Friday, August 31, 2007

Navy all the way!

Yes, i know that every fashion magazine and website states that gray is THE color for fall 2007. But after my Finish designers recent purchases (a O.i.s navy babydoll dress and one blue with navy accents skirt from Marimekko), plus the Mulberry dress i got on sale from net-a-porter.com, i decided that MY color for fall 2007 will be navy.

I have the skirt, and i have the dresses. I also have several navy ballerinas. But to complete my navy look i need now: a sporty navy blazer (to match the striped t-shirt dress from Mulberry) and some navy semi-elegant blouses (for the skirt). Oh! And also one white with navy details jacket would be a nice thing to buy...

Look what i found (and like) while searching online:

Marc Jacobs seems to have the same navy vision as me for this fall. Lots of clothes in dark navy in both main collection and M by MJ one). I like best the 2 blouses bellow:



alpaca top from Marc Jacobs and frill detail blouse from Marc by Marc Jacobs, both in dark navy

I also like the scout twill dress from Marc by Marc Jacobs



As for the blazer/jacket part, i failed to find exactly what i was looking for (but still searching :)). But the Demylee Morgan Jacket from shopbop.com, in cashmere, with cool, chic asymmetric buttons, caught my eye:



And at the end, another thing from my basket at net-a-porter.com: navy mesh clutch bag from Scoop (on 75% sale!)

Thursday, August 30, 2007

A girl needs her high-tech gadgets...

The era when the high-tech gadgets were only used by men is long gone. We are modern girls, and a modern girl needs hers high-tech gadgets. And with the big producers finally realising that women don't just need a pink cutie phone, but with zero functionalities, we have a wide range to choose from.

My gadgets:

* first the phone... i can't live without it. I received from hb as a gift for my birthday a beautiful and smart too Nokia 7390, and i am very happy with it. It has blue tooth, 3G and a powerful photo camera. Not to mention a sleek, pink look.



* then, next on the list, partly because of my job, and partly because i really enjoy it, the cameras.

I have a small camera always with me in my bag. Because i needed to be light, but also good in functionalities, i went with Casio Exilim S600 (actually i had all the previous models from the Exilim S range of cameras). It is orange, and has a matching leather case, very stylish, small and produces good pictures with high resolution.




But when i am on holiday, or at a specific event, then i take with me the big guns, meaning the Canon 350D, a DSLR and some big extra lenses. I can take professional, quality pictures!



* speaking of work, here it comes the laptop! My choice: a gorgeous, stylish MacBook, perfect for working at home or in holiday!



*for mp3s, i went with a Sony small pink mp3 player, instead of the usual ipod. I used it only when skiing, and i am happy with it's round, small shape.



*at last: the car! For years i was content without a car, but now i don't understand how i managed to live like this. My car: cutie, delicate Lancia Ypsilon in a dark red rich color. It is small, so perfect for city traffic, with a lot of features and a stylish, chic appearance. In a word: PERFECT, for me of course!



Well, that was it, my high-tech gadgets list. What about you?

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Outfits for today: My hb's birthday party

Today at the office i was dressed in one of the new O.i.s skirts bought in Finland. After work, i am going to my hb's birthday party, so i changed into a more evening-casual outfit.

* black high waist skirt with 4 black buttons in front from O.i.s - Scandinavian easywear
* striped black and white shirt from Nissa (Romanian local brand)
* Gucci kitten heel slides
* (not pictured) black shopper from Versace Sport
The whole outfit gives me a very tall, thin silhouette.



For tonight:

* Pucci-esque print halter dress from Morgan
* Gray-blue embossed leather open-toe slingbacks by Marc Jacobs
* pink suede leather from Stefanel



Shopping report: End of season clearance on net-a-porter.com

White cotton tank with paisley patterned skull print by Alexander McQueen (...i need some dark jeans to match this top. And some bold silver jewelry too!)
WAS: €145.00 NOW: €36.25 75% OFF



Gray-blue embossed leather open-toe slingbacks by Marc Jacobs (For them, i have the perfect dress, from Morgan. Maybe i will wear them tonight :) ).
WAS: €350.00 NOW: €140.00 60% OFF



Taupe cotton broderie Anglaise jacket with a Mandarin collar from DAY Birger et Mikkelsen (...i have to find the right brown belt to wear with)
WAS: €242.56 NOW: €60.64 75% OFF



I still have on my basket:



What about you? Have you shopped something from net-a-porter.com clearance?

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Outfits for Finland

Bellow, some outfits worn while in Finland:

Dinner at the famous Kamp Cafe in Helsinki :: Zip all the way!


* red blouse from Mango, with a zipper on the sleeves
* monogram vernis leather belt from Louis Vuitton
* zipper detail sandals from Marc by Marc Jacobs
* zipped pockets skirt from Stefanel
* monogram Trotteur bag from Louis Vuitton







Boat tour in Helsinki :: Pink despite the clouds!



* pink t-shirt Anastacia by s.Oliver
* skinny jeans from Chloe
* pink pumps from Bally
* D&G pink leather belt

Dinner at Hotelli Alba restaurant in Jyvaskyla



* brown shorts from Zara
* gray-brownish shirt from Castro
* embroidered Fendi Baguette

Party at an old, historical farm in Jyvaskyla



* cream jeans from Bershka
* cute brown belt from Disneyland :)
* pink babydoll t-shirt from O.i.s - Scandinavian easywear
* pink ballerinas from Marc Jacobs

Scandinavian and finish designers

Before going to Finland i had a vague notion about how important and great are the scandinavian designers. Of course, i knew about the scandinavian minimalistical furniture, and i visited many times Ikea shops. But that was about it...

But what it striked me in Finland is how great really the finish and scandinavian designers really are. And i am not talking only about clothes, but also furniture, interior decorations and textiles. To define in few words the scandinavian style: simple, even minimalistical, practical, with clean cuts. The beauty of their products does not relay in details like embroidery, but in its own shape. The clothes are usual plain, but with an eye catching form. The same thing about other objects.

Wandering through Helsinki at first, and then in Jyvaskyla and Tampere, i came out with a top of what i liked best:

O.i.s scandinavian wear

It is a high street store, with clothes for both men and women. The clothes are extremely simple, yet very complicated, with unexpected straigh cuts, usualy in plain colors. You can see in my previous post a lovely baby doll navy dress i bought from O.i.s. It is not the only thing (he!he!) bought from them, and luckly for me they even still had sales...

Somehow, their clothes reminded me of Roland Mouret's clothes...

The only sad thing is i can't find their website to show you exactly what i am talking about here!

Iittala :: http://www.iittala.com/

Iittala is a major driving force of Scandinavian design with legendary designers Kaj Franck (1911-1989) and Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) as the cornerstones for the brand. You can find a complete range of products for dining and decorating, whether in metal, wood, porcelain or glass. Iittala objects are design essentials stripped to their core; the pure union of function, form and quality that demonstrates our core philosophy of lasting everyday design against throwawayism. Several designers are involved in creating the unique forms of iittala objects.

Alvar Aalto is of course the most important, a great name in architecture and design. A separate collection is dedicated to his legendary shape, the aalto vase, that has become one of the world’s most famous glass objects, deservedly synonymous with Finnish glass art and with Iittala. It is exhibited in some of the world’s most important design museums. As is typical with a great work of art, the shape has been reinterpreted ever since.

I bought a lovely small bowl, pictured above. It will look great on my coffee table, full with peanuts or other snacks :)



Marimekko :: http://www.marimekko.com/eng

Marimekko designs were another love at first sight in Helsinki. Our hotel was situated right near a huge Marimekko shop, and i was mesmerized by the beautiful prints they had.
As stated in their website, Marimekko Corporation is a leading Finnish textile and clothing design company that was established in 1951. The company designs, manufactures and markets high-quality clothing, interior decoration textiles, bags and other accessories under the Marimekko brand, both in Finland and abroad.

Besides their unique clothes, created by a group of interesting finnish designers, i also liked their bed sheets, in bright colors and with fun prints, from floral ones to funny cartoons.



Because when traveling by plane i have a real space problem in my luggage, i could'n buy bed sheets, and i content myself with some cute towels and a lovely colorful skirt.



Check out bellow some window's displays from the Marimekko store in Helsinki:







Aarika :: http://www.aarikka.fi/

Aarika is another great shop i visited while in Helsinki. You can buy from here interesting jewelry, original, distinctive clothes, textiles and decorations.
From their website:
"Aarikka Oy is a family business founded in 1954. The company designs and manufactures design products, jewellery and decorative items. Each product is a unique item handmade in Finland using Finnish materials. During the past five decades, Aarikka has not only employed its own designers, but has also commissioned works from leading Finnish designers, such as Aino FavĂ©n, Jorma Vennola, Jukka Rintala, Tuula Falck, Markku Salo and Paola Suhonen. Each designer has left his or her impression on Aarikka´s design language."

What i really wanted to buy was a reindeer black t-shirt, but i had no luck, only big sized were left.



Instead, i bought a funny wooden piece of jewelry: the Katti pin, representing a stylized cat.



artek :: http://www.artek.fi/

A great shop for furniture, renowned as one of the most innovative contributions to modern design. Some of Artek's most famous products are the furniture, lamps and textiles designed by famous Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Outfit for today: Navy blue

Back at work, i decided to wear one of the new clothes i bought while in Finland. The pick for today is a lovely dress from O.i.s Scandinavian easywhere, a brand i just discovered and liked a lot (later i will write a post about how much i enjoyed the Scandinavian/Finnish designers...).

The outfit consists of:



* navy simple babydoll dress, with an interesting cut and big back buttons from O.i.s Scandinavian easywhere (i looked everywhere online, but i couldn't find the company website)
*Jasper Conran Jeans leather yellow bag from Debenhams
*navy suede and patent ballerinas from Christelen B.

At the last moment, i added a vintage from 1910 coral long necklace, for a little contrast.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

A little guide to fall 2007 trends

Shopaholic.ro launched "A little guide to fall 2007 trends", a great ebook about 2007 fashion, clothing and style.

What is fashion? What is fashionable? What's in and what's out? Are the lady-like elegant clothes still in trend?

The answers are all to be found in this "Little guide".
This fashion book is a quick read (under 50 pages) and is filled with beautiful photographs and trends that will make you a stylish consumer. You will get details on Dior, Givenchy, Armani and Chanel latest wearable on the street outfits, top 10 bags and shoes fall winter etc.

A little guide to fall 2007 trends, a compilation of all the posts commenting this next season trends... Click on the banner on the right, download it and read it!

Enjoy!

Monday, August 20, 2007

End of season clearance at net-a-porter.com

Good news! I've just received this email:



Hurray! And Wednesday i am still in Romania, in front of my computer, at noon i will fly to Helsinki, so enough time to well spend some money!

Ankle and shoe boots

Random appearing on the catwalks the last couple of years, the ankle and shoe boots are finally this fall a strong, well defined trend.

I always liked ankle boots, i think that they are a stylish type of shoes, great with opaque leggings and short skirt. I already can imagine my favorite outfit for this autumn: smart ankle boots (i imagine now the combination with my Versace mauve high heels ankle boots in mind) and black half-the-knee long black pleated office dress (i saw one like this the other day in a Mango window). Uhu! I almost can't wait the fall to come!

The shoe boots are the smaller brother of the ankle version. Because of their fit, shoe boots are better with pants (try them with wide leg pants for a funky look) or with even with capri pants.

Now, what can we find in this season collections?

Somehow expected, Louboutin has a wide selection of this kind of boots. In suede or patent, they have a rock-chic look, with the signature red sole, flattering cut and zip details.





As usual, Marc Jacobs takes this trend and reinterprets it in its own signature grunge style. For example, wear those chunky bowling style ankle boots (pictured in the right), or the suede ones in left with a pair of skinny black jeans and a large tote and you will be sure to not pass unnoticed.





The coveted Marc by Marc Jacobs Suede ruffle boots have also a smaller version: Ruffle-top ankle boots. The caramel leather boots have a ruffle trim with self-tie bow and an almond-shaped toe and are great for a relaxed day outfit.



My favorite pair so far: Miu Miu leather ankle boots! With high conic heels and pointed toe, they are perfect for an all black, stylish outfit.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Neiman Marcus 100th anniversary

When you are one of the biggest, trendiest, fashionablest stores in USA, a 100 anniversary must be something special! On 10 September this year, Neiman Marcus has 100 years of dressing with style the women (in USA, and since the online version, all over the world).
So, they decide to gather all the top designers and ask them to create special merchandise for the occasion. And it is not only about clothes, shoes or bags. Jewelry, beauty products and home items, all special, exclusive editions available for a limited time in Neiman Marcus stores and also online (they are marked with a bright green butterfly).



Chloe, Kay Unger, Missoni, Moschino, Badgley Mischka Platinum Label, Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang are among the designers that responded to Neiman Marcus' request. Prada has produced about 20 items, ranging from shoes to accessories to ready-to-wear. And you can be sure they are exclusive: The handbags come with “Prada for Neiman Marcus 1907-2007″ embossed or on a decorative tag, while the shoes bear a heel plate, a sole plate or other marking with the anniversary logo.

My favorites:


Stella McCartney Strapless Bustier Dress



Piazza Sempione Textured Cropped Jacket



Prada Croc Logo Clutch 8990.00$!!



David Yurman Multi-Row Box Chain Bracelet



Etro Jacquard Jacket & Shirt



Gien Fashion Plates, Set of Four


One observation though: the 100Th anniversary collection of exclusive items contains only extra-luxury products. A Prada bag for almost 9000$ or a Gucci necklace at 4000$... Wouldn't it have been a better idea to make a limited somehow moderate-priced designer line of products, like a treat for all the faithful clients that helped building their success?

Knit chic

Everywhere i look, knits, knits and some more... knits...
I seems that at least one knit cardigan definitely should be a part of our wardrobe essentials. But how do we wear and choose knitwear so they won't look too big and...well, chunky! on us.

First thing first, don't put some thick clothes underneath. Match your knit with a silk dress or with jeans and a delicate top. Otherwise a knit over another knit = not a thin silhouette!


Calvin Klein oversized gray knit


Define your waist with an extra large belt. This way you will get a subtly sexy look. Try a patent leather for extra glamour.


Oversized Black Sweater from Burberry Prorsum



Cable knit cardigan from Burberry


Contrast textures, wearing a silver or gold silk dress under a winter knit cardigan. Or add some bright pink accents to your outfit.


Rebecca Taylor Cocoon Cardigan & Minidress


An all black outfit might also be a nice way to wearing a knit piece. Black is a slimming color, so it will make the extra chunkiness of your knit go away!


Long Cashmere Cardigan & Leggings from Loro Piana


Play well with proportions! Yes, wide leg jeans are IN, extra large totes are a must, but if you use all this trends in one single outfit, you will just end up looking big and definitely not stylish. Pair your oversized knit with a pair of leggings and add a XXL clutch to the outfit for a touch of glamour (yea, the clutch may be oversized, but it is still a small bag :) ).


Piazza Sempione Knit Tunic-Dress


A last advice: oversized, long knit cardigans are very IN right now, but as in t-shirt dresses, that doesn't mean you have to wear a normal cardigan, 3 sizes up. Oversized knits should fit across the shoulders (like a normal cardigan would). Oversized does not mean supersized!