Balmain Collection- Fall 2011

I have to admit that out of all the collections out of all the fall/winter 2011 season,  the Balmain collection was definitely one that took my breath away. I absolutely loved the simplicity and elegance of the clothes because they were wearable but still edgy and chique which propelled me to keep my eyes fixed on my computer screen as I was watching the collection come down the runway on the video I saw on style.com. I was fascinated by the overall theme of the collection  which really came off as this grunge kind of glamorous, rock and roll aspect as if we were to go back in time and look at fashion worn by artists like Michael Jackson.  I loved how versatile this collection was and it still had parts of the spring/summer 2010 collection as well as the fall/winter 2010 collection such as the motorcycle leather jackets and leather leggings  as well as the army style long lace up black high heeled boots. Balmain actually played it up this time by adding over the top extravagant sequined blazers with high shoulders, glittery jump suits, white skinnies, metallic pant suits, chique sequined dresses, statement metallic jackets, white capri trousers, buttoned up casual blouses, interesting tank tops with one side cut from the side as well as white army style high heeled shoes which were definitely my favorite! The white high heeled lace up boots with the white skinnies were my favorite looks in the collection just because they were unique but still very trendy and a real change simply because they stood out. I loved how gorgeous this collection was with all the metalic colours, fur and sequined statement pieces which happened to really sum up the entire collection and it still showcased the amount of sophistication yet pure elegance. The colors used were consistent throughout the entire collection and It really fascinated me as to how they were all part of the same collection but each ensemble stood out differently and was very unique in its own way. Each of the ensembles complimented each other very well. The entire collection seemed very wearable even though it was very glamorous and edgy even with the amount of detail involved in each of the pieces of clothing. I am definitely drawn to this collection and have taken inspiration from it immensely. 

White is the new black

That's right, white is definately the new black for this spring and summer. As mentionned by Fashion Telivisions own Jeanne Beker as well as portrayed in numerous of different designers collections such as Alexander Wang, Thakoon, Cynthia Steffe, Dolce&Gabbana, Michael Kors and many more the white trend was clearly evident. What fascinated me the most is how versatile and easy it is to wear white and I was very curious as to why some of these designers didn't simply just go over the top with patterns and prints but instead they just stuck to the whites and this ended up becoming really a big focus in their entire collection. Even though these one of a kind designers might have gone straight to minamilist styles and colours as a basis for their collection there was also a large group of designers that avoided neutral colours and explored the essence of pattern and prints which was a framework to their new collection. I love how Alexander Wang, Michael Kors and even Dolce &Gabbana explored with white because they really took it to a whole new level my mixing and matching different pieces of clothing such as the vintage maxi skirts with white blazers or even white linen trousers and even though these outfits were all white they were still wearable, sophisticaed and elegant and anyone could do that. This inspiration is so simple to acheive in that people can throw on a complete white enemble from head to toe and they will still be on trend for this spring/summer 2011. My idea?, just replace all the black clothing that you might be constantly wearing out all the time with white clothing that way you will be able to acheive a polished more refined look while still keeping on trend. 

La Roux's Elly Jackson- Style Icon

One of my favorite artists by far is Elly Jackson from La Roux. Her techno kind of electric pop music is what always gets me u beat and I am in love with her unique, one of a kind voice. I love listening to her and my favorites from her last album is Going In For The Kill, Quick Sand, Bulletproof and Im Not Your Toy. Her voice is what propels me into constantly listening to all her songs. Each song has a different meaning behind it and her high pitched voice is what inspires me. Along with her phenomenal voice is her amazing style which also inspires me. Her red haired mo hock is what is so iconic and it drew me in as soon as I saw the cover of her first album. She's not afraid to take risks at all and her hair is what shows  off her personality and quirky style. What fascinates me is her ability to sing and have songs that are top hits while still maintaining her style and the way she presents her self both in person when performing live as well as music videos. She is known for her bold, statement jackets such as  her one of a kind blazers with small details and sequences as well as leather motorcycle style jackets. At times she also has a vintage style feel to her because of the vintage style long necklace and it always happens to compliment whatever outfit she is wearing. I recently happened to find an interview she's in on style.com and she explained to the interviewer that if one was to have a hairstyle just like hers they would have to incoperate their style with what their wearing so that it could complement the hair. She explained that "you can't just have this particular hair style I have if your not going to wear anything that complements it" meaning that you can't just assume that your compensating the hair style you have in terms of what you are wearing but you have to work around it and find amazing statement pieces that will complement that amazing hair style that you have, you can't just not have any sense of style at all. I loved the way she explained that and this will definitely be a motto I will live by as I am in the process of developing my own personal style. 

StockholmStreetStyle

Last week I decided to gaze the internet looking for more street style inspiration and I happened to come across this one website called: http://carolinesmode.com/stockholmstreetstyle/. It was interesting as well as inspirational to analyze photo after photo of different pictures taken of just random people off the street's and their overall style. The way they mixed and match different items of clothing to create one single, unique ensemble that not only shows how stylish they are but as well as their personality. The website happened to say that all the photos that were taken were in places and cities around Europe and it was really fascinating to see how people such as the one's shown in the pictures as well as some well known fashion icons and models, take trends that are shown on the runway and then explore with them. They go that extra step further by adding a pop of color or they even layer it up with different items of clothing. I love exploring street style and going through pictures of normal people and what they would typically wear on an everyday basis and how they would pair up a particular statement piece of clothing because it's just so inspirational to me. One can take for example a motorcycle leather jacket which is shown a lot on the runways and pair it up with an oxford sweater and button up shirt underneath and another person could just pair it this same style jacket with a chunky knit circle scarf, a plaid shirt and army style boots. The possibilities are endless when exploring with a way to wear a particular trend and I think the best way to actually see all these possibilities are on the streets in which you live or even places such as school or work. I spent almost every hour last week going through each photo in this website and it brought about a lot of inspiration to me as well choosing different ways to wear some of my clothes and what to pair them up with. Street style around me has really influenced my own individual style and the way I dress.

Fashion Goddess- Olivia Palermo

Although we all know Olivia Palermo as a backstabbing bitch on MTV's reality hit show The City she has  unbeatable style and is practically on every fashion magazine now a days because she's the one to always get it right. What I admire about her style is how she is able to stick with the trends of the season but build upon that and her own flare to what she wears and how she pairs up every item of clothing she has on. She always stands out with her vintage style pleated skirts, over the top tailored jackets and blazers, knit sweaters, oxford shoes and Hermes tote bags in every color you could possibly imagine and I think this is why the public is so drawn to her style and her ability to mix and match ensembles that look amazing.  Recently I heard that she was the new spokes girl for Mango which is a world renown store found in places such as America, Canada and even Europe. They consist of items of clothing that are always one of a kind pieces. Olivia's outfits are so versatile yet very wearable and I especially love how she is able to play it up at night at red carpet premieres by wearing structured, form fitting dresses while still balancing her street style with everyday outfits that are so trendy and tailored. She has inspirational style.