By the time autumn rolls around, you just might be burnt out on all of summer’s floor-sweeping skirts and dresses. Cue Jenna Lyons and her autumn/winter ‘11 collection for J.Crew, which is filled with covetable trousers in just about every possible color, print and silhouette you could want. And will make you go “maxi who?” Here are some of my favorites.
“Are you wearing socks with those platform sandals? Don’t you know there’s snow on the ground?” a friend asked me last month during my time in frigid New York, looking at my feet in disapproval. By that point, I had been wearing my summer shoes with tights and socks for most of the winter and forgot that it might appear ridiculous to other people. In London the socks and sandals combo is standard, simply because the weather doesn’t really get warm enough to go bare toed for longer than a week or two. But it’s also become A Look as well. Something you’d do, even if the temperatures weren’t glacial, as a fun and off-beat change to chunky boots. Witness the number of editors who were rocking high heeled sandals with colorful Wolfords and open-toed wedges with fuzzy Falkes during the shows. I especially like what Preetma and Leaf have got going on in the photos above. Guerre snapped them in New York, where it’s still very cold. But a disclaimer: this idea only works with heels and wedges. Fuzzy socks and flat, strappy sandals are still not a good look.
Fashion’s pendulum may have swung towards slim envelope bags and satchels, but you’ll always need a good-sized carryall — for those days when you want to pack your lipstick and your wallet, your iPad and a pair of ballet slipper flats, your cell phone and a digital camera, or maybe all of the above. For the past few years, Sang A has emerged as a master at creating handbags that are multi-functional and luxurious, yet not back-breakingly heavy. Now, she’s spreading the joy to the UK. Harvey Nichols just began selling her bags this week.
After the past few seasons of quiet and discreet handbags and shoes, accessories seem to be transitioning to a much louder, look-at-me place. The lady-like silhouettes are still there. But the colors are wild, reckless and brassy. No complaints from me. Who doesn’t love a shot of fluorescent yellow on the feet or a streak of Day-Glo pink across the body? It’s a fun and easy way to put some excitement back into that winter coat that you got bored with sometime around mid-February, but can’t relegate to the back of your closet just yet because the cold weather won’t go away.
(clockwise from top left) Tom Binns necklace, Underground ponyskin ankle booties, Kotur clutch, Thierry Lasry sunglasses, Illamasqua nail varnish, Charlotte Olympia platforms, Miu Miu satchel, Marni flats and ASOS iPad case/clutch.
This throwback opened the Chloé show and I’ve been listening to it off and on ever since. It’s perfect transitional weather music. Blast it in your house with the windows open on that first really warm and sunny day. I still can’t listen to this song without thinking of Jay-Z and Mary J’s remake for “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” but admit that the original is pretty perfect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIDd9PPyjBA
Yasmin Le Bon
Michelle Bobb
-Becky Sweeney
This chic and simple satchel, by Lizzy Disney, is what I had been searching for but didn’t realize it until I found it. The bag is lightweight and fairly small, but not so much so that I can’t fit in my essentials (phone, wallet, lip gloss, compact, and an iPad or moleskin depending on my mood.) It got me through the month of shows. London readers, you can purchase one at the Darkroom (they’re sold in the brick and mortar store, though, not the site.)
I was just talking to a fashion publicist friend about this very thing during a breakfast meeting this morning. So I had an “I’m glad it’s not just me” moment when I saw The Business of Fashion’s very true comments on the fashion week street style paparazzi circus that’s been making the blog rounds today. Here’s an excerpt:
But the rapid rise of street photography also has a darker side. The ‘bloggers walk’ in the Jardin des Tuileries, site of many major Paris shows, is now completely out of control. Indeed, it’s become increasingly difficult to tell the difference between the aggressive paparazzi who stalk Hollywood celebrities outside bars and clubs and a few of the bad apples amongst the hordes of photographers that accost editors as they come in and out of shows. [BOF]
I agree that the sea of street style paparazzi has become overwhelming. It’s extremely meta — well-dressed photographers taking pictures of other photographers who are taking pictures of other well-dressed people — and funny to watch (but admittedly overwhelming to walk through). I’d say that getting dressed for the shows has totally become an extreme sport because of it, with some editors planning out their outfits months in advance. I also think it’s funny that BoF calls the Tuileries the “Bloggers walk.” My friends and I had been referring to it as Street Style Photographer’s Lane.
Anyhow, the reason why the posse outside of the catwalks are looking more and more like paparazzi is because many of them are. Mixed in with the photobloggers we all read and love, are men who are literally used to throwing elbows at other photogs for a decent shot of Beyoncé. For instance in New York, I was surprised to run into a few guys taking pictures outside of Lincoln Center who I used to see shooting celebrities on the red carpet years ago. I guess they got word of how lucrative shooting editors has become. Granted, we’re not talking People magazine for Angelina Jolie dollars. But we’re not talking chump change either.
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