Spring is coming...and so are Florals!

So florals are back. The trick is finding just the right pattern, cut, and color so you don´t look like your grandma. Just remember, if the look ages you, or the print is too big, it´s not right. Bring an honest friend along shopping to be objective!






So this first look is Dolce and Gabana. The short length keeps it looking youthful but the long sleeves balance out the length. You´d think with so many necklaces it would look overdone, but I just think it adds a little kick to the look. (please also note socks again!)












I adore this hot little number by Dior. The lace underneath makes it clear that this dress is definately not grandma like! The bow at the waist is classy and cool and again...we see the socks look!






I think Marni may officially be my favorite designer, or atleast in my top 3! This look is effortless. The colors are updated and fun and this model just rocks it, no?














This shoes by Viktor and Rolf are out of control amazing ! Everything about them literally screams fabulous! Sky high, more expensive then my rent for 6 months and dripping with flowers...I can´t honestly think of anything more gaudishly inappropiate than this gorgeous pair of stilletos!














This John Galliano is obviously serious couture but I adore the hat mixed with the floral dress and somehow the pattern looks really modern and updated, which is really difficult to do with florals. This isn´t daily wear of course but we can take inspiration from it while shopping for something more wearable for daily life.










This Luella Bartley skirt is so cute. A good idea for florals if you are worried about looking grandma-like is to do it in small doses, like this skirt, and pair it with someone super modern like a leather jacket or a funky tee. Wayfer sunglasses can help to moderize it too, or a pair of this nerdy glasses if you can pull them off!












So...go shopping...be objective...and go flower crazy!!!!

Spring 2010: The Color Nude...plus socks and clogs!

So even though it doesn´t feel like spring yet, spring fashion has already arrived. The main big color trend I see for spring is the color nude.

Since the blog is Madrid, or Europe based, I mainly focused on European designers. However after Mercedes Benz Fashion week mid Feb in NYC, I will add some looks from the runways there.

Within the color nude, I see a lot of trenches, which are great for spring. I have also notices a romantic undertone, lots of sheers, and soft, floaty fabrics. Additionally, there is a lot of work with volume.

Another key thing I have spotted that I would like to include is also the new appearance, or comeback, I might say, of the CLOG. In spanish, ´el zueco´. It´s intriguing, and sort of panics me at the same time. It brings me back to 7th grade...I swear I bought my first pair of ´Candies´you know, when Jenny McCarthy was the spokesperson...I´m thinking 1997 approx...and they are exact replica of the Gucci pair I will post later. Not sure if I will hopping on the clog bandwagon this summer...we´ll see! Please share thoughts!

One last key point is the appearance of socks with stilletos in many of these runway shots. To me, it appears cool but I think your legs need to be about 7 miles long to pull it off...I won´t be trying that this year...however if you´ve got the legs and you want to project a Sort of a girly, yet trendy vibe at the same time, give it shot!

FINALLY....IMPORTANT TIP!!!!
I hear it all the time...´Oh, I can´t do nude...it washes me out.´...´Nude just doesn´t look good on me´etc etc etc. EVERYONE yes EVERYONE can wear nude! The important thing is the shade of nude. Depending on your skin tone, you can find shades of nude with, gold, peach, pink, and off white undertones...experiment and find what looks best on you. I swear, there is a nude color for everyone!

Here goes!























These three looks are some of my absolute favorites for this season. All three are by Marni, one of my favorite designers. Obviously there is the major theme of nude, and as you can see there is also a lot of playing around with different volumes and layering. I love the way the socks look with the chunky sandals here, and I absolutely adore the head scarves as well. Stripes are also making an apperance and you can even note the details and volume in the sleeve area and with the black skirt. Another important tip is that you can NEVER go wrong with a trench style coat or dress...they are classic and beautiful, and in this case, incredibly modern and updated. Fabulous in every way.





To the right we have Chanel. The typical tweed, a trademark of Chanel, is classic but updated here. In this picture I believe she is wearing the clogs that I also posted below. I truly can´t decide if I think they are unbelievably awesome or frightenly hideous. Please share thoughts? Anyway here we have a more classic look using the nude, or what I think is a nude-off white color scheme




















Chloe has presented a more tailored look this season with the pant, shirt, and jacket look. I have to say I was a bit disappointed this season with Chloe, I found the collection a bit boring, but from another side, it is wearable. These two looks, however I do really like. They are extremely basic but well cut.

















Hermes also gives us a more tailored look here, of sportswear separates...sort of nearing the Chloe realm. I do like the looseness of the jacket, it presents a laid back, summery vibe. I could see myself wearing this exact outfit, betting at the horseraces or something...the hat is perfect! It´s a combo of fedora meets cabana hat, what a great idea.









This Nina Ricci look whispers beautiful. I love how this particular nude has gold tones. I like this look because its a day to night look. It´s romantic yet tailored at the same time. Throw a little jacket over it, wear it to the office, head to happy hour, take the jacket off, and you look gorgeous and sexy without over doing it.

This Caroline Herrera look is structured but sensual at the same time. We can start to see the play on volume within this nude look. The clutch plays off the structure as well.








These two nude looks by Burburry Prosum are right on point. I´ve already commented on the essentiality of having the perfect trench for spring, and the other dress plays with shape of the fabric in original ways. I love the belts and here we see the socks look again, looking super cool.









These two looks are from...drumroll please...lets guess...Lanvin! I am a huge fan because I just love that Lanvin always has a point of view. I can spot a Lanvin anywhere. I admire someone who can truly design a certain ´type´of look...but always make it just a little bit different or original so it never gets boring. These two nude looks play with shape and neckline.







To end out my nude section, I elected these two by Valentino. The sheer, floaty softness of the two looks creates a romantic tone.













So there you have it...the color nude! Now get shopping and find your perfect nude!

Finally, I just wanted to throw these pics of clogs in...even though they aren´t nude...the brown are Gucci and the black Yves St Laurent. Is this the future of our spring footwear??????

Rings

So fast forward to my favorite fashion accessory, rings. And not just rings...we are talking, giant, obscene, cover half your hand, fashion jewelry ladies. The bigger, the better. Doesn´t matter if its gold, silver, wood...fake, real...as long as its gigantic and dripping with jewels and bling.




So this first ring is a big flower, flower rings totally rock, I love them in plastic, metal, whatever you can find. I normally am not a fan of the Tous brand, but this ring is super bossy, so I made the exception.






This next ring is actually one ring, made out of several. It´s by Pandora and it has a special name: ´A Ring Upon Rings´. I adore this because its just a whole bunch of styles and colors and shapes and patterns all mixed together...but it works!











Below is a ring from Uno de 50, one of my favorite brands for rings here in Spain. You can´t go wrong with a giant jewel, especially in a bright color like this one.
This next ring is also from Uno de 50. I am obsessed with rings in the shape of hearts. They seem classy but also kinda fun and free spirited at the same time. Which is obviously the look we should all be going for. Classy. Fun. Free spirited!

Another cool heart ring...can´t go wrong with Betsey Johnson, ever. There has got to be something said for a 50 year old woman with blond dreadlocks using leopard as her main inspiration! In any case this ring is sweet and sexy. ATTENTION BOYS: Perfect gift your lovely girlfriend for Valentines Day, perhaps?
Or a ´To Me, Love Me´gift...those are always the best kind!







This ring from Dannijo shouts different. It´s sorta got that flower vibe going on, but it´s really abstract, and has got a real modern touch.









This next ring is super trendy...first of all, it has a bow on it, which is the new hot item, there are bows everywhere suddenly, for your hair, your clothes, and now, available on rings! The cool thing about this ring is that it´s a chain linked ring. I just started seeing this recently in Madrid and I really like it. It´s nice because they are flexible, I guess you could always take a link out if it´s too big or something! This rings is from Top Shop.


This ring is super bossy because its not only enormous but the stone in the middle is a cool, whitish color. This ring can go with a lot of different outfits...and even better, its from H and M, which means it can´t be more than 6 euros!








This ring from Brigette Bijou rocks. I love love love owls, so why not wear one on my hand?










This ring is a great example of dripping with jewels and bling. Now I know that Forever 21 isn´t in Spain but I just couldn´t resist including this ring, because I adore it.










These are just some of the examples of the new styles people are wearing here in Madrid. Some of the best rings you can find are at vintage shops or dollar stores as well. My greatest ring source is my grandmother´s collection of costume jewelry! So don´t hesitate to think outside the box when looking for a unique ring.

Winter: Coats and Boots...keeping it warm in this colddddd weather!

It´s freezing cold here but Madrid´s fashion is heating up!

In general, there are currently major rebajas going on right now in Madrid (sales, if you don´t speak spanish). All winter items are currently anywhere from 30 to 70 percent off. Personally the best sales you can get at, in my opinion, are at H and M. Corte Inglés also has some good deals. You can get some nice prices on winter coats, jackets, boots etc.

JACKETS:
Big shoulders, blazers, Michael Jackson jackets, faux fur
(are we back to the 80´s or what!!!)



This is a Bailman blazer, Bailman is actually a french brand but I see it a lot around Madrid.










This entire outfit is Roberto Cavalli. The studded pants are a huge trend in Madrid as well.












This is a Zara ad, and this white blazer with shoulder pads is basic but is exactly what everyones wearing right now.





This Jacket and jeans are from BluMarine. The chunky chains and the ripped jeans add a sort of grunge element, which is urban and cool.















All of these jackets are Stella McCartney and I adore all of them. Some are obviously more spring like than others but in Madrid they wear a LOT of white, all winter long, since they don´t have Memorial Day or Labor Day...those white rules don´t exist here!




Boots
Over the knee boots are all the rage. I prefer flat styles as to heels if you are going over the knee...don´t want to look like you are working the corner of calle montera...if ya know what I mean...in any case, if you pair with the right outfit, heels or not, they can look fabulous! And keep you warm! A few favorites below...

On the Left...Loewe and the right, Prada
















These are by Charol de Hazel...love the color