Teal's the real deal

Look at this sumptuous use of teal in one of Stefano Pilati's creations as part of the YSL SS 2012 RTW collection. This outfit truly combines modern beauty with a slick bomber jacket and mini skirt. At the same time, the hint of fuchsia revealed under the jacket and adorning the model's wrists evokes the rich vibrant colors of the Majorelle Garden in Marrakesh, once home to Pierre Berge and the late Yves Saint Laurent. 

Given my admiration for all of YSL's legacy and my absolute need to rid of most things black in my wardrobe and introduce a pop of color, I've decided to incorporate some teal among my clothing, starting with a blazer. Yes my dears, buttoned down shirts and blazers aren't just for bankers. Add a little length and make it a boyfriend shirt--or just claim your banker boyfriend's shirt (trust me it will look so much better on you anyway) and go for a brightly colored blazer with puffed shoulders. This look will rock your working days and your weekends, making you look effortlessly chic. 

blazer: SSEMIENNE (find a similar one here), shirt: Club Monaco, legging pants: Joseph, booties: Alexander McQueen

Legging pants are perfect to "funkify" your look a la 1980s and move away further from the strict corporate uniform. This way, you can still show a little curves while being all buttoned up and dandy looking on top! 

Add in some Alexander McQueen booties to the mix and you're sure to get some attention with those cute little golden skulls hanging on your feet. I must however warn you: the velvety feel of these little jewels is just so luxurious and comfortable that you may never want to take them off...

Not too shabby, eh? With this look, you are sure to be raising some eyebrows, all in a good way though I promise! 

After all, teal IS the real deal. Give it a try, don't be shy! Okay now, bye! 

Add a green blazer to your wardrobe

Ah the joys of coming home to Paris...not only do I reunite with my lovely parents, but this time I came to find my dear mother's vintage Escada blazer. And as you can see, I could not resist but to dedicate my first holiday post to this great wardrobe addition. 

blazer: Escada vintage, jeggings: Joseph x 7 for All Mankind, pumps: YSL

A German brand at its core, Escada certainly brings a strictness to European tailoring with this double breasted piece, void of any form fitting finish. Old school in its oversize looking style yet modern with its almost neon green color, this blazer is a timeless piece and will dress up any basic outfit. You can funk it up with jeans and some crazy high heels like I did, or you can definitely sport the businessy look, if you are looking for work-friendly clothing. I don't know if it is the excitement of being back in my city or just the Frenchie in me, but the blazer look is what I love most these days. Also, come to think of it, it's like the double-breasted blazer is the pea coat's finest baby, back in style, and ready to rock the streets. 

Want to get swept off your feel like I did with this statement piece? Thanks for beautiful fashion trends like this one and their constant reinterpretation, you will find similar pieces among Karla Spetic's SS '12 collection with her louis apple green double breasted blazer, or if you prefer a single button closure, Yigal Azrouel makes a pretty sweet version of the apple green blazer too! 


Hoping to have left you off with a sweet green taste in your mouth (or really, your visual appetite), I will let you to enjoy everything green (and red) about today and tomorrow. Merry Christmas / Christmukkah my lovelies! 

This fall, plaid shifts and color blocks become pure art form

Photos courtesy of Vogue

Who said plaid was passé? From blouses to trousers and dresses, these geometric patterns are super in vogue this fall. Prada surely takes this trend to another level with her hodgepoge of color blocking forms and plaid shifts with these two outfits I like to call "night and day", because of their mirroring color compositions. 

P.S.: notice the tricolor python boots? I think we've got you all covered dear animal prints!

One cannot consider the above dresses as anything lower than pure art form. The multi-size blocks of cold winter tones can first seem a little too kaleidoscopic, yet they all come together to form a cohesive design delineated by intersecting black lines, evoking the beauty of a Mondrian piece. I definitely gasped while inspecting these pieces, as they immediately reminded me of YSL's 1965 Mondrian dress (shown below).
   

French Vogue, September 1965, Couturier Yves Saint Laurent's Mondrian Dress

In 1965, Yves Saint Laurent transported Piet Mondrian's Broadway Boogie-Woogie painting to a shift dress. Yves did not fail to recreate the intersecting black lines and blocks of primary colors based on the Dutch painter's abstract painting. His application of these geometric-shaped silhouettes to his dresses, dubbed the 'Mondrian Look', marked the start of the Pop Art movement in couture fashions. Harper's Bazaar even described this sensational piece the "dress of tomorrow". It is specifically Saint Laurent's way of treating his dresses like canvases that proved his undeniable ability to predict upcoming trends in fashion, a gift he was recognized for and still is today. 
A visionary and legacy, YSL is still in our hearts - and apparently also in Miucca's.