Fashion for everyone

recently, on my DIY idea tumblr, i posted pics of bow-bedecked chain handle bags from lanvin and marni, and pledged to pick a bag from my personal collection to be-ribbon.

this normally neglected, vintage morris moskovitz fur purse was perfect for the project:

{ABOVE: BEFORE}

i wove a bias silk ribbon through a little over half the gold chain handle {just enough so it would crest over my shoulder when worn}, braided the remainder with a smaller brass chain...

{ABOVE + BELOW: AFTER}

...then finished the ribbon ends with my favorite fanciful flourish ~ floppy bows!


i am thrilled with the results of this fun and easy project, and can't wait to wear my newly improved {so much better} bag!

you all probably know that, when getting dressed, my goal is basically to wear as much jewelry as possible
(otherwise, how boring!)...

...so i was elated to spot a mini-pedi trend marching down last week's lanvin runway: shoe jewels!!!

(lanvin / spring 2010)

these chic shackles are a far cry from the anklets of yore. i wonder why i never before realized my need for multi-strand chain-link leg pieces?

well, no matter now: over the weekend i stopped this devastating gap in my accessory arsenal!

obviously, with such fancily fettered feet, i couldn't let the rest of my ensemble feel under-adorned:


{ h+m beanie, vintage sunnies, self-designed spiral solaris necklace & bands of bling bib, jean yu dress, vintage cashmere dress (underneath), F21 tights, calvin klein collection pumps, DIY ankle jewelry }

when i debuted this getup yesterday morning, my flatmate and sometime blog photographer (hi DL!) happily hissed: "you are totally giving me anna wintour with that jacket!" (note: it may also have had something to do with the bob, glasses, and the fact that i'm notoriously grouchy in the a.m.)

anyway, his observation was oddly intuitive, as she's THE uber-editor, and i was cheekily channeling that old joke: 'what's black & white & read all over? (the newspaper!)' with my smudgy, desaturated prints and pops of red accessories:



wearing: drugstore sunnies, rag+bone tweed & leather jacket, lanvin beetle brooch, F21 dress, the glamourai rings (coming monday to the glamporium!), hobo clutch, random lace-stripe tights, bebe booties

though it's hard to make out in these photos, i am also *finally* wearing chanel jade on my fingertips (loyal readers will know i've waited months for this moment). big thanks to joelle of the owls are not what they seem, who picked it up for me at the chanel shop in soho during fashion's night out! it is everything i dreamed it would be.

i've already confessed a longing for lanvin's pre-fall look, and now it seems that vogue is intent on magnifying my malcontent.

just as i'm getting excited to wear less layers in the coming summer months, they have to serve up this swanky souffle:

leopard-print gloves! embroidered gauze and gold crushed-velvet! beaded grosgrain jabot! bejeweled satin shoes!

it's only like, my ideal outfit. they even got the hair right!!!

this should be my costume every day.

as my obsessive compulsion to enhance tired jackets and coats has been fairly well-documented, you can believe i'm always on the lookout for new spruce routes...

thanks to marc jacobs' fall 2009 cape (below), i'm imagining something involving plus-size studs, lacquered with pastel nail polish:

i'm also loving the new fall ornaments at mathew williamson (left) and carolina herrera (right), and feel certain i can find similar antique appliques to repurpose:

no matter your crafting dexterity, there's a DIY here for you. why not simply wear a brooch on an unexpected location, like your hip pocket, or replace your buttons with extra-large beads ~ like this lovely riding coat from lanvin fall 2006 (below)?

aesthetic endurance is actually useful in any clime, and in winter the most glamourous guardian is layering in a way that is both warming and cool!

subtle but serviceable layering is a hard art to master, whether for fashion, warmth, comfort, or decor. when it's unavoidable, but feels unnatural, opt to combine comparable tonalities of agreeable hues, such as grayish blues, greens, and blacks, or stick with one color in a collusion of textures.

garnish the palette with yellow, gold or white to break the continuity and create faint friction.

speaking of savvy survivor style, one of the most vitally important secrets i've gleaned living and working in this city regards how to rock a mini when it's absolutely arctic out - wear

many pairs of tights at once (bonus points if they're wool!).

not only is this trick crucial to my stubbornly sporting fluttery frocks the whole year-round, it is also the only way to achieve a truly opaque leg color.