Girl of the Golden Field

Daria Werbowy + fields of corn = fashion genius. No one is better at posing than she; have you ever seen a human scarecrow so beautiful?




Vogue Nippon Nov. 2009, Photographed by Inez & Vindoodh, Styled by George Cortina.



Full editorial (NSFW) here and here.

Velvet Dresses

While velvet has been a big trend for Fall 09 for awhile now (Marc Jacobs had it in full force in his FW09 collection), I hadn't really been on board. However, as the weather gets colder and the store-fronts become decorated with Christmas lights and other festive adornments, I long for the lush fabric more and more.

The velvet dress should be a staple for the holiday party circuit. Dressy yet comfy, this dress is the perfect way to look chic and on trend this winter. I especially love velvet dresses in gray, as it has a metallic sheen that reminds me of tinfoil and wrapping paper.

Below are velvet dresses that are for fantasy, dresses you can splurge on, and dresses that are quite a deal. Click on each dress to be taken to the website where it is available for purchase.

Fantasy

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Liar Liar Pants on Fire

How fierce are these Patrizia Pepe tights? They remind me of Cy Twombly's "The Fire that Consumes All before It" (below); they look like dark flames and would go perfectly with a shoulder-padded LBD. Add a smoky eye and you are set to look chic yet stay warm in the cold months ahead. You can buy the tights at Asos.com.

Cy Twombly's "The Fire that Consumes All before It" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Barbie Girl Pt. II

Christian Louboutin makes fabulous shoes in general, but when they are in pink... well, they are simply perfection. Add glitter and it's a shoe that even Barbie would covet. I would wear these no matter what the occasion; what girl doesn't feel fabulous in something sparkly and pink?



These drool-worthy pumps are available at Saks. I can't wait to see which celebrity wears these first (my guess is Phillipe Blond)!

Ann Demeulemeester Spring/Summer 2010

Ann Demeulemeester always creates the most perfect and gorgeous neo-goth designs. This season, per usual, is filled with lots of black and white, but possesses a heightened sensuality for the designer. Everything is exquisitely tailored, but also flows with delicate femininity.

Plunging necklines add a sexiness not normally apparent in her shows; the bare skin is not raunchy, however, when paired with leather cummerbunds and covered up shoulders and legs. Another interesting aspect of this collection is that the use of wire over the model's faces portrays them as caged birds, a motif that is carried through to the bird print used throughout the collection.

I would absolutely love to wear any of these looks, though I would probably wear a pocket tee underneath. I can't wait to see these outfits in editorials!

Below are my favorite looks from the collection:



Picture source: style.com

Advance

GQ U.K.'s Fall/Winter 2009 Style Guide features many editorials styled to showcase the hot male fashions for the season. One editorial, in particular, caught my eye; in "Advance," shot by Ben Dunbar-Bruton, models Reid Prebenda and Ollie Edwards wear sophisticated, classic style with an edge.

The editorial has a very 80's investment banker, rich-boy-gone-bad (a la Chuck Bass) feel. The image of the stocking over Reid's face immediately brought to mind Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, deranged yet oh-so-sophisticated. The classic suit is updated with flair: colorful, patterned ties are bold statements that show a whimsicality and masculinity that grabs attention.



Furthermore, adding an interestingly shaped overcoat immediately takes a business outfit from "just fine" to fashionable; adding a cape is a dramatic, neo-goth statement that still oozes class. Stripes, as well, are featured prominently, and add another dimension to the look -- mixing patterns takes skill, but when a man pulls it off, he is irresistibly chic.

In sum, to recreate this look, pair a striped shirt with a pink or orange patterned tie under a navy pinstripe suit. For a dramatic effect, add an "interesting" coat of your choice, and top it off with attitude.

Below is the rest of the editorial:



Picture source: TFS

Blumarine Spring/Summer 2010

Oh, Blumarine. You know exactly how to make a girl feel, well, girly. Continuing their successful theme of bright, flirty dresses, Blumarine's Spring/Summer 2010 collection features beautiful, lively colors in a variety of shapes and patterns. Moreover, they have an outfit for almost every occasion, making this collection quite practical and wearable, though still utterly fashionable.

While tie-dye is a prominent trend in the collection, the real stand-out print is camouflage. When has it ever looked so sophisticated? Adding decorative accents of day-glo orange and yellow, figure hugging dresses make the army-print work and even look chic. While wearing an entire dress in camouflage might be a little excessive for everyday wear, I look forward to accessories with the print -- I would die for a summer scarf with this pattern!

As the weather gets colder, I know I'll be looking back to this collection so that I am warmed by thoughts of a colorful and chic spring. Below are my favorite looks from the collection:




Picture source: style.com