Accessories
We absolutely adore this painted snakeskin peep toe bootie with a back zip. It’s the perfect mix of audacious and chic, all the while retaining unique x-factor.
Tabitha Simmons, the British style maven who was recently recognized in November last year at the British Fashion Awards, is the creative force behind such a work of art.
Simmons picked up the “Emerging Talent” award and has been for sometime now, on everyone’s shoes and accessories radar. We know this work of art isn’t chump change. It retails at Barneys for $1,395. Yet for an award-winning result, pair with items that are more affordable and everyday, like these contrasting t-shirt and black trousers from Zara.
While many argue that it’s exceptionally difficult to shop for women due to the hardship involved with the navigating of sizes and unusually discerning tastes, the truth is quite the opposite. There are so many great finds out there that are bound to please all different types of women this season. Just keep the gifting limited to everything but the clothes. That’s a general good rule of thumb to follow, regardless of the gender you’re shopping for.
Below are 5 great finds to gift the woman in your life:
1) These are an amazing pair of shoes! They are smart enough to wear in the office but also inject enough pizzazz to any weekend ensemble. Made of fine calf hair, they are inspired by men’s dress slippers but are still very lady like. In animal print they speak of a woman who knows a thing or two about fun prints. Meaw!
$275 www.jcrew.com
2) Girls love a good accessory, especially when it is made of leather and is in this warm and fun color. This pouch is perfect for a night out in the city and it’s slightly broken in from the get go, bringing forth the joy of a worn-item instantly!
3) Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti continues to be one of the most stylish women out there. The tastemaker, who launched Vivre back in the 90’s, still curates some of the best in luxuriously unique items online, for both men and women. This Bling Scarf by Glamourpuss NYC is no exception. It borrows inspiration from artifact bangles and belly-dancing garb and doubles as a neck or hip accessory.
$135 www.vivre.com
4) There is something about the holidays that lends it self to sparkles. Perhaps this comes from a decorated tree, the idea of a floating snowflake or two, and all the bells and whistles that define the holiday season. This bracelet from Banana Republic does exactly that, all the while retaining a sense of versatility, allowing this to be a piece one could don all year round.
$39.50 www.bananarepublic.com
5) Gaga fan or not, this is one adorable teacup! From the recently launched Gaga’s Workshop at Barneys, this piece isn’t exclusively for the tea drinker! It definitely lends itself to the heritage of glorified Missoni stripes, geometrics and their kaleidoscope of colors.
$65 www.barneys.com
Building from the ancestry of the iconic fashion house, Versace’s collaboration with H&M is set to be an exhibition of Technicolor splendor and bold dynamism. Hitting stores on November 19th, the classic Greek key will be found on scarves, beanies and other accessories. Notably, it will be studded in gold on black tees and leather.
Following Target’s successful stint with Missoni, the Versace collection is affordable for Versace, but pricey for H&M (some dresses will run you well above $200). Regardless, this is set to be a sartorial milestone marked collectively for men and women’s wear, and also the home. The collaboration is the first for H&M, which includes a small collection of decorative pillows and interior accents.
Dresses dominate the women’s collection, bringing forth an emphasis on archival Versace. Color, pattern and daring cuts are the recurring themes of this collaboration. That said, a black silk crepe dress with Grecian button echoes Versace’s nineties louche with simplicity and grace.
The menswear collection is focused on sharp tailoring and the prevalent Versace notion of the loud and bold. Nonetheless, sophistication is maintained with fine details and chic delivery, notably, the gold corner tips that accentuate the shirts’ collar points. Shirt makers will be sure to pick up on this detailing trend. Duly noted is a pair of hot pink leather lace ups. These could make quite the dashing statement with a black suit.
Just when you thought you were caught up with Ralph Lauren’s various collections and labels, the American style icon unleashes a new line to mark this fall season. Denim & Supply embraces all things American, sans the prep of our beloved country’s eastern coast. It is a much younger, ragged collection that pays more tribute to industrial Brooklyn than say trendy Manhattan.
Steeped in New York nonetheless, the well-worn collection is vintage rendered but alternative rock inspired. While this sort of direction is nothing new, European retailer Pull and Bear has been interpreting and reinterpreting this style for a decade now, Denim & Supply is rendered brilliantly.
Nautical fleece pullovers are given the vintage treatment, along with ragged sweaters and heritage denim jackets that translate that sun-drenched, washed look from the summer into cooler dispositions.
The Warehouse is the collection’s digital destination, featuring a magazine, artist profiles and a journal presenting the essence of the collection in contexts other than apparel and accessories.
You have probably received the memo. White jeans are the thing this summer and the sartorial possibilities with a pair of these are endless. Along with your shorts, sandals, shades and swimming shorts, you are most definitely beach ready! While it is hard not to associate bold colors with summer, use color in a controlled manner. This does not mean that your clothes can’t be fun. Your sunglasses, shorts and sleeveless tanks already scream summer and one need not don a rainbow of colors per outfit. Incorporate color in your ensemble, but allow it to make a statement without competing with other hues. If you’ve got a yellow shirt on keep everything else relatively somber. The same thing goes if you’re wearing Nantucket reds. This way, color brings a sense of uniqueness and whimsy to your personality. A recent addition to the world of summer is the pocket square with colored tipping or piping. This piece can easily translate into the early fall or spring but it’s debut this summer season signals those Memorial Day sartorial shifts to new territory! Cheers.
You do not have to own a sizable collection of designer or expensive ties to know that you need to treat these vulnerable accessories with a certain degree of care. This is by no means an implication of an expensive or high maintenance way of up keeping. While many invest in a tie rack of some sort, you will be pleased to know that ties are best stored rolled as opposed to hung. Hanging for long periods of time, especially when stacked over other ties, causes creases and ridges in the fabric.
Simply wrap each tie around your hand in an unsecured roll and store in a drawer or on a flat shelf in your closet. This is the best way to get rid of wrinkles and maintain the shape, quality and lifespan of a tie. When traveling, an unsecured roll wrapped over your hand is also the best way to travel with a tie. To ensure durability, especially when donning silk, take off your tie gently and always unfasten knots completely before storing away.
No matter how much you love wearing a certain tie, never wear it for more than one day at a time. Due to the nature of how ties are made and the fabric itself, these accessories needs to rest between wears.
Although ties certainly do not need to pressing in say the frequency of dress shirts or pants, wrinkles do occur. You will probably find yourself wanting to tend to a wrinkle without necessarily washing or treating your tie. Should you choose to iron your tie, be sure to learn about the fabric that the tie is made from. Regardless of how heavily twilled it may be, never let a tie touch the iron directly. Cover with cotton fabric and iron swiftly but effectively, tending only to creases. Other options are using a hand steamer or simply letting the tie hang in the bathroom during a hot shower.
When it comes to washing ties some regard the act as blasphemous as washing selvedge denim. Washing is fine, just as long as you do not do it often and consider going to a reputable cleaner to do the job.
For a while now, the construction/workman style boot has been plodding the streets and avenues of many a city, bringing utility, comfort and a built-to-last sort of sensibility to men’s sartorial propensities. Much like your favorite pair of loafers that seem to go with everything, the workman boot is more than capable of achieving the very same results.
Having established this serviceable aesthetic, refrain from making things look exaggerated. Do not extend this sensibility to a full wardrobe furnished by Carharrt. Leave it to the avant-garde and runway shows to exaggerate a fashion point of view.
In the office, on the weekend, snow or rain, these heavy-duty shoes are never unwieldy to work with. Just keep the colors and styles basic.
Opt for a classic pair like Red Wings or Gorillas and you will find how well these go with denim, khakis, chambray and even herringbone. For a dressier look, a tie or tweed blazer can be paired resulting in an ensemble that is seriously cool.
Images courtesy of http://www.trashness.com/
Eyewear today should be vintage inspired but modern. Consider a square-framed style or even a circular one, depending on the shape of your face, in bold and well-defined contours. For a prep disposition, tortoise shell is always a good bet, but black is modern, explicit and versatile. It goes with everything and fluidly transitions from work to weekend. If you’re adventurous, consider crystal or clear frames. These can work quite effectively.
Some eyewear retailers to keep on your radar:
Warby Parker is a vintage inspired eyewear company that challenges the triple digit price that we have been accustomed to forking out.
For $95 you can get a pair of handsome frames that will not break the bank. This includes a prescription lens and lots of good will—the company donates a pair on your behalf when you purchase a pair for yourself.
Another name to consider is Moscot. The global lifestyle brand of one hundred years of heritage brings iconic styles that are made by tastemakers for tastemakers. Much of the frames haven’t changed since their inception from back I the day.
Truman Capote and Johny Depp, to name a few, are big Moscot fans.
