An Ode to Caring - Spring 2015

Apathy is dead. For the first time a long time, fashion makes its cool to care. To look like you tried too hard. To be match-matchy and buttoned up and tailored.

Lady-like separates have infiltrated an environment of deconstructed street-ware (i.e. shirts with holes in them -- *cough cough* Balmain).

Sure the Balenciagas and Acnes of the world are sticking to the post 2010 standbys - plummeting v-necks, mesh detailing, cutouts- but we're starting to see something different. The guarded Alexander Wang warrior is opting of a knee length skirt and a leather tote!

Perhaps our understanding of what makes a woman both feminine and cutting edge is not merely the amount of skin she shows and the number of asymmetrical hems (*ahem* Helmut Lang) she wears. Is it merely a look to Dior's 1950's "New Look"? Our ridiculously long-going obsession with "Mad Men"?

Or are women finally done looking like space cadets?

Let's enter spring with new zaftig silhouettes (sorry girls but lets retire all that constricting bodycon business) and wear clothes that make us feel like Jackie O not Karen O.

Stoic just isn't a cute look anymore. So go ahead. Care.

Miu Miu - SS15
a pastel pink version of looking like an adult.
(style.com) 

    

Louis Vuitton - SS15
innovative materials rein
 ~that are NOT mesh for once~
(style.com)

Maryam Nassir Zadeh - SS15
leather & cashmere = structure and softness
(style.com)

D.i. Y. : HI-LO Skirt

Hi;lo or unfortunately named "mullet" skirts have become ubiquitous for spring. They're airy, expected and fun and I completely understand the obsession. We've seen them at McQueen, Lanvin and more recently Michael Kors and Jason Wu.

Michael Kors PreFall 2012

Jason Wu Spring 2012

Now of course you can find a trendy hi-lo skirt just about anywhere.

Free People

Urban Outfitters

 With no real source of income and lots of gauzy fabric laying around ive made one myself!

1. Measure a length of elastic to form a waistband. Sew to form loop.
2. Measure enough fabric to reach the floor from your waist.
3. Create a gathered casing for the band of elastic.
4. Sew the ends of the piece of fabric together to form a long tube of fabric.
5. Lay the skirt flat and cut along the bottom to create the hi-lo hem.
6. Hem only 3/8" from the fabric edge. 

C"EST FINI!

Sweater - Missoni

Hi-lo - D.i.Y.

Tights - WAYNE

Socks - J.Crew

Boots - Ralph Lauren Collection

   xx olivia

D.i.Y. CUT ΔUTZ

Spring 2012 plays with cut outs and sheerness in a whole new way. After a fall season of maxis, midis and everything in between, spring once again brings back young, fresh and modern.

Cutout highlights range from the geometric,

Prabal Gurung

to the organic.

Stella McCartney

Givenchy

Some how all of this chiffon-layering, body-con coolness has trickled down into the real world like this:

Asos

Need Supply Co.

Cute. And totally wearable. But mehhhh hardly givenchy. I really wanted to try and capture some of the layering i saw on the runway. Here's my attempt...

1. I bought a faux suede button down at a thrift store for a few $$.
2. I cut off the sleeves and finished the arm holes.
3. I cropped the front of the shirt to my waist.
4. I cut a big ol' Δ on the back and sewed some chiffon i had laying around over it.

C'EST FINI!

 

Top: D.i.Y.

Skirt : thrifted

 Boots: thrifted

Necklace: H & M

Tights: WAYNE

 

                           

wow. its hard to take myself seriously when im shooting pictures in my backyard :)

Many thanks to my photographer/ consultant/ second closet maddy kunkle!

xx olivia

D.i. Y. Bubble Skirt

Spring 2012 is an interesting mix of the uber- fem, Mad Men-esque sportswear (see Louis Vuitton) and the graphic, sleek and sporty (see Alexander Wang).

Louis Vuitton

 

Alexander Wang

Now to combine both??? Here's my attempt.

1. I started with a simple pleated skirt pattern that i found at a yard sale. I know its nothing new; bear with me. 

                                          
     2. I made the knee-length, pleated skirt in a stiff, grey taffeta to give it some volume.

     3. I added  a contrasting neon canvas waist band.

     4. I shortened the skirt and finished with a bubble hem.

C'EST FINI!

Now for styling.

I wanted to incorporate...

1 ...Balenciaga's sharp tailoring and exaggerated proportions.

Spring RTW 2012

2 ...Alexander Wang's athletic vibe.

Spring RTW 2012

 

3 ... Rag and Bone's innovate mix of neons and neutrals.

Spring RTW 2012

Here's what I came up with.

Jacket- Anthropologie

Skirt- D.i.Y.

Neckalce- H & M

Bracelet- Chan Luu

Tights- WAYNE

Shoes- Marni

      

Color- blocked french mani to match.

Mismatched neon ankle socks? I think yes.

And of course no look is complete without a sort of terrifying bold eyebrow. I was inspired by Prada, but I ended up looking a little like an anime character...oh well.

Spring RTW 2011

xx OLIVIA

D.i.Y. Waxxxxed Demin

i realized i never wear jeans because they're well...boring. who has time for skinny jeans when there's printed harem pants to be worn???

but recently incredible denim has popped up all over the place.

Proenza Schouler for J Brand

Mother Printed Denim

 i'm obsessed with Mother's printed denim. the landscapes remind me of  Mary Katrantzou's prints but in a totally wearable skinny jean.


in my search for interesting denim i can across this slightly tamer coated J Brand number.

i was seriously thinking about shelling out $185 to just to feel sleek and shiny when, lo and behold i found an incredible D.I.Y. tutorial. i followed the steps over at Taylor and Demolish and was able to get great results!

Materials
old pair of black jeans (mine are 4 years old from urban outfitters)
black acrylic paint
soft gel gloss (i got both of these at an art supply store)
foam brush
painters tape

 

1. iron the jeans and tape 5 or 6 inches under the back pockets on the front and back of the pants.
2. make a 1:1 mixture of acrylic paint and soft gel gloss.
3. paint the front of the pants in a uniform thickness (up and down brush strokes)
4. wait 45 minutes and flip and repeat.
5. let dry completely.

 

C'EST FINI!

jacket- thrift

mesh top- alexander wang

boots- aldo

beanie- anthropologie

i loved the idea of a defined brow to punch up a look that could be one-note (black ensemble and a bright jacket). 

completely inspired by the brows at michael kors fall 2011 show...

from make up for life

...and lisbeth's in the girl with the dragon tattoo.

from muslin and canvas

xx olivia

D.i.Y. Marni Shift Dress

rtw fall is a refreshingly old fashioned.

there's this ladylike femininity: more modest hemlines, 40's dresses, decorative collars, jewel tone hues, smatterings of lace.

yigal arouel

louis vuitton

jill stuart

prabal gurung

i can totally picture the type of woman who inspired these looks: the film noir femme fatale, lit cigarette and all

a la 40's siren marlene dietrich

i also love the mod geometric prints that are en vogue. here marni creates a classic retro shift complete with matching day bag and FAB embellished gloves.

the closest i could find was a print like this:

i like it. reminds me of lava. so to make the shift dress:

1. trace a top for the bodice ( i picked an athletic one i like the high neckline)

      2. add 1-2 feet to the bottom of the top depending how long you want your dress to be.
      3. sew side seams, shoulder seams. finish the neck, arm holes and bottom hem.
                                                   C'EST FINI!

one of my easier projects in recent months.
                              
                            xxolivia