How to wear...Fringe!

Would the 1920s have been as swinging without it?  I doubt it.  Would cowboys have as much swagger?  I think not!  Would the Spring 2013 runways have had the same panache without its dearth of 21st century fringe?  Absolutely not!  One of my personal favorite trends this season is the moveable trimming that donned   no less than a dozen shows from Paris to Milan.  There is something about it that puts an extra hop in the wearer's step.  Take a look at these stunning high end iterations and use it as inspiration to grab your own fringe.  Whether you pick it up at Bottega Veneta or the nearest Michael's store, one thing is for sure, you'll be maxing out on lust-worthy style!


An ode to old school Americana, the newly minted Saint Laurent showed us that suede and fringe are no longer "out".  If you're quick to dismiss, think about it for a minute, how cute would this jacket be with the right pair of leather leggings?




Remember when putting black and blue together was a fashion sin?  A big one?  Not anymore.  Someone woke up and realized they actually look amazing together.  Beyond chic!  Here's a black and blue look that's being rocked out with extra long fringe, thanks to Peter Copping's vision for Nina Ricci.




I've said it before and I'll say it again...gray is the most under-utilized neutral out there.  When you pair texture with a neutral, you have a recipe for statement pieces that rivals no other. Isn't it every fashionista's dream to have the words uttered, "I never would have thought to put that together, but it works".  Start with gray fringe!




This makes me think of a sweet DIY trick.  Go buy some tricked out fringe and simply layer it over one of your favorite minis for a totally new look.  Use safety pins (and cover with a long top), or a simple basting stitch to attach the fringe and easily remove later on.  You can always superglue it to the bottom inside of a belt that's wide enough to hide your handiwork, too.




There's sleek, sexy Milanese style a la Italian girl, and then there's Neapolitan style a la laid-back rustic seaside life.  This is the former!  And I love it!  A little touch of fringe at the bottom of this dress is the perfect finish.





You'd have to be a serious sewing master to recreate this ribbon-like fringed dress.  But until that happens, shop around for something similar or just gaze at the wonder of it all!





Another DIY alert :  the fringed neckline.  I don't have any specific instructions, but as a smart fashion-savvy lady, you can figure it out!  Or you can buy one!





It's not like this jacket needed to look more luxe.  But with the fringed sash, it got an entirely new level of sophisticated and rich.





Love this idea, creating a focal point with a touch of metallic fringe on a basic tank.  Though this tank is anything but basic, considering it's Altuzarra!





What do you say about perfection?  This is a true showstopper!  Marchesa was the mother of fringe-loving collections for the pieces that were completely adorned from neckline to hemline.  Loved it!





For more ideas on fringed fashions, check out some of these looks....

Gatsby Fashions for Everyone...

I don't know about you, but I am very excited to see Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" which comes out today.  It won't be the first time a cinematic adaptation of the charismatic millionaire will enthrall the fashion world.  The 1974 version of the film, starring Robert Redford & Mia Farrow helped ignite a a jazz age fashion craze!

Summer whites dominated when it was in theaters, thanks to Redford's thick cable knits and dandy suits and to Farrow's diaphanous white ruffles.  Perhaps the biggest legacy of the 1974 Gatsby was the emphasis on men's tailoring.  Ralph Lauren, who is credited with creating Redford's suits for the movie, helped make Gatsby believable in his surroundings.

To celebrate the release of this greatly anticipated film, I'm showing off the fashions of Daisy Buchanan.  Nab the Daisy look yourself - the fresh, modern way.  Which means: keeping it real and less stereotypical (sorry, that means no extendable cigarette holders!).  Think drop waist tea dresses, Peter Pan collars, and marabou trims.  So, what are you waiting for?

Punk-Inspired Fashions...

As I mentioned in my last post, this year's Costume Institute Gala was punk-themed.  The exhibit is Punk : Chaos to Couture, and in honor of this I thought that today we could celebrate the punk-inspired work of the amazing Vivienne Westwood.  Westwood's name is synonimous with punk, and she was one of the key people who had a great influence in the punk movement.

Dame Vivienne Westwood's popularity knows no bounds.  Her punk attitude is more alive now than in the movement's seventies heyday and her outspoken, Union Jack waving Englishness (with a few added safety pins and tea stains!), is undiminished.  Cutting edge but classic, her collections are unflinchingly rooted in her interests and beliefs, whether it is human rights or classical fiction.

She began designing clothes in 1971 with the opening of her first shop, Let It Rock, in the King's Road.  In 1974 it was renamed Sex.  In 1976, with her then lover and business partner, Malcolm McLaren, they dressed the Sex Pistols.

Like it or hate it, punk had a big influence on fashion in the seventies and beyond, and Westwood's designs were as important as the punk movement itself.  Here are some of her unforgettable designs throughout the years....