10 Commandments for Fashionistas

It happens to all of us… we are walking through the mall, grocery store, park, or worse yet work, and we see some sort of fashion disaster. We think to ourselves “she would be so pretty, only if…”. With that in mind, I compiled my 10 Commandments for Fashionistas.

1. Just because they make in your size, does not mean you should wear it.


2. There is a difference between tailored and tight. Recognize it.


3. Buy a full-length mirror and use it, daily.


4. Athletic shoes belong in the gym.


5. If you have not changed your hair style in the past 10 or 15 years, you hair is probably out of style.


6. If you hairstyle involves a Scrunchie, your hairstyle is probably out of style.


7. Bling shirt are out.


8. Nobody wants to see your bra straps.


9. The same goes for your thong.


10. A beautiful smile is your best accessory.

This set of rules is by fashionistas, and to be used as a guide for the fashionally-challenged to follow.  Please feel free to share, repost, or possibly post on your cubicle wall at work.  Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.  Make it a great day everybody!

My Favorites from the Chanel Fall 2010 Couture Collection

The Little Black Dress (LBD) made famous by Coco Chanel. I love the signature Chanel quilting in the material of the dress. Short sleeves showing off the arms with a plethora of bracelets.  Simple, yet elegant design.

An modern version of the classic Chanel suite.  A recurring theme in this collection is the shorter sleeves, perfect to show off a plenty of bracelets.  I especially love the rich red color.  Perfect for fall. 

This outfit incorporates a feminine twist on menswear with its fitted styling and simple lines. 

Timeless classic.  This suite reminds be of something Jacqueline Kennedy would wear.  This is the type of suite that you can wear today eventually and pass along to your grandaughter, because it will never go out of style. 

















Another timeless classic that is the signature of Chanel.  This, and all of these looks are modernized with the addition of bracelets; however, no other accessories are needed.  Chanel dressing is all about simplicity in elegance. 

Photo Credits:

Photo Credits: 
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/F2010CTR-CHANEL

Legandary Style of Coco Chanel

She started her own company in an era before women worked outside the home, much less ran a company. She created a fashion empire that is highly regarded to this day. Her name is synonymous with timeless style and sophistication.

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was born in Saumur, France on August 19, 1883. After her mother’s death, she and her sister were placed in an orphanage to be raised by nuns. This is where Chanel learned to sew. After she left the orphanage, she embarked on a short-lived career as a singer, before she embarked on creating her signature fashion line. Chanel once quipped that her nickname “Coco” was derived from a shortened version of “cocotte”, meaning a “kept woman”.

Chanel opened her first shop in 1910 located Paris’s Rue Cambon. She began building her empire selling hats. By the 1920’s she had was making clothes and had expanded by adding shops in Deauville and Biarritz. She also launched her signature perfume Chanel No. 5. Chanel described perfume as “the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion”. In 1925 she introduced the legendary, iconic Chanel suit which featured a collarless jacket paired with a well-fitted skirt. Chanel is credited with introducing the “Little Black Dress” (LBD), a staple in every fashionable woman’s wardrobe.

Chanel believed fashion should be simple and comfortable to wear. This is why her company continues to thrive, even after her passing in 1971. Karl Lagerfeld joined the company in 1983, as it has continued to thrive. Chanel is a privately held company, which is worth an estimated $1.5 billion today.

Below is the Chanel suite from the runway of the Fall 2010 Collection in Paris France.  It is a timeless classic. 

Chanel Suite 2010 

Sources:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/coco_chanel_2.html
http://www.biography.com/articles/Coco-Chanel-9244165?part=0
http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/designers/bios/chanel/
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/31/Chanel.html


Photo Credits:
http://www.fashify.com/events/be-a-fashion-icon-for-halloween-using-stuff-in-your-closet/
http://www.vuesociety.com/2009/08/09/day-12-classic-chanel/

The Fashion Bibles have Spoken

As I was sitting on the beach with one of my girls, who happens to have the luxury of watching the morning news, mentioned that she saw on the Today show that actresses in their 40’s were becoming more popular as cover girls on fashion magazines. When I think of fashion magazine cover girls, I usually think of some hopelessly pretty 20 year old girl who eats less than 1000 calories in a week. So seriously? A women in her 40’s on the cover of Vogue? I knew I had to google this tidbit of good news just as soon as I got home and washed the sand and sun block off my skin.

Much to my surprise I found the article on abc.go.com. In September, Vogue will feature Halle Barry (44) on the cover, Jennifer Aniston (41) will be on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, and Julia Roberts (42) on the cover of Elle. Keep in mind, in magazine world, September is considered the biggest month of the year in terms of ad sales. I know I have more than once spent my hard-earned money on the 5-pound September issue of Vogue. Why? Because I knew it would take days to study every single ad and article to determine exactly what I should be wearing this upcoming fall.


Have these bibles of female fashion taken leave of their senses? A leap of faith? Or do they know exactly what they are doing. Laura Brown, the projects/features director at Harper’s Bazaar finds these women “cool, fashionable, interesting – they have something to say”. Lesley Jane Seymour, the editor of More magazine concurs by saying women in their 40’s have “real style, real staying power, real beauty”. Elle editor-in-chief Robbie Myers agreed when she said “we don’t look at a subject’s age when we decide to put her on the cover”. “It’s a question of a certain kind of chic.”

As you are paging through the huge September issues of the fashion bibles, keep in mind that these editors chose women in their 40’s to grace their covers because they are interesting, have real style, and possess a certain kind of chic. As we all do…

Source: Doree Shafrir, http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=11367005

My Mother, My Style Icon

My mother is my style icon. She loved her shoes, her dresses, and had a standing weekly appointment at the hair salon. I love my shoes, my dresses, and my collection of salon products. One of her favorite phrases was “you have to suffer to be beautiful”. Of course, her idea of suffering is different than mine. She wrapped her hair in hair nets nightly to keep her up-do in place while she slept, while I prefer to flat iron my hair daily. She squeezed into girdles to maintain a smooth look under her clothes, while if prefer 3x weekly Pilates classes. Somehow I think my suffering is a little more extreme, risking burns to get a sleek hairstyle, and contorting my body into positions that are meant to strengthen my core.

So is being stylish a trait we learn from our mothers? Do we knowingly or unknowingly emulate our mothers? My mother’s style icon was Jacqueline Kennedy. My mother loved knit suits, pillbox hats, and never met a pump she didn’t like. Although I do love a tailored suit, being a child of the 80’s, I incorporate a little rock n’ roll influence into my personal style. But as I get older I do realize that I emulate my mother’s tailored sense of style, therefore, my mother is my style icon.