Crushed Velvet
You might not know it yet but I kind of have a little thing with velvet. It pretty much started when I was in elementary school, I don't know how but I acquired a ridiculous amount of the fabric in dresses, tops and yes, even pants (I even made my barbie matching clothes, oh dear). Obviously velvet and I lost touch over the years and it reappeared about 5 years ago in the form of a crazy vintage skirt from my grandmother, it had potential, I hacked it off and made an adorable skater skirt and since then we've been 'friendly'. Until I got this jacket, that's then we became more than just friends, colorful and soft as butter - forget leather, let's talk velvet.
Do You Love It?
blazer susan graver, tank shopbop, shoes aldo, jeans juicy couture, clutch debshops
Stripes and Brights
Since the weather has quickly turned to summer here in Florida, I have come to accept that it's no longer winter and that it's time to bring out the sleeveless pieces from my collection. This recent colorful snag was from the Duro Olowu for JCP preview, and as of a few weeks ago I am obsessed with pairing it with these uber cozy Lulus pants.
pants lulus.com, shirt c/o duro olowu for jcp, bag debshops, sunnies d&g, shoes vince camuto
Plaid's New Friend
Every now and then I find myself unamused with the task of 'getting dressed'. At times it begins to feel tedious, while just about everything ends up on my floor in this heaping mess (that remains for at least a week or until I eventually clean it up. Maybe). The feeling that the sparkle just isn't there is ridiculously disappointing, but, then you find that piece that makes you burst at the seams with excitement and no matter how impractical it may be you have to wear it, even if it is just to the store. This skirt for me, is it.
Shirt Vj-Style, Skirt Zac Posen for Target, Shoes Shoemint, Bag Vintage
Shoemint's Bianca and Giveaway!
It's no secret that I am a lover of shoes, and have built up a hefty collection in the last few years. One that has begun to overflow my closet adorning my desk, shelves and floor. It's a problem, I know, but I just can't resist, especially when they're statement makers. And if you've been reading awhile you've spied that some of my favorite pairs happen to be Shoemint. To me, the most glamourous "MINT", shh don't tell the others. Designed by Rachel Bilson and her stylist, Rachel Chavez (with a little sole help from Steve Madden), they offer high quality trendsetting shoes for $80 a month. And while Shoemint is a little higher in price than their competitors, I've found that they 'wear' well and you can often find promos for discounts via Facebook, Email and Twitter. Plus the shoes go on sale!
My first two were the Chloe and Mia, but this most recent pair, the Bianca, hit it out of the park. Ikat, Ankle Strap and A Towering Heel - Yes please. My only issue was not having them sooner, I would've loved these with tights over 'winter', obviously we'll be making up for lost time. And while I let the shoes steal the show in this look for errands, I know I'll be mixing them up quite a bit.
shoes c/o shoemint, jeans and tee old navy, blazer sheinside, bag debshops, sunnies d&g
And yes, about that giveaway, Shoemint and I have teamed up to give THREE lucky readers a month's credit to pick out the shoe of their choice. Get Excited! And if you can't wait to see if you won, TfDiaries readers get 20% off with Promo Code - RACHEL20
(Sorry Only for US & Canada Residents This Time)
David Tlale Fall 2013
If there's one thing I can hardly resist, it probably would have to be prints, most importantly leopard, you know this by now I'm sure. Walking through the door at David Tlale's Fall 2013 Presentation my attention was immediately drawn to a sweeping leopard gown in bordeaux detailed with sheer black tulle, styled perfectly with liquid lined eyes and a sleek braided pony. Stopped in my tracks beautiful. And that my friends was just the tip of the retro inspired iceberg (ladies the 70's are going to be popular come fall and I am all in). I found myself captivated in a sea of glamour with gowns adorned in gold, coats with beautifully rounded structured shoulders, and the most regal brocade flared trousers. Using an array of rich colors and texture, David's collection spoke volumes of elegance and sophistication for Fall. Cropped, High Waisted and Sheath silhouettes hugged curves and often flared out near the hemlines, adorned with feathers, tulles and metallics. The designer's attention to detail and structure fascinated me and I know this will not be a show I will be forgetting. David Tlale is definitely a designer to watch in the coming seasons.
Trend Report: Gold, Brocade, Sheer, Mermaid Hemlines, Leather, Metallics, Red, Flared Legs, Ombre
Zang Toi Fall 2013
Since I was unable to make it to the Zang Toi Fall 2013 show before I left I asked one of my fashion week buddies, Alex (delayed missives) to correspond in place of me, and from what I heard there was a standing ovation. I'm voting for the first image as my favorite.
What's yours?
Having previously never seen Zang Toi on the runway, I wasn't quite sure what to expect other than something glamorous . The opulence of imperial Russia was a clear inspiration for the Fall 2013 collection and a departure from last season's sunny pastels and floaty fabrics. Fur, leather and velvet were used in nearly every look and even the hairstyles reflected texture with piles of tall curls. The looks for day were well-tailored and elegant, but the most formal dresses were the true heart of the collection. Bold gold jewelry accompanied stunning gowns in rich colors and fabrics, including the best use of velvet I've ever seen. Contrasting lining was a key feature. However, I found the most notable aspects of the collection to be the cut and attention to detail. Every look hung beautifully, even the ones with the appearance of being both structured and flowing at the same time. Truly breathtaking and worthy of the standing ovation.
Images By Alex Shook, See Full Collection on TfDiaries' Facebook HERE.
5 Ways To Wear An Emerald Coat
Since Emerald is this year's IT color, I couldn't resist the opportunity to style Fashionville's Tulle Double Breasted Coat With (Removeable!) Faux Fur Collar. With tiny of touches of woven metallic fibers, the coat glimmered and kept me warm. It's perfect for the beginnings of spring with a cute skirt and will make the perfect statement with it's collar come fall with jeans. And if you're not in the market you have to check out Fashionville's new arrivals with separates, dresses and accessories! Psst. They Offer Free Shipping.
How would you style it?
1. With Skinnies and Some Print
2. With A Little Black Dress
3. With Jeans and A Tee
4. With Some Leather
5. And With A Pop Of Color ...
Finding The Unique
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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Diet Dr Pepper via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Diet Dr. Pepper.
Lela Rose Fall 2013
Lela Rose is just one of those designers that people love to see, her designs are lovely and they just have this air about them, whether they're off the runway or from her Payless shoe collection (they're cute and you know it). So you can imagine how excited I was to get to see them up close and personal and even come face to face with the designer herself at her fall 2013 show. And instead of writing about the gorgeous collection, I teamed up with My Style Genie to film it.
Trend Report: Emerald, Yellow, Black and White, Fuchsia, Feathers, Maxis, Embellishment, Sheer
See All The Pictures Here
