The Fashion Monocle's Monocle

Given as a present from my sister, I, The Fashion Monocle, have finally acquired a monocle in which to better study fashion. Below are a few photos with my new monocle, and thus begins a relentless dissection of fashion faux pas, designer digs, and savvy styles. Beware retailers and party-goers alike!

Speaking of parties, it was seen at a particular Christmas party a fantastic Erin Fetherston jumpsuit, with plunging neckline and ruffled collar. Worn by the host, it was a must have for any upscale affair, liable to drive most to jealousy, and some to admiration. I chose the latter, but it was a shame to see some succumb to the first.

That is all for now, fashion dears, but I will write again soon!

-FM 

Kate Spade Love Affair

It's the magic that surprise offers. Something unexpected. You are impressed, intrigued, and inspired. That, my fashion darlings, is the fascination of Kate Spade. With a style I would describe as an eclectic mix of the classic side of J.Crew, fresh colors of Anthropologie, and a fun touch of Urban Outfitters, it isn't surprising that Kate Spade is the lifestyle brand is has become. The brand offers a fresh way to re-evaluate your everyday objects. It is a company constantly in reinvention, which is quite difficult for a brand dubbed as "classic" by the CFDA. In my perspective, it is the Andy Warhol of modern fashion, providing people with a new way to look at the Kate Spade version of the can of soup. When a design becomes one of the few that is affordable enough to own, but not common enough as a bunch of serif C's on a purse, there is a chic factor created, a stir of excitement.

Some of the oh-so-fun styles Kate Spade has to offer.

While they are a popular brand, Kate Spade offers a feeling of exclusivity thanks in part to the company's minimal print advertising.  Purely online, viral advertising has proved successful at creating the Kate Spade world at katespade.com. But for many, Kate Spade is still a well known secret amongst enthusiasts, creating a feeling of exclusivity for owners and purchasers alike.  Suddenly you are enveloped in a sorority where recognition from fellow Kate Spade owners is as exciting as a note passed in school. And you walk away with a feeling like you are a celebrity for being recognized on the street, and who hasn't envisioned themselves famous?

The ad campaign to "Give Colorfully"

Kate Spade is one of the few brands that teaches us to appreciate the everyday and find beauty and fun in the smallest objects. If you still have any questions, check out the prizes you can win, the blog, and the shop. That's all for now, darlings.

Stay Fashionable--FM

Indian Inspirations

Trick or Treat, Darlings?

I say Treat! Trending right now is the tribal look, and with Halloween upon us, I was more than inspired to become an Indian. And with me was my boyfriend, Nerd News Now's own Michael Bartley as my Cowboy. Creating my own costume was fun, but I was beyond inspired to create a new line of sketches based off my latest craze appropriately dubbed: Cowboys v Indians. You can see the start of my sketches below, darlings, and of course my own Indian costume.

Some possible fabric ideas.

How to get the Tribal/Indian look:
-feather jewelry
-fur accents (I liked this sweater from BCBGeneration)
-animal patterns (like my Kate Spade purse pictured below)
-geometric patterns or motifs
-moccasins
-fringe skirt or poncho
-primary color beads
-spirit animal (my was the jaguar)

How to get the Cowboy look:
-cowboy boots
-paisley kerchief
-pair of levi's
-cowboy hat
-riding gloves
-leather accents

Ok darlings, I have to fly for now, but I will include more in this post later, and how I was able to construct my own Spirit Hood, and how you can follow the steps to make one for less money!

Happy Halloween!

xx-Christine

Vacation Vixen!

Darlings! The Monocle has returned from vacay, and has many inspiring snapshots of fashionable photos from her trip! I even delved into a closet or two before leaving on my trip to procure a stylish accent or two with thanks to Mother Monocle. So much happening in the fashion world, so let's start discussing!

I was traveling to Virginia, a two hour flight, and needed some major comfy clothes. What did I wear, you ask? How about some leggings and a super-soft, over-sized pullover from Escada? Pair that with some fashionable feather jewelry, and my Florida flip-flops (though I would have preferred boots), and my black winter coat from ideeli.com, and you have yourself a Fashion Monocle! Thus ends day 1 of my vacation!

Day 2 included a wine tour of the country, and with it being in the 60's, I wanted to make sure to wear something warm, but that I could take off if I got too hot. Mother Monocle's cardigan to the rescue! I wore a wool scarf and black track suit, though I would have changed the pants for some jeans instead.  Otherwise, I was set and ready to become a sommelier!

Day 3 included a Murder Mystery Dinner, the most exciting dinner of the week! I decided to wear my latest infinity dress creation, and all eyes were on me as I waltzed into Conference Room A. This is not a dress for the faint of heart.

Day 4 boasted a wine tasting, and a taste of fashion is what I gave those people! A stunning navy number and gold accents? Can you say chic?

Day 5 was a zip-line tour and a trip to the underground caverns. With lots of physical exercise, I decided a low-maintenance look was best, so I donned my workout gear, including shorts/sneaks and a t-shirt and jacket.  A few accessories jazzed the look up, and my favorite orange Kate Spade purse was never far from my reach, an instant color-pop that makes a wow statement and classes up any outfit.

I wanted to pass on a couple of my other favorite travel tips, but would love to hear about any of yours as well! Below are a few of my suggestions:

-Try and plan outfits and outfit variables before the trip
-Pack items that may be used interchangeably
-Utilize one or two pieces of classic statement jewelry for the trip's duration
-Carefully separate a couple of twenties and stash AWAY from your wallet; this makes for easier haggling when you say "I only have x amount of dollars"
-Black purses/shoes/dresses are never like the ones your already own; go ahead and buy it
-An oversized t-shirt/sweater, leggings, booties, arm-purse, sunglasses and pony-tail are instant chic
-Roll clothing for much easier packing, don't fold
-Save space in your carry-on for travel purchases
-Always use the excuse: I don't know if I'll ever see one like it again

And with the surroundings of Virginia, it wasn't difficult to be inspired for fall fashions. The textures, colors, and lighting all made for a very easy wardrobe inspiration. Below are a few fall photos you may find inspiring!

A J.Crew inspired look with a Kate Spade Purse and Levi's light wash denim.

Louis Vuitton/Marc Jacobs Inspired Look

No one tops a butterfly inspiration like McQueen.

Here are some more interesting textures and silhouettes from my trip. Do you have any fashion suggestions for these? 

With all the fresh air and exercise, a good R&R is needed! I'm off until the world of fashion brings my fingers to keyboard, darlings! Stay fashionable!

xx-Christine 

Color Splashing Into Fall!

Darlings! Another day, another post! And what with the new weather changes occurring over the country, fall is here and in the air! Perhaps it's my own personal preference, or maybe it's just really trending right now, but who else is not afraid to bust out some awesome color-blocking/splashing fashions this fall? A look that would be subject more to the warming of the season rather than the cooling down. But fearless females like myself are taking to the streets in our crayon-inspired looks, and frankly, I'm loving it!

Saks Fifth Avenue has been my go-to store for my bright needs, and with my Kate Spade shoes and bag from a few posts back, the looks are really coming together. The best part about investing in a few new hues? A return of impact! And the really best part? Solid brights really perk up an otherwise dull wardrobe, and are in vogue every season!  Take a look at some of the finds I was able to scope out online from Catherine Malandrino and Diane von Furstenberg to name a few.

Those are just a few fun styles, but if your budget doesn't allow shopping at Saks, try a label called 5\48. It's a rare gem to track down, but when you do locate this label, take a close look at some of the above images you see, and you might find them for hundreds less from this brand, famous for making replicas of designer duds! I appreciate the lower price point, and while I may be sacrificing country of origin, or more luxe materials, my wallet again appreciates the savings on washing polyester at home v silk at the dry cleaners. I also tried a brand tagged as "A" New York (as it reads on the dress label) but have been unsuccessful searching for it via Google. But the dress is quite stunning and with a price of just $60, I walked away a happy woman! You can see for yourself the photo below:

And here again is my green and blue dress, purchased months ago, all in preparation for this striking new trend!

Creativity flows when you are surrounded (body and mind) with an eye-full of color. (Speaking of Color Splash, for any of my avid home-fashion lovers who watch HGTV, I also love the way colors are used in that show! So inspiring!) So put on your best and brightest for fall, and keep checking back for updates on my travels to Virginia this week, the Monocle will be out and about in some of fall's most fantastic foliage, not to mention some fun fall fashions!

xx-Christine

The Infinity Dress!

Darlings! My latest creation (that I knocked off) was the infinity dress, made popular by designers and companies alike these days. What is an infinity dress, you ask? Well, also going by the names convertible or transformer, the dress maintains the same basic skirt, but can be worn an insurmountable variety of ways by using two "straps" that are quite long. Take a look at this diagrams below:

So, as you can see, this was a very compelling idea, and while I found it online for sale, I thought to myself: "Monocle, you have design skills AND a Jo-Ann's Coupon. Why not get yourself some fabric and make one for yourself?" Well I tell you that's exactly what I did darlings, and don't regret it for a single moment! It was a fun process, and while many different styles exist with the dress--some with a fuller skirt, some with shorter skirt--I was happy to be customizing my own! And as far as colors go, I can't recommend anything more classic than bold black or classic red.

I always was a fan of the one-shouldered look!

So what do you think, darlings? An easy enough outfit for all your clothing needs? I think so! And if you can't make one, just try DKNY, they seem to have made an interesting version for their own collection.

That's it for now, fashionable followers! More soon to come on my travel tales to Virginia!

xx-Christine

FW & FNO in NYC!

Darlings! I am fresh back from a fashionable week (and some very fashionable spending) in NYC. I have been busy with shopping all over, and have some great fashion finds!

First off, let's delve right into my latest finds at Kate Spade. The purse powerhouse packed a pretty punch on my wallet, but I definitely walked out of the store a winner! I was able to scoop up three purses and a pair of shoes all for less than $400.  I love the colors Kate Spade has to offer, and adore even more their fun and funky fashion sense. Their winter collection online is adorable, my favorite find below:

KateSpade.com, $225

Next, I was able to snag some superb steals on several beautiful new dresses. I found new love with the color purple and Aiden Mattox, as well as a blinding color packed combo of blue and green with a number from Express. While at Express, I was also able to snag a new one-shouldered dress, something I'm infamous for wearing, and was also able to score a fun new frock from Forever 21. 

Now, with all this wonderful spending, who could forget about jewelry? Not this girl. While doing some light shopping in Florida before and then again during New York, I was more than pleasantly pleased with my purchases. Just take a look below to see what I was able to snag from places like Bebe, Bloomy, and Forever, with a few more pieces from a store in NY I stumbled across. Even though I was in NY for one day, I definitely made the most of my time there. 

And now let's discuss for a moment some new finds in the world of makeup. I normally don't go too crazy with snatching up all sorts of makeups, but after perusing the Maybelline aisle (which, I confess, is my go-to makeup brand), I couldn't resist whipping out my wallet. If you are in the market for new eyeshadows and liners, try a new palette from the Eyestudio Color Explosion collection. These gems will glam up your eyes before you can say "Goodness Gracious." The secret behind these statement shadows? A stronger pigment impact (think MAC cosmetics), followed by a luminous iridescent shade you sweep over your eyes after applying the color. The result? A stunning shadow show for all to see! 

After you apply shadow, think about your next move, liner. May I recommend my new favorite liner? Maybelline MasterDrama Liner, a click-stick style liner that will leave you stunned. It applies smooth, and won't leave you freaking out in the morning wondering where your pencil sharpener ran away to (I don't speak from personal experience). And when you are ready to finish it all off with the Master of Impact, the Mother of Drama, the Vixen of Vivid, Mascara, then I recommend The Falsies Flared Volume Express Mascara. It is sensational. If you want to make an impact with your eyes, I recommend the combination of ALL of these fun finds, you will not be disappointed. 

I also wanted a quick note on nail polish: try Face Stockholm in One-Hundred Thirty-Two. There is no picture that will do this justice, you are just going to have to trust me, when I saw it I was blown away. 

Now, on to my Fashion's Night Out! It was superb, running around the city with everyone else who was interested in fashion or a free drink. At one point, I believe we were in Armani or Kenneth Cole, and the whole store was literally a night club: there was a bar, a DJ, and a ton of dancing going on. It was by far the best way to sell clothes ever. I don't believe we saw anyone famous, but I think we saw a Victoria's Secret Angel. The streets were literally packed with people who were dressed to impress, and a good time was generally had by all. It was definitely a night I will not forget, thanks to my friend Ashley. It definitely was not the same, however, without our partner in crime, Meaghan, who was unable to attend. (Next year, Meaghan!)

Last but not least, a mention to online shopping, an addiction I have regrettably taken up. It seems websites like ideeli and Gilt are too much of a temptation, have I have become a recent stalker on their websites, checking into new sales every day. I don't regret, however, the new pieces I have picked up, pictured below:

ideeli.com

Besides shopping, these online retailers have opened the door for more designer exposure that you might not otherwise come into contact with.  For example these adorable little shoes I was not before acquainted with, but will now be more aware of from Poetic License. 

That's it for now, darlings! Stay Fashionable!

xx-Christine