Category Archives: WEAR

Under the Sea

Looking at the ensembles coming down some runways this spring, one could easily think that the designers descended twenty-thousand leagues under the sea for inspiration. Couturiers like Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Olivier Theyskens (Theyskens’ Theory), and Riccardo Tisci (Givenchy), to name a few, mesmerized with outfits that seemed to emanate from a world of fish, shells, scales, coral and black pearls. Their muse must have been an iridescent mermaid or Aphrodite , the Greek goddess of love and beauty, born from sea-foam. Sequins, a sparkling legacy of the 80s, were therefore a popular presence.

I usually shy away from daytime sparkle, but not always. Whenever I make this exception though, I prefer to wear a simple tee emblazoned with a few sparkling details, while playing down the rest of the outfit with muted colors . Simplicity would apply to the accessories as well in this case, as I am trying to avoid looking like my grandmother’s chandelier. The alternative could be to begin with a classic, conservative outfit and to add some shine to it with a clutch or a pair of  glittery shoes, never both.

For an evening out with the girls however, all bets are off and a shimmery top-skirt combination, such as the one below, has the potential to add an extra dose of panache, as long as everything else, from makeup to accessories, is bordering austerity.

1. TopShop – Mermaid Sequin T-Shirt
2. Urban Outfitters – Ecote Pebbled Envelope Clutch
4. Yoox – Lebor Gabala Skirt

Until next time,

Bodhi

Solar Touch

Even though Pantone selected tangerine orange as the color of the year, yellow remained a designer favorite for this upcoming summer.

Due to its natural luminosity and my preference for muted shades, yellow has typically played a secondary role in my wardrobe. I used it sparingly, mostly as an accent color in a belt or a scarf, and when feeling bolder, in a skirt. Come this spring though, my relation with this hue experienced a full-blown transformation and I now reach for it almost every other day.

My usual approach to wearing yellow is to not overdo it, to use it in a piece of clothing that I really love to wear (a skirt or a dress) and to soften it somewhat with white or neutral colors, like Emma Hill did for the Mulberry spring 2012 ready-to-wear collection. However, for this summer I am planning to get out of my box a little and go for a spicy vintage look by pairing yellow with a dash of purple.

1. Anthropologie – Soja Crossback Blouse 
3. Yoox – Diesel Bag

Until next time,

Bodhi.

Candy Girl

Looking at the Spring/Summer 2012 collections it is quite evident that this season is marked by a return to a romantic and delicate form of femininity and that pastel shades are playing an important role in the revival.

This spring’s trendy hues are delicious like gelato and soft like macarons: baby blue, vanilla yellow, mint green, cotton candy pink, sorbet orange and lilac. The materials are vaporous, almost transparent, with touches of lace that emphasize the softness of the pastel outfit. The shapes are fluid and smooth, suggestive of an educated elegance.

Pastels can be worn as monochromatic looks or in combinations of two, maximum three shades – vanilla yellow with baby blue, light pink with mint green are the first two that come to mind. While I love the mix that Phillip Lim presented this season, I am on the edge about the number of pale tones that can be blended at one time without looking like a box of cupcakes. The touch of black or dark blue in the clutch helps break down the outfit though, removing some of the saccharine feel and creating what could become a classic look.

1. French Connection – Pelo Drape Jacket
2. JCrew – Silk Cami
3. Anthropologie – Ridged Cream Crops
5. Badgley Mischka – Wanda Open Shank Pumps

Until next time,

Bodhi.