More Make Believe!

I just looked at the current collections at Paris Fashion Week and I couldn't help myself! Time to play Make Believe again! I really really enjoyed the first one!

Today, my subject is Gareth Pugh. I usually just look at the more established houses but lately, by advisement, I'm going out of my comfort zone to explore younger designers. I critiqued Gareth Pugh's Fall 2012 collection as part of an assignment, and I surprised myself by actually loving his work! I love his Spring Summer 2013 collection even more! It's strong, it's edgy, but it's also sophisticated and elegant. You'll never see me post anything that is not sophisticated here.....not my style!

Here we go!

I know! Remember, it's a fashion 'show'. Take away the exaggerated veil an it's a simple black dress. Perfect for the evening, maybe with gold sandals for Summer! And for Fall, I would add a fur jacket.....a short 'winter white' fur jacket and possibly, bronze or black strappy heels!

Did you see the pants?! I know what you're thinking.....stay with me. I would wear the trousers to lounge at home, especially if I was entertaining. An intimate dinner with friends, paired with a nice shimmery tank, of a soft tunic. Can you see it? Oh and I would need a chef with service too, I won't be able walk to and from the kitchen in this one!

This is 'pour la doyenne'! Think mother of the bride.....I'm telling you, she would be so chic! I'm about 30+ years away from that, but I could still find somewhere to wear this to!

This is Tres Tres Avant Garde, but it's elegant and clean. I would wear this to a very formal event, with my hair swept up and an 'out of this world' necklace. If I wanted to break it up, the top would be perfect with black palazzo pants and the skirt, a fabulous corset! Still all very very dressed up!

Oh RED! Anything in red and I'm sold! Again, formal chic! A formal dinner, a very formal event, definitely evening. A night at a chic gallery, a night at the opera, or even a date with my honey at a very exclusive restaurant! It's easy too! I love this one so much!!!!....and only earrings, nothing else.

Another one I love! The white makes it go either way. It could be casual chic, can you see it with huge sunglasses, a fabulous scarf and flats......I would need to do some temporary hemming......Or, to keep it super glam, with some big Afro hair, arms full of bangles and killer heels! Definitely for a night on the town with friends in the Summer!

Heart be still! Another red piece of perfection! The perfect hostess outfit for me! At home with slippers, lounging, entertaining or simply hanging out with the family at the weekend! I could wear this today!!!!!

 Gosh! I love this one too! One thought. Travel. If it's wrinkle free, I'm traveling in this one. Period! I would be a sight for very sore eyes at the airport and the destination would definitely be worth the effort! For sure!

Ahhh, the perfect LRD (Little Red Dress). For work for sure. Personally I wouldn't do it with the booties and tights or leggings....but if you want some edge, go for it! I would do it with some lovely classic black pumps, preferably Loubies to match the red! It looks simple my dears, but you cannot begin to imagine the amount of work involved in getting that effect at the bottom of the dress! These are the kinds of designs I love! Not loud but saying a lot!

Saturday shopping in this? Pour quoi pas?

Ok, this may seem only for the brave, but really, not at all.  black pants are black pants, so let's focus on the top. For work,  I would wear this with either a pencil leopard print skirt and red shoes! Or, with a pair of white pants or a pencil white skirt and yes, red shoes! For casual chic, it would definitely be with soft pale blue jeans, heels and a tight pony tail.....both for work and play.....the pony tail. Can you see it now?

 Now, this, I wouldn't change or break it up! Well apart from the extra skirt thingy going on, it's perfect as is. Because it's sleeveless, the black on black isn't as intimidating as the one before. Work or play, either way, it works, hair up, hair down, definitely with heels and fabulous earrings! A cool party, a day at the office, it's all fabulous!

The finale! Hmmmm, I need a minute. Without the cape, I would wear this to work without blinking! But with the cape, I need to think hard.....let me see. A black tie event where there's a little window of opportunity to get creative! A fashion event, a movie event or simply something in the Arts, I could make it happen, I really could.....I can just see myself holding my glass of champagne and making small talk as if I didn't know how wild I looked.....yep, I could do this!

I hope you enjoyed our make believe date today!

I'll be back! With more! Stay tuned!

In Love Again!

I've been so busy! But I have so much to share!!!! So I'm going to take this in bite sizes OK.

As you may know (or not), I'm back in school and up until now, I've simply been going with the flow, grateful for the opportunity that I have to still be a full time mom and a full time student. I'm also appreciative of the fact that I'm becoming a better and stronger designer.

However, since I began the MFA, I haven't been over the moon excited about anything, and I know it's also because of the overwhelm of becoming a mother.

All that changed last night!

I'm excited! I'm in love again!!!!

I've taken two draping classes upon arriving here in the States and they were amazing, but I'm taking a draping class now which has opened me up to more possibilities than I can handle!!!! I don't want to get too technical, but this semester, we're learning how to drape and create designs with simple geometric shapes! It's only been 2 weeks! I feel like new life has been breathed into my ability to create!

Let me stop 'talking' and show you!

I stayed up all night (I was inspired!) and created over 50 designs out of only 4 pieces of fabric!!!! And believe me when I say, I'm only scratching the surface!!!! Moreover, these were done in muslin, which is not the most inspiring fabric! Just wait till I get my hands on the good stuff! I'll be unstoppable!!!!

I have to sketch my favorites as part of my assignment. I'll show them to you when they're done.

I'm in love again my friends! Truly in love again!!!!

Let's Make believe......New York Fashion Week

Hello Lovelies,

I went away! But I'm back! As you know I'm in school, and so weekends and Mondays are going to be my off days from blogging so that I can catch up with school work while the husband is home taking care of our son! I hope you don't miss me too much! (....and today, I'm posting twice to make up for yesterday.......)

It's currently Fashion Week in Milan, we're done with New York and London. As part of school work, we have to critique the designers who appeal to our personal aesthetic the most. This semester, I'm being asked to move out of my 'comfort zone' and explore younger, edgier and more contemporary and adventurous designers. Well, I'm there to learn right? And so I will, however, my aesthetic will never change. I believe in women looking beautiful, looking like ladies, looking sexy and looking powerful. And as women look this way, they will feel this way too! So you're never going to see any crazy, innovative, terribly avant garde (you'll see a little avant gardism......) and space like creations here. Nope. It's not my style.

As a Designer and Life Artist, I just want us all to have fun! I have to be honest, right now, my life is not as glamorous as I would like it to be. I'm a full time Suburban Mom! My days are filled with chasing my son around the house, playing with food and covering myself in the process, Dora the Explorer (he has a big crush!) and picking after him as he destroys our home, in an attempt to keep some sense of design and order alive! However, it's a choice I made and I am so grateful to be able to enjoy every single moment of his childhood. I wouldn't have it any other way! But.........! I do miss the other side of life, the Glam life, getting dressed to the nines, lunches, shopping, dinners, hanging with the girls and all the good stuff! I know that time will come again, but for now, I can make believe!

Let's have some fun!

Before we begin, I just wanted to bring your awareness to a fact. We're all different. We all have different body types. The Fashion Industry uses slim tall models as a way of keeping everything consistent. They have actually been called 'human coat hangers'......and I don't subscribe to the term, but it just makes my point. It takes a little bit of imagination to see yourself in these clothes when you don't look like the models. But please indulge me and try. Pretty Please.

The example of Jennifer Lopez vs the model may not be the most inspiring, but it confirms what I'm trying to say. Looking at the model, even for me, the last thing on my mind would have been the fact that this is a really sexy red skirt! So you see, stretching the imagination helps. See yourself in the clothes with no preconceptions. Just have fun!

 

Donna Karan is my current favorite designer. Now that I'm a mother and my body has changed, I've come to appreciate her design aesthetic. She really truly is a woman designing for women. I'll dedicate a whole post to her tomorrow, to tell you all the other reasons why she inspires me so! Today, it's about make believe!

 I LOVE the Rose Pink! This could be for work or for play, from daytime to evening! Totally feminine, which I love. The options are endless! Above all, it looks comfortable, modern (the shapes are what make it modern), sexy in a subtle way (which I love....again!) and still stylish! And the fabric! It feels so organic and yet, the texture makes you know it's luxurious!

 I would love to spend the day chasing my son around in this! But add heels and some serious jewelry and I could hit the city lights, have a great dinner (!!!!) and still feel 'high fashion'! Again, the fabric! It feels like liquid!

 I feel like going for a Summer lunch or a picnic in this one. I could also wear this to work and feel very feminine and relaxed, but still well put together!

 This one looks so perfect for hiding my stomach right now! Just take a close look at the construction, fitting the high waist and flaring out structurally towards the abdomen! Genius! Another versatile look, could be dressed 'up' with heels and killer accessories, or 'down' with flats and a pony tail.

 Here's one of the more adventurous ones and I'm not going to discriminate! I love the bottom part! This would be perfect for a slimmer body type and the volume of the skirt adds the drama! Again, could be dressed up or dressed down.

 Now, please don't panic! Remember, these are called 'Fashion Shows' for a reason. It's a 'show'! But in the real world, this would be lined or there would be an extra garment to wear under, leaving the option open for the wild ones......that's the beauty of fashion! In the meantime, take a close look at the deconstructionist details! You can only imagine the amount of craftsmanship that goes into creating these effects!

 One of my favorites. I feels so easy and light! To go grocery shopping with flats or a great party in heels! And still feel comfortable and sexy!

 This is what I was talking about in reference to the design before the last one. This one has been lined creating a different look all together! Another easy look. Could be casual of could be for work.

 One o the 'proper' looks which I love! With pearls, kitten heels and a pony tail, you would be the ultimate 'Classic' lady! With killer heels, chunky jewelry and wild hair, you could be super sexy and yet ladylike glam! It's all up to you!

 Oh how I love this one! It looks comfortable and at the same time, super glam and tres chic! This would be my Springtime staple coat! I could wear it with jeans and a crisp white shirt, or for the evening with a long black dress, a chignon and black gloves! I love it!

 This is the new 'corporate look'! Feminine and powerful all in one! LOVE!

 Heart be still! Look at the fabric! Look at the colors! The Artist in me wants to create a painting right now! This is what I call a wearable work of art! The draping, easy and yet molding the body where it's necessary! I could splurge on this (we know it won't be cheap!) and it could be my Spring Summer 2013 uniform! I would wear it everyday! With flats! Or......for the evening......with flat ironed hair or wild curls and either with a very 'ethnic' and bold  necklace, or bangles to fill both arms, not both! It would be divine!

 Did I just talk about a uniform! This would be it! Sculpted and very well designed, and yet easy! That's Donna Karan! I could wear this anywhere! With my favorite coat, a few designs above, or as is, with a little or a LOT of jewelry!

 Another easy dress. Could be formal or casual. Could be for work or could be for play! Again, with lots of jewelry and heels.....effortless glam!

 Another feminine work ensemble. And after hours, take off the jacket pile on some accessories and it's sexy and ladylike high fashion.

 I died and went to heaven when I saw this! The softness, the layers, the textures, the asymmetry......I could write a whole essay! I'm so in love with this dress! I want it now! Like right now!

 This is the classic 'Shift' dress a la Donna Karan! With a bold necklace and heels, another perfect 'from day to night' dress! And again, observe the construction, touching the body where we want to be touched and skimming over where we don't want to be seen!

 Modern Contemporary Feminine Power Suit. Period.

 The classic wrap dress, but just feel the fabric with your eyes! It's sexy and yet elegant and actually very formal. Perfect dress for work and perfect dress for play! And the color!!!!

The Grand Finale. I think this is the one I want. I can't say how much I love this dress and how it would make me feel! Like I could float!

Aaaaaaaah......I've had my 'fix' for the day, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! There's a LOT more of this coming!

See you very soon!

I Have A New Uniform! And I LOVE It!!!!

As you can see, I've been blogging consistently for 4 days in a row! And I think this time, it'll last!

I think I'm going to be able to stick with it this time because I have a new daily routine which I've been able to maintain for over a month now. As you may know or not know, I'm a happy, proud, sometimes overwhelmed mother of a 19 month old adorable ball of energy! And I'm a Wife. I'm also a full time student, studying for my MFA in Fashion Design (online) aaaaand, I'm an Artist, Designer, Writer, and Entrepreneur in Transition......!

So, 24 hours are not enough!!!!!! But, I've found a way to make it work, thanks to my wonderful business mentor Marianne Emma Jeff. I'll tell you all about her one day soon!

I started out by waking up at 5 am every morning. I would come downstairs and just sit, get on Facebook and simply force myself to wake up. After a couple of days, as my body started adjusting, I would wake up, and plan to do something, so I started painting. Something to look forward to. Then I moved from 5 to 4. Obviously, I had to start sleeping earlier. We all had to!

Now, thanks to the Power of Sensuality (I know, I'll tell you soon! I promise!), my routine is spectacular! I'm so inspired, and I also started school last week.

Now, I wake up at 3am, I have a nice long shower and I actually get dressed up! It gives me more energy than anything else that has been part of this new routine! I get dressed up, make up, jewelry and all and I come downstairs. I spend a few minutes in silence, just being still, being thankful and meditating upon the goodness of life and a new day.  I also have a glass of warm water and lemon. Then I get to work.

It's the dressing up part which has been the kicker! I haven't been inspired to dress up in a long time, childbirth simply confused my system, and I'm still nursing so nothing really works, but just being able to have my 'me' time, all dressed up, and then changing to get back into mommy mode has done a lot for my self esteem! But today! I have found something that I can use to combine all these parts of my life!

I'm so excited!

My mother will tell you that I believe I was an Indian princess in my past life! I also believe I was the Queen of Sheba......but that's another story for another day! We (Moiselle and I) had been discussing Indian Sarees a while ago. I think what sparked that conversation was Oprah's visit to India, in one of her fittings the designer told her that she had a "Saree body"!

I know this isn't a Saree but it's beautiful!!!! I had to add it!

Well, I think I have a Saree body too! Every woman has a Saree body! I think Indian women are so beautiful and so sensual! And they are able to exude all this sensuality and sexiness with decency! It's the most beautiful thing the eyes can behold!

This morning, as I was getting dressed up, the thought crossed my mind. I have one Saree but it is heavily embroidered and beaded, not even something I can pull of at 3 in the morning! I had watched videos about how to wear Sarees before, and basically, all I needed was about 6 yards of fabric. Being the fabric addict that I am, that was not a problem at all! So I pulled out some black chiffon from my stash, wore a black strapless top, and Voila!

It's simple plain chiffon, but it's beautiful!!!!

I can't tell you how beautiful I feel! And the best part! I won't have to change into my 'mom' clothes because I can still nurse my son easily in this!!!!

I am so so happy!

And I just had to share! I've even been brave enough to take a picture too!

I hope you will be inspired!

Some more lovelies to look at! Enjoy!

See you tomorrow!