trademarked

   trademark your style by selecting signature staple pieces.  a trademark can be anything; a print, an accessory, a color, a silhouette.  start off with one piece or look and build from there.  learning how to adapt your signature piece is as easy as ready a magazine or staying on trend.  do your research.  find iconic people to reference.  if your signature piece is statement jewelry then iris apfel, a women known for over the top jewelry and style, would be a perfect reference.  if sunglasses or optical glasses are more your thing elton john is your man. when defining your signature try and find something that will age with you.  micro mini's on an 80 year old may not be the most appropriate choice,  it simplifies things if you pick something that you can grown and own over time.

zara          statement color

romanek yvette        statement bag

tom ford           statement eyewear

          statement jewelry 

mommy dearest

  with today being mothers daym, i cant help but wonder who are the "mothers" of all things fashion and style?  ultimately our style is a reflection or reaction to our surroundings.  in part our parents and i feel mothers in particular influence our view on style.  a fashion "birth mother", if you will, is a women that possesses the confidence to change your perception on beauty.  to mold a mass of people and create an image worthy of being emulated is a gift that few possess.  this gift, like many talents, is a natural expression of the women in question and inherent in every women of style.  the key to any self exspretions acseptence is comfodence.  like any good sales man you have to know how to angle the product.  in this case, how you make a style choice relatable and engergizing to anyone you come in contact with.

audrey hepburn

bridget bardot

princess diana of wales

iris apfel

jackie onassis

marilyn monroe

shoe whore

        the statement shoe.  shoes and heals in particular have become quit farcical over the past several years; taller, thiner heal,  crazy shapes, new materials, and colors.  there is a shoe out there for any shoe connoisseur.  however, men are not left out of this trend that is here to stay.  statement loafers and sneakers in new skins and colors.  men's wear sticks to those two elements, but women's wear, the sky is the limit literally.  brands to consider in both men's and women's shoes; prada, christian louboutin, gucci,  tods,  dior,  alexander mcqueen, donald j. pliner.  the house of alexander mcqueen has been known for creating outrageous heals to pair with its equally beautiful but outrageous clothing.  after his passing in 2010 the fashion world waited in suspense to see if mrs. sarah burton would live up to his vision and she has done just that.  the heels along side her spring 2011 collection did everything but disappoint.

sarah burton for alexander mcqueen

christian louboutin

christian louboutin men's

prada 

leisure suit

        suits, the no nonsense way to look perfectly put together with little to no thought.  two or three pieces that already match.  powerful and elegant, the "leisure suit" is the new jeans and t.  women have the luxury of editing a suit down to raw basics.  wide leg silk trousers and booshie blouse paired with a vest or oversized blazer has become comparable to the ralph lauren suit of old.  however, men are not left behind with new innovations;  much more fitted, shorter silhouettes, fun prints, new fabrics.  think you can't be comfortable in a suit?   try one in an "easy" fabric.  silk, sear sucker, cotton, and linen are casual fabrics that breath and give your suit an effortless feel.  if you look and feel effortless you ultimately feel comfortable.

calvin klein

joop

...black summer...

          as of late designers are choosing their color palate in opposition to the norm in seasons past. black and saturated jewel tones in summer.  khaki and bright neon or pastels for winter. summer is just around the corner and i cant help but prepare for possible summer love. i cant imagine anything sexier then a black dress on a bronzed women or a perfect black blazer, white v neck, and a worn in pair of jeans on a dashing man.  black makes you fell sexy so in the sexiest months of the year why would you not indulge in it.  when people define a style the use of "buzz" words comes into play.  when you compare the "buzz" words from black and the summer season the words cant help but overlap; sexy, mysterious, luxurious, hot, fun, playful.    

                                                          tom ford

                      

                                                     dior homme

in the beginning.

      when all is lost beauty lives on.  there is something innately visceral about a classic, modern, well maintained southern women. in the beginning beauty was for me a dreamers escape;  hats, gloves, occasion dressing, suits, and day dreaming of circumstance.  my story is short and sweet, born in the south , raised in the south, creating beauty in the south.  i have a degree in both costume and fashion design and am working as a freelance designer/stylist.  as of late my need to put my day dreams and fantasies to paper has become more of a need then a desire as i have realized that this piece of creative expression has yet to be explored.

        at what point are you trying to hard or not enough? who or what decides that? and when did dressing up become just a sunday occasion?  at some point in everyones life they become accountable for their action.  the clothing you put on your back and the way you carry yourself should be taken into account shouldn't they?  i find myself looking for a time when women wear heals and men ties to go the moves, the grocery store, the park.  at some point in american history we were told that its not about how you look but what you do and who you are. why cant it be about all of those things? in no way am i saying that there is not a place or even a need for t-shirts or cargo shorts; however, i feel that as people grow up we leave our blanket for a teddy bear named bill and then an imaginary friend named bubba.  and as adults we use comfort clothing as a replacement for the "security blanket" of the past.  when will you grow up?

                               

                                               bottega veneta