Chanel, si belle!

by nature, couture collections are generally an amusement park ride of imagination.  a trip inside our female collective "i want to be her" fantasies, brought to life on a runway.  not usually the sort of clothing you immediately relate to in a "i could totally wear that to lunch" sort of way.  this Chanel presentation teetered on the tightrope of being fantastic AND wearable.  there were loads of signature styles.  classic tweed jackets mixed up with unexpected bottom pieces like a sequined skinny pant.  OUI.   beautiful, fluid fabrics layered in longer, softer looks.  a number of early sixties shaped coats and shift dresses with gorge detailing that separate the sublime from the mundane.  LOVE.  lots of eclectic, fun, modern layering.  some of which was a bit "not sure which pieces to go with, so i will go with all of them" and some of which was spot on perfect Chanel chic.  most of my favorite couture shows end with me deeply entrenched in a new character fantasy which will wind its way into wearable pieces in my closet.  this show has me deeply entrenched in the desire to immediately win the lottery so that i can run to Paris and stock up on closet-fulls of Chanel.

oooh la la

quite a number of years ago, when my casting job had me traveling round the world, i developed a duty-free Chanel make up habit.  i had developed a duty-free candy habit in my youth traveling back and forth between England and the States, so this was just a logical age driven upgrade.  i became psychotically obsessed with a nail polish called Opaline.  i knew it would not last, so i amassed a RIDICULOUS amount of bottles of the stuff, and i have exactly one left.  i was starting to feel some pangs of fear as to what would happen when it ran out because as high and low as i have searched, i have never found anything like it.  these days, Chanel has cornered the market on the "must have" color every season.  it's like they put crack in the nail polish.  here and there i succumb to the siren call.  i rocked the Khakis all fall, and will keep Khaki Rose in my regular line up.  for spring - i felt the pull pretty hard for the Black Pearl.    a) the gunmetal holographic opalescent color is BEYOND.  b) i happen to love black pearls and c) it appeals wildly to my captain jack sparrow pirate sensibilities.  and so off i went to welcome it into my home.   in doing so i got blindsided in the most extraordinary way.  another spring color -- Pearl Drop -- is literally the closest thing i have ever seen to my old flame Opaline.  my heart started beating and i got a little woozy (again, i really think there might be crack in these formulas)   my treasure chest will once again be filled with pearl delights.

c'est bon ou non, Coco?

i am flittering back and forth between fashion heaven and squish nose looking at the Chanel couture images. some of the pieces, (a few pictured here) are what any girl would want from Chanel: luxurious perfection. some (not pictured) reminded me too much of the fancy tea cakes - the ones you never want to eat, with all their pastel icing and squigglery. but let's just stick with the good stuff, shall we? perfection is usually in the details - and the details here are exquisite. a bit of chiffon or a frayed seam in just the right spot - when it's done this well you almost overlook it, it's so genius. therein lies its beauty. it's like the gift that keeps on giving. i'm not much for the pastel colors - i know, i know, it's a major theme for the season - but i'm not the biggest fan. never-the-less... i could quite easily get past it in order to own any of these pieces.

now... just need to work out how to get my hands on them, and where to go wearing them!
and no, if you were wondering, i would not do my hair like that thank you very much. remember dolls - couture is fantasia!

All Photos: Monica Feudi / Gorunway.com

friday fash

this one is short and sweet. just Rachel Bilson looking particularly adorable in Chanel at some sort of diamond party. sometimes Chanel can go overboard with the dresses - but this one hits the near perfect mark for me - it looks so simple, but the closer you look the more beautiful detailing you see. bien joue Chanel.

and on a separate note, this girl is so cute and pretty that i want to have a pocket sized version of her just to carry around with me. major girl crush.

beautiful girl, beautiful dress, happy friday stylies!

mind the gap!

2010 resolution: to be conscious of my spending. i am holding strong. ok, ok. it's week 1. it's easy to be strong in week 1, when it's frankly too cold to go out and shop anyway ... and all the January sales are rolling around on the internet...but still i am holding strong damn it.

i sit and dutifully read all my magazines, daily reports, scour the interwebs, search and research. in addition to wistfully wanting the weather - i also want the fashion of spring/summer. a few of the prevalent themes (don't really like the word trend...) that i am particularly adoring are lingerie styles (remember the dress yesterday?), denim denim denim (LOVE), patches on said denim (so much better than shredded holey jeans), and khaki. these will all no doubt feature in the way i put myself together in the coming months.

NOW the dilemna... sure i can lustily peruse the denim shown by designers (thank you style.com for putting it all in one place so i can throw out my 400 tear sheets from mags)... but will i BUY Chloe or Chanel jeans? with patches???? probs not... and will i buy the amazing Balmain jacket i wrote lustily about a while back? doubtful, unless a nice boat filled with money floats my way... thus my mind wandered. and it ended up at the Gap.

i'm not always a fan of the idea of shopping at the Gap, because of the easy access factor. if everyone and their sister has access to it - everyone, including that sister, will look the same. i like to look different. but recently they have really kicked it up a notch, and have produced a few pieces each season that are a bit perfect. and that can be styled in a myriad of ways to keep the look unique. tres bien. i actually love their jeans - they fit amazingly well. and this pair? adores. and a throw it on over anything denim shirt is something i have been needing ever since i lost mine in some sort of absent minded purge of a few years back. finally - not leastly - this little dress could be sexied up quite right - heels and piles of jewelry and a scarf? good to go dolls.

and so, in the interest of remaining true to my resolve, i believe these pieces will do a spectacular job of satiating my thirst. i love it when i'm responsible! (but um...boat of money - if you're out there and listening - you can float my way. i do still love that Balmain...)

the scent of a woman

hooo-wah!

the ever quotable madame coco chanel once said of perfume "It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion that heralds your arrival & prolongs your departure." and i could not possibly agree more. since my very first foray into perfume (Lauren by Ralph Lauren in high school. loved it beyond all possible measure) i have been hooked. i adore having my own scent. i love that perfume smells different on everyone - it is the ultimate in unique accessorizing. i've run through exactly 5 scents in my lifetime - and have landed on the keeper. Coco Mademoiselle. it's a recent addition to the Chanel "library" of perfumes - a sort of twist on Coco (which was my previous scent). i am obsessed with the way it smells. and every person i come in contact with tells me i smell good, that they associate the smell with me, scent related compliments that make me oddly happy. if i go a day without my perfume - i feel weird and naked. it's worse than forgetting my jewelry. i actually do not feel like myself without it.

it is WELL worth a little investigation into your signature scent. things can go horribly wrong with trying, some perfumes make me feel dizzy or sick to my stomach, or give me a headache. so try before you buy - always give them a test run - on your wrist - NOT your neck. (too close to the nose!!) but once you find it - the reward is supremely satisfying.

when in doubt, just ask Mizz Chanel! she always knows what to say.

lusty lusty

ok, i know i've been in a bit of an edgy mode lately, with all the leather leggings and skirts and studding and whatnot...(i even ordered a bedazzler with a bajillion piece stud kit so i can stud myself silly... scarves, a purse or two, maybe a pocket here and there... but don't worry, i promise not to go overboard. i swear.) and i love it - i love it i love it i love it.

however, there is a classic part of me as well. and said classic part is lusting so desperately for a Chanel bag lately. i know it's a pricey splurge. and i won't do it until i've got several clients secured and under my belt and paid up. (by the way - have you told your friends about the-e-stylist.com? not the blog - the services?... just a wee reminder...) but once i'm feeling a bit spendy and successful with styling - i may just have to reward myself... in the mean time i plan on perusing the possibilities.... and also going into deep internal life mode with this lovely photo from the Chanel fall pics... how amazing would this skirt look with a fitted white tee shirt (cotton or cashmere) and some black boots? and a belt with some studs on it? wow - look at that! we have come full circle!!!!

NAILed

haha. cracking myself up.

in the vein of cheap thrills... i was at the drug store the other day and bought my replacement "favorite of all time toenail polish" and as i painted the toes this morning i thought to myself, what a wonderful thing that this little bottle of stuff, that cost $2.99 - yes, that's right TWO NINETY NINE can make me feel so pretty and so happy. then i decided to paint my fingernails, as i am i going to see my friend's play in the Fringe Festival this evening. (i styled the female lead!!!) so i whipped out the box o'polish - and there in the corner was this little dude i had forgotten about - an AWESOME color for pre-fall... and again, the $2.99 thrill brand. so i must share.

Brucci nail polish. they actually call the product"nail hardener". simply amazing. the color range is to die for - and they always get on the trends right away - and have pretty much an exact match to the Chanel color du jour. i don't know if they have them everywhere - but for those of you who are NY'ers - they sell it at every Duane Reade. this product rocks my little world. let it rock yours for 3 bucks. rock it a few times, baby.

(ps - in case you're wondering - Golden Red on toes - CLASSIC. i remember to this day, at the airport about 8 years ago with my gorgeous friend Karen, whom i worked with and traveled the world with at the time - we were in line to check in, and she looked down and said "your toes are much fancier than mine. you have lady toes". and my dears - Golden Red... and the pre-fall, hell i'll wear it all fall and winter, finger color i'm a bit in love with? Ava's Ave. no idea what it means. don't care. it's a brownish tinted burgandy with gold flecks. love love love.)

madame Chanel

hands down. most beautiful city i have been to is Paris. it is not just what it looks like. my god it looks gorgeous and amazing. it's also the feel of it, it has a pulse. i lived there for a year and loved every single second of my time there - i would often come up out of the metro and literally say "wow" out loud because of the view that met my eyes. i miss it daily.

anyhoo - or as i would have said then, alors - this is a nod to la mode francaise. they do like the beauty in life. all of it, down to the fashion. and one of the most mind blowing creators of these things so beautiful is Coco Chanel. there have been books a plenty written about her - she was way before her time, and she is a pretty fascinating woman. and now, there is a movie coming out with the ridiculously adorable Audrey Tautou as Coco. it's a win win sitcho my stylies. (i fell hopelessly in love with Audrey Tautou in Amelie, which was a love story during which i also fell in love with Paris all over again)

there are little snippets coming out here and there about the movie - and i'm getting un peu excited... and because sharing is caring - i share with you. i'm ready and waiting. je suis prete.