stella b fashion » blazers

True Blue Tues. | Getting back to where I once belonged…

stella.b — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:46:54 +0000

There’s something about wearing a pant and fitted blazer that just feels right to me. Everyone has pieces in their closet they gravitate towards, some good, some not so much. The trick is taking the uniform and stepping out of your fashion comfort zone to create variations on the theme.

With the temps rising (or having risen in my case) the lighter the better when it comes to the paradox of summer layering.

What I’m wearing:
Crazy, crazy, crazy about this linen blend Elie Tahari cropped jacket with vertical seaming detail at the lower back, creating a peplum effect. P.s. I have a massive bias towards any peplum. That said, a sweet baby doll, empire waisted white top with grosgrain ribbon straps from MARC by Marc Jacobs, black skinny pants, and a ‘Mr. T moment’ pendant necklace polish it off.

What I’m doing in it:
It’s a meeting kind of day. You know, just enough meetings scattered at random hours throughout the day to make it impossible for any ‘work’ to get done. Amidst the beige and pale white walls I’ll be daydreaming in today, ok and probably working in (ugh, professional integrity-ish), I figured a little blue was in order to liven up the joint.

The soundtrack:
The Beatles, ‘Get Back.’ Took me a minute, but when it hit me, I went with it. Something about the combination of the jacket, top and skinny pants has me feeling like I’m striking a chord with my authentic self, I know, relatively melodramatic for a Tuesday look, but nonetheless, it has me thinking about getting back to where I belong. For now, that ‘home’ lies within the four walls of this ensemble…

And, here you have the top half of my fashion equation:

What good is a top if you don’t have a bottom, am I right? Black skinny pants, done and done:

These patent mary janes were a lucky sample sale purchase. I can’t take full credit. I was lucky enough to have a friend that braved the crowds for me, pulling out any size eights she could find. These, along with a pair of nude patent Diors that are fun to look at, but I could never realistically wear for more than 20 minutes, were my entrance into the land of ‘big girl’ shoes.
The pink sole isn’t red, don’t be confused. It’s not a Louboutin, it’s the Lacroix pink, but what really matters is they fit, they look good, and I got them for under $50. Easy enough to replicate if you happen to not be as fortunate as I was (still have no clue how I managed to find someone to do that for me…I’m forever grateful) with samples sales:

Hi again, it’s me, your ‘Bayswater’ Mulberry bag. Waxed black leather, top flap with turn-lock closure, remember me? You had me on yesterday and since you’re lazy and don’t feel like switching the contents of your handbag, I’m back again for Tuesday, round two:

Since you don’t have access to my closet, here is what I would suggest to re-create the look (the black skinny pants are totally available as I write this):

Like I said, The Beatles, “Get Back” is what I’m walking to in this ensemble. The sound of my patent leather pumps hitting the floors tomorrow will be in sync with this song playing on-repeat in the back of my mind.
Let’s take it back a minute, to a time when two members were still around, and Paul would have never imagined his future ex-wife would be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars:

See more of the latest fashion trends and how to wear them here.

All photos (except for the skinny pants & recreated look) courtesy of me and my new camera.

Monday, Laced | One shoulder dress w/ blazer

stella.b — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:41:23 +0000

Sooo, it’s Sunday night and if you happen to be on the same schedule as the rest of us in the States, you too are savoring your final Sunday night moments. Mine just happen to be filled with posting pics of this week’s looks.
I decided to get a little more personal on here posting less of my ‘wish-list,’ and more of what I’m actually working with from in closet, something I can actually use in my everyday life.
The advantage is, instead of sitting, tea in hand, in my closet just staring up and waiting for something to pop out at me at seven in the morning, I’m now planning ensembles ahead. I’m fully aware that, by Thursday, I may have no interest in the look I pulled. So it’s fashionably flexible, a work in progress.
For now, here’s tomorrow look:

What I’m wearing:
A one-shoulder, lace inset black dress that is relatively body conscious, but long enough for the office. Layer on a cropped black blazer from Theory, my all-time favorite black patent Bayswater bag, and a platform pump from BCBG that is so beyond a basic, and there you have it. Top it off with my new obsession, a super saturated orange-red Chanel lipstick, a gift from a friend with fabulous perks.

What I’m doing in it:
Monday will be pretty low key outside of a few major meetings. That said, the red lips and platform heels are needed to add a little something to what could be unbearably predictable. Nothing major, just playing around and adding a little color to mine, and the rest of the people in the building’s (whether they like it or not) day.

The soundtrack:
This took a little bit to come up with but Annie Lennox seemed to be an old-school stand out for me with the Eurythmics ‘Would I Lie to You.” Check out the video at the end to take you back…

Throw on the blazer, easy…It’s super lightweight, there’s a few pleating details right at the pockets adding something to a classic, streamlined cut:

The dress is from Laundry and something I happened to grab out of my mother’s closet (I know right? The woman can dress) a while back so I’ll give a couple of comparable pieces out there for you to choose from since this guy is definitely no longer on the market.
The diagonal seaming happens to be incredibly flattering b/c it draws the eye-line across the body and towards the curves (not the ones you’re trying to hide, the ones that should be celebrated).
The one shoulder is still having it’s moment and works for daytime simply with the addition of the blazer. There are no zippers or mechanics when getting into this dress and I love that. The fabric gives where it needs to, so the fit is amazing:

Just me having fun taking close-ups with the new camera, oh and a good detail shot is never a bad thing:

I swear to you, it is only a basic black platform pump, but every time I wear it, I get compliments. It could be the flattering pitch of the heel (the more angled, the more flattering it tends to look), or the patent piping around the foot on the top. Either way, these BCBG Paris pumps were a last ditch attempt to get something to wear out to dinner on my last trip home. Sometimes the less thought you put into a decision, the better the outcome. P.s. I’m not running a marathon in these, BUT, they actually are comfortable and I manage to get around just fine. If a shoe has you walking at a glacial pace as a result of your intense fear that you’ll either topple over or it will fall right off, do, not, buy, it. Not worth it:

Ugh (a good ugh)…gorgeous no? And look at the heel. I’ve had these for well over six months and usually I’d have wrecked them by now. Not only are they great looking pumps, they hold up:

Ah, yes. From my buying office days…One of the perks just happened to be getting your hands on bags you had no business buying at retail. Hence, the Mulberry ‘Bayswater’ in a black patent, or really more of a waxed leather. I tell myself I earned this, and trust me, I did. War-stories aside, a classic black bag would work well here. Something with a bit more structure is what I’m seeing. The slickness of the waxed leather makes it slightly more modern, adding a little edge:

Finally, the lipstick. I’m honestly not sure if this is an exact match. Mine is currently sitting on my desk at work so I don’t have full details. But, my good friend who is at Chanel got the full scoop, aka, testimonial from me after my first time wearing this hue.

Long story short, it involved a work lunch with good friends followed by a somewhat awkward approach from a man asking to buy my next lunch, etc etc, the next time we came back to the restaurant. I’m still convinced it was the lipstick.

The number of stories I have accumulated since then are uncanny. Just sayin’, this color has an effect on the opposite sex, good or bad. It’s not the reason I wear it, a red lip is a red lip. Done and done. But, a little unexpected pop of color that happens to throw on-lookers off can actually be extremely fun in the middle of the work week. I highly suggest trying it, just remember, if you have a strong lip, go with a soft eye, and vice versa. Less Madonna True Blue, more balanced out and 2010.

I know you can’t get your hands on all of these pieces, so here are some options that are currently out in the fashion stratosphere to get you started on pulling things together:

Blazers at Bluefly
Platforms by Dolce Vita

More to come…I have Tuesday’s look pulled. Just trying to nail down that pesky soundtrack. It will come time me. Until then, enjoy Annie. Note the irony on how, if she were to walk down the street in the same ensemble she has on in the video today, she would not only NOT look out of place, the woman would be on trend in more ways than one. Iconic.

See more of the latest fashion trends and how to wear them here.

All photos (except the lipstick) courtesy of me and my new camera.