing board after they briskly floated down four escalators.  If that doesn't scream "SIXTIES" then I don't know what does.  Each model had uniform hairstyles with a carefully placed bow tied headband and satin pumps with a tiny metallic heel to complete the look.  

      Jacobs had to switch into his Vuitton mindset and he did just that.  He took the classic Damier checked print and stretched it, shrunk it, tweaked it and diva-tized it.  The color choice was so '60's, electric yellow, deep-woods brown, silver, camel and, for lack of better words, puke green.  The simplicity of this collection was overpowered by the banging of the pattern.  As for the garments, they varied from sheath dresses, maxi dresses, cropped tops, blazer and pant suits to pleated mini dresses.  If you are like me and you stare at a garment for 20 minutes and try to analyze the whole thing you will notice that everything was cut perfectly along the narrow lines.  The sleeves match up with the chest and each pant leg are completely parallel.  Perfection traveled throughout this entire show.

     My thoughts...by far the best show of all fashion week.  I know that's bold of me to say, but I cannot help it.  It was so spot on, the shoes, the hair and the garments.  When you compare the simplicity of the silhouettes to the chaos of the print they clash and make sparks fly.  I don't know if it's because I loved '60's fashion or because I love escalators or what?  I would watch this show over and over again, maybe get a little dizzy because the checks cross my eyes but I loved it!

Check Mate!

Ciao, 

Annie

   

Color At The End Of The Runway!

     Lanvin put construction front and center in this Springs fashion show.  I found myself admiring these garments one by one and trying to solve the mystery of how they were constructed.  Many garments were half of something.  For example, half of the top would be a tank and the other half would be a blazer.  That's what I mean about the construction being a mystery that I, Harriet the spy, have to solve.  Thankfully my technical vision goggles were spot on.  I have to say that some of it was a bit out there in left field, like the one shoulder swim suit that's worn with belted loose fitted pants.  But it's different and different keeps the people intrigued and coming back for more.  

     Viewing the collection, it seemed like a contemporary tailored look was going to exist throughout the show.  But the deeper we went the more exotic it got.  Graphic dresses to glitzy jumpsuits changed the mood of the show and added an edgy look to a softer collection.  I also noticed the accessories were quite over the top but I found myself looking past that and saying that they actually work well with the chic punk mix that's going on.  

     In closing, literally, the show ended with a bang.  We saw black and white for the entire show and then a rainbow bomb went off.  This short lineup of petite satin shift dresses seemed to have such simple construction behind them, but then the surprise panels on the side flashed beads and beautiful embroidery.  These looks are simple and elegant but have such a loud statement due to the shocking color choices.  It was a fantastic show! Lanvin truly never ceases to amaze.

So Lanvin-esque!

Ciao, 

Annie May

The One That Got Away!

     Depressed and laying on the couch, I was scrolling through last weeks fashion shows, crying that they are over and trying to link together the overall Spring 2013 trends.  I was marveling over the belted dresses, altered collars, boucle 'Chanel like' blazers, and then it happened, I came across Nicholas K's catwalk video.
     My instant reaction sounded something like, "Oh shit, this is freaking fabulous!"  When fashion makes you drool on a regular basis it's hard not to react in random outbursts when you see something that literally takes your breath away.
     In our risqué let it all hang out world generally once the weather gets warm the clothes come off, right?  After all, a popular trend for Spring 2013 was short bottoms, hell what am I saying, it was no bottoms.  Hey, let it all hang out, it's trendy!  Multiple designers felt that way but, not Nicholas K.
     Spring = layering.  I mean, it's like nothing I've seen before.  The oversized, crinkled, loose fitting garments flowed off the models like waves in the sea.  Draping silk fabrics over the heads of the models to create hood like coverings...fabulous.  The oversized glasses that would leave Jackie O. in the dust...even more fabulous.  As I was trying to follow the lines and contour of the fabric I got lost in the mix due to the constant curve or cut in the structure of the garment.  It's a-maze-ing.
     Let's not even begin to discuss the warm earth tones that K used.  The camel, rust, milk chocolate and taupe gave off such an effortless vibe.  Simple, easy, straightforward, smooth, I can keep going if you don't get my point!  It's brilliant.  All of it.  I'm not even being bias because I'm infatuated with modern trendy styles.  OK, so I'm being bias...whatever.  It's sick and I that's all I can say.

K-razy!

Ciao, 

Annie May