fashion for faith in four colors: spring 2012

Showing posts with label spring 2012. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Then & Now ~ Prints

fashion style 4:49 PM

Then

1867-1868 The Metropolitan Museum of Art; 1863 The Philadelphia Museum of Art; 1862 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sooner Then

Now

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Spring 2012 Fashion Trends #5 ~ Romantic

fashion style 10:39 AM

Curvy girls like self have to be careful of the romantic silhouette. It can, simply put add too much volume.

Then again, if you're too much a beanpole you can look as if you're artfully draped in curtains or a tablecloth.

1934 The Meadow Brook Hall Historic Costume Institute; 1953 Jean Dessès The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1910s Timeless Vixen Vintage

Above we see the first dress is a little insipid, I'd be careful with the cut and draping over the Rack although the v-neckline is flattering. The second is a little curtain-like, plus the color on me (pasty white-girl) not good at all. The cut is nice and it would allow for a full coverage bra, so it might make for a decent wedding dress in cream or ivory. The last might work, because of the belt, it's the kind of thing I'd have to try on, and I'm wary of the middie length.

My suggestion for us well endowed ladies, is to think of romantic in terms of relatively fitted silhouettes only with soft colors and sweet fabrics.

1950s Timeless Vixen Vintage; 1956 Audrey Hepburn Grace Kelly; 1960s Vintageous

Why I like the above dresses. The first has a nicely simple fitted top with ability to wear a bra under it, detail is at the waist drawing attention downwards, and the skirt if full bordering on tulip and not too long. In the second, Grace is wearing a fitted bodice dress with a full skirt, but the skirt is a filmy material and the dress has an complicated back. In the last, the suit is fitted yet made of lace and I like the bow detail. I'd be wary of the bow's location, though, and suggest something with detail work in the skirt instead like so . . .

Gail's own cotton dress with faux wrap skirt and lace details; 1940s The Goldstein Museum of Design

In the first, the lace draws attention to the face and arms, and the wrap skirt pulls focus away from the chest. In the second, the asymmetrical peplum and pattern distract and the multiple tiny buttons means there will be no "boob gap." I actually have a dress like this with that 1940s peplum.

Difficult to see in this picture, but it's there.

Here are a few of my favorites of the modern romantic trend for Spring 2012.

Pink on the runways, with good coverage in cute day dresses. Sign me up. Skirt length and style allows for flats, sandals, or pumps, details at the waist or hem drawing eyes down to legs, and tops that can be worn with proper bras. Do I hear a hell, yes?

Nina Ricci's amazing print dress. Busty girls can't wear it because it's backless but then she made a pencil skirt. Coveting!!!

People always think of pink as romantic, but if you can't stand the color (and I used to be like that) there are many other ways to get a romantic look with safer shades.

A touch of royal blue velvet with pearls for a very romantic look.

Soft sandy grey in scalped edge shoes; Norman Norell 1955 via The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Blue lace day dress in Valentino; belted cream evening dress from Badgley Mischka

Adorable lavender peplum blouse with Peter Pan collar; how to do edgy romantic with pants in mint and cream

Red velvet with loose flowing hair.

Miz Mooz green boots from my own collection.

Bronze rose ring from Target and headband possibly also from Target.

Not good for the rack, but I do like the photo.

Something romantic to eat?

And something for Alexia to wear . . .

Tea Gown Charles Fredrick Worth, 1880 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This post will wrap things up for my Spring 2012 fashion reports. Suffice-it to say that for the first time in a long while I'm exited about the season and my wardrobe will be appropriate to it. Long live Spring 2012!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Spring 2012 Fashion Trends #4 ~ Retro

fashion style 9:22 AM

Odd, but there it is, Fashionable Reader. Here I prep this blog on how to do Spring Fashion Trends in a retro manner and one of the fashion trends is ladylike retro. It's all very circular and slightly surreal. So what I did for this post is select some of my favorite images and think more in terms of which ones will work with the rack, as well as give that retro look.

What I like about the above options is that all the tops show can be worn with a full coverage bra. Also, if you are top heavy, shorts with embellishments will pull the eye downwards. Although these woudl add a bit of volume I might go for sailor shorts with brass buttons or something made of lace, not ruffles. Darker colored cardigans slenderize slightly. And a full coverage bathing suit! (One of the very best things about this trend is its consequence in the bathing world. If you dread shopping for swim suits this is the season to do it.)

A word of caution on modern retro. They still use the same modern size models. So if you have a curvy figure, the clothing still won't fit properly unless it has a nice lot of stretch to it. You're better of going to vintage in the end, plus that way you get something unique.

Here's an excellent example of a Retro based add campaign. I like how the green one has some shape to the jacket (even if the model under it does not) but the yellow is far to boxy. I might take a cue from those lace collars, that would be an easy add on to any jacket and give a lovely vintage feel. One could even get a collar cheep from a thrift store on a different jacket and make the switch to a favorite blazers.

I've been seeing a number of Peter Pan collars about too, which are likewise easy to add to a favorite t-shirt.

Another quick mod take away from the season's retro looks is a belted blazer. It can make the jacket you already have quite retro looking in one easy step. At a broach to the collar or lapel and you're there.

I do love the full skirt print day dresses, knee length, also. They come off as so very lady like. Add a pop of contrasting color with shoes or belt to make it a little more modern looking. The great thing about a full skirt is it pairs well with both flats and pumps, unlike the pencil which really requires a stiletto.

Kathryn Artz & red carpet red

If you prefer something shorter in the skirt there are ways to hark back to the 60s and still show a bit of leg with this style. Go for a mod look with a narrower but still full skirt (the tulip, for example) in a slightly stiff fabric, that can be quite retro but still quite short.

1962 Cristobal Balenciaga The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Separates, of course, can also be very retro. My favorite is always the pencil skirt and if you are heavy on the top it pays to invest in something with a little bling around the bottom. Draws attention to the legs (and, of course, shoes).

What I like about the above images is that the skirts (print in the first, lace in the second) draw the eye, not the tops. In both cases I might go with fitted knitwear or jersey instead of the white button down. The which button down and the rack are uneasy partners at best. I don't like the tomato shaped pink cardigan not flattering to curves, but the yellow pea coat look like it might have a bit of shape to it. And those white shoes are so adorable.

Of course, one of my favorite things about this trend is that it completely covers a girl up, from head to toe, and yet can still be both sexy and elegant. I love a look that doesn't show too much.

In the first I love the big black buttons, although it doesn't fit her over the rack quite properly. Buttons are a great thing to switch, adding a contrasting color or metallic button can have a very retro effect on the plainest of cardigans. In the second I like the belted cardigan, a variation on the belted blazer I discussed above. And windowpane plaid, I do love the plaid.

The easiest way to go retro? Ultra ladylike accessories. Jason Wu for target did a great line but by the time I had gotten round to my nearest it was mostly sold out.