Retro Inspiration: Charlotte Dellal - fashion for faith in four colors

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Retro Inspiration: Charlotte Dellal

It's rare, Fashionable Reader, for me to spot someone (aside from Dita) who's style I consistently admire. Designer Charlotte Dellal is one of the few.

Leopard



 What I like:
1. Flattering relatively modest black day dress, a good cut for most any shape and a wardrobe staple.
2. Dark brown fishnets. Fishnets are universally flattering, the color adds edge and I prefer it to black, which can sometimes come off as trashy (especially with leopard). I might even just wear some nude fishnets.
3. The pop of color/pattern taken from the shoe. You don't have to do animal print a nice bright red or pink or green or cobalt blue would work just as well.
4. Vintage look hair and hat paired with a red lip. You know I adore all these things.

A sexy version of the same idea.


Red with leopard:

What I like:
1. Cute red sundress, I'd add straps of course, with a full skirt to the knee.
2. Matched strappy sandal, chunky so they aren't too girly.
3. Pop of leopard in the hat but nowhere else, it's modern not to be too matchy.
4. Metalic bag and no jewelry. Very classy.

And a funky version:

What I like:
1. Funky combination of vintage items that would not have been worn in vintage times.
2. Tap pants. I adore tap pants. Although I doubt I would ever have the courage to wear them in public.
3. Again with the fishnets.
4. Love that red hat, I've one just like it.

French


What I like:
1. Very French chic look without a beret. A word on choosing striped tops for the Rack here.
2. Another fishnet bottom, two patterns broken up with solid shorts, very modern.
3. Hair still slightly vintage.
4. Edgy hat. Yes!

What I like:
1. Playing with proportions, although she is tall and small chested so it won't work for me. I never wear high wasted pants because it looks like my Rack is resting on my tummy, most unflattering. I have a pair of grey pinstrip boot cut trousers that I'd wear with a black silk blouse untucked instead.
2. Neutral pairing. Grey with black, always classic.
3. Pee coat. This one is a good length. As a rule what is flattering is skirt length is flattering in coat length on a girl. So if you aren't comfortable with a short skirt opt for a longer pee coat. That said, I tend to wear pee coats only with trousers, they can look quite frumpy with many skirts.
4. I might be tempted to add a pop of color. Perhaps a red shoe?
5. You can wear this outfit with flats and to travel in. Bonus points.


What I like:
1. The elegant simplicity of a black pencil skirt with a teal knit top.
2. Knit top! You know I love close weave knitwear of this type as it can be worn over the Rack without gaping. This one is particualrly cute because of the half legth sleeve, one of my favorite lengths. I'd opt for a top that was to the waist and not tuck in if I didn't have to, safety-pinned at the seams to the skirt.
3. Crazy shoe. This shoe a bit too crazy even for me, but with such a tame outfit I would indeed opt of an outrageous shoe. Perhaps leopard or my pin striped embroidered Irregular Choices.


Some other things to note about Charlotte:
1. She has a signature make up look, a bold orange red lipstick and not much else. It's good to devlop a quick and steady makeup style like this.
2. She has a signature quazy vintage hair style but doesn't always do it exactly the same.
3. She wears very little jewelry, opting for her shoes, hat, and/or bag to do the work.

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

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