My boyfriend and I are obsessed with “Downton Abbey.” Like, completely obsessed. We watched all the episodes in the span of a week and are currently rewatching them. We love the drama and the writing and the characters, but truthfully, I would probably still watch it with the sound turned off because the sets and costumes are so breathtakingly beautiful. The series follows an aristocratic family from 1912 to 1919, and my god, the outfits these people wear to dinner! Alas, we can’t all dress like turn-of-the-century British nobility, but we can bring a little vintage extravagance into our wardrobes — especially during holiday party season. Click through to check out a few gorgeous modern-day pieces that would do the Crawley family proud…
Tag Archives: style inspiration
Style Inspiration: Portland Right Now
After surveying the signature styles of cities like Paris, Rome, and London, I came home to Portland, a place known more for forestry than fashion sense. But contrary to popular belief, there’s more to Portland style than plaid flannel. People here favor casual dresses, cozy cardigans, pretty tights, and tough boots. Whimsical accessories are a must–this is, after all, the city that pioneered the “put a bird on it” movement. Click through to get the details on this quintessential P-Town outfit… Keep reading »
Unexpected Style Inspiration: Preschool Kids
The other day I got a message from my friend Ariel, who works at an alternative preschool in Tuscon. She wanted to nominate an Unexpected Style Inspiration: her students. “At our school, the model is basically let kids do whatever they want, and they come up with fantastic outfits. Just today a little kid told me, ‘Mermaids are in. Dinosaurs are not.’” She sent along the descriptions of a few outfits her students had sported recently and I got to work converting them into (mostly) wearable adult versions. The deets on the outfit above, and two others, after the jump! Keep reading »
Style Inspiration: Rome Right Now
Alright, we’ve covered the current looks of London and Paris, now it’s time to talk about Rome! This city is sexy, edgy, and colorful, and so is the fashion aesthetic. Women here love mixing masculine and feminine looks, trendy pieces with classics, and bright colors with more bright colors–then they jump on their Vespas and away they go. Here’s how to get the look…
5 Style Lessons I Learned At The Backstreet Boys Concert Last Friday
Last Friday, my childhood BFF Brittany and I reunited to take a road trip to the New Kids On The Block/Backstreet Boys concert in a city 150 miles north of ours. I say “road trip” but it was more of a religious pilgrimage to worship at the altar of AJ McLean’s facial hair (if you’re unversed in the BSB gospel, AJ is the bad boy of the group, and Brittany and I have been trying to get him to marry us since 1997). The concert was incredible, obviously, complete with dazzling pyrotechnics, dreamy harmonies, and Jordan Knight straining so hard to hit his high notes that I genuinely feared for his well-being. Over the course of this grand adventure, I learned a few lessons about style that will stick with me forever… Keep reading »
Style Inspiration: Get Ready For Emma Watson’s Jane Birkin-Themed Line
Emma Watson has already exercised her fashion design muscle—the “Harry Potter” star debuted her skills with a collection for the fair trade clothing company People Tree. It was this work that attracted designer Alberta Ferretti to Watson, and Ferretti has apparently now enlisted the young actress to create a line with her. Although Ferretti is high-fashion, Watson is still putting an emphasis on do-gooding. She says, “I will put it out there that I will work for anyone for free if they are prepared to make their clothing fair trade organic.” So far details are scant: We do know that the range will be inspired by Jane Birkin, boho ’60s songstress and sexy wife to French crooner Serge Gainsbourg. We already worship Birkin as a style icon, so Watson has clearly made a good choice. Can’t wait for Emma’s collection? Put together your own look with these Birkin-inspired pieces, after the jump! [The Cut] Keep reading »
Get the Look: Rachel Maddow
Fashion inspiration can come from unexpected sources: a poem, an old picture of your great aunt, maybe a certain song about short skirts and long jackets. I once created an outfit based solely on the exquisite color combination found in my iced caramel macchiato.
Rachel Maddow has become one of these unexpected inspirations. I admire her immensely: she is a Rhodes scholar, an accomplished journalist, a gay rights advocate, an eloquent speaker, a lover of cocktails, and a rabble-rouser. She also “dresses like a first grader,” according to her website… Keep reading »
Do You Take Style Inspiration From Fashion Week Even If It’s The Wrong Season?
Fashion just can’t live in the present, can it? You see this when bikinis hit the shelves in February, and when the stores start stocking chunky knits in 90-degree weather. And now runway fashion, which is always shown a season ahead, is more on your radar than ever thanks to Twitter and the blogosphere, which makes it available instantly (whereas before, you might actually see fall collections for the first time in fall magazine issues). Of course, we’re not complaining because we gobble up images of the shows minutes after they’re posted. We do have to say this, however: it is a bit frustrating to watch presentations of spring collections during fall fashion week. By now, we’ve nearly forgotten about the autumn/winter merchandise we saw on the runway months ago, and now have new obsessions. Problem is, short-short weather is months off. Regardless, we definitely find ourselves taking style inspiration from fashion week, even if it’s the wrong season. Do you do this, too? Keep reading »
Get The Look: Berlin Chic
It’s now been 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since then, the city has emerged as a cultural tastemaker—call it a design town, if you will. So, of course, its residents tend to be well-dressed. But don’t expect cookie-cutter outfits or pretty-girl get-ups. Berlin chic is about edgy sophistication, customization, and avant-garde designers. Add a dash of subtle gender neutrality, and you’ve got a rad German vibe. After the jump, some tips for how to rock it. Keep reading »
Stylehiving: God Bless America!
Amidst the sea of size zeros flooding Hollywood, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera serves as a refreshing testament to the fact that you don’t need to be a stick to look amazing and pull off an array of styles. Whether she’s decked out in designer duds on the red carpet or keeping it fun and casual in a pair of jeans, America knows what she’s got and is finely in tune with how to show it off to perfection which is why she is this week’s date-night muse! Keep reading »
