Inspired by: Marie Antoinette

I'm probably the only person out there who actually liked the Marie Antoinette movie that came out a couple years ago. It might not have been the most plot-driven movie ever, but it was definitely visually inspiring. The Manolo Blahnik shoes, the frothy dresses, the candy colors, Kiersten Dunst, the music, the ridiculous food. It's just a really fun movie to watch (fun fact, the last time I watched it was right after I got my wisdom teeth out and was hopped up on painkillers.  Fun, fun times).  I loved the super girly, romantic style of the movie, and so I rounded up a couple of dresses and such that I thought fit a modern take on the Marie Antoinette style--lots of pastels, lace, sparkles, lingerie inspiration, etc.






Bird by Juicy Couture Wool-cashmere Sequined Cardigan, $450 at net-a-porter.com, Alice + Olivia Georgette Draped Mini-dress, $370 at net-a-porter.com: I feel like Marie Antoinette would have been all over this cardigan.  It's pink, it's (partially) cashmere, and it's covered in sequins but doesn't manage to look like a disco ball.  I'd pair this with something simple, maybe a pair of dark wash, Audrey Hepburn cropped jeans and a plain white v-neck.  This dress is a more subtle option--the sumptuous draping really reminded me of the period, and since it's balanced out by the simple top and black waist-detail, it doesn't come across as too heavy or old-fashioned.

L'Agence Crepe Belted Dress, $350 at net-a-porter.com, ALICE by Temperley Claudia Stud-embellished Skirt, $250 at net-a-porter.com: My favorite outfit in Marie Antoinette was her nightgown.  So pretty.  The lingerie-inspired pieces in that film at fantastic.  I picked this dress because it had a similar boudoir feel, in a very pared-down, modern way.  The little ruffles at the neckline and the bow at the waist could have come straight out of the film, but the slip dress silhouette is very now, so it all works.  I heart this skirt.  The bow and the pale pink hue totally fit with the vibe of the movie, and I think that the offbeat combination of the studs with the girly pencil skirt is something Marie Antoinette would have approved of (girl made some daring fashion choices).  How adorable would this be with a plain white tank and some layered necklaces?

Paul & Joe Festi Lace Mini Skirt, $590 at net-a-porter.com, Lanvin Pouchette Oulouette Satin Bag, $1,185 at net-a-porter.com: This skirt has a similar thing going on--very conservative, girly cut and material, and then you get the pop of edginess with the detailing--the zippers here.  Come to think of it, this would great for a holiday party, no?  This bag just kills me.  The feather, the purple silk, the chain strap, it all reminds me of the outfit she wears to the party in Paris she sneaks off to.  It's all very dramatic, but in a refined, feminine way.  If only that price tag was cut in half.  Or thirds.  Or eighths.

Also, I'm dying to get my hands on this.

Images from screenmusings.org, net-a-porter.com, net-a-porter.com, net-a-porter.com, net-a-porter.com, net-a-porter.com, net-a-porter.com.

Hello, Santa

Me.  Christmas.  Want.  OMG.  Best thing ever.


Make Up For Ever Rock for Ever Dany's Essentials Kit, $299 at sephora.com:

You get the train case (which is fab, and train cases are so ridiculously expensive), and then you get: HD Elixir (some sort of serum), HD Microperfecting Primer, HD Microfinish Powder, a kabuki brush, Smoky Lash and waterproof Smoky Lash mascaras, Aqua Eyes liners in matte black, metallic purple, pearly brown, and iridescent navy, Aqua Black Cream Waterproof Shadow (love that stuff), Aqua Cream shadows in taupe and warm beige, pressed eye shadows in iridescent yellow beige, diamond purple, and iridescent brown black, Star Powder in copper and white/orange, false lashes in Floriane and Erin, lip pencils in red and nude, and lipsticks in nude, fuschia, and red, and a travel sized eye makeup remover (all the other products are full sized).  I calculated it.  It's a $597 value.  WOAH.  I...I want.  I really wish it had a blush or foundation, but still...I want.  It's the ultimate Christmas present for your favorite beauty junky.

Image from sephora.com.

Beauty Spotlight: Beach Blow Texturizing Mist

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you're probably thinking "she already reviewed this product.  Lame sauce."  And yes, I did review it a year ago.  But that's just the thing.  I reviewed it 13 months ago, have used it EVERY single day, and just bought my new bottle less than five minutes ago.  This stuff is magical.  I figured it deserved a little beauty spotlight.


Its the Blow Beach Blow Texturizing Mist, $21 at bathandbodyworks.com:

I've been using the same bottle for the last 13 months.  I'd say for the first 6 months I did 4 spritzes a day and for the last 7 months I've been doing 2 spritzes a day, one on each side.  The cost per use on this is about half a penny.  The product itself smells fantastic.  It's a little salty, a little coconutty, a little floral--overall very beachy without being obviously screaming BEACH in your face.  It's a very thin, slightly milky looking liquid, which you'll probably never see through the adorable, opaque packaging.  Seriously, I love the packaging.  It's charmingly upbeat and eccentric, without being too cutesy.


Now, the important stuff: what this does for your hair.  I've heard a lot lately about how buying salt sprays is a rip-off, and you can just make them at home yourself.  So I tried that over the summer.  I followed a recipe with a bit of salt, distilled water, a little bit of conditioner and some hair gel, and I spritzed that on one half of my head and the Beach Blow on the other.  The DIY salt spray took a lot more product to get any results, and what I ended up with was sticky, matte, dirty looking hair.  The Beach Blow, on the other hand, was fab.  


I have basically Asian Barbie hair.  It's very thick, very straight and shiny, and refuses to hold any sort of curl or wave.  I know it sounds like a weird thing to whine about, but my hair strands are so smooth that they just lie flat on top of each other in a giant, heavy blob.  I love this spray because it gives some texture to my hair strands for them to grab on to, so my hair actually has volume, and texture, and awesomeness!  


Conclusion: if you use this your hair will have supermodel beachy texture, and random people (in all seriousness) will creep on you to tell you how good your hair smells.

Image from bathandbodyworks.com.

LANVIN FOR H&M

The full Lanvin for H&M preview video finally dropped today.  HolyChristianLouboutins.  That is all I have to say.  It's bananas.  I love that they decided to really make it look Lanvin.  It's not Lanvin lite or mass-market Lanvin, it looks like the real deal.  And the accessories--be still, my heart.  The bow-tipped heels are calling to me.  Click on the picture for a link to the video, and click here for pieces from the collection.  It hits stores November 20.  If it doesn't come to Boston I may actually throw a tantrum.

SEE THE LATEST VIDEO ABOUT THE H&M DESIGNER COLLABORATION.

Current Fashion Inspiration: Only Girl in the World

I know I'm a little slow to catch on with this one, but I really love the newest Rihanna video, Only Girl in the World.  I like the song, but I love the staging and the clothes--it's shot with extreme color filters in some chaparral hills around southern California.  The clothes have a great, faded post-Apocalyptic color palette, and the clothes themselves are really girly, which makes for a fun contrast.  


Rihanna: Only Girl in the World.  Watch it.  Trust me.



So of course I had to use this as an excuse to go shopping and find some pretty clothes that were inspired by the video.

Alice + Olivia Dress with Organza Skirt, $298 at shopbop.com, Elizabeth & James James VI Blazer, $395 at shopbop.com: The skirt on this dress is basically identical to one she wears in the video.  On top of that, it's pretty, the faded rose hue is romantic without being too cutesy, and the contrast between the streamlined, fitted top and the textured, voluminous skirt works perfectly.  For a more structured take on the look, and a fun twist on the usual officewear, you could do a boyfriend blazer in a mauvey-beige like this Elizabeth & James blazer.  The boyfriend cut balances out the quirky feminine hue, and the slight sheen of the fabric gives it all an offbeat twist.

By Malene Birger Baquilla Mohair Sweater, $235 at shopbop.com, Alice + Olivia Cascade Cardigan, with Fur Collar, $550 at shopbop.com: There were a fair amount of knits and furs in this video, both of which can look really heavy if you aren't careful.  I'd follow Rihanna's lead her and stick with muted pastels and lighter fabrics.  The open knit of this first sweater looks a lot like Rodarte, which goes with the aesthetic of the video nicely, and the slouchy fit keeps all that sheerness from being too sexy.  The black-tipped pink-fur collar on this second cardigan is just sick.  In a good way.  Combined with the pink cashmere sweater, the pink fur is very daytime girly-glam, and then when you add in the black accents and the hook and eye closures it all takes on a deliciously dark twist.

Alice + Olivia Marianna Rhinestone Dress, $596 at shopbop.com, 3.1 Phillip Lim Laser-Cut Silk Dress, $695 at net-a-porter.com: If you want to go the fairy princess route, which she definitely explores in this video, do it in mixed textures and a lovely warm, dusty rose-beige like these dresses.  The rhinestones, bows, and ruffles of the Alice + Olivia dress would almost be too much if it weren't for the haphazard nature of the layers on the skirt and the faded, neutral colors.  The laser-cutting on this Phillip Lim dress, combined with the handkerchief hem and uneven layers takes what would be a very feminine babydoll dress and puts it in more Rodarte territory.  It's pretty on first glance, but then you start to realize that something's a little off.  Which is the best part.

The key to styling pieces like these is to keep in mind that they are very girly, and need a little rustic or edgy twist to keep them from being too precious, like a pair of brown leather boots or a little motorcycle jacket.


Images from shopbop.com, shopbop.com, shopbop.com, shopbop.com, shopbop.com, net-a-porter.com.

Cozy and Chic

I had a really long conversation with one of my friends today about dressing for class.  She'd rather be comfy than go through the effort of putting together an outfit, and generally goes for sweats and leggings.  I think you can be comfy and still look pulled together.  She doesn't believe me.  Hm.  My philosophy behind not wearing sweats and such to class is that like it or not, your professors will judge you based on it.  If they're considering you for an internship, thinking about how prepared you are for class, or writing you a recommendation, and the picture they have of your in your head is of you with bedhead, sweats, Uggs, and no makeup, you're doing yourself a disservice.  If you looked pulled-together, people tend to assume that you are.  So fake it.  Here's an outfit I put together that you could wear to class, look cute in, and still feel cozy.

American Apparel Tri-blend V-neck, $22 at americanapparelstore.com, Patterson J. Kincaid Patricia Cardigan, $218 at shopbop.com: These American Apparel v-necks are great.  The slightly boxy body is balanced out by the deep v-neck, the material is really soft, and the basic colors go with everything.  I'd go down a size and pair it with this Patterson J. Kincaid cardigan.  The warm burgundy hue adds a nice fall twist, the wool/alpaca blend is warm and practical, and it's an oversized sweater.  That's the definition of comfy.  The deep v-neck keeps it all from being too frumpy, as does wearing a fitted v-neck underneath.

Frye Boots Carmen Harness Short, $298 at fryeboots.com, Madewell Legging Jeans, $66.50 at shopbop.com: To continue the 'feels like pajamas, looks like real clothing' vibe, go for a pair of jeggings on the botton.  I love this Madewell pair because they look like real jeans, but they really do feel like pajamas.  The dark wash is flattering, and the skinny cut would tuck into these Frye boots nicely.  Boots are a must during the fall, especially back here in New England, and this pair is versatile but still has a good dose of spunk to liven up all the basic layers here.

Madewell Ice Cluster Bracelet, $52 at shopbop.com, Ray-Ban Oversized Wayfarers, $145 at shopbop.com: Accessories are very important for when you've just rolled out of bed on five hours of sleep but want to look pulled-together.  In that situation, a little bit of bling can go a long way.  This Madewell bracelet adds instant glam with minimal effort, and the distraction of all those sparkly rhinestones will keep you awake in class (yay for multi-tasking pieces).  Now, the last element is crucial.  Giant, but polished sunglasses will disguise sleepy-face, block out the evil sun in the early morning, and add a mysterious twist to the entire ensemble.

Images from americanapparelstore.com, shopbop.com, fryeboots.com, shopbop.com, shopbop.com , shopbop.com.

Today's Episode of Things I Want and Can't Afford

Dear Versace Fembot dress,


You are like a fashion mullet.  All business in the front (relatively) and party in the back.  Your color palette is versatile but energetic, your zippers are reminiscent of a sexy exoskeleton, and your bondage back is a refreshing take on Herve Leger.  There is only one problem: the $2000+ price tag standing between us.  For now, dear dress, our love shall remain unrequited.

Love,
Awkward Chic

Versace Zip-Detail Wool-Blend Dress, $2,425 at net-a-porter.com.


Images from net-a-porter.com.