lusting on: the pink coat

birds do it, bees do it, even the über-cool céline girls do it this season. whether it's all girly and syrupy-sweet as in simone rocha, androgynous as in mulberry, or lavish in fur-lined silk just like louis vuitton's, the pale pink coat, in any shape, size or form, has rightfully acquired the title piece of the season.

without getting stuck in gender clichés, a pink coat can go so many ways that always have the right amount of shock effect.

Céline, Simone Rocha, Carven, Mulberry, Carven

Honor, Topshop Unique, Louis Vuitton, Blumarine, Jonathan Saunders

while pulling of the pink coat myself, I'll have funny face (1957), starring fred astaire and audrey hepburn and one of my favorite classic films, in my mind. the movie's lovely "think pink" theme (check out the link if you haven't seen it), and audrey hepburn's unforgettable tomboy look in it is a perfect way to keep the look going from a direction that's a tad too cutesy and costume-y.

I'll add a pair of boyish loafers, cropped pants and a crisp button-down, and hopefully I'm sorted for the upcoming season!

 

intimidated? check out my pink coat mood board on pinterest.

favorite shows from FW 2013 - part 2

continuing what I started in part 1 earlier this week, here are another three of my favorite collections from the fall-winter 2013 season. this one tends to be a very nostalgic and feminine chapter.

valentino

it's all about the face in this vermeer-inspired collection. opening with various reinterpretations of ysl's iconic school girl dress (seen here on catherine deneuve in belle de jour), it's only natural that artfully face-framing collars of all sorts play the leading role. saturated hues of black, ruby and sapphire and a delicate ivory dominated the color palette of the collection, while deliciously creamy fabrics, impeccable lace and ever-so-elegant embroidery tend to steal the spotlight back and forth from each other. overall a beautiful journey through old and new, traditional and the contemporary. maria grazia chiuri and pierpaolo piccioli are certainly establishing themselves as a very foolproof designer duo.

 rochas

put a belt on it! in his penultimate collection for rochas, designer marco zanini takes us to a journey through the 1950's. rich in both texture (knit, velvet, mink, silk and wool) and in character: sometimes it's a hitchcock blonde, sometimes it's audrey hepburn in funny face climbing up the famous steps of montmartre, and sometimes just a boarding school girl in her pajamas absconding for the night. sombre colors like taupe, camel, prune, cream, khaki and mahogany add an explicitly nostalgic spirit into the collection, but punches of apricot, acid yellow, sky blue and baby pink cheer it all up. my favorites happen to be those mouth-watering silk pajama suits, skirts- both pencil and full, and that perfect little black dress. I'm planning to form my entire winter wardrobe around this collection.

christian dior

raf simons uses impressively simplistic 1950's (which happens to be the fashion house's heydays) silhouettes as a canvas for the collection where he plays with the patterns and illustrations freely. what grabs the attention the most is what simons calls memory dresses, where the black or white garnment is used as a mere sketchbook to demonstrate embroidered recreations of andy warhol's early drawings. I reckon these will quickly become collectors' pieces. however, the star of the collection for me is pied-de-poule, or the alice in wonderland treatment simons gives to the classic pattern: cuts it open, dichotomizes it, bends it up, magnifies and miniaturizes it.

I'll have to admit one thing here- when raf simons presented his first collection as the new creative director of dior, I wasn't as crazy enthusiastic as everyone else. sure I was happy that dior finally got rid of john galliano's VA-VA-VA-VA-WHOOOSH-EIGHT-DAYS-A-WEEK. plus, the pieces were honestly pretty revolutionary and quite impeccable by themselves, but (and a big 'but' indeed- pun not intended) well, not always that much so on women (such as here). there were times I thought simons didn't get the female body well enough, for which I blamed his roots in furniture design. but this collection made me get rid of all doubts. there's usually usually a tradeoff between freshness and brand heritage when a new designer acquires the position at a namesake brand, but raf simons captures that specific dior sensitivity galliano never did, while being progressive as mr. dior himself once was, rather than being fully stuck with the brand's past. I'm not sure whether that means anything, but he should know that he has my full blessing.

favorite shows from FW 2013 - part 1

now that we've all more or less been exposed to the full-on autumn chill, it's time to remember our favorites from the fall-winter 2013 collections. since I've simply got too many shows I want to talk about, I'm planning to do this in three parts to facilitate the reading process. enjoy & feel free to rave about your favorites in the comments section!

louis vuitton

marc jacobs presented this charming collection of what I call post-coital retro at right where it belongs: "hotel louis vuitton", which was constructed inside louvre museum specifically for the show. paying ode to a beautifully stripped-down liz taylor in butterfield 8; robes, pj pants, satin camis, embellished tulle nightgowns, and lace-edged slip dresses reinterpreted with houndstoot tweed (which were my favorite of the collection), all told the unmistakably particular story of a walk of shame- a very chic one indeed. and I'm pretty glad that the louis vuitton woman has to endure this- you know, some lingerie just has to be seen (although in some looks she had a few really nice coats on to cover up her boudoir chic, but even at those cases she couldn't help but allow us a glimpse into her slip). the dusty color palette consisting of lavender, navy, cream, taupe, moss and touches of flirtatious black seemed secretive rather than demure.

dries van noten

sturdy, shiny oxfords, suits pants, classic blazers and coats, crisp button-down shirts are decorated with feathers, flapper fringes, embellishments, tulle- all that glitters.inspired by the legendary dance partners ginger rogers and fred astaire from the 1930s, the collection is constantly strolling around the absolute edges of both femininity and masculinity, all in once. one thing that stays put during these back-and-forth trips is the vintage-mindedness. strangely, this doesn't feel at all like a case of victor/victoria. this feels very, very right. PS mr. van noten, we've been getting along really, really well lately, aren't we? your spring-summer 2013 was probably my favorite collection in years, just quietly, until this one came along. and, fyi, I'm on the verge of calling you my absolute favorite fashion designer.

alberta ferretti

oh helllloooo downton abbey, perhaps with a touch of the age of innocence. as we watch a young girl mature into a woman through this beautiful collection, the velvet is soft and the embroideries are delicate. serenity of fully saturated colors and uber-luxurious details also seem to accompany her in this sensitive period of passage and help her to figure it out. ferretti certainly knows a thing or two about this whole femininity thing. I also love the idea of adding a touch of the uber-chic late-fifties-to-early-sixties figure to a very fin de siècle spirit.


congrats, you've somehow managed to reach the end of part 1- can't wait to talk about dior, rochas & valentino awesomeness in the next episode of fall collections ravemania with deniz.

get the look: queen elizabeth II

her majesty elizabeth the second, by the grace of god, of the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, and of her other realms and territories, queen, head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith, and my absolute favorite royal of all times, has been in this world for exactly 87 years (and two days- I'm always late). it was quite an eventful year for the queen: she hosted the olympics, became a bond girl, celebrated her 60th year on throne, had her diamond jubilee sort of overshadowed by kate, won a bafta, had her husband hospitalized, was hospitalized herself, and outlived margaret thatcher, all while running her usual errands, and being polished as always.

ma'am loves her dress coats, silky shift dresses and lots of tweed (all in the same color), paired with her adorably outdated, demure mid-heels, a pair of white gloves, and an extremely classic black tote. as for the jewelry department, she's rarely seen without a brooch pinned to her coat, and always three strings of pearls on her neck. she is not one to shy away from color- in fact that's where she's really unpredictable. you never can tell, really: she might be all cutesy in lavender, yellow and cotton candy, or visiting wilder territories such as fierce tones of red, purple and emerald. a slick of brigh-ish lipstick completes the look (a habit shared by many women of her generation, even if they don't use any other item of makeup). I can't claim to know what exactly her majesty smells like- although it's probably not like you, me, or the typical granny. she's known to purchase lavender products from yardley, so I'll  play it safe and go with yardley's english lavender edt (which holds a royal warrant and apparently both her mother and queen mary used).

while getting ready for another 60 years with elizabeth as the queen of england, I brought together her style hits from this year:

baby's in black at margaret thatcher's funeral- not a color we are used to see on her, so it comes as such a game changer in a weird way:

I love this rather daring wrap dress that she wore for the royal variety performance, and all the silver-y accents that come with it (including the hair! the hair!):

shades of pink make her such an english rose, it's amazing. but this ensemble must be the best of them all:

 and of course, how can one forget her bond girl frock, complete with a feather-y fascinator:

that's a good look: wispy birkin bangs

low in commitment, high in impact: sparse, wispy bangs à la jane birkin are surprisingly easy to pull off, style and maintain compared to a thick, blunt fringe; and much less painful to get rid of when you get bored of them- if you ever do, which I wouldn't really expect. I recently swapped my blunt deschanel bangs with a lighter-than-air birkin, and it's been a dream in the styling department. plus I get to feel like jane, i.e. my favorite converted parisian once in a while, although no way I would personally leave london for paris.

my style map

style is certainly not a solid concept, it grows with you. but I believe it helps to define your style, so that you know what you're doing and don't go astray and become a fashion victim. with this idea in mind, I put together what I call a style map, accompanied by a couple style notes. want to be featured on analytic approach to style with your own style map? scroll down!

• as much as I love shopping and thinking/reading/writing on style and fashion, I hate does-this-go-with-thating and spending long time actually dressing. I must be able to just grab a couple items and wear them without ending up looking ridiculous, so I like easy-to-put-together items that all go with each other, which enables me to mix and match. 
• I'm a shorts and pants girl, except a couple skirts and dresses that I own but literally never wear. I tent to stick with an "audrey" silhouette: high waist, slim (mostly ankle-lenght- I know it's supposed to be unflattering, but I don't think so) pants or shorts; simple, relaxed tops and flats- both because I feel like it works the best with my slender pear shape and it's a timelessly and universally nice look. 
• though quite simplistic, my syle is not at all futuristic and tends to have a vintage feeling to it. I always pair basics with cult items from the past for a fresh eclectic finish.
• my color palette constitutes of navy, cream, nudes, raspberry, red, khaki and green. as much as I adore color, I'm not the one who can mix & match brights. I usually don't use more than one pop item per outfit. powder pinks and pale nudes complement (and don't overpower like darker/brighter colors do) my skintone the best, so I usually form my outfits around basic nude tops, and then add something more exciting, whether it's a bright tomato red lipstick, my raspberry messenger bag, or a pair of colored jeans- I like occasional usage of leopard print too; such as a bag or shoes.  
• striped tops are an essential in my wardrobe; I'm renowned as "the girl in stripes". I have a very slender upper body, along with a more normal-sized bottom; so it balances out my body, that might be a possible explanation on why I developed this obsession in the first place. 
• I have neither the occasion nor the motivation to wear heels; it's almost always simple ballet flats and loafers for me. after I moved to france, I discovered bensimon sneakers, which have been called "french girls' converse", and I'm progressively working on my bensimon collection now.

to be a featured guest blogger on analytic approach to style, put together a style map yourself (I used polyvore for convenience, but feel free to use another website or software. also, you can take a look at whowhatwear for inspiration) and send it along to me with some words, or alternatively, send along a brief description and some other material on your style; like a couple key items (again, polyvore is always a good source), inspirational photos (or your own photos if you want) and personal style icons to analyticapproachtostyle@gmail.com and I will make one for you.

 looking forward to hear back from you. yes, you, stylish creature.

we will always have cannes.

 there's something incredibly magical about the idea of a lovely holiday town full for a week with movie stars, directors and producers, I think that's at least one of the reasons why we are so obsessed with cannes film festival. I've always been interested in the off-time looks in cannes than the red-carpet. easy, breezy, summery but still incredibly glam. so here you go, a few old star photos I selected that reflect the spirit of cannes. oh, sweet nostalgia.

Brigitte Bardot

Jane Birkin

Catherine Deneuve

Grace Kelly

Sofia Loren

                                 

1. a must for endless press conferences and dinners. beige sheath dress, tara jarmon, 190 EUR
 2. loafers are ideal for your off-time in cannes; to take a walk on the shore, or do some boating. tod's "heaven" loafer, $365

3. add some riviera-style bling-bling with coral-inspired accesories. kenneth jay lane 22 karat gold coral-inspired cuff, $215

4. swim like a star with this retro french-inspired one piece. topshop black scallop-stripe one piece swimsuit, $60

5. give a break from your regular lipstick by switching to a dash of sheer, shiny tomato red: not a single bit less glam. rouge coco shine "rebelle" sheer lipstick, $29

6. to protect from the sea breeze in the evening, wrap yourself up a bit. kain alva linen-blend cardigan, $285

7. sun is your enemy, and there will be plenty of it, so don't forget to pack a strong shield. clarins sunscreen for face wrinkle control cream spf 50, $30

8. star treatment to your feet.

9. miss dior chérie is summery and relaxed with tangerine and jasmin undernotes, while wild strawberry and caramel popcorn notes make it a star-worthy, remarkable scent. christian dior miss dior chérie eau de parfum, 30 ml, $71

10. not without your powder; especially when there are so much paparazzi around. dolce & gabbana perfect finish powder foundation in bisque, 39 EUR

11. to recreate that star glow, look no further. nars "orgasm" illuminator, $29

a nail story: no more waity, katie.

 in the haze of this lovely marketing madness the royal wedding has caused, butter london has created the shade "no more waity, katie" (psst, after kate's eight-year-long wait for walking down the aisle), described as "a soft griege littered with lilac glitter". sounds good to me, in every sense. oops: the shade is not available in the UK.

unfortunately, maybe because she lives in the UK so she just couldn't get her hands on a bottle of it, kate didn't opt for this lovely piece of liquid humour on her nails for the big day, but instead kept them prim & proper in a mix of bourjois so laque! nailpolish in rose lounge and essie nailpolish in allure. for a similar look, pros suggest sweet heart by OPI. I suggest any muted pale pink priced under approx. a dollar per bottle.

photos: a la parisienne, the budget babe, 10 dakika gecikiyorum

of tulle, lilly of the walley and DIY makeup: the royal wedding

pardon the unnecessarily cordial tone I will use when talking about the british royal family. being an old, old fan (seriously, let's hope my irish friends won't read this, fingers crossed); I've simply been around for too long not to do so. finally, we got wills married!

This couple was simply too sweet to pass by.

although I find them personally a bit boring at times, I was waiting for the wedding of prince william and kate middleton with an enthusiasm that perhaps matched to theirs in degree, for the big day I probably rose almost as early as they did, and by now I'm sure the house of windsor is more over the whole wedding fever than I am. so, dare I say, here you have my verdict: it was so much like being at a friend's wedding, I loved it- to the extent that at a first glance I felt like the event kind of lacked the necessary dose of va-va-voom for a major royal wedding, but now looking back I appreciate the understated elegance of every single detail and how they managed to make it a bit wills & kate rather than just royal- you know, little things: the convertible aston martin with the "JU5T WED" plate they left buckingham palace with, that kate chose to do her own makeup (although I see a tad too much mascara perhaps?), disco balls in buckingham palace- I'm completely sold.

I didn't feel like it's the best wedding dress I've ever seen, but it still pleased me thoroughly and has been growing on me. going mcqueen for the wedding was possibly the best choice kate could make, both as a tribute to the late designer and his contribution to the british fashion scene (basically defining and re-shaping the brit look, I'd say). the gown definitely has the royal finery to it, but in the most sublime and delicate way, rather than overstating the obvious fact. it tells so much about future the path newlyweds are planning to take and I love it. see how quickly lilly of the valley in bridal boquets and that grace kelly-inspired lace bodice become the next big things. and oh, that dreamy, crystal-like veil! by the way, princess kate, you got yourself a new fan here.

everybody looked so radiant and happy, including the queen. and are those three spencer blondes down there simply too beautiful to be real or is that some kind of cheerleader effect?

girls, calm down. william is going bald. william is not the big deal he was five, six years ago. plus you can still marry prince harry.

bonjour paris, although we hate each other.

I moved to paris a week ago, for about six months.

now this would probably explain my long absence from the blogging world. unlike everybody else on the planet, I didn't purely love paris initially- the transition was a tough one for me. for one thing; paris housing market is exhaustingly competitive. for another; just standing there looking puzzled with a map on your hand  isn't enough to make people don't come up to you and show you the way, (and it has pretty much everywhere else I've been), nor is directly asking them to. and other things. anyways, it got slightly better upon discovering that I pick up tartes aux framboises each day for breakfast from the bakery on my street, and buy an almost-mint condition vintage longchamp bag for 10 €.

now I gotta tell you all about the parisiénnes, those lovely careless creatures strolling around with their chunky scarves wrapped around. everybody's so well dressed I can swear it's a dream (a bad one, because I feel inadequate), it's as if being well dressed obligatory- and I'm happy to oblige. amazing (and actually wearable) vintage deals, I've been abusing the stock lately. great breton shirts are everywhere, I'm saving up for a "real deal" at the moment. well, I'm saving up for a lot of things. improving my french. craving over a pair of repetto flats. walking around. adapting. hating and loving. I'll tell you all about it.

by the way; I live ten minutes away from galeries lafayette. sounded like a perfect idea initially, though now I don't know if that's good or bad: I got out strictly for the post office today and then found myself at lafayette, trying on a cashmere sweater, swatching multiple shades of rouge coco and staring at a particular chloé purse- for two hours. oh french, do they know how to make pretty things.